About Stephen and Kim

From Surrender to Mission:

The Journey Behind Seeds of Grace Missions

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Stephen's Story:

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After years of running from God, Stephen found himself listening to Christian radio while at work in his early 30's—an unexpected moment that would change everything. Through the music and messages, God revealed Stephen’s deep need for a Savior, showing him that he would never be "ready," never be "good enough," and would never meet even his own expectations apart from Christ. In his early thirties, Stephen surrendered his heart to Jesus and asked Him to change his life. Everything began to shift. Shortly after his baptism, he felt a strong pull toward missions. In 2014, he took his first trip to Guatemala with his daughter Lily, where the people, the need, and the Spirit of God gripped his heart. By 2017, Stephen was leading mission teams, answering the growing call to serve and share the love of Jesus in a land far from home—but increasingly close to his heart.

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Kim's Story:​

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Throughout her childhood and young adult years, Kim searched for God in many places—synagogues, Unitarian churches, and many other religious settings—always feeling a pull to serve others. Yet despite her efforts, an emptiness remained. As she raised a family, she worked hard to build a life rooted in goodness and purpose, but still felt something was missing. Hoping her children would know the God she hadn’t yet found, Kim insisted on having the family in church. During that time, God gently placed people in her life who pointed her forward. In 2013, her husband and daughters wanted to join Ivy Creek Baptist Church. Though she struggled with feeling like an outsider, she agreed. When her daughter asked to be baptized, Kim joined her—marking her third formal baptism. She wrestled with this decision as her past experiences with churches were very negative and disappointing. However, this time she made a quiet promise to God: If You soften my heart, I’ll keep walking toward You. And He did just that. In 2017, while her family prepared for a mission trip to Guatemala, Kim felt a strong unrelenting urge to join a team going to Kenya. Filled with doubt and fear, she went anyway—and God met her there. That trip marked the beginning of deep healing. By 2018, she began joining her family on mission trips to Guatemala. With each visit, God softened her heart more, revealing that only He could fill the emptiness. After the pandemic and as her children left home, Kim faced darkness and despair as she was once again empty and lost. In her lowest moment she knew there were only two choices that would dramatically change her life. Not wanting to give up on life she cried out to God—and fully surrendered.

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Our Story:​

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Stephen and Kim came into marriage with very different backgrounds—and with them, deep wounds and unmet expectations. Those past experiences shaped how they communicated, trusted, and loved, often falling short of what God intended for their relationship. After 10 to 15 years of just getting by, they came to a turning point: they didn’t want to simply survive marriage—they wanted their family to thrive.

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Determined to grow, they began attending Christian marriage conferences. Over time, they realized the key wasn’t just better communication or more time—it was putting God at the center. Only by confronting their pasts and allowing Christ to heal and lead could they truly learn to love one another the way He designed.

 

What followed was a season of growth—through prayer, study, and the deepening of their relationship. As they placed Christ at the center of their marriage, God was preparing them for something far greater than they imagined: a calling that would take them beyond comfort, into full reliance on His grace, mercy, and strength.​

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In 2019, they planned a trip to Guatemala to experience mission work without a team. This desire to serve as a couple quickly became a divine assignment when Stephen and Kim were unexpectedly asked to teach on marriage. Their partners in Guatemala shared the heartbreaking reality: many men were supporting multiple households or spending their wages on alcohol, while women bore the burden of providing for their families alone. With absent fathers, children were left vulnerable—many drawn into gangs, lacking godly role models. The communities were desperate for biblical truth about marriage and family.

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That one open door led to something far greater. Stephen and Kim began hosting marriage conferences across seven communities, ministering to hundreds of couples over the next four years. With each trip, it became more evident—God had been preparing them all along. Through their own journey of struggle, surrender, and restoration, He equipped them to speak into the lives of others with authenticity, compassion, and gospel-centered truth.

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By 2025, that calling could no longer be contained to part-time service. Stephen and Kim founded Seeds of Grace Missions—a nonprofit dedicated to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Guatemala, with a focus on God’s design for marriage and family.

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Their mission is simple but powerful:
When Christ is at the center of a marriage, families are strengthened. When families are strong, communities are transformed.

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Through Seeds of Grace Missions, Stephen and Kim are committed to planting the truth of God’s Word in the hearts and homes of Guatemalan families—trusting that every seed sown in grace will bring forth a harvest for God’s glory.

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Join the Mission

Stephen and Kim invite you to journey with them —

bringing the hope of Christ to the underserved and hurting hearts of Guatemala.