Places I've Been

You're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So... get on your way!

Dr. Seuss

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

I'm off to Iowa with my family of four.  It's not just me.  My wife Rose & I have two children: John & Annaliese.

It won't be the first time I've lived in Iowa.  I was born in Orange City in Sioux County, Iowa to Peter & Lois Admiraal.  In fact, it says so on my birth certificate along with this D.O.B. ~ November 10, 1966.  

In 1970, my parents moved to Western New York (and took me along).  Our house was located out in the country near Marion, NY.  My brother Dave was also born in Iowa but my two sisters, Suzanne & Kristen, were born in New York.  We attended East Palmyra Christian Reformed Church.  I also was a student at East Palmyra Christian School through 8th grade.  Then it was on to Newark High School where I competed in track & cross-country for the Newark Reds. 

In 1984, I graduated from Newark High School.  That fall, I was off to Michigan where I attended Calvin College.  I ran track and cross-country for the Calvin Knights.  My parents and many of my aunts & uncles found their spouse at Calvin College.  That didn't happen with me.

My first real job was in New Mexico.  I taught math at Rehoboth Christian High School.  I also coached track and did a whole lot of running myself.  In 1989, a beautiful young teacher named Rose moved to Rehoboth to teach fourth grade.  It didn't take long before we were dating.  Not long after that, I gave Rose a diamond ring.   June 29, 1991 was our wedding day!

In 1993, we moved to Zeeland, Michigan.  We wanted to be closer to family, especially as we began thinking about having kids of our own.  Rose's parents live in Grand Haven, Michigan which is only a half-hour drive north from Zeeland.  God gave us two children.  John was born in 1995 and Annaliese in 2001.  I first worked as a math teacher at Unity Christian High School in Hudsonville, Michigan.  Then I worked at two civil engineering companies in Holland, Michigan as a Computer-Aided-Designer (CAD).  At the same time, I volunteered in prison ministry and absolutely loved it.  The Spirit began to work on my heart.  A change was in order.  In the fall of 2006, I began studying for ministry at Calvin Seminary.  After four challenging years, I graduated from seminary this spring.

God has provided a calling.  At the end of December, we'll move to Pella, Iowa.  With God's help, the prison church will be planted in January of 2011.  The dream of New Life Prison Church is becoming a reality.   Praise God for this new opportunity in a New Place.  God has been with me as I've moved to different places in the continental United States.  And I have no doubt that God will continue to be with us in future days and years.  Jesus said, "Surely I am with you always to the very end of the age."  (Matthew 28:20)