LANA
My best girl! MY best friend, my mom, my big sis, my mentor, my God sent angel. Oh where do I start with you. I chose to put yours first because I think it’s going to take a while to gather my emotions and thoughts into words. First off, thank you. Thank you for being there for me in the hard times yet also there to celebrate in the good. Thank you for keeping me accountable, encouraging me each step of the way, and for being someone I can go to about anything. Thank you for being such a genuine influence and someone I can look up to and know that if I follow in your footsteps I know I’m walking in a direction that honors and glorifies the Lord in some mighty ways. I mean wow, think back to keowee’s gym filled with 40+ kids running around, the Lord used that very moment to cross our paths and create the sweetest friendship that would be fruitful and beneficial in so many aspects such as WR and Delight that only we will understand. I’m so beyond thankful for you and your heart, see you next summer sweet and crazy one of a kind, Amanda. Forever proud of you, love you big time!
DAD & MOMMA
Ahhh what a special season we have been in. It’s been quite a long time since i’ve seen you guys and I miss you both beyond words. I’m so inspired and proud to call you guys my parents. To have y’all to walk hand in hand in this journey of surrendering our lives to full time ministry, it has been the absolute wildest ride ever but I wouldn’t trade any of it…yes, even the tears and laughter in the car on the side of the road in a random country trying to find a place to sleep after being on the road for 2 weeks with a paper map, rice, and no A/C. You guys have shown me that it is possible AND worth it. Yall have shown me sacrifice, love, forgiveness, and support and i’ll forever be thankful for that and you both. Genuinely can’t thank ya’ll or the Lord enough for everything. You guys rock, keep sharing the Lord’s love, y’all are world changers! See you in a couple days, let’s soak in every memory this week!!!!
KATIE
My sweet sister, what a joy it has been to watch you grow into the beautiful woman you are. You continue to inspire me daily and I quite often find myself looking up to you. Continue chasing your wild dreams and surfing those 5am waves. It absolutely blows my mind thinking back on all of our memories, especially the past few years with moving countries and all the in between’s. I cannot wait to get back and catch up on everything, until then keep striving to be your best self and pouring out a representation of the Lord’s love to all of the sweet CR people. You’re getting a sappy letter soon so i’ll leave that stuff out haha, see you soon MB 😉
SAM & SPENCER
Oh man hahaha….I’ll keep this sweet and short lol. It has been the most special thing getting to watch you both from meeting each other to becoming the cutest parents to my favorite child ever, to now stepping into the different seasons of life together. Spencer, oh my goodness have you inspired me tremendously. You have shown hard work, dedication, forgiveness, love, and a disciple’s heart. You have always been there for me in the bad and the good, you never cut me short of your wisdom and advice and you continue to give me a big brother I can look up to. Sam, my sweet, caring, compassionate, fierce, and beautiful big sister. You are so strong and I see so many of your precious personality traits that continue to make me laugh and also a person to look up to, I can’t thank the Lord enough for bringing you into our family. Though we sometimes butt heads you never stop being the big sis I never had, I love watching you be a mom, Prince looks up to you in such mighty and precious ways. I love you both, and not ready at all to leave you guys. Family forever!!!!
PRINCE
My favorite lil kiddo, my nephew, my best friend, my sweet boy. I know you know nothing about this trip right now but I hope one day I will be able to tell you many stories about this journey. I pray you will grow up to be one incredible man of God, I know the Lord has some mighty plans for you. See you soon bubs 🙂
MORGAN
Oh man this one is going to be hard for me. I seriously can’t thank you enough, I know we joke about fighting and you being my big sister figure but in all seriousness you genuinely have been since day 1. From dolls, to guys, to the race, to just staying up to listen and give me advice, the many nights of tears and laughter..and living with you… I genuinely wouldn’t trade any of those moments for anything. I’m so thankful for you and all you have done for me, you’ve given me a pretty awesome road to follow. It’s going to be weird waking up in a tent miles and miles away versus across your room. *cue the tears*…Counting down the days till your wedding, see you so so soon sista!!!
