Author: Sara

Falling Away – Italian Honeymoon, Part 5

Falling Away – Italian Honeymoon, Part 5

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While researching my 2015 trip to Italy with my mother, I was intrigued by the images I saw of the ancient hill town of Civita di Bagnoregio (pronounced “chee-vee-tah dee bahg-no-rej-e-o”). This mysterious village, situated on top of a steep hilltop, is known as the “dying city” since the clay turf that supports the city has been falling away almost since its inception. Little by little, pieces of the town have slowly eroded, tumbling down the cliffsides into the Valle dei Calanchi (Calanchi Valley) below. Experts believe the city will eventually collapse into ruins, never to be seen again.  

Our first glimpse of Civita di Bagnoregio didn’t disappoint.

Still, images of the city are iconic – nestled amongst the clouds, surrounded by a vast valley on a lonely mountaintop, accessible only by a single trail that leads up to the village. While only fourteen residents reside in the tiny town, the site is vastly popular, drawing tourists worldwide.

Built approximately 2,500 years ago by the Etruscans, Civita was once a bustling village adjacent to its suburban cousin, Bagnoregio. Over time, wind, water, and even earthquake erosion prompted residents of this picturesque town to move away and into Bagnoregio or elsewhere with more stable terrain. While the earth below the city is comprised of a fragile tufa stone above a clay and sand base, the real enemy is rainwater, which enters fissures in the rock that supports the village and makes it even more delicate. Landslides are common, and experts predict a yearly land loss of approximately one centimeter. While that may not seem like much, every falling away leads to a potential fall down. 

While David and I made the ascent to Civita, late afternoon shadows covered the footbridge, and the city above was veiled in an early evening glow that further enhanced the beautiful spectacle. 

Couple the potential of losing your home to an unstable environment with the daily challenge of ascending and bringing supplies to one’s home, and it’s easy to understand why many of Civita’s residents left the ancient city. Quite frankly, accessibility is a challenge not just for arrival and departure but also for acquiring food and supplies. Vehicles aren’t allowed on the bridge. Anyone wishing to visit, work, and live in Civita must ascend to it similarly – on foot. 

Mopeds and apes (small 3-wheeled trucks about the size of glorified golf carts) are the only vehicles allowed to traverse the bridge, and these may only travel as far as the last turn to the city – about forty feet beside and below the town itself. The rest of the distance must be walked and supplies carried. Everything that ascends and descends to and from the city must be brought up or down by one of the aforementioned devices or carried along the steep path that leads to it. 

While the path up to Civita is not long, it is steep and intimidating.

Anyone willing to hike into the town is welcome to visit. To do so, however, one must be prepared for a challenging journey. From the mainland-based parking lot situated above and beyond the entrance to Civita, one must descend roughly 150+ steep stone steps, walk down, pay a 5-Euro entrance fee, and then brave the cantilevered bridge that ascends to the city. Formerly a donkey trail, the 300-meter, 8-foot-wide, concrete walkway begins gently but then slopes dramatically up, becoming narrower and steeper as you reach the top path that veers left and still further up to ascend to the medieval town. The trek is not for anyone with mobility issues, fear of heights, or low fitness abilities. 

While my mother and I planned to visit Civita in 2015, we missed the bus from nearby Orvieto and had to forego our plans. Determined to see this city with David during our 2023 honeymoon, we made the same trek – visiting Orvieto in the morning and then driving to nearby Bagnoregio in the afternoon. While the distance between the two cities is only 12 miles, the journey took us 45 minutes as the road continuously winds back and forth around the remote mountainous region. 

Beautiful Civita di Bagnoregio.

By the time David and I arrived, daylight was perilously close to fading, and we still had about a half-hour walk to arrive at the footbridge. While David has no fear of heights, I can’t say the same. The higher we climbed to the city, the more my nerves took over. 

Upon arrival, imagine my surprise after witnessing a young cat jumping onto the elevated village wall. After pointing the kitty out to David, I warned him not to get too close for fear that the cat might fall over the edge and down to its death. While that thankfully never happened, I remained worried about it until spotting another cat outside the wall during our descent. Seeing the cat in this location made me realize the danger wasn’t quite as pronounced as I’d thought. 

Looking back now, I wonder how many of us are like the residents of that town. Do we seek to live on the stable ground of God’s Word, or do we prefer the fragile ground that the world offers, sometimes fraught with pleasure but inevitably leading to destruction? It reminds me of Christ’s parable of the foolish man who built his house on the sand rather than the rocks, where the wise man chose to dwell. 

As Jesus explained in Matthew 7: 24-27, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

A more significant consideration is the falling away of the Church in the end times. The New King James Version explains it like this: “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). The New American Standard version uses the word “apostasy” to mean “falling away.” “No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.”

Apostasy can be defined as walking or falling away from a formerly professed belief in religion, principles, or even politics. More than just raising doubt, apostates denounce the previously held ideals or faith that were once important to them. 

Increasingly, formerly devout Christians are walking away from the gospel – including once-proclaimed leaders of the faith. Joshua Harris, author and former pastor of a mega-church in Maryland, shocked the Christian community by writing, “I have undergone a massive shift in regard to my faith in Jesus. The popular phrase for this is ‘deconstruction,’ the biblical phrase is ‘falling away.’ By all the measurements that I have for defining a Christian, I am not a Christian.”

Joining Josh Harris is Dave Gass, pastor of Covenant Church and Cedar Community Church, who wrote, “After 40 years of being a devout follower, 20 of those being an evangelical pastor, I am walking away from the faith. Even though this has been a massive bomb drop in my life, it has been decades in the making.”

Controversial Bishop Carlton E. Pearson lost a considerable portion of his following while gaining others in 2004 when he denounced his belief in the existence of hell and developed what he later deemed the “Gospel of Inclusion.” Explaining his seismic shift from evangelicalism to inclusionism, Pearson said he was “not trying to correct anybody [but] just enhance everybody — who you already are, bringing out the best in you, celebrate own honor, respect, love yourself, and be yourself.” 

From his deathbed in December 2023, Pearson maintained his belief that everyone would go to Heaven. “I’ll never stop thinking of who you are, and why you are, and how somehow, we were divinely drawn together in this divine intersection of lives. But I feel you, and I hope you feel me even when I’m in Heaven, or on the other side, or the other iteration.”

Even more disturbing than losing spiritual leaders to apostasy is the steady increase of those who affirm themselves as believers of “nothing in particular.” According to a recent Pew Research Poll, a higher percentage of those polled believe in “nothing” rather than traditional religion, atheism, or agnosticism. A shocking 63% of respondents believe in nothingness, now classified as the “nones” for checking this box for religious affiliation. 

As Pew Research explains, “Most ‘nones’ say they were raised in a religion, usually Christianity. Yet today, they tend to be disconnected from religious institutions. Not only have they shaken off religious labels, but they also have largely shaken off involvement in churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious organizations.”  One could easily argue that these “nones” are then actually today’s apostates -raised to believe in Christ, yet now proclaiming no faith at all. 

And so, I say, at what peril? How has our world so steadily chosen to live on this fragile ground? How did we get here? 

David Jeremiah speaks of this end-times phenomenon by explaining that many Christians fall away because Satan deceives them. 1 Timothy 4:1 says, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”

Pastor Jeremiah continues by saying that others will leave their faith out of disillusionment during times of testing. “They’re not looking for a Savior. They’re looking for a solution. They want the blessings of belief without having to swim against the cultural stream.” 

Additional so-called believers fall away out of distraction by the world. David Jeremiah describes these individuals as those who “let go of their faith in order to grab all that the world has. They grab with both hands and there’s nothing left to hold onto Jesus with.”

Not unlike the slow falling away of the ancient city of Civita, many believers allow the world, the devil, or even their troubles to pull the ground out from underneath them. As Christians, we can’t let that happen. 

Philippians 2:12 admonishes us, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” This verse doesn’t tell us to be afraid but to remain steadfast in our faith, remembering with awe, wonder, and respect how great God and His gift of grace are. I know I never could – and I hope you won’t either. 

Joshua said it best in his address to the often feckless Israelite nation, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (24:15)

To that, I can only say, “Amen.” 

Amplifying St. Francis – Italian Honeymoon, Part 4

Amplifying St. Francis – Italian Honeymoon, Part 4

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And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

For decades, I’ve always felt a kindred unity with St. Francis, the patron saint of Italy, nature, and animals. While my initial fondness for St. Francis began after hearing the simple prayer attributed to him, I’ll admit that learning his Feast Day or remembrance would take place on my birthday – October 4th – further unified our kinship. The final linchpin came when I discovered that many churches celebrate the Feast Day of St. Francis with a service to bless animals. Then, I wholeheartedly embraced everything he stood for: evangelism, humility, love, service, and the unadulterated appreciation for all God’s creatures. 

