25 Stories | Jim and Kim Kohl

What ministry (or ministries) are you most involved with at Central?

Buddy Ministry

How did God show up in your life in the last 12 months?

By providing a way for our family to include one of our special needs grandsons in church through the Buddy Program. Before this program, we prayed for over a year for a way for him to be included in our church family. God answered that prayer by providing the Buddy Ministry. We always say, “we are a family at Central”, and now that includes families that have special needs kiddos too!! We praise the Lord over and over for not only this program, but McKayla who leads it, and for the wonderful volunteers who make it possible each week for special needs kiddos and their families to attend Central.

How do you live differently knowing God is alive & active in your life?

We know that even on the hardest of days, God is sovereign over all, and His mercies are new every morning. Life can be hard, but God is good!!

How did you share the love of Jesus this year with someone who doesn't know Christ?

We have 7 grandkids, 6 with special needs. As grandparents, we feel God has specifically called us to be a very active part of their care and complex medical needs. This allows us to speak Jesus into their lives on a daily basis. As other people witness this and comment on how much we are involved in their care, it opens the door for us to share that it’s not in our own strength, but in Christ alone. We are able to have conversations of how God has worked in our lives, and how His faithfulness carries us through each day. It’s our way of sharing the gospel.

Anything else you'd like to share about your story or testimony?

While this was not the retirement we envisioned, we know this is what we are ordained to do, and there’s no better place to be than in the center of His will.