It was not an easy decision, but Lydia McLaughlin, former star of "The Real Housewives of Orange County," decided to say goodbye to reality TV and instead devote her time to developing a deeper bond with her family and strengthening her Christian faith.
McLaughlin shared the history of her faith with Sasha Bogursky of FOX411, and also talked about her new book entitled "Beyond Orange County: A Housewives Guide to Faith & Happiness."
The former reality star shared that she became a Christian in high school after going on a young life trip. There, she met an older mentor who set a good example on how a Christian should be, and this is why she wants to do the same thing for others.
"Because I became a Christian in high school and my older mentor meant so much to me, I knew how much of a difference I could make to other people, too," she said.
McLaughlin said she wrote her book as a way "to send a positive message" to younger women, and she hopes that they will be inspired to follow God through her story.
"I wanted to tell people about my faith and how it's shaped me into who I am and how important that is. And so it was just a natural overflow of my heart," she said. "I would love them to just make their faith a reality in their lives and to be set free from the chains of this world—to know that Scripture is alive and active and it can make a difference in their lives and it matters."
McLaughlin admitted that there were days when she questioned her decision to leave the "Real Housewives" and felt sad about it, but all in all, she knew she made the right decision for her family.
It's difficult to stay true to her Christian values, McLaughlin admitted.
But she said her flawed nature is the reason why she is a Christian in the first place.
"I think I was set up to fail because people think if you're a Christian and you mess up, that means you're a hypocrite," she explained. "But I'm a Christian because I'm so messed up, and that's why I believe in Jesus, and so I think definitely it was hard, and the show is based on drama and gossip and clothes and fashion."
