Before I say anything else, I just want to say thank you. Thank you so much.

For your limitless love.

For your encouragement and support.

For taking care of me for all of these years.

For raising me well.

And for showing me Christ.

I am who I am today because of you, and I honestly do not know where I would be if I had not had you by my side for all of these years. You are my rocks. I always know that I can run to you, and you will be right there with open arms. To you, my mistakes are meaningless. You always have a solution, you always accept, and you always love. And for that, I am so, so grateful.

Lord knows we have faced some rough times: sickness, surgeries, heartbreak, (just to name a few). I have enough confidence to say that we made it through those times by your strength and God’s grace alone. You showed me how to be strong. You showed me what it means to be tough and fight the pain. But you also taught me that it’s okay to cry, and it’s okay to be sad sometimes. Because this world is a broken place, and we are broken people. In those moments of sadness we have to lean on one another and comfort those in need. We are in this thing together. We need each other. I need you.

Without you, I would be lost and all alone. Not all people will feel that way, but I definitely do. You take care of me when I’m sick. I try to take care of myself, but let’s face it; you do a much better job. When I lose something, you know exactly where it is. Even when I’m at college, and you’re at home. I have no idea how you do that, but keep it up! You are absolutely amazing.

I can only hope that I am able to raise my children as well as you have raised me. I can only hope that they will feel the love of God shining through me, just as I feel it shining through you. You brought me up with manners and constructive discipline. I have grown up knowing what it’s like to work hard, while knowing what it’s like to have fun. I have never had to worry about where my food was coming from, and I’m so thankful for that. I’m so grateful for how hard you work, and how you have disciplined yourselves to work as if you’re working for the glory of God. Because of you, I push myself daily to become a better worker and a better apostle for Christ.

Mom and Dad, I love you both so much. I tried, but words just can’t describe how much you mean to me. You are more than words on a page. You are my superheroes.