He's a Father and a father.
The Rev. Stephen Jones has been the sacramental minister at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Russellville since he was ordained by the Roman Catholic Church in July 2012.
He's also father to his four children - Colman, 13; Dwyn, 10; Fisher, 6; and Serafina, 2 - with his wife, Kerri.
Growing up as a Texas Episcopalian, Jones was captured by the call to ministry at the age of 8. He looked up to the Episcopalian priests who taught at his parochial school and served in his parish.
Jones knew he was called to be a priest. What he did not know at the time was he would be called from the Episcopalian clergy to the Catholic.
A July weekend in 2010, he took off the Episcopalian collar for the last time and made his first confession as a Catholic.
It was a decision he, his wife and even his congregation had been considering prayerfully for years, he said.
He had served nearly 10 years in the Episcopal church, after completing five years of seminary at Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, and the Nashotah House Theological Seminary.
Jones said he enjoyed the people and the ceremony.
What was missing was a full understanding of what the Nicene Creed meant by: "we believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church," he said.
The role of the pope historically, biblically and theologically is what finally convinced him to convert, he said.
Although he felt a relief in knowing he had "come home to where I belong," Jones also knew he might only be a parishioner and no longer clergy for the rest of his life.
"I found I was more Catholic than Episcopal at the end of the day," Jones said. "It wasn't a 'grass is greener' thing."
But the bishop in Fort Worth contacted Bishop John Gaydos in the Diocese of Jefferson City, who was willing to take him on through the pastoral provision.
The next two years, Jones served as youth minister for the local diocese while completing a battery of evaluations toward ordination.
The process also involved Kerri, who was convinced of their need to convert from Episcopalian to Catholic a year before he was, Jones said.
The transition to Missouri from Texas and Catholic from Episcopalian was a challenge for the young family, he said.
Jones uses the advice of the first priest he ministered under for both his ministry and his family.
"If they know you love them, they will let you form them and guide them," he said. "It's true for life in any situation."
Although the terrible twos present the greatest challenge as a parent, Jones admitted that is probably his favorite time, so far, in his children's lives.
In the next few years, he may see his oldest enter Helias Catholic High School, where he serves as president.
What has remained constant is his awareness of being a role model in a "rubber hits the road" kind of way, Jones said. That is for his children as much as those he serves.
"My kids see it all, when I'm at home in a T-shirt or in my worst moments," he admitted.
But he and Kerri are intent on being a faithful family.
"Parenting in our culture and the need to be strong parents is at an all time low," he observed. "If we're looking to build a strong generation, who is not self-centered, who understands hard work and are willing to be faithful, they must see that in their parents."
Although Catholic parishioners may be unaccustomed to a priest with a family, Jones said it could help him connect with some people in a better way.
He sees the advantage of the celibate lifestyle for Catholic priests who can leave at a moment's notice and go wherever the church calls them. And if his wife dies, he would then take that vow.
But he does not doubt the journey to get him here.
"I think God calls us each in our own place for our own reason," he said.