– Our Story –
Jamie and I (Chandler) both had the privilege of growing up in homes where we learned about God at an early age. I personally accepted Christ as my Savior at the age of four. I struggled with doubts about my salvation as a teen and young adult, but during college God confirmed to me that I was His child and my relationship with Him was secure. In 2005 my relationship with God was brought to a new level. I was in a boating accident where I almost lost my life. At first I was angry with God, wondering why He would allow something so traumatic to happen to me. With time, however, I began to see that He was waking me up from my spiritual slumber. He wanted me to love and serve Him with all of my life. As a senior in college I had the opportunity to attend a conference where I was challenged to go and serve the Lord cross-culturally, for if I did not go, God would and could make the rocks cry out. It was at that time that the Lord began preparing me for this journey in which Jamie and I are about to embark on.
Jamie, like me, asked Jesus into her heart at the age of four. She also struggled with feelings of doubt, but as she grew older she realized that she had no personal recollection of her salvation experience. During that time she was involved in campus ministry in college and then went on to live in Uganda for two years. The doubt and fear finally became too much and after years of questioning her relationship with God she gave Him her whole life at the age of 25. This was a humbling time for her as everyone thought she was already saved, especially since she had already spent time as a missionary overseas. However, God was preparing Jamie, even in her years of doubt, to serve Him one day. She was given a new passion for the lost as she had experienced firsthand the feelings of fear and uncertainty that come with living a life without Christ.
Jamie and I met towards the end of 2008. We were introduced to each other by a wonderful mutual friend, Jessica. Jessica knew that we both had a passion to be missionaries and thought we would hit it off. Well, she was right! Jamie and I got married on May 22, 2010. Marriage has been an incredible journey for us. We are learning more each day how to love one another and how to serve the Lord with our lives. We are the parents of two beautiful girls, Selah Grace (almost 3 years old) and Miriam Opal (1 year old), and a brand new baby boy, Gideon Joseph.
God has called our family to serve him in Southeast Africa. Our desire is to be a part of seeing people come to know Christ, be discipled, and then brought to a place where a mature church can be planted.