My Story & Bio

Rage, violence, neglect and fear dominated most of my childhood. The oldest of five children, I was frequently left in charge of my siblings beginning at the age of nine. Chaos reigned in our home, and my little heart was wounded again and again. Read my award-winning post describing a snippet from my childhood here. Or read one of my most popular blog posts, An Uphill Climb to Normal.

On my own at the age of 17, I dropped out of high school in my senior year so I could earn a living. I married at 18 and gave birth to a baby boy nine months later. When he was only two years old, I became a single mom. Although I worked two jobs, I still didn't earn enough to prevent my car from getting repossessed, so I rode to work on a bike, pedaling many miles with my little boy balanced on a basket behind my seat.

Five years later, I met a man at work named Keith. He was hurting, too. Our volatile relationship made my heart ache, but as a divorced mom with a shameful past, I considered myself damaged goods. So we married, but separated just six months later, establishing a painful pattern of dysfunction and hurt that lasted many years.

In 1990 I met Jesus; He loved me, thrilled me, and understood me like nobody else. Slowly my heart began to heal. God whispered a promise that He could change my marriage, so I held on, staying when I desperately wanted to run to escape the pain. Finally, 11 years later, Keith met Jesus, too. Our hearts, marriage and lives have been utterly transformed. We've now been married over 22 years.

I believed God when He said he could heal my heart and emotions from a lifetime of truama. I believed God when He said He could change my marriage. To my amazement and God's glory, He has accomplished what He said. And He is still changing me!

Against all odds, God has enabled me to write and speak for Him. Since I have no formal education, it's evident that God is the One who empowers me. As Phillipians 2:13 says, "Not in your own strength, for it is God who is all the while effectually at work in you - energizing and creating in you the power and desire - both to will and to work for his good pleasure and satisfaction and delight."

If you've ever wondered if Jesus is real, I want you to know that He is. He's more real than the chair you're sitting on, and more real than than the best friend you spoke to yesterday. In fact, He wants to be your best friend. If you dare to trust Jesus and believe Him, He will be real to you, too.



Julie's Professional Bio

Healed from a traumatic childhood, and awed that God saved her seriously troubled marriage, Julie Gillies powerfully inspires, encourages and equips others with her words.

Julie has written over 80 articles for many publications including CBN.com and P31 Woman magazine, and is a regular writer for A Time to Love, an online magazine. She is also a contributing writer to the books Daily Devotions for Writers and Penned from the Heart.

Julie serves on the editorial team of P31 Woman magazine, and on the MomSense magazine Advisory Team. She is also founder of Word Chicks, a prayer support group for writers and speakers.

Julie plays a mean game of Scrabble, thinks that heaven will smell like an apple-cider mill, and adores long walks with anyone in her family. A joyful wife, mom of three (one of whom serves in the U.S. Army) and grammy of four, Julie communicates hard-won truths that stir the soul.