We're Moving to Ohio!

I couldn't think of a creative title, so I didn't bury the lede. Five and a half years ago, before I went to business school, I wrote this post about my future, specifically about my childhood desire to be married and raise a family in my hometown. In that longing, I reminded myself,

1) God does not call us to convenience. He calls us to His purpose, and He equips us to do it. 2) Miracles do not occur within the comfortable. They occur when we need Him. 3) God is faithful. Always. And finally, God hasn't forgotten about ten-year-old Anna. There is still time for those dreams to come true, too, even if it is not yet.

What a five-and-a-half years it has been. I have seen God's faithfulness woven throughout, and He always seems to surprise me. For instance, when I said, I won't go into tech, and I won't move to the West Coast, He said, you will work at Amazon, and you will move to Seattle.

Even during 2020, a year that is forgettable in many ways, He blessed me with this wonderful man I'm going to marry. The church Vance and I attend together is the answer to a decade of prayers for a church with like-minded people where I can sow and see fruit. It's awakened a new desire to lead within the church at whatever capacity God calls me to do so. We've been blessed with so many new friendships with strong Christians who are walking the same path we are walking, encouraging us, loving us, and pushing us to grow along the way.

John 10:10 says, “the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come to give life, and to give life abundantly.” To me, abundance is being able to look at your life and see God's goodness, and everywhere I look this year, I see God's goodness, regardless of the world’s chaos. From the weddings of business school classmates to a bachelorette party with friends from all stages of life to Christmas parties with our church family to scavenger hunts with my nieces and nephews, I see the beautiful narrative He has continued the past half-decade.

His latest surprise was probably the sweetest, though. Last November, when Vance was hesitant to visit my family for Christmas, I told him, "Just come. They're cool, you're cool, and even if we break up, I think you'd really like meeting them." The week we returned to Seattle, Vance told me he wanted to move to Ohio and be with my family. He had just spent a week eating my mom's delicious cookies, sitting on the coziest of green couches and watching endless home videos, and staring out the window to the winter wonderland and white Christmas. I brushed it off as one of those urges I always have when I get back from a week at home with family. After all, God has never actually called me back home, so why would He now? To be honest, I had buried that desire a bit, as I didn’t want to be disappointed when it didn’t happen. Plus, why would anyone from Hawaii ever move to Ohio? I forgot God’s sense of humor.

The coming months, as we got engaged (bt-dubs, the family trip home worked its magic and convinced Vance he wanted to marry me), planned a wedding, and continued investing in Seattle, his longing for Ohio didn't seem to go away, but neither did my love for this church and the community we were building. I began leading the youth program, spoke a time or two – which was exciting because normally I just give speeches in my vehicle to the dashboard - and was continually encouraged by their desire to bring Christ to Seattle. Our friends were so wonderful, and our time with them just seemed too short. I didn’t want to run from Seattle, and sometimes, there are certainly reasons to want to run. For instance, this week we went downtown and a man was ransacking a Target, from tearing down the security cameras to throwing everything off the shelves. I digress. Back to moving. Finally, I wasn't really convinced he would love living in Chardon. I mean, I loved it, but it is much different than any place he has ever lived.

In all my thinking and reasoning and pontificating, I felt God ask me: "Anna, are you letting Vance lead you and trusting that I am leading Him?" Hmmm, I thought. Well, I'm not sure. I mean, you've always led me, and I know what that looks like. But maybe I'm resisting a bit, and maybe I should stop. It was then that I told Vance that we would live where he decided, and I would be fully supportive. In this way, I was submitting to where God led him.

Vance continued the interview process with a position in Ohio and visited my family without me, at which point I realized that maybe he did love the town for what it is – a tight-knit community where life is simple yet full. We asked for prayer from those closest to us, and I asked specifically that if we were supposed to be in Ohio, I would be able work at Amazon remotely without having to interview for a new position. I didn't really feel like interviewing, and I find God likes specific requests. Sometimes God takes time to answer prayers, and sometimes it’s the same day. In this case, it was the latter, and I will start a new role in January in an org that supports remote work. As a single woman, I had a difficult time grasping the concept of the man being the head of the household. I had this idea that God would suddenly forget about me, and I’d have to sacrifice based on where God led the man. To the contrary, though, He has used Vance to show me that He never forgot about ten-year-old Anna.

