“When Leah shares her story, the emphasis is on the redemptive work of The Lord Jesus. You’ll feel like you are sitting down for coffee with a wise and trusted friend. Leah’s story will carry you through the steep valleys she has traveled. But her wit, charm and humor will set you at ease. Before you know you, you realize you are captivated by her contagious love for the Savior who called her out of deep waters.”
—Lori Frank, Wife of Dr. Bruce Frank, Lead Pastor of Biltmore Church, Arden, NC
“Leah is a woman who loves Jesus and shares that love with a warm and welcoming smile to others. She has a gift of painting word pictures that captures your attention and inspires you to want to know more.”
—Alice Knighten, Former General Manager, Blue Ridge Broadcasting (radio ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)
“Leah exemplifies a woman desiring to follow God’s leading in all she does and says. I’ve known Leah for many years now and have witnessed her true faith and trust in our Lord, Jesus Christ; something that is not seen in most women today. There is no telling the extent to which God will use her in days to come.”
—Jill Owenby, Calvary Fellowship, Mills River, North Carolina
“Leah has a deeply moving story to tell born out of unimaginable suffering. I’ve watched her travel through deep waters with a raw dependence on Christ, and the result is that she radiates His sufficient grace. Because of her nearness to Him, Leah is full of hope and peace. She is one of those rare people that everyone should have the blessing of knowing. She trusts God; she loves His Word, and has clung to it at a time when lies could have cast her down. I believe God has gifted her to speak so that He can use her to bring hope and healing to many broken hearts. Her powerful story is one that everyone should hear.”
—Jill Toth, Director of Curriculum, Orbie for Orphans
“Leah’s story reveals the sufficient grace of God, as she has experienced the trials and tribulations of life with unwavering faith in the plans of God for her life. Leah is uniquely gifted to speak words of life and hope into the lives of the broken-hearted and wounded souls. She proclaims boldly that joy, hope and peace are found in Christ alone.”
—Kelvin Moseley, Missions Director, Biltmore Church, Arden, NC
“Leah Gillen is a speaker that doesn’t SPEAK TO you, but SHARES WITH you. She is naturally able to engage the audience by putting her listeners at ease and challenging them at the same time. Being comfortable in front of women, Leah speaks without anything detracting from her message, this message always being one that glorifies God. She balances professionalism with relatability, and it is a joy to hear her speak…or SHARE.”
—Lindsey Feldpausch, Proverbs 31 Ministries She Speaks graduate
“Leah’s passion for prayer and her knowledge of God’s Word stem from a heart that seeks to serve Christ daily. Her personality is warm, transparent, and refreshingly real. When Leah takes the stage, her personal testimony and life experiences give her insight into the lives of women as she shares from her heart.”
—Lorie Newman, author of A Cup of Cold Water in His Name, speaker, and orphan advocate
“To speak truth is one thing, but to live it out is a totally different story. Leah is one of those tenacious gals that gives feet to her faith and clings to truth in everyday living. She is an amazing woman of tremendous faith and courage.”
—Carol Davis, Speaker, Writer, Program & Promotions Director and Mid-day Announcer at 106.9 the Light (radio ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)
“Leah has a true and undeniable faith in God. You will be encouraged by her testimony. She is a great communicator and her way of engaging others will be seen each time she speaks. She has, to me, seen that this call is not just a desire of the heart but a direct leading from God. I encourage you to seek out her God given talents as a part of your ministry. You will be blessed. I have come across many individuals over my years of ministry that have passion and faith. In saying that, I can assure you that Leah’s is real and authentic. In what she has endured in her life, she continues to show the value she finds in her faith. What you see is what you get with Leah. What you get is a reflection of God. It is a true reflection of what a child of God looks like.”
—Derek Slack, Senior Pastor, Rossville Christian Church, Rossville, Kansas
“I first met Leah at the Proverbs 31 Ministries She Speaks conference in 2010. In our first speaking evaluation class, each speaker was tasked with giving a 3 minute talk to a group of peers…peers you’ve never met until the moment you walk through the door. During this first day of the evaluation, Leah shared her testimony concerning past hurt and how God had never left her in her most desperate time of need. Although some of Leah’s testimony is painful to hear, I found myself leaning in to see how God brought healing into Leah and her daughter’s lives. Leah shared her heart for missions and women’s ministry. I had not yet spoken to Leah and yet somehow I left that room knowing that I had made a forever friend. The following day our talk was to be 15 minutes long and yet again, Leah shared her heart in such raw and transparent ways that I had no doubt that God is the love of her life, her sustainer and provider, and Leah wants to share with others that same love and hope she has found in Jesus Christ.”
—Jennifer Cook, Proverbs 31 Ministries She Speaks Graduate, Speaker and Women’s Ministry Leader
Out of Deep Waters
