By Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter
Gayle
IF THERE was a 'no re-entry' sign on church doors, it would spell the demise of many who have 'turned back'.
One such would be Gospel songstress Judith Gayle, who is among the many who epitomise the story of the prodigal. The 34-year-old singer was lured out of 'Zion' by what the Scriptures declare the pride of life when she was 18 years old, but returned to the church in 1999.
She told The Gleaner that the places she visited were largely responsible for her seduction from saintly life. Still, she maintains that the people she 'rolled' with are not to be blamed for her leaving the church, as they tried to protect her.
"I was young and giddy-headed and never knew a lot of things... The glitz and the glamour of the world got to me and I started to see things in a different light. Like Adam and Eve I saw things that I was not supposed to see," Judith confessed.
WORLDLY THINGS
The former native of May Pen, Clarendon, who is now a Kingstonian, highlighted that she does not regret being exposed to the things of 'the world', as crying over spilt milk makes no sense. Still, she was quick to say that she definitely does not long for the worldly things. "What I don't regret is leaving the world and coming back into the church," Gayle said confidently.
While not attempting to downplay the honey-like sweetness of the pleasures of the world, Judith says she has rekindled her Christian flame with a longer lasting joy. "Sin is sweet because you can do any and everything, but Christ is sweeter," she said.
It took a vision while she was in bed to bring back Gayle to the Lord. She saw herself on a journey and the tour guide asked her what would she do with the material things she possessed in life if she should die at that moment? Immediately she returned to reality and found herself in tears. The rest of the story is history.
Judith is currently a member of the Overcomers Christian International at 105k Red Hills Road. She believes that her 're-entry' into the church was an inevitable date with destiny. "It had nothing to do with me; when you are born to preach or sing the word of God, no matter where you run to - if you spread your bed in Hell - Christ is going to find you," she said.
Judith, who was an entrepreneur and a cabaret singer on the north coast hotel circuit, is now full-time in the singing ministry and is one of the budding divas on the local gospel scene.
While she had had some success as a singer in her early days in the church, Judith Gayle became a household name via secular channels, namely the 1998 Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's National Song Competition. She was first runner-up with Mi Nah Lef Jamaica, for which she bagged several prizes, including $200,000 and a scholarship to the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts.
In 1995, Judith teamed up with Lady Saw, to record a song entitled Matey.
However, she now once again uses her voice to magnify the Lord and in August of this year she completed her third Gospel album, The Sun Shines Again. Her previous efforts were Holy Spirit and Jesus Is Alive.
The new album got its name from its seventh track, The Sun Will Shine Again, which was the last song to be added. Ms. Gayle was quick to point out that the title of the album speaks volumes about her life.
"Being as I have gone through so many things in life and they are many that are saying 'she is done with and her ministry is over now', but I will let them know that the sun will shine again... And as long as Jesus is in the vessel, I can smile at the storm," she said.
The twelve-track album was released on the last Friday in September. Additionally, on October 26 the album will be officially launched at the Full Truth Church of God.
Currently Judith says she is looking forward to the promises of God and is encouraging anyone facing struggles in life to "focus on Jesus Christ and not on man, as man is like vapour - today you see them and tomorrow they don't exist".
