Bittersweet Updates
Written by Bethany Curee, God’s Daughter

While we worked incredibly hard and announced the grand opening of the Freckled & Free shop a few months ago and officially opened for the first time in May, and then again in June and July with planned openings set to happen each month until December. Some unforeseen circumstances developed rapidly that have halted that plan.

With my mommas help, I had just remade the whole shop for a seasonal shift to all things fall when everything changed rather quickly making us have to cancel our fall shop open hours.

What exactly happen? That’s a little lengthly, but I have spelled it out below. The exact updates and some history for those of you who don’t know our story.

In 2017, my husband Tom & I planted Real Church in our hometown, Goshen, Ohio, with our four kiddos after serving for years in youth ministry, children’s ministry and young adult ministry. God had spoke to our hearts to plant this church and gave us the dreams, the vision, etc. We remodeled the church, poured every fiber of our being into her, got to be a part of so many incredible things God had laid on our heart and loved our church body and community thoroughly. However, in the summer of 2022, we were feeling called to a much needed season of rest. A time to be “still” in God. Bittersweet as it was, we knew we had to step down as pastors for a sabbatical season. Learning to balance rest can be hard. But, we knew it was essential. The church organization we were a part of would continue to look for pastors in the meantime. Around the same time I missed a few steps at our old house and had one of the rarest breaks you can have, a trimalleolar fracture, breaking both my tibia, fibula and shattering my ankle. Surgery, 13 screws and a plate later. 3ish months in a wheelchair, on to walker/crutches/boot and over a year of physical therapy…never broke a bone before and I can tell you it was a life changing experience. A whole year had also gone by and the Real Church building had sat empty. I’m gonna call it the year of tears.

But like most things, God is always working in the mist. God began to lay on my heart to perhaps try a unique ministry in the meantime that would only open once a month. Hence, Freckled & Free that we were already doing personally at a local market got permission to utilize the building/maintain the building while the search continued for new pastors to fill our role. We knew going into this that it would potentially be temporary for Freckled & Free there, but, decided God opened the door once again and He would keep us there as long as He wanted.

Amongst all this, after years of searching, we finally found the home we were looking for with land, but it required a HUGE move for us. An hour away from the church and our hometown of Goshen. Regardless, we decided it was right for us to start the shop there. The commute has been worth it and I have savored every minute there.

It has been a second home. Our kiddos spending much of there kid lives in its walls.

It goes without saying, we have truly loved this little church and what God has in store for it. It is a place built with love, and a passion for God’s will. We know as one plants and sows, another reaps. God has spoken this clearly to my heart.

It is with mixed emotions that we can say we have had to say our goodbyes to the precious church we planted in Goshen. What is coming in is not a continuation of Real Church that we started, but a new pastor with a different vision and a different name is now moving into what we began there. It is hard to see something you poured so much into tore a part. Gorgeous wooden pews being taken out— but at the end of the day, Jesus is what matters. And regardless, may the mission for God’s will and plans continue. May what has been sown, reap a mighty harvest for all.

That being said, we have had to quickly move out. Saying adios to the building we planted so much in and the place Freckled & Free was temporarily utilizing.

However the shift, the mission is still the same, whether through F & F or what we started with Real Church, the goals continue, the target continues…our mission field is everywhere we step our foot. It doesn’t reside in the building but in the temples God is dwelling in, in us.

So, yes, Freckled & Free will continue, but until we find a new location we will be temporary closed.

For now you may see our next set up as a photo booth creation at the fall Mustard Seed Market September 20, 21 & 22. It has been a pleasure to see all of you who have come out to see us and support us. It’s meant the world. Stay tuned for updates on where we will be next and pray for us, and for what God has in store. His plans are better. Until then we will continue writing, and creating through F & F, Mantiquing with My Wife, Nakoda’s Nook & Crew, and working to be the REAL CHURH God has called us all to be.

Written by Bethany Curee, God’s Daughter