Jonalyn Grace Fincher

Pastor - Painter

As a public speaker and author, Jonalyn Fincher has drawn thousands to listen to her healthy perspectives on culture, sexuality, and religion. Curly-haired, Mexican-Polish, California-raised, Southern-educated, Jonalyn blends uncommon ingredients into a diverse and cultured perspective. Jonalyn's decade of work (2007-2017) blogging and exploring the connection between faith and sexuality can be found, in part, in her book "Ruby Slippers: How the Soul of a Woman Brings Her Home". She co-authored "Coffee Shop Conversations: Making the Most of Spiritual Small Talk" with her husband, Dale Fincher. She holds a double degree in English Literature and History from the University of Virginia and a Master of Arts with a concentration in Philosophy of Religion and Ethics from Talbot School of Theology, Biola University.

When asked about her past, Jonalyn says, “I was raised in a very respectable, but restrictive community. Kinda like a cult but without the Kool-aid. I learned to blindly trust others at the expense of myself. Healing required I relearn what trust meant by looking for better mentors. I was considered dangerous because I disagreed with ‘The. Only. Way.’ I did reject the cult’s idols, but I never gave up on God. He kept shining a light that led me out of that suffocating life.”

Jonalyn credits those challenging years for shaping her clear-headed approach today. “Because of those struggles, I developed new strengths in my recovery tools—friendship, grief, and careful thinking about worldviews. As a bonus I also notice abusive authority swifter than most.”

When interviewed about her painting journey, Jonalyn says, “Having my first son awakened me to this gift that was just sitting there, untouched. Though I painted in my teens, I only dabbled. Once I had a toddler tugging at my shoelaces, I decided to jump into a formal watercolor class. The birth of my second son, however, helped me finally unpack and confront my past. His little life fueled up my courage to protect my boys better. I stopped navigating disruptive people and suddenly found buckets of emotional energy to pour into painting.”

Drawing from her past, Jonalyn speaks with an intuitive understanding of people’s struggles. With 15 years as a pastor and 10 as a painter, she now works as a Pastor-Painter.

You can find her paintings at her fine art studio located in the lakeside town of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Her custom card line, prints, and originals are also available through her newsletter.

When not painting and writing, Jonalyn enjoys planting perennials, reading and cooking. She’s often spotted deep in conversation with her husband as they walk together each morning.

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