by Cole
—James 5:16
Day 5
Truly Worshipping
Remember what Cole wrote about his watching Savannah during a worship service at the MOTION conference?
When worship started on the third day, I noticed Savannah was really into it. She closed her eyes, raised her hands, and seemed to just be right in the presence of God. I was on cloud nine. With anyone else, I might have thought they were faking it and doing it because everyone else was, but that’s not Savannah. And if she was going to put on some fake front, she would have done it on the first day instead of waiting until the last. Later I asked her about it, and she told me that raising her hands and truly worshipping was something she’d never done before.
Think About It
•What does the idea of worshipping God mean to you?
•What kind of atmosphere helps you to connect with God?
•When have you experienced genuine worship? Describe those moments.
Notes
[Your Notes]
Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
—Psalm 95:6
Day 6
Take Off
Remember when Cole and Sav posted their first video together on YouTube?
That first video with Sav and me got a lot more views than I expected. The comments and e-mails we received afterward made us think, Okay, this is probably something we should keep doing. Little did I know that in just a couple of weeks, the whole thing was going to take off and go to heights we never imagined.
Think About It
•What’s something you enjoy doing that also benefits others?
•What’s a dream you are currently pursuing?
•How do you offer encouragement and support to others?
Notes
[Your Notes]
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares
the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future.
—Jeremiah 29:11
Day 7
The Sweetest Thing
Here’s what Savannah thought after Cole gave her a meaningful gift:
Right after the MOTION conference Cole bought me a Bible, which was the sweetest thing any guy had ever done for me. He didn’t just give me a Bible, though; he went through and circled all his favorite verses and labeled them with Post-it Notes. He also wrote out a list of verses that could help me get through different situations, like when you are down, read this one, or when you are happy, read this one, or when you are tempted, read this. No one had ever done anything like that for me. Circling all those verses had to have taken him forever.
Think About It
•When have you received a gift that moved you or affected you in a unique way?
•What do you like best about giving gifts to others? Why?
•What are some Bible verses—or songs, quotes, poems, and so on—that help you through different situations in life?
Notes
[Your Notes]
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
They are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
—Psalm 19:8,10
Day 8
I Asked Him
Remember when Savannah had “one last secret” that she had kept from Cole? Her two friends gave her different advice on what she should do:
Both of my friends made a lot of sense, but they’d said two different things. I still didn’t know what to do, so I prayed a lot about it. The Bible says that if we need wisdom, God will give it to us when we ask Him (James 1:5). I definitely needed God’s wisdom, so I asked Him over and over what I should do. I didn’t hear any voice from heaven, but I decided that the fact I felt like I had a big secret I was hiding from Cole was God’s way of telling me what I needed to do—I had to tell him.
Think About It
•Who do you usually go to when you need advice?
•When has a secret caused you pain?
•How do you approach God when you need His help?
Notes
[Your Notes]
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask
God, who gives generously to all without
finding fault, and it will be given to you.
—James 1:5
Day 9
Passion for God
Cole’s thoughts about his relationship with God were important to him when looking for that special someone who would become his wife:
Passion for God is so different from claiming to be a Christian. I grew up going to churches where people called themselves Christians, but the worship was dry and mechanical. I wanted more of God. I wanted to lose myself in His presence, enjoy Him, and pursue Him. When I pictured myself married someday, I wanted to be with someone on the same page with me.
Think About It
•What comes to mind when you hear the word worship? Why?
•What things are most satisfying in your relationship with God?
•When have you experienced God in a way similar to what Cole has described?
Notes
[Your Notes]
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
—Psalm 84:2
Day 10
Show Me the Way
Cole had a growing sense of urgency to learn how to be a good father to Everleigh:
Once we got plugged into church, I started meeting other guys and building some really good friendships. Because of Everleigh, most of my new friends were dads whose kids were friends with Ev. . . . I paid a lot of attention to how they interacted with their kids. Fatherhood was completely new to me, and I had a lot to learn. Six months earlier I had been a college student with zero responsibilities beyond my class schedule. Now I had a young girl looking to me as her day-to-day father figure, and in five months I’d officially be her stepdad. I needed someone to show me the way.
