Today I want to tell you about our friends, the Baker’s. We met David and Sarah Baker back in January and though we have only known them for a few months they have become fast friends. I think the best way to tell you about the Baker’s is to tell you a little story about the last time we hung out with them…

It was about 7:30pm Saturday night when Bryan called David to see if they wanted to hang out. The Baker’s had just gotten off work, they hadn’t eaten dinner yet and their house was still a little messy from the house guests who had just left. If it was me I would have said “sorry, but I think we will take a rain check and hang out another time, we’re tired and the house is a mess.” But, that’s not what the Baker’s said, “Sure come on over” was their immediate response. Of course they made apologies for the house being messy (which it really wasn’t much at all), but they welcomed us into their home with open arms any way.

We sat and talked about life and work and the past week while they ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Bryan and I snacked on some chocolate they pulled out. Then we all played Settlers of Catan but instead of playing the normal way we decided to get creative and played on teams with our spouses – Baker v. Stedman. It was a rowdy game filled with making up rules as we went and of course some competitive energy flying about. In the end Bryan and I won but one more turn and the Baker’s would have won so it was a really close game.

After playing settlers we started talking about some business ideas and ventures and ended up spending a good couple of hours dreaming and envisioning one business idea in particular. We pulled out the computer and did some brief research. David pulled out a sketch book and we started brain storming names and what we would need to start and how much it would cost and all that good stuff. Ideas were bounced back and forth and before we all knew it was after midnight.

We left with our hands full of things that the Baker’s were generous enough to share with us – a Nooma video I hadn’t seen yet, the book The Kite Runner, a new translation of John, an electric razor so we can cut Bryan’s hair. We always seem to leave the Baker’s with our hands brimming over and our minds and hearts full.

David and Sarah Baker are a truly remarkable couple. They are open and generous. They are fun and creative. They are intelligent, but not pretentious.  They aren’t afraid to step out of the box and take risks sometimes. They really care about the people around them and you can tell that they really love each other deeply. David and Sarah Baker show love in very real and tangible ways to everyone they meet. And I feel blessed to call them my friends.

David and Sarah, may God’s blessing on you extend and exceed the great way in which you bless those around you. May He bless the ideas of your minds, the dreams of your hearts and the work of your hands. May He continue to draw you towards one another and fill you with love for each other all the days of your life. May He strengthen the friendships you have and bring more and more friends into your lives who can love you as much as you love those around you. May God truly do more than you could ever ask or imagine in you and through you in the years to come.

God bless!!

Rejoicing in the journey - Bethany Stedman

Photographs by Beth Stedman