My Story

It all began with my parents' unwavering faith as they yearned for their rainbow baby - their third child, a testament of God's faithfulness. From the peaceful sanctuary of my mother's womb, at around 18 weeks gestation, I first detected the rhythmic beat - 'lub dub ... lub dub ... lub dub.' Curiosity sparked within me, and I soon embraced this steady rhythm as an integral part of my daily existence. My mother's heartbeat.

However, as all good things must come to an end, a diligent doctor made a decision around the 39th week of my development, prompting me to bid farewell to my warm and cozy uterine abode and venture into the world. My grand entrance was marked by unrelenting screams that persisted for the initial three months of my existence, as colic tested my parent's resilience. My RN father, exhausted but determined, found himself contemplating a solution. He jokingly shared with my pediatrician the pressing choice between medication for the colic-afflicted baby or himself! Something had to give.

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Let us hold fast the confession of our hope

without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

- Hebrews 10:23 -

Our Mission

ABC's to Psalm 119

My childhood was the perfect blend of Little House on the Prairie, The Waltons, and Deuteronomy 6:6-7. As the second of eight siblings, there was always a playmate—or an annoyance—at hand! I remember cozy evenings around our wood stove, with Mom reading aloud while my brothers played and my sisters and I crafted. Some of my favorite memories are from Sunday nights, when my family would gather around the fireplace in the great room, singing old hymns from real hymnals, reading the Bible together, and joining in family prayer. My parents made sure I understood the difference between religion and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, using daily life analogies to bring God’s Word to life.

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Attempting to Adult

After graduation, I began teaching piano and opened an in-home studio called Joyfully In Tune. The Lord blessed me with over thirty wonderful students who filled my studio with joy, laughter, music, and lasting relationships. Even now, one of my greatest delights is following their lives and witnessing all the Lord is doing through them.

While teaching, I continued my music studies through correspondence with the International Academy of Music. I soon discovered that Advanced Principles of Harmony would be my nemesis, but conducting was a blast, and Concert Choir quickly became one of my favorite classes.

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Our Mission

Kon'nichiwa, Minna San!

Imagine stepping off a plane in Japan, not a clue about the language, culture, or why everyone is so fascinated with my terrible chopstick skills. I was there to share the hope of Jesus and through teaching English as a second language… this involved a lot of smiling, nodding, and hoping I didn't just agree to sing karaoke in front of the whole neighborhood!

Stay tuned for the full story. Let's just say there were a few lost in translation moments, but I promise, it’s worth the wait!

Miracle of Motherhood

I stood in my kitchen. Tears flowed silently down my face. I slowly spun around the room, trying to remember it all. Four sizeable red zebra print suitcases filled the small hallway. Leaving this country and the people I had grown to love was ripping my heart out. Yet I knew on the other side of the world, there was a new life waiting for me. An 18-pound bundle who had stolen my heart via FaceTime was waiting for me to return… was waiting to call me Mama. But pulling my heart in two different directions felt like it might cause it to implode permanently. How could I say goodbye and hello all in the same 30-hour window? Two monumental emotions welled within me.

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Our Mission

When I Blinked

On a chilly winter day in 2017, I sat on the side of my hospital bed, legs dangling, coloring on my phone, eagerly waiting for discharge after a five-day asthma tune-up. But in the short time between my doctor signing off and my nurse bringing the discharge papers, my knees suddenly felt as if someone was using a chisel on the bone. Tears streamed down my face as I paged the doctor. He suspected steroid-induced myopathy, a side effect from high-dose steroids, and reassured me it should resolve in a few weeks. Discharge went ahead, and I drove myself home in 7/10 pain, determined to push through.

Over the next few weeks, I focused on getting life back to normal. I was working full-time in HOA management, a job I adored, with a supervisor and coworkers who were incredibly compassionate and kind. As a single mom to my vibrant 2-year-old miracle daughter, she was my biggest commitment. Our home was also buzzing with two high school exchange students, Foann from Thailand and Miku from Japan!

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Medical Dossier

Basic Diagnoses:

Adrenal Insufficiency
Anaphylactic Asthma
Anemia
Avascular Necrosis of the Hip (Bilateral)
Avascular Necrosis of the Knees (Bilateral)
Chronic Pain Syndrome
Cushing’s Syndrome
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Diabetes Mellitus
Dysautonomia
Endometriosis
Immunoglobulin Deficiencies
Interstitial Cystitis
Kidney Stones - Recurrent
May Thurner Syndrome
Mitral Regurgitation
Non-Epileptic Seizures
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Osteopenia
Osteoporosis
Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts (Bilateral)
Pulmonary Embolus
Tachycardia
Visual Impairment

Surgeries / Procedures:

Abdominal Laparoscopy x 3
Cataract Repair (Right Eye)
Core Decompression (Right Distal Femur)
Cystoscopy x 3
Hysterectomy with Oophorectomy
Left Knee Arthroplasty
Lithotripsy
Power Port Removal
PowerPort Insertion x 2
Right Hip Arthroplasty
Spinal Epidural Block x 4
Subchondroplasty of the Knees (Bilateral)
Trans-Oesophageal Echocardiogram
Ureteroscopy x 5
Vertebral Compression Fracture Repair T3 to L2 (Cement Augmentation, Decompression Laminectomy, and Corpectomy with Bilateral Rods and Screws) x 2
Craniotomy x 2
Left Arthroplasty Revision