Wear the right shoes!

Many of you know me as an author and from my former position as the curriculum development manager at Master Books, but first, I am a Christ follower, a Christian. I believe in the authority of Scripture. Salvation is through Jesus alone. You can read my statement of faith here on my website.  My passion is to support families who are endeavoring to raise a Godly generation.

I am married to my high school sweetheart and best friend, Randy. Many are entertained and glean wisdom from his Teaching Tips videos at Master Books. (They can be found on the Master Books App, Moms of Master Books Facebook group, and YouTube.) We have nine amazing kids, and as of this writing, we are up to nine of the sweetest grandkids imaginable! We are still homeschooling our youngest two, who are in high school. We became a homeschool family when our oldest was about halfway through her first-grade year. (If I could go back and change anything, we would have homeschooled her from the start. Thankfully, our mistakes are not beyond the reach of God! He is our redeemer!) We have homeschooled ever since and would not have it any other way!

 “Thankfully, our mistakes are not beyond the reach of God! He is our redeemer!”

For those who are new to me, Randy and I owned a homeschool curriculum company called Pennywise Learning. We felt like we stumbled into it but God directed our steps when another homeschool company went up for sale. We looked at the information and said, “Hey, we can do that!” We will never forget that moment when our website went live. The orders started instantly. We were excited but a bit overwhelmed! Our company grew quickly, and we loved every minute of it. After about eight years, the Lord called Randy to ministry. The economy had faltered, and we planned to attend homeschool conferences to generate cash. We quickly realized our plan was incompatible with being a pastor since we would need to travel home from conventions on Sundays. We prayerfully sought the Lord's direction, knowing He always has a plan. He directed our steps, and we sold our business to Christian Book Distributors. Our snowy weekend at their headquarters in Massachusetts was an experience we will never forget. We are thankful to have met many wonderful people, including some who remain friends.

The Lord gave me a season of rest before calling me to Master Books. Master Books was starting to publish homeschool curriculum. They had a few titles but wanted to grow. This is when I began to put together the Master Books Method.  This method is based on my experience working with thousands of homeschool families. I led our local homeschool support group for many years, selected the curriculum for Pennywise Learning while walking thousands of homeschool shoppers through their own curriculum choices, and successfully taught my nine children. I trained the team on how to weave Master Books' strong Biblical foundation into courses while giving an open-and-go structure that works for students and parents alike. I helped select authors who understand homeschooling and could help us build courses with a developmental approach, using teaching techniques that target the unique needs of each student. We also built a community where parents are encouraged to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of their students and families. 

Randy was pastoring when the Lord called him to New Leaf Publishing Group (the parent company of Master Books) as the VP of Marketing. We did not see that coming! The one caveat was we had to move to Arkansas. We bought a fixer-upper in Arkansas, sold our house in New York, packed up the six kids who were still living at home, drove two moving trucks-one hauling our car, our 12-passenger van-hauling the camper, two dogs, a cat, and a turtle. A 16-hour trip took us three days, but we made it! As we settled into our new home, Randy transitioned Master Books to selling directly to the consumer. I continued my work as the Master Books Curriculum Development Manager. We both invested ourselves in social media, supporting thousands of families as Master Books began to grow rapidly. Our small but dedicated team of staff, volunteers, and thousands of customers created a movement!

 “Our small but dedicated team of staff, volunteers, and thousands of customers created a movement!”

Just like those early days when we decided to start a new business, answered the call to pastor a church, and then packed up and moved to Arkansas, the Lord has continued to lead us.  I am so excited for the next adventure! The most recent chapter of our story began when New Leaf Publishing Group (along with the Master Books division) sold to an investment group, bringing many changes in 2023. Randy remained as president of the company while I was offered an executive position that included a lengthy and complex contract. I wrestled, prayed, and sought counsel but could not sign it. You see, my calling is much broader than the contract allowed for. No matter how much I wanted it to work, I could not sign my calling away. I developed The Master Books Method and the Master Books line of curriculum. It was my baby for eleven years. It was not easy to walk away; however, when we let go of our plans and allow the Lord to direct our steps, we get to where He wants us to go much quicker and with less pain.

The other night, I had a function to attend. I have a pair of shoes that are pretty and sparkly. I love them. Even though they are my size, they do not fit well. While I can get my feet into them, they cause me pain. I have another comfortable, nice pair that lacks the sparkles. I went back and forth between the two options but finally chose the pair that fit. I really wanted to wear the sparkly shoes, but I would have been in pain and miserable. No matter how much I wanted to wear them, they were not the right choice. I am so thankful I saved myself from blisters and enjoyed the night. When the Lord directs your steps, you must wear the right shoes!

“When the Lord directs your steps, you must wear the right shoes!“

Over a year before I tearfully said goodbye to my position with Master Books, the Lord gave me a vision and a plan. This website is part of what the Lord had stirred within me. I have been working on it for a while now, but there were some things I just could not figure out or make the time for. It all came together when the timing was right. So here I am, launching my author website and about to launch a brand-new business! I cannot wait to share that with you. Be sure to check back often for the latest! In the meantime, I hope you explore my website, where I showcase the Language Lessons for a Living Education series. I will also provide many helpful tips and advice on homeschooling your family. We will hear from experts, authors, and everyday homeschooling parents. I cannot wait to learn a few things myself! There are so many joys - and challenges - on our homeschool journey. As we hear from fellow homeschoolers, we will be encouraged, inspired, and strengthened to press on with our goal to raise world changers for Christ.

You will also have a chance to meet my family and find out what worked, what did not, and what we wish we would have known along the way. It has been a grand adventure homeschooling our nine children. Every year is unique, and as we enter the last four years of homeschooling our youngest two, we are grateful. The time we spend with them is priceless, and we are eager to see what the Lord has in store. As you meet our family and get to know us better, we hope our experiences will encourage and inspire you and keep you from making some of our mistakes. We hope you take all the Lord is teaching you and encourage others.

Are you ready for an update on the last levels of Language Lessons for a Living Education? We hope to have them all released by the spring of 2025! I will post updates here on my website, plus you will have the opportunity to hear from my two co-writers about Levels 7-12. They have been a joy to work with, and I cannot wait to share those conversations with you.

2024 promises to be an exciting year. As we wind down 2023 and reflect on all the changes behind and ahead of us, I know one thing for sure - God is good and will continue to guide and provide for us. Although we make our plans, He directs our steps. I am eager to put on the right shoes He has provided for this new journey. I hope you check back often for updates on my new business. I am enlisting the help of our family, and we are eager to showcase it to you. In the meantime, all the necessary legal and structural groundwork is being laid.  I cannot wait to get to the good part: clicking the button to go live! I am so excited to have you join me as I launch this new business because I know your family will be blessed by all the wonderful books and curricula we will offer.

Oh, and one more thing! It is not much fun to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee all by myself.  Be sure to let me know you were here by using the Contact Me page. I would love to hear what you enjoyed most: your questions, ideas for future topics, favorite books and curriculum, and your wins and challenges.  If you want to know more about becoming a Christian, ask me those questions, too! I can't wait to hear from you! Until next time, God bless you and your homeschool!