My favorite Christmas hymn is O Holy Night, and I normally love the line, "a thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices." This year, however, the line, "long lay the world, in sin and error pining, til He appeared and the soul felt it's worth," has rung particularly true. The past year and a half, my soul has pined for Christ in a way that it hasn't before as it has become clear so much that we take for granted is not guaranteed. The past year and a half, my soul has also felt its immense worth. It's a very intimate feeling - a feeling that God is looking at you, and only you, and saying, "I see you. I've always seen you. In your darkest moments, in your doubt, in your sorrow and your joy, I have been there every moment. I never looked away. I know the desires of your heart, and they are safe with me, because I love you more than anyone else will ever love you, and more than you can ever imagine. And you think this is great - just keep trusting me, and see what I will do."

Twenty twenty-two has much to look forward to. A wedding, a honeymoon, praying for a house in Ohio so we don’t overstay our welcome with my generous parents – although my mom does love Vance’s cleanliness - new jobs. In that, there will certainly be some discomfort as well. We’re leaving a community that has become family, figuring out how to live together, communicate, and share a life, and transitioning to a new home. During those moments, I will remind myself of the same truths: God does not call us to convenience. Miracles do not happen within the comfortable. God is faithful always. And finally, God never forgets about us. And with Him, the best is always yet to come.

My 33 Thoughts!

Hello, friend! So it was my day of birth last month, and while I have been delinquent from my favorite birthday tradition – documenting my thoughts – for the past couple years, I actually went through the exercise. And then I never posted it. Not sure why, it just didn’t feel right. But today, I am back in sweet Northeast Ohio as my bridal shower is this weekend, and it feels right. Oscar dyed my hair yesterday for a reasonable price compared to Seattle, Phil and Courtny are still sleeping, Vance is landing in a couple hours, Mom’s praying with Aunt Vickie, the first playoff game is tonight, and all feels right in the world.

1. First and foremost, I am very excited to get married, as I love Vance and all, and we’re going to have a wonderful, goofy life together. However, I am also sad because that means my picture on this table will likely disappear and be replaced with a beautiful picture of our wedding day. I mean, it’s just such a classic mugshot.

2. I could probably call her Vickie at this point in my life. I am an adult, after all, and my nieces and nephews just call me Anna. Or Nunu. But I kind of like using the term, Aunt, because it represents what she was to me as a child. Not part of my family, but someone who I looked up and was able to see as an amazing example of a Godly woman, mother, and wife.

3. Showers are funny. Of course, my family will be there, but then so will many of my Mom’s friends who watched me grow up. I don’t know if they know how much it meant to me to grow up around such faithful women. It doesn’t seem like they should be giving me gifts. Seems like I should be giving them gifts. But, whatever, I’ll take the gifts.

4. One woman fasted for me to find a husband. How sweet is that? I haven’t spoken to her much over the years years, and yet here she was, across the country, praying for me.

5. I just poured myself some coffee and wished I had sweetened condensed milk to put in it.

6. I love Vietnamese coffee because the sweetened condensed milk makes it so rich.

7. Last week, I went to the wedding of two friends in Charlotesville, one of whom I traveled across Southeast Asia with. I think there’s a grammatical error in that sentence.

8. It was so fun to be back in Charlottesville and introduce that part of my life to Vance. We went to my favorite burger bar, had brunch with my old tennis buddy, his wife, and newborn, and stayed with one of my best friends, Armin.

9. Of course, Armin and I discussed religion and politics as we used to. Funny how you used to be able to have those discussions and disagree without angering anyone. We still can do it, but we seem to be the exception.

10. Armin approved of Vance and the holy union which is good. I obviously needed his approval.

11. And, man, was the wedding great. I missed weddings. It was so sweet seeing Kyle and Joyce just as caring, driven, and goofy as when I left. And so lovely to look around and be reminded of the role Charlottesville and everyone there played in shaping me.

12. We danced. I’m getting better at being led by Vance.

13. Both in dancing and in life. It’s funny – having been single for so long, I’m used to leading myself (or just roaming around aimlessly).

14. And now I have this man who is led by God. And it was always an interesting dynamic for me to picture before meeting Vance, but it makes sense now. A wise friend once told me to pray for a man who I wanted to follow because he was led by God. And I really do.

