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Looking Back on 2025

(photos from the year below)

It’s hard to believe around this time last year we were spending our first night on our sailboat Selah! 2025 has been one of those years, where we look back and think, “That was only a year ago!?” We started this year off with a big and long anticipated journey south on the water that eventually landed us in the Bahamas. Although it was a hard and trying journey at times, it was also very rewarding to finally get our “feet wet” (pun intended) as a boating family with Maritime Ministries. 

We landed back in Elizabeth City, NC after about 5 months of traveling on the water and had a very fun and full summer. We were able to take out about 200 people, mostly youth, for day outings on our local waterways. As summer ended, we began prepping for yet another round of repairs and maintenance jobs on the boat. We rebuilt another structural wall below deck and then hosted a fundraiser for Selah’s long overdue “bottom job.” We quickly raised all the money we needed, and in October we moved off the boat & hauled her out for the work, but like all good boat projects, the job is taking longer than we hoped, so she won’t make it back into the water till after the new year. In the meantime, MM has several local projects that we will be helping on. We will be working on prepping some ministry boats to be sold and lightening the load of our president Dan, to free him up to work on a new partnership between JAARS* and MM. Early next year MM will receive a 55ft trawler motorboat that we will run as a training vessel for JAARS missionaries and Bible translators. We are super excited about this new partnership. Lord willing, after the weather warms up again, we will finish our bottom job and take Selah out for another season of training and travel out on the water. 

Of course there is so much more to tell you, one big thing being in January, Aaron will start his second semester of part time, online seminary classes as part of his training to be minister of the gospel on the water. The kids are happy and healthy and God continues to take care of their hearts and desires with lots of good friends and opportunities to grow. If your ever curious about what we are up to or what we hope to do in the future, please, always feel free to reach out. We recognize that we haven’t always done a good job of keeping everyone in the know. But please know that your prayers, support and encouragement mean a great deal!

Love and Blessings to you and your family in 2026,

Aaron, Laura, Rielle, Everett and Abel

 *JAARS, a partner of Wycliffe Bible Translators – www.JAARS.org

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We are still in the process of seeking monthly supporters to join our team. Please reach out to learn more and to hear about our plans for 2026

The Year in Photos

Aaron and the boys relaxing in our dinghy boat

Rielle and Laura on the beach in Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas

Aaron and his ukulele join the local musicians for a jam session. Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas

Aaron helps lead worship for Easter Sunday at Green Turtle Community Church. This was the churches first time with live music since having their building destroyed by a hurricane. They were super excited to have Aaron play for them.

Green Turtle Community Church

The boys play basketball in downtown Green Turtle Cay during the local school fundraiser event. Laura Donated a painting of the local marina to the fundraiser for the only school (an elementary school) on the island. Middle and high schoolers take a ferry to the mainland for school.

Everett walks on the beach in Green Turtle Cay

we arrived in Green Turtle Cay the week that some friends of our team we hosting a sailing camp for the local kids. There are about 50 kids on the island. The islands economy is supported mainly by tourist. Jeff, who runs the camp wanted to be able to have Americans serve the local community who is used to people coming to be served. The camp is free to locals.

Sailing camp was a great way for our kids to get to know the local kids quickly.

Selah anchored in Fort Lauderdale, FL as we traveled down the ICW

local sailing outing back in Elizabeth City. We had so much fun using Selah locally in NC this summer. It was a blessing to not have a boat in construction mode and able to use to host groups. We can take up to 25 people out on Selah at once. We took out over 200 people this summer.

We had 2 new families join Maritime Ministries this year. One came and spent a couple of months with us. One day we treated the kids to some dinghy sailing.

When the summer ended, it was time to out the boat back into construction mode. This used to be where our back shower was. The bulkhead wall behind the shower was found to be rotted out.

Ta-da! The rebuild bulkhead wall. Next we will rebuild the shower/bathroom

Laura laying fiberglass in the engine room as part of the bulkhead repair

Laura and two other Maritime Ministires team members help work on the bulkhead rebuild. Rachel (left) and her family are nearing the end of building a 40’ catamaran that their family plans to use to serve missionaries in South America. Kim (right) and her family work with a non profit to facilitate moving humanitarian aid supplies via personally owned boats from FL to the Caribbean

Selah getting her “bottom job” as they say in the boat world. Gives a new meaning to sailboats and beach chairs doesn’t it.

Aaron and Patrick sanding off the old bottom paint.

Rielle and Laura prep for more paint removal.

Thanks so much for reading! We are so excited about what God holds for us in 2026 as a family and as a ministry!

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Fall 2025 Update & Fundraising

First I just want to say a big thank you to all who prayed for our fundraiser event! We had a full house and exceeded our fundraising goal. Two weeks ago we were able to take Selah down to the small town of Belhaven, NC to be hauled out of the water for her bottom job. See our fun time lapse video below.

What’s New

At the end of the summer we temporarily moved off the boat in anticipation of our haul out and bottom job. We also needed to put the back half of the boat back into construction mode in order to fix the rotten bulkhead we found while traveling south. A couple from our church is letting us stay in the upstairs portion of their house while we work on these projects.

Although our original plan was to head south again this winter, the tentative plan now is to stay put for the winter, make more repairs and upgrades to the boat and head back out on the water come late spring.

Aaron started taking seminary classes online. Aaron’s currently taking three online courses. This is something he’s thought about doing for years now and at the end of the summer things aligned for him to start pursuing a masters degree part-time.

Our ministry just got done hosting another Kings Fleet Conference. If you remember from a few years back, Kings Fleet is a network of Christian boaters and Christian maritime organizations that serves to connect and encourage one another other. This is always a treat to be a part of.

Laura finished a series of 12 paintings that Maritime Ministries is turning into a calendar for 2026. Each painting is based on a picture taken by a Maritime Ministries team member while traveling on the water. See some examples of the paintings below, or if you would like a copy of the calendar, you can get one for free by signing up to support us on a monthly bases. Which brings me to our final point…

We Need Your Help!

We are fund raising! Some of you may have thought we were already funded. God has mostly supplied our needs so far through one-time gifts, the selling of our resources, side jobs and a handful of monthly supporters. But at this time we feel led to raise regular full-time monthly support.

