Women Who Inspire: Jeralyn ‘Jae’ McBride — From RN to Photographer

This week’s Women Who Inspire is a young lady that has had such an impact on many people within her community. She has grown up in church and served in the worship department since she was in kids church. Meet Jeralyn ‘Jae’ McBride, from nurse to photographer.

Cyndi Kay: Please introduce yourself and give us a brief “life history.”
Jae McBride: My Name is Jeralyn McBride, but I go by “Jae”. I grew up in small town Tahlequah which is truly not too small anymore. Tahlequah has played a huge role in my life because it’s where I went to high school, grew up in church, made all my childhood memories, and met my husband. In July of 2020, my husband and I moved to Oklahoma City, OK to follow where God had called us and to further our careers.

CK: Can you give us a summary on your journey with Christ — from the time you accepted Christ, to how you started in ministry.
JM: My journey with Christ began at a young age. I grew up in church and from the moment I hit kids church, I began to step into ministry. We started a kid’s band and I would lead worship on Sunday mornings for the kid’s church. As we got older, our band moved into youth and then into college. Once I was old enough, I became the worship leader for the main church service. It wasn’t until I was twenty when I began to really dive deep into my relationship Christ. Our first mission trip to Mexico was where God showed me all that I could do through Him. After Mexico, it was my goal to share with other girls my age the true gospel and the authority we have in Christ and that is still my goal today.

CK: What led you to choosing your profession?
JM: Starting my profession was based off of watching my mom go through nursing school. I decided to follow in her footsteps and become a registered nurse (RN). I started my career as an RN in 2018 and spent two years in the field. I then realized there was more I was desiring to do/become. My husband and I moved to OKC in order for me to pursue my Doctor of Physical Therapy but when I arrived in the city God placed a different direction in my heart and that is where my photography business started!

CK: How does your faith influence your work as a photographer?
JM: Mark Batterson stated in The Circle Maker, “In order to experience a miracle, you have to take a risk.” In my lifetime, I had never “stepped out of the boat” and relied on God until our move to OKC. I dropped my entire career to pursue something so small which sounds crazy. Faith in God is the only way I have this business. Every day I wake up and put in hours of studying photography knowing that God will provide clients and He always does. I would not be a photographer if it weren’t for my faith.

CK: Tell us about a time that God directly answered a prayer.
JM: Before leaving Tahlequah, Alex and I prayed that we would find a church to call home. We had specific things we were looking for in the pastor, the body, missions, and serving opportunities. When we moved here my friend invited me to her church and the first Sunday Alex and I went we were shocked at how much we loved it. We decided to go back again, and this church just continued to pour into us. We are so thankful that a church was the first thing God planted us into before even getting jobs. This church has exceeded everything we even prayed for and we are just extremely thankful.

CK: How do you think the social distancing protocols will change our social behavior and mentalities in the near future and beyond (after the laws and official restrictions are lifted)?
JM: The social distancing protocols have affected many people. The bible talks about how important it is to stay connected and be with the body of believers and I can only hope that when the protocols are lifted it will cause an increase in people cherishing their time with each other and not taking for granted the joy it brings to be with other people.

CK: How has the Covid crisis most impacted your professional life?
JM: When covid first began I was still nursing in Tahlequah. There was a lot of change to undergo and new protocols to adapt to in such a short amount of time. It was overwhelming at first, but we were able to overcome certain obstacles and eventually get used to the new way of nursing.

CK: What would you tell someone who would like to work as a professional photographer?
JM: I am definitely still learning the ropes of the entire business, but I would encourage them to find a mentor. I would encourage them to do research before buying any product and to make sure they know the legal way to start their own business. My goal is to eventually help others start their own photography business because I know what it feels like to not have any help and learn everything from scratch. It is a beautiful growing process and if photography is something that interests you, go for it!

CK: Can you recall a time when you know that God was the only way you had a provision through a certain situation?
JM: My husband and I have been talking a lot about this subject recently. I would say, right now. I have never been in a situation when I truly and honestly needed to rely on God until now. Moving to OKC has been my first step of faith and relying on God for provision here has been amazing. We may have nothing, but I would rather be in a place of relying on him daily than doing things on my own. We cling to the Word of God and continually lift our eyes to Jesus. He always provides our daily bread.

CK: What were the challenges of leading the college youth group at your church?
JM: If you know me, you know I love a good challenge. Alex and I had never stepped into a position of leading other college students, so this was a first for us. We did it because we saw a need and wanted to fill it. The greatest challenge was always being on your toes and ready to answer whatever questions they had about the bible. We studied the Word of God together verse by verse and it was definitely the thing I looked forward to the most.

CK: Tell us about a time you had a measurable impact on someone through your personal ministry or through your organized ministry.
JM: When I was in Tahlequah, I loved meeting up with girls and getting coffee and just chatting about life. It was a time of pouring into each other. One of my favorite moments was getting to share with a girl her worth through God’s eyes. There were a few things other people were telling her and she had begun to believe those lies. Pointing her to the truth of God’s Word and sharing with her His thoughts about her was when I began to see a change in her. She began to really dig into what God says and the most rewarding part was to see her start to pour into other girls so they could experience what she got to experience.

CK: What are some of the biggest challenges facing women today — and women ministries?
JM: This might sound cliché, but I think one of the biggest challenges that women are facing today is comparison. Media does not help with that at all. As much as most of us women don’t want to admit it, we tend to compare ourselves quite often, even in ministry. God has created us all unique and for His purpose. Some practical ways that help me beat comparison is reminding myself of who God created me to be, praying blessings over the person I am comparing myself to, and finding a time to encourage that person.

CK: What inspires you?
JM: A few things that inspire me are reading the Word, my husband, listening to podcasts, being around the body of Christ, and listening to others tell stories about their life.

CK: How do unwind after a busy day?
JM: After a busy day, I like to unwind by talking to Alex about what happened in my day. Sometimes I will take a bath and read a good book. Resting is important to me, so I tend to put some lavender oil on my feet and behind my ears, pray, and then get to sleep.

CK: Best piece of advice you’ve ever received and by whom.
JM: I believe the best piece of advice I have ever received and the most applied piece of advice to my life was, “when God asks, always say ‘yes’”. That didn’t just come from one particular person but implied from several different mentors in different periods of life. I highly encourage others to apply that advice to their life as well!

CK: What positive changes have you seen at work, church, or home because of this virus?
JM: Personally, I have gotten to be in God’s presence more than I was before and wow it is incredible. I have seen families closer together. I have seen strangers meeting others needs and people reaching out to be there for each other. I have seen more people turn to Christ. People tend to cherish something more when it has been lost and I believe we were getting so busy in the world that we were losing community and spending time with family members. During this time, I have seen time spent with others more cherished and not taken for granted. It has been a beautiful thing.

CK: How do you see ministry and churches changing after the pandemic is over and the gathering restrictions have been removed?
JM: I could see more outreach getting accomplished from the church to the city. Honestly, this pandemic has allowed us to be more creative with how we minister to others and I believe it has just opened more opportunities to minister to the people around us. I am so excited for when churches get to reach full capacity and we don’t have to socially distance anymore. Many churches have actually grown through this pandemic because people are searching for truth. God will use this time to glorify Him and I can only pray that we as a church turn our eyes to Jesus, listen to Him, and respond with the way we live our lives.

On behalf of Christian Women Living Magazine, I would like to thank Jae for allowing us to share her story and inspiration with our readers. We look forward to sharing some of Jae’s beautiful photography with our readers in the up coming months. If you are in the Oklahoma City Area you can find her portfolio at https://mcbridephoto.mypixieset.com/.