A Brief Intro to Us..

Kellen and I fell in love somewhere between this engagement ride and our first meeting in Austria almost 5 years ago. Now realizing how fragile was that chain of events that led to us coming together, I can see how obviously this must be the Hand of God on us. I from the subculture-culture of Portland, Oregon. Kellen from the agricultural town of Turlock in central valley, California.

We met again in the summer of 2005, only a month after graduating from Oregon State. Kellen was in Portland for a wedding of two fellow Upward-Bounders: Joe and Jenn. Joe and Jenn were among many others I remember meeting in Austria 5 years ago, including Mike, Josh, Brad, and Kellen.

What was I doing in Austria? The entire Strickland family joined a group from Good Shepherd Church on a short term mission in Germany, and after the English camp I headed off on a EuroRail roundabout tour through Italy on my way to meeting my good friend Luke in Austria on his last night of Upward Bound.

Luke and I have a special friendship that began in the summer of 2001, when I decided to be adventurous for an entire summer. Luke, from North Carolina, had that same revelation. In early June, 2001, Luke and I arrived nearly at the same time, but at the same little grocery store in the high camps of Yosemite National Park. We quickly forged a friendship because we were the only Christians in Yosemite, and desperately needed some encouragement and accountability.

So, through the fragile chain of events and a handful of men and women living in the freedom of God's will, over 5 years, Jess and Kellen are days from turning the page to a new chapter. I am no less than excited about this incoming future and can hardly wait to see God's hand in the next fragile chain of events.

We're getting married on March 1. We'll be in Thailand until the 19th. Hopefully we'll have a posting about our honeymoon shortly there after.