Growing Up
I was raised at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. Some of my favorite memories were at my grandparents’ lake house — fishing, skiing, boating, and spending our days on the water. I was also an athlete and played volleyball in school. To this day, I still love new experiences and being outdoors, whether it’s kayaking, boating, swimming, or anything on the water.
Our Early Years
I graduated from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg with a business degree. After graduating, I moved to Columbia to work as an auditor. My family has always been big Mizzou fans, so I spent a lot of time at football games. That is where I met my husband, Charlie, and we married in 1998. Not long after, we welcomed our daughter, Bethany. Becoming a stay-at-home mom was one of the most precious times in my life.
For the first half of our marriage, Charlie and I owned a business together. But when Bethany was in elementary school, we felt the Lord calling us into ministry. So in 2011, we sold everything and moved to Oklahoma to work for Life.Church. During that time, I had the opportunity to help launch 12 church locations where I supported leaders, simplified complex projects and brought clarity during seasons of change.
At the time, I had no idea that this role would be preparing me for what was next.
Drawn Back to the Ranch
Shortly after Bethany and her husband, Sebastian, married, she joined the team at Big Oak Ranch. Whenever I visited, I would go to the Ranch with her. Every time I pulled onto Shelley Drive, it would bring me to tears because of her story.
You can feel the weight of their stories, but you can also feel God’s presence, the love, and the hope that fills this place.
Every time I returned to Oklahoma, I would feel drawn back to Big Oak Ranch. While Charlie and I had planned to move closer to family after retiring, in February, God began stirring my heart to become more connected with Big Oak Ranch.
Around that same time, the Planting Oaks Director position became available. A conversation with Kyle turned into an interview, and before I knew it, I had accepted the role. Six weeks later, we packed up our lives, including our sweet rescue Dalmatian, Maggie, and moved to Alabama. My mom moved from Missouri to live with us, so I have my whole family here. Being close to family again is something I prayed for many years.
Looking back, I am amazed at how God has worked in every part of my journey.
Serving Through Planting Oaks
As the Planting Oaks Director, I have loved meeting new people and hearing their stories. I am able to use my love for serving people and my experience to help like-minded ministries caring for children succeed. When ministries come together, we can serve more children.
One of the ministries we partner with is Saving Lost Kids in Tennessee. After ten years of rescuing children from trafficking, they would have to rescue the same kids again and again. They saw the need for a place of restoration and healing for them. They are currently looking for land and are developing house plans, and we are helping them along the way in any way we can. Being able to encourage and support ministries like theirs is one of the most rewarding parts of my work.
John Croyle’s heart was always to share what Big Oak Ranch has learned so others wouldn’t have to figure it out alone. That’s exactly what Planting Oaks continues to do today.
It’s hard to wrap my mind around the fact that God would choose to work through me to help reach more children so that the “Shelleys” of the world can find a safe home, experience His love, and know there is hope for their future. What an incredible privilege that is.