Hello. My name is Jacey. As I turned sixty years old on January 8, 2006, it has given me the opportunity to look at my life of past. I’m the first born of three and the only daughter. I was nameless for three days, and with the help of the nurses I was named Sheila Joy. I was to have been David Lee. From birth to the death of my father, I experienced horrific abuse and was at deaths door too many times. Through the years of verbal, physical and sexual abuse, I learned to survive. I was hidden from the public and left in the woods to die, yet I fought to live.
My short stays with my grandparents were the only caring love I received and knowledge of God. I accepted Christ at the age of thirteen at a Billy Graham Crusade in San Francisco. I thought God would stop the abuse and became very hateful and bitter when it didn’t stop.
I learned to please and give to others in hope that they would love me. I attended church and made sure the seed of faith was planted in my daughter, yet I remained angry with God. I became co-dependant, enabler and sacrificed everything I had to keep the love of my daughter. And when my assets were gone, I took money from a friend. Even after sixteen years of God blessing me with a Christian therapist, I still blamed the world and what happened to me for my wrong decisions.
I was arrested and eventually spent seven months, one week in Fresno County Jail. I was given a Bible and opportunities to do Bible studies. God had me where He wanted me! I had to look deep within myself and realized that I was at fault for the circumstances I was in, not Him. I found myself on my knees in the darkness of my cell asking His forgiveness, a total surrender of my life to Him. I spent as much time in the word as possible. I realized why God had allowed me to change my name to Jacey Unity in 1995 after both my parent had passed away. For me it is a daily reminder of my need to be obedient to God’s Word and to be one with Christ.
Nearing my release time, I had nowhere to go. A fellow prisoner, out of concern, contacted Nancy Dixon at Samaritan Women. She came and visited me many times and encouraged me to come to the Center when released. On October 8, 2004, I came and was greeted with God’s love and acceptance beyond words to describe. My Case Manager Heather Thomas helped me find housing and has been very supportive weekly to me, another blessing.
I began my new life in total obedience to God’s Word. I’ve had the opportunity of taking the many classes in regards to boundaries, depression, forgiveness, Bible studies, Christian activities and attending retreats. I finally realized to have God’s true blessings on my life, I had to forgive the people who had hurt me. The freedom it has given me is beyond words.
I have continued to become a Christian woman and rejoice in the blessings of God’s mercy and grace. The most precious gift God has given me through Samaritan Women is my mentor Diane Hamill, who has helped me to become a stronger Christian woman through her example and is my best friend. The time we spend together has been a great joy and I look forward to our lifetime friendship and where it goes.
I just know that I must walk daily in God’s Word and with it, I am able to step out each day in faith, obedience and trust and know all that God wants for me will be mine.
Romans 10:17, “So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”