15. That doesn’t mean it’s not hard to figure out sometimes. We’re thinking about where we want to live after we get married.

16. On the one hand, houses in Seattle are $750K for a 2 bedroom, you have to show your vaccine passport to do mostly everything, and my car was broken into last week. Car break-ins seem to be a common occurrence.

17. On the other hand, this church! It’s amazing, and it is such a strong community that is really building us.

18. Chipotle! Important to inject this here, because my roommate bought me Chipotle for my birthday. Loyal readers know my obsession with Chipotle. That’s how great of a roommate she is. She intuited it because I talk about it constantly.

19. Chipotle and I had a minor falling out for three days when I got very sick at a football game. But we mended our relationship quite quickly because it’s so good.

20. And on the foot we have family! We all know how I feel about family. It’s funny though, I’ve always missed them, but maybe I’m used to missing them at this point.

21. Going back to Charlottesville, I was reminded that when I was finally settled there and had an amazing crew – multiple amazing crews, actually – God told me it was time to leave.

22. Wouldn’t it be funny if it was the same for Seattle? Regardless, the point is, I’m getting used to having a peace about God speaking to my husband and leading him as well.

23. On to less complicated topics. My first bachelorette party! Yes, I’m obviously having two bachelorette parties. What a hoot!

24. Talk about people who have been in your life forever, my best friends from high school joined. Crazy to think I’ve known them for almost twenty years. Kelsey’s just as excited all the time, Amanda’s just as sarcastic. I'm just as Anna.

25. We melded Chardon, Charlottesville, business school, and Seattle – well, Pilar. I don’t even know why Pilar wasn’t in my life until now, but man, I feel like she's always been there.

26. That’s one thing I really appreciate reflecting on life. In every stage, God has blessed me with wonderful people for that stage.

27. And normally, it’s only for a period, because life takes you different ways, but that doesn’t make that period less sweet.

28. Even in Seattle, I see my core group of business school friends far less often at this point, but they still mean so much to me and were integral in my transition there.

29. Occasionally, God gives you those gems. The people who will remain an integral part of your life no matter where you are.

30. It’s really humbling to be reminded of that, and quite honestly, it is undeserved.

31. Of course, everything God gives us is undeserved, and that’s the beautiful about Him. He wants to bless his children.

32. This past year, in the midst of the surrounding chaos, I have an acute awareness of how blessed I am.

33. There is a peace in that that surpasses all understanding and assures me that whatever the next year brings, God will continue to be faithful, and I will continue to be blessed.

34. Finally, and always - go toppers! Sidenote - if you've really been missing my writing, you should check out our wedding website. Great stuff here.

My Love Story

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass." Psalm 37:4. This past Thursday was the third of the month, the day my family fasts and prays together. We've done this since 2015, and I believe it started because my sister was applying to graduate schools. Admittedly, we've become less committed to the practice over six years, but I always appreciate the updates when they came through. I also love that it's this written record of God's faithfulness over time. For funsies, I looked back at the first update I wrote, and below is an excerpt:

"One more thing... that I'll be honest, I feel silly saying, but o well. I know it's not silly. But still. I really want a relationship. And I know what God's answer is to that, which is, not right now, but in the meantime, I'm really tired from transitioning and making big decisions on my own. I'm not tired all the time, but I am tired a lot. I know whatever is next is in God's hands, too, but that's not the most comforting thought because it's been hard to this point. So... that I'll find myself completely in Him and trust Him and rely on Him solely for strength. And that He will enable me to be joyful in the process and walk righteously."

Over the past six years, that prayer has definitely resurfaced in the email chain:

2017 - "Husband. Heck, maybe just a date. Hehe." 2018 - "Along with that, dating. To everyone who got married young, you missed a pain in the butt dating scene." 2019 - "Prayers for a husband, too. When dad prays with me in the morning, he always throws that in - a Godly, covenant man, and sometimes I want to stop, because it seems like that could take forever. But it's still something I desire, so dangit, I'll pray for it."

My heart has always desired a husband. I was blessed to be surrounded by beautiful examples of family, and I'd love to build my own. He answered so many prayers throughout my twenties I'm incredibly grateful for, but a husband wasn't one of those blessings. It wasn't as if I didn't try. I went on the apps, Match.com, Tinder, some ripoff matchmaking service that actually was pretty decent but too expensive, the League. The answer was always a clear no, though, most often coming from the guy, but occasionally coming from me.