Me outside the Basilica of San Francesco, Oct. 2015.
Feast Day Pageant in Assisi, Italy, October 2015.

The first time I visited Assisi, Italy – St. Francis’ hometown – was back in 2015. My mom and I had taken the first of our six European trips the year before. Wanting to return to Italy again, I researched whether any festivities would be held in Assisi on October 4th. Much to my delight, I discovered that an annual religious pageant would be held to honor the saint. What better way to celebrate my birthday than with an Italian festival, I thought. And so we did! Between viewing the monumental cathedrals, basking in the beautiful Umbrian countryside, and watching what seemed like the whole country celebrating my favorite saint on my birthday, I didn’t think anything could be any better. Much to my delight, it could and did. 

A statue of St. Francis in knightly garb on horseback graces the church lawn outside the Basilica de San Francesco in Assisi, Italy. The sculpture expertly captures Francis’ dejected spirit after returning home following the Perugian war.

Flash forward to eight years later, in October 2023, when I was privileged to return to Assisi – this time with my new husband. This time, I wasn’t just revisiting the place that brought me such fond memories years before. This time, I was visiting Assisi to celebrate not just the Feast Day of St. Francis on my birthday but also to partake in my honeymoon with my soulmate. I felt doubly blessed to share the beauty of Italy with my spouse, along with the spirit of this patron saint who always touched my soul.  

Born in the hill town of Assisi, Italy, in 1181, Francis’ father was a wealthy fabric merchant. Initially christened as Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, the renowned saint didn’t keep his given name long as his father preferred the name Francesco or Francis as he’s more commonly referred to outside Italy.  

Basilica Superiore (Upper Sanctuary) de San Francesco photo credit to https://www.artesvelata.it/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Basilica-di-San-Francesco-1228-53.-Interno-della-Basilica-superiore-dallingresso-verso-laltare.-Assisi-Arte-Svelata.jpg

As their only son, his parents indulged Francis from birth – and it showed. Francis was always popular amongst his peers due to his love of boisterous living, reckless spending, and charismatic nature. In his early twenties, Francis found himself caught up in the perceived glamour of war and joined his friends to wage battle against the neighboring city of Perugia. 

Unfortunately for Francis, the battle didn’t end well. He was captured by the opposition and held for ransom for almost a year. Shortly after his release from imprisonment, Francis became extremely ill with malaria – a disease that plagued the saint his entire life and likely contributed to his death.

The Basilica de Santa Clara sits on the south end of Assisi, Italy. Clare (Clara in Italian) followed Francis’ example and established her own sect of nuns who, like Francis’ monks, also lived in self-imposed poverty while helping the impoverished in their community. Read more about Clare and her Order of Poor Ladies by visiting https://www.biography.com/religious-figures/saint-clare-of-assisi.
The above photo shows one of the medieval frescoes in the Basilica Inferiore of St. Francis. The scenes depict Biblical and medieval stories. Many of these artistic creations – painted in the 13th and 14th Centuries by the likes of Simone Martini, Pietro Lorenzetti, Cimabue, Pietro Cavallini, and (possibly) Giotto – were painstakingly cleaned and restored following a spate of earthquakes (23 in total) that shook the region, the most recent occurring in 1997. The colors and clarity are as beautiful today as when they were initially painted. 

Undaunted by his travails, Francis celebrated his recovery by accompanying a fellow knight to another battle – this time against the Germans. At the onset of his journey, Francis encountered an impoverished man and was deeply moved by the traveler’s poverty. Compelled to help, Francis compulsively changed clothes with the stranger – trading his wealthy apparel for rags. Upon returning to his quest, Francis suffered a relapse of malaria that debilitated him, yet again. During this bout of infirmity, Francis heard God tell him “to serve the Master rather than the man,” – a calling he later adopted wholeheartedly.

Disillusioned by his former lifestyle, Francis began a new quest – this one of a spiritual nature. Hoping to discover his life’s purpose, Francis would often wander the countryside for extended intervals. It was during one of these walks that Francis encountered his first leper. Initially shocked by the man’s appearance, Francis’ reaction quickly transformed from revulsion to compassion. Without thought for himself, Francis grabbed the leper’s hands to kiss them, ultimately giving all the money in his possession to this less fortunate soul. 

This encounter inevitably became a turning point in Francis’ life. From that day forward, he began seeking out the poor – both near and afar. On one such occasion, he enthusiastically gave all his clothing to a group of beggars while visiting Rome. There, Francis learned the humility of having to beg for the mercy of strangers as he stood amongst the impoverished with outstretched hands. 

Returning home, the well-intentioned Francis packed his father’s horse with a bundle of fabric – ultimately selling the goods and the horse in the nearby town of Foligno. Although Francis attempted to give the proceeds of this sale to the priest of a nearby, broken-down church known as San Damiano, the priest refused to accept the money – hesitant to receive benefit from ill-gotten gains. A somewhat disillusioned Francis then offered his services instead. 

His labor being acceptable, Francis soon began assisting the priest in the much-needed restoration of San Damiano. All seemed good until his father came looking for him. Frightened by his father’s wrath, Francis hid for a month before returning home to beg forgiveness. 

View of the Spoleto Valley from the wall surrounding the city of Assisi.

Unmoved by his son’s appeals, Peter beat Francis mercilessly – fettering his ankles and eventually hauling him to the church to stand trial for his theft. Overcome with remorse, Francis returned the money he had stolen from his father, along with all the clothes he was wearing at the time.  

Standing naked before the priest, Francis made a life-shattering announcement. “Hither to I have called Peter Bernadone father,” Francis proclaimed. “From now on I say only, ‘Our Father, who art in Heaven.'”

In shock, the bishop covered Francis’ naked body with his own cloak until a gardening smock could be provided. Rather than shame, this simple act of surrender filled Francis with great joy. After this incident, he spent months roaming the countryside, praising God, and working for his daily provisions. Months later, a childhood friend took pity on him and provided Francis with food, clothing, and shelter. 

Unsatisfied by his contrition, Francis inevitably returned to San Damiano to help again – this time seeing the restoration work through until completion. Upon concluding his work at San Damiano, Francis took notice of an even more dilapidated chapel, St. Mary of the Portiuncula, which stood in ruins just a few miles from Assisi. Owned by a Benedictine monastery, this ramshackle chapel ultimately became Francis’ next project. Determined to restore the church ruins to their former state, Francis’ labors soon became known throughout the region. His successful restoration work might have led him to spend the rest of his days as a hermit had God not pursued this humble servant for an even greater calling. 

A ceremonial casket adorning the wall of the St. Nicola Chapel in the Basilica Inferiore is visible behind an encased burlap cloak, socks, and rope worn by St. Francis. Francis’ grave remained undiscovered until 1818, following an excavation of the church’s lower level commissioned by Pope Pius VII. Francis’ remains were later interred inside a stone pillar below the church in the Cripta di San Francesco. The space features a chapel for visitors to light candles and pay respect to the beloved saint. 

While restoring this decrepit church, Francis came across a passage of scripture that compelled him to take further action. Matthew 10: 8-10 guided Francis with these simple words: “Freely you received, freely give. Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.”

Receiving an epiphany from God, Francis cast off the last of his worldly goods – his cloak, shoes, and leather girdle – keeping only his rough outer tunic, which he tied to his waist with a rope. Francis’ simple ways, uplifting spirit, and joyous acceptance of poverty and charity soon earned him a following. It wasn’t long before other believers joined Francis by taking up the mantle of poverty and service alongside him. For the next year, he and his fellow companions began preaching to the poor, helping farmers in their fields, and living as beggars by whatever means were provided to them. 

Seeking affirmation regarding his new lifestyle, Francis felt compelled to learn whether his notion of simple service to God through self-imposed poverty might be an acceptable way to live and guide others. Francis and his fellow companions traveled to Rome, hoping to receive the Pope’s counsel. Francis was only 28 when he undertook this journey of roughly 342 miles on foot – with no provisions for the pilgrimage.

Basilica Inferiore (lower sanctuary) de San Francesco photo credit to https://www.artesvelata.it/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Basilica-di-San-Francesco-1228-53.-Interno-della-Basilica-inferiore.-Assisi-Arte-Svelata.jpg
David and I secured a great spot along the wall near the Basilica of St. Francis to better view the Feast Day pageant.

Granted an audience with Pope Innocent III, Francis received approval to further his mission. Ecstatic at this newfound validation, Francis and his companions joyously returned to Assisi, where he was later gifted with the beloved chapel he had restored in Portiuncula along with the adjoining grounds – in perpetuity. Affirmed and invigorated, Francis soon began the consecration of his fellow friars in what would eventually become known as the order of the Franciscan Friars. This ordination continues its charitable work and pious living to this day.  

