My faith journey began as a young child, where I first met Jesus through loving parents who introduced me to my first church family. These people held me close to their own hearts and to the heart of God for many years. Having the opportunity to visit and to belong to a variety of Christian communities has blessed me with a wide collection of practices and traditions that have deepened my walk with Jesus.

God gifted me with a heart for children and for teaching people of all ages, along with a willingness to listen, to meet others where they are. My first “career” led me into the field of deaf education, where I served children, their families and teachers in several settings. Through these opportunities, God grew my ability to engage others and invite them into a journey of growth – educationally, socially, emotionally, and faithfully. Our adoption of four young children prompted my second “career” as a stay-at-home mom and volunteer in their school classrooms and in our church. In this season, God grew my awareness of God’s presence and provision, while continuing to develop my abilities to follow, to lead, and to companion others on their journeys. A series of challenges for our church led to my third “career:” joining the church staff, responsible for all programming for children and their families. In this space, God expanded my Biblical and theological knowledge, while growing my ability to invite adults of all ages to use their own giftings, serving together in teams, ministering to children and families. An intentional period of rest brought a relocation to Florida, involvement in an amazing church community, and an opportunity to dive deep into the study of how building intergenerational community contributes to faith growth for everyone in a congregation: children, teens and adults.

Now, here I am stepping into my fourth “career” – serving with KidZ at Heart! I am excited to see how the Holy Spirit will lead this effort to join congregations in exploring ways to intentionally and meaningfully engage people of all ages, including children and youth, in corporate worship and prayer.