I asked Him often why? Why was He witholding this one thing from me? Early last year, I was finally ready to listen. I've been close to Jesus my whole life. I've trusted Him with my hopes and dreams, obediently followed where He called, and faithfully believed He would do more than I ever could. But there was this one part of me that I didn't give Him completely - my shame. Because I didn't think He wanted it. I thought He wanted all of me, except that. So I let the Devil tell me that no Christian man would ever love me. That I wouldn't be worthy. I knew that was a lie, and I didn't even realize I believed it or held onto my shame until the Holy Spirit revealed it to me. But He revealed something else, too. Something much more beautiful. He revealed that God is with me in those moments that are most shameful, He sees the parts of my heart that are most sinful. And He doesn't look away. No. He looks at me and says, "not only am I here, but if you were the only person in this world, and this was the only moment I knew you, I still would have sent my Son to die on the cross for you, because that is the depth of my love for you." God doesn't love us in spite of our sin, He loves us in our sin. And I am worthy, not because of anything that I have done, but because of what Jesus did on the cross. Where I was rejected, He accepted. Where I was condemned, He redeemed. Where I was cloaked in shame, He cloaked me in righteousness. When you recognize that love in its absolute fullness, it's impossible to not delight yourself in the Lord and commit your way to Him.

I matched with Vance April 19th, 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, because, well, what else was I going to do during lockdown? Before our first date, I was sick to my stomach. I remembered the times I had been hurt, rejected, disappointed, and I was afraid it could happen again, and I wouldn't be able to deal with it again. God sweetly reminded me: "There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear. My love is perfect. It is and always will be enough." So we had our date, and we had another one. The pit shrunk as we chatted about life, God, family, and the Last Dance (God bless the Last Dance for being an outlet of sports during lockdown.) He told me I was smart and he loved that, even if it was a little intimidating. He made me giggle. He had a quiet, calming confidence about him that reminded me of my dad. He kept asking about my family, and I loved that he was so interested.

I wrote in my family's monthly update: "Also, I went on a couple dates with a guy. He's Christian, goes to my church, was willing to go on a date during quarantine (good sign), listens and mostly agrees with my all my outspoken views that this is insane*, and is generally athletic. Although his profile said he was 5'10'' and I'm a little skeptical from the eye test. Anywho, prayers for God to do with that as he pleases. I think at the very least, it's nice to have someone with a similar viewpoint in Seattle."

And so we went on more dates, and as I travelled around the country, we got to know one another better. He held me as I sobbed and wondered how I I could move back to Seattle. We gambled in an old mining town, and he told me that maybe I shouldn't keep betting just because I have a pair. I kept betting. He introduced me to a new church that was hosting in their living room and would transform my outlook on Seattle. And he laughed with me about so many things. He embraced the dome. And when he questioned whether we should continue dating, I knew God was in it. And beyond that, I knew God, not him, was my rock.

And so he met my family. He bought my nieces and nephews gifts, watched hours of home videos, played basemet PIG (and won), and laughed with all of us. I knew he'd love them, and indeed, he did. So much so, he, a native Hawaiian, would not only entertain, but embrace, the prospect of moving to Ohio. So much so that he would propose to me in front of fifteen of them on April 19th 2020, a year after we first spoke. I suspected he might do it when my brother came downstairs with his massive camera. I mean, the ice cream pie is good, but not that good. He had everyone go outside to play a game of IT (shortened version of PIG), and the fact alone that Gail walked out to the basketball court while it was drizzling meant something was happening. Had I lost, he could have proposed sooner, but since I kept draining my jumpshot, he had a couple people throw the game. And then, in the midst of all the commentary from my family, he told me this was perfect, he loved me, and I always leveled him up. And indeed, it was perfect. And he levels me up, too.

This week, my email to my family read: "Praises! We've been engaged for a month. Woo hoo! There have been so many times since this chain started that I've prayed for a husband, and here he is. God answered a lot of other prayers on the way as well, but it's pretty exciting to be able to check that one off the list!"

