This month, we are chatting with a special friend of mine. Please welcome Elaine Santo, former Miss Delaware, and author of the nonfiction inspirational book, From Glamour to Glory.

Elaine, thank you so much for taking the time to be here sharing with us about your book.
It is truly my honor to share the marvelous plan God had and continues to have for my life, and for anyone who dares to trust Him. I am always humbled by any opportunity to share what He (the Almighty God) has done for me.

You are a very accomplished woman. Will you share your history with our visitors, and what your ultimate career of choice has been?
I could say that my career happened upon me, or that I stumbled upon it but we all know that God has a plan for our lives and He places the desires in us and then gives us the gifts to carry out His plan resulting in the most fulfilling. I truly did not have a career plan, I just knew I had to be accomplished and successful so I would marry a prosperous man to secure my life (that was my warped thinking prior to meeting the Lord).

As a child I experienced poverty and truly needed to make sure that would never happen to me again. So I was not interested so much in a career as I was needing to be successful at something but I wasn’t clear as to what that was. **Well, not until I met the Lord and He infused His plan into my soul. It was then, I realized my passion for children and teaching, especially those who had difficulties learning. And, what an amazing career I have had…one of the most fulfilling.

During your time as a special education teacher, what were some of the things you heard from parents regarding your technique in teaching their children?
I have had many accolades ascribed to my name and teaching career, but the glory is God’s. He gives us the gifts and the passion to fulfill our destiny. I would say one of the most prevalent compliments was/is how often parents thank me for loving their child and how much their child feels my love. Again, only God can love like that. I always had a way of helping my students feel loved, accepted and safe. It is in that environment, along with God’s giftings, that I accomplished great exploits, resulting in multiple opportunities to help my students succeed. What a thrill! My book has a chapter dedicated to the miracles I have witnessed in my classroom as a result of God’s mighty power working through me (a willing vessel).

Elaine, as a child, was competing in beauty pageants a dream you cultivated, or did the desire come later?
Because I was a poor and fatherless child raised by a single, Italian immigrant mom who had very little education, I only had a dream. Somehow my amazing mother found ways to get us piano, or dance lessons.

Dancing and twirling became my escape and my focus. I was only twelve years old, with two years training, when I led our dance school’s majorette group in the 1966 Miss America Parade. It was then that my real dream came to fruition. I customarily watched and attended the Miss America Parade every year. Of course we didn’t have the money to attend the event, but I made my way to the parade. Staring at the gorgeous women sitting in the cars awaiting the onset of the parade, I could only dream of my chance of becoming one of them. Could there ever be a chance for me? After all, I wasn’t rich, nor was I talented or beautiful. Oh, the glamour, the excitement, the appeal! Miss America! I always dreamed of someday being Miss America, but never, ever thought it was possible.

I would like to add, I do not encourage pageant involvement, but at that time in my life, it worked for me. It provided opportunities to improve me as a young lady. I developed interviewing skills along with poise & composure I would have never learned anywhere else. I also won scholarship money and modeling school scholarships to assist with that development. It also afforded opportunities to meet influential people and further develop my confidence. I can see now why God allowed this experience and how He uses it often to bring glory to Him.

You have a special program for young ladies called G.E.M.S. Will you explain to everyone what that’s about?
Yes, G.E.M.S. is not just an ordinary charm course; it is a unique and extraordinary approach to teaching etiquette and godliness. The purpose of the program is to motivate and inspire young ladies to be glorifying to God in every area of their lives. In addition to instructing young ladies to look their best, we focus more on their inner beauty that reflects God’s love, and on all facets of their personal development: physical, social, emotional and spiritual.
Consequently, I have used the materials/program I developed to conduct conferences and workshops for young ladies and women to assist them with understanding God’s plan for His daughters.

How did the idea for G.E.M.S. come about?
Having taught 8th grade for many years, I was acquainted with the everyday conflicts and confusion that puberty may convey. I am also appalled at what our children endure and what they are exposed to at such a young age. I observe the destructive, immoral forces which infiltrate our children’s lives and education and how those negative forces influence their choices. It truly grieves me to see scantily-dressed young ladies disrespecting themselves by the clothes they wear and the friends they choose while having no understanding of God’s plan. Needless to say, I was and still am, very concerned for our younger generation and felt God was leading me to design a program which would inspire young ladies to trust God and live for Him. I also felt my background and testimony were a catalyst for the program.

What made you wait 30 years to write your story?
I had a life to live. My testimony was grand, but my life’s experiences and my walk with the Lord were invaluable. In thirty years, now 38 years of living for the Lord, I have experienced His mighty power and provisions every day. I feel I have a plethora of life-time experiences to share with His children in hopes to encourage them. I keep a journal and love to record most of what God does on a daily basis.

What is one thing in your life that you know God did for you?
The most important thing God did for me was He gave me a purpose and a reason for living. He took an insecure, disadvantaged child and boosted her to amazing heights in Him. I can unequivocally say, no earthly accomplishment can compare to knowing Him and His amazing love.

Where can readers find you on the internet, and where can they buy your book?
My website address is www.fromglamourtoglory.com. My book, From Glamour to Glory, can be purchased from a number of places including: (CBD) Christian Books Distributor, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Xulon Press, to name a few.

I have a copyright for my latest accomplishment, G.E.M.S. Girls Empowered for the Master’s Service, but I have not published. Many of the materials I use at my conferences have been from my resource (a comprehensive approach to teaching Godly etiquette). The G.E.M.S. program is complete with a facilitator’s manual and Student manual.

Elaine, is there anything else you’d like readers to know about you or your book?
Yes, my book is a divine representation of the spectacular plan God had for an ordinary girl who felt His love and responded with a dedicated life. I would also like them to hear about an amazing mom who trusted God and instilled that faith in me.

Thanks again, so much for allowing me to interview you. I wish you much success with From Glamour to Glory, and hope to see you back for any subsequent works.

The honor is mine, thank you!

If you’d like to win a copy of Elaine’s book, just use my Contact page and type “drawing” in the comments box. The deadline to enter is February 24th. Don’t forget to tell your friends!