This fresco depicting St. Francis and his fellow monks visiting Pope Innocent III adorns one of the walls of the Basilica Superiore or Upper Basilica of San Francesco.
Beautiful, three-storied, medieval tower home where David and I stayed during our four-night stay on the outskirts of Assisi, Italy.

This brings me back to David’s and my October 2023 visit to Assisi. For our five-night stay, we were privileged to overnight in a three-storied, medieval tower home dating back to 1500. The house was likely a watchtower with a stable or tavern on the lower level. Surrounded by olive groves, our view of the Spoleto valley was stunning – only eclipsed by the view from the hill town of Assisi itself. Each day we were there, David and I pulled a tavern table out to sit in the small yard and create our own sidewalk café overlooking the valley. 

David and I enjoyed dining al fresco on the little table we pulled out from the tavern below our Assisi vacation home. While the sloping hill made the tabletop uneven, we still felt incredibly blessed to eat at our own little sidewalk cafe in the Umbrian countryside. 

In Assisi, we visited the two-storied Basilica of Santa Clara at the southern end of town and the three-storied Basilica of San Francesco – book-ended at the north. The medieval frescoes covering the Franciscan Basilica walls were stunning unto themselves. Still, David and I were unequivocally blessed not just to see the church but also to attend a free operatic concert in the lower sanctuary. 

Hearing Mozart and Schubert while surrounded by the unparalleled, centuries-old artistry in this holy cathedral stirred my heart and soul in a way I’ll never forget. At the stroke of the first chord that resonated in sheer perfection throughout the space’s acoustics, both David and I were brought to shed tears of wonder and gratitude at God’s indescribable gift. We had no previous notion about the concert – having only chanced upon an advertising poster, in Italian, outside the lower sanctuary while touring the historic church that same afternoon. What were the odds of us being there at the right time and place? Our discovery could only have occurred by the hand of God, and we knew it. 

This poster advertised the operatic concert that David and I attended in Assisi. If we’d not toured the church that day, we’d never have seen this poster nor been aware of the free performance that same evening.

Days later, on my birthday, David and I arrived early in Assisi to wait for the afternoon’s procession to begin. Having witnessed the pageant eight years prior, I knew what to expect and chose a great spot near the wall that overlooked the street where the procession would begin from the lower level, out through the street, and up to the front of the basilica. Franciscan monks from every walk of life were accompanied by countless nuns from around the world who’d traveled to the city for this annual event. 

The pageant is led by clergymen carrying crosses and an ancient Franciscan relic of some sort. This year’s relic – permanently encased in glass and mounted on a brass staff – appeared to be a small, written parchment – presumably from the quill of St. Francis himself. 

A cantor standing on a rooftop tower led the procession in a responsorial request for forgiveness. While we couldn’t grasp all the Italian words spoken, we understood that the cantor was beseeching various saints for forgiveness. At each pause, those olive branch-carrying processiongoers responded with repeated, sing-song intonations of “Prega perdone,” meaning “Pray for forgiveness.” Slowly and steadily, the line curved around from the lower sanctuary, along the street, then turned onto the front lawn, continuing to the front doors. 

As seen above, a monk carried a glass and brass-enclosed Franciscan relic in the 2023 pageant on the Feast Day of St. Francis. The relic appeared to be a written page scripted by St. Francis himself. 

On an impulse, I grabbed David’s arm and told him I wanted to join in. “Let’s go,” I said as we moved with the crowd. We stopped with the procession in front of the church and listened patiently as the bishop provided a brief homily in Italian from the rooftop balcony. Afterward, the basilica’s doors opened, and we again joined the crowd to move inside the upper sanctuary. 

The tower in the middle of this photo is where the Bishop and cantor spoke and sang during the Feast Day of St. Francis pageant in Assisi, Italy.

Only then did I realize the service was continuing with a choir accompanying the chords played by a magnificent pipe organ. Seeing others filming inside the space, I quickly did the same with my phone, capturing everything I could in the room where photographing usually is not allowed. 

Although David and I couldn’t understand what was spoken or sung, we knew we were surrounded by fellow believers in a sacred space. I was so grateful to my Creator for not only finally being able to capture a bit of the centuries-old frescoes telling the life of St. Francis that adorned the sanctuary walls but also to worship my Creator in this place with my God-given husband.  

The joy that accompanied this entire visit – from our walks through the town, our attendance at an unplanned, soul-stirring concert in the basilica, our spontaneous pageant accompaniment, and the magnificent blessing of being able to attend part of a service in this grand cathedral were all nothing short of a tremendous gift from God. 

While I’m not quite prepared to surrender all my worldly goods to live as Francis did, I can still embrace and amplify his mindset. As Micah 6: 8 reminds us, “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” 

May I never cease to do so – not just while walking the steps that St. Francis walked in Assisi, but every single day of my life. 

It had to be you

It had to be you

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“You turned my mourning into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.” (Psalm 30:11) 

David and I are blessed to have traveled to Puerto Rico to celebrate our first wedding anniversary on March 12th. In Spanish, we can now say, “Nos casamos el año pasado.” Translation? “We got married last year!” With our Frontier “Go Wild” passes and a $100 flight voucher, we flew round trip for $29. During our week there, we stayed in two separate locations, basking in the subtropical sunshine and crystal-clear waters of the West Indies.  

View from the balcony of our Fajardo, Puerto Rico condo.

More than a vacation, this journey served as a celebration to commemorate our first year together as husband and wife. We’d been counting the days to mark this milestone for quite some time, and our patience was well rewarded with an outstanding getaway filled with love and laughter – much as our marriage has been.  

Humacao Nature Reserve, Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico

“I love being your husband,” David remarked as we awoke on our anniversary morning. “I love that you’re my wife. It was so clear.” 

“What was clear?” I asked, slowly shaking the last tendrils of sleep from my subconscious mind.  

“That God gave you to me,” David replied.  

“It had to be you,” I affirmed. “Since before we were born, it has always been you. I love you, David Robert Olson.” 

“I love you, Sara Victoria Olson,” came the consistent response. “I love you so much!” 

View of the eastern Puerto Rican coastline from the El Yunque rainforest.

And so, our anniversary began – as all our days do: beautifully, blissfully, blessed.  

David and I consistently wake up snuggling and proclaiming how much we love one another every morning. It’s such an affirming way to start each day. David recognized this fantastic phenomenon early into our marriage. “I love how we always wake up the same way. Every day. So in love. I know we’ll always be this way.” And so we are.  

Every morning, David rolls onto his back, unspokenly inviting me to nestle inside the crook of his shoulder, our bodies pretzeled in our natural state of togetherness. We can never get enough kissing, hugging, and holding each other.  

Sharing a kiss next to an ancient Ceiba tree, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“Every time feels like the first time,” David always says. ” I waited a lifetime for this and can never get enough.”   

“Me, too,” I say. “I love you so much! I am so happy. Content. Complete. You complete me, David. You are the biggest blessing of my life, and I will always love you.”  

Shouting “Yay, God” on the beach of Punta Santiago, Puerto Rico.

As we enjoyed the final day of our anniversary trip to Puerto Rico, it struck me that our time there was an amplified reflection of our marriage – rejuvenating, restorative, and re-energizing.  

Shouting “Yay, God” after being pronounced husband and wife on March 12, 2023.

Looking back over our last year, I’m struck by all the incredible things we’ve done together with God’s help.

Personal milestones:

Helping Hurricane Idalia victims in Perry,FL.
  • Declared victory over David’s prostate cancer scare 
  • Served with Samaritan’s Purse to help Hurricane Idalia victims in Perry, FL
  • Made twelve round trips between Brunswick, GA to Virginia Beach, VA where we performed the following renovations to David’s former house:
    • Re-shingled the roof
    • Re-painted the exterior vinyl siding 
    • Added Pergo flooring to the living room, primary bedroom, office, and hallway 
    • Re-painted the living room, primary bedroom, office, bathroom, and hallway
    • Re-modeled the office to include the removal of the popcorn ceiling, re-wired and replaced the drywall on all the walls
  • Removed the carpet from our primary bedroom, hallway, and living room in our Brunswick, GA home and replaced it with Pergo flooring
  • Designed and built a new 10-foot by 12-foot addition onto our Brunswick, GA shed

Side-job completions:

Enjoying a break while re-screening a porch in Chesapeake, VA.
  • Re-screened a screen porch, repaired the porch door, added a new door, created concrete steps, and poured a concrete step-down pad 
  • Removed an old in-ground fire-pit and created a new one with a circular paver patio
  • Repaired and replaced portions of a wooden fence and fence posts
  • Stripped and re-stained six wooden church doors 
  • Repaired a leaking wooden barn roof 
  • Rebuilt a church storage shed

Two-week Italian honeymoon:

