Miss Jenna- Feminine Farm Girl

My sister, Miss Monica June, has been following a blog for a while that is so much fun. She told us about this Feminine Farm Girl and I just had to get to know her. We are so blessed to be able to have Miss Jenna join us this month in an interview and be our Girl of Grace for September 2009.

Lady Jess: Hello Jenna, what inspired you to begin On Bent Knees?
Miss Jenna: Prayer is very important, and I wanted to encourage people to pray for each other... On Bent Knees can bring us together to lift each other up in prayer, and be able to see how God answers the petitions that we have laid before him!

Lady Jess: I understand that you live on a farm, what do you like about living there?
Miss Jenna: I love the space, large animals, gardening and learning self-sufficiency in a hands on setting:) I am so blessed to have the opportunity to live on a farm! Thanks Mom and Dad!

Lady Jess: Have you home schooled your whole life? How did your mom get started with that?
Miss Jenna: Yes, my parents started homeschooling my twin and I (we're the oldest) ever since we were born. Their vision grew from knowing other families that home-educated to understanding the call in Scriptures to train up their children. Home-educating isn't really about textbooks and desks, it is a way of life for our whole family as mom and dad teach us foundational beliefs, encourage the building of good relationships between all of the siblings and nurture Godly character.

Lady Jess: What do you think you enjoy most about home schooling?
Miss Jenna: The flexibility of going at a quicker pace if I understand something really well, and slowing down a little if I'm confused. You're building a foundation and it is important to understand every small step. I also enjoy getting my school work done so that I can practice some home economics...my favorite!!!

Lady Jess: What kind of animals do you have on your farm?
Miss Jenna: We have a horse, dairy cow, dairy goats, pigs, chickens, cats and one dog.

Lady Jess: I saw that you are involved in 4H, do you enjoy that?
Miss Jenna: I do enjoy 4H...there is so much opportunity to learn! My siblings and I do most of the research on our own for the areas of interest that we have. This is my 2nd year showing goats and hogs, and I have really had a lot of fun:) I would like to do a steer next year as well...


Lady Jess: Why would you recommend 4H to someone?
Miss Jenna: Joining a 4H group provides multiple opportunities to learn and grow! I have experienced so many different things, met so many people, and been forced to talk to/present business plans to complete strangers!


Lady Jess: What curriculum do you use in your home schooling?
Miss Jenna: We use a Charlotte Mason approach, so that includes a variety of choices...literature, some text (ie math), and lots of hands on.


Lady Jess: What is your favorite past time in your home schooling?
Miss Jenna: Being able to spend time in home economics!!! I love baking, cooking, sewing, gardening, and working with my goats and other animals. In the near future, I would like to learn more about herbs and natural health!
Lady Jess: I know that, for some people who attend a 'school', it is sometimes difficult to plan quality time with your family. Especially the father. Because you home school, how is that different with your dad?
Miss Jenna: Honestly, it's not that different. He's in an industry that requires long and difficult hours which is only made worse in this economy. Unfortunately, I don't get to see my daddy as much as he or I would like.

Lady Jess: Tell us something you enjoy doing with your mom.
Miss Jenna: Having conversations in the kitchen are probably my favorite...Mom is my best friend:)

Lady Jess: Do you play any instruments?If you play instruments, what kind?
Miss Jenna: Yes, I do Piano and Violin.

Lady Jess: Do you enjoy playing that/those specific instruments?
Miss Jenna: I do enjoy playing the piano and violin, though the violin has been put on hold while I focus on piano.

Lady Jess: How long have you been playing that/those?
Miss Jenna: I've been taking piano lessons and playing for 7 years, though I've had breaks here and there...for violin, close to two years.

Lady Jess: Is there a specific instrument that you like the most?
Miss Jenna: Piano, Violin and Cello

Lady Jess: Is there a specific instrument that you would like to learn how to play?
Miss Jenna: After Piano and Violin are well learned, I would enjoy learning the Cello~

Lady Jess: Do you enjoy music?
Miss Jenna: I do! Music is a wonderful way that we can praise the Lord!

Lady Jess: If you can write it in one sentence, how would you describe your relationship with Jesus Christ?
Miss Jenna: Getting stronger and growing everyday, as I seek to know and serve HIM.

Lady Jess: What is something that God has taught you recently?
Miss Jenna: To Trust in HIM, whatever befalls! Something that I struggle with, but the Lord has helped me.

Lady Jess: How did you hear of Growing in Grace Magazine?
Miss Jenna: I've seen your link on several blogs:)


Thank you for allowing me to interview you, it has been a pleasure. I am so glad that we have gotten to know you a little. You can get to know Miss Jenna a whole lot better over at her blog Feminine Farmgirl.

Lady Jess is a teen lady who is homeschooled along with her siblings. She assists her mother in teaching her younger siblings, is an interpreter for deaf ministry, sings in a local choir, and is in training to be a homeschooling parent herself one day.

Subscribe to Growing in Grace Magazine by Email

Miss Jessica, Seasons of a Heart

by Miss Jocelyn

I was so pleased to interview Miss Jessica. I have known Jessica only a short while but I can see the passion she has in her heart to serve the Lord and her family. She is a wonderful encouragement and friend to me, and I hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as I have.

GGM: You just turned eighteen a few months ago and you're getting ready to graduate this year, what are some things you feel the LORD leading you towards?

Miss Jessica: The main thing I am working toward is being a passionate daughter and helping my father in whatever he needs done. This hasn’t always been my goal, but over the past year I have begun to better understand how vital this is for a family and I have tried not only to apply this to my own life, but to help other young ladies realize how important this is. As far as schooling after high school, I would like to further some of my studies in finances, prenatal care, music theory, photography, and business management. I few years ago I started the process to get a few of my sewing patterns published, but due to traveling, etc. I had to set it aside, so I would like to get back to work on them, refine my process of “pattern making” and then maybe start my own pattern business. I would also like to begin teaching harp soon. Those are the main things, but I am a rather adventurous person with a touch of impromptu, so I have a knack for starting way too many projects and running down too many rabbit trails with my ideas! However, I am trying to overcome this and be more focused on the things that need done.

