Home Again

A journey of service means understanding the cost of answering God’s call and learning how to settle in with each new move.

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I once chatted with a young guy about where he was from.

“Nowhere really,” he told me. I must’ve looked puzzled because he quickly shared all the places he’d lived over the years. The son of Salvation Army officers, he moved around a lot as a kid and into adulthood, never really settling down anywhere. Now an adult with his own family, he has seen what it means to follow God’s call to ministry—and understands both the cost and the fruit it bears.

The stories you’re about to read come from folks who’ve moved around quite a bit in their lives. They travel light and live simply, focusing on quality instead of quantity when it comes to things. These individuals have made sacrifices that most of us can’t even imagine—ones that affect not just them but their families in significant ways. All of them demonstrate how every move is a chance to grow, try new experiences, and see things differently. They are leaders who know how to create a sense of community wherever they go, building relationships, developing routines, and being patient, especially with themselves.

 

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

—Joshua 1:9

“Joshua 1:9 reminds me that no matter where we move, God is always with us, protecting my family and me,” Major Jessica Berkhoudt says.

Berkhoudt, a Salvation Army officer and mother of four children with special needs, has experienced the challenges and blessings that come with frequent reassignments. Through it all, she finds strength in her faith and biblical verses that encourage trust in God during transitions.

“This is a subject very close to my heart lately,” Berkhoudt says. “Moving has always been a significant part of my life. Through it all, my faith in Christ has been my anchor.”

She and her husband, Major Jon-Erik Berkhoudt, are currently pastors for and direct The Salvation Army’s Newburyport Community Center in Newburyport, Mass., a coastal city with a population of less than 20,000, 35 miles north of Boston.

Every relocation involves layers of complexity and anxiety. With each new environment, Berkhoudt must secure resources for her children to meet their needs. Establishing routines and connecting with local support networks helps her create a sense of belonging.

“Adapting to new surroundings and finding the right resources can be daunting. There are times when my emotions and mind tell me there’s potential for human error, leaving me feeling overwhelmed by the responsibility,” she says. “But I have learned to lean into God during difficult times, knowing that no human can knock me off the course He has set before me.”

Moves are always stressful, and yet Berkhoudt feels joy as she witnesses the impact of her ministry on each community she serves. In Newburyport, for example, she sees affluence in the form of a busy boardwalk and yachts at the port, but she’s also observed that sometimes the people who need help find it very hard to ask for it. Navigating these currents requires patience and wisdom, and she’s grateful for her own personal growth.

“God has been teaching me about emotional maturity,” she says. “I’ve learned not to let my emotions dictate my choices. Instead, I bring them to Christ so He can accept, comfort, nurture, and guide me. This approach helps me maintain obedience to His will despite how I might feel about a move.

“Proverbs 3:5–6 states, ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.’ It’s a reminder for trusting God’s wisdom over personal emotions.”

The Berkhoudts put on their uniforms, take their children to youth events, and meet people. They also help foster a culture of cooperation with other nonprofits in Newburyport rather than competition.

“Engaging with people while sharing Christ’s love leads to transformed lives.That brings immense fulfillment. Personal growth alongside deepening faith through all these experiences adds further joy,” Berkhoudt says.

“Moving evokes mixed emotions. Excitement for new opportunities contrasts against anxiety or sadness about leaving behind familiar places or people. Through it all lies solace found in Philippians 4:6–7: ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’”

Following God’s call—to serve where you’re needed most—provides a compelling reason for relocating.

“Whether career advancement or ministry opportunities arise, I believe each move forms part of His divine plan,” Berkhoudt says. “These experiences foster resilience and adaptability while strengthening my belief in God’s provision.”

 

‘‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

—Jeremiah 29:11

Major Brian Thomas grew up riding the crosswinds. He’s the child of an Air Force officer, and his family was often on the move.

“Throughout my childhood, I moved across various states, beginning in Maine and making my way to California,” Thomas says, retracing his steps.

“From there, the journey took me to Oklahoma, followed by Ohio and Texas. After spending time in two different parts of Oklahoma and then moving again within Texas, I transitioned to Alabama before heading to Georgia. My adventures continued as we relocated all the way to Hawaii, only to return once more to Texas. The cycle of change didn’t stop there. It led me on a path through Connecticut, New York, back again to Connecticut, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, and ultimately arriving in Massachusetts.”

Despite these dizzying transitions, he has managed to find a silver lining in the relationships built along the way.

“My most significant challenge related to all this moving was grappling with the profound sense of loss that accompanied each departure from our last appointment or home base,” Thomas says. “Each move meant saying goodbye not just to familiar surroundings but also friends who’d become like family to me.”

But in the whirlwind of farewells, he embraced the opportunity to celebrate with the people they were leaving behind. He remembers heartfelt gatherings filled with laughter and shared memories.

The emotional journey, a mixture of excitement for new beginnings and grief over severed ties, could be overwhelming at times but also taught him how to be resilient and how to cope with anxiety.

His hopscotching life started with his parent’s military service, but ultimately, Thomas chose to be obedient to the call of God and became a Salvation Army officer. Today, after 25 years and several appointments, he is currently the pastor at the Salem North Shore Corps in Salem, Mass.

“The most compelling reason driving my decision-making when it comes to re­location has always been rooted in obedience—an understanding that such moves were part of a larger commitment,” he says. “Once I’ve settled into yet another un­familiar environment—often feeling like a stranger—I’ve discovered valuable strategies that assist me in reclaiming a sense of belonging, primarily by actively welcoming myself into the new community around me while seeking connections with those who share similar experiences or interests.”

