Bios

7Sisters bio’s

• God's Smuggler- Homeschool Teen Tells Why He Likes It

  02 May 2012 / Bios, High School, Literature, News / 0 Comment

  Ever have one of those homeschool moments when you found out you were doing something right?

  I asked my homeschooler (15-year-old Seth), "What is your favorite book so far this year?"

  He answered, "that's easy: God's Smuggler!"

  Funny how that worked out. 7 Sister Sabrina just finished a study guide on that very book. (Oh, maybe that's because she's the one teaching Seth's homeschool Great Christian Writers group class:)

  SO, I asked Sabrina to publish the study guide and I asked Seth to write a very short review of the book.

  Seth's review of God's Smuggler:

  God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew

  

  Seth (right) with sister, brother, brother-in-law (all homeschooled, btw)

  God’s Smuggler is an inspiring true story filled with adventure, suspense and faith. It is the autobiography of Brother Andrew. During the Cold War, Brother Andrew smuggled Bibles into countries behind the Iron Curtain.

  The book is also the story of his conversion to Christianity. Brother Andrew went from rebellious boy, to reckless young man, to great man of God.

  God's Smuggler really showed me how much God cares for His children. He kept Andrew safe through many dangers. Every time he  passed through a border he would pray what he called “the Prayer of God’s Smuggler”:

  “Lord, in my luggage I have Scripture that I want to take to Your children across the border. When You were on earth, You made blind eyes see. Now, I pray, make seeing eyes blind. Do not let the guards see those things You do not want them to see.”

  Because of Brother Andrew, many people behind the Iron Curtain received Bibles and were shown that God cared about them. You will not want to put God’s Smuggler down.

  --------

  Sabrina's 16-page study guide for God's Smuggler helps inspire your homeschooler as well as helps him understand the culture and context of the Cold War. The study guide includes vocabulary and terms to know. While it helps solidify student comprehension, it does not deflate his enjoyment of this powerful book.

  Give your teen a chance to study Seth's favorite book of the year.  Download God's Smuggler Study Guide today $3.99.

   

  Open Doors

  Brother Andrew founded Open Doors in 1955 by smuggling his first group of Bibles behind the Iron Curtain. It has been a powerful and effective ministry since that early trip.

  Mission Statement of Open Doors
  
  Serving Persecuted Christians Worldwide; We are an organization aimed at strengthening persecuted believers worldwide through community development, Bible & literature distribution, leadership training & education and ministries of prayer and advocacy.

  You can download the story of Brother Andrew's conversion from the book God's Smuggler at http://www.opendoorsusa.org

  Here's Sabrina's talk on character building curriculum options:

• God's Smuggler- Homeschool Teen Tells Why He Likes It

  01 May 2012 / Bios, High School, Literature, News / 0 Comment

  Ever have one of those homeschool moments when you found out you were doing something right?

  I asked my homeschooler (15-year-old Seth), "What is your favorite book so far this year?"

  He answered, "that's easy: God's Smuggler!"

  Funny how that worked out. 7 Sister Sabrina just finished a study guide on that very book. (Oh, maybe that's because she's the one teaching Seth's homeschool Great Christian Writers group class:)

  SO, I asked Sabrina to publish the study guide and I asked Seth to write a very short review of the book.

  Seth's review of God's Smuggler:

  God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew

  

  Seth (right) with sister, brother, brother-in-law (all homeschooled, btw)

  God’s Smuggler is an inspiring true story filled with adventure, suspense and faith. It is the autobiography of Brother Andrew. During the Cold War, Brother Andrew smuggled Bibles into countries behind the Iron Curtain.

  The book is also the story of his conversion to Christianity. Brother Andrew went from rebellious boy, to reckless young man, to great man of God.

  God's Smuggler really showed me how much God cares for His children. He kept Andrew safe through many dangers. Every time he  passed through a border he would pray what he called “the Prayer of God’s Smuggler”:

  “Lord, in my luggage I have Scripture that I want to take to Your children across the border. When You were on earth, You made blind eyes see. Now, I pray, make seeing eyes blind. Do not let the guards see those things You do not want them to see.”

  Because of Brother Andrew, many people behind the Iron Curtain received Bibles and were shown that God cared about them. You will not want to put God’s Smuggler down.

  --------

  Sabrina's 16-page study guide for God's Smuggler helps inspire your homeschooler as well as helps him understand the culture and context of the Cold War. The study guide includes vocabulary and terms to know. While it helps solidify student comprehension, it does not deflate his enjoyment of this powerful book.

