High School Sweethearts
Our paths first crossed in a school cafeteria where several families,
along with Tim's, were temporarily assembling for worship while they
worked to build a church nearby for the growing community of Great
Bridge in Chesapeake, VA. On Christmas morning, 1977, Joy's family
decided to attend church for the first time and because of God's mercy,
Joy (age 12), her sister, and mother all accepted Christ the following
Sunday morning with Joy's step-dad rededicating his life to Christ. Although Tim and Joy were in the same youth group, they only remember one conversation that took place during all those years. It involved a brand new "Ocean Pacific" shirt that Joy had saved her money to buy and was proudly wearing one Sunday. Timmy nonchalantly looked over at Joy and said, "My sister has that same shirt and when she washed it, the colors ran and it was ruined." From the beginning, Tim has always been one to say exactly what's on his mind! They both attended the same Christian high school their senior year and realized as the big year-end event, "The Jr/Sr Banquet", was approaching that neither of them had dates. Tim said he would have never thought to ask Joy to accompany him but he was encouraged by their English teacher and pastor's wife, Mrs. Dilda (see picture below taken during a recent visit), to ask anyway. Joy excitedly said she'd love to be Tim's date for the evening. That evening turned into a summer of making many happy memories together. At summer's end they both decided they would head to Florida to attend college together at Pensacola Christian College. By mid-semester, both made calls informing their parents that they'd like to come home at the semester's end and begin planning a wedding! |
|
Thee I Wed
On August 4, 1984, Tim and Joy were married. They bought their first home, a small ranch, and began the first of many home make-overs. A couple of years later they bought their next home which was a major renovation project that spanned the following 10 years. During those years, the Lord blessed them with Meredith in 1987, Elliott in 1991, and Oliver in 1993. Joy became a stay-at-home mom upon Meredith's birth, and added the title of homeschooling mom when Meredith began kindergarten. Tim worked long, hard hours in the construction field. |
Answering the Call
The church that
the Alexanders attended had a stay-at-home mom's and children's play
group that met each week in the gym of a Children's Home for abandoned
or neglected children. One week, as Joy went to get the key from the
administrator to open the gym, she discussed with Joy the need for
"house parents" - couples who live at the Children's Home and care for
as many as ten children, including their own.After about six months of consideration, Tim and Joy embarked on their first ministry mission as they moved into the Home on August 4, 1995 - their eleventh anniversary. A detailed, audible testimony is available by clicking here. God used their two years of service there as a refining fire in both their lives. |
On the Move
Having sold their home of ten years and most all their belongings prior to moving into the Children's Home, the Alexanders found themselves, upon leaving, house-shopping in a market where prices had risen sharply since their first home purchase thirteen years earlier. It was during this time that they learned about the hidden treasure in foreclosed properties. For the next ten years, the entire family joined in the fun of hunting for and fixing up foreclosed homes that they would live in and sell. These moves prepared them for the adjustment of eventually making moves
specifically to stay close to Tim's job locations.
specifically to stay close to Tim's job locations.
During this season, God graciously added three more blessings to the Alexander family: Sullivan in 1999, Harrison in 2001, and Sheridan in 2007.
In mid-2007, the Alexanders returned to Amelia, VA where they currently live. They operate a natural farm and organic dairy where they enjoy working together as a family.
Feel free to contact the Alexander family. They would love to hear from you! timjoyalexander@yahoo.com
