Cliff and Stacey Graves, West Virginia Missionaries in the Appalachian Mountains
We would love to tell you our story. In 2021 during the pandemic, most churches in Illinois we still shut down or slowly opening and we began watching Tomoka Christian Church in Florida online. We chose this church because our son-in-law had accepted the Youth Pastor position there and our daughter sang on the worship team. While watching, we began to feel a pull towards this church. We couldn't explain it, we just had to go and check it out.
We made two trips to Florida to pray and seek God in what we were feeling. Both times, we went home with the decision that we did not want to move to Florida. We had so much to give up if we moved; two flourishing businesses, a house almost paid off, a lot of stuff and all of our family and friends. But God would not stop drawing us. One Sunday after watching a church service, we looked at each other and agreed we still feel called. We also realized the reason we kept saying "no" was due to all the material riches we had. We both agreed that we needed to follow God, no matter what we had to give up. Within 12 days, we had a contract on a house in Florida and began packing for Florida.
By the end of March in 2021, we were moved. I had a job at church as the main facility custodian. Cliff eventually was hired on as a driver. We lived in Florida for a year and wondered why had God brought us here? In March of 2022, I took a mission trip with the youth to a mission in North Carolina and West Virginia. On the last day, I helped the mission team with an outreach at the West Virginia warehouse. God inspired me to ask what the long term goals were for the warehouse. They were praying for a husband and wife team to run the warehouse outreaches on a weekly basis and help in the community. We made a trip back to West Virginia in April to see what Cliff thought of the ministry. We were a perfect fit. We gave everything away except our construction tools, kitchen tools and our bedroom set so we could feel at home and we were moved by July 4th, 2022.
After a year and a half, God called us out of that mission and into our own ministry called JCS Ministries Inc. We are continuing the work that the Lord started with making relationships and discipling people while we do life with them. We facilitate small groups to help people grow deeper in their faith.
What's next? We are praying for a building that will become a Community Center. The Community Center will consist of a Cafe/Coffee shop, thrift store, conference room for discipleship, life skill classes and a food pantry. Until then, Cliff and I will continue to walk alongside people that God has brought into our life to disciple, GriefShare classes and outreaches to the community as provisions are sent from individuals and churches.
There are several ways to Partner with us: Prayer, Provisions, Mission Teams and Partnering financially. If you would like to Partner with us, please click on the button below.
Thank you and God bless y'all!
We made two trips to Florida to pray and seek God in what we were feeling. Both times, we went home with the decision that we did not want to move to Florida. We had so much to give up if we moved; two flourishing businesses, a house almost paid off, a lot of stuff and all of our family and friends. But God would not stop drawing us. One Sunday after watching a church service, we looked at each other and agreed we still feel called. We also realized the reason we kept saying "no" was due to all the material riches we had. We both agreed that we needed to follow God, no matter what we had to give up. Within 12 days, we had a contract on a house in Florida and began packing for Florida.
By the end of March in 2021, we were moved. I had a job at church as the main facility custodian. Cliff eventually was hired on as a driver. We lived in Florida for a year and wondered why had God brought us here? In March of 2022, I took a mission trip with the youth to a mission in North Carolina and West Virginia. On the last day, I helped the mission team with an outreach at the West Virginia warehouse. God inspired me to ask what the long term goals were for the warehouse. They were praying for a husband and wife team to run the warehouse outreaches on a weekly basis and help in the community. We made a trip back to West Virginia in April to see what Cliff thought of the ministry. We were a perfect fit. We gave everything away except our construction tools, kitchen tools and our bedroom set so we could feel at home and we were moved by July 4th, 2022.
After a year and a half, God called us out of that mission and into our own ministry called JCS Ministries Inc. We are continuing the work that the Lord started with making relationships and discipling people while we do life with them. We facilitate small groups to help people grow deeper in their faith.
What's next? We are praying for a building that will become a Community Center. The Community Center will consist of a Cafe/Coffee shop, thrift store, conference room for discipleship, life skill classes and a food pantry. Until then, Cliff and I will continue to walk alongside people that God has brought into our life to disciple, GriefShare classes and outreaches to the community as provisions are sent from individuals and churches.
There are several ways to Partner with us: Prayer, Provisions, Mission Teams and Partnering financially. If you would like to Partner with us, please click on the button below.
Thank you and God bless y'all!