  Give your teen a chance to study Seth's favorite book of the year.  Download God's Smuggler Study Guide today $3.99.

   

  Open Doors

  Brother Andrew founded Open Doors in 1955 by smuggling his first group of Bibles behind the Iron Curtain. It has been a powerful and effective ministry since that early trip.

  Mission Statement of Open Doors
  
  Serving Persecuted Christians Worldwide; We are an organization aimed at strengthening persecuted believers worldwide through community development, Bible & literature distribution, leadership training & education and ministries of prayer and advocacy.

  You can download the story of Brother Andrew's conversion from the book God's Smuggler at http://www.opendoorsusa.org

  Here's Sabrina's talk on character building curriculum options:

   

• Freak Week- Maladies of the Quiet Sisters

  28 October 2011 / Bios, News, Stories / 4 Comments

  

  Allison and Sara- behind the scenes and loving it

  We're all homeschool freaks in some way. That's because God made each of us unique- and we all fit together into a beautiful body of Christ.

  Today, we are sharing the freakish maladies of the quiet sisters, Allison and Sara.

  Question: What challenges have you faced in homeschooling your children?

  Allison

  Child #2 -Suffered from Pencil-Dropping Syndrome. This chronic malady costs math lessons many lost minutes and is known to raise the homeschool mother's blood pressure.
  Child #1 and #3 - Had Creative-Writing Disinterest.This initially leads to tension between mom and child. We found ways to do writing with other teachers in co-ops, etc.  This helped a lot.

  

  Allison and her family

  Child #3 - Hampered by Maternal Calculus Deficiency.  We conquered by using a text, online Purple Math supplemental help, and a great math teacher at church for occasional tutoring.
  Me -Battled Perfectionitis (struggled with accepting anything less than "perfect").

  Husband: Still has this condition: Public-School-Teacher-Career (and has served on the board for the state union for a number of years).  This made us a little freaky both to his colleagues and our homeschool community.

  Sara

  Several of my sons: Suffered from Algebra-Ain't-Relevant-to-Life-Condition. This malady was characterized by outbursts such as, "I'm wasting my life on this junk!!"  And, no, showing how algebra can be used in real life didn't make one bit of difference.  It was only cured by consistent insistence by mother that it must be done.

  Several sons: Battle Creative-Suggestion-Recalcitrance. When given suggestions or ideas for improvement in more subjective areas, a frequent response was, "I think the way I said it is fine." I was very thankful over the years when their writing assignments were incorporated into their co-op or day-school classes.  My boys

  

  Some of Sara's family

  somehow received constructive criticism very well from these teacher/moms, bringing great relief to all.

  Me: Experience 5-Son-itis. Our family is heavy on the male side. Symptoms include: Wars and weapons and rough-housing and everything physical and noise and sweat and gross jokes and fearless, dangerous adventures (some of which I only learned about years later!) and battle scenes in movies being replayed continuously and constant competitiveness in everything, large and small. Efforts at home to create a gentler balance in our studies were met with huge resistance.

  Cure included: homeschooling in community. Our co-ops, though plentiful with energetic boys, also had girls, and the classes were conducted with both genders in mind. For example, numerous books that would please rough-and-tumble boys were assigned in their literature classes, but the gentler books, such as Jane Austen's classics, were also included.  Our boys accepted the required reading in these classes (not always cheerfully!), and their education became a bit more balanced.

   

  Sara and Allison both would agree with Sara's assessment:

  I'm basically shy and timid by nature. Each new responsibility over the years has been difficult for me to face as

  

  Our co-op kids invented the game "Thugby"

  I see my own weaknesses and limitations very clearly. However, the moments of greatest joy in my life have been those when I have just had to call out to the Lord and say, "Lord!  Help me!  I can't do this on my own!" and every time, without fail, God has been faithful to strengthen me to fulfill the jobs He's given me and to succeed by His strength and blessing.

  Every life-challenge, it seems, is at its core a spiritual challenge to respond in trust and obedience to the Lord and not yield to worry, discouragement, or depression. It's a long journey, and I'm a slow learner, but God is ever so patient with me!

  Question: What are some challenges that make your family unique? and how do you handle it?

  =================================================================================

  Don't forget to download a free article by Marilyn on how to Carry Each Others' Burdens. Useful and important info for those times when you want to help but don't know what to do!

