About Us
Daniel
Heather
Our Kids
Our Ministry
I was born on May 11, 1981 in Des Moines, Iowa. When I was two years old, my parents became missionaries to Holland. I had the privilege of growing up with two younger brothers in our home in Veghel, the Netherlands. I enjoyed my childhood and the opportunities that came with living in a missionary's home. I attended public school (which is mandatory), which fully immersed me into the Dutch culture.
I was saved at the age of six during a furlough, when my father confronted me with my own sinfulness and I realized my need for a savior. That afternoon in Waterloo, Iowa I believed that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for my sins. I was not baptized until I was thirteen. It was during this time that God began to work in my life regarding church planting. In the summer of that year, I surrendered my life to whatever work God would have me to do.
In 1999 I graduated High School and moved to the United States to attend Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, Iowa. I graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. In the fall of 2003 I attended seminary at Faith Baptist Theological Seminary and graduated summa cum laude in 2004 with a Master of Arts degree.
I was born on February, 20, 1979 in Dubuque, Iowa. I have two older brothers and one younger brother. My dad worked in a local bakery that produced Sunbeam Bread. My parents were new Christians when I was born but they were very faithful to church. I even remember walking up the snow covered hill to get to church when the roads were impassable.
I was saved when I was five years old. One day on the way home from church I just kept thinking to myself that I really needed to get saved. I had grown up in church and knew what I needed to do. When we arrived home I sat down on the couch, confessed my sins and asked the Lord to forgive and save me. I was baptized shortly thereafter.
I attended public school in Dubuque, IA. After I graduated in 1997 I attended Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, Iowa. I received my Teaching degree in 2001.
Daniel and I met in the kitchen of Faith Baptist Bible College, became best friends, and started dating my senior year. In deciding to pursue a relationship with Daniel I realized that God was changing my future as I had envisioned it. God specifically used a sermon from Luke 14 to challenge and comfort me with this change of direction. I realized that night that God had been preparing me for this all my life. We were married on August 3, 2002 in my home church in Dubuque.
Nicolas (Cole) was born on June 3, 2005 in Cedar Rapids, IA. He loves cars and has a motor mouth. His favorite question: "How long until we get there?" Luke was born on March 3, 2008 in Dubuque, IA. He has proven to be a little more "set in his ways" but has also adapted well to the deputation life. He has come to share his brother's love of cars and enjoys looking at (since he doesn't read) books. Joel was born on March 2, 2010 and is always in a good mood--even when he's teething! We are blessed with our three boys and continually try to find the balance in parenting "on the road."
Before we knew each other God gave us Psalm 73:28 as a life verse, the truth of which has been clear in our lives: As we have drawn near to Him, and learned to trust Him with all the circumstances of life, a desire has been cultivated to declare all His works. This has been a driving force behind every ministry we have been involved with and propels us into the ministries that lie ahead. We want to declare all God's works to the Dutch people.
The Lord drew us together as a team at Urbandale Baptist Church, where we learned to work together and complement one another in ministry. In 2004 the Lord moved us to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to join the ministry of Good News Baptist Church. The Lord prepared us further for our ministry in Holland by allowing us to work with teenagers and young adults. A counseling ministry was based at the church as well, which was a great opportunity to put some practical experience together with my counseling training at FBBC. Good News Baptist Church became our commissioning Church 2006.
Deputation has been a great learning experience. Heather and I have learned to be very flexible and it has required us to become better parents. I think we have also learned to be better communicators (public as well as private) throughout this process.
In October of 2007 we were asked by the Dutch field if we would consider coming to Holland in the summer of 2008 to run teen camp. This is a one-week ministry that Heather and I have been looking forward to spearheading once we get on the field. It was a privilege to run camp and see the Lord work in the lives of 31 young people. Since then, I have run teen camp every summer.
On May 21, 2011 we boarded a plane and flew to Belgium. Really. It was cheaper to fly to Brussels than to Amsterdam and the distance to Veghel (where my parents live) was the same. It has been amazing to see how God has blessed and guided since arriving here. We found a car within two weeks, an apartment a month later, and were moved in by July. By Dutch standards that is incredible (some people wait for months). My parents left on furlough halfway through July and we became the interim pastor and wife of the Evangelical Baptist Church of Veghel until they come back in November.
