Renae Brackett uses faith and literacy to change young lives

Denise Renae Brackett’s ambitions stretch far beyond children’s books. She wants to put stories into young hands, help families overcome barriers to early-childhood education, create spaces where women can speak honestly about their struggles, and introduce children to a faith that can guide them throughout their lives.

The youngest of seven children, Brackett, who prefers to be called Renae, is pursuing those goals through RenaeInc, a faith-centred initiative dedicated to inspiring, equipping and empowering women and children.

Her work draws on experience as a wife, mother, minister, entrepreneur, author, graphic artist and creative performer. Beneath those roles lies a deep understanding of pain, resilience and the importance of feeling valued.

“I am a people-lover; I love life, and I am genuinely excited about living,” she said.

That outlook has been forged through hardship, as well as joy. Brackett disclosed that she has endured seasons of suicidal thoughts and verbal and emotional abuse. Those experiences, she said, deepened her resilience and compassion.

“With God’s help, I have pushed through and continue to push forward,” she said.

Her Christian faith remains central to that journey. She draws strength from Philippians 4:13 and 2 Timothy 1:7.

Today, she sees herself as a servant called to encourage women and children who need support, opportunity or hope.

RenaeInc grew from Brackett’s desire to channel her many interests into a more focused mission. Its roots lie in TotallyWell Women’s Community, which emerged from her own weight-loss journey and evolved into a space where women could connect through counselling, accountability, wellness discussions and daily devotions.

Broader umbrella

The guiding principle was simple: true well-being requires attention to mind, body and spirit.

As her projects multiplied, Brackett concluded that a broader umbrella was needed to unite them.

“I have never been a great fan of ‘niching’ because I love so many things and feel called to do them. However, I have come to understand that having greater focus does not necessarily restrict me; it can help me reach people more effectively and accomplish more,” she said.

The vision originally centred on creating a supportive environment for Christian women, especially those navigating abuse or other difficulties. Later, reflecting on her own experiences of being silenced as a child, Brackett expanded the mission to include children.

Today, RenaeInc encompasses Renz Books & Publishing House, The Little Hearts Gazette, G.I.F.T.E.D., Renae’s Early Childhood Sponsorship (R.E.S.) and TotallyWell Women’s Community.

“Ultimately, it comes back to one thing for me: we are not simply trying to tell women and children that they have value and purpose; wherever we can, we want to help give them the tools, opportunities, support and biblical foundation to actually live that out,” she said.

Brackett’s entry into children’s literature began during a stay in Canada with her spiritual children, Matthew and Chelsie Dyer, and their family. Their three-year-old twin boys loved story time, and Chelsie was intentional about exposing them to content that reflected Christian values.

Although Chelsie had long encouraged her to write for children, Brackett hesitated. She was comfortable teaching older children in Sunday School, but unsure about writing for younger readers.

Then one evening she noticed a book the twins were reading.

“I found it simple, yet fascinating, and I remember thinking, ‘I could do that’,” she recalled.

She returned to her room and began creating her first children’s book on her phone. Inspired by the process, she quickly developed a title, cover concept and manuscript.

Matthew suggested turning the idea into a series. Within a week, Brackett had written five books in The Body Detectives, focused on teaching children about the five senses.

She went on to write eight more books in less than a year and became convinced that children’s literature could form an important part of her ministry.

“What began with two little boys enjoying story time, combined with what I was observing around me, helped me recognise an area of ministry I had previously shied away from, but one that I now believe God was calling me into,” she said.

One of her flagship projects is The Little Hearts Gazette, a publication designed to make reading enjoyable while encouraging children to write, think critically, ask questions and express their creativity. It contains stories, poems, reflections, activities, biblical lessons and other content for young readers.

The vision extends further through G.I.F.T.E.D. – Godly, Inspired, Faithful, Talented, Encouraging and Determined – which encourages children to discover and develop their talents under the motto: “Discover it. Develop it. Live it.”

Brackett believes children should see themselves reflected in the books they read.

“As a Jamaican author, that is important to me. Our children should be able to encounter familiar language, experiences, foods, communities and situations in books and recognise that their stories are also worthy of being told,” she said.

Her goal is to distribute The Little Hearts Gazette free of charge in schools, particularly to children who might otherwise lack access to reading material. To do so, she is seeking sponsors and partners.

Through Renz Books & Publishing House, the publishing arm of RenaeInc, she is also producing Christian books and Bible-based resources for children, parents and Sunday School teachers.

Titles, such as No Tit for Tat, encourage children to choose peace over retaliation, while Teach Me How to Pray presents prayer as a personal conversation with God. The books connect biblical principles to everyday challenges, including friendship, anger, identity and peer pressure.

“I don’t want children simply to memorise a scripture or complete an activity and forget it. I want them to understand how the Word of God applies when they leave Sunday School or Sabbath School, go to school, interact with their friends or face difficult situations,” she said.

Her commitment to children also takes a practical form through Renae’s Early Childhood Sponsorship (R.E.S.), which supports children aged three to six.

“When you help a child to access early education, you are investing in that child’s future while also supporting the family,” she said. “You are giving a parent some breathing room and helping to ensure that financial difficulty does not unnecessarily prevent a child from getting a good start.”

Like many self-published authors, Brackett has faced challenges, including printing costs, limited access to schools and retailers, and the difficulty of building visibility for local publications.

She recalled being told by a pharmacy that it did not usually stock books by unknown authors.

“But how will we become known if we are not given the opportunity?” she remembered asking.

Brackett has also approached the Ministry of Education about gaining access to schools and is awaiting a response. In the meantime, she credited Friendship Park Primary in Spanish Town for supporting The Little Hearts Gazette, and Maggotty High School for purchasing copies of No Tit for Tat for its reading programme.

Much of the work has been funded personally or supported by a small group of donors. Expanding RenaeInc, she acknowledged, will require broader support.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com