From Travis

Chris,

When you were looking at colleges during our senior year of high school, I don't quite remember how you found Georgia Tech and the wonderful city of Atlanta.  Yellow Jackets?  MARTA?  The ACC?  All of these concepts were foreign to your close circle of friends, but we still felt like you had the right idea. 

I remember being struck by your bold vision and courageous heart for moving across the country - no friends-in-tow or nearby - to find a new life in a new part of the world.  Because of your courage, I felt more excited about college and was better prepared to leave behind our good life as high school students in Houston.  You helped all of us think bigger about what the next season in our lives could be, and I thank God that each of us took a different path out of Memorial High School 11 years ago.  Even though we went in separate directions (Eric to Stanford, David to Baylor, Rachel to Wake Forest, you to Ga. Tech, and myself to Texas), because we'd enjoyed a clean break with who we were and what we enjoyed as high school students, we reconvened at Christmas and during the summers to better appreciate who we'd become in the past year.  Many of our other high school classmates seemed to stay rooted in how they'd been known when they were in their teens, but for our group, things were different.  I credit you with much of the courage and leadership which sent us off in such a good direction.

Even now, as a new pastor in a new part of the world - Grand Junction, Colorado - I'd like to think that at least some of the courage with which my wife and I came to this new home was rooted in your commitment to making a big jump, believing that God would continue to be faithful to him no matter where he went.  I know that's idea has been proven true in our lives.  Chris, may God bless you and keep you, and make His face shine upon you and give you and your family peace during your 30th year and all the years to come. Thanks for your friendship.

Love, Travis