A Little Bit about us
We believe that God loves to use stories- especially the messy ones. So we want to share ours with you. Our story is no cookie-cutter Hallmark movie. It’s messy and gritty and downright hectic at times. But we hope it encourages you. We hope it reminds you that you’re not alone in your struggles. And we hope it meets you right where you are, in all the messiness of life.
So here it goes.
Chris and I met snowboarding back in 2000. He was a natural on the slopes, while I ended up speckled with bumps and bruises. We dated for two and a half years, and happily married in 2002. We had big dreams back then. But after the birth of our first kid, Cameron, we realized our marriage was less than dreamy. We struggled to connect and lost some of the adventure in our hearts.
I was at a gas station when a kind couple invited me to church. They didn’t even know me. Little did I know that this casual invitation would transform our life and legacy for good.
I had been to church from time-to-time when I was younger, but this time was different. This time I encountered a lively body of believers who loved God and loved people. Faith fueled their actions. They showed me that life didn’t have to be done alone.
So while things were still messy at home, I received Jesus as my Savior. My problems didn’t vanish into thin air, but I no longer had to face them by myself. God met me whereI was and accepted me asI was.
As I continued to walk with Him, He changed my focus. I used to view the world in black and white. But in the midst of our darkest struggles, brothers and sisters in Christ came alongside us, held our hands, and walked with us through the pain. From this, we learned that grace can be found in the imperfect moments of life. We learned what life looked like in beautiful shades of gray. They carried our burdens, and we stood on their faith. God delivered us, Chris found a saving relationship with Christ, He renewed us, and redeemed our marriage.
As we tried to figure out our new life in Christ together, we served alongside each other in many things: youth leadership, construction ministry, multiple mission trips to Nicaragua, the list goes on. But one day, Chris felt a calling in his life to use his skill sets for God’s Kingdom. With a small group of friends, they founded a construction ministry. From there, God has moved us around a bit and Chris is now leading disaster relief efforts immediately after a disaster strikes.
Its amazing how God has knitted it all together, but we see now that He has used our own storms: physical, emotional, spiritual to bring us closer to Him. He now allows Chris to point others to Christ in the aftermath of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and ice storms. Our desire is to bring hope to the saints, the hopeless, and the hurting, no matter what storm they face. So whether it be a strained marriage, a natural disaster, or an overall feeling of hopelessness, we pray God will empty us out.
Our story is proof that life doesn’t have to be perfect in order to have meaning. And it never has to be done alone! We would love to have you serve with us, just as you are. If you’re interested in physically serving alongside us, you can learn more at www.godspitcrew.org
Do you relate to any part of our story? If so, please let us know in the comments! We would love to hear from you.
Blessings and peace,
Niki Chiles
Chris & Niki working together on a roof in MS, October 2011.