GGM: Growing up what did a typical day look like and what does it now?

Miss Jessica: Well, I’m not sure we had a typical day growing up! My Father used to remodel houses to rent or sell and when I was younger all of us went to work together helping him, so each day varied as to what we did. When we didn’t have a house to work on we spent the day at home together doing school and other things around the house. As we got older we were given the option to go if we wanted or to stay home – it greatly depended on the work being done on the house at the time as to whether I went or not! However, for the past 3 or 4 years we have stopped doing houses and have concentrated on our business, the Solar Pathfinder, which we manufacture at home.

Right now my typical day looks something like this:

5:00- Rise. Bible study, internet, corresponding and sewing till breakfast

7:15- Breakfast. Family time (bible study as a family) & chores.

9:00- School and Harp practice. I’ve now graduated to the role of teacher, so I teach my two youngest brothers reading, writing and math. Harp practice is normally about 45 minutes.

12:00- Lunch & chores (Bekah and I are generally in charge of preparing lunch and supper)

1:00- Early afternoon is left for our own personal projects. Later afternoon we work for Dad either doing things like bookwork or manufacturing.

5:30- Supper, chores and family projects/activities till bed.

9:00- Bedtime.

GGM: I've seen you, your sisters and friends several times in reenactment clothes, what would you consider your favourite era based on customs and fashion? Do you sew and make any of your clothes?

Miss Jessica: Oh dear. That is a very hard question! I am an avid seamstress and historical clothes and their history is probably my forte! My family currently does Revolutionary War reenacting, and in the past we did a little Civil War reenacting as well. Each era has its own special part that I love – the only time frame I can’t find something I like is in the 1910-1920’s and then after 1950! With the revolutionary war the manners and customs still have a very English tone about them, which is very beautiful and the clothes for the Ladies I would say are much more freeing than most of the later eras.

However, I think that my favorite era is Edwardian (1900-1909). The Edwardian era unlike most of the other more popular era’s is not based around a war – it’s the height of the great expansion and incredible inventions. People were exploring places and their clothes mirror that. The styles are varying from the long trained skirts to the tailor-made walking suits; from the fine lace evening shirts to the outdoors vest and shirt. The men’s clothes are equally as interesting, especially since I enjoy western style clothes, as they can be mixed easily without looking out of place.

GGM: Share with us what you call home. Have you always lived in Tennessee?

Miss Jessica: No, I have not always lived in Tennessee. I was born in Florida, but we moved up to Indiana shortly after I was born and lived there about 7 years before moving to where we are now in Tennessee. Our home here is very unique and I totally love it! When we moved to Tennessee 10 years ago we purchased 15 acres to build on with the original intent of building a barn/workshop and living in that for 2 years while we built a log cabin home from timber off the land – it was a noble plan, but it has never come to fruition as the “barn” has been more than sufficient for us! We call it the barn because it was built look like a barn from the outside and inside we have it decorated with old antiques and country furnishings. Since then we have built a workshop (which also houses my sewing room!) and a small log cabin for our guests, so we have no need or desire to move out.

GGM: What's your favourite breakfast meal? What are some of the "stranger" meals you've have (breakfast, lunch, or dinner)?

Miss Jessica: Homemade yogurt topped with granola and a cup of coffee to top it off! A close rival to that would be creamed egg gravy over toast.

Since we travel a lot (both across the US and other countries) we have learned to make a lot of international food and we love having company over to either feed them food or have them teach us how to make new meals, so I have eaten quite a variety of things. Probably one of the strangest things I’ve had is Asian rice called sticky rice. It is high in gluten and so the rice when cooked sticks together, but it doesn’t stick to you. You can take a handful and roll it into a tight ball or any other shape you’d like! It can be eaten lots of different ways, like with chicken sauce (a hot and sweet Asian sauce) or with coconut milk and mangoes for dessert. It is a great favorite of ours! We’ve learned that it’s even great for breakfast if you have some sort of gravy for it.

GGM: I know you enjoy photography, do you do it just for fun or as a business?

Miss Jessica: I mainly do it for our family, but I have also done work for other people when requested. Photography is one of those new things for me as I’ve only been in it about 2 years, and it has been a blast! It has been especially nice since it goes so well with traveling. I like to shoot lots of different things, but I think my favorite thing to do is portraits.

GGM: Not too many people would consider taking up playing the harp as a first thought so what prompted you to learn? Is the harp the only instrument you know how to play?

Miss Jessica: I started harp probably 7 years ago and to be quite honest, I don’t even remember why I started! I do know that several girls that I knew had just started, so I’m sure that helped peak my interest. I have always had a bit of music around me – when I was quite young my Mom taught me how to play the recorder, and then I taught picked up a little guitar, but harp was the first thing I ever took lessons on. Harp has been a very unique opportunity for me as I live close to a major harp teaching center and have been able to use a lot of resources that others do not have and I absolutely love playing it! A few years ago we purchased a piano and since harp and piano are quite similar in lots of ways I have been able to transfer quite a bit from harp, but I would not consider myself a piano player though I do enjoy it.

GGM: Your family travels a lot, where are some of the places have you traveled and what has been your favourite trip so far?

