Children & Students

I love Northwest Bible Church, especially everything Early Childhood/Preschool! I first started working for Northwest Preschool the week before Thanksgiving of 2018, and I thought I was just filling in for a month, but here I am a few years later as Assistant Preschool Director. I love children and families and strongly believe in Christian preschool and the lifelong impact it has.  I've been married for over 25 years and we have a son, Noah who is interested in engineering, and a daughter, Lauren who i studying art. It is my pleasure being a wife and mother and I enjoy almost everything about it! One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 61:7 “Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.” Every time I read it, my heart fills with joy and my eyes with tears. I have overcome many obstacles and had a rough childhood, and God has absolutely given me so much more than I ever prayed for. I am a first-generation high school graduate and much of my education has been on the job, though I did complete my Associates degree at Dallas Community College and I'm currently working on my bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies through Houston Baptist University. I am excited about the future and know for sure that where I am is where God has me, and I am blessed to be here. 

In August 2022, I joined Northwest as the Student Ministry Admin Assistant, and I'm blessed to work on this team! I grew up in the Kansas City area and moved around a bit before landing in Dallas a few years ago. I am currently attending Dallas Theological Seminary pursuing an MA degree in Biblical Counseling. I grew up in the church, became a Christian at a young age, and God has taught me time and again throughout my life that He is the one who prepares my path and guides my steps. I've found that the plans I make for my life are nothing compared to what He has for me. He has also shown me that as I seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, everything that I need will be provided for me, so I do not need to worry about what tomorrow might bring (Matthew 6). I am passionate about music and reading and sharing those things with the people in my life.

I joined the Northwest staff in October of 2020 as the Family Life Minister. After serving as a missionary and on staff at three churches since 2001, I am happy to be a part of what God is doing here in the Northwest family! Growing up in Memphis, I did not grow up in a home where Jesus was present. After finding myself in and out of trouble, God took control of my life and allowed me to meet an intentional youth pastor and students who invested in me. At 15 years old, God radically changed my life as I surrendered my life to Him and began to understand His grace and love! I was blessed enough to be a part of leading my mom to the Lord and helping my dad commit to a church once again! At 17, I knew God was calling me to serve Him for the rest of my life vocationally. My story has been and continues to be a story of grace – I have never deserved what God has done in my life and how He continues to use me, yet time after time, I find myself being blessed to be a part of His plan! A passage that has always resonated with me is John 3:30 – He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease. My hope is that people see Jesus in me more today than yesterday! When we have free time my wife Amy, and our two kids, Eli and Emma love camping, being outdoors, and eating tacos. I love coaching my kid’s sports teams, playing guitar, and being disappointed by Tennessee Vols Football.

In September 2022, I joined the staff at Northwest as the Children’s Minister! I was born in Guatemala and adopted as a baby. I was raised in a Christian home, grew up in the church, and became a believer at a young age. I went to Moody Bible Institute where I got my degree in Children’s Ministry. After graduation, I had the privilege of returning to serve on staff at the church that raised me. Children’s Ministry in the local church has always been my passion, and there is such joy in discipling the next generation. It is only by God’s good grace and faithfulness that I am who I am today. In high school and college, I found satisfaction in the world and sought to please people out of fear of rejection. These days, I am reminded of Ephesians 2:10 "I am a masterpiece, created by God to do good works." I also have a heart for children in the foster care system, being both a CASA worker and a respite worker through CPS. On my days off, I spend time in creation, whether that's a State Park, hiking, fishing at a lake, camping, or just going for a drive with the windows down.

I am excited to be the Girls Ministry & Discipleship Director at Northwest. I am a newlywed, love dogs, adventures, tacos, and spending time with my people. I was born and raised in Grapevine, but I have been all over the US and to four different countries on mission trips and various adventures. My husband is Tongan (pacific islander) and moved here in 2015 from the islands. He plays rugby and I played soccer my entire life. I grew up in church, but really began understanding and taking my salvation seriously going into seventh grade. Through a series of difficult circumstances in my home in my middle school years, God really showed me He meant it when He said, “the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6). This is something I am now passionate about passing on to others who are hurting or navigating tough times, especially today’s youth.

