A Gentle Wake-Up Call to Grace
As Christian women, many of us are familiar with the unspoken pressure to “do more” for God. Whether it’s through rigorous Bible studies, hospitality, parenting, modesty, or ministry, we sometimes fall into the subtle trap of measuring our worth by how well we perform spiritually. Grace Is Free by Marci Preheim is a breath of fresh air for the weary soul striving to “measure up.” In this short yet powerful book, Preheim dismantles the lie that we must earn God’s favor, and replaces it with the freeing truth of the gospel.
Preheim writes with a voice that feels both tender and wise, like a trusted friend who knows your struggle and wants to help you lay it down. Drawing from her personal journey out of legalism and performance-based religion, she invites us into the radical freedom of God’s grace. Her message is clear: the Christian life is not about earning our way to heaven, but about walking daily in faithful obedience because we are already loved and accepted by God. Yes, your faith will exhibit itself in good works, but we mustn’t get the order wrong. Works cannot save us and works don’t come before faith. Rather it is faith that saves and then produces good works through grace.
One of the most powerful aspects of this book is its simplicity. Preheim doesn’t overload the reader with theological jargon or long doctrinal discourses. Instead, she gently exposes how perfectionism, people-pleasing, and religious pride can become spiritual bondage, even in Christian circles. She encourages women to discern between man-made rules and the true leading of the Holy Spirit.
God administers his power only through human weakness. So we need to step back and examine what our activities say about our faith: are we trusting in ourselves or God? Christian activity is often blindly fueled by human strength and therefore is powerless……”I can make myself better”…is the same individualistic lie the world promotes: do better, discipline yourself more, choose your own destiny, be somebody. But the gospel is a gift given to sinners who humble themselves before an almighty God, surrender to his plan, and gratefully receive the sacrifice he made on the cross to pay for their sins.
This book is especially liberating for women who feel trapped in comparison: those who constantly evaluate themselves against other women’s marriages, ministries, appearances, or Instagram-worthy “quiet times.” Preheim reminds us that God’s standard is not other women – it’s Jesus. And through Christ, we already meet the standard.
As she writes, “The gospel is not a call to self-improvement. It’s a call to die to ourselves and live in the grace of Jesus.” That shift, from performance to grace, can transform the way we approach our marriages, our motherhood, our service, and our spiritual walk.
Reading Grace Is Free feels like taking a deep, gospel-saturated breath. It encourages us to let go of the burdens we were never meant to carry and trust that the Lord, in His kindness, is the one guiding our steps. It doesn’t call us to complacency, but to restful faithfulness… daily, grace-filled steps led by a loving God.
If you’ve ever found yourself exhausted from trying to be “enough” for God, or silently wondering if you’re doing Christianity “right,” this book will speak to your heart. It’s not a self-help manual. It’s a call back to the foot of the cross, where grace flows freely and endlessly for those who have been transformed by the gospel.
Final thoughts: If you struggle with a performance mindset, or perfectionistic tendencies, then this book is for you. Grace Is Free is for every Christian woman who needs the reminder that God’s love is not earned but rather it’s received. And the life we live in Christ is not one of striving, but one of surrender.
A Fruitful Home 