EMILY
lol…..I don’t know how much I can put out on the blog haha but there’s so many mems and joys you have brought to my life. From moving you out of your apartment and saving ‘Tim’, or at least trying to. To the late night three hour car rides catching up, getting wisdom, to the time that the joke of me having a room at your house turned true haha, to attempting to put a tag on 10 minutes before church. You are genuinely my best friend and I wouldn’t rather have anyone else to have as a ‘crisis hotline’ and to simply do life with. I’m going to miss you more than you know but cannot wait for the many memories next summer and all the years to come, love you big time!
ALEXIS
Miss girl. The past few months have been quite the journey and you have never given up on me, you have continued to encourage me every step of the way and I thank God daily for giving me such a confirmation through you and someone that can listen and understand the different aspects. I will absolutely never forget the time we talked after church and I just poured out all my things to you, you spoke so much truth and love over me and the Lord turned that into a whole answered prayer and praise after the mutual craziness from the book. Ah it just blows my mind watching how the Lord has and continues to use you, it inspires me more than you know. Can’t wait to come back and catch up with you on all the things, be prepared for some calls these next few months of me needing to just tell you all the things lol. I miss you already!!!
MOE
MISS KIESHA. The person that brings the most joy, laughter, and wisdom to my life. The Lord definitely knew I needed a moe rack in my life. Crazy to look back on all of our memes in this short time from keowee, to wave, to daughters, to getting tats, to the many QT runs, and cookout (remember when I DIED from that sauce lol) to all the drives jamming to our favs 😉 and all the in betweens. You never seem to fail in making me laugh and my days better. You are so wise, compassionate, selfless, and wild haha, I can’t wait to come back to reunite with my bestie trio and catch up on all the things, till then just know I love you, I’m thankful for you, and I’m rooting daily for you with your school #ENGLISH-IS-RAD. See you soon my bestie/aunt !!!!!!!!!
LISA STRAWDERMAN
Oh the emotions that come with writing this for you..there are so many things I want to say..First off think back to sophomore year me moving to OCA and coming into your Bible class questioning and doubting so many things. You took the time to dive into my faith walk and take your lunch breaks to just sit and listen and help me each step of the way. Then fast forward that year, I came running into your classroom full of students with the need to tell you it all was making sense, you came out to the hallway and we just cried and prayed ahh that moment was so special and a time I will never forget. Then I moved to CR and we stayed in touch throughout that season. I came back to the states specifically for your class and man did it not disappoint. I grew and learned so much, you have continued to pour into me throughout this journey with the race and I can’t thank you and the Lord enough. Thank you for being a God sent angel, I love you forever and ever..see you next summer for more coffee dates 🙂
KELLERS
Ugh. were big girls now. We’ve graduated, we are miles apart, we’re starting our lives. You are getting a more in depth letter of course but seriously I owe you my life. You have been there for me in every aspect and way..the good the bad, moving countries, oca crazies, shadowing other schools, all the gravel road drama, and all of my spontaneous adventures that always seemed to get us in trouble. Lol sorry about all the phone calls you had to receive from mom..hahaha good times. I wouldn’t rather have anyone else to have as a best friend that probably honestly knows me better than I know myself. Thank you for all of our mems, all your time spent doing my school work, putting up with my wild sides, and for being a friend I can count on in any way at any time. Thank you for encouraging me and walking with me hand in hand throughout this entire journey from the acceptance call, to the 200 deposit, to now giving me wisdom and reassurance before I launch into this new season. I miss you and MT already, see you soon my best friend aka ‘HA’ 😉 I LOVE YOU
ISAIAH
My sweet Isaiah. I’m going to try to keep this short and sweet and leave the emotional and cheesy things out. Anyways it absolutely blows my mind thinking back on everything that has happened in this short amount of time and how close we’ve gotten. I’m so beyond thankful for all of our adventures and the crazy spontaneous memories we have made. More than that though, I’m grateful for you and your loving, selfless, and passionate heart. You are so intentional and genuine and you have continued to support, encourage, and pray over me throughout this journey. All of the details like this that make you the incredible man of God you are is what I fell in love with. Overall you’re such a blessing and I wouldn’t rather anyone else to walk through this journey and life with, dreading the ‘see ya later’ with everything in me but cannot wait to come back and build our relationship and make so many more memories with you so so soon. Roller coaster next summer? Jk, but love you and so thankful for you!
I’m going to miss each of you so so much but cannot wait to see how the Lord works in each of our lives this next year. See ya’ll soon, and thank you for all the encouragement, support, and love.
I love ya’ll, Mads 🙂