Think About It
•What are some things your parents did really well when you were growing up?
•Where do you see examples of good fathers or role models in the world today?
•Who do you look to in your life now to show you the way?
Notes
[Your Notes]
Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him
a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give
good gifts to your children, how much more will your
Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
—Matthew 7:9–11
Day 11
Praying Together
Savannah shared the following about how she and Cole prepared spiritually for their marriage together:
I’d say reading the Bible together and praying together were two of the most important things we did to prepare ourselves for marriage. Even though we both loved Jesus and loved to worship openly in church, I found that you connect on a much deeper, spiritual level when you walk with Jesus with your spouse, or in my case, my future spouse. When problems came up or when we needed to make a decision, we prayed together about it. Praying together helped move us away from focusing on what Cole or I wanted. Instead, we began to ask, What do You want, God?
Think About It
•Do you feel comfortable praying in front of other people?
•What relationships are you currently in that have a positive influence on your spiritual life?
•Which of your current relationships have a negative effect on your spiritual life?
Notes
[Your Notes]
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble
themselves and pray
and seek my face and turn
from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven,
and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
—2 Chronicles 7:14
Day 12
Every Part of Our Lives
Here’s a good question (and a great answer) from Savannah on the topic of sexual purity:
So how do you keep a commitment to purity when your boyfriend lives in the same house as you? First, we worked really hard to put Jesus first in everything. I know we’ve said this before, but it needs to be said again and again and again. Our decision not to have sex before we got married came out of our desire to live for Jesus in every part of our lives. I’d been down the other road. I know what happens to relationships and what happens to my own life when I push God aside and do what I want to do. I never want to go back to that.
Think About It
•How would you describe what the world teaches about sex and purity?
•How would you summarize God’s views on sex and purity?
•If you’ve spent some time “down the other road,” what lessons have you learned?
Notes
[Your Notes]
Marriage should be honored by all, and
the marriage bed kept pure.
—Hebrews 13:4
Day 13
The Most Amazing Feeling
Cole and Everleigh became friends easily from the start, which helped to grow and develop their relationship.
Once Everleigh called me Daddy, she never called me anything else. She introduced me to her friends as her dad. When I picked her up at her preschool, she sprinted over to me saying “Daddy!” in a way that just melted my heart. I know the other thirty-five dads picking up their kids had to look at me and think I was her much older brother, but I didn’t care. Hearing her call me Daddy was just the most amazing feeling in the world. Some days I was simply overwhelmed by how good God was by putting this amazing kid in my life.
Think About It
•What does your father mean to you? How would you describe him?
•In what ways would you like to be known as a parent?
•Who are some children God has placed in your life as blessings?
Notes
[Your Notes]
Because you are his sons, God sent the
Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit
who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
—Galatians 4:6
Day 14
The Best Is Yet to Come
The final paragraph of the book is not by far the final word in Cole and Sav’s story:
Savannah and I turned and walked down the aisle, arms held high, happier than I ever imagined possible. Neither one of us knew where this journey might take us, but one thing we were certain of: this was only the beginning! The best is yet to come.
Think About It
•What was your favorite part about Cole and Sav’s story?
•How have you been inspired by the pages of this book?
•How would you like to inspire others in the next week? The next year?
Notes
[Your Notes]
Though you have not seen him, you love him;
and even though you do not see him now, you
believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible
and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end
result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
—1 Peter 1:8–9
About the Authors
Cole and Savannah LaBrant’s lives have been a series of trials and triumphs—but also full of beautiful redemption and grace. They were on seemingly different paths but were brought together by God in a surprising way, which culminated in a public love story on the Internet that was witnessed by millions of viewers. Their subsequent YouTube channel, dedicated to family and faith, garners more than one hundred million views each month. Cole and Sav believe that God’s biggest surprises—like the gift of their marriage; daughter, Everleigh; and her soon-to-be little sister—are sometimes right in front of us, hiding in plain sight.