ABOUT JOHNSON FAMILY ADVENTURE
OUR STORY
Originally from Louisiana, we are a family of six who love God, love life, and love each other (most days). In 2024, we were in El Dorado, Arkansas, living the "Big American Dream," when God set a crossroads before us. Would we continue on our path and enjoy the fruit of the land, or would we accept the adventure of a lifetime and embark on a journey into the unknown with Him?
John, a graduate of Louisiana State University (Geaux Tigers!), worked for Murphy USA, Inc. as their Senior Director of Store Development for many years. With a background in accounting and real estate, John has a passion for development and business. In 2020, John returned to school to obtain a Master's Degree in Business with a focus on Integrity. John has a passion and heart for seeing the Kingdom of God spread throughout the business industry.
I, Lori, was raised in China as a missionary and later returned to the United States for university to become a Registered Nurse. After working as a nurse in Fort Worth, TX, I began a journey of staying home with my children. As the kids got older, I went back for further education to receive a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Health Sciences and Communication. In 2020, I became a secondary school English teacher and theatre director at West Side Christian School. It was here that I discovered a passion for helping youth develop skills, overcome challenges, and become the people that God created them to be. Whether in the classroom or on the stage, I pushed each student to step out of their comfort zone and achieve greater things.
The Johnson Kids are definitely the highlight of the Johnson Family Adventure! Life with them is an adventure all by itself. Micah is the top child and the only boy. He lives up to his big brother assignment as he navigates the world of girl siblings with amazing grace. His passions are anything country, cooking, and working with his hands. There is no kid out that works harder than him! Evie Grace is the eldest daughter of the Johnson clan. Full of drama and creativity, Evie has her heart set on performing arts. Between singing and the big stage, Evie loves sharing the gospel and being a light in whatever community she finds herself in. We can't wait to see what big things God has in store for her. Gabby is squished in the middle between two firecracker sisters. We call her the "cat" of the family. You'll find her off by herself, making all kinds of paper crafts or planning some creative dessert for dinner. Gabby has a heart for Japan! We were thrilled that her first mission trip included an accidental day in Japan! We spent the whole day eating sushi and praying over the city of Narita! And, last but not least, Lexi Johnson comes in as the caboose of the clan. She is full of passion and energy! A girl without fear, she makes friends with any human being available. She also has incredibly bold prayers! While we have no idea what she will become, we cannot wait to watch and see it unfold!
So as mentioned above, we were living the "Big American Dream." We had everything we could ever want. We had the jobs, the house, the cars, and all of the "stuff" we could dream of. What else was there to achieve? That's when God stepped in and asked if it was his turn to lead our lives. He began stirring in our hearts a deep desire for discipleship...real discipleship. The opportunity to join Youth With a Mission (YWAM) began to unfold. See, YWAM has this thing called a Disciple Training School (DTS). It's a 6-month program focused on discipling people to "know God and make Him known." It felt insane, but it felt right. So in the Fall of 2024, we quit our careers and put our house on the market to sell. We flew out on our first adventure on the mission field: Kona, Hawaii. (Side note...it is really difficult telling people that you are going to be a missionary in Hawaii!)
Our time in Kona at DTS was incredible. We learned so much about God and how he operates in our lives. We learned how to hear God's voice and intercede for the nations. We also learned the importance of evangelism and how the Great Commission applies to every Christian. It is a mandate. Part of deepening our knowledge of God and the Bible was to build confidence and develop tools to share Christ with others! After 3 months of lectures and training, we were sent out to the nations. Out of our class of 60-ish people, we were sent out to five different countries! The Johnson Family Adventure was so blessed to embark on outreach to Tanzania, Africa! Tanzania was incredible. So often, as missionaries, we think we're going somewhere to bring Christ and save souls. The reality is that God is already there. He's already working. We loved seeing the locals and missionaries making a difference. We proudly served them, loved them, prayed for them, and watched them reach their people. Of course, we did a lot of dramas, sang many songs, taught English, and did anything that drew a crowd! God was so faithful. We saw some incredible miracles and made some amazing friends that we will continue to support over the coming years!
Now, we are done with DTS and moving on to the "what's next, God?" phase. As of right now, we're headed back to Kona to volunteer staff at the YWAM campus where we did our training. During our 3 months of training, John was assigned to work in the Finance Office, and God has opened doors for John to return to them. He will be focused on helping with finance strategy using his natural talents and the skills he developed over his career in Corporate America.
As a true missionary (I grew up in YWAM for those who don't know!), I am a jack of all trades! I am a registered nurse, high school teacher, communication/media creator, and mom! I've dabbled in many different things over the years and have been searching for something that brings them all together. So, I will be joining a new ministry on campus called the Discovery Center. This is a new ministry that focuses on helping students and staff discover their dreams and purposes and how to operate those within global missions! I fully believe that the Discovery Center will allow me to connect with people from all over and help network them to operate more efficiently for the Kingdom of God by serving in the areas they are uniquely designed for.
For now, the kids will focus on their homeschool work and connect with other YWAM families on base. One thing that we value and believe is that our kids are not "missionary kids." We believe that our kids are missionaries with their callings and purposes here in the world of missions. We have asked each of our kids to pray about what they feel their unique calling and purpose are during this season here in Kona. Stay tuned for whatever fun adventure they bring us on!
Thank you for reading our long story! Most importantly, thank you for joining us on this journey. We would love to have you join us as ministry and prayer partners. We covet your prayers! Stay tuned for our blog posts and gallery updates as we adventure to bring Christ to the nations.