Olympian Gabby Douglas to Write Christian Book
They call her the "Flying Squirrel" — Gabby Douglas, the pint-sized fire-cracker who won two gold medals (and the hearts of millions) at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Gabby can flip, tumble, vault, balance, swing, totally stick the landing, throw out the first ball at a Dodgers game, charm Jay Leno and Howard Stern (try that, Michael Phelps!), and high-five the First Lady — all the while exuding confidence, good humor and the greatest of ease through her cajillion-watt smile.
So, what's next for the 16-year-old wonderkind?
A tell-all book... about her Christian faith.
Gabby is working on her first book — a memoir titled Grace, Gold, and Glory: My Leap of Faith — which is expected to be published at the end of the year, according to an announcement made today by the Christian publishing house, Zondervan.
"Even before I competed in the Olympics, I always wanted to write a book," Zondervan quotes Gabby as saying. "Of course, there'll be a lot of stories about gymnastics, but the book will also be about how much my family and I have overcome during our journey. It hasn't been easy. I want people to read my story and say, 'If Gabby can do it, I can do it, too. Anything is possible.' I hope the book inspires others to go for their biggest dreams."
Gabby, who took home two gold medals from the London games, is the first African-American to win gold in the gymnastics all-around and the first American gymnast to win both the team gold and the all-around gold medal at the same Olympics.
Zondervan describes Grace, Gold, and Glory this way:
In Gabby's book, the Olympic fan favorite gives readers a never-before-seen look at her life. Douglas will reveal how her modest upbringing rooted in family and faith has shaped her into the young woman and role model she is today, including personal reflections and memories from her childhood. Talking candidly about the difficulties she's faced while attempting to triumph on the world gymnastics stage, Gabby will touch on how her deep faith and the support of her family helped keep her focused throughout the intense scrutiny she faced in London while achieving her Olympic dreams. Through it all, Gabby's focus will be on how her life and the talents she has been blessed with are being used for a greater glory.
Faith plays a central role in the young gymnast's life and, since entering the spotlight, she's not been shy in talking about it publicly.
"My faith has definitely been strong. I have been meditating on scriptures and quoting some in London every day to build my faith a little stronger every day," Gabby said during a press conference last month. "It's so important to stay true to your faith.”
Photo credit: Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas waves after leading the Pledge of Allegiance during day two of the Democratic National Convention at Time Warner Cable Arena on September 5, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.
