Eight years ago on August 13th the Groves family bought one way tickets from Utah Back to Ringgold.
Just a couple years before that we cried throughout the long beautiful flight to Utah, because it was the most trusting thing we had ever done up to that point…moving 2,000 miles away from anyone and everyone that we knew with a brand new baby.
Have you ever stepped out into a huge unknown with a suitcase and little ones? It is by far the most faith-building leap to date.
It was a time when “Jesus take the wheel” wasn’t just a funny saying for a hard day… it was real. Jesus – take over.
We knew that without fail God was near and ahead of our story.
Leaving behind family, friends, years of investment with students and families, and saying goodbye to everyone had us in an absolute mess.
This ministry life is a family endeavor. It is not just Dad’s job. When we were called into this life of laying our own down, we knew it would shape the hearts in our home
We closed up that chapter of our ministry in Utah with 2 1/2 years total in service and sacrifice at The Canyons Church. We went there hurt, and feeling hopeless. But we left healed and healthy!
We were confident in God’s guiding hand into the unknown (to us) Chapter Two…moving back here 8 years ago to launch Rock Bridge Ringgold.
8 1/2 years with Rock Bridge Community Church have quickly passed with Jesus filling the pages of our ministry. This church has been generous with loving the Groves over the years. Our family has literally grown while here.
This place has helped shaped the faith of our (now) six kids, with two of them having said yes to Jesus while here!
There are a lot of words that could describe Chapter Two… amazing, difficult, frustrating, trying, impactful, eye-opening, testing, growth, perseverance, rewarding, etc….
As we have witnessed in Chapter One, God has been working in us and has placed a deep desires to step out and expand our ministry story yet again.
Thankfully the Lord knows the next chapter because we are sad that He would desire for this one to come to a close!
So to stick with turning pages on important dates…it’s time to move again. Much like before…We have all the hard feelings, but we trust. He has never failed us! He is just as faithful today as he was yesterday or eight years ago!
I have a desire to shepherd and pastor more in the area of student and college ministry in a way that encourages, equips and adds hope. This last 8 years I’ve matured as a husband and dad, and a pastor in this role as Campus Pastor. All that said… I’m just a student pastor at heart. I love student ministry. I love it all..from middle school to College. Student Ministry is my passion and call in life. Nothing has made that more clear to me than working here as the Campus Pastor the last 8 years. For 5 1/2 of the last 8 years I’ve served as both the Student Pastor and Campus Pastor. The 2 1/2 years I’ve not been in Student Ministry have been some of the hardest times I’ve ever had in ministry.
After speaking with church leadership, many mentors in my life, as well as seeking counsel from trusted voices in our lives, this next chapter is leading us from serving here at Rock Bridge to Connection Church Statesboro GA. I will serve as the Student/College Pastor as well as Campus Pastor for the Statesboro campus. I am fired up! At 38 years old I’ve had all the feelings that I’m too old for Student Ministry, or that God was finished with me in Student Ministry… I’m so excited that’s not true!!!!
We are excited and ready to submit to Chapter 3!
Trust me…this is the worst part of ministry. Closing a chapter is never fun. There is no easy way of doing it.
So many stories, memories, so – much – life. But we are a family of HOPE.
We see God making a way out of a place we will treasure forever, into another city we know nothing about, that is hard and yet very exciting at the same time.
Pray that the people waiting for the Groves will be a fraction of the kind of unfathomable community we have been graced with in Ringgold for the last 8 years! For our kids to see God’s hand even though we will be relocating at such critical stages in their life.
It is not time for goodbye yet, so we won’t go there. But it is coming and we are so very grateful for y’all and the crazy kind of support you’ve showered us with year after year.
There is no way you could have loved us any stronger…Simply Amazing!
Faith is following God’s instructions, even when it doesn’t make sense, even when it doesn’t seem logical or rational. Faith means being obedient.
One of the best examples of this in the Bible is Abraham: “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8 NIV).
Abraham followed God’s instructions, even when it meant uprooting his family for the unknown, even when it didn’t make any sense to him.
Has God ever asked you to do something that didn’t make sense?
When he does, don’t ask questions—just do it!
– – – Sometimes Foolish Obedience is the best obedience – – –
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”
Trust in God’s wisdom, not your own.
When you obey even when you don’t understand, you will grow in faith and spiritual maturity
“Never doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light”
Faith is following God’s instructions, even when they don’t make sense, even when they don’t seem logical or rational. Faith means being obedient.
One of the best examples of this in the Bible is Abraham: “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8)
Abraham followed God’s instructions, even when it meant uprooting his family for the unknown, even when it didn’t make any sense to him. Has God ever asked you to do something that didn’t make sense? When he does, don’t ask questions—just do it!
Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”
Trust in God’s wisdom, not your own. When you obey even when you don’t understand, you will grow in faith and spiritual maturity!
Here is a song that’s really been an anthem for Kym and I during this season!
Love you fam
JC