I grew up in a small town in southern Illinois and came to faith at a very young age. The gospel was preached to me, and I found it both compelling and undeniably true—I knew I needed Jesus to save me. I met my husband at the University of Illinois about halfway through my time there, and we married five months after graduating.

Looking back, I can’t remember a time when God wasn’t graciously at work in my life, even when I chose to walk the wide path. The Holy Spirit was present, guiding me in discernment from a young age. Between the ages of 17 and 22, I continued sharing the gospel while still entangled in worldly ways—a contradiction that is hard to summarize in a short bio (trust me, this is the condensed version). But in 1990, I fully yielded myself to God, and I have never looked back.

Marriage and motherhood have shaped much of my journey. I am a supportive wife, a mother of ten, and a grandmother of eight. For nearly 30 years, I have homeschooled our children while actively counseling and instructing others, always believing that God can do a mighty work in anyone’s life—and seeing Him do just that.

Writing a personal bio feels a bit unusual since Joe and I have worked side by side for over three decades. While God works in us individually, I’ve also witnessed the exponential impact of serving Him as a couple and as a family. Together, we ministered in a house church setting for 13 years, with Joe serving in leadership for many of those years. We later transitioned into interim ministry, then a more full-time pastoral role for over eight years. Today, our focus has shifted more toward Joe’s business, which is itself a ministry, while continuing to serve in church ministry. I am deeply involved in both the business and in ministry and so grateful to be part of it all.

In my spiritual life, I’ve developed a deep love for studying Scripture. For years, I alternated between reading through the entire Bible every other year and dedicating the off years to in-depth studies of specific books. However, after completing the entire Bible in just 75 days in 2023 and experiencing the immense benefits, I decided to incorporate a full read-through every year. In 2025, I plan to start with a complete reading of the Bible and follow it with an intensive study of yet-to-be-determined scripture.

One of my core philosophies is that the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of our lives are deeply interconnected. When I counsel others—including my own children—I focus on the root issue: how they are using their minds. While I recognize the importance of addressing physical struggles, my primary emphasis is on helping people align their thoughts with God’s truth. The principles in Romans 12:2, Philippians 4:6-9, and 2 Corinthians 10:5 are foundational in this. Yielding our thoughts to God is truly life-transforming, leading to Spirit-empowered submission to Christ—something I know firsthand because He has done it in me.

At my core, I am mission-minded, passionate about equipping people—alongside my husband—to build strong Kingdom marriages, families, and businesses.