Jim & Kristine Houtman, Sales & Marketing Professionals, Parents of Adult Children & Want-to-be Writers
At St. Philip the Deacon since: 1995 – when we moved to the Twin Cities from Schaumburg, Illinois (Suburban Chicago).
Faith background: We both grew up Lutheran.
Professional background and experience: We met at Mankato State in 1978 and married in 1980. Jim finished with a BS in Business Administration, Marketing and Finance and then completed his Masters in Marketing at Kellogg Graduate School of Business through Northwestern College in Evanston, Illinois. Kristine completed her BS in Business Administration, Management at Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois. Jim has been in sales and marketing in the manufacturing of commercial building products. Kristine has enjoyed a career in advertising and marketing; specializing in custom events predominantly in the outdoor sports of fishing and hunting. She recently left the corporate world and is pursuing publishing young reader adventure books about the outdoors – geared mostly for boys 2nd through 6th grades – centered on fishing, camping and hunting. Jim writes guided meditations that bring scripture to an experiential level. We’ll see where the writing leads…..keep us in yours prayers on that!
What is something that you love about St. Philip the Deacon? That the Spirit of God is present at SPD and at work in our congregation – calling, leading, comforting, guiding….and so much more.
Have you ever been surprised by God? All the time. God surprises us in so many ways – it would take a lifetime to tell all the stories. The biggest revelation has been that God is the ultimate paradox….and that, too, would take a lifetime to delve into properly. He cannot be put into a box and fully understood or contained.
If you could meet God face-to-face, what would you want to ask? We have encountered God – perhaps not face-to-face but definitely soul-to-soul. And I often ask him questions like….Can you help me to trust you in EVERYTHING, to let go of being in charge and submitting fully to Your divine plan (for me and the world), to be constant in prayer and adoration that God is God and no matter what else changes in life – THAT will not change.
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