Everyone who gives receives a blessing. We all hear that from others. The Word also gives us a taste of that in Matthew 10:42. And, my husband and I believed that…but, we never knew the extent and reality of the blessings that would come from the giving of ourselves when we committed individually to a calling to serve on a medical mission trip to Honduras in the summer of 2006. God had a lot more in mind! The mission trip was the beginning of our story; it was our meeting place. To see how the Lord brought us together has been awesome!
My story: In 2006, I was a freshman and biology major at Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC. Although I knew I was interested in the sciences, I had no idea in which direction I wanted to pursue my career. Inevitably, my summer would be filled with shadowing health care professionals and volunteering at clinics to help me see what I liked best. In the meantime, the Lord had been pressing short-term missions on my heart, and when I realized that I could both go on a mission trip and get medical experience, I was all in! Unfortunately, the Baptist church in my hometown of Dillon, SC travels to Honduras in March every year. Since this time conflicted with my school schedule, I went online to see if any churches went during the summer months. I found that many did, including one church in Greer, SC (only 20 minutes from Wofford). After much praying and probing of my parents, I finally convinced my parents into letting me go, only if I found a friend to go with me and if they could meet the trip coordinators. I recruited a friend (Alex), and my parents and I visited Greer First Baptist Church to meet many of the members that would be going with me. Also, we met another girl our age that would also be on the trip (Kate). They were impressed!
In May, it came time to pack up supplies.  Alex and I traveled to Greer to participate after exams were over. Upon arriving, I realized that not only was Kate going with us, but her cousin Cole, a freshman at Clemson University was too. His good looks immediately caught my attention, and I thought to myself and said to God, “Why would you put an attractive boy on this trip? How am I going to stay focused on doing your work instead of impressing him?” So, throughout the summer I prayed that Cole would not be a distraction from serving God in Honduras.
We left for Honduras the first week of August in 2006. The trip was wonderful, and we were able to be laborers for Christ and his kingdom. Through attending to the physical needs of the natives in the tiny village of Siguate, we were able to reach their deeper spiritual needs. It was our goal to share the gospel, knowing that a relationship with Christ is the only source of joy and strength here on earth. Also, the Lord answered my prayers as he always so faithfully does, and while I enjoyed Cole during the trip and even sought out his presence often, my thoughts stayed centered on ministry.
However, after that week and 3 more months, Cole and I went on our first date. That led to 2 and a half years of dating and eventually to our marriage on August 1, 2009, exactly 3 years after our trip together.
Currently we live in Charleston, SC where we both attend the Medical University. Cole is in the medicine program, and I am in the pharmacy program. Although we both have a lot of school ahead of us, we hope to use our knowledge as health professionals and love for Christ to continue to serve Him through missions.