Faith & Freedom Lifestyle

Josh and I have attended Venture Church since before it was “Venture”. It was formally Hardin Baptist Church. I was not yet born when my parents started attending, and Josh came during his adolescent years. It was through church that we became acquaintances, but it wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that we started dating.

Our pastor, Austin Rammell, introduced our church to Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters (SWO) early on. They are “a high-adventure student camp focused on making disciples through personal relationships, that is grounded on the authority of Scripture”. Their founder, Brody Holloway, first shared his vision for the camp in 1995. They have grown exponentially since then. They now host men’s, women’s, marriage and other retreats throughout the year, in addition to their usual student camps. Our oldest son attended his first SWO youth retreat this past July. Having already attended one of the women’s retreats in the past (and being blown away by their ministry) I knew that eventually I wanted Josh and I to attend a marriage retreat. So, this past October, we did.

This weekend was the first time Josh and I stayed in our camper without the boys. We found a nearby KOA instead of staying on property at SWO. We drove up to Andrews, NC on Friday, set up the camper and had about two hours before check-in. We literally SAT THERE. It was calm, quiet and weird! Life has been so busy lately that we almost didn’t know how to act. I watched a show I had been missing out on and Josh took a nap. Whew, adulting is hard!

Now, on to the good part…

We checked in, ate dinner, and attended the first session. As we were leaving to head back to the campground for the night, we ran into a couple from Venture (Kyle and Ali). We didn’t know them well at this point – just enough to recognize their faces. Saturday, after the second session, they invited us to a nearby coffee shop. We had about four hours of free time before dinner. The time spent talking with this couple, and getting to know their story, completely changed our perspective of what life is all about. I do not say that lightly. The marriage conference was amazing, but we were supposed to be there, this particular weekend, to meet this couple. I know that without a doubt. I would love to share their entire story…but let’s make it short:

1. They felt a calling to foster
2. They were obedient
3. They sold their house and most of their possessions
4. They moved into a camper for 8 months
5. Became debt free
6. Were able to purchase the exact house they needed
7. They now have no mortgage
8. They are currently fostering their first placement!
9. They are incredibly encouraging
10. Their story is changing lives – ours!

That “something” CLICKED! Their story was part of our “BIG bold sign”. What the Holy Spirit had been preparing our hearts for literally felt like a heart attack. The conversation we had went full circle. From issues that each of us have had in our individual lives, and how we ended up being the kind of people we are today, to where we all want to end up before our lives here on Earth are over. Three significant things stuck with Josh and I:

1. What is our dream and what are we willing to give up to realize that dream?
2. In order to get us where we want to go, we have to be willing to turn from the influences and ways of the world.
3. We are not called to look like the world anyway.

We headed back to the KOA before dinner. Josh went to fill our propane tanks, so I headed into the camper. As soon as I shut the door behind me I threw my hands in the air, with tears in my eyes, and said “GOD, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME?!? I don’t know what you are doing, but I’m here, I’m listening. ”Then as I turned around, my eyes fixed onto a scripture that I had put in our camper: “Where you go I will go. Where you stay, I will stay” (Ruth 1:16). So I just agreed with that scripture, dried my eyes and took a deep breath. I had peace that surpassed all understanding. Wherever He was leading us, we will go. It became that complicated and simple all at once.

It was a 20 minute drive back to SWO. Within that 20 minutes Josh and I started dreaming, planning, talking about the what ifs, and trying to figure out how in the world the priorities in our lives literally changed in four hours! The dreams we once had all of a sudden felt selfish. What were we willing to let go of in order to live a life full of Faith and Freedom? What does that even mean? What does it look like? What changes needed to be made? So, first, we made a list of our priorities and dreams:

1. Loving our boys and our family
2. QUALITY time with our boys (we only have our oldest for 5 more years)
3. Giving above and beyond what we have financially ever been able to do.
4. Start living in a way in which our finances serve us. Not the other way around.
5. Step out on faith like never before.

Second, we finished out the marriage retreat. It was an amazing weekend away for the two of us; recharging us for what was about to come!

“All too often we’re tethered to the things of this world. God invites us upward, above and beyond our circumstances. What unhealthy attachments need to go? Who’s opinions matter too much? What fears have held you back? What habits hinder your progress? May you have the courage to break up with the things that slow you down, bad habits that hinder your progress and earthbound attitudes that you know are toxic for your soul. May you instead have the faith to wait on God and soar with Him. When you set your mind on things above, you’ll be able to see things on earth from a redemptive perspective. Jesus invites you to experience more of Himself, more of His provisions, and more of His freedom.“

(Read Ephesians 3:18-21)

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