Gift Girls’ Faith Book Club
started as a group of girlfriends gathering to read and discuss books about God, with a special focus on books that explored fresh perspectives on the christian faith, and allowed for deep questioning. Some of us were curious and looking for fresh ways to grow our faith, while others were feeling downright discouraged about church. A couple of us had stepped away from church for awhile, but found only dead ends when looking to secular society for meaning and community. We all yearned for a fresh vision of our purpose on this earth. We agreed that Life without God is meaningless and depressing, but life within the church can sometimes feel stifling and inauthentic.
Our name
The very first book we read was One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voscamp. Over the weeks of delving into this gorgeous book, we started affectionately calling ourselves the Gift Girls. The name stuck!
Over time our relationships and our learning together have turned into a force! God has used our little book club as a catalyst for passion in each of us to live out our faith more authentically.
We started as women who were feeling spiritually stuck, but now are brimming with hope and potential to transform our lives, our families, our places of faith, and our communities. We want to share this with others.
Tanya
Raised in a secular home full of all the pitfalls and emptiness of a life without any faith tradition, Tanya immersed herself in art – specifically theatre – to find meaning. Drawn to faith, and captivated by the beautiful gospel of Jesus Christ, she became a christian in her mid-twenties. Contrasting with many of her christian friends, most of her oldest friends and family were secular folks. She is so grateful for this perspective, because it has always grounded her faith journey in the wider community.
By trade Tanya is a professional actor. In addition to working with traditional theatre companies, she works for two educational projects; one promoting literacy, and the other addiction awareness. She serves on the creative arts team at her local church, where she has written and directed many original short plays. Tanya is absolutely passionate about using her skills to read the scriptures aloud.
Tanya lives in Massachusetts with her husband and four children.
Dawn
Grew up in a conservative evangelical church. She has spent most of her adult life wrestling with and navigating the complexities of Church and the christian faith. She recently helped found Stone Coast Community Church in Warren Rhode Island. Dawn was a key player in launching Stone Coast’s Four Echoes, a non-profit vintage shoppe that donates all profits to helping our neighbors in need, and other projects to benefit our community. Dawn also leads a volunteer program connecting local churches with under-resourced public schools.
Dawn is a girl with a heart for God, who loves the Church but is also unafraid to question everything about the faith. Dawn is gifted with a deeply authentic voice and communicates intelligently with no pretense whatsoever. In a time when many are struggling to understand the relevance and value of christian faith in modern life, her voice is like water in the desert.
Dawn lives in Rhode Island with her husband and four children.