The petite figure of Gardenia Maw Firbatch saunters onto the stage wearing hiking boots, overalls and a well-stocked tool belt. “Howdy!” she shouts, breaking into a broad semi-toothless grin.
Gardenia Mae may not be much to look at on the outside, but it doesn’t take long for the audience to realize they are listening to someone who has an inner joy that is more important.
“The Bible talks about a woman’s beauty in 1 Peter 3:3,” she said. “It says: ‘… let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel … .’
“And look at Psalm 139,” she says, “verse 14 reminds us that we are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made … .’ God made all of us in His image an He took great joy in creating us.”
In churches and secular settings, everywhere that has allowed Gardenia Mae entrance, this odd-looking country bumpkin shares the gospel message and encourages others to look to Jesus Christ as the only source of self-worth and value.
Gardenia Maw is actually the alter-ego of Leslie Everhart, wife of Howard Everhart, associate minister of music at First Baptist Church, Gardendale. An accomplished musician herself, she serves as director of the church’s youth choir and youth praise team, as well as the senior adult choir.
Leslie also sings in the adult choir and her husband leads the church’s orchestra.
While Gardenia Mae brings laughter to her audiences, the character’s origins are rooted in a tragedy in the Everhart’s life.
“When we came here, we already had our daughter Emily and our second child was due any day,” she said.
“This baby was a son we named Brandon. Just before my due date I realized that he had stopped moving.”
The Everharts were told a blood clot had developed in the baby’s umbilical cord, and their son did not survive.
“We were devastated and, being new to the church, didn’t know many people well at all,” she said. “I mean one week, I was obviously an expectant mother. The next, there I am no longer pregnant, but with no baby either.”
She still remembers how the church ministered to her. “I don’t know what we’d have done without their support.
“It was incredible how other women began to open up to me,” Everhart said. “I had ladies in their 50s and older coming up to me and saying, ‘I know what you’re going through. I lost a child, too, but when it happened to me, we just didn’t talk about that sort of thing.’ Losing Brandon gave me a chance to draw closer to these other ladies,” she said.
“I certainly know that God did not cause Brandon to be taken from us, but He did allow it to happen,” Everhart said. “And because we trusted Him through all that, He turned this personal tragedy into a means for us to minister to others and to be ministered to.”
In addition to their daughter, Emily, the Everharts now have another son, Christian, who is three years old. But Leslie said she will always be grateful to Mark Blair, the former minister of music at First, Gardendale, for reaching out to her immediately following the loss of Brandon.
“Just after we lost Brandon, Mark approached me and asked me about doing a funny hillbilly character as part of a Fourth of July program at the church,” Everhart said. “I believe God knew that was exactly what I needed right then. It directed my energy into a positive role.
“Not everybody has a chance to act absolutely goofy,” she said. “Still, I though that would be Gardenia Mae’s one and only appearance, yet God continued to open doors for her to share His message.”
Asked about a typical Gardenia performance, Leslie replied, “It varies. God places on my heart what He would have me to say. I think of Jeremiah 29:11, ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord … .’ I really clung to that verse after we lost Brandon, too.
“No matter what trouble or trial you’re going through, Jesus is in control; and if you’re a Christian He will give you that joy and peace,” she said. Also, “look at Proverbs 17:22: ‘A cheerful heart is good medicine … .’
Stressing God loves laughter, Everhart said it’s wonderful when Gardenia Mae gets people laughing. “Laughter seems to break down a lot of walls and hardness we tend to build up.”
Everhart also believes Gardenia’s presence sets audiences at ease.
“It’s like the apostle Paul said about there being a place for women in the church — and I don’t mean that in an insulting way,” Everhart said. “But I think Gardenia makes men and women feel more comfortable. They’re more open and accepting with her character. Sometimes it’s tough for a man to relate to a woman teaching or speaking before them.
“Gardenia tells stories of what happened to her and her family, and she loves to get the audience involved,” she said. “For example, she might get another lady to come up and dress her up as another Gardenia Mae.”
Everhart said she gets most of Gardenia’s tales from real life. “That’s where a lot of the comedy comes from. Life itself is pretty gunny when we have time to sit back and think about it,” she said. “Most importantly, though, I think Gardenia helps remind people that we don’t have to meet the world’s criteria to be beautiful to Him.”
For more information about Gardenia Mae’s appearances, call Everhart at 205-608-0189 or First Baptist Church, Gardendale, at 205-439-8716.
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