• High School How-To's for FREE, and our new Summer Intern!

  11 June 2011 / Bios, High School, Stories / 8 Comments

  We have a new gift to offer you, homeschooler!  Vicki Tillman has been writing posts on how to homeschool high school over the last six months, and her posts are some of our most popular blogs.  High school can be overwhelming, and having expert advice on transcripts and a well-rounded graduate is vital for a good homeschool high school experience.

  Sign up for our ENewsletter today (click here), and we will send you a special edition newsletter with a link to download a FREE white paper filled with wonderful ideas to help you homeschool high school.  If you are already a registered user on our site, you will automatically receive this freebie this weekend.  There is NO obligation for signing up for the ENewsletter.  We just want to encourage fellow homeschoolers who are thinking toward high school in the coming year.

  

  Don't let the transcript intimidate you...Vicki can help!

  (Look under the Community Blog tab, and click JOIN THE COMMUNITY if for some reason the link above doesn't work for you )

   

  

  Kyle Thorp, Summer Intern

  It is my great pleasure to introduce to you Kyle Thorp, 7 Sisters' Summer Intern for 2011. Kyle is Allison's second-born, and he is a Communication Studies major at Grove City College.  Since communicating about homeschooling is what 7 Sisters is all about, we figured it was a great idea to have Kyle JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

  Kyle is gifted with words (look for upcoming blog posts from him here at 7 Sisters).  He is a deep thinker who is also great with details, and he's going to spend this summer looking over the data we've collected in our first six months on the internet to find ways we can be more effective in reaching homeschoolers who need curriculum, coaching, community, and other resources to make their homeschooling adventure more rewarding.

  Kyle is also one perseverant dude. He is currently hard at work with Vicki Tillman creating the tests and answer keys that will be a part of the Intro. to Psychology curriculum 7 Sisters will release next month.  He spends hours evaluating our blog archives to determine resources homeschoolers seem to be asking for (we read your comments faithfully....keep 'em comin'!).  If he starts a job, he finishes it.  In fact, since I am his biological aunt, I remember one of the early evidences of his perseverant streak.  May I tell you a story?

  

  Our intern in the early years....

  Life with toddlers is never dull. Allison was a "green mom" who used cloth diapers on her babies, and keeping up with Kaitlyn, Kyle and Hannah (each born just about  year after the next-older sibling) meant lots of diapers in the pail.  Kyle once took it upon himself to...HELP his mother with the often-full diaper pail.  While he was supposed to be napping as a wee little tyke, he climbed out of his bed and emptied the diaper pail, one icky diaper at a time, until every last diaper had been diligently placed in a decorative position around the room.  Now THAT'S the kind of guy we need interning at 7 Sisters!

  

  Kaitlyn, Kyle and Hannah

  Don't forget to sign up for the ENewsletter TODAY to receive your FREE white paper full of how-to's for homeschooling high school!
• 

  Kym Smythe

  18 October 2010 / Bios / 2 Comments

  Let’s get this party started!

  Kym’s passion for people and ability to look on the bright side make her Spanish classes at MSA as much fun as the homeschool choir she directs for Tri-State.

  She holds a BA from La Salle University in Spanish Education and International Business, and an M.Ed. from the University of Vermont in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration.  In the interest of keeping things diverse in her life, Kym is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and a Seeing-Eye Puppy Raiser; she has run a Family Daycare in her home, and served as Director of Youth Ministries for her church for three years.

  She and her husband Doug have four kids (including one set of identical twins), and their family has been homeschooling for 10 years.  Kym embodies compassion and service; if someone is in need, she comes alongside immediately.  The down-side to this quality is that she often struggles with time-management and organizational skills.

  She may not be able to find an empty space on her calendar, but the one thing Kym can always find is the confetti!
• 

  Allison Thorp

  18 October 2010 / Bios / Comments Off

  Being generally shy and afraid of the telephone hasn’t stopped Allison from conquering office administration for 7 Sisters and Mt. Sophia Academy, or from coordinating large celebrations for over 15 years in her homeschool and church communities.

  She began homeschooling her one son and two daughters in 1993; two of them are now college students, and her oldest graduated from college in 2011.  Her B.A. (cum laude) from the University of Delaware is in Art History, and those who have eaten her cooking agree that Allison’s meals are works of art…that become history soon after she serves them!

