My Story

I am a native Charlottian, born on September 15, 1980. After I was born my parents moved to Charleston, SC and Ohio. And back to Charlotte. My siblings Abby, Ellen, Mark, and I grew up in a conservative Christian home. I was the oldest of four children, a very shy, sheltered kid. K- 6th grade I was homeschooled. They honored my desire to make new friends and join the more normal school setting when I was in the 7th grade. I started at Covenant Day School in 7th grade and stayed there until 9th grade. It was small and just a little less sheltered, than homeschooling. Despite the uniforms, I loved being there. These years are special because of the friends that I made. They are the only friends that I haven’t lost touch with. In the 10th grade I attended Providence and graduated from East Meck. I hated going to Providence. It was miserable, not knowing anyone and not being able to fit in. I was an unknown mainly because I was 1 person out of so many. At East Meck I was able to make some friends. The kids were more open to new people. Throughout my school years, my family attended Christ Covenant Church. It was in this youth group that I gave my life to Christ and began to understand the meaning of His love for me. I joined a small group that met throughout high school. Experiencing so many different types of schools is one of the reasons that I prefer teaching in the public school system.

When I was 11 my brother’s adoption was complete. After 18 months of waiting, my parents brought him home from Honduras. As the oldest child, while my parents worked, I babysat my siblings. Bringing a Honduran boy in to our home to love and be our brother was very eye opening. In public people were ignorant. Our skin was different, but I was proud of Mark. Our communities were white. Other families in the church had adopted from other countries, but not in our family. I now know that my parents were taking a huge stand in their lives, and to their parents who were against it. My grandparents’ racism and closed minded behavior never stopped my parents from pursuing their dream of more children. I am proud that I learned that unfailing love in my life. My parents could have easily chosen to continue an undiversified life, indifference or their parent’s views.

College was great. I was focused on graduating and getting a job as a teacher. I knew that I wanted to be a teacher, so choosing a major wasn't hard. The most difficult part of my collegiate life was dating. I dated the wrong man for the majority of my college career. Without dwelling on this for long, I came away learning more about myself, my strength and what kind of person I wanted to be.

5 years ago I met Terrance. I had just graduated college, moved out into my own place, and started my first year of teaching. We began to hang out through mutual friends, and started dating during the beginning of that school year. We kept our relationship a secret from co-workers until we were engaged in April. On August 6, 2005 we got married. We’ll be celebrating 4 years of marriage this year. Marriage has allowed me to be at my worst and at my best. It has been the hardest and the most wonderful thing that I have ever been a part of. One of the highlights of my faith was being able to watch my husband’s baptism; there are probably not very many wives to get to be a part of such a special event. Our relationship ship has taught me more about myself, and my need for Jesus.

Now, I am 28 years old. I am a first grade teacher at a low income school in Charlotte. Every day I see the need for God’s love in the faces of 6 and 7 year olds who parents let them down, neglect them, and hurt them- and yet I still have to find a way to teach them to read. I see the need for God’s love in the teacher’s who walk around stressed and over worked by ungrateful principals. I see the need for a constant pursuit of God’s love in my own life so that I can be capable to be in the classroom every day.

My chosen Hymn: Come thou Fount of every blessing
Come thou Fount of every blessing;
Tune my heart to sing thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above,
Praise the mount; I'm fixed upon it:
Mount of thy redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer,
Hither by thy help I'm come
And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wand'ring from the fold of God,
He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed his precious blood,

O to grace how great a debtor Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let they goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to thee

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love.Here's my heart. O take and seal it; Seal it for thy courts above.

I love all of the verses of this song. But the last is me. I am prone to wanter, prone to leave the God I love. But if I can give my heart, He will take and seal it so that it cannot be lost or let go... for His courts... His home...


My Verse:
Eccesiates 3 1-8 There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to tear and a time to throw away, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Confession & Assurance : I wrote my own confession. And chose a verse to go along.

I doubt and question you every day. I forget you and try to do it all by myself. I try to solve problems, give advice, and teach my students; all without thinking of you.
I call out to you when I fail. I call out to you when I don’t deserve your love. Every time, you still love me, and I am thankful.

Isaiah 43:1b-3a
Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God.