About Me…
I was welcomed into the world by a family narrowly plucked from the brink of destruction. My parents had found the cure for their despair, drivenness, anxiety and marital breakdown in the saving grace of Jesus Christ just months before I was born. As that grace transformed my family, I grew up easily convinced that God is good and His ways are perfect. As I put God’s principles to the test throughout high school and university, I discovered that submission to God’s rule in my life was far from bondage. Actually, what it proved to be instead was glorious freedom that opened my life to lavish grace.
I’m all grown up now and believe more than ever that God’s truth is far too robust to be relegated to a Sunday obligation or remembered only as quaint, childhood stories. Over three decades into this journey with Jesus Christ, my life is rich because His wisdom informs and beautifies my marriage, my parenting, my friendships, my speech, my decisions, my work and my purpose on this earth. Out of the abundance of blessing showered on my life through His grace, it is my delight to share through speaking engagements and children’s books, how God’s wisdom perfectly intersects with everyday life.
About My Family…
Twenty-seven years ago I married into the League of Superheroes. By marrying Glen Surette I got Mr. Steady, Mr. Incredible, Superman and as the father to three daughters, Menstrual Man. All this rolled up in a gentle, kind, hard-working and handsome package.
Our marriage has been a case study in the reliability of the Bible: We’ve discovered that when a husband and wife daily love each other the way God designed and enables two people to love each other, beauty necessarily follows. God’s ways are pretty fantastic and it’s been a delight to build our marriage on those principles and now savor the harvest of beauty that’s coming from good seed sown early on.
However, marriage didn’t smooth out enough of the rough edges in my character, so God brought in the big guns: He gave me three darling daughters. Parenting is like living on a massive pendulum. One moment I am drowning in feelings of overwhelming failure in my role and then later that same day I can be overcome by choking swells of intense love for my girls and be giddy with hope over the grandeur of this calling. Gravol anyone?
I won’t brag on my sweeties here, because that wouldn’t be holy (and that’s why we have social media)! But I will say that as we are fully into the years of young womanhood, I feel ridiculously privileged that I’m the mom who gets to journey this road with Taylor the Strong, Avery the Good and Scarlett the Loud.
Regardless of where my ministry takes me, at the end of the day or weekend, home is where I long to be. And at the end of my life, I hope to mean much to few, instead of meaning little to many.
About My Church…
I love the church. I love the big “C” church throughout the world and my little “c” SouthShore Bible Church in Barrie, Ontario. That’s because Jesus loves the church. And since I love Jesus, I will love what He loves and protect what He cherishes. (Eph. 5:25-27) Though the Lord has seen fit to take aspects of my ministry beyond the walls of my local church, my ministry within my church is closest to my heart and of greatest significance to me. After all, the church is the only earthly organization that comes with the promise that the “gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:17-19) It seems to me, that it’s a smart place to invest my life’s effort.
My ministry there is particularly precious for many reasons. Even though these dear folks know my imperfections, frustrations and short-comings they allow me to serve and they love me regardless. At my church, I’m never mistaken for an “expert” from out of town, waltzing in rested, practiced and looking my best – that keeps me real and appropriately humbled. I also don’t get to spout my insights and then slip out a day later, leaving the problems and hurts of the women behind. As attractive as that option can seem at times, ministering in the ordinary, unglamorous and long-term keeps me anchored, dependent and becoming more like Jesus as it smooths the rough edges of my character. And finally, my church is my family and I love them to bits. We have lived life together. Celebrated together. Mourned together. Parented together. Laughed our heads off together. Served together. And forgiven together. We endure together to show this world what can be done with a group of ordinary sinners when God changes their hearts.
If you allow me the honor of teaching at your church or event, my truest desire is to strengthen your women in Christ so they can go back to their everyday, ordinary and beautify your church and the families that make it up.
About My Beliefs…
Though my ministry takes me beyond my local church and is a separate entity from it, I cherish and joyfully submit to the authority, doctrine and protection I am afforded at Southshore Bible Church. To learn more about it and read up on the doctrine that I hold to in my life and teaching, I invite you to visit www.southshorebible.org.
About My Agent…
I am honoured to be represented by the tenacious and wildly effective Cyle Young of Hartline Literary Agency and Cyle Young Literary Elite.