“When I grow up, I want to be a… mom.”

For me, I always knew motherhood was in my plans and I couldn’t wait for the day to welcome children into the world. But my journey there was anything but conventional.

When I met and fell in love with my husband, everyone thought I was crazy.

Shoot… I thought I was crazy!

What 21 year old in their right mind falls in love with a man who has four kids?!

I don’t think it is something anyone plans for themselves, but I couldn’t help fall in love with this family. My heart yearned for love, and I found it in more ways that one.

As a man of God, my husband faithfully took his children to church, and he made it very clear that he was looking for a woman who loved God more than anything. Although I had occasionally attended church throughout my life, I really didn’t know what he meant.

Until God started to break through my heart.

I can honestly say I never knew what it meant to have a relationship with God up until that point. I had heard stories of morality, but for the first time, God was speaking to my heart and I felt His presence calling me to make some big changes in my life.

In fact, I can remember clearly the day that God called me into a relationship with him. I was in the car, listening to the local Christian Radio station, and I felt God speak to me. Very clearly, He said:

I need you to be baptized and to give your life to Me so that I can mold you into the woman this family needs. 

I was baptized before I got married, and shortly after I decided to devote my life to Christ, I joined a Bible study because I wanted to really know what God’s Word said for myself.

This was the beginning of my faith, marriage, and motherhood.

There’s nothing quite like diving in head first, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. Mostly through trial and error… Lot’s of errors. But, I am constantly reminded that God’s mercies are new every day.

After having added five more children to our beautiful family, my husband encouraged me to go back to school and finish my degree. At the time I was homeschooling our children and I found a degree in Early childhood Education valuable and meaningful as I was applying everything I was learning about how children learn and grow to my role as a mother.

That experience led me to many opportunities including becoming a professor at the university I graduated from, becoming a published author, teaching in the classroom, and being able to partner with other teachers to help facilitate their professional development.

All that to say, in May of 2022, God started to show me all of the gifts and talents He had given me in a new light.

He gave me a new calling.

Even though I had experienced success in the educational setting, God wanted me to start using my gifts as a teacher in order to serve moms, partnering alongside them as they raise their children the way they should go, and ultimately impacting the next generation.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I’m just trying to grow the village.

That’s my story.

What’s yours?

I’d love to connect and have you be a part of my village. 🤍