At the age of 13, the sudden death of an older sister and the resulting difficulties at home due to her mother’s struggle with grief and illness, catapulted Connie into some troubled times. Connie’s search for answers to the big questions of life, especially life after death, began during those turbulent teen years that coincided with the dawning of the drug culture in North America.
Although she was raised in church by religious parents, Connie never heard about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ until, at the age of 18, at a Christian revival meeting a new friend explained the gospel in terms she could understand. Read her full salvation testimony.
She joined Faith Baptist Church in Saskatoon Saskatchewan, her first evangelical church. Henry Blackaby -- who later co-authored Experiencing God -- baptized, discipled and married Connie and her husband Gerry Taillon on August 5, 1978. Connie sensed a strong call to ministry and found fulfillment by marrying a pastor and becoming involved in ministry leadership.
Connie completed her bachelor of Education degree from the University of Saskatchewan and taught high school English for four years before taking early “retirement” to raise their two daughters and one son.
For many years Connie did what many pastors’ wives do – whatever needed doing! From playing piano for worship to teaching Sunday School to hosting baby showers to cleaning the church to hosting and counseling those that dropped in, Connie did it all. She loved the ministry and the people God brought into their lives as they moved from Saskatchewan to California so Gerry could complete his Master of Divinity degree. From there they answered a call to go to Quebec and four years later, they headed west again to Cochrane Alberta where Gerry is now the National Ministry Leader of the Canadian National Baptist Convention.
From early in her Christian life Connie wanted to write and speak to women but it would be more than 25 years before her primary responsibilities as a minister’s wife and mother would allow her the time to pursue that dream. During those years, God allowed Connie to experience many things she would use in her teaching when her public ministry began.
One thing Connie never expected would happen was her long season of spiritual dryness. After her radical conversion, zealous evangelicalism, and love for the ministry, Connie was blindsided by this difficult and challenging experience. But God had a redemptive plan for this time of trial, using it to launch Connie into a ministry of speaking on the international stage as well as authoring the book that gives hope to others who struggle with spiritual dryness. Click on From Faking it to Finding Grace to read a sample chapter and/or order the book.
Connie writes articles and columns in many Christian publications, both print and online. Her popular family life humor column, A Slice of Life, ran in Homelife magazine for five years. She is a featured writer for On Mission magazine and a columnist for Women Alive’s ezine.
Connie speaks at Christian events all over North America. She has also been invited to Europe, South America and the Caribbean. Ever the storyteller, Connie peppers her teaching with hilarious accounts of real-life events. She communicates spiritual truth with energy, humor, warmth, and grace. Connie counts it a great privilege to speak to women of many denominations as she devotes her life to furthering the work of God on earth.
Connie and Gerry, after more than 30 years of marriage, enjoy traveling together, hiking, skiing and cheering their (different) sports teams to victory…or not! They spend as much time as possible with their three grandchildren and three grown children and their spouses who live nearby.