Interview by Sophia Roman
Article originally published in JOY! Magazine July 2026
Jackie Stoffels endured deep fear, trauma, and abuse in an unhappy marriage. Just months into her young marriage, she looked at herself in the mirror one day and hardly recognised the woman staring back at her. She often wondered how much longer she could survive the agony and pain. It felt as though she was slowly dying inside. Eventually, after enduring indescribable trauma that led to severe emotional and mental struggles, Jackie made the difficult decision to leave.
A mother’s love in a painful season
With no job, no money, and nowhere to go, her mother, Denise Arendse, became her greatest source of support. A devoted lover of Jesus, Denise welcomed Jackie into her home and cared for her with warmth and compassion. She made many sacrifices to accommodate her daughter, believing that charity begins at home.
The pit of despair
Although Jackie felt loved and accepted there, she still battled deep anxiety and depression caused by the rejection and trauma she had experienced. She wrestled with hopelessness and confusion about her identity. Day after day, the pit of despair seemed to grow deeper.
Searching for hope
After receiving counselling, Jackie was placed on medication for anxiety and depression. The medication helped for a time, but the cycle would always return. At that stage, she did not know the God her mother served, nor did she know where to find true hope.
A life-changing invitation
One day, after years away from church, Jackie decided to accompany her mother to a service. What she experienced there changed something in her heart. The warmth, love, and joy she encountered were difficult to describe. God’s presence brought comfort she had not felt in years. She continued attending church because she felt lighter every time she went, as though a heavy burden had slowly begun lifting from her shoulders. Yet despite the progress, the depression still lingered.
God opens a new door
Finding work was difficult because of Jackie’s emotional struggles. Then one day, a recruitment agency contacted her about a temporary part-time admin position. What was meant to last one month became a lifelong opportunity. Today, 26 years later, she is still working at the same institution.
Meeting Ricardo
As Jackie grew in her faith and became involved in church life, she began building healthy friendships. During this season, she met Ricardo. She admired his gentle nature and soon met his God-fearing parents, who pastored a church. Jackie was deeply impacted by the love and stability she experienced in their family.
Learning to love again
After developing a friendship, Jackie and Ricardo eventually fell in love. One of the greatest moments in her life came when Ricardo asked for her hand in marriage. She remembers the excitement and overwhelming gratitude she felt, knowing that God was giving her another chance at love and marriage. “It truly was God the Redeemer rewriting my story,” she says.
When the past returned
They celebrated a beautiful wedding surrounded by family and friends. But soon after getting married, Jackie realised how deeply the wounds from her previous marriage still affected her. The trauma she had never fully dealt with began surfacing again, pulling her back into anxiety and depression. She had entered her new marriage carrying deep wounds from the past.
Looking to the wrong source
Jackie found herself looking to Ricardo for emotional security and affirmation. Looking back, she admits the pressure she placed on Ricardo to restore her identity and self-worth weighed heavily on their relationship. The medication helped soothe her emotions, but it could not bring true healing. Ricardo tried his best to support her, but there were times he simply did not know how to help.
Discovering the Father’s heart
Everything changed one Sunday during a church service when Jackie had a powerful encounter with God the Father. She cannot fully explain what happened, but suddenly she experienced a love unlike anything she had ever known. It felt as though she was alone with God Himself, experiencing the depth of His heart for her. From that day onward, Jackie intentionally made time to sit quietly in God’s presence, soaking in His love and peace.
Learning where true healing comes from
Slowly, her focus shifted away from depending on Ricardo for what only God could provide. Her eyes turned fully towards Jesus. She realised how unfair it had been to expect her husband to fill a place in her heart that only God could fill.
Loving from a place of fullness
For the first time, Jackie felt free to love her husband and family from the overflow of God’s love rather than from her own emptiness. Discovering the Father’s heart changed everything for Jackie. The pressure eased, the tension in their marriage lessened, and she finally began to experience true healing. “No man or relationship can complete us,” Jackie says. “Only the Father can. In marriage we are meant to complement one another, not complete one another.”
Joy restored
As Jackie encountered God’s love more deeply, her heart began healing from years of hurt, bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness. She felt like a completely new person. During one of her quiet moments with the Lord, she sensed Him leading her to stop taking her medication. By then, she could no longer remember the last time she had experienced depression or overwhelming anxiety. “The love of God healed my brokenness,” she shares. “My joy was restored through our Abba Father. I really sense that God is emphasising joy for our journeys.”
Healed for the harvest
Today, Jackie is a joyful wife, mother, and leader of the women’s ministry in her local church. She is passionate about helping women and young girls who are battling depression, anxiety, trauma, and abuse. Jackie believes God brought her through her painful journey so that she could encourage others who feel hopeless and broken.
A message of restoration
Her message is simple but powerful: true healing, freedom, and restoration are found only in a relationship with Jesus Christ. He alone restores broken hearts and fills them with lasting joy. Jackie believes many women are waiting to hear that God still restores broken hearts and brings lasting joy.
This article appears in the July 2026 issue of JOY! Magazine. Read the digital version of this magazine here: joygifts.co.za
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Date published: 25/06/2026
Feature image: Sourced from original article published in JOY! Magazine July 2026
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