We all have moments where our lives fracture into a "before" and an "after."

For me, that watershed moment came at age 41, when I was suddenly widowed. In an instant, my world shifted, and I found myself navigating the devastating, disorienting depths of grief while raising five children on my own. My path also involved adoption parenting—navigating the unique heartaches, joys, and care required to love and support children with complex histories. Later, as God brought restoration to my story, I stepped into the beautiful, yet incredibly complex, world of remarriage and managing a blended family.

Before my life was turned upside down, I spent years pouring into others as a primary school teacher, and later embraced entrepreneurship as a business owner and artisan chocolatier. While those chapters brought deep fulfillment, my journey through profound loss shifted my calling toward a new kind of stewardship. Today, I am deeply involved in my local church and volunteer with Youth for Christ at our local juvenile detention center, walking alongside youth in their hardest moments.

To better serve those navigating their own "after," I pursued specialized training in trauma-informed care through Nothing is Wasted Ministries, earning my certification as a Biblical Trauma Care Coach.

I don’t share these chapters of my life to highlight the hardships, but to tell you this: I have sat in the dark spaces, and I know the way out. Through every valley, I learned that trauma and loss do not have the final say. I discovered firsthand that God can take the shattered pieces of our realities and craft them into something profoundly beautiful.