Miss Jessica: Well let’s see, stateside I’ve been to nearly every state west of Tennessee except North Dakota, Washington, New Mexico and Arizona. On our east I’ve never been up in most of the northern New England states, but I’ve been to all the southern and Midwestern states. I’ve never been to Hawaii or Alaska. Outside of the states I’ve been to Brazil, Bolivia and Peru. My favorite place? There are lots of places I like, but all for different reasons and it’s hard comparing them together! I loved Wyoming and Yellowstone for the scenery, Texas just because it’s Texas (did I mention I like western things?) and Brazil for the people (and the food *grin*).

GGM: What does "silverbeam dreams" mean and how did you come up with that?

Miss Jessica: I am an animal person – if we didn’t travel so much I would have a small farm just for the personal enjoyment. My Dad knows this and a couple years ago he told me that I could get some dogs to breed. To say that I was excited is an understatement! I love research and so for the next few weeks and months I carefully studied out exactly what I was looking for as well as the pro’s and con’s of breeding. I settled on a breed – the English Cocker Spaniel. It is a protected breed that is not as popular as its sister the American Cocker Spaniel, so there aren’t as many hereditary breeding problems plus when looking at it from Dad’s point of view, it has a higher profit margin. I found a breeder in my area and we met a few times to answer a few questions I had before I laid out my entire “game” plan before Dad to get his final approval. Toward the end of my research I began seeing it entailed a lot more that what Dad originally thought and I began having doubts as to whether it would work for us. Meanwhile I had gone ahead and picked a kennel name: Silverbeam English Cocker Spaniel . I don’t really know where I got it, but I liked it, so after consulting my sister Rebekah, I settled on it. Finally after about four months of research, I got everything together and explained all that I knew for Dad. Much to my deep disappointment he said what I was afraid of… It wasn’t going to work. So that was the end of that. But Silverbeam still lives on – it’s just a dream right now. Who knows, someday I might actually have a kennel!

GGM: What have you most enjoyed about being online, blogging?

Miss Jessica: I’ve never been very good at corresponding with friends so I love the fact that I can write about life and they can write about theirs and we can keep in contact…. It has also been a wonderful way for me to learn about photography as nearly every photographer has a blog and I can learn from their pictures. The most recent thing though that I have come to realize is that it’s not just a convenient toy to keep up with friends on, but it’s a wonderful tool that I can use to encourage other young ladies on. When I was younger I had this mental thing that I didn’t like writing and wasn’t good at it – well, I’ve learned that it’s not all that bad and that I do enjoy it! The thing I need to be careful with now is not going overboard with the whole thing…

GGM: I love the sweet but firm attitude you have about sharing the Gospel with us and your willingness to give everything to the LORD. Who would you say was always there, throughout your life, encouraging you in the faith?

Miss Jessica: My Dad. I’m sure nearly everybody would give this answer, but it’s the truth! He has always had a vision for family centered worship, dominion oriented masculinity and femininity, biblical entrepreneurialism and a mirage of other things ever since I can remember! He was constantly teaching us even when others were telling him “that’s not the way we do things anymore” and before we had ever heard of Biblical-minded ministries. He has always taken the time to correct and challenge me to better things in life. Most certainly he has made an eternal difference in me and it will affect every generation after me, from my children to great-great-great-grandchildren.

Thank you Jessica for visiting with us at GGMagazine. I know I have been blessed by you and I'm sure our readers have been too! You can visit her blog here: Seasons of a Heart

Jessica and a few of her family members will be traveling once again this week and I'm sure they would appreciate any prayers for safe travel and a pleasant visit.

Blessings!

Subscribe to Growing in Grace Magazine by Email

Sisterlisa: A Lifestyle of Ministry

Sisterlisa is the publisher and owner of Growing in Grace Magazine. I still remember the day I received her email with her exciting news that she wanted us to join her in creating a one-of-a-kind Christian girls' magazine that did not reflect the world's value system. With joy, we have served with her side-by-side each month writing, interviewing and publishing GGM. I am excited to interview her for this, the First Anniversary Issue.

Why did you decide to start writing and publishing Growing in Grace Magazine?
Several years ago when my girls were in the Christian Elementary School they struggled in their friendships. I noticed that the girls all had different ideas about what friendship was. I became burdened about writing a monthly publication for them so they could all be learning the same Biblical principles. I began 'Looking Forward' and it ran for an entire year. My hope was to have several girls send in contributions, but not all of them were interested in writing. I ran that publication for one full year, then retired 'Looking Forward'. When we began home schooling the desire came back, and when I found your family, I knew our hearts were going in the same direction. I was so happy and honored your family accepted this opportunity to write with us and offer this free online publication for other girls to grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.


What is your goal in continuing its publication?
My goal in continuing this publication is to encourage and inspire other girls to grow closer to the Lord as as well as with their families. I feel it is very important to encourage other girls to appreciate their families and build a closer knit relationship with them. I have a deep desire for the Christian population to see what great benefits there are to homeschooling and how God blesses us and our relationships. Among home schoolers I have seen very few actually create a bad reputation for home schoolers, yet that is where the media focuses in on. I desire for GGM to show those Christians that home schooling is blessed by God and see how He works in our lives by what and how we write. We do NOT have to follow the 'Culture of Christianity'. We can create a clear picture of what down to earth Christianity is supposed to be. Between our writers and our readers we have a wonderful support group of ladies who believe in the Christianity God always intended for us to have.

What has it been like for the last year publishing a magazine that has become a favorite with so many mothers and daughters?
Each month I see our email subscription grow and that is encouraging. To me it seems as though God is drawing in those who have the same desires as us, to build upon the family unit. I think that so many times Christians feel alone in their communities wondering where all the other Christians are that have these same desires for the family. I believe God has used GGM to help us all find one another.

