Modern Day Pilgrim’s Progress
Our Modern-Day Pilgrim’s Progress
Our family’s journey has been anything but ordinary.
Looking back, we see God's hand over every step, every move, every season of surrender.
It hasn't been easy — but it has been real.
We call it our modern-day Pilgrim’s Progress because we truly believe God has led us out of the City of Destruction and into His purpose—step by faithful step.
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A Divine Connection
Before our journey together even began, God's hand was orchestrating something beautiful.
At the time, I was living in Portland, Oregon, while working in Austin, Texas, selling homes.
My mom lovingly encouraged me to join Christian Mingle — not knowing how powerfully God would use that simple step.
At the same time, Mike was living in Los Angeles when the Holy Spirit clearly spoke to him:
"Look for her in Austin."
It was a city he had no earthly reason to search in — except for God’s leading.
And that’s exactly where we found each other.
Mike and I got married in September 2014 after only a few months of dating.
Our connection was fast, but the foundation was God's peace.
California became the place where we began our marriage, welcomed our son Henry, and where God began healing me from the deep wounds following my dad’s passing.
The journey started out bumpy, but we had each other—and, most importantly, God.
He was the center of everything.
He knew what He was doing, even when we didn’t.
And we continued to trust Him, lean into Him, and seek His will day by day.
From the very beginning, we experienced fiery darts—opposition, misunderstanding, and deep trials.
Now we understand why:
God was building something eternal, and the enemy tried hard to stop it.
Our marriage wasn’t just about love — it was about mission.
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Leaving California — Obedience Over Comfort
In 2018, after enduring many trials and feeling unable to settle, we sensed a stirring.
God was calling us out.
We couldn’t explain it fully, but deep in our spirits, we knew: it was time to leave California behind and follow Jesus.
We said yes.
We left behind family, familiarity, and stability — because obedience mattered more than comfort.
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Scottsdale, Arizona — Blessing and Barrenness
In Scottsdale, God gave us the precious gift of our daughter, Natalia.
But spiritually, we still felt dry.
We couldn’t find a church that fed our souls.
We realized we weren’t called to settle — we were called to sojourn.
We were pilgrims. And He was still leading.
Around this time, the world shifted dramatically (2020).
What once felt stable no longer did.
God was opening our eyes even more — showing us that this world is not our home.
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The COVID Wilderness — Learning True Dependence
When COVID hit, everything changed.
Mike had positioned himself for a job relocation to Charlotte, NC —
but God asked us to lay it all down.
Because of the vaccine mandates and our deep convictions, Mike left his job — the very job that had provided for our family.
It was terrifying.
But we obeyed.
We packed up, not knowing where we’d end up.
We lived in hotels.
We homeschooled our kids on the road.
We learned to trust God for daily bread.
And He provided —
Every. Single. Time.
It was a season of deep isolation.
No church. No support system. No familiar structure.
Just us... and God.
And that was exactly where He wanted us.
He stripped away every earthly dependency so we could rely fully on Him.
We weren’t just reading about faith.
We were living it.
He refined us.
He removed distractions.
He drew us deeper into His heart.
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Tennessee — A House, A Delay, A Lesson in Surrender
In 2022, we built our first home in Tennessee.
But even as the walls went up, we knew deep down —
it wasn’t where God ultimately wanted us.
We pressed forward anyway, thinking maybe it would work out.
But after two years, God spoke clearly:
"Move again."
Sell the home.
Go deeper into the countryside.
Trust Me.
We obeyed.
Again.
It wasn't without struggle.
There were delays. Pain. Spiritual warfare.
Times we questioned if we had heard God correctly.
But His whisper never changed:
"Trust and obey."
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Refinement in the Countryside — Oil for the Final Hour
In 2025, we thought Florida was our spot.
A final assignment, a place to shine, to prepare others for what was coming. But God said no to our favorite beach and vacation spot.
God closed the doors.
He shifted our hearts.
It wasn’t about Florida.
It was about Jesus.
He is our refuge.
He is our Goshen.
He is our everything.
God made it clear:
"I don’t want your comfort. I want your surrender."
He called us deeper — into a quiet countryside home —
where the real preparation could continue.
Where He could fill us with oil for the final hour.
Every trial, every move, every surrender was never wasted.
It was all preparing us —
for the final shaking.
for the final sifting.
for the final trumpet.
We are not hiding.
We are being made holy.
We are not escaping.
We are enduring.
We are not stuck.
We are stationed.
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One Day at a Time — Eyes on the Horizon
Now, we are taking one day at a time.
Treasuring each moment.
Keeping our lamps trimmed and burning.
We sense it deeply:
The ark is about to close.
The call to come up is near.
Our journey has never been about finding the perfect place —
it has always been about finding the Perfect One.
His name is Jesus.
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Come walk with us.
There’s still time.
There’s still hope.
His name is Jesus.
