I grew up in a small town in Michigan. Small town as in, one blinker light, a public school with all the kids from Kindergarten through 12th grade in the same building, and a little downtown where folks gathered at the little restaurant my parents owned and ran, for coffee and homemade cinnamon rolls.
My upbringing, by parents who had left the Old Order Amish church when they were teenagers, was unique in some ways. I was exposed to a lot of bread baking, quilting, and hymn singing. My parents joined a Mennonite church where they raised their children, and faithfully served their community. As a family we were very self-sufficient and expected all five children, myself being the middle, to learn and pitch in on the many tasks their 5 acres, milk cow, large garden, and expansive yard afforded. I did not grow up to become an expert in any of those things, but I did grow up involved and comfortable in them. My love of baking, sewing, and writing stem from the many hours of both hard work, and freedom that living well outside of a busy city can offer.
At 18 years old I generally believed I could do anything with my life. My grades were good, I was a talented performer, and athlete, but my goals were far more simple than some of my teachers would have liked. All I wanted was to find a husband, get married, have kids, and establish a home much like the one I grew up in. I had no sights beyond her little town, where I was surrounded by friends and a large extended family. But God had different plans. My mother encouraged me to follow my oldest sister to Nashville, TN and attend school at Belmont College in the heart of Music City. I did not want to go, but as that husband hadn’t yet shown himself, I decided to take my mother’s advice.
After two years of struggle and triumph, I could see clearly how God had used this move away from what was comfortable to me, to wake my soul to a greater depth of relationship and sweeter understanding and communion with God. I began to seek Him in new ways, praying for opportunities to serve Him and use my gifts for His kingdom. I wrote music and got involved in the college group from a large baptist church in the area. My time among so many like minded friends become a great refreshment for me.
While attending a birthday party for a young man in the singles ministry at the church, A friend and I decided to have a little fun on our own. Not knowing a lot of the people at the party, we walked around the room pretending to speak Portuguese and telling folks we encountered that we were from Brazil. We were quite entertaining and took the notice of the host of the party, Brent Gambrell. Brent approached me a week or so later and asked if I would ever consider using my comedic skills to do ministry. I hadn’t considered that before, but I agreed to pray about it.
After a quick audition, some thoughtful consideration, and much prayer, I left Belmont University (no longer Belmont college) and joined Images Creative Group alongside Henry Jernigan and Brent Gambrell. As a trio of actor/ministers we became a well used tool for the gospel. Traveling almost every weekend, and almost the entirety of the summers, we performed sketch comedy, my original music, and used our speaking and teaching talents to bring the gospel to life for young people and adults alike at camps, retreats, conferences and church gatherings. It was a wonderful time for me, as I saw clearly God’s ability to take my small talents and use all that I had to offer in big ways. Ministering alongside popular Christian artists and speakers, like Point of Grace, Mercy Me, Audio Adrenaline, Louie Giglio, Ken Davis, and Franklin Graham, my five years of travel with Images Creative group were fruitful and unforgettable.
I was still hoping to have a family though.
I met Kris Kelso on a six month sabbatical that Images had finally consented to take. It was a much needed break from road life and one that seemed ordained by God, as I took a part time job to pay the bills and ended up working with a young man who was also taking a break from the life of a traveling ministry. Kris was the road manager, and sound man for Jeff Deyo (Sonic Flood, Awaking Pure Worship) and his band. When he wasn’t on the road with Jeff, Kris worked for a man from their church at a bulk mailing warehouse. My brother-in-law, also worked at this warehouse and believed he had found my perfect match in Kris. When I took time off from traveling, my sister and brother-in-law were quick to suggest a few days a week at Omega Mail Services alongside Kris.
In November of 1997 after only having met less than 10 months earlier, Kris and I were married at Cornerstone Church in Nashville. My passion for ministry has not waned, but my outlet has thoroughly changed. I still perform occasionally for the women’s ministry or otherwise, but my main audience has been my children. I do strive to entertain them, but most of all I desire to see them walk in godliness.
From the time I was a little girl in Michigan my notice of what it is to be a parent and my desire to try my understanding and theories on my own little brood has only grown. Finally after several years of marriage, Kris and I were blessed with a baby boy. Two more boys followed over the next four years, and we have established a home on two and half acres in Mt. Juliet, TN just east of Nashville. I have driven the boys to private school, homeschooled for five years, and am planning to send them to public school in the fall. I have learned a lot over the last 16 years of parenting, and seen God move on behalf of my boys in ways only He could.
My writing has become an outlet, and my personal journal, as well as my blog, have nearly satisfied my desire to flesh out my thoughts over a typewriter or page. As a life group leader at church I typically write my own curriculum for the groups I lead. My focus is women and especially moms. I have written lessons on the importance of bringing the family together over dinner, The unique struggles of an entrepreneur’s wife, and the daily challenges of raising small children. I know that I have been called to more though.
In 2019 I had the opportunity to collaborate with long time friends and Belmont alumni Jay and Sofia Lyons, on writing small group studies and devotionals about Kara Tippets, the subject of their full length film documentary called “The Long Goodbye, the Kara Tippetts Story” (available on Netflix and Amazon Prime). My small group studies and devotions are available on RightNow Media, and YouVersion Bible App.
Now that my boys are much more self-sufficient, and I am no longer solely responsible for their education, I am in the beginning stages of my first book on parenting, “Grace Mama”. I looks forward to being able to produce in print, some of the thoughts, and insights the Holy Spirit has given me on my own parenting journey.