Personal

What are the priorities in your life at this season of womanhood?
My priorities have changed so much since we started home schooling. My number one priority is my relationship with the Lord. Without Him nothing else in my life would have a purpose. Secondly, is my relationship with my husband. Since we started home schooling our relationship has become so much sweeter. Having my children home has moved me closer into Bible study than ever before. I enjoy sharing with my husband each day, what God has shown me in his Word. My children are next in my list of priorities. Not only building upon my relationship with each one of them individually, but also as a whole family. Every moment of every day is a teaching moment for us and we all enjoy watching each other growing both spiritually and educationally. I also have ministries that are very important in my life. Of those is GGM, the Sarah Home, and the Deaf Ministry at our church. I have a very full schedule, but I work hard to be sure I give myself to the Lord in each of these areas.


The sanctity of marriage is a top priority for you. What is on your heart about marriage that you want to share?
Most of my readers at AGMinistries know about my testimony. When Mr. B asked me to marry him I made sure he knew that I believed in marriage. I explained that I feel it is for a lifetime and that once I'm married I will not divorce. He expressed that he felt the same way. We are both from broken homes, and we wanted the best we could possibly give to our future children. However, our marriage did not begin with the Lord as the foundation. We both lived in the world and came to Christ later. During the first six years of our marriage, we suffered! Our marriage was nearly destroyed at the hand of the enemy. Our Heavenly Father worked amazing miracles in our lives and redeemed us and our marriage. He 'pulled us out of the miry clay and set our feet upon a rock'. We now have given our lives over to God so that He could use our testimony to help bring other broken marriages back together. We both have a burden to share what God has done in our lives so that others will know the power of His redemption, and that every marriage DOES have a chance to be healthy and full of abundant love.

Family

You have been home schooling for two years now. Describe it for me. What difference has it made in your life?
Well as I said above, it has completely altered our lifestyle. We began home schooling in the fall of 2006, and it's hard to believe it's been that long already! My husband and I both grew up in the public school, and we knew we didn't want that for our children since we came to the Lord. As we were a young struggling newly married couple just coming to the Lord we really didn't know much at all about the Lord nor home schooling. As a matter of fact I have never heard of home school.
We began having our children in the Christian School, and I volunteered as often as possible. Our children have a 3-4 year age difference between each of them. As they grew older their church and school activities began to be separate and our family was going in several different directions. Over the years I had learned a lot about their education while volunteering in the school. As a matter of fact, I pre-schooled them myself and always had summer curriculum to keep their minds fresh.
When the Lord opened the door for us to home school I wanted to know as much as I could about home schooling. I met with a couple of families that I knew had home schooled for many years and asked them a lot of questions. I then hit the library and the internet to find out as much as I could before we made up our minds for sure. My husband was every bit confident in me from the beginning. We began to pray and seek the Lord to be sure it was what He wanted. God confirmed it in both of us during the very same church service. We sat at opposite ends of the church that day, because I was interpreting for the deaf. At the close of the service, I walked over to him and he had a huge smile on his face. I asked him what He got out of the message and he said, "I think that same thing you did." We both said, "Homeschool" at the same time! We both cried! We knew it was what God wanted for us to do! Now our family has grown closer together and we all serve in ministry together.


What fun things do you and your daughters do to tie your hearts together in family and the LORD?
My daughters and I all love to cook and work on GGM. Many times we'll grab the camera as we are cooking and snap tons of shots to share on GGM or on our blogs. We love trying new recipes! We also enjoy stamping stationery and greeting cards. We write thank you notes to other people to encourage them. Most of the time we just enjoy going to the park and hiking, when the weather is nice. We like taking the cameras and stop along the road whenever we see flowers or cute animals.

Ministry

I know you have a passion for ministering outside of your own home. What are the different facets of ministry you are involved in?
We all serve in ministry together. My oldest two daughters have learned sign language and help reach the lives of the deaf in our church. Although my husband has not become fluent in sign language himself, he has come to understand a lot of signs and is able to communicate with the deaf as well. We all adore them so much and are so thankful to serve together in an area we all love. We also help at The Sarah Home, which is the women's ministry within the rescue mission my husband works at. We visit the women each week and spend time with them. We enjoy our summers over there as we can let the kids swim while I talk with the women and help them with their goals and learning the Bible. The back yard is enormous and I can sit on the deck and keep on eye on the kids as they swim. This year we look forward to being able to plant a large garden for all of us to be able to have fresh vegetables this summer.
I believe GGM is also another ministry for us. We have a heart for reaching other families to share how God has used home schooling in our lives. However we want to respect our church's Christian School Ministry at the same time. During the years our children were there we learned a lot. We believe each family should seek the Lord about educating their children. There is a lot to consider when bringing them home. We have a desire to share the wisdom God gave us in our journey to bring our children home.
For our family, we know this is where they belong. Had someone told me to home school during our earlier years as Christians, I would have said no altogether. I was not equipped emotionally, spiritually, nor intellectually at the time. Yet God worked in me all those years and I can see clearly how He has been leading me to homeschooling all this time.

Thank you Sisterlisa, for sharing your heart and your family with us. It is a blessing to hear how the LORD has used home schooling to strengthen your family and is using all that your family does in service to the LORD to keep your family close in Him.

In Ministry With Mom

I am pleased and honored to be able to introduce you to two wonderful ladies that I know personally. We had the opportunity to get to know Mrs. Lindsay and her family while they were on deputation in the States. They stayed with Miss Rachael (from our first issue of GGM) for two summers. While the Lindsay family stayed we were able to spend some good time together in fellowship and go to ask many questions about their ministry to St. Lucia.

GGM: Miss Kayla,How old were you when your parents told you that you were all going to be a missionary family? Please explain briefly how you felt about that.

Miss Kayla: Well, first of all, I was 15 years old when I found out that we were going to be missionaries. To be perfectly honest, I was somewhat of a rebel at that time. I completely surrendered to it on the outside, but not really in my heart. It took a while for me to see the big picture, but God is so good like that to have shown me what this is really all about.

