The Opening Story…

~ education ma/abs

2 Timothy 2

With deep gratitude to those who pioneered the way, I earned a unique, experiential learning degree from Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington: Master of Arts in Applied Behavioral Science (ABS) from the Leadership Institute of Seattle (LIOS), in the Managing and Consulting track, where I am grateful we learned whole systems thinking.  This education is useful in the field of Organization Development (OD).  

OD Consultants learn and train in a broad skillset, yet be.come seers with an an intense pin-pointedness for the tiniest detail that hides -- but reveals so much of the heart.

In fact, what is intrinsically key in this field is what is operating in the heart -- and who can know it?  A keen, watchful eye is needed to sense and see clearly the whole system at play: form and function -- task and process. 

The OD skillset includes: consulting, managing, leadership development, mentoring, coaching -- life coaching as the buzz is now -- training, teaching, facilitating groups, mediating for conflict resolution, relational communication skills training, authority alignment and decision making, appreciative inquiry, behavioral testing, the role of emotion as well as many other aspects of human development in organizations.

My personal emphasis focuses upon, and engages in, specifically HOW emotion is driving behavior in any system -- aware or unaware -- and, essentially, be.comes the wave that connects unseen roots to seen fruit: essentially the governing system in the individual leading a home, group, organization, or business. 

I realized the need for this work in many service positions I had held in employee relations, customer service, hotel concierge, banquet serving, event planning & marketing; tour guiding, journalism and yes, ... even in churches.

~ faith

1 Peter 2

For me, due to my faith in the LORD since age 8, I began to see the roots of the above education were interestingly very similar to the seed of believing we worship in Holy Spirit and Truth.  What seemed like a pinnacle in education and experience, for me, became a return and a stepping stone along my path -- a catalyst for my passion to reveal and reconcile the principles of design to the original Designer: the Great I AM.  

I now seek to find ways to generously credit Him, whom I see as offering the most amazing love story through His son Jesus (in Hebrew Yahshua HaMachiach), who comes to redeem His segulah (special treasure) back to His Kingdom of the Beloved in His order of Isaiah 61 -- offering beauty for ashes of our lives ... our homes ... particularly via Holy Spirit.  

So my research, experience, interests, and passion now funnel together in a cohesive, practical, come-alongside offering of service and consulting to help others rise up to meet His joyful Royal Standard!   At my core, I am a trainer and teacher who delights in equipping and finding colorful, fun models and show pieces to convey paradigm shifting, life-giving principles for practical gains in all organizations.

~ the story of our home

Titus

Married 24-years to my husband Brad, we now have three adult children. I had laid down my newly-begun career in Employee Relations and OD before our first child was even born -- later, however, to my delightful surprise, I realized that along the way I had seeded not only into the investment of our family but also into my calling.

I intimately began to understand the needed development for this dynamic organization we call .... Home!

It's a deep dive paradigm shift for "home" to be seen as a homology in the same waters as organization development. We forget -- or curiously omit home, for some reason -- to apply OD principles to it ... or perhaps Biblical principles understood well in the design of our Creator.  This shift to restore the design of "home" necessitates governing well from the heart... something for which we need a pure language.  

I believe this brings about new kingdoms: families…communities…nations. 

~ homeschooling

Deuteronomy 6:7, Proverbs 22:6

A significant personal shift for home management/governance began for us in 2009 when my husband and I decided in California to begin homeschooling our children and we moved to the Greater Denver Colorado area.  Suddenly, my role expanded.

With no OD consultants to call upon in this new arena ... we began.  And that is how this consulting practice really birthed.  Out of the sheer gracious hand of Elohim instilling a finishing work in me to begin....a new offering in the OD field for home.

~ fruit of application

Galatians 5 & 6

So that you know the refining was tested -- or proven -- we moved 9 times before our eldest graduated high school, handling two house floods and the threat of a wildfire in the midst.

In addition to the above, we governed through many and much house designing and renovating; several losses; baseball schedules; multiple job losses; family leadership & relationships; and spiritual maturation. These became a wealth of topical resources that are our joy to share for encouragement. All to say, that our lives had challenges, but we were able to communicate well, listen at the heart level, and preserve relationship.  Our life journey only made more treasured our own application of this consulting and journey with the LORD. 

All the pruning and attending to our hearts produced the fruit of all three kids possessing rich, loving and purposeful relationships with the LORD, us, and each other while hearing His voice directly in their life.  

Our son is currently a second-year law student, and our two younger daughters are in interior design in each of their university's honors programs, the eldest just graduating in 2024. The three of them delighted in back packing Europe together for 40-days last summer.

~ essential extras

Psalm 37:4

In consulting, I love to couple the whimsical from my theatrical and dance background with deep purpose.  The core theme in my work with  home is the love of the "table" in all its facets.  Probably, when all is understood, the best digestible whole-design description of my work ... might well be summed up as a keeper of the wardrobe and a table setter for the LORD. 

I deeply value the finesse of hospitality ... as it so reveals the condition of our hearts.  My favorite times at the table remain the break thru, "ah-ha" moments that reveal, celebrate, and facilitate purposes of the King of all kings!

We are living in an important time to see, hear, and speak in the call to rise, dress, and come to the table, where so much abundant life exists in what is yet to be designed together in order to be.come prepared for our King!  We have much before us in finishing to begin .... May all the glory be to Him!

~ erin