My Freedom Through His Grace
A S S E R T I V E N E S S T R A I N I N G T H E C H R I S T I A N W A Y
My Freedom Through His Grace
A S S E R T I V E N E S S T R A I N I N G T H E C H R I S T I A N W A Y
How “My Freedom through His Grace” came to be written
Having finished writing ‘Because You’re a Woman’ I thought I was done. Not having had any formal education in writing, (I failed English GCSE at first attempt) the confidence to attack such as big a project as writing a book, had come in the main, through encouragement from others and something of a determination to let other women know it was possible to escape from the constant trauma of their abuse. But it was a mammoth task, not to be attempted again - I thought.
However, someone else had other ideas. Gradually, as my faith grew, my involvement with other Christian women increased, and I joined smaller ‘home groups’ – one a particularly supportive group of women - I began to be intrigued by how much of Jesus ‘ story involved encounters with women and how he showed exceptional love and respect towards them. Particularly in a time when women were very much to be seen and not heard - second class citizens.
So there grew within me a seed of an idea to try and write a sort of ‘assertive training’ manual for women in the light of Jesus’ actions and attitude towards them.
I started making notes, collecting ideas and formulating chapter headings - that was more than ten years ago - and for a while it sat, in its basket, gathering dust. My doubts and lack of confidence in my writing skills allowing it to be pushed to the back of my mind while I got on with life.
But God wasn’t done with me. The urge to write this book wouldn’t go away and after several failed attempts - I suspect ‘failed’ because I was not in a right place in my faith to write about him – I took myself off to a remote spot in Wales for 5 days, armed with laptop, notes, much prayer, and a ‘last ditch attempt’ attitude…. and the words just flowed.
Why I wanted ‘My Freedom through His Grace’ to be published
I had years of secular healing, psychologists, counselling sessions and a spell in a psychiatric care home; all of which empowered me to overcome the guilt and shame of the abuse I experienced as a child and teenager. But it was an experience of God’s amazing love for me and the incredible power of his healing that opened my heart to a complete and utter belief and acceptance that Yes – he does care about us, deeply and longingly. Longingly – desiring a relationship with every one of us.
Thus became a determination in me to complete this book – My Freedom through His Grace - the story of my very personal journey to faith, led by a desire to share the knowledge of a God, who I believe, wishes to shower us with his love, to share our lives and to enjoy a full and exciting relationship with every one of us. More than anything though, to give us an inner peace. It is my dearest wish that in reading about my experiences, my journey and understanding of his words and actions, you will perhaps choose to make a journey of your own and reap the benefits of a lifelong relationship with God.
A review by Kim Carr, a Chartered Coaching Psychologist
"As a Chartered Coaching Psychologist, supervisor, and specialist in women’s mental health and post-traumatic growth, I have had the privilege of witnessing Jacki’s evolution through both a personal and professional lens. I first met her as a new Christian and was immediately struck not only by the depth of her faith but by her extraordinary ability to translate spiritual experience into meaningful, embodied narrative something we recognise in psychology as a powerful mechanism for identity formation and emotional healing. Her storytelling ignited my own faith journey, offering the kind of experiential authenticity that builds both trust and transformation.
More than a decade later, I became Jacki’s coach, already deeply moved by her earlier book, Because You’re a Woman. It resonated profoundly with me as a woman, a Christian, and a psychologist because it captured themes central to women’s psychological wellbeing: voice, agency, meaning-making, and spiritual resilience. When Jacki began writing ‘My Freedom through His Grace’, I was thrilled. Her natural ability to integrate faith, experience, and emotional insight aligns beautifully with evidence-based understandings of recovery and growth.
From a psychological standpoint, ‘My Freedom through His Grace’ exemplifies what we describe as post-traumatic growth. It demonstrates how women can reconstruct their narrative after hardship, reconnect with inner strength, and anchor themselves in hope. Through my work with women who have experienced domestic abuse, I know how vital it is to hear another woman’s story told with honesty, compassion, and psychological safety. Jacki offers this with remarkable skill. Her gentle style, emotional resilience, and unwavering belief in possibility provide a model for cognitive reframing, self-compassion, and renewed purpose.
My Freedom through His Grace is more than a personal testimony, it is a psychologically rich, spiritually grounded guide for women seeking to move from survival to genuine thriving. It stands to make a significant contribution to both Christian literature and women’s wellbeing, and I wholeheartedly champion its publication."
A review by Kim Carr, a Chartered Coaching Psychologist
"As a Chartered Coaching Psychologist, supervisor, and specialist in women’s mental health and post-traumatic growth, I have had the privilege of witnessing Jacki’s evolution through both a personal and professional lens. I first met her as a new Christian and was immediately struck not only by the depth of her faith but by her extraordinary ability to translate spiritual experience into meaningful, embodied narrative something we recognise in psychology as a powerful mechanism for identity formation and emotional healing. Her storytelling ignited my own faith journey, offering the kind of experiential authenticity that builds both trust and transformation.
More than a decade later, I became Jacki’s coach, already deeply moved by her earlier book, Because You’re a Woman. It resonated profoundly with me as a woman, a Christian, and a psychologist because it captured themes central to women’s psychological wellbeing: voice, agency, meaning-making, and spiritual resilience. When Jacki began writing ‘My Freedom through His Grace’, I was thrilled. Her natural ability to integrate faith, experience, and emotional insight aligns beautifully with evidence-based understandings of recovery and growth.
From a psychological standpoint, ‘My Freedom through His Grace’ exemplifies what we describe as post-traumatic growth. It demonstrates how women can reconstruct their narrative after hardship, reconnect with inner strength, and anchor themselves in hope. Through my work with women who have experienced domestic abuse, I know how vital it is to hear another woman’s story told with honesty, compassion, and psychological safety. Jacki offers this with remarkable skill. Her gentle style, emotional resilience, and unwavering belief in possibility provide a model for cognitive reframing, self-compassion, and renewed purpose.
My Freedom through His Grace is more than a personal testimony, it is a psychologically rich, spiritually grounded guide for women seeking to move from survival to genuine thriving. It stands to make a significant contribution to both Christian literature and women’s wellbeing, and I wholeheartedly champion its publication."
