Chapter One

The Early Years of My Childhood

I came into the world in true dramatic fashion, just barely missing the title of “New Year’s Baby” for the state. But I did snag the honor of being the very first baby born at Ransom Memorial Hospital in Ottawa, Kansas, on January 2, 1995, less than an hour after midnight. That’s right, front page, newspaper recognition, bragging rights, the whole deal. (I like to imagine the hospital staff cheering like I’d just won the Baby Olympics.) It feels fitting that I was born right at the start of a brand-new year, a reminder that life is full of fresh beginnings. Even from day one, God had me starting life with a little spark, setting the stage for the story He would keep writing through me.