Today is... moving day... moving... our family across country from Colorado to Ohio...
Today is... leaving day... leaving...
several loved ones in Christina's family
birthmother of one of our sons
many wonderful friends
great neighbors in 'CSW Hood'
RMCA Homeschool Program
USAFA firestation
the mountains ;)
our dear church family at ABEFC
Wes ~ a great group of guys - aka. deacons - at ABEFC
Christina ~ a wonderful group of women - aka. Bible study - at ABEFC
Both of us ~ serving the Lord together & alongside others in T&T (AWANA) ministry at ABEFC
Today is... gaining day... gaining...
a new adventure
wonderful family at Heartland
easy day trip from Wes' family
friends ~ a great fam with 3 boys ~ the Lord has already connected us with for our fam of 3 boys :)
Wes having the freedom to grow a beard ;)
Christina having the opportunity to return to her passion of camping ministry after over a decade
privilege of serving the Lord together in a new way that we are very excited about
green, luscious, deciduous trees ;)
home off-site of camp with property for our boys to romp around on
best of all - more of Christ - as we seek to follow His calling for us!
How can the same day be one of the hardest and best days for our family... all at the same time?!?
My favorite verse has continually come to my mind throughout this journey that brought us to today~
compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,
for whose sake I have lost all things.
I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ!
Philippians 3:8
So here's how we got to this day...
How the Lord moved in our hearts & lives
before He moved our family...
2000-2002 (Summers) ~ The Lord ignited a passion in me for children's ministry and camping ministry as I served Him at Kanakuk Camp in Branson, Missouri during my college years. I even changed my major from Elementary Education to Children's Ministry!
2012 ~ Wes graduated from Front Range Bible Institute at ABEFC with a degree in Biblical studies, and we began talking and praying about whether the Lord wanted Wes to use what he learned at FRBI at the firestation and T&T or whether He was calling Wes into vocational ministry. We never got beyond talking and praying about it, so we concluded to be faithful right where the Lord presently had us.
2014 ~ The Lord led a good friend, Neil Saunders, out of a secular career into camping ministry. Wes told me something along the lines of - "I wish our family could go with their family into camping ministry. I would leave my job in a heartbeat for camping ministry."
2016 ~ Over the past few years, Wes had encountered an on-&-off restlessness with work and an increased realization of how toxic his work environment was.
January 2016 ~ We had a conversation in which it quickly became clear to us that Wes needed to take action by pursuing and applying for a new job. The Lord soon led us in the direction of camping ministry. We started the search in Colorado... then expanded to Wisconsin (where Wes' family lives)... then opened it up to the Midwest... After several months, many applications, and several "no's," there was temptation to get discouraged. I told Wes that I had been praying for the Lord to keep the doors closed until it was the right one, so we could see this as answer to prayer because the Lord would open the right door in the right timing.
Our family road trip to the mountains for some skiing, where Wes and I talked a lot about what the Lord may have for us in the future and what kind of jobs Wes wanted to pursue.
May 2016 ~ Wes got asked for his 1st interview!... from Heartland! A few days after Wes' 2 hour phone interview, we had a Skype interview together in which the Lord made it very clear that this journey was no longer about a career change but a calling. The Lord had prepared a position very specifically for Wes as well as a special place for our family at Heartland. However, Wes had never been to a camp before!!! so we had to put feet on the ground in order for Wes to get a feel for camping ministry.
June 2016 ~ The Lord's timing was perfect because we had already budgeted for a getaway as well as had childcare lined up for our 10 year anniversary. So, instead of going to reminisce at our honeymoon spot at Glenwood Springs, we headed for Ohio! We had a wonderful time, and the Lord quickly confirmed He was calling us to Heartland.
Our 1st ever "holding pattern delay" on a plane due to severe weather... Thank you, Adam & Traci, for patiently "holding" for us at the airport! * Exploring Heartland with Adam * Celebrating our 10th anniversary! * House hunting * Excited to board the plane to return to our boys!
July 2016 ~ Only 2 weeks after we returned, the Lord sold our home in 1.5 days for full price! Again, the Lord's timing was perfect because the week after our home sold, Wes had the whole week off of work due to requesting it off long ago for a family reunion. We had tried to house hunt from a distance, but the market was hot and houses were selling rapidly. So, instead of going to Glenwood Springs with Christina's family, Wes went back to Ohio to house hunt for our family while Christina and boys joined her family in Glenwood Springs. The Lord blessed Wes' faithful and diligent efforts with returning to Colorado with an offer on a home (that we believe the Lord guarded on the market for 2 months! for us) that we were soon under contract on.
From suburbia in CO ~~~~~ to ~~~~~ Country life in OH
Reuniting with Heartland family ~ Buzbee, Wes, & "Rambo" * Christina & boys at hot springs in Glenwood Springs * Christina & boys hiked to Hanging Lake with Sis, Bro-n-law, & nephew
Our family's last time visiting Wes at the firestation * Off-road joy-riding in the ATV! (Josiah opted out)
August 2016 ~ So, here we are... and here we come Heartland! The Lord has been faithfully preparing our hearts and our path to Marengo, Ohio over the past 16 years!
This song came to my mind the day we left from visiting Heartland for our 10 year anniversary and returned to CO Springs convinced the Lord had confirmed He was calling us to Heartland, and our lives would never be the same... Heartland had already become like home to us!
This is home - click on this link to listen to this song by Switchfoot
Getting to the Heart of Heartland
Click on the following links (in blue) for helpful info:
What will Wes primarily be doing? (teaching kids a variety of hour long lessons & activities)
Wes' main position = Outdoor Education Instructor
Also ~ Occasional Host (which we get to serve together as a family) for conferences & retreats on the weekends
~ Occasional Help in the Health Office
Wes' main position = Outdoor Education Instructor
Also ~ Occasional Host (which we get to serve together as a family) for conferences & retreats on the weekends
~ Occasional Help in the Health Office
How can I keep in-the-know about Heartland through Facebook? ("Like" page)
We gladly welcome you to keep in touch with us by... phone, email, Facebook, blog, or even better....
VISITING US!!! :)
Please let us know if you would like our new address!
We hope to hear from you... or SEE YOU... soon!
We gladly welcome you to keep in touch with us by... phone, email, Facebook, blog, or even better....
VISITING US!!! :)
Please let us know if you would like our new address!
We hope to hear from you... or SEE YOU... soon!
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