Heaven Not Harvard - About Me author

About Me

Real life is messy and hard, but I’m learning to face it with God’s grace.

Heaven Not Harvard - About Me authorMy name is Jennifer DeFrates, and I’ve been forgiven and redeemed by a loving heavenly Father.  God is using the most wonderful things to change my heart, a dirty pair of underwear, my daughter’s laughter, a butterfly in the trees.

When He whispers to me, my heart softens, my eyes open, and I can’t help shouting to everyone I meet about the joy I’ve found in Jesus.

I hope you’ll find encouragement through what I’m learning as a wife, mother, woman no matter where you are in your spiritual journey.

I was raised in a Christian family. My father was a licensed reverend and Christian counselor, and my mother was a teacher. I ended up being a mixture of both in many ways. I can’t help but teach others anything I learn, especially because God’s love and grace has saved me so completely, I don’t want anyone to miss His message.

I have taught high school English and social studies for 17 years, but am taking a few years to just be a wife and mother. I’ve been an aspiring writer for years, but taking the time to write as a mom is hard, and God putting this on my heart to do came at the right time for my walk with Him and my family. If one person finds my words as a means to grow closer to God, then I’ve been useful.

I don’t want to hold myself up as someone who has all the answers. I just want to share the perspectives and ideas the Lord is giving me to share. I want to be pretty transparent (as much as is safe on the internet) and be real. Being a Godly wife and mother is tough, it goes against our nature. I just write about how those daily challenges bring me to my Bible and closer to Christ.

I am on this journey of raising my daughter in the hopes of her choosing to follow God, but I struggle with the pressures and values of this world like many people do. I have to remind myself often that my only goal in raising my daughter is to raise a child for God. To that end I’ve created a mantra, Heaven not Harvard, to remind myself what the real values are, parenting my child toward eternity with her Heavenly Father.

9 Comments

  • Vern Minor

    Hey, Jennifer. Loved a quote I saw attributed to you (see below)! I am using it in the adult Sunday School class I teach this coming week. I always have a “Thought for Today” to accompany the Scripture we cover each Sunday. I also make sure I read up on who the author of the quote is just in case someone asks. I read that you are a former Christian educator. You might want to check out Victorious Educator Ministries. We have a Facebook group. Consider joining our ranks and spreading the good word to other Christian educators!

    “The more I walk with Christ, the more I am aware that the battles I am fighting are not against flesh and blood…but neither is my help.”

  • messymarriage

    Hey Jennifer, I didn’t see where I could comment on your blog, so I’m letting you know here that I responded in my most recent post to your question back about a month ago on my blog. I was talking about submission to my husband. Don’t know if it rings a bell, but I’d love to have you visit me at messymarriage.com for my response. Thanks for posing the question and topic, my friend!

  • Angela Johnson

    Jennifer, I just read your post from #WorthBeyondRubiesLinkup on 30 days without complaining and I am in. This is going to be most difficult for me as I suffer from a chronic pain disease, but I am hoping to rewire my mind as well as my thoughts and my heart. I could not find a place to comment on your post, so I came over here. Hope that is OK.

    • Jennifer

      Aww, that is great! I have chronic pain from failed hip surgeries and know how hard and yet beautiful it is to seek to have a joyful heart in the struggle! You might appreciate my post on how suffering transformed my marriage too. Lots of learning to dance in the rain ☔️

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