We always laugh because we should have met before we did. Andrew’s family came to my (Jessica’s) church when we were teenagers to preach and neither of us remember the other. All we can figure out is maybe I (Jessica) was out of town that Sunday. We just say God knew it wasn’t the right time for us to meet! When we did finally meet in our mid-20s it was through a mutual acquaintance. Andrew has moved from California to Mississippi to be a youth pastor and Jessica had moved from Texas to Ohio to teach at a Christian School. Jessica came to Mississippi to a youth conference that Andrew was at with the youth group he was over at the time. Although it was an awkward “Andrew this is Jessica-Jessica this is Andrew” introduction and then us left standing alone. We hit it off and talked all night (with the interruptions of many of the teens in Andrew’s youth group who tried their best to embarrass him as he talked to a girl).
Jessica is as real and genuine as any person could be. She is down to earth and connects easily with others. She never stops working whether it’s cooking and cleaning, homeschooling our daughter, or serving people in our church and community. She is always busy giving of herself to others. She loves fiercely and has a passion to see her children succeed and to be great in all areas of their lives. And with that, her children will always come first before any other pressure of responsibility gets in the way. She believes and often expresses that her greatest ministry is to raise and nurture her children.
Andrew is kind and gentle. He truly cares for people no matter their background or life circumstances. He has given his life to helping others as a youth pastor, traveling minister, and not senior pastor. He is a strong Christian leader not only to those he is a pastor of but most importantly of his family. He is a patient and attentive listener. He is able to love and care for so many but make his family his first priority. He is our families personal comedian and makes everyday fun. He is a very present father that reads books giving character accents and plays no matter if it’s a board game, Mario cart on the Nintendo, or the prince in one of Arabella’s plays.