After leaving our short term calling in Costa Rica in 2017, we felt that maybe God was leading us into full-time ministry. When covid hit, we set out on an adventure that eventually brought us to Elizabeth City. As we have served with Maritime Ministries, God has made it abundantly more clear that the most fitting purpose in life for us is to serve in full-time ministry. Because of the lack of a clear vision, over the last three years, we did not feel it prudent to fundraise. We wanted to be able to cast a clear vision for how God was leading us, but often he was only leading us a month at a time and asking us to trust him with the future. Recently though, while Laura was reading the book of Nehemiah, she felt like God gave her a clear image of what fund raising looks like in the church. The part of Nehemiah’s story where half of the servants worked on rebuilding the broken wall, while the other half held spears and weapons in defense of their enemies, has became a picture for us of how Jesus is furthering his kingdom on earth through both the funded and the funders. It is no secret that one of the hardest aspects of going into missions is support raising, but we feel strongly now that in order to do the work God is calling us to, we will need other people and churches to ‘hold the spears’ for us. This is not just an image of financial giving, but also of the need for prayer, intercession and encouragement. We would like to offer you the opportunity to give some of what God has given you in order to be a part of the work the Lord will do through us.

“From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail.” – Nehemiah 4:16 

Maritime Ministries in conjunction with the Christian Boaters Association and Hope Fleet, are hoping to create greater connectivity between Christian boaters on and off the water. The hope is that in drawing Christian boaters together into deeper community, we will accomplish three things. The first being that Christian boaters traveling on the water will feel more confident about sharing their faith. Secondly, we hope to identify mature believers who will want to help facilitate on the water Bible studies and fellowship gatherings. The third hope is to make more Christian boaters aware of needs and rolls they can help fulfill within international maritime missions organizations. Our family will help when here in Elizabeth City by identifying, meeting with, and training potential future maritime ministers. When traveling again on the water, we hope to find and connect with churches and individuals who are also interested in helping us further these goals. Aaron’s seminary education will give him the opportunity to speak at churches and share the vision of these organizations and also to build up and encourage local churches in the small island communities where we travel.

In order to cover our living and housing expenses, Selah’s travel expenses and Selah’s maintenance costs, we need to raise about $5,000 a month. We currently have $600 in monthly support.

How To Find Out More

We’d love the opportunity to share more with you about our desires for the future and how we feel God is leading us. We can set a Zoom call or can meet in person if you’re local. Feel free to reach out to us directly or use the link below to contact us via our contact form. Or, if you’re new to our blog, you can keep scrolling down to read more about our journey with Maritime Ministries and our sailboat Selah.

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How to Give

If you’d like to be a monthly supporter, you can use the link below to set up giving through Maritime Ministries. Any new monthly supporters who sign up before January first will be automatically mailed a free copy of the 2026, Martitime Ministries calendar containing pictures of Laura’s paintings!

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How To Pray

We continue to long for your prayers as we journey. Please pray for lots of hands to join us in completing Selah’s bottom job. We are anxious to get her sanded, repaired, painted and back in the water before the weather gets too cold. Please pray also for Aaron as he learns to balance his new school work load with boat work and ministry work.

Thanks as always for following along on our journey, your support means so much!

– Laura & Aaron

Sample of Laura’s Calendar Paintings

Kayla Coming Home
Amazon Cruise
Sunset at Sea
African Fishing
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How Was Your Trip?

by Laura Koerner

The Short Version

We are back “home” in Elizabeth City after taking the boat south for the winter 

A quick overview of our travels: Aaron and Captain Dan left Elizabeth City and took two weeks via the Intracoastal Waterway to get to Charleston, SC where they waited out a snow storm. From there they did 36 hours in the open ocean, leaving out the Charleston inlet and arriving in Jacksonville, FL. In Jacksonville the kids and I took the place of Captain Dan. The family then took the boat all the way to Fort Lauderdale, FL via the ICW before crossing the Gulf Stream and landing in West End, Bahamas. We traveled through the Abaco chain of islands in the Bahamas, island hoping till we landed in Green Turtle Cay where we spent several weeks before making the long trek back to Florida and back north to Elizabeth City. We stopped at countless towns and anchorages along the way. Only spending a handful of nights at marinas, we lived most of our time “on the hook,” anchored right outside a town or island, using our dinghy boat to get from our anchored spots to land.

After spending almost 5 months on the water we have arrived back feeling very full and a great sense of accomplishment at a successful season out on the boat. We left feeling like we were still in a season of training and upon arriving back, that definitely feels like the main reason for going out. We continue to trust God for the point of all this training. 

When asked, “how was the trip” I like to say “It was good, but that doesn’t mean it was fun or easy” usually followed by a statements like, “it was lots of personal refinement and stretching” It was good for us, but not always in an enjoyable way. It felt like a true “adventure” lots of highs and lows, with a great sense of accomplishment in the end. 

Aaron and I both agree that the journey had a strong theme of learning to trust God for our personal safety and his ability to fill the gaps between our incompetencies and the challenges we faced. 

Selah sailing through the Bahama Banks.

The Long version

“So how was the trip?” A woman from our church in Elizabeth City asked me in the church’s fellowship hall as we cleaned up from a potluck lunch. “Umm…” I hesitated. My mind a jumble of words and thoughts, unsure which ones should come out first. 

My mind like a rolodex, spinning through memories and feelings. Many of them in contradiction to each other. There is a great sense of accomplishment and a personal pride I’ve never felt before. And yet I can still feel the fear that seemed to constantly threaten us, like a little devil sitting on my shoulder, especially at night in the dark as the boat swayed and you were tempted to peek out the window and make sure you were just feeling the effects of the wind and not feeling the boat being swept away by the current. The resounding theme of the trip was trusting God. Trusting him with our personal safety and even harder trusting him with our kids’ safety. Floating on an old boat in the Atlantic 700+ feet above the sea floor without a soul in sight, you find yourself realizing the modern American life is very sheltered from the reality of our human fragility. I picture our daughter snorkeling next to a wild sea turtle, her head pops out of the water “Oh my gosh Mom! He was so cute and so close I could have touched him!” The beauty of clear blue water paired with canned meat for dinner. Making so many new friends and connections and yet struggling with feelings of loneliness and isolation.

The woman stares back at me from the fellowship hall sink, a spoon coated in crusty macaroni and cheese in her hand. My mind still a jumble, self conscious of my long pause. “Yeah, I mean it was good,” I say, “but not like in a fun easy way…it was good for us, but didn’t always feel good…It was more like off grid camping than a tropical vacation… lot of personally stretching and refining moments…but so beautiful too…”

What words do I say to sum up what feels like a life changing experience. The pictures don’t tell the whole story but words feel inadequate too. I don’t like to share the pictures because I’m afraid people will get the wrong impression. They make it all look too nice, too “instagram worthy.” They only tell half of the story.

