Thank You, Tina.

Dear Tina,
I don’t know you, but your words saved my heart tonight.

Tina writes:

“Let me preface all of this by letting you know that I adore Tricia Lott Williford. Is it okay for someone reviewing a book to be biased going in? Yes, and here’s why, my adoration for her began with a book and has grown with each one that I’ve read.

This story is one that I wanted to stay away from. I thought to myself that I had no need to read about her past trauma and how she walked through it with her therapist and co-writer, Jana Richardson.
The whole idea of the clinical aspects of what that would read like sounded a little boring. Then I saw a couple of her posts on Instagram and my curiosity that You Are Safe Now could be something beyond just clinical case notes.

I will also admit that I have been doing some of the healing work of becoming a survivor in the past year. Turns out this was the exact book that I needed to read at this moment in my journey. It encouraged me in ways that I didn’t even know that I needed and it gave me the support of standing in my decisions in regards to my own abuser.

I won’t go into her story here, as she says in the book, it’s sufficient to know that her scream behind the door has been heard. But I will tell you that she walks through how she as a smart and independent thinking young woman was captured by an abuser. The book shares the things to look out for and reminds you that it’s okay to act on your intuition when you feel unease. My take away for the future is even if I am afraid of being wrong about someone’s intentions towards me, people who are genuinely interested in being in a loving relationship with me will not be offended by my stepping back and making sure everything is above board.

One of the well done parts of this book is how Tricia and Jana both write in each chapter. Tricia shares her story, Jana shares what Tricia was only able to understand after the fact and how to identify it in the moment. The other thing that they did a great job with is there is no shaming. There’s not even once the idea that Tricia could have done differently, she was targeted and abused, it was not something that she should hold as her own fault or mistake. And that lack of shame extends to the reader through their storytelling.

The book is an easy read, I finished it within 24 hours because it was hard to put down. I wanted to know not just Tricia’s story and how it played out but also Jana’s story within it. You Are Safe Now might appear to be a story about abuse but it’s really about learning to release things that are not meant for you. Ultimately, this is a story of how to see yourself clearly and how to choose healing and some of the steps you can take within that journey.

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of review from Tyndale through Netgalley. I’m never required to say good things about books but I’m always thankful when I can.

5.0 out of 5 stars.”

Tina, if my words have ever reached into your heart, today yours reached into mine.

In a giant world of words, in a sea of artificial intelligence and voices without faces, somehow, we found each other. Thank you.

And may your heart find the healing you deserve. You are safe now.