Austin: “When I was five, I told my parents I wanted to be with Jesus forever after reading a book about the gospel together. Our Christian family and my childlike faith kept me close to the Lord through church and youth group as I grew older.
“But there were still challenges. My dad was in the Air Force, so we moved 10 times before I went to college. Living in a foreign country in middle school brought deep isolation, and discovering pornography led to an eight-year addiction marked by shame and loneliness.
“When we later moved to Louisiana, I quickly got involved in a local youth group. The pastor and community there played a huge role in shaping my walk with Jesus.
“During my senior year, I had an unforgettable moment where it felt like a wave of doubt washed over me. I secretly questioned everything I believed about Jesus, and over the next year, I ignored the Spirit’s promptings, instead choosing comfort, relationships, and plans that weren’t God’s best for me.
“Eventually, a few faithful friends and a youth leader spoke up. They saw I was living to please myself, not the Lord. Their counsel helped me realize I had stopped surrendering my life to God.
“Later, during a summer internship in Dallas, I visited The Porch, Watermark’s young adult ministry. It was here that God showed me how I had misunderstood the gospel. It wasn’t my good works that saved me, but solely the grace of Jesus, ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)’
“From then on, my relationship with Jesus changed. Through community and accountability, I found freedom from addiction. God began building a solid foundation in my heart to walk with him in faith.”
Abby: “Growing up, I thought I had to ‘do the right things’ and earn my way to heaven. I wanted to be the ‘good’ girl, liked, and successful.
“In high school, we read a Bible study as a church, and one question stuck with me: What are you waiting for? I realized I’d been waiting to be ‘good enough’ to be baptized. That’s when I confessed my faith and made it my own. I couldn’t earn my way to eternal life, it was only through Christ.
“It was in college that my eyes were opened to the power of the gospel. I struggled with pride, control, and not loving people the way Christ calls us to. Our engagement and marriage revealed to me the depths of my sin and how much Christ loves the Church. Understanding Christ’s unwavering love for me reframed everything in my life.”
Austin: “Abby and I met as college freshmen, and we got married going into our senior year. That year shaped both of us deeply, and God showed us the importance of having a strong community around our marriage. When we eventually moved to Dallas in 2019, we grew deep roots and relationships in biblical community through a Foundation Group at Watermark.
“In 2022, God began opening many doors for me to start a business. The week I quit my job, we found out we were pregnant with our first daughter, Reese. God provided exactly what we needed during that season, and our faith has grown so much after repeatedly seeing him provide in ways that only he can.”
Abby: “This year has been challenging in many ways. Austin’s business requires a lot of time, he had unplanned back surgery, my brother unexpectedly passed away, and we welcomed our second daughter, Maren. It would be easy to be disheartened, but instead, God has given me the strength to care for my family and peace about my brother.”
Austin: “The theme for us has been peace that doesn’t make sense. God has given us comfort, peace, and even financial provision when it never really made sense to us.
“One passage I’ve clung to is Psalm 81:10 – ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.’ I’ve realized how often I’m just like Israel - forgetting God’s provision, even after he’s shown up over and over.”
Abby: “Our circumstances haven’t gotten any easier, but our trust in God has become so much deeper. We’ve learned to communicate our needs, pray together often, and rely on community. As a mom, most days I don’t get long quiet times, but God reminds me to meditate on Scripture throughout my day or ask friends to pray for whatever I’m going through. That rhythm keeps me grounded.”
Austin: “Ultimately, we continue to learn that none of this is about us. Everything we’re building is not for our glory but for his. And if it all goes away tomorrow, we still have peace - because God’s been faithful every step of the way.”
Every Tuesday night, thousands of young adults (ages 22-35) in Dallas gather for The Porch at Watermark to worship, pray, and grow in their relationships with Jesus. Learn more.
The Porch’s annual retreat Launch is back this Labor Day Weekend at Sky Ranch! You don’t want to miss this unforgettable weekend. Learn more and snag a spot