Trouble with our steering cables early on revealed more rotten wood aboard. It was behind the shower wall of the only room we didn’t gut during renovations, the rear bathroom. We found ourselves anchored out front of beautiful downtown St. Augustine, FL ripping out the shower wall to fix the steering cable wheel block mount, rendering the shower unusable for the rest of the trip.

Four weeks into our trip, we realized that our inflatable dinghy boat we had brought with us was failing. Six patch jobs later she was still leaking out air and water in. I found myself crying on the downtown docks of West Palm Beach Florida, I was without Aaron and now I couldn’t get the motor to start either. 

Upon crossing the Gulf Stream, we lost the nut at the end of our drive shaft that holds the propeller on. It wasn’t until we landed in the Bahamas in the dark and put the boat in reverse to anchor that we discovered this (fun fact, propellers only come off in reverse.) The sound of our propeller spinning itself off the shaft and grinding against the rudder greeted us our first night aboard Selah in a foreign country. A definite low point in the journey. 

But God! 

He seemed to be running along side us. Like we were a kid learning to ride a bike, and he was the dad, uprighting the handles bars as we swerved toward the ground.

After the propeller fell off. We awoke the next morning to find it had caught and perfectly balanced its 70 pound self on a 4 inch piece of fiberglass than runs under the shaft. No major damage had been done and Aaron was able to reinstall the propeller underwater with 2 new nuts (another fun fact. There really should be two nuts at the end of your drive shaft, not 1). 

The same week I was in tears over our leaky old dinghy, some old friends we hadn’t talked to in years donated money to the ministry on our behalf. It was enough to cover the cost of a new dinghy and a new motor. They were unaware of our failing dinghy problems.

And while we weren’t able to fix the shower wall, the discovery of the rot didn’t throw me into a tail spin as other past rotten wood discoveries had. We had brought our power tools with us and even a few 2x4s left over from boat construction and after months of boat repairs, we were confident we could shore up the loose block with the supplies on board. God had been training us for such moments. 

We have arrived back in Elizabeth City, feeling so much more confident and accomplished as boaters and yet, it is obvious to any onlooker that had our dad not kept “uprighting the handle bars” we would still be back in the middle of the road with a bloody knee.

I’m still struggling with how to answer the “how was your trip” question. It really was a great trip and I cherish all its highs and lows. I am so so grateful for regular access to land and my own car again. I have many more stories I would love to share, but don’t have space for here. It was neat to watch our kids walk the journey with us and see God take care of their hearts and their needs and grow and stretch them too. The greatest blessing of it all, has been to know in very real ways, that God is with us, that he loves us and that he intervenes for us in the physical realm. Above all, Aaron and I hope you too know the Lord’s love and that feeling the realities of his love for you transforms your life and gives you peace in the adventure.

Ok fine, a few photos…

The kids enjoying the Bahamas. Rielle loves to eat fresh coconuts and Aaron loves to crack them. Everett is our tree climber. Abel’s favorite seat on the boat. The kids petting wild sting rays that are used to regular tourist feedings. They come up to you like dogs and rub your leg, hoping for a treat.

While Aaron found the open ocean intimidating, the most anxiety I felt during the trip was in certain sections of the ICW in Florida where we had to share the “road” with big boats. My favorite FL experiences also include the current pushing us towards draw bridges that were having trouble opening on time. (There ain’t no throwing a quick U-ie in single prop sailboats)

The prop on deck and Aaron reinstalling the prop. Note the snorkel mouth piece connected to a garden hose to allow him to breathe while working underwater. A screen shot of us crossing the Gulf Stream. We left Fort Lauderdale and headed straight east, but the current of the Gulf Stream slowly slid our boat to our landing point of West end Bahamas. The whole journey took about 12 hours.

Adventures in Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas. This island is still recovering from hurricane dorian which hit in 2019. We got there just a couple weeks into this church relaunching its worship “band” Aaron was able to play live guitar for their Easter Sunday service, which was an upgrade from the background tracks they had been using. Aaron also got in on a local jam session. Music and art gave us a way to make deeper connections with the community there. I was able to donate a painting I did to the local school fund raised. There is just one school on the island, an elementary school with about 30 kids. We also ended up being there the week a friend of our ministry was putting on a sailing camp for the local kids. Our kids got to participate too and we were able to use our new dinghy as a coaching boat during the camp.

Loading up the old dinghy for the last time with friends and gear. Your dinghy is like your car when you’re on the water. Dinner in Selah with boat friends. Hiking over a bridge in FL with groceries and the new dinghy living its best life.

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Living on Love

By Aaron

Abel J Koerner is living his best life. He has everything a 6 year old could ever want. Not toys, not video games, and not chicken tenders and fries. Right now Abel has the uninterrupted attention of his big brother, opportunities to work and play along side his mom and dad, new places and things to see, physical exercise, and a full belly. His energy level and uninterrupted restful nights are enviable. He wakes up everyday stoked and ready to go. Why???

Abel volunteered to pull our dinghy boat through the shallow water where the motor has to be pulled up in order to pass.

The other evening I could tell he was enjoying our family time way beyond his ability to stay awake for it. So while we were having music time he laid in Laura’s lap and continued to sing and gaze in delight while his eyes slowly opened and closed. Laura was happy and Abel was doing what he does, enjoying life. Watching them, the thought slapped me in the face. Abel is living on love. 

The old Alan Jackson song goes “Livin’ on love, buyin’ on time, 

Without somebody nothing ain’t worth a dime. 

Just like an old fashion story book rhyme, Livin’ on love

It sounds simple, that’s what you’re thinkin’ 

But love can walk through fire without blinkin’. 

It doesn’t take much when you get enough, Livin’ on love

Abel has a great gift that many children get to enjoy. He is blissfully ignorant of the dangers that we face in this unique life style, and he is living in the confidence that his father (and mother) have everything securely under control. Ha! 

If only we could be as trusting as Abel. 

This morning, the boat is rocking, and I mean a lot. Two days of 25+ mile per hr winds, and current pushing us sideways to it, means rocking. You can probably feel it in your throat, remembering the last time you were sea sick. It’s a miserable feeling. But Jesus in his wisdom, has been preparing us for this for almost 3 years. It started in the RV. While on the road, it bounced around like the shocks were made of marshmallows. When parked, we never put the stabilizers in. We knew it was good training  for the bumpy rides down the road. Often we would feel odd when we were on solid ground for too long. It was preparation. Next we moved into “Moderation”. A big sturdy trawler that was tied to a dock. I can tell you, it moved. A lot. Especially on windy days. But not like Sailing Vessel “More Beyond” did when we got caught in a storm. And then, we moved onto “Selah”. She moved more. Back and forth and side to side. We felt fine. Then we were traveling in the intercostal and anchoring, then it was windy nights on our first anchorage in West Palm. Now, we are at our fourth anchorage. The water is clear and blue. But we are surrounded by boats, rocking like crazy. And we’re swinging all over the place on our anchor line. But we were carefully crafted for this. Our Father, knew the future, prepared us for it, and gave us the ability to “be strong and courageous”. 

