Born in Lexington, Kentucky, the fifth of seven children of Ruth and Charles Shaw, 
Deborah Shaw Lewis grew up in Georgia. She attended Asbury College where she met her husband Gregg. She taught preschool, wrote preschool curriculum for David C. Cook Publishing, directed a daycare center, Winkie Bear Child Development Center, and taught child care courses at Triton College in River Grove, Illinois.
Two fertility specialists told Debi and Gregg that they would not be able to have children. Their first child Andrew (now 32) was declared a “miracle.”
Andrew at 3 years, Matthew at 2 years old
Then he was followed by Matthew (now 30 and married to Emily).
Our Precious Lisette, at age 3
Lisette (now 28) came along 2 1/2 years later.
Jonathan at 1 year and Benjamin at 4 years old
Then Benjamin (now 27) 19 months after Lisette. And 3 1/2 years later, Jonathan (now 23 and married to Jessica).
They are ALL miracles. All unique gifts from God.
With Matthew only 18 months younger than Andrew (to the day) and Benjamin only 19 months younger than Lisette, the Lewis family wore out two double strollers.
Lisette, Andrew, Jonathan, Jessica and Benjamin, in May 2011, when Andrew and Jonathan graduated from Asbury University
Debi earned her master’s degree in child development from the Erikson Institute in Chicago. She is currently the director of PALS, the mothers’ morning out program at Trinity United Methodist Church in Rome, Georgia. She loves to speak to groups of mothers and to tell stories to young children.
Matthew, Emily, Jonathan, Benjamin, Debi, Gregg, Lisette and Andrew, Christmas 2010