Over twenty-five years ago, we met as college students - two people drawn together by a shared pull toward faith, community and serving others. What began as a meaningful connection quickly grew into a relationship that carried us through dating, ministry, marriage, and eventually parenting. Over the years, we’ve lived in five different states, collecting stories, memories and lessons that have shaped our understanding of God, church and purpose. We built a life together that was honest and beautiful, sometimes complicated, and often marked by transitions brought on by ministry.

When we first met, we were both already rooted in our student ministries at our home churches. Ministry wasn’t just something we did, it was something that we loved — it was how we connected with others, how we gave back and how we experienced community. That shared desire for meaningful connection is what led us to begin doing ministry side by side. We had a simple vision then: to love people well. To welcome students into our home. To lead shoulder-to-shoulder with volunteers and fellow pastors. To create spaces of belonging. It felt grounding, hopeful and deeply life-giving.

Those early years launched us into a long season of serving in various roles - student ministry, discipleship ministry, teaching pastor, and even worship leader when the moment called for it. Some of our greatest joys came from the teams we served with and the students and families we were privileged to love. After seventeen years in student ministry, Todd transitioned into discipleship and teaching ministry, and during that time we discovered something important: what we cherished most wasn’t the programs or structures, but the people. The relationships. The everyday moments of connection, mentoring, and walking alongside our community. That realization began shaping our ministry philosophy around connection, community, and holistic care.

But alongside the beautiful parts of ministry, we also carried the weight of its painful realities. Church conflict, unhealthy cultures, leadership pressure, burnout, and seasons of being let go forced us to face the heartbreak that can come from serving within the church. Rather than allowing those experiences to harden us, we sensed God nudging us toward a new direction - one where our story could help others navigating similar pain. We began to understand that the hurts we had endured weren’t meant to break us; they were meant to reshape us and open the door to a ministry of support, healing, and honesty.

Our turning point came after moving to Florida, when Todd was unexpectedly let go from a ministry role in a deeply painful and disorienting way. That moment unraveled us - and in many ways, it also set us free. We found ourselves asking new questions about what healthy faith looks like, how healthy churches function, and what ministry could be if rooted in love rather than fear. We entered a season of reflection, deconstruction, and rebuilding - not a loss of faith, but a return to its truest, most life-giving core. We found a church community that allowed us to heal, breathe, and rediscover the heart of ministry through connection and compassion.

We sought out mentors and therapists who walked with us through the trauma and helped us hold our pain with honesty and grace. Slowly, the bitterness and anger we carried began to soften into a desire to share our story - not to accuse or defend, but to offer hope and solidarity; to simply say, we get it. At 12 Springs Church in Sarasota, we finally found a safe space where we could speak openly about our beliefs, acknowledge our struggles without judgment, and wrestle with hard questions in a community marked by care. It became the place where we could heal, grow, and begin imagining a ministry that supports others who have been wounded by the church.