Grand Opening & 2024 Shop Openings

Scratch your plans next weekend and plan to swing through. That moment we all have been waiting for— or maybe just I have…is finally here—our grand opening dates!!

It’s been a long time in the making, but between prepping to move to our new historical home, prep/sell our current historical home and all the work it took to get it ready, manage two mortgages and all that entails, maintain our four children and all they are into…plus work to get the shop open, has been a bit of a large plateful. Needless to say I was hesitant to share our dates in fear we couldn’t accomplish it all.

However, we’ve been beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and are now confident we will make it happen. After posting our “coming soon” home on the market, and launching her officially for sale on May 9, we were overloaded with a day packed full of showings that were overlapping each other. At the end of the day we had 3 solid offers and had selected the most fitting choice by 10 o’clock that evening. Pending in one day. Not too shabby (thank you Jesus). That hard work is seeming to pay off for us now. She’s on to inspections this week and pending all goes well, we’ll officially close on June 13th to hand over our gorgeous first historical beauty to the next owners.

We look forward to this new season and new project on our hands with this 16 acre historical beauty far out in the country. We can’t wait to embark on this journey with our kiddos learning what country life is really all about. We’ve got a lot of plans for this new piece of Earth we will call home.

But for now, we are PUMPED to open our…

FIRST. LITTLE. SHOP. EVA.

It’s a bit special as of right now the shop is located at 10059 Pleasant-Renner Rd. Goshen, Ohio 45122, in the basement of Real Church Goshen, the church we planted in 2017 with our children. We began that church with a fiery passion to reach the people of Goshen, our beloved hometown.

We did many, many, incredible things there as a small, but mighty flock, even giving over $52,000+ back to needs in the community, missions, etc. as our boldly generous offering. We remodeled almost the entire building during our time and raised money to pay off the building. We gave all we had and more to sow seeds, plant, pray for the harvest, and pour into as many as we could, as well as serve the community as much as possible in unique ways.

After serving many years, Pastor Tom, (my husband) bi-vocational all the while, grew to desire and require a much needed season of rest for our family. Prior to pastoring at this sweet little place we had served as youth and young adult pastors for years, even dabbling in children’s ministry during our training season. So, one could understand why it was high time for a sabbatical season. Our hands and schedules had been quite busy for a long time. We were in desperate need of some of “be still” time and rest with God.

In July 2022, we stepped down as the pastors of Real Church to enter that season of rest.

A year or so later, the search for new pastors remained unsuccessful and the maintenance of the church was falling behind. God began to lay it on our heart in this season of rest an idea we were already doing with antiquing and pickin’ at a local market. We shared a few ideas with the leader of the COG in our area and he gave the green light to give it a shot. We felt God had opened the door for us to once again attempt another ministry outlet opportunity through the Real Church building we had already poured so much into—but now through Freckled and Free. God laid it on my heart to create a space where I could still host a women’s bible study, continue writing this blog with things God lays on my heart, potentially begin a podcast, give a good try at opening a shop in the basement that focused on antique, vintage, and unique picks as well as bibles, devotions and other ministry items. 10% of all funds going directly to support other ministries. As well as utilizing the Real Church sanctuary for open prayer & worship every time the shop is open. Allowing other people to have a little quiet time with the Lord as they wish. It’s a different way of ministry. A different way to reach people. In this time of restfulness for us as a family, we are hoping it will be something more manageable for the season we are in, while allowing us to pour out in some form at the same time. To utilize what we have right now and offer it in some way. One thing we’ve learned over our years of ministry is it is sometimes very hard to get people to come to church. This is just a very different idea to open the church doors a little more. Whatever God decides to lay on our heart during our time in this space, we will do.

I pray God has His way, that people feel loved every time they come in the door. That they feel full of hope coming in and going out. That they feel recharged for the life God has so graciously created them for. That even in this unqiue outreach, we can meet you face to face where you are and create an opportunity to feel loved as Jesus would. That is our prayer. Or maybe you just need a safe place to just get lost in enjoying some fun finds, that’s ok too.

We all have our different passions. God is able to meet and reach anyone in those areas when His people work to walk out their life like Christ in every section of their life. A life of ministry isn’t just for church on Sundays, (or Saturdays…if you went to Real Church), it’s your every day living, every day moments, in all you do and whatever you choose to do in life. God meets us there. He meets us in what we are talented in, He meets us with our dreams and if we allow it, He uses us in the very things we love to show others who He is. He is a creative God and He will use every ounce of our life we give Him. So can God be found in the basement of a church that sells antiques and vintage finds? You bet He can. The church isn’t four walls and a roof, we are the church, in obedience to Christ, living and breathing and doing our best to represent who He is, and how He loves, while we’re here. And I might be bias, but antiques and Jesus…what could be better? So, God have your way. Use what we have. Our fish and loaves are yours.

With that little bit of historical background for your back pocket, celebrate with us, God is always doing a new thing. Join us for one of our opening days. May 23 & 24 will be our soft opening days and Saturday, May 25, will be our grand opening with a celebratory grill out on us.

The plan will be to open monthly for three days a month. All 2024 dates are listed below. Our goal is to add new product and picks each month to inspire you for your home and life. You can also check out our kiddos handmade goods with their little business of Nakoda’s Nook and Crew. As well as explore Tom’s “manly picks” in our Mantiquing with My Wife section of the Shop. My momma’s amazing ShePlants pieces will also be sprinkled throughout.

In the coming months we’ll begin the women’s bible study, most likely bi-monthly as well as a kids mini theater where they can watch a little movie while you shop or play in the nursery. We’ll take it month by month and see what God lays on our heart, but for now it’s a start!

My design brain would one day love to change the flooring out to fit more of the antique shop feel, but for now, we’re working with what we have and working to make the best of it. We pray you truly feel inspired, love the beautiful eclectic picks we find as much as we do, enjoy the thrill of the hunt by searching through our collection and be filled in your heart with the chance we have at life. Savor the day, savor the moment because today we get to live!

We hope to see you soon, in the meantime you can find all the grand opening event details here.

P.S. we would also love for you to come check out our 1975 airstream photo op. that will be set up for the Spring Mustard Seed Market this weekend, May 17, 18 and 19, while you’re at it, enjoy the entire market, from the Feed Stop to the 100+ unique vendors they will have. It’s sure to be a great weekend! Get your tickets here.

Save the date for all their 2024 Mustard Seed Markets. We’ll have another photo op. set up in the airstream at the fall market and an actual full booth to shop at the winter market this year. So plan to shop small and come out and see us.

Written by Bethany Curee, God’s Daughter – Freckled & Free