We’re currently living in our third hotel in three weeks. When we first arrived in Columbus, we stayed at a Staybridge Suites, which had all the amenities we could ask for—free laundry and breakfast! But by the end of our second week, we got the news: the hotel had been sold, and all guests had to leave.

It was a bummer because we were more than comfortable there. We found a cheaper option at an Extended Stay America across from the mall, but we hated it. The math didn’t add up when we factored in food and laundry costs, and the space wasn’t cozy. So, after one night, we packed up again and landed at another Staybridge Suites nearby. This one has a pool, and the kids are in heaven!

We plan to stay here until our income stabilizes and we’re ready to apply for a rental while we wait for our new home to be ready.

All trees bear fruit. The question is not if, but what kind. A tree rooted in Christ, nourished by His Word, and watered by the Spirit will naturally produce fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). In contrast, a tree rooted in the flesh or fed by the influences of the world bears fruit of pride, anger, envy, and selfish ambition.

So often, we see the visible “leaves” of sin and assume the solution is to pluck them off. We address individual behaviors, thinking that will solve the problem. But sin doesn’t grow in isolation. It’s rooted in something deeper: the soil of our hearts. Unless the root system is transformed—planted in Christ and fed by His truth—those leaves will return, season after season.

God doesn’t always move the way we expect. Sometimes, we look for fireworks when He’s sending quiet whispers. Other times, we think He’s late, but He’s working behind the scenes. If you’re in a season where everything feels like it’s falling apart, take a moment to look again. God is in the little things, the big things, and all the things in between.

There are moments in life when you pause, look around, and say, “Thank You, God. Won’t He do it?” Those moments fill your heart with gratitude, and it feels like you’ve reached the summit. But what if that wasn’t the summit? What if you were still climbing?

The truth is, blessings along the way can feel like the breakthrough, but they’re only glimpses of what’s to come. The true breakthrough isn’t just the temporary relief, the answered prayer, or the unexpected gift. It’s the activation—the moment when your faith collides with God’s purpose for your life.

1. Our Mobile Classroom in Pajamas.
   The kids might do history lessons in their pajamas one day and geography at the laundromat the next. We call it flexibility; others might call it chaos.

2. Shoeless Across the USA.
   Every time we unload at a museum, trailhead, or hotel, one kid inevitably steps out barefoot. We’ve just accepted it.

3. Minecraft Meets Geography.
   Sometimes lessons happen through Minecraft villages; other times, they involve learning about landmarks in person, like the Grand Canyon—“Does it have Wi-Fi?”

4. The Mini-Van Q&A Sessions.
   Roadschooling means constant questions like, “Why is the sky blue?” and “How much longer?” shouted from the third row while I try to explain both.