BECAUSE YOU ASKED
by Nancy Van Pelt
People frequently ask how I got started teaching seminars. It began when Harry graduated from Loma Linda University School of Health to become Executive Director of the Health Education Center in Calgary. Soon after our arrival I attended a committee meeting that was to alter my life.
The committee was searching for new programming ideas to meet community needs. Innocently I suggested that I teach a seminar on marriage. That chance remark sent me sailing into family life education.
Diligently I researched material in preparation for my first seminar to be held in a rented hall in Calgary. The year? September l97l. To my amazement 35 women PAID to hear me lecture. At the conclusion of this eight week seminar these women spontaneously gave me a standing ovation.
With such encouragement I pushed on…morning, afternoon and evening classes. And the women continued to come.
The media heard about these classes and I received numerous invitations for radio and television interviews. On one occasion a “plant” attended seminar to gather information and ridicule me in face of a strong women’s liberation movement. As we faced-off on the air, she admitted the ploy, apologized and told how she also had benefitted.
On another occasion I was interviewed on a popular talk show for two hours prior to an opening. One hundred and twenty women rolled out of bed, some still donned in bathrobes and curlers, desperate to get into seminar. Opportunities for travel opened up.
As 1972 dawned I taught my first parent seminar in the basement of a Lutheran church in Calgary. Forty-eight parents attended, most of them contacts through the marriage seminar. For the first time, Harry and I team taught. And for the first time I had men present in seminar!
Another event occurred at this seminar that again dramatically changed my future. Several women cornered me. “Nancy,” they pled, “Why don’t you write a book on parenting?” Me? Write a book? The thought had never occurred to me. I accepted the challenge and thus: my writing career was launched.
In l974 we moved to Fresno. This was a low point in my lifework. No longer was the prestige of the Health Education Center behind me. I was more alone than ever before. But I pushed ahead, renting or borrowing a room, handling my own advertising and distribution of brochures. But teaching was now in my blood. Even though the classes were not always large, I had to do what I could to educate people before their relationships broke down. “Prevention rather than cure” became my goal.
It wasn’t until after the release of my first book THE COMPLEAT PARENT in l976 that I received national attention. As home and school leader in Keene, Rose Otis asked us to come and teach a COMPLEAT PARENT SEMINAR. That seminar marked the beginning of our “traveling seminars.”
When THE COMPLEAT MARRIAGE hit the market in l979 we received many requests to teach marriage seminars. Then we tackled the impossible–what we were told couldn’t be done. With no other source of income outside of seminars and books–the scariest point of our lives–we went full time with family life seminars.
Other books followed–COMPLEAT COURTSHIP, COMPLEAT TWEEN, FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, missionary book of the year for l986. The “Compleat” series was then published for the literature evangelists sales program under the titles of TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, TRAIN UP A CHILD, and WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN. These books have been published in eleven languages and distributed in many countries of the world.
Some think traveling 60,000 miles annually an exciting adventure. Our lives had portions of this, certainly, but it also means being away from home, living out of suitcases, sleeping in a different bed every night, not being home to get work done, missing family and friends, as well as working with your mate–SIX MONTHS OUT OF EVERY YEAR!
We survived it all–twenty years of teaching and traveling. And the rewards far outweigh any disadvantages. What a thrill it is to have a mom hug me and say, “I’ve raised my child THE COMPLEAT PARENT way and I’m very proud of her.” Or a couple quietly whisper, “You never knew this but the COMPLEAT MARRIAGE SEMINAR saved our marriage.” Or a teenager say, “You have changed my whole way of thinking about dating. I’m going to slow things down and build a strong friendship first.” Many people attribute their stability to one of our seminars–we were there when they needed us.
In l99l another change occurred. Harry returned to full time employment and I ventured into HEART ‘N HOME SEMINARS alone. This resulted in drastic changes in style, content and subjects. In twenty years I came full circle. I began teaching women only and then my new HEART ‘N HOME SEMINARS really took off.
Now twenty-two years later, I’m still teaching my heart out attempting to save every family I can. Not to build monuments to myself, but rather to hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” But whatever I am going to accomplish for the Lord must be done quickly. Satan is unleashing his fury on the family. My goal is to prepare as many families for heaven as I can, beginning with my own. Here you have the core of my values.
On the scene reporter
Nancy Van Pelt, CFLE, CHE
SIDE BAR
DATES THAT RATE
1971 First marriage seminar taught.
1972 First parent seminar taught.
1975 Formed an independent ministry–BETTER LIVING PROGRAMS.
1976 First of 18 books published.
1980 Teaching of seminars launched as full time career.
“Compleat” Series produced as subscription books for literature evangelists.
1986 FROM THIS DAY FORWARD–Book of the Year published.
1991 12 years of team teaching family life seminars full time completed.
HEART ‘N HOME SEMINARS launched.
1992 Certified as a Family Life Educator.
To seminary in Russia to teach family seminars.
2001 30 years of ministry to families celebrated!
2005 28th book published – Dear Nancy!