Hello! My name is Natalie Whittemore, and I am delighted to be the Food Service Director at ACA! I have lived in Iowa most of my life and have been married to my wonderful husband, Steven, since October 2000. We have been blessed with four wonderful sons; Isaac, Jack, Joseph, and Abraham. In 2003, I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa and began my career as a homemaker for my family. Through the years; I have had so much joy in serving the Lord in many different areas at church; from organizing the snack team at VBS, to comforting toddlers in the nursery room, praying with individuals alongside the prayer team, organizing curriculum bins for Sunday school teachers, and anywhere else the Lord has called me to serve.
It was at the age of seven, that I repented and confessed that I was a sinner in need of a savior. In church one morning, I responded to the altar call and prayed for Jesus to come into my heart to be my Lord and savior. At that moment, His perfect sacrifice, shed blood on the cross, and resurrection saved me from eternal separation from God. “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9. Jesus’s precious gift changed my heart and life forever, “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift–not from works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 As a young person, I didn’t realize that there was a lot more to Christian faith than baptism, occasional prayers, and occasional church attendance. Years later, as a young mother, I realized that I needed to develop an intentional relationship with Jesus. Around that time, I was involved with a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group and things began to change. This group was Christian-oriented and attended by many faith filled young moms who encouraged me in my walk with the Lord. At that time, I began studying His word, praying diligently, spending time in His presence, and getting more active in church. I joined a bible study and intercessory prayer group that encouraged my faith to blossom in many ways. As my relationship with Jesus grew, I realized I was carrying many unnecessary burdens and worries on my shoulders. Through studying His Word, I began to understand what it meant to surrender everything to His loving care. One of my favorite verses would be Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Everyday is a gift and an opportunity to serve the Lord! I continually pray that my heart and mind will be renewed and transformed according to His will.
In 2012, our family moved from Pleasant Hill to Ankeny. We then embarked on a homeschool adventure from 2012 through 2017. In 2017, Joseph began attending ACA part-time as a homeschooler, and then joined full time in 2018. We were delighted to partner with such a wonderful, faith-filled, Bible-based, Christian school! Our youngest, Abraham, joined ACA in 2018 as well. Prior to working at ACA, I had the joy of volunteering in the lunchroom and serving with PTF. ACA is an amazing environment of Christ-centered teachers and staff, fully engaged in equipping our children to be Christ-centered disciples who can engage the world with the Gospel. Christian education is of immeasurable value and I am grateful to be a part of a school that lives out these truths each day, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6