Shirley E. Gould
Author, speaker & copywriter
About Shirley
My Story
My life has been slanted toward ministry since my teen years. I began playing the organ for a large church in Houston, Texas at age twelve and was called into full time ministry when I was fourteen.
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When I was blessed to marry J.R. Gould, we began twenty years of ministry as Children’s pastors, Youth pastors, Associate pastors, and Senior pastor, serving churches in Tennessee, Missouri, and New Mexico. During these ministry opportunities, I served as the minister of music. Serving in Women’s ministry and Girl’s ministry allowed me to disciple ladies on a personal level.
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As a licensed minister with the Assemblies of God, I have served as a preacher, teacher, inspirational speaker, and singer wherever the Lord gave opportunity.
J.R. and I served as missionaries in Africa for fourteen years. During that time we started forty-five churches, and built one hundred and thirty seven tabernacles and four Bible schools. While J.R. labored in his assignments, I gave my time to the women of Kenya and the orphans roaming the streets. I was privileged to be the founder/fundraiser/director of the Kenya’s Kids Home for Street Children project just outside of Nairobi, Kenya. We have rescued 475+ children and are still taking children off the streets today.
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I served as the Women’s Ministries Director/Girl’s Ministries Director for five years for the Tennessee District of the Assemblies of God. When J.R. was elected as Superintendent of the District, I was honored to serve as First Lady of Tennessee for three years.
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Interests & Projects
Today, when I'm not traveling and speaking, I am an author working on two series of christian fiction novels that take my characters to Africa. I have a list of articles that have been published and six non-fiction books in the works.
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As president of Finish the Task Ministries, I’m leading an effort focused on the unreached of this world. J.R.’s heart was to reach those who had never heard the name of Jesus…now that is my mandate. All money raised will be used to fund that effort, build more tabernacles, and pay for the education of the orphans we have rescued from the streets of Kenya.
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I’ve been blessed beyond words as J.R.’s wife for forty years, three months, and eleven days. Now I know the heartache of burying the love of my life. He was a remarkable man of God, a valiant warrior, who has left an un-fillable void in my life. I’m a mother of three amazing young women and have three wonderful sons-in-law. I’m a grandmother to Madison, Jake, Finley, Charlotte, Judah, Blakely and Lyda. I know the pain of a miscarriage and the challenges of being a care-giver. The trials of being a ministry wife are still fresh in my memory.
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It is from this backdrop that I offer my site, my articles, stories, and books in hopes that your lives might be enriched by the testimonies and stories I share.