TheJulieBarclay.com
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Life isn’t for the faint of heart. But it often makes the heart faint.
Over the last decade, I have walked many undesirable paths. Depression. Infertility. Miscarriage. Loss of a loved one. Diagnosis of an incurable chronic illness. Health challenges that often dominate my schedule and quality of life.
Life is hard…but it’s also so so good. I live in Northern NJ with my beautiful family of five. My husband, Bobby, still makes my heart skip a beat when I see his name pop up on the caller ID. My children, Chase, Lucas, and Zoey keep my schedule and heart full.
I am blessed to work in my church’s women's ministry as the Associate Director, alongside staff and fellow women whom I absolutely adore. I am also passionate about using my gifts of speaking and writing to encourage other women, especially those going through difficult seasons or circumstances. For more about that, see my professional bio below.
Whenever I get a few moments to myself, I can be found browsing the aisles at Marshall's, reading Christian romance novels or theology books, or binge-watching the newest Netflix series while munching on M&M popcorn.
What gets me up in the morning is my relationship with Jesus Christ and my desire for everyone to experience the joy that can be found in Him. Every day is a new opportunity for the fullness of life and my hope is that you would claim that for yourself!
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God has used difficult life circumstances to teach Julie that abundant life is both a promise and a reality in the life of those who follow Jesus. And she hasn’t been able to keep quiet about it since!
After her diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 32, Julie wrote “Meaning in the Mess” to share how we can experience joy wherever we are, even in seasons when it seems impossible. A few years later, she wrote “hey mama, Choose Joy!” to encourage fellow young moms in a life stage where it can be difficult just to go to the bathroom in solitude, let alone experience daily joy.
In addition to her writing ventures, Julie also shares her messages of encouragement with all different audiences through public speaking. She has spoken on college campuses, in church services, and at women’s ministry events. She has been the guest speaker at many MOPS (Mother of Preschooler) groups throughout the United States. And her absolute favorite venue - being a keynote speaker at Christian women’s retreats!
She also works in her church’s women’s ministry as the Associate Director, where she has the opportunity to minister to over 500 women and lead their annual large group events.
She flourishes in environments where she can use her life experiences, relationship with Jesus and gift of speaking to encourage other women. She thrives off of speaking to large audiences, and then having the opportunity for individual connection with participants afterwards.