Ryan and Michelle are engaged and plan to be married out of the country in late November, 2009.
Michelle Hamilton
I never thought I would 
find myself here. I was lost, struggling to grasp some form of identity, but reaching in all the wrong places. Unexpected events have turned my world upside-down, have revealed to me God’s character and love, and have forced me to reevaluate my priorities and discover my purpose for living.
Finally I’ve come to trust that God does have a plan for my life, and that his plan is flawless. For the first time in my life, I am experiencing God on an intimate level, and in that I’ve found my identity, my passion, and my purpose. I’m stunned by the simplicity of my calling. My only purpose for living is to share God’s love with others!
Matthew 13:13
There are three things that will endure - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love.
I do not know where God will lead me, but I know that if I keep my eyes on Him, I am safe in life and in death. As uncertain as this life is, I’m so excited to finally let go of the reins and trust him!
I've been invited to volunteer in Saipan and Switzerland, but I truly feel that God is leading me to Peru. My first step into missions is with a project called Extreme Peru. I'll be working in Arequipa this summer, coordinating the Work & Witness teams who will be finishing construction on the missionary training center. Click on the Mission tab up top for more info on the project!
Ryan Maier
What if you were color blind your entire life and then one day you woke up with perfect vision? This is the best way I can I explain finding God. It's seeing a world that has always been there, one in which anything is possible, one you are incapable of understanding until you experience it.
Most people remember me as the skeptic, one who wanted to believe, but could not. Over a year ago, I met a coworker who was also a minister. He challenged me to think differently and began to pray that I would see and understand God as he did. His prayers were answered.
In September I met a girl on her way to live out her calling. Michelle amazed me with her conviction. Her life had recently changed and she was preparing to give up all that she had to leave for Peru. I am a naturally curious person and I wanted to understand what she had come to find. I began to ask more questions. Little did I know that this girl was praying for me, too. While reading a book that she had given me (Wide Awake, by Erwin McManus), things began to fall into place. These things where too coincidental and perfectly timed to be chance. God began to reach back to me. Finally it came. Finally I truly understood with clarity. The world around me became more vivid. I felt peace in my heart. I felt God. I started to search, pray, and go to church. The more I reached out, the more I got back. I have been given more and seen more than I could ever thoroughly explain.
Several years ago, I was diagnosed with a neurological condition called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). This condition is extremely rare, has no cure, and can be degenerative and crippling. I could not brush my teeth, type, or drive without severe, burning pain. Everything hurt. I lost my ability to play guitar. I had to quit my job.
God is merciful. I know that it is through my faith that I am healing, that I am sitting here typing this right now, and that I am able to play guitar again. It is through God that this disorder is leaving me. This is a miracle, and I am forever grateful. I have a new direction in life and new goals. I have a fiance who still amazes me everyday, and I have great new friends. But most importantly, I have faith.