Uncle Dell & Aunt Tara moved to New Mexico!

Hope houseparents show the power of choosing obedience over comfort.

Stepping out in faith is never easy. Just ask Hope houseparents, Dell and Tara Godwin.

They started serving at Hope’s Tampa home in 2013, and are now transitioning to serve as the Campus Directors at Hope’s New Mexico campus. Their story shows the power of choosing God’s will over staying in one’s comfort zone.

As Tara shares…

“When we were asked to come as Directors of the New Mexico campus, my first response was to pray about it. I like my comfort zone and I am not a person who is big on change.  

“After praying, we felt that the Lord was leading us to go to New Mexico. We shared this with the children at Hope Florida, and they were not excited to see us leave. 

“One day, I was talking with Mia, one of our 10-year-olds, and she asked me how I knew we were supposed to go to New Mexico. I told her I prayed about it and that I felt the Lord told us ‘yes’ to go. She wanted to know how the Lord ‘told me yes.’

“This opened up the opportunity for me to discuss with Mia how the Lord leads and guides us. That He did not verbally tell me to go, but that He laid it on my heart and gave me a peace about going. The next day, Mia came back and told me that she prayed and the Lord told her ‘no,’ we were not to go! Out of the mouth of babes!!  

“The hardest part about transitioning from Tampa to New Mexico was leaving the children. The daily hugs and hearing ‘Hi, Aunt Tara’ yelled across the field by one of the children during the day always made me smile. 

“Since arriving in New Mexico, God has abundantly confirmed His will for us to be here. It’s amazing the peace and contentment we can have when we choose not to be stubborn or fearful, but rather place ourselves in the center of God’s will regardless of the situation.”

We know you join us in celebrating houseparents like Dell and Tara who are sensitive to the Lord’s leading, and who serve sacrificially so that many children like Mia can learn to believe their life has worth.

Please pray for the Godwins in their new role—that God continues to bless them for stepping out in faith like they have, and that He uses them to impact many more young lives in the coming days.