“See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” –Deuteronomy 1:21

Be Where You Are

It was Daniel’s dream to be a firefighter, but God had another plan for his life. Setting up retirement plans for businesses wasn’t as exciting as putting out burning buildings, but it allowed Daniel and his wife, Heather, the flexibility to go wherever God led them. Their freedom and willingness to serve made them the right couple to start a ministry supporting foster kids and foster families all over Southern California. 

The Fowlers led the ministry—Child Hope Services—for ten years in California, but as the state’s non-Christian culture and cost of living climbed, Daniel and Heather discerned that their vision for their family needed to change. Even though they loved their relatives and community, they felt Texas offered their family hope and new opportunities. So they decided to move to Southlake.

Heather and the kids desperately missed California, but Daniel knew plugging into a church would calm their homesickness. He encouraged his family to “be where your feet are.”

Finding a New Home

On their second visit to Gateway Southlake, the pastor spoke about foster care and adoption—something their family knew a lot about. The Fowlers dove right in and quickly became an integral part of Gateway’s community. Little did they know that their new church would need them to return to their home state where something devastating was happening.

Crisis in California

Wildfires blazed across California, and Gateway’s leadership asked for the Fowlers’ advice on how the church could practically meet needs. The leaders didn’t want to just write a check. They wanted to go—fill a truck with essentials and drive to California! The Fowlers said, “We’ve driven this trip so many times. Let us do it!” Within a week, Heather and Daniel left for their home state in a U-Haul truck packed with work gloves, PPE gear, diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, socks, snack packs, canned goods, and one full-sized generator.

A Dream Realized

Daniel would finally get to fight fire in a different way—by delivering essentials to the Dream Center, a major hub aiding families impacted by the devastating Los Angeles fires. The Fowlers’ trip back represented a visible thread—a connection between their two homes: California and Texas. They were gaining friends, not losing them.

“To have our church’s hearts connect to the place we love was so special for us,” says Heather. Being ready to just go, the Fowlers had activated an entire church. It was the tangible hands of Jesus helping California residents in crisis.

Just like the ones we admire, we have opportunities. We can trust God, bravely walk by faith, not fear, and just GO! Where is God calling you today?

What does this mean for me?

Listen closely at church. You will hear people talking about needs and where to serve. Maybe the church nursery could use another helper. Maybe the local food pantry needs restocking. Ask around. Search for where you can serve. Plug into your church and community so you can enjoy being the hands of Jesus for others. Say “yes” to the next opportunity you hear about and see how it goes. You may just find a ministry you love!

This article is part of the Let’s Go devotional, which is focused on fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission. Follow along with the devotional here.