Celebrating God’s faithfulness and life together over the last thirteen years.
Today marks an important day in the history of our family. Thirteen years ago today we packed up everything we owned in a small Uhaul and moved our stuff and our three-month-old son halfway across the country. Our destination was Colorado for Jeff to take a job at the Focus on the Family Institute.
A page from one of my scrapbooks of our new home and life in Colorado Springs.
We were young and scared out of our minds. We felt pretty certain though that whatever awaited us in Colorado Springs God was calling us to it. It was exciting and terrifying all at the same time. I will never forget the hours driving across the vastness of Kansas for the first time. Jeff looked at me with Jacob wailing in his car seat and admitted— “If this is not of God then we are in serious trouble.”
Well the move proved quickly that it was for sure of God. In no time made many new friends and developed an amazing support system. As it turns out, we learned that Colorado Springs is a hotbed for transplants who just like us, have no local family or connection, but God calls many here to the Front Range to serve Him and build community with believers.
I remember some of those early days clinging to Matthew 10:37-38 NIV “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” With extended family on the other side of the world—or so it seemed, we were forced to cling to God and each other. God was forming our own nuclear family into something very special for His glory.
Over the years some things changed, we moved from apartment to apartment, I also took on a job at Focus on the Family and for a season moved from job to job. Our kids grew and started school. In 2002 Jeff became Director of his department and after over six years of literally living with college students we bought our own home. I am now working directly in the city that I fell in love with all those years ago in a ministry role that I absolutely love and believe in. Colorado has become home.
So many graduation pictures over the years! Today more will be taken.
One thing though that has not changed for Jeff and I, is the absolute belief in the mission of the Focus Institute— now called the Focus Leadership Institute. Semester after semester God calls a group of young people together and asks them to look at Him more closely. He invites them to join in an authentic community and to prepare for leadership. This looks different for every student, and some semesters are smoother than others, but every semester has for sure been an adventure for our family.
A group of students celebrating their last Koinonia at our home.
It is fitting that I write this on Graduation Day. Today marks Jeff’s 39th. I don’t believe that since we have been here that he has missed a graduation. It is fitting that today we spend celebrating with the students their commissioning day of going out into the world to make a difference for Jesus Christ. Just like today thirteen years ago we did the exact same thing.
