Finding a New Church Home!

One of the issues we have faced during all of our RV travels is finding a new home church family when we are in one place for a period of time. We started traveling in 2010 and really did not find a new church home until we were working at GUMI Camp USA in Cedar Creek, Missouri. We attended a few churches while living in D’Hanis, TX but never really made any connections. While working at Branson View Campground we attended a couple of churches but always felt like visitors and did not make many connections ~ which for me is very hard.

But God, led us to GUMI Camp and Open Door Community Church in Cedar Creek, MO. It is part of Village Churches. We were only there for about nine months but to this day we still have dear framily (friends who are like family) who are a part of our lives. While in Newberg, OR we didn’t attend church as we worked most Sunday’s. But we moved to Waco, TX and found Heart of Texas Cowboy Church near the Methodist Boys Ranch. We always felt welcomed and enjoyed the services and activities we participated in but we didn’t make any lasting connections ~ 😥.

We continued RV’ing and traveling ~ being gate guards in Pecos, TX was not conducive to attending any church services as one of us was always on duty while we were gate guarding. Our time in Pecos though, holds some special memories and BUT GOD stories ~ one of them being Ron’s diagnosis of Breast Cancer (YES MEN DO GET BREAST CANCER!) Ron only missed three days of work (the day he had surgery and the two days we remained in Midland!). The drivers and our bosses were so supportive of us and our needs during that time and we couldn’t be more thankful how the Lord provided the doctors, the clinics, meals and encouragement from those we came into contact with each day!

From Pecos, the Lord led us to Yoakum, TX to work at Blue Bonnet Youth Ranch. While there we attended New Life Baptist Church where we were loved on, cared for and encouraged by so many – yes more framily came into our lives. As we continued on our travels to North Carolina and then to Florida for a time. In Florida we attended New River Church while we worked at A Kid’s Place and Ron worked at Amazon. It was nice to attend a church where the people understood why we couldn’t be there every Sunday (we worked every other one) and again we added to our framily (and a plus since our return to Florida this past April 2023 we have reconnected with a couple of people 🥰).

When we left Florida in April 2022 we made our way to South Carolina and followed the Lords leading to Love Springs Baptist Church in Cowpens, SC. Where our framily grew in leaps and bounds. When we first landed in Gaffney at Camp Sparrow Campground we had planned to be there for two or three years but the campground changed ownership after a few months and we just didn’t mesh too well with the new campground managers so began looking where else the Lord might lead us. Leaving LSBC was one of the hardest church framilies to leave – we are both so thankful for the relationships we made while there and the friendships that God began in that season of our life AND continue today over the miles. During our time at LSBC the Lord really sparked a new love for him in both of our lives and we are so thankful for that big shot of love and care!!!

As those of you who have known us for any length of time or been reading my blog for more than nine months, you know that these past months have been full of trials, hardship and yes, even some laughter. Last October we made a job change to Big Creek Missions in Big Creek, KY where we thought we would land for a couple of years. But God has a way of changing our plans and sometimes in ways we wouldn’t want to relive but are thankful for where we have ended up. We loved working with Kevin, Jordan, Brian and Daniel and many of those who came to support BCM and the people Leslie County, KY. We made some good friends at BCM and have many happy memories of visiting with Ms. Bessie, having coffee at The Well and meeting some terrific residents of Leslie County! But life happens and decisions are made, which at the time felt like how, what and where the Lord was leading. BUT GOD allowed for some things to happen, other doors to be opened (or at least we thought they had) and we made a move to New Jersey ~ hey we had never been there so why not?

Our move to New Jersey didn’t happen the way we thought it would BUT GOD kept us safe even while dealing with some difficult issues like multiple flat tires, a trip from Kentucky to Tennessee to Florida back to Tennessee to New Jersey, a scary infection and hospitalization due to an accident in Ron’s leg (I won’t share the pictures here again ~ if you really want to see them feel free to go back to the archives of March & April 2023 here on the blog) miscommunications (lots of them) between friends and then an unplanned yet planned in the moment (you know making decisions with the information you have at the moment) move back to Florida!

We arrived back in Florida on Sunday, April 2nd (we had left Kentucky originally on March 9th!) exhausted, scared, anxious, hanging on to our faith that Jesus was in control and started this most recent adventure in our lives!

Since the first week of April Ron has gotten a job at Amazon, gotten a job at Sun Lake High School, quit his job at Amazon, Ali has put in many applications for various positions within the Pasco County School District, completed numerous video interviews but as of yet has not found a job, changed medical insurance coverage not once, not twice but three times and has shared lots of laughter with the three grandson’s that are local here in Land O Lakes. BUT GOD has been faithful through it all and for that we are so thankful.

We have also attended a few churches, reconnected with framily from our previous time here in Florida, cried lots of tears (mostly Ali) and wondered what was going on in our lives. BUT GOD has provided for us in ways we could not imagine with some financial gifts, gifts of groceries, lots of groceries! time with immediate family and extended family, also welcomed a new family member ~
Charlie Boy, lounging in his favorite place in our little home on wheels! New friendships, lots of fun times with these guys:
Treyson Alex Christopher (with Grandpa) and coffee while reconnecting with AKP friends.

We have been blessed to have some great quality time with our youngest son and his sweet wife, shared a few meals with her parents and most recently been blessed to become a part of a new church framily at Keystone Community Church where we have been welcomed and loved on since first stepping in the door. I have been able to become connected with three four separate ladies groups (two in person and two via zoom).

We have much to be thankful for and our truly blessed as we travel
this journey called life!