Mom has always been supportive of Dad's decisions even when they were hard. The Lord dealt with her as well about St. Lucia, so she followed 100%.

GGM: What kinds of things are there to do in St. Lucia together that are different than in the States?

Miss Kayla: Well, me and mom do everything together like the laundry and the cleaning. What I love most is cooking together.

As far as special memories go, well , I think there are too many to count. I love the times when everything seemed to be going all wrong and she would make me laugh so hard that my sides hurt. Laughing the pain away....

We both enjoy having what we call "girls day out". Where we relax and do whatever we want like paint our nails, talk, just be girls.

GGM: What's your favorite thing to eat that you don't have in St. Lucia?

Miss Kayla: Wow, this is the hardest question yet! :) I LOVE Chili's Honey Chipotle Crispers. I guess that would be my favorite!

GGM: I have heard a lot about Chipotle and we have one in our town and I have not even been there yet. You have me convinced that I really must go!
Have you learned any new recipes from women in St. Lucia?

Miss Kayla: No, I have not learned any recipes from the Lucian women, but someday maybe I will.

GGM: Tell us what makes your mom special to you?

Miss Kayla: Well, I love the fact that she is not only my mama, but she is one of my best friends in the whole world. She knows me better than anyone besides God, and she still loves me. AMAZING! We have so much fun together, always laughing, never a dull moment. And more than that, she encourages me to follow the Lord's leading in my life; she has always encouraged me to do my best in everything. I hope I can be half the woman she is.


GGM: Mrs. Lindsey, you have a very sweet daughter! How do you plan for time alone with Kayla with such a busy schedule in the ministry?

Mrs. Lindsey: We really can't "plan". We just grab any opportunities that come our way.

GGM: What kinds of things are there to do in St. Lucia together that are different than in the States?
Mrs. Lindsay: Open markets and local food.

GGM: How well are you doing at learning the language there?

Mrs. Lindsay: That isn't an issue here, they speak English. :)

GGM: How do you educate your children in St. Lucia?

Mrs. Lindsay: We homeschool using Abeka and Alpha Omega.

GGM: Are you able to help educate the children that live there?(other than Bible)
Mrs. Lindsey: Sunday School and Bible School are the only opportunities so far.

GGM: What do you miss most about the States?

Mrs. Lindsey: Food, shopping, selection, quality, prices, conveniences, etc.

GGM: What kinds of things do the mothers and daughters of the people of St. Lucia do together?

Mrs. Lindsey: They walk to school and work.

GGM: That sounds like the earlier years in America. We're so blessed to have automobiles here.
Can you briefly describe some of the cultural differences there?

Mrs. Lindsey: They live a much simpler life. Main goal of Lucians is to obtain necessary things to live daily. No luxuries or nicities usually.

GGM: There are times that I wish we had that simple life again here in the busy state of California. Do you have hobbies from the States that you miss due to it not being available in St. Lucia?

Mrs. Lindsey: Yes; bargain shopping and decorating.

GGM: What other things do you do?

Mrs. Lindsey: We cook and work in the yard.

GGM: Now that sounds like my family. We have limited space and so we need to plant in pots, but we sure love being in the garden together.

Thank you both so much for sharing your relationship with us here at Growing in Grace Magazine. May the Lord bless you richly there in St. Lucia!

Portfolio de Couturier: Olivia-Kate

This edition of Portfolio de Couturier is a little different than the previous ones. We're not going to show you any old fashions or a biography on a very important lady from history. Instead we're going to being interviewing Mrs. Spade, a 21st century seamstress, who owns and runs OliviaKate clothing. OliviaKate is a Mother-Daughter business Mrs. Spade and her daughter, Olivia Kate, team up to bring elaborate and colourful clothing for little girls. I hope this interview will give you a a behind the scene look at her as a seamstress and designer.

GGM: Is knowing how to make your own clothes something in your heritage? Did your grandmother, aunts or mother know how to sew?

Mrs. Spade: Both grandmothers and my mom enjoyed sewing, crochet, knit and hand embroidery. They loved making gifts for their children and grandchildren. I have fond memories of my mom sewing play dresses for me when I was little. I still have a beautiful applique quilt from my grandmother on Olivia's crib. Growing up around home projects made it easy for me to start creating after my own daughter was born.

GGM: When did you learn how to sew and what was your first project?

Mrs. Spade:I learned to sew at around 14 years old (if I remember correctly) with my mom who taught me the basics. My first project was a simple dress. I'm pretty sure mom did most of the sewing for that, lol...

GGM: Why was sewing something that interested you enough to learn to do it well?

Mrs. Spade: My interest in sewing came after my daughter was born. I wanted to make some clothes for Olivia and started learning new techniques which eventually developed into a small home business. Sewing is valuable in so many other ways as well; I can make my own dress skirts, make play dresses and church dresses for Olivia, take in my husbands clothing or make gifts for loved ones. I recently machine embroidered hats with the words "Jesus Saves" on the front for my family. These are my husband's favorite.

GGM: Why do you think it's important to know how to sew?

Mrs. Spade: Sewing is how I get rid of stress. It also allows me to make things at a very low cost which is beneficial when something needs repaired. I recently took in all of Edward's dress pants (my husband). This would have been expensive if we went to a seamstress for alterations. It's also something I look forward to teaching Olivia.

GGM: What ways can knowing how to sewing better one's life-style and home?

Mrs. Spade: If you know how to sew, old things can become new with little effort. Whether you're making something pretty to wear or sprucing up the pillows in your living room with new fabric, there are endless possibilities without spending a fortune at a retail store. I love to search local thrift stores for vintage fabrics and notions. I find items (many are brand new) for pennies that can be worked into my sewing.