St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy
  • Visited 12 Italian cities – touring 15 chapels/basilicas, staying in 5 vacation homes and hiking over 75 total miles 
  • Drove like an Italian on busy highways and narrow mountain roads
  • Visited the Roman Colosseum and Forum
  • Danced on a city sidewalk adjacent to the Roman Forum at dusk 
  • Toured the Vatican Museums
  • Participated in an Italian mass in the Roman Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica
  • Survived an attempted pickpocket attempt onboard an inner-city Roman subway 
  • Lived in a Medieval tower home for four nights in Assisi 
  • Enjoyed a free, operatic concert featuring Mozart and Schubert in the Centuries-old Basilica of St Francis in Assisi 
  • Took part in an Italian religious pageant during the festival of St. Francis on my birthday 
  • Ascended and toured the crumbling, cliff-side town of Civita de Bagnoregio before it disappears 
  • Stayed overnight at two agriturismo farms surrounded by private Tuscan vineyards
  • Hiked seven miles up and across the seaside cliffs from Monterroso al Mare to Vernazza in Cinque Terre  
  • Viewed world-renowned artwork like Michelangelo’s David in Florence and the Sistine Chapel in Rome 
  • Shopped for groceries in seven local markets
  • Swam in the Italian Riviera  
  • Viewed the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, and Dante in Florence’s Basilica de Santa Croce
  • Drove in the dark through a tiny Tuscan alleyway so small that we had to pull our rental car mirrors in to keep them from breaking off 
  • Mastered the intricacies of the Italian transit system, including the Roman subway and Florentine buses  

First Christmas together:

  • Celebrated in the FL Keys at David’s friend’s condo in Tavernier
  • Kayaked to Kalteux Key 
  • Fed Pelicans and tarpon in Islamorada
  • Relived part of David’s past while visiting the hotel where he spent many fall days repainting and repairing hotel rooms for his friend, the former co-owner

Worked remotely from Oceanside, CA:

Hiking the Pacific coast cliffs at Torrey Pines Natural State Reserve, CA.
  • Toured the San Diego Zoo 
  • Hiked Torrey Pines Natural State Reserve to see California’s sandstone cliffs 
  • Watched countless sea lions, cormorants, and pelicans frolic in and around the La Jolla shoreline
  • Survived driving the San Diego freeway at rush hour

One-year wedding anniversary in Puerto Rico:

  • Visited Seven Seas Beach – world renowned for its beauty  
  • Hiked to the deserted and colorful Playa Colorá  
  • Sat in crystal clear water near a coral reef – watching the fish play in the Reserva Natural de San Juan 
  • Discovered massive, innumerable termite nests big enough for a person to sit inside 
  • Witnessed wild iguanas, horses, roosters, and chickens crossing the roads 
  • Hiked through the centuries-old Castillo San Felipe del Morro in San Juan – a six-story, impregnable fort proclaimed a World Heritage site  
  • Hiked a 7-mile trail in El Yunque – the only rainforest on U.S. soil  
  • Discovered both freshly dug and recently covered iguana nests  
  • Stood eight feet away from a female iguana that had just dug her nest in a tropical preserve  

While these highlights are tremendous, our marriage’s unquantifiable love and prolific partnership are even more impressive. It’s the small things, like those listed below, that mean the most to me: 

  • Our perpetual hugs and kisses whenever we’re in close proximity to one another
  • The way our heads have to touch when we pray
  • The way we kiss and say “I love you” after “Amen” every time we pray 
  • Our daily ritualized “Crowning Ceremony” 
  • The way David looks at me with love in his eyes as I run to him after we’re apart 
  • Nightly cuddle time on the couch, watching historical or British dramas we both enjoy 
  • The way David sat by me in the coastal Puerto Rican forest as we both waited for an iguana to move so I could film it 
  • Our shared love of kitties and all God’s creatures 
  • A visceral need to continually affirm our appreciation and love for one another  
  • Our joint commitment to daily Bible readings together, holding each other accountable to both God and one another 
  • Being a part of “Team Olson” – the first, best, and only team I’ve ever belonged to

While we have seen and done so much in the short year we’ve had together, the little things make our relationship exceedingly precious. I’m continually in awe of the way we love each other more each day than we did the day before – which can only be thanks to God. I am so grateful. 

It had to be David. No one else could ever be what David is to me. Our love is too perfect, affirming, and precious to have come from anything else but our Heavenly Father.  

But it also had to be God – first and foremost in our lives. Without God, there would be no David and Sara – and we are forever grateful to our Creator for bringing us together. He turned our mourning into dancing – and we will never stop thanking our Heavenly Father for His precious gift of dependable, uplifting, empowering, re-energizing, unconditional love.  

And so, I end by saying, Thank you, Jesus! Thank you for saving, loving, and giving me such a precious, incomparable gift of love, love, love. I can never thank you enough. I am so undeserving and wholly humbled by such a massive life-changing gift. 

Exterior wall of the Pitti Palace, Florence, Italy.
I crown you

I crown you

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You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. (Isaiah 62:3)

As David and I approached our first wedding anniversary, I couldn’t help but be struck anew by the depth of our affection and dedication to one another. We genuinely are life partners – souls that were predestined to be together. 

With my remote work, we are together nearly every minute of every day, and that’s precisely how we plan to stay for the rest of our lives. We never get tired of each other’s company—quite the opposite. When David goes out to drive for Uber or to run errands, I miss his presence and greet him with a running hug and kiss when he returns. 

“I just love coming home to you,” he always says, warming my heart further. 

David and I embracing inside our Brunswick, GA screen porch.

Over the past year, David and I have established familiar patterns of behavior – rituals or routines that bond us closer together. We don’t sit apart at the kitchen table, for example. We both bring our chairs together as I wrap my arms around David, pulling him close so that his head rests on my shoulder while we pray before eating. Our “Amen” at prayer’s end is always followed by two or three kisses, sandwiched between “I love you,” spoken affectionately. 

Equally powerful is our daily “crowning” ceremony, wherein I place David’s cross necklace over his head and around his neck. My words always accompany the ritual: “I crown you, Sir David…” followed by a sentiment reminding David of how much he means to me. “I crown you, Sir David, my knight in shining armor, my rescuer and wall breaker,” for example. “I crown you, Sir David, my best friend and soulmate,” might be another. Whatever I say, it’s always encouraging and empowering. I desire to constantly remind David of how much he means to me. Crowning him is my chance to affirm my beloved – positively and upliftingly. 

David’s cross was the first Christmas gift I ever gave him. It came as a set with a separate cross for me that fits inside his. We upgraded our chains to provide David with a longer extension and me a more robust clasp. 

My cross nested inside David’s.

Last November, I was incredibly disheartened to realize I’d lost my cross. I looked everywhere to no avail – eventually searching for a replacement. Nothing matched my cross’s unique fit to David’s – and I despaired at ever seeing it again. 

Months later, while cleaning out our bedroom closet to prepare for our carpet-to-Pergo upgrade project, I found the cross amidst some tote bags on the floor beneath my hanging jackets. While the chain was gone, I was ecstatic to see the cross. Without wasting a moment, I immediately hung it on another chain I found in my jewelry box and placed it around my neck. Losing my cross made me rethink my former continuous wearing, as I don’t want to lose it again. As a result, I’ve begun taking it off in the evenings.

Conversely, David has always taken his chain off overnight – prompting our morning crowning ritual. While he could keep his chain on all the time, we’d miss our daily affirmation ritual, and we could never have that. 

Such a routine reminds me of the importance of our equally valuable daily scripture reading. Just as I drape my love around David’s heart and body each day, so, too, we’re reaffirmed of God’s omnipresent love towards us every time we read our Heavenly Father’s Word. Why wouldn’t we want that daily assurance? 

We serve a God who is timeless in His existence, mighty in His protection, and unquenchable in His love. As undeniable as David’s and my love for one another is, so, too, is our Heavenly Father’s love that brought us together in the first place. We are forever grateful for the miracle of our marriage and God’s hand of protection that keeps us continuously connected.

Even as I crown David each morning, so do I daily crown my beloved Savior as Lord and author of my life. It is His hand that guides me and His love that keeps me strong. Our Heavenly Father’s cord of strength keeps David and I tied together. 

David and I enjoyed a fantastic church meal after serving together with Samaritan’s Purse in Perry, FL in September 2023 – always with our crosses around our necks.

As much as I love crowning David, it’s even more vital for me to constantly affix the omnipotent kingly crown upon my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

And so, I crown you, Lord Jesus, the Lord of all. You made everything beautiful in its time and gave me my precious David. You are the Creator of everything, and I will always love and serve You.

I got you

I got you

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So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

For most of my life, Valentine’s Day was a somber reminder of how unloved I always felt. Visits to the store around this holiday always made me feel like I was the oddball, never knowing what it was like to feel truly loved. Worse yet, my desire for unselfish love was called “unrealistic” by my former abusive spouses. The desire to love and be loved that God planted in my heart at a young age was “unachievable,” I was told. As a result, I believed the kind of love I hoped for could never be real. It was a fairy tale, an illusion, a stupid, unattainable, idealistic notion. Sad as that was, I acknowledged and accepted that as reality.

