Lauren Kutz, Maid of Honor

It’s going to be hard to keep this section short because Lauren has been my best friend for a long time now. Lauren and I have run around in the same group of Assembly of God folks since we were in elementary school, but didn’t discover it until early in our high school careers.

We have attended school together since the 6th grade and have played on the same sports teams since the 7th grade, but didn’t really know each other till our sophomore year of volleyball. November of that year was when we started to get really close. We both made the same club volleyball team at Dallas Summit and took driver’s ed together (whoa, what an experience that was!!). By the end of our sophomore year, we were pretty much inseparable. During our junior year, it’s safe to say that we spent AT LEAST 3 hours together every day. We were weightlifting partners every morning in off season, met between every class, went to lunch together every day, rode with each other to volleyball practice in the evenings, and spent most weekends out by her pool.

We both applied to Texas Tech our senior year and decided to become Red Raiders. We decided not to room together though; for fear that it would ruin our relationship. During our first year of college we both changed a lot, but still remained close. We both found our way into an amazing group of Christians at Tech and ran around with a lot of the same people. However, our friendship went through a very rough patch during the end of our freshman year and it tore both of us up. We were both nervous about living in an apartment with each other the following year because our relationship had become so strained.

At the start of our sophomore it wasn’t long till the Lord completely restored our friendship. God had miraculously worked in both our hearts and we were able to come together at a level that we hadn’t been able to before.

My relationship with Lauren this past year has been so incredibly precious to me; I’m tearing up now just thinking about how hard it’s going to be to not have her with me every single day from now on. Lauren and I have shared so many laughs, spent countless hours talking about our faith and our futures, endured numerous volleyball practices where we felt like our legs were going to fall off, fought about the dumbest things you could imagine, cried with each other about our hurts and fears, and rejoiced with each other over the blessings that God has poured over the both of us.

Kristin Kelly Mittel, Maid of Honor

Kristin is also my maid of honor.

For some unknown reason, during the first month or so that I knew Kristin, I started calling her Kelly. In our close circle of friends, the name has stuck, so if you hear any of us call for Kel, you know who we’re talking about.

Kristin and I met at a camp for incoming Christians at Tech, Foundation, before our freshman year of college. Kristen had an odd roommate and lived in a dorm that was across the campus from the dorm where Lauren, Allison, and I lived. Since Lauren’s pot luck room mate never showed up, Kristin decided to move in with Lauren to be closer to us. Kristin and I were in the same place in our lives on so many levels when we first met. From the very beginning our spirits clicked. We were able to be so transparent with each other about our personal lives and spiritual walks. Our relationship was a true testament that iron sharpens iron. I learned so much from Kristin and her relationship with the Lord. She led me into many deep spiritual questions that I had never considered before and she held me accountable to reading and keeping to God’s word. Kristin and I would walk to the gym together just about every single day of our freshman year, where we had some of our greatest conversations. I have never gotten to know someone so deeply and so quickly before in my life. We just clicked.

Mary Kate and Ashley

Kristin has such a joyful and bubbly personality, You can’t help but be drawn to her, not to mention, she is a total knockout! She has a quirky side that she only lets people who are really close with her see. If you haven’t gotten to see that side of her, you’re missing out, believe me! She has been so much fun. I have loved laughing with and at Kristin during the last two years.

Kristin lived with Lauren and I in our apartment this past year and I decided to pledge to the same Christian sorority that Kristin had been a part of the year before.
I care so deeply for Kristin and the two of us have dreaded the day that our lives would go separate ways since the very beginning of our friendship. She has been the biggest spiritual influence in my life and has taught me so much about myself and who I am in Christ. I love her so incredibly much and I couldn’t have dreamed up a better college companion for myself if I wanted to.

Allison Guthrie, Bridesmaid

Alli and I met on a complete accident. I had applied for an empty room at Tech in the Stangel dorm for fear that I would never be able to find a roommate who shared the same lifestyle and convictions that I had. One day I got an email from Alli saying that she had seen my name on a dorm list and noticed that I was in a room by myself. She said she was looking for a roommate and wanted to know if I was interested in rooming with her. I decided to go out on a limb and be straight up with her, so I told her what kind of person I was and that I really wanted a room mate who had similar convictions. Surprisingly enough, she wasn’t scared off by my reply, instead she excitedly shared that she was the same way and was looking for the same things in a roommate. It was definitely a God thing. It was a done deal from there. We planned to room together that year and both planned to attend Foundation together before school started.

Alli and I ran around with the same group of friends and hit it off great. We share such an odd sense of humor. The two of us would spend hours watching Paris Hilton and Nichole Richie’s The Simple Life seasons on DVD. We would sing the intro song together, laugh forever about the dumbest things on that show, and quote certain parts later on in our week. Alli and I were determined to make friends on our hall that year, despite everyone’s cold efforts NOT to. I think everyone just thought we were weird instead. I am so blessed to say that I never had a horrible college roommate experience. Alli was a complete and total joy to live with. Her personality is unlike anyone else I have ever met; she is always keeping me entertained.

Writing this, I am being reminded of so many funny comments that she has made or moments that we have shared. I would share more of them with you, but I think it might be one of those, “You had to be there” kind of things….lol

Kimberly Bunting, Bridesmaid

Kimberly and I have a very special relationship. We met in our church youth group, and became inseparable the summer before my freshman year of high school while on a missions trip to Peru. We got to witness several miraculous healings together and discovered new meanings to scriptures that are typically overlooked. After our trip to Peru, Kimberly’s heart and mine beat for the same passion– missions. The two of us went on every mission trip that our youth group made available and got to watch each other grow in Christ.

Kimberly is one of the most passionate women I know. She is dedicating her life to medical missions in Africa. Don’t let her quirky and free spirited personality fool you, that girl has some serious brains!

Kimberly graduated from high school a year before me and moved way up north for school. It was so hard for me to lose her; She was an amazing influence in my life, and I have truly missed having her here close to home. Even though Kimba and I have been apart, I still feel like I could tell her anything. Her friendship is something I will always cherish, and I am SO glad that she gets to take a break from her crazy pre-med studies to be a part of my special day.