GGM: Your little girl's clothing is cute. Where did you come up with the styles and what gives you inspiration for sewing projects?

Mrs. Spade: My greatest inspiration is my daughter Olivia. Right now I love bold, bright colors and using entire lines of fabric in one set. I also enjoy mixing vintage and new clothing patterns to come up with a set that's completely unique.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to speak with you and your readers. I have to thank the Lord Jesus for all the many blessings in my life. Also I have to thank my husband Eddie for being so supportive and all of my family and friends that have encouraged me along the way.

Thanks for taking the time to join me, Mrs. Spade. Many blessings to you in your business! You can visit Mrs. Spade and little Miss Olivia by going to OliviaKate.com. I hope you as a young lady or even a mother will be inspired by this article to start learning how to sew yourself. It's a wonderful homemaking skill and life-essential.

Miss Joy

Please allow me to introduce to you Miss Joy, an eighteen-year-old young lady, who is currently living in Connecticut with her family. Miss Joy is one of my dearest friends that I have had the pleasure getting to know over the blogworld. I have never met Miss Joy in person, but she is a great encouragement to me in many things and I always love hearing from her.

GGM: Tell me about your childhood and family, and where you grew up?
Miss Joy: My Dad has been a pastor since before I was born, so we moved around quite a lot when I was really little.
When I was four we moved back to CT where most of our extended family lived. Every Sunday ever since I can remember we have gone to my Grandparent's house for the afternoon. I have been very blessed in having Christian parents, Grandparents, and Great-Grandparents to look up to and admire. I have been homeschooled all my life, and we never had many friends, so I have been able to enjoy friendships with my siblings and with my Grandparents in a very special way.
My Dad always likes to try new things, so my siblings and I always had something interesting to learn about and see, from honey bees, to making maple syrup, to collecting yellow jackets and hornets for a medical lab. When I was about fifteen, God brought my parents to a greater understanding of Biblical gender roles and they started encouraging me and my sisters in Biblical femininity. At first it was hard to adjust to, as I had planned on being medical doctor, but after much prayer and many talks with my parents, I started to understand the beauty of godly womanhood. For a short time my Dad worked as a Chaplin at a private Christian school, but after a while felt that God was calling him to start a church.
He left the school, and in the years that followed we were able to see God providing for our needs in ways that we never would have imagined possible. A bill would come in, we would pray about it, and soon after we would receive the exact amount of money we needed to pay it. We never even had a late payment. And it really strengthened my faith to see how God provided for us even when it seemed impossible.

This is Joy with her family L to R: Dad P, Joy, Josiah, Kay, Amy, and Mom P.

GGM: How many siblings do you have? And what is something special about each of them?
Miss Joy: I have three siblings, two sisters and a brother. I share a room with Amy who is almost seventeen. She is gifted at interacting with people, and is very good with small children. She is also an excellent writer. Josiah, twelve, is really good at building things, and likes to figure out how things are made. Kay, ten, is gifted with working with children. She loves to laugh, and is fun to spend time with. The four of us spend a lot of time together and it amazes me how I will often learn things about them that I never knew before.

GGM: What is one of your fondest memories?
Miss Joy: When I was really young my Great-Grandma, who was a writer, would make up stories to tell us. I remember sitting with her on the couch and laughing with her about a rabbit who always worried about everything.

GGM: What are some girly things you do with your mother and sisters?
Miss Joy: We will sometimes plan a special tea, where we dress up and use fancy teacups. We also enjoy making supper together, which can be really fun.

GGM: How do you spend father-daughter time with your dad? What things to do you together?
Miss Joy: My Dad takes one of us out to lunch each week, so I get a special time with just him once a month. In the summer we like to bring our lunch on a picnic, or go for a hike after. I always have a wonderful time visiting with him. Also, in September I go with him all day several times a week to help with our family business. It is fun to spend that much time with him.

GGM: What activities do you enjoy?
Miss Joy: I enjoy hiking, swimming, bike riding, reading, sewing, writing, and doing crafts. On our family day we will often go for a hike or a bike ride and it's so much fun to do it as a family.

GGM: Your favorite dish or meal to make and serve is...
Miss Joy: One of my favorites is the Macaroni and Cheese Casserole that my Mom made up.

GGM: You are a graduated homeschool student. Please tell me what the benefits were about homeschooling and what you liked most about it.
Miss Joy: One of the biggest benefits was being taught constantly by example to follow, and trust in, the Lord. Another benefit was being able to learn about what I was interested in, and not feel that learning was a burden. I was free to learn at my own pace, and it also gave me an opportunity to learn to enjoy being with my family.

GGM: Now that you are done with your academic studies, what do you think the Lord has for your life? And what are you doing with your time now? I know you strongly believe in Biblical womanhood.
Miss Joy: I believe and hope that I will someday be a wife and a mother, and I am currently learning more about nutrition and health through a home study course. Even if I never get married and have children, I will be able to use what I'm learning for the rest of my life. I am spending more time helping my Mom now that I have graduated, and am enjoying getting to know her better. I know that no matter what the Lord has in store for me, that He wants me to be a godly woman, and that is my greatest ambition.

GGM: Who would you say has been your biggest influence and inspiration?
Miss Joy: My Mother has definitely had the most influence on me, and inspires and encourages me every day as I see that it is possible to be a godly woman and to enjoy it. My Grandmother, who I spend a lot of time with, has also influenced me and inspired me with her close walk with the Lord.

GGM: Please share which passage of the Bible has been a great encouragement to you.
Miss Joy: Philippians 4:6-7 "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." These verses have helped me so much when I was anxious about anything. Especially the reminder to present my requests to God with thanksgiving.

