I grew up as a pastor’s kid in North Carolina. I also had a love for young children and early on began working with preschoolers. The Lord led me on an interesting path, however, and after graduating from college with a degree in history, I taught junior high and high school students for seven years. God then directed me to Colorado, where I am once again working with toddlers, this time in the context of training them and their families for overseas Gospel service (at Mission Training International). During my growing up years, my family placed a high value on missions. We had several good friends who were missionaries. My dad served on our denomination’s mission board. My parents also made sure my brother and I had missions opportunities, and as college students we went to Mexico twice on short-term trips. It has been so amazing and fun to see that, though I was not called overseas myself, God has still used my love of missions, history, culture (and children!) to bring me to this particular time and place where I can combine them all in service to Him.