Jessie's Song is the powerful story of a childhood devastated by secrets and abuse. After years of wrestling with her true identity and running from her past, Jessie Jenkins runs headlong into her answer--a mysterious stranger who knows every detail of her life and offers the only thing she ever wanted--a love that can be trusted to heal and not harm.
As Jessie takes the greatest risk of her life, she discovers truth about her past that will change her future forever. Jessie's journey is one of hope, healing, and true identity for survivors of abuse and everyone who longs to believe again that they were created for something more. Encounter God's relentless love as Jessie does, and let it raise you, too, from the ashes of brokenness.
Jessie’s Song, by Jeremy Williamson, is a tender story about a young girl who, despite being abused, learns how to love herself.
12-year old Jessie comes from a family of eight. Her father has been sexually abusing her sisters, but before he could abuse her, she takes her sister, Katherine, and runs away. Not long after, she is put into the foster care system, where she is sexually abused by her foster parent, Adam. Despite the fact that, she is adopted into a wonderful family, she still hates herself, hates the little girl who was abused, the little girl she sees as nothing but a whore. This changes when she meets a man named Jason, who shows her that she is loved, more than she could possibly imagine.
It’s clear Jessie struggled with her past. She kept drifting from one place to the next, all the while hating the fact that she was taken advantage of, that she was used. I kept hoping over and over that she would find some semblance of peace, but even that was only an illusion. She bore the weight of the guilt, dealing with the doubt her father had shoved her in, that she would amount to nothing more than a piece of meat. Her mother tried the best she could, but it wasn’t enough. Her siblings were also helpless. She was then shipped from one horrific situation to the next, but somehow, someway, she managed to move on with her life. The fact that God took the shape of the kindly neighbor, and even her dog, if only to comfort her, was encouraging. It allowed me to catch a glimpse of the blessings in disguise, and appreciate the strength Jessie had. It was inspiring, to say the least.
The context of an abusive father, a broken foster family, a home torn apart by tragedy; it’s a reality that many individuals have had to go through. If anyone came across someone with that experience, a majority of society would probably turn their backs on them. Parents would see a bad influence, classmates a whore, strangers a good-for-nothing free loader. Even so, these people still find a way to carry on, no matter what anyone says about them. What’s even more striking is that God is with these people. He isn’t sitting in some wealthy church, listening to the latest gossip, or a fancy dinner with pot roast; he’s there, with the broken, the hopeless.
I did think the story was a bit rushed to some degree. The ending could have been more fleshed out as well, but despite that, it was satisfying nonetheless. Williamson writes a wonderful story about a young girl who overcomes her traumatic past, all the while regaining her faith in God. As such, I would give this book a rating of a 3.7 out of 5 stars, and would recommend this for readers of all ages.
This realistic book brings to life many facets of pain inflicted when young but doesn't leave the reader there. Healing can come. And these words are healing. Thanks for writing this book.
I really feel that this book is a must-read for anyone! I could not put it down and read it in 2 days!! Realizing that 1 in 4 people have been abused i see the need for this well written story for everyone. Not only does it pull on your heart strings, it speaks to the human heart that theres a need for healing and answers to the pain people carry deep within. THIS BOOK IS SOOOOO GOOD! If there were more stars to give i would! I plan to re-read the ending again just to soak up the wisdom it offers.
I was mesmerized by Jessie's song, a story based on the long-time hold of child abuse and its prolonged effect. It was well-written in the first person which made one identify with the main character through her suffering and ultimate healing. It is a difficult subject to write about but was handled in a very sensitive way. Would highly recommend others to read for those who are suffering a similar trauma.
This book is very well written, but ended up being much more difficult for me to read than I thought it would be. I grew up with the kids in this family ... same community, same school, same teachers, same friends, and many shared memories. And while I know it's a work of fiction, realizing that these are the kinds of things this family endured, breaks my heart. My prayer is that all of you are well, and have found happiness in your lives.
As I read this story my heart broke for the Jenkins Family. But when Jessie encountered Jason, I envisioned the whole scene as real and identified fully with it. I read it in two sittings and strongly encourage anyone carrying a burden of any kind, to read it and be blessed by Jessie's experiences.
This was an excellent book about love and loss. It really touched my heart. The author really did a wonderful job on this subject that touches everyone who has ever been abused or know someone who has. It was a blessing to me. Thank you.
Very interesting and informative content about child abuse and the on going problems it will cause. As a retired from child protection worker I found this story very spot on.
It I could, I would give this book a ten. It is a wonderful story, with so much love and forgiveness in it. It is a story of faith and hope. It is a great book. I hope everyone that reads this finds peace in their heart.