Meet the Team: Jesse Gall

If you have watched any of the videos connected to Created For So Much More, you have seen the work of my son, Jesse. He was one of my editors of Created For So Much More and always lends an ear for Mom to talk shop. Allow me to introduce my son, Jesse Gall—video interviewer, editor, coach,  producer, photographer, photo editor, graphic artist,  book editor and so much more. 

Jess has always been a great sounding board for me, so I guess it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that in the middle of the pandemic—as he was furloughed from his work as a trainer for Hilton Grand Vacations— we got in the habit of talking regularly. Knowing Jess like I do, it also shouldn’t have surprised me—but it did—when he jumped in and offered to take on the whole video project. That project included interviewing group participants, editing 15 hours of raw footage to under 3 minutes of testimony, and tackling the 12 chapter videos.

Jess is our family resident movie geek. He astounds me with his knowledge of  films, actors, directors, and all kinds of behind the scenes movie trivia. I asked him when this love began and he reminded me that it began in college. Jesse received his Bachelors Degree in Print Journalism. Part of his study was photojournalism which is when he connected film editing to being  “an art form in and of itself.” 

While at University of Texas, he began writing film reviews for the student paper around the time of the Academy Awards. He was assigned lesser known categories like Art Direction, Cinematography, and Editing. It was while considering those lesser understood aspects of film that he began noticing the impact that details and editing have on the overall project. 

Jess was on the speech team at the collegiate level and went on to get his Masters Degree in English (with a specialty in Creative Writing) while coaching Western Kentucky University’s speech team. Combine his coaching expertise with his film knowledge and editing prowess and you see the path that led Jesse to become my go-to for all things video and photography.  The Created For So Much More chapter videos are so much better because Jesse was at the helm.

Jess even took on the role of graphic designer for my upcoming book when I made the decision to use the art shown in the videos for the title page for each lesson. He loves to learn new things and is always working to sharpen his skills so he jumped into the fray and knocked it out of the park. 

Jesse’s Favorite Scriptures are: 

Psalm 9:9–10 

The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,

A stronghold in times of trouble;

And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,

For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Matthew 23:23

Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Matthew 6:34

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

His “Words to Live By” 

“Buy into this one truth and everything in life becomes less powerful over your mental state: No matter how terrible a time in your life feels, or how catestrophic an event may seem in the momnet, rest assured that one day, at some point, you will look back and be grateful that it happened. There will always be a lesson you learned or a skill you gained specifically because you endured those rocky tumultuous times. Try to be grateful even during the darkest storms, and you will find that the skies  immediately lighten.”

He also adopts the Created For So Much More strategy to Take Responsibility when he writes, “There are always at least two ways to react to what happens to you. Your mental state and attitude is an active choice. You have control over it, not the other way around.” 

You can see why in addition to all of the technical skill Jesse brings to my ministry team, he is also a steadying influence when things get a little overwhelming. You can also see why I am one proud Mama of the man Jess has become.