Wedding day, VA Beach – March 12, 2023

Mercifully, God thought differently – and sent me David.

Knowing that I am now unconditionally loved every single day still seems surreal to me. And yet, here I am, still in awe of finding my soulmate – the one person God created for me even as he crafted me for him. I still find myself asking my husband, “Are you for real?”

“Every day is Valentine’s Day to us,” I told David in the lead-in to the candy-crusted celebration. “Every day, we have love, love, love – not just on one day of the year. I love you more every day, and that’s never going to change.”

Cinque Terre, Italy – October 2023

Our love story spans the ages. I never tire of hugging, kissing, and telling David how much he means to me. Our prayers always start by thanking God for “love, love, love.” No matter what passes between us, we are committed to staying as much in love today as we were when David asked me to marry him.

But how can we do so? I can answer that question with a single word – God. God is the cord that ties the two of us together. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Can anyone imagine a love like that? David and I can. Each of us would gladly lay down our lives for one another. We can’t imagine a world where we aren’t together. Isn’t that just how our Creator feels? “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Torrey Pines Natural State Reserve, La Jolla, CA – January 2024

And what about 1 John 4:19, which says, “We love because He first loved us”? Isn’t that precisely why our Creator joined David and me in marriage? We stepped out in faith to show God’s love to strangers, and in return, we can now be the embodiment of His love in action to one another. To David and me, love is precisely what our hearts always hoped for but never thought we’d find.

David and I found one another because of Christ. We know that. We thank God for that – daily, constantly, with every heartbeat. God is the cord that surrounds us. Jesus first demonstrated love by dying on the cross for our sins. And that unique, unselfish love ties the two of us together. We are unbreakable because of Christ.

Tavernier, Florida Keys, FL – December 2023

David and I each know that we could have spent the rest of our lives apart, serving God, worshipping our Savior, and praising Him for His mighty love in our lives. Instead, we not only have the Creator’s love but also share that same unquenchable, unexplainable, unbreakable love for one another that He has for the two of us – and all the world that He made. God doesn’t want us to be separated from Him – that’s why He sent His Son to bridge the chasm that would forever separate us from Him – sin. Christ’s sacrifice covered our sins with His love. The perfect blood of the Lamb allows us to live forever with our Creator for all eternity. We have only to acknowledge our sins, proclaim our need for a Savior, accept Jesus as God’s only Son into our hearts, and ask Him to make us new again.

La Jolla Beach, CA – January 2024

My wish to everyone reading these words is not that you will find your true love on earth but that you will acknowledge Jesus as your Savior first and let Him lead you to His great love. Without Christ, there can be no such thing as perfect love. You must begin with God and keep Him at the forefront of your heart and mind thereafter. Then, and only then, can you find and understand what real love is.

Valentine’s Day Banquet at our Brunswick GA church – February 2024

1 John 4:7 reminds us, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” Love isn’t a fairy tale. It’s obtainable and achievable by anyone who asks Christ into their heart. Do so today! Your lonely heart can be filled to overflowing when you invite Christ into your life to become your Savior. I’m a living, breathing testimony to the same.

I’ve always had Christ – and that thought kept me strong enough to hold on. If someone couldn’t love me like Christ could, I would rather be alone. Through all the fires, all the triumphs, and all the brokenness in my life – God was always with me.

And now – thanks to Jesus – I have David.

Invite Jesus inside you and let Him make you whole. He has always held you in the palm of His hand. Once you’ve asked Christ into your heart, you too will be able to say with as much joy as I do that “I got you.”

Thunked by Satan

Thunked by Satan

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In my last post, I wrote about the one-week jaunt David and I took to San Diego, CA. What I haven’t shared yet is how the Devil tried to attack us and steal our joy along the way. 

Satan is tricky. There’s no doubt about that. Sometimes, the bombs he throws at us are debilitating and painful – a frightening medical prognosis, a vehicle accident, a lost job. Whack. Whack. Whack. The gut-punches take our breath away. We can feel the prize-fighting jabs even as we struggle to our feet and attempt to stand up in faith. 

At other times, Satan ambushes us with more subtle and sinister assaults. Like a child banging on a pot with a spoon, the Devil may get under our skin by thunking us with little things – a disappointment, a harsh word from a friend, even a bad experience in rush-hour traffic. It makes no difference what he uses to bring us down. That’s always his goal. 

Satan can’t strip us of our salvation. What he can do is stop our praise and service to Christ – and he will stop at nothing to do so. Whenever we take our eyes off our blessings and rest them squarely on our circumstances, he wins. We are often way too quick to forfeit our calm for his chaos. Every day, he works vigilantly to test us – and too often, we give in. 

For me, the thunking began when we woke up in Colorado after our long layover. After spending the night at my mom’s house, David and I planned to eat breakfast, then zip to the airport for our 11:00 am Mountain Time (MT) flight that would have gotten us into San Diego by 2:00 pm Pacific Time (PT). We should have had plenty of time to grab our rental car, sightsee along the coast, and then drive an hour to settle into our vacation home long before dark. 

Snowy mountaintops visible from our flight from Denver to San Diego.

Instead, I woke that Sunday morning to find that our flight had been delayed by four-and-a-half hours – without explanation. Apart from missing a half-day in San Diego, I knew right away that we wouldn’t be able to pick up our pre-paid rental car before the site closed for the day. My call to the agency advising them of our delay and plea for a later pick-up fell on deaf ears. I was told that no changes were allowed. The car couldn’t be held and picked up the following day. 

Thunk. Satan’s blow hit my gut. I would lose my pre-paid rental fees with this turn of events. How was I going to react to this jab? The choice was up to me. And so, I began to pray. 

While I was disappointed with the delay and additional expense of renting a new car, I was determined not to let it get to me. Even more so, I would praise God for the delay instead of getting upset. After all, we had extra time with my mom and brother, which was a tremendous blessing. I was also traveling to San Diego with my husband, which was a splendid reason to rejoice. David and I made the best of it and were soon on the ground in California, marveling at the three-story-tall palm trees and the promise of a new adventure. Yay, God!

David and me outside the San Diego airport at twilight.

Although this trip wasn’t a vacation, my remote work afforded me with the opportunity to start my day long before dawn in PT while keeping my regular Eastern Time zone (ET) hours. Starting early also gave us open afternoons to explore the area – an advantage we were more than happy to capitalize upon. 

As a bonus, the three-day Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend afforded us a full, sunny day to tour the San Diego Zoo on Monday. After purchasing discounted tickets online, our next challenge was finding someplace to print paper tickets on a holiday in a city we’d never visited. And so, we prayed. 

Thunk. It’s always something, I thought. 

David and I loved hearing all about the San Diego Zoo’s inhabitants from atop a double-decker tour bus, included in the park’s admission.

Not easily deterred, I began searching online for an open office supply store somewhere near us. Praise God! We found one! Although the shop was across town, and I missed a few turns, our delay was nominal. We soon had our tickets and were on our way to the zoo. 

Throughout the day, David and I thanked God continuously for the privilege of visiting this world-renowned zoological park. With this fantastic activity, we more than made up for our lost time on Sunday. 

Then Tuesday happened. At precisely 8:00 am, we were shocked to hear the noise of a Bobcat tractor – grinding and beeping as it reversed gears just outside our condo window. Peering outside, we discovered cloudy skies, high winds, and a construction crew making back-and-forth passes between the interior courtyard and the street in front of us. As it turned out, our peaceful getaway spot had become a construction zone overnight, and the weather had taken a considerable turn for the worse. 

Thunk. Thunk. Satan’s banging had started again. 

Rather than getting angry, I prayed before penning a diplomatic letter to our property manager – including photos and videos of the construction activity. After complimenting them on our accommodations, I expressed disappointment at not being informed of the significant renovation work happening around us for the remainder of our stay. Much to my delight, we were given a generous return of a sizeable chunk of our vacation rental fees. Ultimately, the ordeal became one more item to thank God for in our noon-day prayers. 

While watching the ongoing construction and deciding what we’d do on this less-than-perfect day, we met a fellow vacationer who advised us that we could see sea lions in an area not far from where we were staying. Despite the coolness of the afternoon and the cloudy weather, David and I were thrilled to walk roughly a mile and a half to see these hefty and humorous pinnipeds vying for space along a floating platform near the marina in Oceanside, CA. Had the weather been better and the construction not happened, we might never have encountered the neighbor who helped guide our unexpectedly happy afternoon. The victory belonged to God, yet again!

On Wednesday, we traveled to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and hiked up to the cliffs that make this area so scenic. While cloudy and cool during our hike, by the time we arrived at the picturesque “Beach Walk” trail and overlook, the skies had cleared to reveal a spectacular oceanside panorama that only a Divine Creator could orchestrate. The unique patterns carved into the natural sandstone cliffs by rain only added to the magnificence of this place. 