 

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”

—1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)

“I’ve moved a considerable number of times in my life,” says Captain Justin Barter, the son of Salvation Army officers. “Each transition brings its own set of challenges and opportunities. As an officer myself now, I’ve had three distinct appointments: one in northeastern Ohio and two in Massachusetts.”

To cope, Barter encourages a mindset focused on outreach. He has served as pastor of the Pittsfield, Mass., Salvation Army for about five years and has seen the homeless population and the need for food and other basics increase. He and his wife, Captain Marsha Barter, provide community members with spiritual and emotional care. For him, the work is about service to God and fulfilling the Great Commission.

Barter believes we are all partakers in the Great Commission outlined in Matthew 28:16–20, which emphasizes spreading Christ’s message far and wide.

“The Salvation Army plays an integral role within this mission framework,” he says. “We must remember not to grow too comfortable or complacent in one location but instead adopt a mindset focused on addressing the urgent need for everyone around us to come to know Christ.”

The words of 1 Corinthians 15:58 remind Barter to be steadfast and unshakable.

“As I look forward to my next appointment, my hopes are high for what lies ahead. New experiences await that will undoubtedly enrich my life further,” Barter says. “And when I reflect on how scripture provides comfort during these transitions, it becomes clear to me that my missional role as a servant of God is paramount.”

Of course, leaving is always bittersweet. “I grapple with leaving behind a place where I’ve invested so much time and energy over the past few years,” he says. Preparing the way for new officers to follow them also requires careful effort. “The process can be daunting as I work to ensure everything is organized for incoming officers. It’s important to me that they start their journey smoothly and find themselves in a comfortable environment.”

But Barter’s true comfort stems from engaging wholeheartedly in service to God and His people, wherever he may go.

“There is something undeniably thrilling about moving time—whether I’m personally included on the moves list or not!” Barter says. “When that day arrives, revealing new appointments, we’ll gather together with eager anticipation to analyze them closely. I’ll be scrutinizing all of the new assignments listed while reaching out via messages to friends whose names pop up among those appointments. It can certainly be challenging if I’m hesitant about moving. Some assignments are simply outstanding opportunities. But regardless of our personal feelings toward relocation or specific postings, adventure awaits us all—and adventure is always something worth embracing.”

 

“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.”

—Psalm 37:3

Major Carl E. Avery, pastor at the Montclair Citadel Corps in Montclair, N.J., is used to frequent moves from his background in a Salvation Army family and his own role as an officer. He looks to Psalm 37:3, which emphasizes trust in God during times of change.

The disruption of carefully cultivated relationships can be painful, yet Avery appreciates the strong connections formed and strives to maintain relationships even after he departs from a posting.

“A deep sense of satisfaction comes from knowing we’ll be missed. It highlights how meaningful our interactions have been,” he says. “There’s joy in reflecting on all that God has accomplished through our time living at each location.” Despite the many positives, his feelings are complex and he admits to disliking the process overall.

“I invest heavily in the people within my community and my professional responsibilities,” Avery says. “My commitment leads me to engage deeply in long-range planning and visioning for improvements. It’s challenging to stop short of achieving goals I’ve set out for myself. Sometimes it is hard to understand what’s driving a reassignment. Personally speaking, I’d rarely choose to relocate if given free choice.”

Raised by Salvation Army officers, he got used to changing homes every three years or so and has called 13 places home.

“I’ve lived in states including New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut,” he says. “My most recent move brought me back full circle to the very town where I was born. It was a reminder of how life often takes us back home again.”

It’s important to create a sense of belonging through thoughtful organization, Avery notes. Things that help him feel at home quickly are essential—like setting up his family’s new space.

“We want it to reflect who we are as individuals while also making a new home and office ‘ours.’ It is a way for us to regain a sense of belonging in the middle of so much change,” Avery says. “Establishing relationships with new neighbors nearby along with work colleagues—and church members—plays an equally crucial role.”

 

“If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

—Psalm 139:9–10

Over the years, Major Heather Odom has refined her strategies for making a new place feel like home. Odom, now The Salvation Army’s assistant program secretary in Northeast Ohio, grew up in a family where frequent moves had a profound influence on her identity.

“I grew up in a military family, which means that moving from one place to another has become an integral part of my identity and life experience,” Odom says. “The running joke in our family is ‘most people spring clean, we just move.’”

Indeed, while some people engage in the ritual of spring cleaning their homes, Odom’s family simply embraced the process of moving as their own version of tidying up. One relocation involved traveling just 30 miles; another meant picking up everything to move 1,200 miles between Tennessee and Massachusetts as an employee of The Salvation Army. “I transferred from being the director of a shelter to the divisional headquarters in Boston,” she recalls.

But Odom, who first started off in The Salvation Army as a volunteer, then an intern, then an employee, and now an officer, doesn’t view relocating as a burden.

“Whenever I find myself having to settle into an unfamiliar environment, I make it a point to employ certain strategies that help me and my family feel at home once again,” she says. “I like to treat each move not merely as a logistical challenge but rather as an exciting adventure waiting to unfold.”

Key activities include exploring maps and researching places to go and fun things to do in the new area. She and her daughters gather around a table to look at Google Maps and conduct online searches. Odom says, “This activity generates genuine excitement for them as they begin imagining all the wonderful places we can explore together.”

Odom encourages her daughters to engage in summer activities to make friends before school starts. It’s a proactive approach that allows them ample opportunities to establish connections with peers even before they officially start classes in their new school environment.

She and her daughters also visit the local library right away. “It’s one of our first stops. The library is where we eagerly obtain library cards for each member of the family. For some reason—perhaps it’s the sense of belonging or access to countless stories—this simple act makes us feel like we’ve truly joined the community around us.”