I have found myself many times praying for Jesus to calm the storm, literally. So far he hasn’t, exactly. Would we be ready for the next thing he is leading us into if he calmed every storm that comes into our lives? I think Jesus calms the storm NOT so we can feel happy again, or so we can avoid difficulties. He calms the storm, because he wants us to see him as “The One who calms the storm”. It seems the disciples needed to know that the Spirit of Christ they were filled with was able to handle any of the difficulties they were going to encounter. Maybe the little storms build our faith, so we can handle the big storms. And our loving Father prepares us for them in his divine wisdom, so that when are tempted to be weak and afraid, we are able to be strong and courageous. 

Abel lives on love. He experiences life through the lens of having a father who has everything under control, parents who adore him, a sister and a brother who love him and love spending time with him. He is incredibly loved. 

So are we. More than we can comprehend or imagine. Even in the middle of the storms. In our failures and fears. Even while we are on the wrong track and running in the wrong direction. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Pray that we will know Gods love and experience it so deeply that all the storms seem small and we are truly Strong and Courageous

On a practical note, we are:

1) Currently anchored in The Abacos (Bahamas) and preparing to head back north in the coming weeks.

2) We have engaged with soooo many people. We have gotten in the habit of inviting them to come through Elizabeth City and join us for a few days this Summer so we can develop those relationships. It’s been much harder here in the Bahamas. Everyone is coming and going. Please pray for divine appointments here in Green Turtle (our current Abaco Island). 

3) I (Aaron) am feeling very worn. There is a sense of needing to be always on your guard. Jesus is calling us to a deeper level of trust but the storms keep coming. Please pray against discouragement for us. We feel we are being stretched beyond our ability. 

4) Maritime Ministries is bursting at the seams with new people, opportunities and beginnings. We are really excited to return in June and are looking forward to a summer of serving the ministry. 

5) Our travels have revealed more work that needs to be done on Selah. Pray she continues to function well until we can haul her out and address a few things. 

6) Jesus is ever increasing our faith and dependency on him. Yet in his mercy and plan we are still mostly sustained by gifts coming from individuals. So, if you feel led to give, please prayerfully listen and give as the Lord leads. Give Here

We Love you and love that you are available and listening. 

More stories and updates to come. 

-Aaron

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1,000 Miracles – January 2025

About six weeks behind our latest timeline and two years behind our original timeline, Selah is finally done! A week before Christmas, we moved aboard and early this week, in the wee hours of the morning, Aaron and Captain Dan, left our home port of Elizabeth City, NC aboard Selah and started a long journey southbound.

A video of our “finished” boat below (as many already know, a boat is never truly finished)

The emotions I’ve experienced these last few weeks are unusual to me. Not ones I often feel. “Surreal” is really the best word for it all. For two years it felt like there was a giant mountain in front of us and more times than not, the thought of having to climb it was overwhelming. And then, almost as if overnight, we came to find we were standing on top of it! It feels unbelievable that we actually made it! It doesn’t seem to calculate, all those small steps and days of work, don’t really seem like they would equal this beautiful, functional boat we now live in. I feel like a proud mama who’s just given birth (without an epidural) or maybe this is what it feels like to win an Oscar (there are so many people that I would like to thank.)

I think it feels surreal because of the supernatural element of it all. The logistics and finances that have worked out to make it here are worth marveling at. What lies before my eyes today, is the culmination, I believe, of a 1,000 miracles. No single one significant alone to impress, but the consistency with which they appeared, for me, has been the proof that God has been working with us too.

Each miracle often connected to a person. A person who brought a tool, a supply, an encouraging word. Some people gave money, some gave their time, others their knowledge. Some came to help for an afternoon and others came weekly. Some were strangers who remained strangers. Many have become friends, and a few were old friends, who have been around long enough to hear Aaron talk of dreams of sailboats and ministry for over 20 years now. 

I am super excited to live out these next few months, slowly moving south aboard our boat as a family. I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited and yet scared. I’ve talked to enough boaters at this point to know sailboat life is a lot of work. I am nervous for the trials I know will come, but I’m equally as excited to see why God has had us walk this path these last two years. I must believe that these last two years are just the beginning of a new chapter for the Koerner family.

THE BOATS DONE, NOW WHAT?

Even though we have been at this for over two years now, we still see ourselves as “in training.” We have learned so much about building and maintaining a sailboat, but there is yet another list of things to learn and experience that can only be done by living aboard a moving boat. In about a week, the kids and I will meet up with Aaron and Selah and take Dan’s place as crew aboard the boat and continue to head south via the Intracoastal Waterway. This initial winter and spiring season, we plan to be on the move a good bit. We have many friends and some churches we would like to connect with in Florida, and we anticipate many divine appointments with people in need of the love of Jesus along the way. We hope to round the tip of Florida and make it up the Gulf Coast of Florida to the Tampa area and maybe even cross the Gulf Stream and spend a few weeks in the Bahamas if things go according to plan. But just getting the boat off the local ministry docks already feels like a major win. When the spring comes to an end, we plan to head back up to Elizabeth City for hurricane season. We are already excited at the thought of being back in this small city with a fully functional boat.

Our goal for the next two years will be to gain lots of on the water experience as a family while being in tune to the leading of the Holy Spirit to minister to those in and out of the boating community. Beyond that, Aaron still has a heart to be able to disciple and encourage young men through on the water experiences. Even further beyond that, we are already aware of needs for sailors and sailboats to reach the lost on islands communities mostly in the Pacific Ocean. But as continues to be our story, it’s all in the hands of the Lord, and all one step at a time.

As always, thanks for reading and following along. Feel free to reach out to learn more or if you’d like to be apart of our support group and get more updates or hear about more real time prayer needs.