GGM: What advice do you have for other young ladies seeking to be pure in heart and follow the Lord?
Miss Joy: I would say that the most important thing that you can do is to read your Bible regularly and pray. What we fill our minds with determines what kind of person we will be. If you have hidden God's word in your heart, He will bring it to your mind when you need it.

Thank you Miss Joy for taking the time to answer my questions and sharing your heart with us. I know the Lord has some wonderful plans for you and I pray that His hand will always guide and protect you as you walk in His ways. If you'd like to visit Miss Joy at her blog and say hello, you may go here: Through Jesus We Can Live For Eternity.


Blessings to you as you Grow in the Grace of our Lord!

Miss Rebekah

I had the pleasure of meeting with Miss Rebekah this last week for a photo shoot and interview and had a wonderful time getting to know her. Miss Rebekah is one of the finest young ladies I know in my town. Miss Rebekah has some wonderful hopes and desires for her future and I am happy to be able to share them with you. ~Sisterlisa

GGM: Tell me about your home that you grew up in.
R: I loved where I lived, which was in our home on a 5-acre parcel.

GGM: Did you have any pets?
R: We had sheep with The 4H Club. I had a baby lamb; it was called a bummer because it was the smallest. A couple of times a farmer we knew had triplet lambs and the bummer wouldn’t survive if they stayed with their mom so, we would keep them in the laundry room, fed them with the bottle, and kept them warm. We put baby diapers on the lambs so that they would not make a ‘mess’ in the house. Sometimes we would send them to other farms once they reached 6 months old. I took horse riding lessons from a friend, I loved horses! We had a llama named Chewy who was SO rambunctious. He protected the sheep.

GGM: Tell me about what you liked about 4H.
R: I did sewing with 4H. My Grandma and Aunt sew very well, so my cousin and I would sew together.

GGM: How many siblings do you have?
R: I had two brothers; I’m the youngest and the only girl. We’re each about 3 ½ years apart. I am twenty-three years old.

GGM: I'll bet that was nice having two older brothers, tell me about your relationships with your them.
R: In some ways I wanted a sister, but I liked being alone as a girl with my mom, and my brothers always stood up for me and I love my sister-in-law. One of my brothers is on the east coast. My family means alot to me. Having him live so far away from my makes me miss him.

GGM: What’s your favorite memory you have with your dad?
R: I always remember my dad taking me on dates and make me feel special. He would always buy me Easter outfits with all of the accessories, hat, purse, etc. I always felt so special and so loved by my dad.

GGM: What kind of things do you remember doing/learning with your mom?
R: I did everything with my mom. She is so patient and kind. Some of the greatest times I had with her was at night when she read to me. We would end up reading character books like ‘Little Women’. I love to read! We enjoy baking sugar cookies together and we still bake together!

GGM: Do you have any pets now?
R: I have a Jack Russell terrier. She is just over a year old. I always loved animals. Growing up we had large dogs and I loved them, but this is my first small dog. She’s my baby. Her name is Lucy.

GGM: Do you have any hobbies?
R: I enjoy sewing, knitting, reading, exercise. I love riding my bike and I used to hike a lot.

GGM: Do you have any favorite books?
R: Yes, ‘Anne of Green Gables’. I have read all of them, along with the ‘Little House on the Prairie’ books.

GGM: What are your goals for marriage and family?
R: I pray that God will bring the right man for me when the time is right. He will, by faith, bring me what I need. I pray that I will have a good relationship, like my mom, dad and grandparents have. I hope that I will have many kids. I love children so much! I want to have a family like the awesome families around me. I am happy being single until God’s timing. But, when that time comes, I want to be a stay at home mom no matter what. I know I would need to make it work. I know so many children who come to our church through our bus ministry and they really need their moms.

GGM: What kind of education did you receive growing up?
R: I attended a private school until 5th grade. From sixth grade and up I attended a public school in a very small country town. It was a very small school with conservative families, but I still struggled to stay away from the wrong crowd. It was tough to see such bad things during my attendance there, but I knew that my parents were praying for me. All my cousins went to school with me too, so I received support from them.

Thank you, Miss Rebekah, for sharing your childhood and future dreams with us at GGM. I also attended a public school and my mother worked full time. I have always wanted to be a stay at home mom and I was jealous of the girls whose mothers stayed at home. I am so glad I am home with my children too. I believe God has a plan for your dear friend. May the Lord bless you, and remember that He wants to give us the desires of our hearts, especially when it aligns with His Word like yours do. Although I wasn't raised in a Christian home I am glad to be able to turn that around for my own children and raise them to be wonderful young ladies who have a desire to be a wife and mother as well.

Rachael - "Falling In Love"

We’ve had some stormy weather recently in California, but we were so blessed to have a break in the rain and had a bit of sunshine one afternoon. What a great opportunity to head out to Starbuck’s for a Tall Non-Fat Sugar free Cinnamon Dolce Latte and decided this might be a good time to call Rachael. Rachael happily agreed to meet with me for what became a wonderful afternoon.

We sat at a small table nearest the door with the warm sunshine beaming through the pane on our faces. As I prepared myself with my pen and journal in hand, I knew this was going to be a good meeting of friends.

GGM: Hi Rachael, tell me a bit about your family.

R: Well, I’m the third born of four children and the only daughter. My parents are happily married and my mother has always been a keeper of the home. My dad is a deacon at our church and we serve in the ministry together in many ways. My oldest brother, David, is married and they have two children which I adore! My second brother is Joe and he is a fireman and my younger brother is Dan and he is a junior in high school. Growing up in a home with three brothers was different than many of my other friends and I was happy to get a sister-in-law.

GGM: In what ways does your family serve together in the ministry?

