Beyond Belief: The Power of Radical Faith

From Dune Dreams to Island Reality:  Our Leap of Faith to Puerto Rico The Michigan air felt different this time. Gone was the tentative curiosity of our first trip; replaced by a tangible buzz of anticipation. Puerto Rico wasn't just a possibility anymore – it was our future. The question that now danced in our minds, and in our prayers, was the how. How would this happen? Would we need to fundraise? Seek employment on the island? Or was there another path entirely? The Lord's response remained consistent, a gentle but firm whisper in our hearts: "Trust me." It was far from September, the month of our previous visit. Our bank account held no moving funds, and the exact timing of our relocation remained a mystery. Then, one crisp fall afternoon, as my wife and I walked the familiar dunes of Saugatuck, Michigan, the weight of the unknown settled upon us. We talked about the logistics, the uncertainties, the sheer magnitude of the decision we were contemplating. Suddenly...

A Cliffside Church and a Coded Book: Our Island Immersion Well, folks, buckle up because once we got our hands on Jack's Ford Ranger, the island of Puerto Rico truly opened up to us. My wife and I were eager to explore beyond Jack and Dama's property and get a real feel for what life could be like here. Our initial focus was the west coast. We spent a good chunk of time driving around Aguadilla, specifically looking at communities that might be a good fit for our family. It was exciting to see "For Rent" signs and actually tour potential future homes. Many of the properties we looked at were near the old military base, and we found several rentals in nice communities that were surprisingly well-priced. Things were definitely looking promising on the housing front. Throughout this initial exploration, Jack and Dama were their usual hospitable selves, but largely let us do our own thing. They were fantastic hosts, providing a base for us, but this week felt very much li...

Bleach Blond Hair and a Bucket Toilet:  Our Puerto Rican Welcome If you know anything about church culture in Puerto Rico, you likely have a certain image in your mind when you picture a pastor. Well-groomed, always in a suit, exuding a specific, practiced persona – it's a look deeply ingrained in the hierarchical structure prevalent in many Puerto Rican churches. The higher up you are, the more respect and honor you receive, often to an unhealthy degree (but that's a topic for another time!). Suffice it to say, there's a distinct "pastor look." And that "look" was precisely what my wife and I were subconsciously expecting when we landed in San Juan. Stepping off the plane and into the humid embrace of the tropical air, we navigated the familiar route to baggage claim. The San Juan airport has a unique setup – those waiting for arrivals must stay outside the luggage area. As we exited, scanning the crowd, we anticipated spotting an obviously "pastor...

Back in Michigan: An End to Puerto Rico or a Divine Confirmation? The familiar chill of Michigan air hit me differently this time. Arriving back felt less like a homecoming and more like an unexpected pit stop on a journey that had just taken a sharp, jarring turn in Puerto Rico. Once the initial shock settled and I navigated the delicate task of sharing the truth of what had transpired just days prior, a distinct impression settled over those closest to us. The unspoken consensus seemed to be: "Well, that's that. Puerto Rico is clearly off the table. God wouldn't have allowed that to happen if He wanted you there, right?" It was a logical conclusion, a comfortable narrative. But little did they know the seismic shift that had already occurred within my heart. The day I surrendered my life fully to God, uttering those now-familiar words – "I will go where you ask , do what you ask, and say what you ask, without question" – it wasn't a casual commitment....

The Waiting Game (and a Mountain in Nowhere) So, the waiting began… again. Day four in paradise, and my host was once more a phantom. Confined to the property, I wrestled with the ever-pressing question: what should our ministry look like? The answer, it seemed, wasn’t going to come from where I expected. That day became a pilgrimage of sorts. I paced the property, absorbing the vibrant tropical life, the lizards darting through the foliage, the endless, prayer-filled climbs up and down the steep driveway. I needed clarity. I turned to God, asking Him to reveal the path forward. It was clear our current trajectory with the church wasn’t it. His instruction was simple: delve into scripture, study the ministry of Jesus, and then return to Him. Back to the garage-church I went, spending hours immersed in the Word. What I discovered was profound. Returning to the sun-drenched outdoors, I shared my revelation with God: “Jesus didn’t have a ministry. He was the ministry.” His response res...

