“Does the God that you love and serve hold you in that or does He love you more than that?”

It was the sobering reminder Grace Ferguson confronted three years ago during a counselling session after sharing her struggle with faith while experiencing domestic violence.

It was, as she described, the “pivotal moment” that led her to work with her local church’s clothing hub as a beacon of hope for those undergoing similar hardships.

With the support of family and friends, she and her two children fled domestic violence and moved to the King Valley in North East Victoria in 2023, where she started attending the Wangaratta Baptist Church.

Her passion for helping people in need eventuated into a vital position that saw her assist in the acquisition of $20,000 for the church’s Wangaratta Baptist Clothing Hub to support its services.

When she saw the hub was advertising for a partnership manager, she felt compelled to apply.

“Coming from a place of needing help myself, I felt like this was a great fit for me,” Grace said.

“I’ve done a lot of healing in the past three years.

“I think that previously, I would not have been in the position to be able to do this role.

“But now I feel like it’s time to start giving back to the community.”

In this role, Grace networks with local organisations and businesses to gauge potential families and individuals who could benefit from the clothing hub.

“I’m the connection point for any services that are helping the vulnerable,” she said.

“We are dealing with schools, emergency services… anyone that is going to come into contact with people that wouldn’t necessarily know that we’re here.”

Her interest in the role speaks to her passion for philanthropy and her devotion to Christian values.

But more than that, it’s a testament to the life she once lived.

“[It’s] being able to connect with people on that deeper level and understand where they’re coming from,” she said.

“I thought it would be hearing people’s stories that might trigger me, but it actually just inspires me more.

“It gives me that fire.”

Grace encounters a wide breadth of people in her role.

Earlier this year, Victoria underwent one of its worst natural disasters, with more than 436,000 hectares of land ravaged by bushfires.

Grace and other volunteers drove the mobile wardrobe down to one of the areas that suffered the worst of it; the rural town of Ruffy, just a 20-minute drive from Longwood.

Here, she had the chance to speak to some of the community who were directly affected by the bushfires.

“An old man in particular just sat and shared his story with me," she said.

"The heartbreak of seeing the devastation down there and what they've been going through… it gave me a really good perspective.”

It was this exchange, like a myriad of others, where she said reality sinks in.

“I might think my life is really tough,” she said.

“And it is – it can be really tough.

“But just coming home and being like, ‘I have a roof over my head, and I have a hot shower in my house’... it's humbling.”

Outside of work, Grace is firmly connected with her faith.

She grew up in a Christian household, and said much of her endeavours were shaped by Christian values and morals.

But while she was in an abusive relationship, this pillar of her life came crumbling down.

“I wrestled with my faith around why this was all happening to me,” she said.

“Why were we going through this? Where was God in all of this?

“It actually took a non-Christian counsellor to say to me, ‘Does the God that you love and serve hold you in that or does He love you more than that? Did He die for you to stay in an abusive marriage, or do you need to get out?

“That was a pivotal moment for me.”

It was this unwavering conviction in faith that Wangaratta Baptist Church Pastor Aaron Wardle first observed when she and her family started coming along to the church.

“It was great that we as a church family could support her and encourage her,” Aaron said.

What also stood out for Aaron was Grace’s selfless passion for supporting community members, something she took to seamlessly when she assumed her partnership manager title.

“She’s been a fantastic fit for [this] role, particularly given her background and some of the challenges she’s had.

“She can really engage with people… [and] certainly empathise with them because she’s been there.

“I think she’s a really good example of how regardless of what circumstances you find yourself in, she’s been able to endure all that and [come out the other side].”

Grace said it was her steadfast faith and hope in the face of affliction that empowered and continues to empower her.

“I just want people to see that, even though life is really hard, there is hope,” she said.

“It can be hard to find those people who genuinely want to support you.

“But when you do [find them], hold onto them because they really make this journey so much more tolerable.”

The Wangaratta Baptist Clothing Hub welcomes any support from the community.

If you’re an agency or organisation looking to refer someone, or are interested in supporting the service through donations and sponsorship, you can connect with Grace via email at grace@wangaraattabaptistchurch.com.au