Jason and I both grew up surrounded by incredible ministry in our homes and our community. We would attest most of who we are today to their example and the ministers (without calling themselves ministers) that we grew up learning from. So thank you, all of you. You who welcomed us, showed us the way and invited us into your lives.

Speaking of our hometown…Jason and I knew each other growing up because of Abilene, TX. If you know Abilene, ACU, or Highland then you understand. If you don’t, imagine a Texas town that is small enough to know everyone, but gives you the allusion that it is pretty big, and that we are all pretty big deals. When really, only Abilene knows Abilene, no matter what the country song says. Anyway, Jason and I both grew up there, involved in most of the same things, just 5 years apart. 

After ACU, Jason was invited to serve in Nairobi, Kenya for a couple of years. He was the camp director of a summer camp and helped start the first indoor climbing gym in East Africa. He’s pretty cool. Meanwhile, Lindsay was a really cool freshman at ACU. In December, on an unexpected trip back to the states, Jason invited me to come be a counselor for the summer. Little did either of us know, it was a much bigger invitation.

Over the summer, we led 5 weeks of summer camp and experienced 5 weeks of other ministry: villages, slums, orphanages, evangelism and physical service. We were able to see a true snapshot of many different ministries. Through the summer, Jason and I noticed many things God had for us in each other, many of these we didn’t even know we were looking for. In my eyes, he was a crazy (& very attractive) 24 year old living in Kenya, pursuing an amazing dream that I was fortunate to be a part of. BUT, I had my idea and plan very detailed for what God had for me. At the time, I was planning on finishing undergrad as a pre-medical student, as well as a business student, opening up my own family practice, which I would also manage the business side of. I also thought I would be involved in every social event, club and ministry, all while having the best of friends and memories. Who did I think I was?? Jason was a very strong-willed and passionate man who thought he knew exactly what he wanted in a woman. I can tell you that a stubborn 19 year old freshman with a very detailed agenda was not what he had in mind. I will write later about specific instances and opportunities God had in store for us in Kenya, some we are still daily involved with. Basically, we needed to be slapped in the face, humbled and taken out of our own plans to see what God had for us in each other. Thank goodness we saw it this time, it has led us on the most incredible adventure.

We didn’t know at the time, but God had written the two of us together. Speaking of writing, Jason wrote me an 11 page letter over the summer that he gave to me the day I left Kenya to return to Texas. He is the much more romantic, long-winded and better writer, as you will see in the posts (and I am a sucker for good writing). Jason is the “hose” in our relationship, focusing all his effort in one spot. He is adventurous, stubborn and the dreamer. He sets his mind to what he is chasing and wanted me to know that I was it. I am more practical, a people pleaser, and the caretaker. I spread out my energy and effort into many different areas, sometimes too thin, more like a “sprinkler”. I needed to make sure everyone was going to be good with it, that everything would work out, and that I could still passionately pursue all the areas I was involved in, and hoped and prayed Jason could work in that as well. Through his letter and the experiences we had that summer, we both set our minds to something that was full of challenges, opportunities, frustrations and complete joy. We were going to be together.