  Wife to Wayne, she has taught various subjects in co-ops over the years, assists with and judges the TSHSN Rhetoric Team, has directed the elementary homeschool choir, is a professional calligrapher, and specializes in teaching high school students how to write MLA-style research papers.  In her spare time she taught herself medical transcription, and works part-time from home transcribing for a local allergist.

  Keep an eye on those shy ones…who knows how much they will accomplish!
• 

  Vicki Tillman

  14 August 2010 / Bios / Comments Off

  “V” is for Vision!  “V” is for Vicki!

  Vicki Tillman is a visionary force in her local community; her mission is to advance God’s kingdom by investing in people. A homeschooling mom for 20-plus years, four of Vicki’s children are grown, and one is still in high school.

  As an Academic Advisor, she has invested in hundreds of families at MSA.  She was there for the founding of Tri-State’s MEK/TEK, Rhetoric team, Cinematography Club, and Student Congress for homeschoolers.She teaches college-model classes, writes curriculum and blogs for MSA (mtsophiaideas.com).

  Vicki earned her MA in Counseling from Liberty University, and another way she carries out her mission is her work as a counselor at Pike Creek Psychological Center since 1996.  A member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, she is trained on their Life Coaching model, which she employs in the mentoring she does in the homeschooling community and elsewhere.

  She is director of prayer ministries at Christ Community Church and writes about prayer on her blog at www.vickisprayerstuff.com.

  Catch hold of the vision here as well; she holds the 7 Sisters’ Blog Spot every Monday.
• 

  Sabrina Justison

  01 August 2010 / Bios / 2 Comments

  Sabrina is the "bling" for the 7 Sisters.  Everyone can see her flair for the dramatic, passion for music, fashion sense, and love of shoes, but get to know the Sabrina beyond the public persona, and you will find that she has a deep love for the Lord, the ability to get to the heart of an organization, and the perseverance to keep on pluggin’ until a task is finished.

  She is a wordsmith who enjoys helping people understand the vision and mission of an organization or event.  Sabrina has been homeschooling since 1995.  After she and her children walked through the difficulties of divorce, she was blessed to meet and marry Fred, and their blended family has 7 children ranging from teens to late twenties.

  She directs homeschool and church choirs, creates annual Drama Camp one-week-intensives, has served as President of Tri-State Homeschool Network, and teaches Bible studies in area churches.  She is a playwright and a singer-songwriter, and has taught Acting and Directing as well as Literature, Writing, and Latin at MSA.

  Sabrina learns best by God telling her stories and drawing pictures for her, and she shares that through her blogs here on Tuesdays.  She loves to walk alongside others, especially if she’s wearing bright yellow stilettos!
• 

  Sara Hayes

  01 August 2010 / Bios / 1 Comment

  God has a place in the world for quiet people, too…you know, those who prefer a backstage, supportive role to the public spotlight of leadership. Sara is one of those quiet people, and God has used her mightily backstage in a variety of roles over the years.

  She and her husband Carl have homeschooled their five sons from the starting gun to the finish line – son #5 graduated from high school in 2011.

  In her father’s Christian bookstore, Sara gained many years of experience with bookkeeping and customer service, and her excellence with numbers keeps the less-precise Sisters from accidentally ruining the business!

  She has taught science, history, and literature in co-ops, Algebra and Consumer Math at MSA, and managed the Tri-State Sr. Chorale and its 60+ high school singers.

  Her gentle voice may not bellow over the crowd, but words of encouragement are always on her lips.

• Bridgette Dempsey

  01 August 2010 / Bios / 0 Comment

  When Jette grabs a set of pom-poms, wonderful things start to happen. Helping a mom get “unstuck” when things just aren’t working in her homeschool, or cheering on a tired student who just isn’t sure his assignment can be completed, Jette has an encourager’s heart.

  In co-ops through the years Jette discovered her passion for teaching history and government, and she shares that passion now with students at Mt. Sophia Academy.

  Her administrative gifts have also held the office together at MSA and form the backbone of 7 Sisters’ IHH. It’s always an adventure around the Dempsey house with “The Bud” (husband Don) and “The Three Lovelies.” Homeschooling since 1993 has seen two of Jette’s daughters through graduation, and her third lovely finishes high school this year. Her love of music led her to direct area homeschool choirs; her love of books and movies took her to many places in her vivid imagination; her love of winning board games earned her the reputation for being competitive!

  Jette leads the cheer for fellow-homeschoolers in our Blog on Wednesday each week.