Jacob and Tori Petersen have been married a little over 2 years, have a 2 year old son and a daughter on the way. They have a heart for family and seeing the restoration of families. Jacob is in a season of being the husband and father God has called him to be and enjoys welcoming all into their family home and making them feel like family. Tori grew up in the foster care system and God has since redeemed and restored pieces of her story and is using her as an advocate for foster youth, vulnerable youth and suffering families and is a voice for the unborn/pro-life. Taken from her site, Tori writes, “I share my life vulnerably with hopes to let my Abba Father be known & loved through stories, to offer hope to the hurting, & to serve people from all kinds of backgrounds.
Read MoreAviana and Rick Valadez go into their marriage story and how Jesus saved and redeemed their lives. From head knowledge to a loving relationship with their Savior, from redemption from a gambling and drinking past and a compromised relationship, Rick and Aviana share the similarities in their stories is that they prayed to receive Christ into their lives yet it didn’t fully change their life until God took them to the end of themselves.
They also share how they allow Him to steer their blended family and how He led their family to street evangelism through their two boys and the journey from sharing Christ with total strangers on Friday nights to God preparing them for full-time missions.
They have a beautiful testimony and are sold out for the cause of Christ and honor Him with their whole lives.
Read MoreIn the first year of their marriage Elliott shares it was when Andrea, his wife, came to him saying they needed groceries and they had nothing in the checking account or savings that he realized something had to change.
“It really broke me and I realized I really had no idea how to honor God with my finances. Because I didn’t know where to turn I began a process of prayer.” Something they weren’t doing and something 78% of the couples they coach and work with aren’t doing is a consistent budget.
AS ELLIOTT WAS DRIVING ONE DAY, HE HEARD A MAN ON THE RADIO SAY, “THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW FINANCIAL PEACE IS TO WALK DAILY WITH THE PRINCE OF PEACE, CHRIST JESUS.” This was an answer to prayer. God began to show them through the Scripture His ways of managing the money He has given. We talk budgets, tithing, cutting up credit cards and how to work through eliminating debt, and conquering comparison in marriage!
Read MoreMelissa and Bart Hamada have been married 13 years. Diving right in, we are talking about one of the most trying things they’ve walked through together in marriage, infertility. Have we idolized certain milestones in our life and in the church? How often do we not even think as we are asking certain questions? Never really fully knowing what someone may be walking through.
“I’ve found I’ve personally struggled with where you feel ‘What about me is broken?’ Or why is it that I’m not good enough to be a mom? There’ve been those seasons that I allow myself to question those things, and in light of truth found in Scripture, I know that God is sovereign and I know He’s in control. He’s redeemed me and my body, my marriage. I know He’s not withholding anything good.”
In the midst of this holiday/Christmas season, when the pain of loss may be felt more strongly or another year has passed and the promise you felt God would be sure to answer this year hasn’t happened, it’s a comfort to know we can still find joy and peace in a relationship with Jesus. Melissa and Bart share their joy and peace come from Jesus Christ in the midst of walking through the varying seasons that have come with infertility and that they trust in His good plan.
All this and more on episode 12!
Read MoreRegan and Mellie Martin have been married for 17 years. I was given the privilege to meet and record with this couple whose warm welcome and hospitality and how they live and worship in every day life with their six children was so refreshing to my soul. I hope it’s just as refreshing to yours and inspires something for your home life or sparks the call God’s been prompting in your own heart.
One of my favorite parts of this episode may be that you can hear 4 of their 6 children practicing their violin in the background toward the end. And another favorite moment, at the very end the Martin’s sing for us a gospel hymn, His Mercy is More.
This American family who moved from Wisconsin/Illinois to follow God’s call to South Africa. Regan said he prayed, “Here we are, send us. Where would you have us to be?” All this and more in episode 11!
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