So here I am. He's my snaggletooth baracuda, and I'm his sugar muffin balls. Or his bubbles, or his babushka, or his pumpkin. Or whatever his nickname du jour is. He's much more creative with nicknames, and he seems to have an endless roll-a-dex of them. He tells me I'm his inspiration. He continues to teach me about myself, and I'll be honest, that's not always easy***, but it leads to growth. We talk about where we want to live, kids, our honeymoon. He talks about what God is doing, because to him, God isn't just a part of Sundays. He's alive, and He's working. He loves me, in a way that provides a glimpse of how Christ loves His church. There were so many times when I just didn't think I would know that feeling. Those years of waiting, of praying, make this answer to prayer that much sweeter because I know He was in every moment. And He will continue to be in every moment of our lives which fills me with excitement and expectation about what's next. After all, I do still desire to take over the world.

* You may remember 2016 was the winter/spring/summer of Anna during which I was explicitly not asking for a husband

** I thought about censoring this, but is anyone really surprised I thought the past year was insane? Or that I'm outspoken? And to confirm, he is 5'10''.

*** Because I feel like I'm pretty close to perfect

Photo cred to Phil Navatsyk

Happy 34th Birthday, Bro!

Hey Big Brother, I just realized how 1984-ish that sounds. A Freudian slip that represents the time, perhaps? Hard to believe it's already been a year. I only wrote one blog post since your last birthday, but I've written a happy birthday post to you for nine years, and I can't simply neglect this ritual now. I wish I could say the world has gotten more sane since last we spoke, but I find it hard to convince myself of that. People are wearing two masks in the gym. A pastor in Canada is in prison for hosting church. Dr. Seuss books have been cancelled. I just attended a Zoom funeral. I think the most bizarre thing about the past year has been the general sentiment that we can put life on pause. But God doesn't pause. He rests, yes, but He doesn't pause. He is always working, and I have seen that so clearly this past year.

A year ago, before the craziness of the pandemic, I looked at my life and said, God, I need change. It wasn't that my life wasn't lovely. It was. I was surrounded with great friends, had a job at a company that is taking over the world, lived in a beautiful one bedroom apartment in the city with an epic view of the mountains, belonged to a church community. At the same time, most of my friends didn't have the same value system, my church community leaned liberal, my job was stressful, and when I walked out of my apartment, I felt the heaviness of a city experiencing brokenness. I deeply cherished the year and a half I had been in Seattle, but I knew if I was going to stay, things needed to change. So I started to pray: for a new job, conservative Christian friends, and a new place to live.

And then the craziness of the pandemic. A year ago today, we were told to begin working from home after one person in an adjacent building tested positive for COVID. It had made it over the pond. Incidentally, it took a full year of work from home to finally get two monitors and a full set up. Now, I do not plan on ever going back to the office. The past year has been hard for so many people for so many reasons, including me at times. I've cried, gotten angry, made mistakes, hurt people, had to navigate friendships, questioned the future. Not that that’s that different from any other year I suppose. And of course, through this, I've reminded myself how extremely blessed I am to have a job, a healthy family, and ways to cope with loneliness and isolation. The one thing that has been affirmed repeatedly over the past year, though, is this: God is faithful to those who follow Him. And I’ll be honest, Stephen, it just astounds me. Because while 2020 was so unique, in many ways, it was the most special and sweetest year.

Right before the inevitable lockdown hit, I flew back to Cleveland. Talk about privileged. I'm so privileged to have two parents who, when I was struggling alone in Seattle, said without hesitation, Anna, come stay with us. We would love to have you. There were so many precious memories in that two months at home. Chatting with Mom and Dad over a home cooked meal, Easter with my nieces and nephews, weekend nights with my sister and brother-in-law, hours of Pandemic with Phil and Courtny, seeing Lydia and her sweet kiddos, spending hours on my cousins' couch. Discussing the insanity that was happening. Turns out, my parents did a very fine job in indoctrinating all of us to live with a similar worldview: extreme skepticism of power, unless it is the power of the almighty God. My family has had many disagreements in the past, but on this, we agree wholeheartedly.