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Summer 2024

Boat storms

Yesterday we experienced our first storm on the water. What started out as a nice warm sunny day motoring one of the ministry’s smaller sailboats out to our favorite local anchorage for a swim was interrupted by the sound of thunder in the distance. We quickly decided that swim time was over and swam back to the boat to head home. But the distant dark clouds got darker and increasingly closer. With the clouds rolling in from the direction we needed to go, we were unsure of what to do. We initially decided to head away from home and let it pass over, west of us, but we weren’t fast enough. Things escalated rather quickly as the concern went from the theoretical danger of lightning and the discomfort of driving home in the rain to the actual danger of bigger and bigger waves and strengthening winds. At this point, the kids and I were safe and dry below deck, but Aaron, at the helm, was already soaking wet and decided to just head straight into the storm and try to get home, but the winds blew strong and he didn’t feel like we were making any headway. The waves came rolling in big. Only able to see a hundred feet in any direction he was finding it hard to really know where we were headed. He tried to look for the channel markers, only to realize the wind was no match for the sailboat’s small motor and he was getting too close to the edge. The kids and I down below all the while getting a good rocking. Luckily the boat had just had overnight visitors aboard, so the dinette booth below had been converted into a spacious bed complete with pillows and blankets. It made for a great spot to comfort three kids who were getting an unwanted lesson in storms on boats. 

Realizing it was pointless to try to get anywhere, Aaron spotted a little cove along the bank of the river and called for me to come take the helm while he threw the anchor overboard and halted our movement. It was the turning point and our biggest take away from the day. If caught in a storm, don’t try to outrun it, or against it, best to throw your anchor, and wait.

I’m embarrassed to say that it’s almost been a year since I last wrote. Our last year here in North Carolina has been really challenging. I’ve wanted to write for months but I always love to share more than the surface level highlight reel, yet at the same time when you are going through something, when you’re in the midst of the storm, it can be difficult to see more than a hundred feet in any direction. Sometimes it’s hard to know where you’re really headed.

So a few weeks ago I created a highlight reel for you guys. Fun pictures of us getting to use our boat this summer here in Elizabeth City. Finally getting that bulkhead rebuilt. The kids at sailing camp. Yay us…and although none of it is false, there was a deeper truth I wasn’t sure how to communicate until the storm. As Aaron and I reflected back on the storm the next day, it became clear that the storm was the perfect parallel to what we feel like we have experienced here.

Life storms

It started out as a nice warm fun first summer here. We were excited to learn and get to work on the boat. But slowly the clouds grew dark in the distance, as we got a sinking feeling that this was not a simple, six month project. We were quickly feeling in over our heads when it came to the amount of work the boat really needed. Unsure of what to do, we decided initially to outrun the storm. We doubted whether this was really for us to do. Maybe another boat would be better. Maybe we weren’t headed in the direction we thought. In the meantime, Aaron became the dorm dad at the college and he poured himself into the lives of the college guys here and it was neat to watch as God renewed a tender heart in him for the young men, not in a distant land, but in his own.

But the boat was still there, and slowly, little by little we realized she was still meant for us. And slowly little by little we realized our suspicions were right. She would need to be torn apart before she could be rebuilt.

And so, into the storm we went. “Ok, let’s get this boat done, let’s do this! Let’s create timelines and plans. Let’s figure this out. If hard work can get it done, then I’m your lady”…or so I thought. Days of “can do” attitude were often short lived as we stepped forward, only to find the wind push us back two steps. Discovering more problems. Thinking we’ve come up with solutions only to find they didn’t work. Bundling up in double pants and double sweatshirts, hats and boots and climbing into damp, cold boats in the winter was the worst. The winds blew strong and often it didn’t feel like we were making any headway. The waves came rolling in big. We rose up to the peak, “yes we did it. We are making progress” and then we rode down to the trough, “another problem, this is too much!” Another peak, “God what you’re doing here is so exciting. I can see the possibilities!” Another trough “God how will we buy all the supplies this boat needs, we don’t have money to rebuild this boat” 

But there’s been a turning point. We are learning daily to throw our anchor and to know our anchor. Not a thing seen and grasped with human hands, but a perfect being we’ve learned we can trust. When a storm comes, God is not asking us to use our own strength to fix it, nor does he want us to cower in fear and run. He is inviting us to learn to throw anchor and reap the rest that comes from trusting in him despite the storm. And to know that when we survived the storm, it wasn’t by our own strength, but because our anchor sustained us.

About a year into our time here, I began to realize this whole thing was just as much about Aaron and I’s hearts, as it was about a boat. My cry of “God, please let us work on this boat. And get this done and behind us” was always met with the reply of, “Laura, please let me work on you, because you can’t move on till I’m done with you” It’s rather difficult and in the end very humbling to realize that the obstacle between where you are and where you want to be, may just be you. “Can do” Laura has realized that she can’t do. This whole thing should have fallen apart a long time ago. A lot of what we have done doesn’t make sense, and didn’t make sense. And yet God has moved us forward. The fact that God has sustained our finances alone is an amazing testimony (that I hope one day to share with you). But he’s also provided places to live, opportunities to travel and take a break when we needed it. He’s provided fellow boaters who’ve had the knowledge we didn’t. He’s supplied building materials in fun ways. Free lumber in the form of old dorm beds and old church pews. He’s sustained our emotional needs as well, with our ministry community here who shares our dream of ministry and sailboats. He’s given us people to encourage our hearts and people who could relate deeply to our struggles. He’s perfectly provided for our kids’ needs too – with great friends and homeschool groups, soccer teams and church groups, and yard space, as they journey and grow with us. 

It feels very brave to say, but I think the storm is clearing. I’m seeing some sunlight in the distance. In July we sold our RV and temporarily moved aboard a larger motorboat the ministry owns. But the ministry has plan to sell this boat soon, so we’ve been given till November to get our boat ready for us to move aboard. Don’t miss understand me, I cherish deeply these last two years, and hold all the lessons learned here dearly. But I long for the day when we get to leave port with our anchor leading the way, fastened to the bow of the boat, ready for the next storm.

We need you!

Will you join us in praying that the Lord will help us make our fall deadline? The majority of our financial needs and supplies appear to be met. But we are continually reminded of our need for the prayers of God’s people. You are reading this blog because our lives have touched in some way. God sends no one on a journey alone. And we are honored that you are still here with us and we ask that you consider joining us deeper in this project by asking God to give us success in making our November deadline. Please pray for physical energy to keep going at it day after day, especially in the heat. God has provided a couple men from our local church who have volunteered their time to help build cabinets and run wiring, but we could still use more hands, as often it’s just Aaron working alone. We would also love prayers for good, quick decision making skills as we are making a lot of finishing detail decisions (how high to build the bunks, how many lights to install and where).

We would love to hear from you too! We would love to answer your questions, talk more about what we hope to do with Selah, or even have you come and help if you’ll be in the area! Thank you for following along. Your continued readership as we journey, is an encouragement to our hearts!

