This book would not have happened without the support of the Redbud Community.
Special thanks to my agent, Karen Newmair of Credo Communications; Alice Crider, Abby DeBenedittis, Amy Konyndyk, and the rest of the excellent crew at David C Cook; Connie Gabbert, who designed the beautiful cover; the eight couples who bravely shared their stories; and Dr. Gary Chapman for writing the foreword.
I am indebted to the excellent editorial assistance of Jodi Steiner, for the earlier drafts, and Lisa Washington Lamb, for the later drafts. You both took my work to the next level.
To my Patreon and prayer team: the Tjernagels, Gretchen Saalbach, Val Cox, the Andrews, the Bjorcks, the MacDonalds, the Hodgkins, Robin Lake, Rachel Wilson, the Szatkowskis, the Choos, the Rays, Karen Stevenson, Barbara Brescia, Jessica Finch, Rebecca Bell, Chelsea Vessenes, the Frawleys, the Knights, Margaret Spellman Merrell, the Hildenbrands, Lisa Calderon, Erin Brehm, the Rowes, Cheryl Poole, Bernice Sim, Ben Knight, Sonia Andreson, Ann Armstrong, the Dennisons, the Wenzels, the Browns, Alexis Kruza, Annika Greco, Charlotte Gillespie, the Taos, and Jean Henricksen. Special thanks to my neighbor Sue Roper, who has so often anticipated my needs and selflessly offered her time.
On the editorial side, there’s always the risk of forgetting someone who helped me. If you don’t see your name here, please know I am deeply grateful for your contributions and I’m so sorry I omitted your name. My early readers, copyeditors, and on-call editorial crew: Mary Yerkes, Katie James, Dr. Jeff Bjorck, Suzanne Burden, Annalaura M. Chaung, Andrew Comiskey, Catherine Carlson McNiel, Mardi Fuller, Tony Green, Paul Griffiths, Nancy Hodgkins, Sharon Hoover, Ray Kollbocker, Terri Kraus, Lara Krupicka, Bronwyn Lea, Leslie Leyland Fields, Aleah Marsden, Meadow Rue Merrill, Jen P. Michel, Sheila and Nick Rowe, Gretchen Saalbach, Amy Simpson, Margot Starbuck, Wendy Stringer, Dorcas Cheng-Tozun, Michelle Van Loon, and Jo Young.
To my friends who generously wrote endorsements, I am so very grateful.
On the home front, my parents, Phil Littell (who passed away as I was writing this), Virginia Cannon and her husband, Charles, for the years of support and encouragement; Matthew, for allowing me to miss so many of your athletic events and for your willingness to eat pizza at least twice a week; Anthony, Kate, and GianCarlo for consistently praying for me; and of course, to Christopher. My world would be diminished without your love, patience, and support.