A good way to catch up to real-time in our story!
April 2015 - We began our journey with foster care.
June 2018 - Received a phone call stating that our foster son we’ve had in and out of our home over the past 3 years, would return to his biological mother once again, after a long, heart-wrenching TPR trial. This is where I know the Lord allowed my heart to be broken of my will and my desires in order to fulfill His will and His calling on my life. This same weekend, was the awakening of a new relationship with Jesus for Adam, as he attended a Christian conference, Power & Love.
September 2018 - Adam and I attended another Power and Love conference with his siblings and their wives, and we met a new friend Darien. He and his wife were house parents for a group home down in New Mexico for Navajo children. Not only did we grow in our walk with Jesus over this weekend, we met new friends who also helped alter the course of our lives.
November 2018 - We went to visit Darien and his wife in New Mexico. The organization was looking for another set of house parents, and for the first time in his life, Adam was considering doing something other than working for his family business. I describe this as when he was awakened to the possibility that God had something different for his life/our lives. Although we didn’t feel lead to take the position - we left New Mexico knowing God was conceiving something in our hearts. Upon our return, Adam began to say, God, we will do whatever you want us to do. I began to say, God, I will do whatever you want, as long as we don’t have to sell out home ;)
It was during that trip that God had birthed in our hearts a vision for healing and restoration within foster care. Selfishly, we began foster care to grow our family. And we are thankful that the Lord transformed our hearts to desire healing and restoration and to do what we can on our end as foster parents to make that happen. This new perspective opened us up to taking in 3 foster kids soon after we returned from New Mexico. All situations where we were able to build relationships with the parents and provide support and encouragement as they went through the process. We created an all-inclusive family-like atmosphere on Sundays after church. We gathered together, prayed, enjoyed meals. We celebrated birthdays and holidays and cabin trips together. We continue to do these things now and we see what a difference it makes not only in the lives of the biological parents but in our own lives, the lives of our children and friends, and families.
April 2019 - Remember when I told God I will do whatever you want, as long as we don’t have to sell our house? Well, in April we received a notice stating a cell tower was being built ridiculously close to our home. For those of you that don’t know, there are some serious health risks within close proximity to a cell tower over a long period of time. I tried briefly to fight it, but I knew that the cell tower was the catalyst for change. The Lord used it to break me out, once again, of my will and my desires. We knew there was more for us. We knew He had more for us. So, we put our house on the market, it took a painfully long time to sell, but it did, and we moved to a God-ordained rental in Menomonee Falls.
October 2019 - Over the past few months, Adam and I pursued relationships and built community with new friends, biological parents of our fosters, recovering addicts, and others in Milwaukee. We began to notice gaps that needed filling; within the foster care system, post-incarceration, and post-rehabilitation. We began thinking about the possibility of creating a transitional living home and program. Also during this time, The Lord seemed to be stirring some things up particular with Adam’s family business, which then lead to a week-long sabbatical of sorts, to lean in and pray about what God was saying; about the company, about the future, about their families. It was during this week that I stumbled upon the multi-home property that we hope to obtain for our ministry. We’ve toured in, prayed over it, shared our story with the owners, and we believe this will be the future home of Solomon’s Porch.
November 2019 - With all the craziness of selling and moving, we decided to vacation to Colorado Springs, just Adam and I. It was an incredible time in the pursuit of healing and restoration of our own marriage and selves, a much-needed rest, and a time where God revealed vision and truly birthed the mission behind Solomon’s Porch.
December 2019 - May 2020 We have had countless meetings with those interested in hearing about the ministry of Solomon’s Porch. We have completed 99.9% of the paperwork needed so that we can file to become an official 501(c)(3) and plan to have that in ASAP. Once we receive non-profit status, we can start receiving donations towards the purchase of the property. We have established a board, branded ourselves, created a website, began working on programming, and most importantly continued to pray for wisdom, guidance, and direction moving forward.
June 2020 - Purchased a home in Milwaukee to initially live in ourselves, and then use for families that transition out of Solomon’s Porch.
July 2020 - We are filing our 501(c)(3) paperwork! The website and social media get final touches. We moved into the Milwaukee home and appreciated your prayers as we continue to follow His leading on this journey towards obtaining and establishing Solomon’s Porch.
September 2020 - All settled in. Kids have started school. Adam and I have been meeting new friends and developing relationships in and around our neighborhood. We’ve started doing bible studies with a great group of believers, as well as a street ministry in some of the toughest parts of the city. We know we are right where we are supposed to be for this time. He is so faithful. In His timing, all for his glory!
Comments