Thursday being our warmest and sunniest day, David and I opted to travel down the coast to La Jolla to visit their unique claim to fame – the magnificent Seal Beach. Despite its name, this area is more highly populated by sea lions, cormorants, and pelicans. While I had been dreaming about this type of event for years, nothing could have prepared me for the experience of seeing such an abundance of wildlife in its natural habitat. 

The sea lions along La Jolla beach congregate together along the cliffs.

After finding a rare parking spot along the main street, David and I caught our first glimpse of the La Jolla cliffs, which were teeming with pelicans and cormorants. With barely a foot or two between them, the birds rested on cliff faces and along the adjoining rocky shore walls. Whether the birds were preening, sunning, or showing off to potential mates, the rocks were brimming with seemingly hundreds of them. I could hardly thank God enough for this exceptional encounter with His magnificent creation in its native domain. 

As we moved down the La Jolla Cove, the sea lions became more numerous – taking full advantage of the beautiful coastline to put on quite a show for David, me, and the hundreds of other tourists visiting this area. Oblivious to their onlookers, these pinnipeds went about their regular sea and shore activities – seemingly without a care in the world. From the napping sea lion on the beach whose head rested on a rocky pillow to the young pinniped raucously frolicking together along the rocky plateaus, the whole scene surpassed my wildest expectations. I could have sat and watched these animated creatures for days. 

Remaining a safe distance away, I couldn’t help but capture this moment on the beautiful La Jolla Cove seashore with a sleeping sea lion behind my right shoulder.

As an avid wildlife enthusiast, I couldn’t get enough of the majestic biosphere in front of my eyes. Like a scene from a Discovery Channel documentary, something magical was happening everywhere I looked. Whether it was the large bull chasing other males away from his prized mating spot between the sandy shore and the jagged rocks or the adolescent youths who struggled to find the best haul-out locations along the rocky cliffs, I knew I had been given yet another gift from God in witnessing such grandeur. 

As darkness descended, we reluctantly returned to our car only to discover that our leisurely half-hour return trip had grown to an estimated hour-and-a-half in crazy traffic. As David and I crept out of town, one slow street at a time, the tension in our car was palpable as we both had different ideas about which lanes to be in. I turned off the radio to concentrate even as David wanted to listen to music to relax. 

And so, I began praying again. I could practically hear the Devil’s thunking as we crept out of La Jolla only to be blitzed by the frenzied drivers that sped along the six lanes of traffic with four merging arteries along the chaotic San Diego freeway. As traffic repeatedly surged and stopped several nerve-shattering times along the way, I couldn’t help but grip the steering wheel a bit tighter amidst all the chaos of a California rush hour. 

Once we’d returned to our condo, I thanked God for our safe passage and silently told Satan I wasn’t going to let him steal the euphoria of our spectacular afternoon. We had been gifted another blessed day, and I wouldn’t let anyone or anything tarnish it. 

Nothing can match the peace I felt watching the sun go down along the La Jolla beach.

On Friday, our last day, we stayed close to the condo – only venturing down to watch the local sea lions once more and take a long, slow walk along the beach. At this point in our journey, I felt incredibly privileged to have taken this trip despite its ups and downs. Seeing another part of the country, let alone the opposite seashore, was exhilarating – especially with my David. 

The ebbing sunlight added even more beauty to the spectacular scenery above the cliffs at the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.

We were up at 4:00 am for an hour-long drive to the airport to begin our travel home on Saturday morning. Upon landing in Denver for another long connection before flying to GA, I ventured to check my rental car receipt only to find my final bill had more than doubled my initially quoted price—double thunk. 

Supplemental insurance and roadside assistance had been mysteriously added to the bill against my wishes. Four phone calls, three messages, two texts, and an email later, someone finally called me back from the rental agency. After repeatedly assuring the agent that I’d expressly declined additional coverage, I was asked to email my insurance information so she could take up my case with her on-site manager. All this happened while I was sitting in the airport, miles from home, waiting for my connecting flight.

At this point, I was nearly at my wit’s end. Deprived of sleep, frustrated at the repeated challenges, and worried about a double charge on my account, I could feel the tears threatening to spill from my eyes as I told David I was tired of constantly fighting for everything. After hanging up the call, I stood up and melted into my husband as he caressed my back. Praying out loud in the A-concourse of the Denver International Airport, we asked God to give us the strength to get through our journey and amend this problematic situation. After saying “Amen,” I told David I needed to walk. So, walking we did.  

Passing a bathroom, I stepped inside and purposely put on my red lipstick, dried my eyes, and returned to tell David that I was determined to be like Nancy Wake, the phenomenal, Australian-born WWII leader of the French resistance whose story I’d just finished reading. Whenever facing particularly challenging situations, Nancy always put on her lipstick. On one such occasion, Nancy explained her penchant to a fellow freedom fighter, reminding him that he’d never go into battle without his armor. For Nancy, her armor was her lipstick. At that moment – in addition to prayer – I was determined also to make it mine. 

To my declaration, David hugged me anew and grabbed my hand, yelling for the entire airport to hear, “I love this woman!” His announcement made me smile and only furthered my resolve. With God’s help, we would get through this latest thunking. 

And so, we did! Not long later, the rental car agent called me back to let me know they were refunding my overcharges. To that great victory, David and I threw up our joined hands to formally proclaim, “Yay, God!” to whoever cared to listen. 

Not content to suffer defeat, the Devil tried to steal our victory again just a few minutes later—sneaky thunk. 

As we prepared to board our connecting flight, we were greeted by a nasty gate agent who challenged the bag sizes of everyone carrying a personal item by forcing all of us to verify “to [her] satisfaction” that all bags were the proper size or pay an $89 gate fee. After removing many items from my small bag and adding them to David’s tote, we were finally on our way home. Many others whose personal items were sprawled out along the airport floor, desperately trying to make their bags fit the small space, were not so fortunate. They didn’t, after all, have David – and perhaps not even God on their side. I know I did. 

And so, we made it home without any further incidents. 

It’s taken me weeks to finish this blog due to my intense schedule and our return to VA Beach for David’s work on his house there again. Each time I can’t write, I feel Satan’s thunkings. 

Nevertheless, not a day goes by when I am not incredibly grateful that I have a not-so-secret weapon to get me through the Devil’s attempts – the incredible power of prayer. It’s prayer and God’s guidance upon which I base every decision, every day, and every moment of my life. 

God gifted us with this spectacular sunset while flying home from San Diego.

I am also a firm believer in putting on the armor of God each day – without which I could never stand. As Ephesians 6: 10-13 tells us, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the Devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

I’ve learned firsthand that God’s armor can only protect me if I wear it. Without God’s protection, I’d never stand a chance of withstanding the enemy’s blows. Whether he chooses to throw nuclear bombs at me or subtle punches to take my eyes off my blessings, I will never let him win. 

More importantly, I will never stop praying. God knows my heart and is aware of the battles I’ll face today – large and small – before they ever come my way. That thought gives me great comfort. I’d never make it through Satan’s thunkings without it. 

We’re Samaritan’s Pursers

We’re Samaritan’s Pursers

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So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. (1 Corinthians 15:58) 

David and I were fortunate to have each purchased “Go Wild” passes from Frontier Airlines about a month before we became engaged. My original goal was to travel all around the country while working remotely. After all, I can work from anywhere, so why not? 

The annual passes are Frontier’s way of filling their empty seats for a one-time fee. With some flexibility, travelers can fly anywhere Frontier flies from their chosen airport for the discounted price of tax and fees alone. Sounds impressive, right? 

Unfortunately, tickets are challenging to book as they’re generally only available the day before flights are scheduled to ensue if extra seats are available at the last minute. As a result, David and I have only been able to utilize our passes once over the past year. 

David and I were able to pay a short visit to my mom and see snow during our overnight layover in CO.

Nevertheless, determined to “get our money’s worth,” we found a flight to San Diego via Denver over the MLK holiday weekend. At $50 for each round trip, David and I couldn’t let the opportunity pass us by, so we booked the flights and headed to stay overnight in Denver, connecting to San Diego in the early afternoon the next day. And so, with our tiny, under-seat suitcases in tow, we set off on another adventure together. 

Frontier is a no-frills airline. Seats, backpacks, carry-on luggage, beverages – everything extra comes at an additional cost. To keep our expenses down, David and I only splurged on two seats together in our four-flight, 2-day travel extravaganza – on our final leg home, a week after it started. As a result, we were massively blessed to be accommodated when I asked if David could sit beside me after final boarding on our first flight when no one claimed the empty seat. Not only did the attendant consent, but she allowed us to move to a back row where we could sit together. 

David and I were blessed to be allowed to sit together on both our flights to San Diego, despite not having paid for the privilege.

