A year ago tomorrow, these two, Trey Stoudemayer and Jacey Voris met in my home. They came for the weekend to be a part of training for summer leadership in Africa. Trey, a gregarious storyteller who could captivate an audience anywhere, and Jacey, a quiet and discerning young woman who just leads by example, were sure to be a match made in heaven, I just didn’t know it yet.
That weekend, Jacey was already committed to serving with us, but Trey was trying to decide on whether or not to go to Africa for the summer. As the weekend progressed, the call intensified, but he still had some tough decisions to make and needed some doors to open if if it were going to happen. As we prepared to head our separate ways, someone offered up a suggestion. Jacey told Trey that she felt the Lord leading her to fast for him and pray that God would open those doors. Long story short, He did! After a week of prayer and some conversations with his employer, Trey was given the green light to spend the summer in Kenya.
When the summer hit, and teams started arriving, I remember receiving daily calls from Trey. He would call me for advice on how to handle certain situations, ask questions about their itinerary or finances and sometimes just call to talk and catch up. Well, about halfway through the summer, our daily conversations took a turn. Trey informed me of his affections for one of the other leaders (you guessed it, Jacey!). He told me that they had not pursued anything, because they didn’t want it to distract from teams. He also told me that the feelings were mutual.
As the summer ended, so did the restrictions for pursuing a relationship. All this time, they knew that they were interested in each other, but they intentionally waited to make it official until after teams had wrapped up their summer. In that time of separation though, they formed a relationship that would turn out to be lifelong. At the end of the summer, Trey told me that they were coming home with intentions of getting engaged and eventually married.
Their first date occurred in Africa. Not many American couples can make that claim. They waited for the teams to leave and during the final few days went on a date in Nairobi. I still remember the giddiness in Trey’s voice when he called and told me about it. And after they left Kenya, Trey followed through with his word. He came home, bought a ring and proposed to that girl (just not in America)!
In September, a small group of our leaders traveled to Zimbabwe to pray and plan for Africa Freedom Mission. Jacey wanted to get engaged in a place that she loved and her love for Africa started in Zimbabwe. So, during our trip, Trey pulled her aside and asked her to be his wife.
I cannot express to you just how happy I am for this couple. I truly believe that they have all they need to be successful in marriage. They have a genuine love for Jesus, each other and come from families that have modeled Christ-centered marriages their whole lives. They are committed and disciplined. They’re not perfect, but they have a genuine desire to follow the Lord in everything. I remember a call I received recently from Trey. He said, we’ve started giving each other side hugs now because we are afraid of what any more physical contact might lead too. This is not normal for young adults these days, but it is for these two and because of it, they’ve been able save themselves for marriage, a pretty rare feat these days.
Tomorrow marks exactly one year, to the day, since this young couple met in my living room. And tomorrow marks the beginning of their lives together as Mr and Mrs Stoudemayer. So, in honor of you guys, I would like to raise a toast! To Trey and Jacey, may your lives be filled with laughter, joy, hope and love as you pursue a life with Jesus and each other. May you make such an impact for eternity by your union together that it shakes the nations. I love you both and am proud of who the Lord is maturing you to be. Many many blessings in this new season.
Love,
Brent Roberts
President & CEO
Africa Freedom Mission