I am so thrilled to be serving as the Preschool Director here at Northwest. I joined the staff in November of 2014, after serving as the Director of the Hyde Park Preschool in Austin for eight years, and Director of Windsor Park Preschool in DeSoto for 3 years. I began serving in Weekday Ministry when my oldest son was a preschooler.  I was fortunate to grow up in a Christian home and attend a Christian school. I trusted Jesus as my savior as a child but continue to grow in my faith each day. I have a passion for Weekday Ministry and serving families through this ministry. I also love empowering the teachers to serve the Lord to the best of their abilities! I enjoy spending time with my husband Steve, and our three boys. I love sewing, crafting and fixing things. I love cheering on my Fightin’ Texas Aggies in football and watching television and movies with my family. My life verse is Jeremiah 29:11, as I know that God gives us a hope and future!

I'm excited to serve at Northwest as the Student Minister! I have been at Northwest since July of 2021 and absolutely love it here! My time in student ministry as a student was an incredibly influential time in my life, as it is for many. The summer before going into high school I got saved at youth camp and my life forever changed. I heard the truths of Psalm 139 and realized how much God knew and loved me, despite my sin. My youth group and youth pastor were an incredible foundation to help encourage, direct, and mold my faith. This is why I am so passionate and excited about student ministry and am thrilled about the incredible opportunity here at Northwest to serve students. While I was in high school, I met my now wife, Murphy. Yes, that’s right, her name is Murphy Murphy. We were high school sweethearts, in youth group together, went to college together, and got married after I graduated college. Murphy is just as passionate about student ministry as I am. We make a great team and are pumped about sharing Jesus with a generation that desperately needs Him. In our free time, we love spending time with friends and family, watching sports, traveling the world, and making memories! I am so excited about what God is doing here at Northwest in student ministry. I truly believe this generation could bring about a revival-type impact to our culture and our city. Let’s pray for that!    

I am so excited to be the Elementary Ministry Director at Northwest! I grew up in Houston, TX and moved to Dallas in 2014 to attend the University of Dallas to play college soccer. After my freshman year I felt a calling to pursue vocational children’s ministry, so the next year I transferred to Dallas Baptist University to pursue a degree in Christian Studies. During those college years I began to serve in various children’s ministry programs and learned so much about teaching God’s word to others! Kid’s ministry is my biggest passion because when I was a kid, I didn’t know God in the way I do now. At a young age I knew of God but I had no idea what it meant to have a relationship with Him or that He was a loving, good God. I thought God was just this big figure in the sky that watched the world from afar. It wasn’t until the summer before my senior year of high school, after years of struggling with depression, fear, and loneliness that I learned God’s true character and began a true relationship with Him. I pray that every child that comes through this church body will learn about and experience that same love from our heavenly father! In my free time I still love to play soccer and other active games like spike ball or pickleball. I also love carpentry and will often spend entire weekends in my garage-turned-workshop building a new project.

I am so thankful to be serving at Northwest as the Family Ministry Administrative Assistant! I grew up in a tiny community in Central Texas, and graduated from Stephen F. Austin with a degree in Creative Writing, which has always been my passion. Throughout college, and in the year after, God moved in my life and opened so many doors for me to witness and work within different children’s ministries — as a camp staffer, a volunteer, and even a curriculum writer — and gave me a heart for it as well.  One verse that’s continually given me hope during seasons of anxiety, exhaustion, and uncertainty is Psalm 27:13, where King David says, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” It’s a beautiful reminder that even in our darkest hours, we know God has light in store for us ahead!

I am so excited to join the Northwest team as the Weekday Preschool Assistant Director. As a child I grew up in the church but after moving many times as I got older it seemed difficult to find a place where our whole family fit. After moving back to Dallas in August 2011, we visited Northwest Bible Church, and we knew it was a good fit for us. As a stay-at-home mom for many years, my decision to step back into the work environment came with many concerns and doubts, but I looked into available jobs at Northwest and accepted a position as an assistant teacher in the preschool which gave me the opportunity to work with children, be around other people and also to be available for my own children when it was necessary. After working in the preschool for six years in the 3’s class, I have now stepped into a new role in a place and with people I love. When I am not at work, I enjoy being outdoors, traveling and being with my husband, daughter (currently at Oklahoma State University), and son (currently a junior in high school). Looking back over the years of my life, I always come back to Philippians 4: 6-7 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Jesus Christ.” No matter where life takes me, the choices I have made, the paths I have chosen, I can always pray about my worries, fears, and be thankful for where I am today.