Lynn Custer
Lynn is one of my oldest and dearest of friends, a kindred spirit since I first met her and her two boys at a homeschool park day in Nashville, TN in 1991. From the start of our events ministry in 1996, Lynn attended and helped at more WholeHearted Mother and Mom Heart Conferences than anyone I know. Since my first book, Seasons of a Mother’s Heart, in 1998, she has led Seasons book study groups in her home town every year. She and Gary, her DH, have been longtime faithful board members of Whole Heart Ministries. Lynn is an inspiration to many, and to me.
Sally
More About Lynn
Tell us about your family, your children, and the daily life of your home.
My husband Gary and I have been married 48 years. I taught 5th grade in inner city schools, Christian school, and then public schools as I moved around with him in our early marriage. We went 10 years trying to have children, and it wasn’t until we moved to Nashville, TN (to be near family) that I became pregnant with our first boy and then three years later another boy. I heard about homeschooling in 1976 in a Sunday School class when some missionaries spoke about homeschooling their children while in the states because they didn’t like what they saw in our public schools. I told my husband that that was what I was going to do when we had children-I did not even know what I was talking about. Moving to Nashville, I started homeschooling and there were a few other families. A portion of our homeschool consisted of traveling on business with my husband and exploring all over America.
Now my husband is retired and in business with our two sons, flipping houses in Raleigh, NC. I have been teaching “Seasons of a Mother’s Heart” by Sally Clarkson for 25 years and mentoring Moms in Raleigh.
Tell us when you started to follow Jesus, and about your journey with Him.
I grew up in a practicing Christian home. I made a public decisions at 16 to place 'Christ on the Throne.’ I have been walking by faith since then and keeping a notebook of 'I Spy God’ over these many years. Romans 8:28 is my life verse.
What ministry or work in your community gives you personal fulfillment?
I love mentoring and encouraging Moms by teaching in co-op, having tea or lunch or having Moms to our home.
What hobbies or activities do you most enjoy pursuing in your free time?
I enjoy working in my flowers during the year and caring for plants in our Sunroom. I am still collecting great books and we attended all the used book sales. I still go to sales, but I give a lot of them to the mothers that I mentor.
Thinking of books you’ve read, which authors have influenced you most?
Elizabeth Elliott, Jill Briscoe are my older women to encourage me to ‘keep on walking’. I love all of the books Jean Fritz has written for children, and all the children’s picture books that were illustrated by Eloise Wilkins- beautiful children’s faces. Rreading The Keeper of the Bees by Gene Stratton-Porter was a discussion book with my boys, and I love Freckles and the Girl of the Limberlost (reminds me of my Mother’s life). We even visited the Limberlost Swamp after reading the books together.
When it’s just you, what music or musicians do you most enjoy listening to?
Hobbit Party
Hymns: The Getty’s, Michael Card, Steve Green
What books of the Bible, and what specific passages, mean the most to you?
Ecclesiastes has always been interesting to me even as a child because I had to read passages more than once to be able to understand it. I have had Ecclesiastes 3 posted on my bulletin board since high school. Now with mentoring homeschool moms, Ecclesiastes 12:12-13 is my favorite for reminding homeschool mothers their goal.
What are you passionate about, and who inspires you to be even more so?
I’m passionate about reading great books to and with my family and encouraging others to do the same. I’m also passionate about discipleship and passing God Works to the next generation. My grandmother, my mother and father, plus biographies of past generations that walked with God are who inspires me. Living to a mature age keeps me passionate as I’ve seen how much the world has changed in my lifetime and so I want to pass on the things of God to the younger women around me.
How did you first connect with Sally Clarkson and Whole Heart Ministries?
We met the Clarkson family when they first moved to Nashville and came to a homeschool Field Day at the park. My boys talked with Sarah and Joel. Then I joined a Bible study Sally was starting at the church they came to minster in. After hearing her talk, I knew we had the same heart about homeschooling. We attended Saturday workshops that Clay spoke on discipleship. We helped start a homeschool co-op at that same church After a few years they were encouraged to start a ministry, and moved to Texas, leaving us in Nashville to 'Carry On’. I have attended most of the conferences at which Sally has taught, happy to be a help and encouragement in whatever she needs.
