I was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After high school I attended Oregon State for my freshman year and then quickly followed my then high school sweetheart, Jeff McArthur, to Fairbanks and transferred to the University of Alaska where I graduated with an art degree in metalsmithing (gold and silversmithing) with a minor in history.

After Jeff and I married, we were invited to a little Baptist church on the island in Alaska called Anchor Baptist and I found myself weeping through entire services as the fullness of the gospel was revealed to my heart through the Holy Spirit for the first time. It was there that I formally accepted Christ and was baptized into new life.

Life in Fairbanks as a young adult was filled with adventure and wonder. I fully embraced both the harsh realities of having an engine block warmer on my vehicle, icicles forming on my eyelashes as I ran between classes, having to bundle up to go anywhere, and marveling as the northern lights greeted me after late night shifts at the student center, or how ice fog glitters rainbows in the streetlamps.

In the fall of 2006 Jeff and I sold our home in Alaska and packed all our belongings into a Dodge Durango along with our dogs and baby, and drove across the country to Carrboro, NC. We had no jobs waiting for us, but a dream to start a coffee house ministry with some dear friends we met in Alaska.

CHBC was at the top of the list of recommended Bible teaching churches given to us by our local friends in the area when we first moved here in 2006. We had no family here, and were about to have our second child, so we knew we needed community. You are our family in Christ in a specific and deeply unique way. Our love for you, our continued growth in and toward our Savior, and our witness of God moving and growing this body of believers is what keeps us here.

I have been blessed to serve for many years in Kids Ministry at CHBC. Through this time I have come to know and love our families and specifically our kids as I have seen many of them become young adults and even come back to serve alongside us. To witness the work of the Holy Spirit as we faithfully plant the seeds of the gospel week in and week out work and bear fruit is the most glorious gift.

In the past seven months I have had the opportunity to serve in new ways to families and volunteers, celebrating milestones with joy, and weeping and praying over the challenges and broken stories we all encounter. The opportunity to meet both parents and children in these real life situations has only fanned the flames of my desire to point to Jesus as our only hope, and to serve our community for His glory. Our family's story is unique, but I believe that God has equipped me specifically to come alongside both parents and children in the challenges that come with raising a family in our current culture and era.

Jeff and I have been married for 22 years, and have four wonderful children. Our oldest boys are biological (Scott - 18, and Jack - 15) , our younger two children were adopted in 2020 (Kylyn - 10) and 2024 (Zaria - 3). We thought we knew exactly what our family would look like, and were ready to just move on with our plans after having Jack. We jokingly said to one another that God would have to give us more children in miraculous ways if he wanted our family to grow… and that He did.

Our journey to becoming a foster family started with a life group filled with adoptive parents, and grew as God placed the desire in each of our hearts unbeknownst to each other. When Jeff finally brought it up to me, it had been a desire already in my mind for months, and before we brought it up to our boys THEY brought it up to us in the car on the way home from church one Sunday. This has been a consistent way that God has worked in our home - first silently in each of us, and then revealing that He’s got plans bigger than our own. So, we began fostering in 2016 and now have a much fuller home! For the past 10 years we have homeschooled, but have not always done so having good experiences in different schooling options. God continues to keep us on our toes.

I love being outdoors, so hiking, backpacking, camping, kayaking (more so in Alaska when we had them), and exploring are my favorites.

When I am not outside and have free time, my go to is to grab a book and a hot cup of tea or coffee, turn up fun music, or get away into my metalsmithing studio in our garage.

In the past I have enjoyed sewing, painting, and baking as well - ooooh I love to cook!

This question is so complicated. Jeff and I have had 120+ hours of training in childhood trauma and loving children with adverse childhood experiences. So much of this information is heartbreaking, and once you know how prevalent it is, even more so. The way this has shaped my Kids Ministry philosophy has been to give me hope for these children. This was particularly intense while fostering Zaria as an infant. To speak the love of Christ over her not knowing how long she would be with us was intense - and intensified my understanding of how important each and every day we have with each child is. Just one loving and caring adult who is willing to be present for them can change the entire trajectory of their life, and in turn, help them feel safe enough to hear the gospel. Not only does this reframe challenging behaviors that children exhibit (that are actually their way of trying to communicate a need), but can give purpose to those days that are just hard. Showing up again and again is answering the question “Will you still love me? Will I still matter tomorrow?” Yes.

On the other side of the experience of being a foster parent is growing in love and care for the parents who have children removed from their home. It has never been more evident to me that what is needed is Jesus. He is the foundation of what they need, and the best thing I have to offer anyone. What I never thought I would be able to forgive, I have because Jesus covers it all for His glory.

I will pick Ferris Bueller, Napoleon Dynamite, Rango, and Megamind any day, and if you include miniseries definitely Band of Brothers (after littles have gone to bed). We love movies!

My favorite food is fresh, preferably seasonal, and shared with people that I love.