Our Family's Journey (updated 2/2019)

Every marriage and family has a beginning and a story. This is ours:

Joel grew up in Western Canada and Renee in North Central USA. We met in Canada in 2002 through a Christian missions organization called Youth With A Mission (YWAM). We quickly became good friends and by the end of the ten month school course we were serious about marriage. Joel proposed in October of 2003 and we were married in the foothills of the Rockies in May 2004.

  We honeymooned in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and traveled east to Saskatchewan to begin our first summer job together. From June-September was spent at a recreational fishing camp. Joel worked the docks and Renee cleaned cabins. It was here that one of Renee's dreams came true: we lived in a bus!

October 1st we traveled south to the Great Lakes region and settled down. We were expecting our first child in March so we needed to get settled and collect some furniture!

Joshua, 11 months

Joshua Stephen arrived to us March 2005 and thus began the journey of parenthood.

Rachel, 5 mo., with her Nana

Rachel Ann was given to us January 2007. We were delighted to have a girl, but we also needed to move out of our tiny one bedroom apartment. God graciously gave us a three bedroom trailor house in town. We moved and soon found out we were expecting another child!

At the 20 week routine ultrasound we found out we were having another little girl! But her heart wasn't quite right. Thus began another journey. A journey of hardship, prayer and tears. A journey which ended in grief. Little Emily Grace was born June 2, 2008 and lived nine days. She is with Jesus now and you can read more about her story by clicking here.

Joel and I moved once again. This time into a small two bedroom house just across the town we were living in. Three months after Emily died we were pregnant with another.

During this pregnancy Rachel was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. After much research, we changed hers and our diet to help her become healthy again.

Newborn Madelynn with
big sis Rachel and Mommy

That summer Madelynn Louise was born June 2009. She is a joy and a delight to our family after our period of intense grief.

Daddy with baby Hudson

Life continued on, Joshua began preschool Fall 2009. The next summer (2010) we began homeschooling. Shortly after we were expecting again. This time a boy! Hudson James was given to us January 2011.

In January we also bought our first house. February was spent fixing up the new house and packing up the old.

In November 2011: Joshua was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Another 'bend in the road' as we entrusted our lives to Christ.

Valentine's Day weekend 2012 Joshua was diagnosed with acute ITP (ideopathic thrombocytopenic purpura).

January 2013 Rachel was cured of Celiac Disease!  She can now eat gluten again and is happier than ever before! After reading this article, we implemented a new diet for all of us and a year later, Rachel was able to eat gluten. Praise God!

In April and May of 2013 Joel went to Bangkok, Thailand for 30 days to teach English at Santisuk English School. Afterwards, God fanned into flame the desire for missions training and to train others. To make a long story shorter, God pointed us to join a YWAM base and to serve on staff there. We were accepted as staff, began fundraising, sold our house and moved to our new location. 

We are currently living at YWAM Minneapolis and serving on staff. 

Joel is leading worship weekly at the campus, discipling students, leading a Biblical Studies for Discipleship School, leading mission outreaches and also is in the process of developing a School of Worship here at our campus. 

Renée is in the accounting office one afternoon a week and homeschooling the  kids. Renée graduated from Trinity School of Natural Health after a one year course and opened up an Etsy Shop: The Chickadee Tree and is now selling salves and kombucha. Renée is also a part time school bus driver and enjoying it immensely.