Story of the Week: How Jesus Sustains and Calls Us to Community
For five decades, Rod and Janice Chisholm have seen the Lord’s faithfulness. Through every circumstance, through valleys and mountaintops, His hand has guided their path.
For five decades, Rod and Janice Chisholm have seen the Lord’s faithfulness. Through every circumstance, through valleys and mountaintops, His hand has guided their path. And His people have provided meaningful community and connection at each stop on the journey. Let’s take a walk through the years with the Chisholms.
1970s – Colorado natives, Rod & Janice came to faith as newlyweds while stationed with the Army in Hawaii. They both knew of God growing up, but it became obvious in a chapel on base that the Lord was speaking to each of them and drawing them to Himself. Soon after moving to Hawaii, Rod was deployed. While they were apart, Rod and Janice each came to faith and began to plug in to faith communities. When Rod returned, they got involved in their local church and began to soak up the Word in a strong community. Their faith grew as young believers.
1980s – Now married with two young children, the Chisholms moved to Virginia briefly and then to North Carolina. They quickly found a local church as they raised their family. They got involved in AWANA and the Navigators discipleship programs. Even as young parents busy raising kids, they began to see themselves as ministers of the gospel, not just recipients of it. They were coming to realize that life could be best lived in connection with the local church community.
1990s – Rod & Janice added two more boys to their growing family! Their community in North Carolina was so strong that Rod decided to leave the miliary and serve the Army as a civilian engineer. They’d say this season of raising kids was nothing out of the ordinary, just living a full life with the church, their kids and each other. As their needs changed and their kids grew older, the Lord sustained them, a day at a time.
2000s – Rod deployed for a time again and the family moved to Texas. It was time to find a new church community, so the Chisholms commuted 30 minutes to church. Before long, they helped their church plant a new congregation closer to their home. The Chisholm kids began to leave the nest and life changed yet again. Rod and Janice recall their priorities in this season, “Let’s find a church and find our people and have people to do life with. The church must be our base of operations.”
2010s – Rod and Janice moved to Colorado for one last assignment with the military before retirement. They felt excited and blessed to finally be back in Colorado to help with their aging parents. They started attending Woodmen, finding purpose and calling in serving the church and in Rod’s work with the military. With now-grown kids getting married and having babies, they began traveling more and supporting their kids as long distance grandparents. Rod recalls, “The Word of God continued to grow us and by this time we had good roots and knew solid biblical principles.”
2020s – Rod retired in 2020 and soon joined the Elder Council at Woodmen. They both continue to serve in various roles at Woodmen. They genuinely support each other and make time to use their strengths for the good and growth of the church family. They’re excited to serve in the community where the Lord has planted them and by the Lord’s sustaining grace, they find abundant life and fresh joy in loving each other and in serving the local church through every season.
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