#189 - A cone head at baggage claim. A prank that makes a whole terminal laugh. And beneath the costumes and skits, a marriage held together by faith, service, and a fierce tenderness forged in grief. We sit down with Troy and Melinda Hicks—Hicks in the Wild—to explore how everyday adventure can coexist with loss and how playful creativity becomes a lifeline.

Their love story starts in college, survives a mission and distance, and grows into a partnership where roles fit like puzzle pieces: Melinda crafts the ideas and heart-forward projects; Troy builds the systems, supply chains, and giving model. That model was born from pain. They share the sudden preterm birth of their son Tanner at 24 weeks, three days in the NICU, and the sacred details that became anchors—a donated blanket and cap, a father who knew how to navigate the unthinkable. Melinda now sews tiny blankets and diaper covers for NICU babies, transforming sorrow into service families can feel in their hands.

The Hicks also walk through a second crucible: their five-month-old’s neck tumor and the week of terror before a successful surgery. That experience reframed hospitals as places of skill and hope, inspiring them to donate a percentage of their revenue to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. We dig into their mission-driven venture, Searching for Jesus, a Christ-centered Advent tradition that turned their December into daily wonder and helped their kids fall in love with prayer. Along the way, we talk viral moments, Lord Farquaad gags, a months-long “bird landing” quest, and the simple rule that guides their content—if it isn’t fun, they don’t do it.

What emerges is a blueprint for meaningful, joyful living: schedule delight, let faith hold your anger long enough to heal, make small things that help real people, and keep choosing each other through the messy middle of family life. Adventure, they remind us, isn’t a mountain or an ocean crossing—it’s a decision to move forward without knowing every turn, and to laugh together when you can. If this story lifted you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a smile, and leave a review to help others find our community. Give me a follow on Instagram @journeywithjakepodcast.

To learn more about Troy and Melinda give them a follow on Instagram @hicksinsthewild and to learn more about having a Christ centered Christmas with your kids or grandkids check out www.searchingforjesus.shop.

Want to be a guest on Journey with Jake? Send me a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/journeywithjake 

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