Okay, Now for some Fun Pictures

Our daughter’s favorite way to spend time while we anchor locally here in NC on a day trip.


The highlight of the summer has been being able to use our boat (after working on Selah for 1.5 years, we were able to go sailing on her as a family for the first time this June) As the bulkhead is now rebuilt, she is structurally sound again and sailable!

Over the course of the summer, Selah took out over 100 people, including several youth groups and some family. Laura’s mom and Aaron’s parents made the list of passengers.

Rielle working on her Captains License

Laura and boat building friend, Rachel, geared up for fiberglass work

The shop vac is a must have for boatbuilding. The kids vacuum up sawdust after mom and dad reinstall the salon floors and create hatches to access the old water tanks below that will now be used as dry storage.

It’s been such a blessing to make friends with other families with kids who also want to use sailboats to share the love of Jesus. One such family came to visit this winter and it was so cool to be able to play with stuffed animals with other 5 year olds

Our local docks continue to bring the world to us. We spent a lovely afternoon early this summer with a British couple who sailed across the pond. They gave the kids a lesson in knots, and even shared a spot of English tea with us! T’was delightful (can you hear my British accent)

A video I made to share with our home church at the beginning of this year…

Miss our last update? Read it here

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Fall 2023 Update

What have we been up to…

  • After finishing up as dorm parents at the college for the spring semester, we decided to spend our summer in Florida and get a break from boat work, but first we got to travel to Puerto Rico for a week and visit another couple from the ministry who lives and serves there. Jim and Staci have been doing ministry on the water for years all over the world from a house boat on the Amazon river, to youth sailing programs in Africa and now in PR. It was such a blessing to be able to spend time with them and to glean from their wisdom in both ministry and boat life. We were able to do a lot of snorkeling (which the kids loved!) and took an over night trip on their sailboat. It was great to be able to show the kids potential of sailboat life!
  • we spent a good chunk of the summer back in the Tampa area where we had stayed in the RV for the year prior to joining the ministry. While there we officially became member of our church there. After feeling a bit like roamers, we felt it was time to have a home church again. Although we left town again for North Carolina the week after becoming members, we feel value in having a “home base” and people outside of Maritime Ministries to be connected with as we continue along our sailboat journey.
  • We are back in North Carolina now and continuing the work on the boat (picture of our new RV spot below.) Our time in Florida served its purpose as we were away long enough to be excited about boat work again! After all the demo and removal we did to the boat last spring we are excited to announce that we have started the reconstruction phase! It feels go to be installing new pieces of wood instead of removing rotten wood.
  • Our general goal is to have the boat livable as soon as possible. Once she is ready though we anticipate sticking around the local waterways of NC and VA and gaining lots of on the water experience before we are ready to use her for ministry or take her ”on the outside” (on ocean trips). But we are continually reminded and encouraged to hold all our plans and timelines with open hands as God continues to lead us one step at a time.
  • In two short weeks Maritime Ministries will host a maritime missions conference called “Kingsfleet” (learn more here) Kings Fleet is an international network of Christian boaters and boat ministries that use their vessels for the sake of the gospel. We are super excited to be a part of this event and to hear about what the Lord is doing around the world, as well as spend time praying for one another.
  • The ministry is prepping for the fall crushing season that’s just a few weeks away. This is the time of the year we are busy welcoming boats on our docks who are traveling south for the winter. It’s always fun for us to meet people from all walks of life and from all over the world. Elizabeth City is known as the “Harbor of Hospitality” and the city has placed the Ministry in charge of welcoming boaters at the city’s docks downtown as well. (Picture below – the kids working with other ministry kids to pack welcome bags for distribution to the boats who pass through the city)
  • A huge answer to prayer! Late this summer Mr. Cameron came to stay on our docks in his sailboat and has been working on rewiring Selah for us! A friend of the ministry, Mr. Cameron seems to be an electrical wizard and we are so so excited that God sent him our way and that he’s been willing to not only work out all our electrical kinks but he’s also a great teacher and Aaron finally feels like he’s got a grasp on Selah’s electrical system. Earlier this spring I started praying that God would send us people who could help us fix this boat. Although money is always nice, often people who know what they are doing are far more valuable I think. (Pictured below, Mr. Cameron and Aaron sit in Selah’s engine room and talk electricity.)

“Just for Fun” Pictures…

Our current RV spot is a prime fishing and crabbing location. We have been catching and eating both! The kids all have their own poles and are impressively good at fishing (well, at least mom is impressed.) A college student who grew up in the area taught me how to cook crab (I feel like this counts toward sailboat life training)

All geared up for a blustery sail on one of the ministry’s smaller boats (ok, it was only 60 degrees out). This Florida girl is already fearful of the “frigid” North Carolina Winter.

Watching the kids learn how to work with boats has had lots of “proud mama” moments. Pictured below, Aaron steers a smaller sailboat towards the dock as Everett stands on the bow with a line in his hand ready to throw to Rielle on shore.

That’s all for now! Thanks for following along

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Digging In & Letting Go

She’s ours! While legally Selah remains under the ownership of the ministry, we have officially signed a three year charter on her. This means she’s our responsibility to take care of and maintain, but we also get to use her as the Lord directs during that time (and potentially beyond.)

We have been in Elizabeth City, NC for about 9 months now. I have so much I could write about. It’s challenging to know what to share, often because it’s hard to write about experiences you are still living through. Trying to analyze what God is teaching you. What lessons you’ve learned. What direction things are headed. But I can say I am in awe of how much we have learned and experienced in our relatively short time here.

Last fall, right when we thought we were nearing the end of Selah’s major repairs, we discovered that what we thought was some minor water damage on an interior wall below deck, was actually major water damage to a structural bulkhead wall. We were pretty defeated at the discovery and struggled for a few weeks with whether or not we could repair this rotten bulkhead and still be ready to move aboard her come December. In the mean time the college offered Aaron a position as “dorm dad” in the men’s hall for the up coming spring semester. Although the position didn’t pay, it would mean free housing for us for the spring. A break from being in the RV. Initially I didn’t want Aaron to take the job, I didn’t want to stick around for another semester. I wanted to stick to the original plan – get the boat done as soon as we could and head back south. What was next after that I wasn’t sure, But I just wanted to stick to the plan (I’m sure no one can relate) Slowly though, God showed me I was holding onto a plan and not him, and so he asked me to let it go and into the apartment we moved.

A view from our apartment window. Our youngest, Abel, watches as Aaron docks Selah on the sea wall. What an amazing gift God has given us in our time in this apartment. Free housing with a view of the intercostal and our boat tied up right outside! If He gives you a task, He will make a way for you to accomplish it!


