Tools in the Builder’s Hands

Keri was doing her anesthesia residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) when she was summoned for a surgery at another hospital that needed an anesthesiologist.

Keith was doing his plastic surgery craniofacial fellowship at UPMC Children’s Hospital of
Pittsburgh when UPMC Presbyterian needed him for an adult facial reconstruction.

Neither one of them should have been in that operating room at UPMC Presbyterian that day.

But the Lord was revealing His plan for Drs. Keith and Keri Izadi, and their future together.
Keri had grown up just outside Pittsburgh, so this was hometown territory for her. She was
raised in a Christian home and loved the Lord. After college, Keri decided to attend dental
school at the University of Pittsburgh and then she received a prestigious hospital-based
anesthesia residency at UPMC.

Keith had grown up in Iran and had been raised a Muslim. His father converted to Christianity and became an outcast for doing so. When Keith was 15, he and his family fled Iran, traveling through the Pakistani desert in a covered truck. They eventually made it to the United States, and this move opened a whole new world of opportunities for Keith that he did not want to waste.

Life in the United States was an adventure. However, he was still living life without Jesus Christ.

When Keith and Keri fell in love, Keri realized she couldn’t be with someone who wasn’t
following Christ. She told him that she had a Savior and she could not be with someone who was trying to be his own savior.

It was then that Keith surrendered to the Lord. Keri shared, “Within the next two hours,
everything about Keith changed. He turned his life over to Christ and has been sold out to the Lord ever since.”

Keith and Keri began to look for an oral surgery practice closer to Keri’s home back in
Pennsylvania. That’s when they heard about an opportunity in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Their interest was piqued, but other factors had to be considered.

“For us, finding a Christian school was just as important as finding the practice. They went hand in hand,” said Keri. After researching Christian schools, she discovered Fredericksburg Christian School (FCS). It seemed like a good fit for them—not only a school they could have their children attend, but also a place where they could serve.

They kept busy running their practice and raising their three children, Bella, Luca and Mia. One day they received a call from Rick Yost, FCS superintendent. He shared that FCS was beginning a capital campaign in order to build a new elementary campus and wanted them to consider serving as co-chairs of the campaign committee.

Keith and Keri really weren’t sure what they were saying yes to, but they couldn’t say no.

“We believe so strongly in what the Lord is doing at FCS and have seen it firsthand with our own children. We wanted to be part of this.”

When talking about FCS, Keith shared, “When I consider passing on some type of legacy to my children, it isn’t about handing down a practice or anything monetary—it’s about who they become. We want them to love the Lord and to develop a Christian worldview.” Keri added, “We love the discipling that goes on at the school. It isn’t just about literature or science, but it’s also about their character. We love that people at FCS love our kids and partner with us to help shape their character.”

They are excited about the new campus, even though their two older children will be too old to attend it.

Keri shared, “We don’t want to be so shortsighted that we think only about our own kids. Our country is in desperate need of young people who have a strong Christian worldview as their foundation. We need leaders who love the Lord, seek His wisdom and have a Christ-centered mind-set. And the Lord is using FCS to provide that.”

Tools in the Builder’s Hands

Keri was doing her anesthesia residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) when she was summoned for a surgery at another hospital that needed an anesthesiologist.

Keith was doing his plastic surgery craniofacial fellowship at UPMC Children’s Hospital of
Pittsburgh when UPMC Presbyterian needed him for an adult facial reconstruction.

Neither one of them should have been in that operating room at UPMC Presbyterian that day.

But the Lord was revealing His plan for Drs. Keith and Keri Izadi, and their future together.
Keri had grown up just outside Pittsburgh, so this was hometown territory for her. She was
raised in a Christian home and loved the Lord. After college, Keri decided to attend dental
school at the University of Pittsburgh and then she received a prestigious hospital-based
anesthesia residency at UPMC.

Keith had grown up in Iran and had been raised a Muslim. His father converted to Christianity and became an outcast for doing so. When Keith was 15, he and his family fled Iran, traveling through the Pakistani desert in a covered truck. They eventually made it to the United States, and this move opened a whole new world of opportunities for Keith that he did not want to waste.

Life in the United States was an adventure. However, he was still living life without Jesus Christ.

When Keith and Keri fell in love, Keri realized she couldn’t be with someone who wasn’t
following Christ. She told him that she had a Savior and she could not be with someone who was trying to be his own savior.

It was then that Keith surrendered to the Lord. Keri shared, “Within the next two hours,
everything about Keith changed. He turned his life over to Christ and has been sold out to the Lord ever since.”

Keith and Keri began to look for an oral surgery practice closer to Keri’s home back in
Pennsylvania. That’s when they heard about an opportunity in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Their interest was piqued, but other factors had to be considered.

“For us, finding a Christian school was just as important as finding the practice. They went hand in hand,” said Keri. After researching Christian schools, she discovered Fredericksburg Christian School (FCS). It seemed like a good fit for them—not only a school they could have their children attend, but also a place where they could serve.

They kept busy running their practice and raising their three children, Bella, Luca and Mia. One day they received a call from Rick Yost, FCS superintendent. He shared that FCS was beginning a capital campaign in order to build a new elementary campus and wanted them to consider serving as co-chairs of the campaign committee.

Keith and Keri really weren’t sure what they were saying yes to, but they couldn’t say no.

“We believe so strongly in what the Lord is doing at FCS and have seen it firsthand with our own children. We wanted to be part of this.”

When talking about FCS, Keith shared, “When I consider passing on some type of legacy to my children, it isn’t about handing down a practice or anything monetary—it’s about who they become. We want them to love the Lord and to develop a Christian worldview.” Keri added, “We love the discipling that goes on at the school. It isn’t just about literature or science, but it’s also about their character. We love that people at FCS love our kids and partner with us to help shape their character.”

They are excited about the new campus, even though their two older children will be too old to attend it.

Keri shared, “We don’t want to be so shortsighted that we think only about our own kids. Our country is in desperate need of young people who have a strong Christian worldview as their foundation. We need leaders who love the Lord, seek His wisdom and have a Christ-centered mind-set. And the Lord is using FCS to provide that.”