We’re opposites in many ways and from different worlds. And yet, God drew us together. It all started in 2021 when God called me (Rachel) to move from Kansas City to Florida in the middle of a pandemic. I moved to Jacksonville to be part of a church plant, and within a couple of months, started working at Go To Nations as an administrative assistant. But let me back up. I had always known I was called to do ministry with my husband, but had grown weary in the waiting year after year. I had been praying for my husband for decades and asked the Lord if I could meet him within a year of moving to Florida. Little did I know how much God was already working behind the scenes...

Mitch here, and indeed, God was working. I had been at Go To Nations for many years and had traveled around the world with my family. That’s right, I was happily married with 4 amazing kids. As unexpectedly as you can imagine, tragedy devastated our family when my wife of 30 years suddenly passed away from covid in 2021. I thought my life was over and struggled to see how God could redeem any of this. One day my grief counselor asked me if I would ever be open to marrying again. Even though I was absolutely incredulous at such a thought, I felt the Lord on the question. I gave such specific answers that I thought it would be impossible for any woman to fulfill them! But little did I know, God had already moved her all the way from Kansas City.

While tragedy was the backdrop of our story, we soon learned that He truly does bring beauty from ashes and He makes all things new. We have often said that our story so beautifully displays the goodness of God and the faithfulness of God. Good, that He could bring another amazing woman into my life after such loss and Faithful, that He finally answered Rachel’s many years of praying for her husband.

Together, we forge a new path forward in gratitude as we honor the sovereign faithfulness of God in our lives. When we’re not ministering, you’ll probably find us spending time with family, enjoying the outdoors, or in the latest antique shop that Rachel drags Mitch into.

(Don’t worry, he likes it now too.)