Jeanette Levellie loves the Word of God, cats, strong coffee, bright colors, and Jesus. Not necessarily in that order.
She arrived on the hottest day of the year, and came out demanding that the doctor turn the fan up in the delivery room. Two weeks later she created a class for newborns called, “How to win friends and influence parents.” During her growing up years in Los Angeles her favorite toys were a Chatty Cathy doll and an Easy Bake Oven. She vowed at an early age that she’d never marry a preacher “because preachers are poor, and I want to own a swimming pool so I can un-invite my mean older brother.”
When she was seven, Jeanette heard the Gospel from her Sunday school teacher and fell in love with this God-man who could walk on water and raise people from the dead. She gave her heart to Jesus and was baptized at age eight, but didn’t stay in close fellowship with Jesus. During her senior year in high school, Jeanette’s Dad had a night-to-day conversion. He then asked Jeanette to forgive him for all the years of pain he’d inflicted on her. That’s the day she permanently gave her heart to Jesus. She gave up her plan to become an opera singer and enrolled in San Jose Bible College. That’s where she met her preacher-husband (never say never!), Kevin.
They married in Fresno and pastored churches all over California, from Salinas to Santa Maria to Harbor City (next door to Long Beach). In 1999 the couple traded the smog and high prices of L.A. for the small town of Paris, Illinois, where they pastor a church surrounded by corn and soybean fields.
Throughout her adult life, Jeanette worked as a Christian high school History teacher, newspaper columnist, and retail manager. She discovered her passion in 2008 while attending a Christian writers’ conference. After arriving home, she told the Lord, “This is what I want to do with the rest of my life.” His voice in her heart answered, “You can’t do it alone.” With the encouragement of Jesus and Kevin, and the help of fellow writers, editors, and an agent, Jeanette began her writing career.
To date, Jeanette has authored or co-authored close to fifty books and has published hundreds of articles, stories, and greeting card verses. In 2018 she became a writer for the popular Guideposts family of Christian magazines and books, where she writes devotions for the popular Mornings with Jesus daily devotional. Her favorite aspect of writing for Jesus is to hear someone say, “That story made think about God in a new way.”
Jeanette also ministers the Word of God through song, prayer, preaching, and teaching. She’s taught every age of Sunday school class, led Vacation Bible schools, and preached in many pulpits. Oh, did I forget to tell you Jeanette is an ordained minister in her own right?
As a spunky humor/inspirational speaker, Jeanette offers her unique blend of laughter and encouragement to audiences of every flavor and size. She also teaches humor and devotional writing for Christian writers’ conferences.
Jeanette’s bucket list includes obeying God’s voice without arguing, a hot-air balloon ride, and a house that self-cleans. When she isn’t preparing messages or writing, she enjoys gardening, watching black and white movies with Kevin, and discovering new restaurants. Eating out is her favorite sport.
Jeanette is the mother of two grown-ups, Esther and Ron. Esther works in a department store where she helps people find ice melt in January and flip-flops in June. Ron works in a university library and helps people find Ancient History, Women’s Studies, and the drinking fountain. Jeanette has three almost-grown grandchildren who work at a library, a pizza restaurant, and finding a job. She is the servant of two babies dressed in cat suits who think she lives to give them treats.
Find Jeanette’s splashes of hope and humor on Facebook, at www.jeanettelevellie.com or email her at jeanettelevellie@gmail.com.