I’m a little embarrassed now that I fought God on this plan change. God knew what was around the corner. Things I didn’t see coming. We were surprised in December to find out we were pregnant, only to be surprised again in February to discover I was having a miscarriage. I am thankful I didn’t have to go through that experience while living in the RV (or a boat!) Although tiny living simplifies many areas of life, it can create more work when it come to certain household chores. God knew I would need rest during that time and kindly gave me a laundry room and a dishwasher again for a season.

He also knew there was another rotten bulkhead in our future, and more wood rot in the deck’s core that was still hiding out of view. Eventually we had to step back and realize that this was going to be a much bigger renovation than we thought. Many days have felt very defeating. For a few months there I told God I couldn’t keep going at this without him giving me a vision for where this sailboat journey was headed. It was getting hard and I wanted some concrete reasons to keep going. Was this boat meant to be our home God? Or would Aaron use it to host camps for young men, just like his original sailboat dream years ago? I prayed for several weeks for answers, to no avail. Then one day I was asked to answer this question in a Bible study workbook, “Are you waiting for God to put everything in place before you step out in faith? (Check yes or no.) If no, is that still faith?” I found that question convicting. In that moment I felt like God said, “I’m not going to give you the whole plan, I just want you to keep going, keep working on the boat.” I didn’t get the answer I wanted (as seems to be a reoccurring theme in my life) but God gave me the confidence that this was the work to which he had called us for this season, and so again, as I let go of what I wanted, God gave me another gift along with the apartment, the peace that comes from knowing I’m right where I’m supposed to be (even if that does involve scrapping out rotten wood from 50 year old sailboats.)

As of today we are pretty confident that we have discovered all of Selah’s hidden secrets. In order to leave no stone unturned, no rotten bulkhead undetected we have removed most of her cabinets, bunks and cosmetic walls to reveal the bare fiberglass hull (see picture below). On a positive note, all the repairs we’ve made have helped us to know this boat way better than we did last fall and we have gained a lot of confidence in boat maintenance and repair, skills I’m sure God will have us tap into along this journey. We are hoping to have all of the repair jobs done by the end of our time here in the apartment come the end of May. And from there we will have to decide how we want to rebuild her interior. We aren’t 100% sure what the plan is. But I’ve been challenged to worry less about the plan and more about walking daily with my savior. Letting him lead the way as I walk in the faith that he has a plan. A better plan than me.

A view below deck. Aaron and Patrick, (another ministry team member) work to reinforce the post below deck that aligns with the main mast directly above deck. This post seen here is all that’s left of the rotten bulkhead that used to run between where Aaron and Patrick are in this picture. Unfortunately the rot went all the way below the floor. What you can’t see here is the 3 ton ram Jack that now sits between the hull of the boat and this post to support the mast while we repair the damage.

I laughed to myself the other day that I named this blog “Life From Lemons” God knew that the RV and the pandemic were not the end of the “lemons” we would encounter. We can now add our sailboat Selah to the list of lemons. But as I thought of it more, I think maybe Aaron and I are the real “lemons.” God’s main concern here isn’t boat restoration, it’s heart restoration. And oh man! Has he been working on our hearts.

Aaron recently said it best, “for every piece of rotten wood we dig out of the boat, God is also digging out my rot.”

Some Fun Pictures

“The Scooter Gang” The Koerner kids are known around campus for their sweet rides. We scooter every day to the cafeteria across the street. Not only does the “dorm dad” position come with free housing, but Aaron negotiated free lunch for the family too.

“Not as easy as it looks” Rielle tries her hand at the drill as we work to remove the cabinets to make sure nothing is hiding behind them. Daddy made it look a lot more fun than Rielle found it to be.

“Work or play” The college let us borrow their John Deere “Gator” to take loads of wood off the boat and to the dumpster. But it can also hold a decent amount of people too! Our good friends from the ministry and their kids (seen here) often come to our aid when we need help on the boat.

I continue to fit in art time when I can. My Etsy art shop (visit shop) is still selling prints and I’ve had some time to create some paintings for the apartment walls!

Acrylic painting based off a picture I took in Treasure Island, FL
Acrylic painting based on a photo I took in Jacksonville, FL
One of my recent additions to my Etsy kids print shop

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Winter Update

The Short Of It:

We are still here in Elizabeth City, NC working on boats with Maritime Ministries. We didn’t make our original deadline of having the boat ready to move aboard by the end of the year, so we are taking some time to slow down and hear from God about his plans for our boat and our family.

We’ve just ended the busy season of boaters coming to stay in our docks as they head south for the winter. We have learned lots about the power of hospitality and met some cool people.

Come January Aaron will become the “dorm dad” for the men’s dorm here at the college where Maritime Ministries is located. Unless God changes our course, we have committed to staying here till summer. Which means moving out of the RV and into a dorm parent apartment here on the college campus. We will continue to train with Maritime Ministries (which is located on the college campus) and work on fixing up our boat “Selah.” Our dorm parent apartment will have a view of the Intracoastal and the docks (and it’s own washer and dryer).

Dock Happenings:


The mizzenmast is back up! We re-installed the mizzen (rear) mast. Yay! It took about 15 volunteers to hoist this baby back in place. This was a major repair and it’s quite the accomplishment to have it done.


One thing I love about being here is there always seems to be a steady flow of visitors coming and going. Many are one timers but many come around enough to become friends. One such friend is pictured here teaching Aaron how to tighten the rigging (all those wires that keep the mast in place) on Selah after the mast had been re-stepped (put back up)

Cruising season

October and November are busy season on the docks of Elizabeth City, as the hurricane season ends in the south, boaters head for a warm place to winter. Most cruisers we met were headed for the Bahamas and surprisingly most of this years cruisers were French Canadians. Most spoke great English though. This fall busy season the ministry touched base with about 95 different boats/boaters. We learned lots about the power of simple hospitality and free hot showers!

Two boaters made an impression on me. One was a Canadian lady who knocked on the RV door to ask for a ride to the local vet to collect the ashes of her beloved 16 year old dog who had passed away while they were docked here. As we rode home from the vet she said, “I’m not sure why, but if all the places he could have died, I was glad it happened here at the Christian college. For some reason it brings me peace.” I wasn’t quite sure how to minister to this couple during there loss, but Gods comfort and grace supersedes our abilities to “get it right”

The other boater was actually a kayaker. He slipped in on a busy day on the docks and it took us a while to realize that the kayak tied to the end of the docks wasn’t the accessory of a larger boat, but the main mode of transportation for Bob. After receiving a bad diagnosis from his doctor and not having much family around, he decided to jump in a kayak and pursue a dream he had of kayaking from Virginia to Florida. Probably in his late fifties, early sixties, his equipment and kayak were very basic. We offered him a stay aboard one of the ministries sailboats for the night on a real mattress with a proper pillow. He told us he had spent several nights tied to trees along the banks of the Intracoastal with the kayak as his bed. (We later learned that his story touched one boater so much he bought him his own sailboat to continue his journey on!)

