Friday Finds: Grace For Gayle
I met Gayle all the way back in 2000! She went to a local rival high school and then we both attended the same college. It’s always nice to catch a familiar face when you are in a new place. This past year Gayle launched a brand new dream and website and I would love to share it with you today. Gayle was kind enough to submit to a mini-interview so you could get to know her and a little bit about her heart. Read it and then make sure to bookmark or subscribe to Grace For Gayle!
1. Tell me about your title, “Grace for Gayle.” What’s the story behind it?
I have been blogging since 2004; writing and photography have been a hobby and passion of mine for a long time. However, around 2009, some especially challenging things cropped up in my life. Things that challenged my faith, and ultimately threatened my life in a very real way.
The Lord is many things, but one thing that He is the most clearly to me is my Redeemer and Rescuer. By the end of 2011, I had given up; I honestly and truly had completely given up on God, myself, and life itself.
On January 3, 2012, I experienced a radical change in my life, when God freed me from the strongholds and bonds that had taken over my life — He not only broke those chains, He shattered them. Hallelujah!
As God and I started rebuilding my life from the ground up, I felt like He was prompting me to return to writing and photography. I wanted to share my joy with anyone who would listen!! So, I stopped writing on my previous blog, and started Grace for Gayle in March 2012. I chose the name “Grace for Gayle” because I RECEIVED GRACE. I received redemption. I received mercy. I received rescue.
I am reminded of the story of the prostitute who washes Christ’s feet with her tears, wiping them with her hair. She so desperately needed Christ’s forgiveness that she didn’t care what the onlookers thought. He said:
“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” {Luke 7:47}
Those who have been forgiven much, love much — it is our human nature. The reality is, I am alive today because of God’s mercy and grace, and I want to share that with the world, one blog post at a time.
2. Who is the target audience of “Grace for Gayle”?
I believe I am here to be an encourager. I connect most with women, but I have a deep love for all people who are hurting and feel hopeless. I write posts about a variety of things, from fashion and makeup and decorating, to embarrassing moments and funny things that happen in daily life. But, all of it is through the lens of my faith, and I do my very best to weave God’s truth into everything I do.
There are soooo many hurting people out there, and a lot of those people are women, and a lot of those women are online! I want to write about topics that interest women from all walks of life (moms, young marrieds, single folks, students!), and encourage them in any way I can through my writing.
A couple things I do consistently is Wednesday Wisdom (a faith-based post pretty much every week), I have a place for submitting prayer requests (anonymous is fine!), women can sign up for G-Mail (receive encouraging notes from me, via snail mail!), and many other ways to build community on my site.
3. What should we know about you?
First of all, I absolutely love you. Cheesy, no?? 😉 But in all seriousness, I love people, and would love to know you, personally. 🙂
Now that I hopefully have thoroughly convinced you either that I really do love y’all, or that I’m a little nuts (both?), I suppose I should tell you some other fun facts about me! I was born in Indiana, raised in Texas, and have lived in Dallas almost my entire life, except for college (where I met Ginger!). I currently live in McKinney, with my two dogs and two cats. My profession is in Human Resources, but I dream of being a counselor someday. I love working out (yoga, pilates, strength training), reading, blogging, and I’m addicted to podcasts, especially sermons. I love to read, but rarely have time. I love kids, especially hanging out with my friends’ kiddos. I’m currently single, and currently not “looking” — and praying for contentment in that area! (He’ll come along when he comes along, if he comes along . . . )
I am an all-or-nothing kind of girl: I either give something my all, or it completely falls by the wayside; I’m working on a little something called “balance”. I am an introvert in an extrovert’s body, and treasure my alone time almost as much as being around those I love.
4. What’s something on your Christmas list this year?
Talk about planning ahead! Christmas lists are hard for me, but something that is definitely on my list is a new DSLR camera, mine is starting to show its age! I also have a whole slew of projects I’d like to complete at my house, so a shopping spree (or a gift card) for Lowe’s would also be fantastic. 🙂
5. And finally, what are three books that shaped or continue to shape your spiritual walk? (Aside from the Bible)
Having walked away from God for several years, I’m finding that I’m in need of re-learning things that my mind and heart used to know so well. In the past, the books that I loved the most are The Unique Woman (Edwin Cole & wife), The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts (Gary Chapman), Sex, Love & Happily Ever After (Craig Groeschel), and my daily reads are Jesus Calling (Sarah Young) and Praying God’s Word Day by Day (Beth Moore).
What are you waiting for? Head over to Grace for Gayle and start reading!
Happy Friday!
Ginger
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