I returned to Seattle, but I knew I needed to escape the bubble to maintain sanity. I spent a month in Montana. Stephen, the world is so beautiful, and our country is magnificent. I met a store owner who had moved back to the small town to open a cute shop that highlighted products from women. I went to an event she had with an entrepenuer showcasing her facial care. I chatted with the older women, caught up on town gossip (practically a local, and apparently the landowner was a real jerk), met Tom Brokaw's wife, as well as a member of the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. I spent evenings at the saloon on a dirt road, with a sign that said f* your feelings and cowboys coming and going. We went to Yellowstone, the Grand Tetones, Mt Rushmore. We stopped at this cute little mining town called Deadwood that made you feel like you were whisked away to a Disney World type 1800s theme park, complete with the bar where Cowboy Bill was shot because of a winning poker hand. Lesson learned: don't sit with your back to the door.

I spent a month in Idaho. I went to an outdoor concert, and after 15 minutes of sitting by myself, a woman asked if I wanted a long island iced tea. My general rule is: if someone suggests a LIIT, they are a hoot, and you should accept. And so I did. I learned about her military career, spending her stimulus check to buy five guns, and her refusal to send her kids to public school. I visited Glacier National Park, and decided that, yes, I was going to buy a home near there. Perhaps a good home for my wine bar, Valentine Pour.

I spent a month on a 40-acre ranch in Southwest Colorado where you had to drive 45 minutes for reception. I didn't meet anyone there, but thankfully, Phil and Courtny came to keep me company. We laughed so much, paid minimal attention to the election, visited four National Parks, gazed at the beautiful stars in the silence of the country, made a bomb lip sync video, and watched the Browns win a game. Stephen, the Browns were decent this year. Absolutely crazy.

Somewhere in all of this, God also brought a man into my life. He's so wonderful. His name is Vance (Vaghnce is you want to be pretentious). He likes sports, loves God, and really loves me. He can handle my rants, which is very important to the health of a relationship with me. And he laughs at my jokes and is almost as weird as I am. Plus, he came home for Christmas and he loves our family. He wants to move to Ohio. I never thought I'd meet a man who wanted to move to Ohio - especially one from Hawaii. To be honest, I didn't really know if I'd meet a man to love. I'll tell you more about him soon, and I'll bring him to say hi to you, but I'm super excited for what God has for us.

I didn't even pray for any of that (though I guess I'm always praying for a loving man), but as Ephesians 3:20 says, "God will do abundantly more than we ask or think." As for my prayers, he answered them so beautifully. First, Vance had started going to this new church whose values align with those of my home church. Going to church in person, worshipping in a spirit filled room, and being fed the word has been so life giving and encouraging. In November, I was rejected for an internal position, and though I submitted an application for a townhouse, someone had beat me to it. Frustrated, I messaged the pastor's wife, Emma, and asked for prayer for a housing situation. God closes doors and opens doors, and as I believed he would, he gave me a new job at Amazon before the end of 2020. He waited until the last day, but he gave it to me. Beyond that, someone in our church was remodeling the first floor of their new home, and they wanted to rent it to someone in the church.

So here I am, Stephen. Vance is napping in the other room, and while we have our hurdles as all couples do, I love growing closer to him in our walk with God. I'm living with a Christian roommate in a home owned by Christians. The neighborhood is peaceful, and I thoroughly enjoy my walks with the woman who owns the house, gawking at the beautiful properties and chatting about everything from church to family to politics. I have so many conservative leaning Christian connections, it's hard to count. Who knew they existed in Seattle. I've started going to two Bible studies, both which have been instructive and challenging. My new job is drastically different than the last, and I find myself having to get used to the lack of stress thus far.

Dad always told me growing up, "Anna, the middle ground is disappearing." I called him at one point this summer and said, "Dad, you were right about everything." Stephen, I'm super curious to see what God is doing right now. Unfortunately, I'm not privy to that blueprint. Perhaps you could give me some intel. I do think the middle ground is disappearing. But if the middle ground requires me to neglect the Truth of the Gospel and God's Word, then I want no part of it. Because the only answer to so many of the questions from the past year are God. The only answer to brokenness, sin, pain, hate, division, hurt is God, and the love that led Him to send His Son to die for our sins. And the question becomes, where do we put our hope? Do we put it in scientists, experts, our health, government, circumstances, people? No. Those will all fail us. There is only one who doesn't fail. Who continues working when the world says to pause or when the Devil thinks he’s won. I'm so grateful he has shown Himself strong this past year, and as Samuel said at the rock of Ebenezer, "thus far, He has been faithful."

I miss you, Stephen. What a good reminder your life is that, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” I am forever grateful for your sacrifice. And I can't wait to see you again.