"...I have talked face to face with what I reverence..."

Last week, I entered my home and saw that my family was watching some of our past Christian Family Theatre (CFT) productions. I immediately joined them and began to reminisce. As the shows progressed, I remembered the many laughs, tears, and hard work that was put into each production. I began to smile as I recalled the many rehearsals and the long hours required to make our finished product possible. But it wasn't those things that stood out the most. Only one thing, and that one thing alone, that struck me with sadness and fear.

The fact that performing with these heaven-sent people isn't guaranteed anymore.

I knew I wouldn't ever get to be excited about giant cardboard "stones" with my mother/now sister Amanda "Meena" Bowen again. I knew I would never again have a white child with blond hair and blue eyes with Jennifer Reece. I knew I'd never again beat David Harrell with a sponge rock (my apologies for the wound, buddy). I knew that I would never get to clean up Luke Haynes' stage blood that he shot out of his mouth again (the look of sheer terror on my face was real, although I did want to laugh for some reason). I knew I wouldn't ever get to tease Jordan Maldonado about not having any valentines, while I had a plethora of paper heart cards. I knew I wouldn't get to poke fun at Hosanna Brown being an old woman again. I knew I wouldn't get to ride magnificently to Camelot as a knight of the round table with Brandon Cohen.

I knew all of those things already. But I somehow missed the part where acting with these professionals wouldn't always be possible. I'd gotten so used to the routine of CFT that I'd forgotten the fact that this adventure would end. I wasn't prepared for that...

I will miss that privilege greatly. It's been a blast being with every single actor in CFT over the past 5 years! To my family, both nuclear and extended, you've always been my biggest fans, so thank you very very much for that! To all the CFT seniors, each of you have played a special and significant role in building me into the person I am today and I'm so very grateful for each of you. To the beloved CFT staff, my words alone are completely inadequate to describe my love for all of you. You've all touched my heart in such a grand way, I'll never be able to completely thank you, but I'll do my best! To my CFT friends that I'm leaving behind, I'll miss you all so much. Shout outs to Keanu Biedrzycki, Nathanael Curtis, Sean Hackaday, Nathon Burwick, Mae and Mackenzie Goss, Moriah Bostick, Kim Payne, Andy Harrell, Kaleigh Farmer, Maddi Fleeman, Kristen Cowart, and Janna Reece. You're all fantastic!

I look forward to seeing future CFT productions and I'm so glad to have been a part of God's ministry! This time in CFT has confirmed my passions and pointed me in the right direction! Thank you all for being a part of the best part of my life and while I may never act with you again, I'm so glad that I'll continue to do life with all of you. I love all of you!

Thank you for being a part of my great big family :)