A busy day on the docks and a rainbow! Although the majority of boaters are couples, I was a little surprised how many boaters came with kids and even a couple babies!

Two of my favorite boats from the season

Rielle and I and our other MM crew helped sailing journalist Emily move her boat. Another boater who’s come around enough to become a friend of the ministry, Emily and I had several conversations about my Christian beliefs.

The Annapolis Boat Show

We got the join the ministry at the US Sailboat Show which is a huge boating event that takes place every year in Annapolis, MD. The only non-profit at the show, Maritime Ministries attends in conjunction with “Kings Fleet,” an international network of boats in ministry. The goal in attending is to network with other boaters and to spread awareness about boats serving a greater purposes.

At our boat show booth. You can see Everett is thrilled to be there, next time we will leave the kids at home.

Abel at the docks of the boat show. The highlight of the boat show was being able to tour lots and lots of beautiful sailboats. Piles of shoes abounded on the docks as no one is permitted to wear foot wear while touring fancy boats.

Not your typical parking problem. Annapolis docks during the boat show.

Boat Parade

We hope you and your family had a great Christmas! We got to participate with Selah in the city’s annual boat parade! After spending a few hours with friends decorating Selah, the day of the parade the boat would not start (battery issues). After hours of trouble shooting by our leader Dan, finally at 5:30pm the engine turned over. It was a cold night but a blast!

Warm and buoyant. Wearing winter jackets under life jackets was a tight squeeze

Rielle and her friends help hang lights (left) Selah the night of the parade (right)

That’s all for now. Thanks for following along on our journey!

Laura

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Redemption

Old boat yards and marinas in down town EC

Our first week here in Elizabeth City I found myself experiencing an unfamiliar, unsettling feeling. I was so excited and anxious to get here but upon arrival the reality of the risk we had taken in moving here and the distance that now lay between us and all things familiar made both Aaron and I feel very vulnerable. There was no familiar rhythm to the days and no certainty of when ”normal” would arrive again. Sitting my my RV in a town that 7 months prior I didn’t even know existed, I had one of those, “if you had told me a year ago today that I would be here today I wouldn’t believe you” moments.

But needless to say we found our new normal and I continue to stand amazed at how smoothly everything continues to go in this new chapter of our lives. The word “redemption” has been on my mind a lot recently. For me this season here working on sailboats feels like a season of redemption. When we encountered problem on the RV, We turned to the internet. I have spent so many hours in the last two years searching the web for “how to fix RV…” We didn’t know what we were getting into when we bought our RV and often felt very alone in our repairs and renovations. Not many of our friends and family could offer advice when it came to recoating rubber RV roofs or eliminating black water tank smells. Lots of repairs felt overwhelming and daunting. Our best hope was often the YouTube video with the most views, or the RV forum with the most legitimate sounding web address. It was trial and error and often making it up as we went. I have learned so much the hard way in the last couple of years!

Work here on our future sailboat home, Selah, has been a complete 180 from our RV experience. We are surrounded with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the staff of Maritime Ministries. Here as we prep to re-paint the deck someone hands me a can of paint and primer, all the tools I need and tells me exactly how to do the job. How refreshing! No hours of google searching here! Although Selah is slowly becoming ours, she will truly continue to belong to the ministry and therefore we all (us and the other staff here) work as a team to get her ready for her next adventure with our family (hopefully starting this winter!). I feel the opposite of alone in this work, and our work together on her is always the highlight of my week. I feel a bit at times like a kid back at summer camp, exhausted at the end of the day but throughly enjoying myself and confident that God has me where he wants me!

I think of the old worship song, ”He gives and takes away. He gives and takes away. My heart will choose to say blessed be your name.” What God has taken from our lives in our trials since the pandemic, he is now giving back, in more ways than a single blog post can convey. I am acutley aware though of all those still waiting for their season of redemption, for the giving, for the rain, for answers to the question of, ”how long Lord?” I hope this small piece of my story can be an encouragement to all those waiting, that he sees us, he sees you, and he will not waste your tears, nor will he wipe them away, but rather I think he saves them to water the new seeds that though you can’t see them yet, are sprouting beneath the surface!

Getting our hands dirty – repairs and renovations begins!

We have gotten good at taking out MM’s boats and enjoying the perks of boat life but now the real work begins! We have started making all the repairs and adjustments to Selah to get her ready for more adventures. Lots of sanding and painting and varnishing are currently taking place, as well as a major repair to the aft (rear) deck of Selah which involved removing the mizzen (again rear) mast.

Rielle prepping for teak sanding and varnishing. Although her brothers prefer to play she likes to be involved in as many projects as she can.

After
Before

Before and after – our first of many teak restoration projects

Removing the mizzen mast in order to repair the deck beneath it. This was quite the operation and took about seven people to accomplish (side note this dock and all the boats pictured here are owned by MM)

Where the mizzen mast used to be – The top skin of the fiberglass deck is cut open to remove the rotted core. Here again! so thankful for the knowledge of these two men!

Laura Climbs Selah’s mast

Laura (at the top) learns how to climb Selah’s mast from experienced climber Rachel (below). Climbing the mast is often necessary to make repairs to lines and equipment that live up there.

The kids doing playdough inside Selah while mom and dad work on various projects above

Other Happenings

Lauras artwork
Aaron leading worship

The college was in need of a talent musician to lead worship for their weekeday chapel service, good thing this guy was around. Aaron’s taken on a part time worship leader position here at the college for the fall semester. Its been a great getting to know the staff and students here better! Not wanting to be left out, Laura was also able to give her talents to the college. It didn’t take long for the college to hear of her talents from their new worship guy. Laura (and Rielle too) painted this 6 ft tall, prodigal son, faux stained glass stage decoration for a recent multi-church youth event here on campus.

Aaron and Dan (the head of MM) take the colleges entire college basketball team sailing on Selah for a team-building outting.

We took a long weekend trip to Florida for Aaron to play some shows and to celebrate this guy turning 4 with cousins galore!

Jamestown Settelment
Colonial Williamsburg
Replica ships used by colonist

We took the kids for a field trip an hour and a half north to Williamsburg, VA to learn some history

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