Despite a nation that boasts of having of over 384,000 congregations, 25 of which being in the city of Hudson, Wisconsin alone, there’s a new church family in town. And they aren’t going anywhere any time soon.

Jayme is beautiful. There is nothing plain jane or small thinking about her. Upon meeting this bombshell, I remember that she was the always-booked, master designer behind the new Viva Voce Salon hot spot downtown Hudson. Regular, every day people would come into the salon tired, exhausted by the world and its demands and leave completely refreshed and glamourous. It is a waste to see Jayme and then go home. For the the love, have a date or find a reason for a girlfriend dinner. Because by the time she’s done with you, you’re going to look bomb.

When I first met Greta, she struck me as a warm, kind and beautiful person. She was studying to become a hair stylist and lived down the hall from my sister. Fast forward a couple of years… My sister and her friends had asked me to lead a small group bible study. At the time, Greta wasn’t yet part of the group. Randomly one day, I asked my sister how Greta was doing, to which she replied that she hadn’t really seen her much since school. The next day, Greta showed up at the salon where my sister works – just to say hi – and that is when we invited her to join our group (Greta lives 40 minutes away from that salon and was only there because she was visiting another friend in town; the coincidence of my having asked about her not 24 hours earlier even struck my sister as completely crazy). I knew then that God had a little something planned for Greta; What I didn’t know, was that there was nothing LITTLE about it.

Unless you wrestle through the darkness, you will never appreciate flying in the light.

When I was little, I continually asked Santa for wings. Apparently, I desperately wanted to fly! I’ll never forget the note I received from him one Christmas:

My Dearest Hailley,

Although I would love to give you the wings to fly right now, only God will give you those.

Love, Santa