Trusting in the Echo:  When Spiritual Warfare Erupts in Paradise Returning from our second Puerto Rico trip, the certainty settled in: God was indeed calling us to move. Yet, the specifics of our mission remained shrouded in mystery. We continued to pray, yearning for clarity, but the divine response was a persistent whisper: "Trust me." And so, we did. In the interim, we immersed ourselves in research, exploring not only Puerto Rico but the broader Caribbean. We sought to understand the religious landscape of the islands, discovering a profound need for gospel ministry. Our excitement grew as we brainstormed potential avenues for service. Ultimately, we decided I should embark on an extended stay in Puerto Rico, a month-long immersion to discern the needs and strategize our approach. Discussions with church leaders from my wife's uncle's denomination led to an invitation to stay with them. The trip was scheduled for late June to late July 2014. During this time, I wo...

When Faith Gets Stretched:  From Puerto Rico High to Michigan Low Little did we know, our faith was about to be stretched beyond anything we could have imagined. The vibrant afterglow of our Puerto Rico trip quickly dissolved into disbelief. Why on earth would the Lord call us to move there? It seemed utterly illogical. So, after countless hours of prayer and seeking wise counsel, my wife and I knelt together and made a bold request. We asked God, if He truly wanted us in Puerto Rico, to provide the means to get us back there within a month, fully funded. We had no idea how we'd conjure up the $1000+ needed in such a short time, but we chose to trust. We launched a GoFundMe campaign, and the response was nothing short of miraculous. Within a month, we had raised nearly $2000! Enough for me, my wife, and my father to embark on a week-long reconnaissance mission to Puerto Rico. Our minds were blown. We spent the week immersed in my wife's family's lives, believing we'd be...

From Postcard Perfect to Pentecostal Catholics:  The Unexpected Call of Puerto Rico We stepped out of the plane and into a world that looked like a travel brochure sprung to life. My wife's aunt and uncle's home in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, was a stunning Mediterranean villa, complete with a lush, tropical garden, a classic red Mustang gleaming in the garage, and the distant silhouette of mountains against a vibrant sky. It was everything you picture when you dream of Puerto Rico. But the real revelation wasn't the scenery; it was the shift in our family's faith. We soon discovered that our Catholic relatives had embraced Christianity, a welcome surprise solidified by the church nestled in their garage. This led to a deep dive into the religious landscape of Puerto Rico, a landscape forever altered by a 1970s Pentecostal missionary. While the missionary's success was undeniable, the aftermath was complex. We met church leaders, attended services, and sensed a dissonanc...

The Trip That Changed Everything: From Reluctant Vacation to Unforeseen Calling It was early 2014, the chill of January or February still clinging to the air, when I had a crucial conversation with my wife. Her grandfather, who’d lived a full life in Puerto Rico, had recently passed away. The weight of mortality hung heavy, and I felt a strong urge for our children to meet their great-grandmother before it was too late. But there was a complication. My wife's relationship with her Puerto Rican heritage was complicated, to say the least. Growing up in a predominantly white farm town, her Puerto Rican last name became a source of discomfort, a marker of "otherness." Her childhood wasn't idyllic, and she'd built a wall, wanting nothing to do with the island or its people. After much gentle persuasion, she agreed to a 10-day trip to Puerto Rico, a reluctant concession to family and a promise that we’d never have to return. My primary goal was simple: to give our child...

Welcome to Radical Faith: Beyond Belief! Welcome, friends! We're thrilled to launch "Radical Faith: Beyond Belief," a blog and podcast dedicated to sharing the incredible journey of a missionary calling built on... well, radical faith. We're here to inspire, empower, and ignite a fire in those who feel that tug towards the mission field, especially when that calling seems utterly, undeniably radical . Get ready, because we're about to take you on a time-traveling adventure, starting back in 2014 when the initial call came ringing loud and clear. We'll dive deep into the nitty-gritty, the details that will leave you breathless and your faith soaring. Sharing things only our closest confidants have heard before now. We're talking about the kind of divine intervention that reshapes your understanding of what's possible. Before we dive into the chronological tales, it's crucial you understand something: this isn't your typical missionary narrative....