So many of us here in Lake Nona come from different places and have different stories of how we wound up in the Nonahood. No two stories are the same, with each comprised of individuals making the choice to pick up and move from another part of Florida, another state, or even another country. This is How We Got Here, telling stories one at a time of how different families from all different walks of life ended up in Lake Nona.
This month, we’d like to introduce you to Pastor Greg Marksberry and his family, which includes wife Eliana, their 25-year-old daughter, a 22-year-old son, and an 11-year-old daughter who is a 6th grader at Innovation Middle School. Greg and Eliana have been married 30 years as of December and have lived in Lake Nona after feeling called to the community in order to “to help build out the ‘spiritual infrastructure’ within the fabric of the rapidly growing community.”
Greg currently works as the lead pastor of Thrive Church Lake Nona that launched at Innovation Middle School last year. He also serves as the executive director of Florida Church Partners, a church network and church-planting resource for the state.
Check out our interview with Greg below!
NHN: What is your favorite part of Lake Nona?
GM: I love the Lake Nona Village Plaza because I spend many hours each week at the restaurants there, meeting with staff, doing lunch with people, and entertaining out-of-town guests. It’s also close to the YMCA, where I have enjoyed serving in a variety of ways, especially at coaching basketball.
NHN: What are your family hobbies? What do you like to do together?
GM: Our family loves to go to Disney! We try to hit a park at least once each week. We also love sports and enjoy watching and attending basketball and football at high school, college and pro levels. My personal favorite hobbies are trekking and ocean kayaking.
NHN: What is your favorite Disney Park or Disney memory?
GM: Epcot is my favorite park, especially during the Food and Wine Festival. One of my favorite memories, as an ’80s rock fan, is recently happening upon 38 Special in concert at Eat with the Beat with my 6th grader and exposing her to a great band.
NHN: What got you into ocean kayaking? What is that experience like?
GM: Twenty years ago, I went with a friend on a three-day kayaking/camping excursion in Bar Harbor, Maine. I’ve been hooked ever since! Ocean kayaking gets you very close to the water, which intensifies the beauty and peacefulness of the invigorating experience of tackling swells and occasionally experiencing wildlife like seals, dolphins, etc., up close.
NHN: What is the most interesting thing that has ever happened to you? The hardest?
GM: The most interesting thing I’ve done is participate in an expedition to summit the 16,854-foot glacier cover peak of Mt. Ararat on Turkey’s border with Iran and explore that very rich history of that region with a long-time archaeologist friend of mine. The hardest thing I have ever done was summit 19,341-foot peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
NHN: Do you have any plans to climb more mountains in the future?
GM: We are planning a trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp in Nepal (elevation 17,600 feet) in May 2020. Can’t wait to experience the Himalayas and to behold the highest mountain on earth. Of course, base camp is as far as we plan to go!
NHN: Where do you all see yourselves in 10 years?
GM: We see ourselves right here, enjoying the vibe of our city and contributing to the community life of Lake Nona in a positive and meaningful way!
Would you like to share your story of how you got here? Please fill out this online form: forms.nona.media/how-we-got-here or send an email to vanessa@nonahoodnews.com with a brief summary of why your family moved to Lake Nona. We’ll be in touch.
