Following Purpose Beyond the Expected Path.
From Science to Calling: How Loss, Faith, and Motherhood Redirected My Purpose
For much of my life, I believed my calling would follow a straight and predictable line—science, research, and a traditional academic career. I trained rigorously, studied the human brain, and worked in environments that demanded precision, discipline, and critical thinking. Science taught me how to ask good questions, pursue truth honestly, and remain curious in the face of complexity.
But life rarely unfolds in straight lines.
Becoming a mother reshaped not only my priorities, but also my understanding of purpose and impact. My journey into education, faith, and ultimately homeschooling is inseparable from my story of motherhood—a story marked by profound loss, deep fear, and unexpected redemption.
My first pregnancy ended in miscarriage. My second brought the joy of our baby girl, Emma, followed by unimaginable heartbreak when she passed suddenly at just 40 days old. She would have been ten years old today. After that season of grief, I was blessed with my son Mateo, who is now eight years old. A fourth pregnancy ended in another miscarriage, and my fifth brought my youngest son, Marcos, who is now one year old.
Loss changes you. It strips away assumptions and forces you to ask harder questions about meaning, calling, and what truly matters. No amount of scientific training prepared me for the loss of Emma—but it did teach me how to sit with complexity, uncertainty, and truth, even when answers are incomplete.
Redefining Success and Calling
Three years ago, when I became a Christian, everything shifted again. Shortly after, I made the decision to homeschool Mateo. At the time, I was working as a neuropathology scientist at a biotech company—a role that offered professional stability and a six-figure income. Choosing to homeschool meant walking away from that position. Overnight, our household income decreased by more than half.
It was one of the most frightening decisions I had ever made.
Despite my background in science, I felt unqualified and overwhelmed. Mateo has ADHD, and I worried constantly that I would fail him—academically, emotionally, and spiritually. I questioned whether I could carry both motherhood and education well and whether obedience would come at too great a cost.
God proved me wrong.
Homeschooling transformed Mateo in ways I never anticipated. Removed from an environment that did not support how he learns, his confidence grew. His curiosity returned. His character softened. Learning became a place of joy rather than frustration. Watching that transformation changed me just as much as it changed him.
That season reframed my understanding of success. The best career advice I ever received—to remain open to where my skills could serve others most meaningfully—came alive in a new way. Success was no longer defined by titles, income, or traditional trajectories. It became about faithfulness, impact, and obedience to a calling that did not look the way I once expected.
That obedience gave birth to Hands-On Creation, a Christ-centered science education initiative that blends rigorous, hands-on learning with biblical truth.
Challenges That Reveal Opportunity
One of the greatest challenges in my field today is helping homeschool mothers overcome deeply rooted feelings of inadequacy. Many doubt their ability to teach rigorous material, worry about meeting educational standards, or quietly fear they are not “qualified enough”—especially in subjects like science.
I understand that fear intimately.
Yet this challenge holds an incredible opportunity. When homeschool mothers are equipped with the right tools, resources, and encouragement, they are more than capable of fostering deep, meaningful learning. Teaching and motherhood are not competing roles; they are complementary ones. Every role a woman stewards—educator, guide, nurturer, leader—has value and lasting impact.
Empowering mothers to trust their abilities does more than strengthen families. It shapes a generation of students who grow up confident, curious, and grounded in purpose.
Advice for the Next Generation of Women
To young women entering science, education, or any demanding field, my advice is this: remain open to nontraditional paths. Your education and training are not wasted simply because your journey evolves. Skills developed in one season can be powerfully repurposed in another.
Visibility matters—not for recognition, but for inspiration. When women live out their callings with confidence and integrity, they give others permission to imagine new possibilities. You do not have to choose between professional identity, faith, and family. It is possible to honor your education while answering a calling that looks different from what you once planned.
A book that deeply shaped my thinking in this area is Eve in Exile. It reframes femininity and calling not as limitations, but as powerful expressions of purpose. I recommend it to any woman navigating vocation, identity, and faith across changing seasons of life.
The Values That Anchor Everything
The values that guide both my work and my personal life are integrity, curiosity, and faith.
Integrity ensures that science and education are approached with honesty and excellence. Curiosity fuels lifelong learning and invites students to ask thoughtful questions and engage the world deeply. Faith provides the framework that gives learning meaning—reminding us that education is not merely about information, but formation.
Through Hands-On Creation, my mission is to cultivate students who see science not as a contradiction to faith, but as a beautiful way to explore and glorify the Creator. At the same time, I am deeply committed to affirming homeschool mothers as capable, courageous educators—equipped by God for the callings He gives them.
Using Your Voice
Sharing your voice matters—not because every story is neat or painless, but because lived experience carries truth others need to hear. When we speak honestly about grief, fear, obedience, and growth, we create space for others to step forward with courage.
Success does not always look like certainty. Sometimes it looks like faithfulness—taking the next step while still afraid, trusting that God equips those He calls.
And sometimes, it looks like discovering that your voice—used faithfully—can help others find theirs too.
