Jacob and Tracy Kaiser: Faith in Every Step

Like so many other engaged couples, Jacob and Tracy Kaiser’s plan for a summer 2020 wedding did not go as expected. With COVID precautions changing almost daily, Jacob and Tracy had trouble deciding whether to move forward with their plans or to put them on hold indefinitely.

After changing their plans three different times and asking God for guidance through the whole process, they decided to get married on the original date of July 11, 2020. Unfortunately, that limited the number of people they could invite.

“While we missed having everyone at our wedding ceremony, God later showed us why having a small intimate wedding was a blessing in disguise,” Tracy said.

A Marriage Rooted in Trust

The Kaisers may have experienced more tragedy in their first year of marriage than most, and they leaned heavily on God to help them through it all.

Just weeks after their wedding, Jacob’s father Kelly suffered a serious vehicle accident, leaving Jacob to take on full responsibility for the family farm until Kelly could recover.

“We turned to God knowing that He would be our source of strength to get through the unknown in the months to follow,” the couple said.

Months later, when Kelly had finally recovered enough to start helping on the farm again, Jacob’s mother Kayleen was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. She passed away on April 20, 2021 — her and Kelly’s 30th wedding anniversary.

“We turned to God in our time of grief and loss and allowed Him to surround us with His grace and love,” the Kaisers said. “With all the loss and uncertainty in our first year of marriage, we were so grateful for the foundation of our Catholic Faith.”

A Lifelong Connection to Faith

Both Tracy and Jacob grew up in families who prioritized a relationship with God.

Raised just a block away from St. Rose of Lima Church in Crofton, Tracy stayed involved in her parish throughout her entire life. She attended St. Rose School from first to eighth grade, where she attended daily Mass, prayed the weekly Rosary as a school community, participated in the sacraments, and served the community through various service projects.

Jacob was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fordyce until marrying Tracy in 2020. He learned a lot from his parents’ example, who despite having busy lives on and off the farm, kept Sunday and Holy Day Mass as top priority. They regularly received the Sacrament of Reconciliation, attended Stations of the Cross during Lent, and prayed the Rosary during downtime in the car.

Jacob and Tracy met each other and started dating in high school. Upon graduation, Tracy attended Wayne State College, where she grew even deeper in her relationship with Jesus through prayer, Adoration, daily Mass, and the sacraments. She graduated in 2018 with a degree in elementary education. Jacob attended South Dakota State University, graduating in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in agronomy.

Through all that time and even after college, they continued to discern their call to marriage and the start of their family.

“We sought the Holy Spirit to guide us and often called upon the saints to intercede for us as we faced choices such as buying a house, choosing careers, and deciding when God was calling us to start our family,” they said.

Role Models for the Next Generation

In 2021, the couple welcomed their daughter Monica into the world, followed by their son Joseph in 2023. Inspired by the life of St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who said, “If you want to make a change in the world, go home and love your family,” Tracy decided to take a break from teaching after having their daughter to stay home to raise their children while running an in-home daycare. While Jacob continues to work as an agronomist for the Fordyce Co-op and help out on the family farm, he turns to St. Joseph as a role model for being a supportive and loving father and husband to his family.

As their family grew, the Kaisers leaned on their faith once again, attributing its strength to the foundation set by their parents.

“We owe it to our parents for being our first teachers, helping us find our identity as children of God, and showing us the importance and true gift of our Catholic Faith,” they said. “We hope that we can instill the same strong foundation of faith for our children.”

One way they do that is through teaching their children about the saints as role models in faith. The family will celebrate many of the saints’ feast days with “simple everyday tasks that reflect on the lives of that saint whether it be baking a cake, singing a song, or praying for a special intention.” One of their children’s favorite parts of bedtime is praying a litany of saints and listening for their own names of Monica and Joseph.

Faith in Action

As active members of their parish, Tracy and Jacob stay heavily involved in various parish ministries. Tracy serves as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (EMHC), a Ladies Guild member, and a leader of Bible studies. Jacob is an EMHC, lector, usher, and a member of the Knights of Columbus. Together, they co-chair outdoor games for the annual parish bazaar.

Their involvement in the parish has not only helped them become role models for their children, but it has also been a place of love and support.

“We love being in a faith community that shares in the same beliefs as we do. It is so important to us to be surrounded by people to share in the Sacraments,” Tracy said. “It is such a blessing to be in a community who comes together to pray for each other and hold each other accountable throughout our journeys as we strive for Heaven.”

With everything they’ve been through, the Kaisers’ faith is stronger than ever. As they continue to move forward in life, they’ll always keep God at the center of their family to lean on in the good times and the bad.

“Our faith has allowed us to grow in an intimate relationship with Jesus and turn to Him in times of joy as well as times of hardship,” they said. “With God’s help, we can handle whatever comes our way.”