About

Jordan’s Story

On December 30, 1981 the world welcomed with open arms the bundle of joy that is Jordan Dancer. He was raised with a pitch fork in his hand 20 minutes out of a little place called Hell. (He grew up on a farm in the middle of lower Michigan, that is.) Jordan Graduated from Stockbridge High School in 2000. From there it was off to the city life where he attended Eastern Michigan University, joined the greatest fraternity ever, Kappa Phi Alpha, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in General Studies.

In pursuit of adulthood, with $80 in his pocket, Jordan moved to Durham North Carolina with his parents and realized his love of working with youth and knew his lifelong dream of teaching was the only field he could survive in.

In 2007, Jordan relocated to Sebring, Florida and found comfort among retirees taking resident in his Grandparents spare bedroom. From that humble living quarter Jordan continued his education track to become a full time educator and be involved in youth ministry.  That summer Jordan also met the girl of his dreams.

With Vickie’s support Jordan survived his first year of teaching with an eighth grade position in Okeechobee Florida.

Vickie’s Story

August 9, 1981 was not just another hot and sweaty Florida morning!  Vickie Gilbert shocked the world with an exciting entrance none will soon forget.  Eighteen years later in 1999, Sebring said goodbye to this Blue Streak as she returned to the lands of her birth (Avon Park, a 15 minute jog up north bound US 27) where she earned as Associates of Arts degree in Fine Arts from South Florida Community College.  After putting away her books, Vickie took a full time position at her summer job of four years, becoming the Recreation Coordinator at the Warren W. Willis United Methodist Camp in Leesburg, Florida.

After just over a year, Vickie’s job came to an end at the camp and she made her way home in attempts to save money and find another job.  She decided to stay with ministry and took a part time position working as the Director of Children’s & Educational Ministries at St. John UMC while also holding another part time position with the Highlands Today (our local newspaper) as a Graphic Artist.  With the allure of full time employment and health insurance, Vickie left the church in 2008 to put her education to greater use helping create ads for customer and consumer satisfaction.  “Since 2007, Vickie has been an award winning part of our team here at Highlands Today.”, someone said once….maybe.

How We Met

Jordan and Vickie met at one of the best places to meet, CHURCH!  Vickie came with her mom to a Family Night at UMYF at First UMC Sebring, where Mike Tucker officially introduced them.  After that, it was just a matter of Jordan finding an opportunity to make conversation with Vickie.  After a few casual meetings and outings, feelings eventually grew and they began dating.  From that moment on, they have been virtually inseparable.

Engagement

The weekend before my birthday Jordan proposed after a day of helping friends move into a new apartment.  Our friends Scott and Rachael Browning were, of course, in on the whole thing.  After getting everything moved into the apartment “the guys” ventured to go drop the moving van off & in the process “got lost.”  So us girls decided to hop in my car and go get ice cream.

We stopped at the front office of the complex to check the office hours & Rachael asked if I wanted a tour of the pool area.  I said sure and followed her to the pool which was right next to a pond with a dock and gazebo on the other side.  We were walking around to get a closer look at the gazebo, and as we got closer I saw Scott walk across to Rachael’s car.  I then got confused as to why he was back already since they were supposedly lost.  So I asked Rachael if we were meeting them here and she mumbled something and took me over to the gazebo.  Rachael and Scott said, “See ya!” and got in their car.  That’s when I noticed Jordan sitting at the end of the dock.  The sun was setting and Tiki torches were lit creating a very romantic setting.  I started to walk down the dock and saw he had his cooler, a bottle of champagne (which he had brought with a bottle of champagne in it “for Scott & Rachael” as a congrats on the new apartment), a dozen roses (which I was told Scott had got for Rachael since I transported them from their Lakeland place to Tampa), cheese & crackers, & music playing from his Ipod.  My initial thought was awww, how cool!  He’s planned a nice date for us!  Well, I sat down & he proceeded to tell me that he had a confession to make. 

The previous Monday he had driven down to Bradenton beach to talk to my Dad and he had a question for me.  He asked & I quote “So I was wondering if you were busy for the rest of your life and I’d be honored if you’d spend it with me.”  Then he got down on one knee and pulled out the ring.  I was so shocked that I didn’t really know what to do!  Jordan says that I had a completely confused look on my face and then it suddenly changed to shock.  I was totally surprised and of course eventually was able to say yes.

He then told me that he had my family (Mom, Dad, Barbara & Brad) and his family (Mom, Dad, Ash & Greg) praying a prayer for us all week and once we decided to go back to the apartment that we would say the prayer with Rachael and Scott.  Well the sand fleas were making a feast out of us so we were not able to stay on the dock long, so we packed up and headed back to the apartment.  Once we got back to the apartment we poured more champagne, toasted and said the prayer:

Gracious Heavenly Father,
We come to you in humility thanking you for your empowering presence. We ask you for guidance in the course of or lives as they change and families expand. We ask that you will be an eternal focus as Jordan and Vickie prepare for their journey through life together. We ask that our friends and family show and support in our times of joy and need as we support them in the completion of education, preparation of bringing new life into your beautiful world, finding comfort in new homes, finding joy in the growing and maturation of their children, and all the unforeseen challenges we stumble blindly into everyday. It is with your guidance we will continue our journey until we may rejoice in your presence.
Amen