ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...

THIS PROJECT IS LARGELY DEDICATED TO MY LATE GREAT UNCLE: REV. FATHER ARVIDS BERNANS, WHOSE LIFE AND SERVICE TO GOD INSPIRED ME TO GIVE A MINUTE PORTION OF MY LIFE TO THIS PROJECT, WHOSE WORDS OF LOVE AND WISDOM CONSISTENTLY WALKED ALONGSIDE ME THROUGHOUT THIS TUMULTUOUS JOURNEY.

AND TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN ME LOVE AND SUPPORT, IN SMALL WAYS AND LARGE, ALONG THE WAY, I THANK YOU, FOR WITHOUT THIS GRACE, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE COURAGE TO PURSUE THIS ENDEAVOR.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ANDREW GAUGGEL AND MEGAN TRISCHLER ESPECIALLY, BOTH OF WHOM WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ASSIST AND INSPIRE ME THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THIS PROJECT; BOTH OF WHOM HAVE REMINDED ME CONSISTENTLY AND PASSIONATELY THAT THE HARDEST PART IS CHASING AFTER THE VERY THINGS THAT WILL SEEMINGLY RESULT IN OUR DEATH. THROUGH THEIR ADVICE AND WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, THEY INSTILLED WITHIN ME THE CONVICTION THAT THE GREATEST GIFT WE MUST GIVE TO THIS WORLD IS OUR BELIEF AND ADORATION OF GOD, EVEN IF OUR NEXT STEP IN GIVING IT MAY CRUSH US. WITHOUT YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT, I COULD NOT HAVE DONE WHAT FELT LIKE AN IMPOSSIBILITY.