For Mary, Christ Journey Church became the place where she encountered a living, active faith and a community that would walk with her through every season of life.
More than 25 years ago, her journey began with a simple desire. She was searching for a church that had soul, a place where Jesus felt real and present. That search led her to Christ Journey, and it was the Christmas Pageant that first captured her heart. From that moment on, she was all in.
She began serving in children’s ministry alongside Julie, a time she remembers with deep love and gratitude. It was also here that her story expanded. She met her husband, David, who soon began attending as well. Together, they started building a life rooted in faith and community.
As their family grew, so did their connection to the church. Their sons, David and Joshua, received their first Bibles there. Her husband found joy in serving through FamJamz. The church was not just a place they attended. It was where their family was being formed.
Then life took an unexpected turn.
Their oldest son was diagnosed with severe autism, and everything changed. What followed were seasons filled with uncertainty, pain, and determination. They searched tirelessly for answers, exploring every possible path to support their son.
Out of that journey came something they never could have imagined.
They opened a therapy center in Coral Gables to serve children like their son. What began as a response to their own need became a calling. Today, more than 16 years later, they have served over 750 families and grown into a nonprofit organization. Through it all, they have seen how God can take even the most difficult circumstances and turn them into purpose.
Mary reflects on how God revealed gifts she did not know she had. While she always loved children, stepping into the world of special needs showed her the depth of both pain and hope that families carry. It became her mission to walk alongside them.
Throughout every high and low, Christ Journey Church has been there.
When their son needed support in youth group, a student named Thomas stepped in. When their family needed guidance and prayer during uncertain moments, Pastor Reed was there for Joshua. When their therapy center needed support through City Serve, the church showed up. And in every season, when they needed prayer, their church family prayed with them.
Both of their sons were baptized here, and so was her husband. These milestones stand as reminders of God’s faithfulness woven throughout their story.
Mary describes her journey with a deep sense of humility. There have been dark moments as a family and as a couple, but through it all, God has remained present and faithful in ways that are sometimes beyond words.
Looking back, she sees a life marked by both challenge and grace, and a church that stood beside her through it all.
This is what 100 years represents. Not just time, but stories like Mary’s. Stories of faith, resilience, and a God who meets us in every moment.
Mary and David are living proof of that faithfulness.