R: My dad is a bus driver for our church’s bus ministry and my brother, Daniel, and I volunteer together with him by bringing children to church every Sunday morning. My parents both volunteer together in the college Sunday school class which my brother, Joe, and I attend together. Our family all serves in the college ministry together with helping with all the activities. We also ‘adopted’ one of the sweet ‘Senior Saints’ of the church as a ‘grandma’ and include her in all our family gatherings.

GGM: Rachael, it sounds like you have a close family, but have you ever had rough times?

R: Oh yes, I think any family has it’s share of ups and downs, but our family is very close and no matter what kind of storm comes our way, we stand by each other’s side without wavering. I love my brothers very much, we’re best friends!

---

"I love my brothers very much!"

---

GGM: Rachael, you’re eighteen now and preparing for college correct? What are you hoping to achieve in college?

R: Yes, I have a strong desire to be a nurse.

GGM: Oh that’s wonderful Rachael, how old were you when you knew that was the direction in which you were heading?

R: Well, I volunteered as a candy striper at our local hospital for a few months one summer and while I was in the ninth grade I was going through some old boxes one day I found an old letter I had saved. It was a paper I wrote in the second grade to my teacher about being a nurse. When I found that letter, it was then that I knew. It was a confirmation to me that I was going to be a nurse. I have always been the kind of person that wanted to help people.

---

"It was a confirmation."

---

GGM: That’s great that you have a desire to help people, were there any people in your life that you feel greatly influenced you to help meet the needs of others?

R: (sigh) Yes, my parents love to help people. They often have families come to our home to minister to them and they have always had a heart to visit in the local nursing homes. My mother loves elderly people, and children, they tend to flock to her. She has a special way about her that touches their souls. My dad used to teach in Junior Church for the fourth through sixth graders and I enjoyed helping in his class. My parents have always volunteered for Junior Camp every summer as well. They have been a great example to me of reaching out to others that are in need. I don’t think I’ve ever heard my dad say, “No.” to someone.

GGM: How wonderful that your parents have been involved in your upbringing. Would you like to share with our readers about some special times you’ve had together with your parents?

R: (big smile) My mom and dad created a special event for me the night I was graduating from sixth grade. Part of this surprise was just as much for my dad as it was for me. My mom had planned a specific time for my dad and I just before we left the house. My mom and I had gone shopping to get a special dress for graduation and my dad had not yet seen it. It was so pretty. We got a long white dress with a sheer pinafore, which had rose petals in it. Mom had me get my hair done and she had my dad wait for me in the dining room. As I walked down the hallway to see him, his face lit up; and so did mine. My mom had arranged a white sheet around the back of the chair, draping from the ceiling down to the ground.

---

"I want to save my purity for marriage."

---

Dad asked me to sit down and he got down on one knee. He then told me how special I am to him and brought out a pretty ring and asked me if I would wear it as a symbol to the world that I want to save my purity for marriage.

Another time was when my mom took me on a special weekend getaway to a little hotel for girls. It was like a fairytale hotel and we had a wonderful time together. I’ll never forget that weekend.

GGM: Oh Rachael, it sounds like your parents love you very much. You said earlier that you want to be a nurse and I’m wondering what you think about having your own family one day. Your mom sounds like a wonderful example and I’ll bet you’ll be a good mom too.

R: I used to think that I wouldn’t have children, until I became an Auntie. I fell in love with my nephew and niece the days they were born. Now I do want to be a mom one day.

GGM: Have you had any experience with working with children?

R: Yes, I have volunteered in different children’s classes at church, tutored after school for younger children, and even helped in a daycare during the summer when I was younger. My employer taught me how to teach with a homeschool approach in that daycare. It was rewarding to see small children learn from me and see them understand what I was teaching. Each day we had times when we sat at the dining room table and taught workbook pages to keep their minds fresh over the summer. It was a lot of fun.

GGM: You mentioned that your mom has always been a keeper of the home; do you think you will follow in her footsteps when you have children?

R: Oh yes! I want to be able to be there for my children and I have no problem at all with being at home. I love being at home.

GGM: Well I’ll bet your parents have a great deal to do with that. What do you think inspires your family to reach out to others like they do?

R: It’s because of the Lord. His example to us in the Bible shows us that we should be reaching out to others.

GGM: Rachael, if you could talk to our readers and share something with them, what would you say?

R: I would let them know not to worry about boys until they’re older. The friends you have as a young girl may not always be there when you grow up. We think that our friends mean so much to us, but many people go in different directions when they get older and Jesus should be the most important relationship we have.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my friends, but Jesus and my family are the most important. Show your family how much you love them. While growing up we always supported our siblings when they were involved in sports and ministry events. Birthdays have always been a big deal to us too. One more thing, be sure that when you are ready to have a relationship, that your parents are involved with your decisions. They can see things in people that we may not see. It’s important that you keep focused on the standards that you have.

GGM: Rachael, you told me that you graduated from sixth grade, but what about high school. What kind of education have you had?

R: I grew up in the Christian school through our church ministry and my mom volunteered a lot. It has always been important to me that she wanted to be involved in my days. Then after graduation I attended a Bible college for a short time before registering for the nursing program. I also took an extra class at our local evening school of the Bible for a Spanish class. We were taught how to lead a soul to Christ in Spanish. I want to take more Spanish classes in college.

GGM: It’s important to get an education that is not coated in secularism, are you glad your parents gave you a Christian education?

R: Yes, I am very thankful.

GGM: You are blessed to have a family that worked hard to provide for you. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today, Rachael. It has been a blessing to hear about your family and about your hopes for your future.

Rachael and I had a sweet time together that afternoon. It was evident to me that she genuinely loves her family and sincerely desires to help others. I hope that reading about Rachael has inspired you to make your Savior and your family more important in your lives. I have every confidence that she will be a wonderful wife and mother one day.