Today we’d like to introduce you to Bruce & Patty Nowlin.
Hi Bruce & Patty, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
We are a story of how God uses broken pieces of your life to call you into ministry. We have been married for 32 years and have two beautiful daughters, both brought to us through the gift of adoption. We had to make some very tough decisions to love and support our girls into adulthood, and at the end of one of those chapters God laid a call to ministry on my (Patty’s) heart. The call was simple and clear: Use your story and your witness and your testimony to love like Jesus. We began a period of prayer and discernment, and it took seven years before we had clarity on God’s calling. In early February 2021 we knew He was calling us to provide a haven for people; a place where we could provide extravagant hospitality and Jesus-like love. We had a very comfortable life in our hometown of Elkhart, Indiana. Bruce was the Administrative Pastor at our church and Patty was the Vice President of Corporate Communications at an electric and telecom utility. But God doesn’t call us to be comfortable; He calls us to love and serve and we knew that meant leaving the familiar. We began workng with a realtor to look for a bed and breakfast. We never intended to move to South Haven. In fact our plan was to stay in proximity to Elkhart as it was our lifelong home. But we listened for God’s plan and He delivered us right to Martha’s Vineyard Bed & Breakfast in South Haven. We first visited the property in March 2021 and closed on the purchase in August. Things move quickly when you let Jesus take the wheel!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been a beautiful journey, but not without challenges. Our bed and breakfast is situated on about four acres and includes two houses with 11 guest rooms. South Haven is known as a summertime destination and we felt like the proverbial “deer in the headlights” during our first full summer season in 2022. We are very hands-on owners/innkeepers. The hospitality piece came naturally, but figuring out how to keep up with all the work on facilities and grounds and maintenance, not to mention delivering love on a plate in the way of a hot breakfast every morning for up to 22 people, were some of the struggles. In that first busy season and each one since, there were times that we hit the wall of physical and emotional exhaustion. But God always showed up and reminded us why we were here.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Bruce has a background in higher education and church administration, and Patty’s background is in corporate communications and public relations. We left the comfort of our known careers in 2021 when we bought our bed and breakfast in South Haven. Our move from the familiar was in response to a call to ministry, and while we did grieve what we left behind, we never looked back. As bed and breakfast owners/innkeepers, we strive to provide radical hospitality and Jesus-like love to everyone who enters our home. Every detail matters — the way our rooms, common spaces, and property are maintained and presented; how food is prepared and served; and how we interact with our guests to create exceptional experiences and lifetime memories. What sets us apart from others is that our work is a ministry. Many come to celebrate birthdays or anniversaries, but some come needing a place of respite and healing. We want to help each guest feel the love of Jesus through our hands and feet, no matter what brings them into our home. We’re most proud of the relationships we’ve established with many of our guests who “come home” for repeat visits. Many have become friends and members of our extended family.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
One of the most special things to us is the opportunity to host and officiate weddings. We offer an elopement package for those who do not want all the pomp and circumstance of a big wedding. It’s just the couple and us and God in a beautiful setting. This space is sacred to us, and when it becomes part of someone’s forever story — well that’s just special!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marthasvy.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100044910623473