In the rush of the day’s preparations for our journey – including packing my work laptop and cold weather gear for our short stay in Denver’s sub-zero degree weather, we didn’t read our daily scripture passages together before departing. I offered to share my Kindle App with David during the flight, but he surprised me by saying, “Just read it out loud to me, love,” so I did. 

Right there in row 30 – just two rows from the back of the plane – I read the day’s assigned passages to David from the Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms. Just as I was about to read from Proverbs, I was interrupted by a loud, strange noise – like that of a slowly opened, creaky door. It sounded like something from a horror movie, and it was coming from somewhere on the plane. 

“What was that?” I asked David. 

“I don’t know, love,” came his reply. 

Without warning, David yelled, “He’s choking,” jumped up from his seat and rushed forward. 

That’s when I spotted a man’s ball-capped head – just four rows in front of us – leaning into the seat beside him. As flight attendants rushed to help, a grey-haired gentleman wearing a mask moved into the seat beside the floundering passenger. With adequate help in place, David returned to his seat beside me. 

“What happened?” I inquired. Before David could respond or take a seat, he jumped back up again, yelling, “He’s choking” one more time. 

This time, I saw the passenger’s arm raised and flailing above his seat while his body shook. The gentleman beside the passenger began offering words of reassurance as he stroked the dreadlocked head of the man who’d now lost his hat and shook about. Over and over, this Good Samaritan assured the troubled passenger that he was okay, using the man’s first name – who we all now knew was Matea.

David was still standing beside the row where all this was happening. Joining the Good Samaritan in his actions, David reached over to stroke Matea’s head, offering his steadfast assurances. By now, fight attendants provided paper towels to wipe Matea’s brow and face, which David later explained had become wet with Matea’s saliva. 

As the situation calmed, David returned to his seat beside me, explaining, “He had a seizure of some sort.” 

Having filmed most of the incident on my cell phone due to David’s involvement, I looked over to my amazing husband, kissed him, and told him I was incredibly proud of him. 

“Thank you, love,” was all David said. 

“Let me tell you a story,” I began. 

As David listened, I recounted when I stopped to assist a woman who appeared to have fallen outside a restaurant. I was accompanied by a team member who had joined me for lunch. Without hesitation, I rushed forward and knelt where the woman had situated herself on a large landscape rock, inquiring whether she was okay and asking if I could help. 

Much to my surprise, my teammate quietly suggested that “Perhaps [I] should leave her alone,” noting, “It’s not our business. Let someone else help her.”

In shock, I replied that I wanted to help and advised him to go in without me. After assuring myself that the woman was okay, I informed the wait staff to help her and joined my friend at a table inside. 

“I can’t believe you involved yourself,” I remember him saying. “It’s not our place to do so.”

His response stunned me as I wanted to do more, not less, and I felt terrible leaving the woman when I did, even though others quickly responded to attend her. I’ll never forget how I felt after hearing my teammate’s response to my actions and his apparent lack of concern for someone needing help. 

Concluding my story, I explained to David, “That’s not who I am. And I know that’s not who you are, either. We’re Samaritan’s Pursers. We help whenever we can, however we can.”

“That’s right,” said David. “We do.” 

As I kissed my husband again, I reminded him, as I regularly do, how perfect we are for each other. Without the hearts God instilled in us to help others, we might never have met during our fateful first Samaritan’s Purse deployment in October 2022. 

“It’s sad to think that more people are like my friend and the other travelers in the Good Samaritan story than those who ever want to help,” I continued. “They cross by on the other side of the road, unwilling to get involved. But not us.”

“But not us,” David agreed as he kissed me back. “Just another adventure to add to our story,” he said, smiling. 

Our 3.5 hour delayed flight to San Diego didn’t quench our enthusiasm about traveling to yet another exciting and new place together.

The rest of our flight blessedly continued without further incident. We later learned that the grey-haired man who had rushed back to help was a doctor. “Thank God,” David said. “We’re fortunate everything was okay, so we didn’t have to be diverted to land somewhere quickly.”

More than that, it strikes me how blessed I am to have a man seated beside me who has a heart like mine, a heart that is always willing to jump up and lend aid to those in need. Every day, I thank God for such a gift. 

May we all be more willing to help and serve whenever and wherever God leads us. Whether it’s at 40,000 feet of altitude, high above the ground on an airplane, in another state hit by a natural disaster, or in a quiet workplace with a friend, we never know when the call to serve will go out. I pray we will always be ready to do so without hesitation. 

After all, the world needs more Samaritan’s Purses and Good Samaritans. Wherever He leads, will you go? 

I get to keep you

I get to keep you

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“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.” (Genesis 28:15)

I have a secret to share. David sometimes talks in his sleep. Not often, but sometimes he does – and I always hear him. Often, David will utter a sentence or two from his dream. I work hard to remember what he said so I can tell him about it when he wakes up. Thankfully, David can always tell me what the dream was about when I do. On one such occasion, he said something that neither of us will ever forget, as it has impacted our lives ever since.

David uses a rubber mallet to level paving stones used in a fire-pit patio he created for a VA Beach customer. (June, 2023)

Most of David’s dreams are work-related. I told him such things are a sign of stress that he shouldn’t be having – especially now that he is mostly retired. That being said, the mind is a powerful organ that never entirely shuts down. I, too, have vivid dreams that play in my subconscious, like movie scripts. I sometimes mix people and places from my past together as my brain weaves memories and new creations into one tiny snippet of thought as I sleep.

According to Sigmund Freud, “The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind.” The famed psychologist wrote extensively about the same in his timeless work, The Interpretation of Dreams, which is still studied by experts and non-specialists today. Freud professed that interpreting dreams can provide great insight into what he termed a “dynamic unconscious.” He believed that understanding what occurs in our dreams allows us to address better how we live our lives in the daylight. Per Freud, “On my way to discovering the solution of the dream all kinds of things were revealed which I was unwilling to admit even to myself.”

One of the most well-known Biblical dream interpreters was Joseph. In his lifetime, Joseph had six dreams that we read about in Genesis, chapters 37-42. The first two dreams were Joseph’s, and in them, God revealed the future path for Joseph’s life. While his father and brothers were unhappy to hear Joseph’s dreams portending their eventual submission to his power and greatness, scripture reveals the truth of these subconscious musings. Over the course of a 28-year interval, Joseph systematically was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, purchased and elevated in the household of a powerful Egyptian official, betrayed and jailed for an offense he was innocent of, promoted again within the penal system, and eventually released from captivity upon Pharaoh’s acknowledgment of Joseph’s God-given ability to interpret dreams. During Joseph’s period of incarceration, he interpreted two more pairs of dreams that ultimately changed the course of his life.

Scripture reminds us that dreams also played a crucial role in Daniel’s life. In addition to his well-known interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2) – revealing the monarch’s eventual fall from power and ultimate acknowledgment of God – scripture advises us that Daniel’s dreams prophesied a future world yet to come (Daniel 7). We can take comfort in Daniel’s dreams, knowing they foretell a time when God will rule and reign over the earth, with all believers reigning with Him.

All told, God’s Word reveals twenty dreams that were used for various purposes. Such revelations include warnings (Genesis 20:3, 31:24, Matthew 27:19), prophetic events (Gen. 37:5, 9, 40:8-19, 41:1-7, 15-32, Daniel 2, 7), spiritual truth (Gen. 28:12), confirmed promises (Gen. 28:13-14), and encouragement (Gen. 28:15) – my personal favorite.

While David’s dream held no such grandiose revelations to me, his words were precious upon explanation in the morning light.

“You talked in your sleep last night,” I told David after revealing his subconscious musings.

“What did I say?” David asked.

“You said, ‘I get to keep you.’” I replied.

As David smiled, he explained that while he couldn’t remember the entirety of his dream, he clearly remembered that phrase, saying, “It was about you. I remember smiling as I said it, knowing that above everything else, I was happy that God gave you to me – and ‘I get to keep you.’”

Since that revelation, I’ve borrowed the phrase quite frequently, telling David that I, too, am incredibly grateful to God for His gift of David to me. “And I get to keep you.”

“You keep stealing my line,” David laughs when I tell him the same. “But I don’t mind.”

“That’s good,” I always say, “because I intend to keep using it.”

David and I are constant smiles when we’re together – even while standing outside the Vatican walls for hours to enter the Vatican Museums in Rome, Italy. (October, 2023)

I waited a lifetime for David to become a part of my life as he did for me. We thank God daily for our compatibility, which includes our shared love of our Heavenly Father and each other. We know how prodigious a gift it is to find one’s soulmate, helper, confidant, and best friend – all wrapped up in one extraordinary package we call a Godly spouse. “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)

Above and beyond finding each other on a church bus in a disaster zone while working for God in an evangelical ministry of love and faith, God gave me a man who speaks my love language of touch and affirmation.

