Editor’s Note: In celebration of Rachel Stepp’s birthday, her daughters shared reflections on growing up under the care and instruction of a mother whose influence shaped their faith, character and lives. The tribute was inspired and coordinated by her husband, Thurrel Stepp, as an expression of gratitude and appreciation.

Mashal Varney

Mom influenced the woman I am today in countless ways. After having four boys, my parents welcomed me, followed years later by three more girls. As the oldest daughter, I was the “how-to-raise-a-girl” guinea pig.

When I was in elementary school, Mom chose to homeschool my sisters and me. At times, I wanted to attend public school and felt frustrated that I could not have what I considered a “normal” childhood. Looking back now as a mother myself, I understand the heart behind her choices.

She wanted us to know God’s Word and to love and serve Him with our whole hearts. She did not want us to learn life’s hardest lessons through regret and heartbreak if she could help guide us otherwise.

I am by no means perfect, but I am deeply thankful Mom was never concerned with simply being my friend. She was focused on helping me become a woman of God, even when that sometimes made her unpopular with me.

Now, raising daughters of my own, I often think about her example. Friendship comes later. First comes the responsibility to guide, teach and equip children with the tools God provides.

Mom, thank you for every sacrifice you made for us over the years. Thank you for being Mom first. And now, as an adult, you truly are one of my best friends. I love you.

Valerie Huffman

Mom, I celebrate the beautiful woman you are and have always been to me.

I begin with your decision to homeschool me—to become my teacher when you could have chosen so many different paths. That choice required time, patience, sacrifice and a quiet strength I did not fully understand growing up.

I know there were moments when I resisted and longed for a different experience. But your love never wavered. What once felt difficult or confusing, I now recognize as one of the greatest gifts of my life.

You did not simply teach lessons. You shaped the way I see people, how I think and how I move through the world. You taught me to work hard quietly, to consider others deeply and to face life with resilience and practicality.

I still remember the Scripture you placed throughout our home, words that remain with me even now.

I also think of your joy—your love of music and dancing, your energy, your dedication to health and the way you could brighten a room without trying. And your gardens, so beautiful people traveled miles just to see them, feel like a reflection of the life and beauty you cultivated around you.

I see your influence in the way I care for others and navigate challenges. Now I see pieces of you continuing through my own children.

Happy birthday, Mom. Here’s to many more years, especially since you have somehow managed to stay in better shape than all eight of your children. I love you, and I am so grateful to be yours.

Evelyn Paige

When I think about my mom at my age—raising eight children while homeschooling four of us—I am overwhelmed by the magnitude of what she accomplished.

She did not simply manage a household. She poured herself into our education and into our development socially, emotionally and spiritually.

Now, as a 40-year-old mother of one incredible little boy, I see her sacrifices with entirely new eyes. Because of her, I can pass along the knowledge, love and support she still gives me today. I hope my son grows up feeling as loved, prepared and supported as she made me feel.

Being homeschooled by my mom was a gift. She created a true classroom in our home with desks, books, structure and intention. As a child, I could not fully grasp the sacrifices she made. Even as a young adult, I only partially understood. But motherhood changed that.

Thank you, Mom, for being the fighter you have always been—for knowing what you wanted for your children and making it happen despite every obstacle. You never chose the easy path, and you never expected less from us.

Your life has reflected God’s love, patience and faithfulness in a way that shaped who I am today. You did not just prepare me for the world. You pointed me to Him.

I am deeply grateful for you. I love you so much.

Victoria Sonnenmeier

Being homeschooled is such an important part of who I am today, and it would not have been possible without my mom.

From my understanding, Mom felt called by the Lord to teach her girls at home so she would know exactly what was being poured into our lives each day. I am deeply thankful for my parents’ decision and for Mom’s courage in accepting that responsibility.

To me, homeschooling was about far more than academics. We were not only protected from many of the pressures that come with conventional school settings, but we were also raised by a mother who intentionally sought to teach us the character and person of Jesus Christ.

Mom often says any ability she had to homeschool came from God, and she gives Him all the glory. She chose a curriculum rooted in biblical teaching that shaped our minds and influenced the choices we still make today, whether we realized it at the time or not.

As the youngest of all eight children, I probably enjoyed more flexibility than my older siblings. But that also meant more opportunities to learn practical life skills outdoors with Mom and Dad—planting gardens, working outside and exploring nature together.

I remember wanting to attend public school as a preteen. Today, I am grateful for the opportunity to be educated under my parents’ guidance and supervision.

I will always be thankful for the sacrifices my parents made and for the wisdom Mom poured into us. She is a beautiful example of the virtuous woman described in Proverbs 31. I hope I, too, will be known for strength, dignity and wisdom like her.

How has homeschooling affected our lives? In ways so positive and meaningful that they truly cannot be measured.

Thank you, Mommy, for choosing this path for us. We love and respect you immensely.