About Gretchen Jester

Gretchen and her husband, Dan Jester, have three amazing kids, Corbynne Rachel, Simeon Thomas, and Samuel Judah. Gretchen began writing poetry at the age of 7 and songs by the age of 17 and, in 2010, completed her first release of a 2-CD album. Being a third generation pastor’s kid, and currently the wife of a youth pastor, she’s always known her calling was in ministry. Some areas of ministry that she enjoys the most, and has had the privilege of being asked to do, are leading worship, doing concerts, and speaking/singing at events and locations like conferences, churches, retreats, and weddings.

On a more personal note, Gretchen describes herself as a Type “A” personality that got distracted by a party in the social sector. She loves singing and writing songs, but as far as personality types go, she is a cross between administrative and social; she truly enjoys getting her hands into a good administrative project, BUT organizing your life, your wedding, or your messiest room would be just as thrilling to her as taking one of her gal-pals out for lunch and pedicures! Her desire is to someday finish her Biblical Studies and Music major that she began at Western Baptist College (now Corban University) by adding a counseling degree, a degree that would be helpful in all the areas that she loves most about ministry and people.

When asked how Gretchen is inspired to write her songs, her answer is a simple, yet specific one. She says it starts with doing her devotions near her piano and keeping a notebook and pencil on the piano at all times. She also makes it clear that it is a God directed and emotionally moving process. There are times when the songs are simply derived from what God has challenged, comforted, and/or counseled her in that day. Then there are the times that God brings about music and lyrics during both the everyday things that she is doing as a wife and mommy and the things that she and Dan face daily in ministry. One thing she specifies that’s true for every song is that, for her, if the song doesn’t come in ten minutes or less, it’s not coming from God, it’s coming from herself, and is immediately discarded. She believes very strongly that if God is writing the song, He already has the pieces and He is using her to simply be the instrument on which He plays HIS music.

One of her most recent songs, entitled “I Will Go,” tells of God’s call on their lives and encouragement to follow where He leads. It has quickly become the theme song for their last year of incredible leaps of faith when God called them to go! The music video below was created as a surprise from dear friends of the Jesters, Chris and Crestina Hardie of Red Speck Media. They took the song that had been used as a background for the Apprentice Ministries, Inc. Interview Video and then added their precious daughter and beautiful videography to make a stunning visual depiction of a childlike faith that will go wherever God calls…