Moreover, I get to keep him. Hallelujah! What a Savior!  

Use this year wisely for Christ

Use this year wisely for Christ

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Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)

What a difference a year makes! When I think back to where I was in January 2023, I’m astounded by all that’s happened in such a short expanse of time to bring me to where I am today.

Gutted kitchen in Herm and Nancy’s Ft. Myers, FL home. (October 2022)

At this time last year, I was temporarily living in a home with Hurricane Ian victims Herm and Nancy while David was restoring and improving their house to its pre-flood state and beyond. Just as this couple could never have foreseen the floodwaters that would overtake their home and destroy nearly all their worldly possessions, so I could never have imagined that God would send me a husband whose love would fill my earthly experience with more of Christ’s peace, joy, and tranquility than I’d ever before encountered in my lifetime. I’m still in awe of the miracle of finding my soulmate in such an unexpected and God-ordained manner.

David’s hard work in Herm and Nancy’s home are evidenced in this “after” photo of their kitchen, post renovation. (January, 2023)

While I’ve experienced indescribable joy in the power of my Creator’s presence my whole life and have consistently marveled at the grandeur of His creation, I now have someone to share these emotions with. Meager words can hardly quantify how satisfying that experience has become. Knowing that someone loves me unconditionally is empowering and imminently gratifying. Considering how much of my life I’ve spent feeling that I could never be good enough, such an assessment is even more special.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cbs-news-poll-hopes-resolutions-2024/

What lies ahead from here remains to be seen. I’m goal-driven, so I, along with most of the world, can’t help but consider what I hope to achieve in the coming year. According to a December 2023 poll by CBS News/YouGov, the top desires of those surveyed are all materially-based: improved health (94%), exercise (88%), spend more time with people [they] care about (84%), and diet/eat better (81%). Additionally, top resolutions for America boast a similar vein, with 74% of those polled hoping to take more time off, 70% to spend less time online, 60% to work harder (a surprising answer to me), and 29% vowing to earn more online connections. The latter seems a sad testament to the health of the world’s relationships.

I can’t help but feel disheartened at the superficiality of these responses. Apart from the “spend more time with people [they] care about” comment, everything else seems inward-looking and somewhat self-absorbed. While I will grant that resolutions should be somewhat internally focused, why are all these comments geared towards self-improvement rather than charitable and external thinking? Where are the “read my Bible more, help others, and learn to give more unselfishly” resolutions?

As the media continually speaks about the need for more peace, trust, and kindness in the world, I puzzle over where the thoughts and actions are to back up such lofty ideals. Have we all solely become messengers of rhetoric rather than action? What are we doing to help the missionaries, evangelists, and charities make the world a better place? Are we ready to assist them in their ministry or grumble about how bad society is getting? Will we complain our way through the year while we seek self-improvement rather than the betterment of others? Are any more of us willing to go, speak, and live out our faith in a hurting world that needs us? Do we consider how many people need the light of Christ through the ministry of our two hands and feet? How many of us will say, “Here I am, Lord. Send me!”?

Conversely, these are my top three goals for 2024:

  1. Read through the Bible with my husband. I’ve read God’s Holy Word three times by myself. I look forward to diving deeper with the man I love as we continue to grow in our faith and trust in God.
  2. Write more words of Christ’s encouragement for others. In addition to my blog, I hope to move my Yay, God book concept past the outline I’ve created to a full-fledged manuscript that I can publish to encourage whoever I can. I aim to share my story and the wisdom God places upon my heart daily.
  3. Shine God’s light in every area of my life. While this is my eternal goal, I place it on my top three list for 2024 to remind me of the importance of the same. I serve an invisible God; therefore, I know I must be the hands, feet, and love of my Savior to everyone I meet – in and out of the workplace. I’m praying that God will give me new opportunities to do so this year.

While I have other goals for the year – such as seeing more of the world, helping David complete his VA Beach house renovation, and installing new flooring in our GA home, for example – I wanted my top three ambitions to revolve around Christ and my faith. Truthfully, I can hardly imagine what my Heavenly Father has in store for me in the days ahead. I might face gut-wrenching trials or new levels of triumph – grander than anything I’ve ever encountered. Only God knows what the future holds, and that’s good enough for me. I only ask Christ to use me as He sees fit – today, tomorrow, and through all the days He has written for me in His book. I want to use all the time I have been given to serve my Savior in any way possible.

I love You, Lord. I trust You. I serve You. I am Yours, and You are mine. May I accomplish whatever you have designed for me to do in the coming days. May it be so – in the year to come and forevermore.

The greatest gift

The greatest gift

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For Christmas this year, David and I were privileged to enjoy a free stay at an oceanfront condo in the FL Keys. No. We didn’t win the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes. Our “vacation” was courtesy of one of David’s lifelong friends, Joe D’Angelo, whose winter home is the one we were fortunate to occupy while he was away for the holidays. Talk about Christmas in Paradise. We found it!

The view from Joe’s Tavernier, FL condo.

David first met Joe when he was around five or 6-years-old after his family moved from Lakewood, NY, to Orchard Park, NY. As a young adult, Joe reached out to David regarding David’s self-employment experience since Joe was considering leaving the restaurant industry. Joe took David’s advice and was fortunate enough to acquire an existing glass installation business, which he ultimately grew into a lucrative venture. Joe and his wife Mary retired to Tavernier, FL – a beautiful community just north of Islamorada, in the Upper Keys. While the two of them were visiting their children and grandchildren for the holidays, David and I basked in the beauty of their oceanfront view from the sixth floor of Joe’s condo.

Islamorada’s Amara Kay Resort used to be the Hampton Inn.

While there, David delighted in taking me to places he remembered from his former stays in Islamorada. Between 2001 and 2009, David was fortunate to work in what was then the former Hampton Inn – partially owned and operated by his decades-long friend, Dennis. David’s primary, annual, off-season task was to repaint all the hotel’s guest rooms, common areas, and exterior. While working on the property, David and his helper, Dexter, were provided free lodging at the hotel.

Although it was dark after our 8-hour drive to the Keys, David was eager to revisit Dennis’ former hotel – now fully renovated and rebranded as the Amara Kay Resort. After a short drive to the site, we walked the property so David could photo-document the site’s changes for Dennis – all the while elaborating upon his fond memories to me.

Christmas decorations enhanced the festive atmosphere at Dennis’ former hotel.

“It’s beautiful,” was my constant refrain as David walked me through the lobby to the oceanfront view on the back grounds. Even in the dark, I was amazed at the tropical outdoor seating, majestic palms, fire pits, and tiki torches adorning the property. The place was positively magical.

After walking along the grounds, David and I strolled to the hotel’s pier, next to the same tiki bar that David remembered from his past. Despite the dramatic changes to the property, other features remained the same. I could hardly imagine the privilege of a two-and-a-half-month-long stay in such a resort. What a privilege!

As the two of us sat down on a waterfront lounge chair to contemplate the same, we looked up at the night sky and thanked God for the blessing of being there together.

The Amara Kay resort pier.

“I used to sit here at night and look out at the water,” David confessed. “I was glad I had Zoley (David’s dog), but I’d always ask God, ‘Where is she?'” Emotional at the memory, David continued, “And now you’re here! I can hardly believe you’re finally here!”

David and I returned to the Amara Kay in the daytime to better appreciate the beautiful resort hotel.

More wondrous than a complimentary stay in the Keys, more satisfying than the warmth of the FL sunshine, more beautiful than the pristine waters we transcended in borrowed kayaks, and more awe-inspiring than the cries of the ospreys that glided over the ocean waters is our God. One year ago, I was in CO visiting my family for Christmas, fretting over how I’d share the news of my engagement to my soulmate. At the time, I could never have imagined where I’d be 365 days later, let alone how joyful my life would be now that I’m married to David.

And yet, here I am, continually marveling at the incredulity of it all. I’ll never again ask for another gift in my lifetime. I already have it all. Apart from my salvation, the most incomparable gift I’ve ever received was the love of a man named David. After all, unequivocal love is beyond description. It’s all I ever wanted, never thought I’d obtain, and so much more than I could ever have imagined it would be.

Our Tavernier stay included complimentary use of Joe’s kayaks.

From a baby in a manger to a resurrected King, God demonstrated His love to us by humbling Himself to take on human flesh for the sole purpose of saving our souls so we could spend eternity with Him in heaven. The greatest gift is love, and it’s always there for all of us to unwrap, accept, and savor. Nothing on earth is as profound as our Heavenly Father’s love. I’m even more blessed to have found that same love with skin on it, wrapped up in the unconditional affection of my David. I can never thank God enough for the same.

A short kayak trip took us to tiny yet gorgeous Kalteux Key.

The greatest gift is love. Grab it. Savor it. Share it. After all, there is nothing more remarkable in the universe than love.

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