Catching Up with the Pothiers: Finding Joy in Every Season

his verse has been on my mind lately. It’s simple enough to remember, yet somehow easy to forget in the middle of everyday life. Between family, work, school, ministry, finances, and all the unexpected things that fill our days, it can be hard to slow down and remember what we’re really living for. For me, “do it all for the glory of God” has become less about trying to make every moment look spiritual and more about learning to invite God into it all.

The ordinary. The hard. The joyful. The uncertain.

After 25 years of ministry, we’re still learning what that looks like.

Finding Joy in the Journey: 

When we first began this journey—living on the road, starting a family, and eventually launching Places of Welcome from our duplex—we didn’t have a five-year plan or a clear picture of where it would all lead.
We simply kept taking the next faithful step.

There have been seasons when fundraising came easily and seasons when it didn’t. There have been seasons of growth, seasons of uncertainty, and plenty of moments when we’ve wondered what God was doing. But through it all, we’ve experienced His faithfulness.

One thing we’ve come to understand more deeply is that following Jesus isn’t only about getting through the difficult seasons. We’re also invited to enjoy Him—to notice His goodness, receive His gifts, and find joy in the people and places He puts in our lives.

That joy has been one of the greatest gifts of this journey. And so has the community God has given us.

We are incredibly grateful for the friends, churches, donors, volunteers, and ministry partners who have walked alongside our family and Places of Welcome over these past 25 years. You have been part of this story in ways you may never fully know.

A New Season for Places of Welcome:

As we look toward the coming year, we’re entering a significant transition. Two of our largest longtime donors will be stepping back from their financial support.

We are genuinely grateful for their many years of generosity and faithfulness. Their partnership has made a tremendous difference to our family and to the work of Places of Welcome.

At the same time, their transition creates a meaningful gap in our budget. For a small nonprofit like ours, changes like this are significant. We’ll need to make some careful decisions about how we steward what we have while also trusting God to provide the people and resources needed for the next season.

We don't know exactly what that provision will look like yet. But when we look back, we see a long history of God providing—often through people we could never have anticipated.

So we’re choosing to move forward with gratitude rather than fear.

Our hope is not simply to raise more money. It is to build a growing community of people who believe in this work and want to participate in what God is doing through Places of Welcome. If that might be you, we’d love to hear from you.

Life & Ministry:

Places of Welcome: We continue to serve and build relationships in the margins, seeking to create spaces where people are welcomed, known, and reminded of their dignity and worth. We’re grateful for every opportunity to walk alongside people and learn from them.

Teresa recently began her Master’s in Social Work (MSW). She’s excited about how this training will strengthen her ability to serve others and bring additional resources and insight to the work of Places of Welcome.

Ben continues working with a local landscape company while also investing time and energy into Places of Welcome and our family.

We also recently had the opportunity to attend The Cause retreat in Texas. It was a meaningful time of rest, fellowship, and encouragement. Ben especially appreciated connecting with a professional life coach who serves on The Cause board, and the conversation gave him some helpful perspective as he considers new opportunities for growth.