The Dave and Jesi News Page

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Some of you may have been directed here by getting a "Stetser Family Update" email. Here are the pictures of Dave & Jesi and the ring. If you did not find this page that way and are wanting more details, click here for the text of that email and you will be "up to speed".

Blessings!

PB

"The Email"

Hello everyone,

            This is Jesi speaking, whom many of you have heard about through various update emails that my father has sent out.  I have something I want to share with the world, and I figure this would be close enough for now.

            In April of last year a wrong relationship finally ended for me, but now I like to call it my wake up call.  God used this experience to draw me back to Him, and may I say I ran like I was doing a marathon!  I was broken, and He took the pieces and made me whole.  My heart no longer longed for affection, but craved God’s kind of love.  I told Him to give me the strength to wait until He placed that special person DIRECTLY in my path – that it would be an obvious, albeit small miracle.  I didn’t need a thunder clap, just an amazing joining of events that I couldn’t overlook.  And sure enough, 5 months later, that’s exactly what he did.           

            About 10 years ago God brought a young man in to my family’s life, by the name of David Bennett.  He and I were the same age, and we became good friends fast.  Before long, as tends to happen to young teens, a crush developed; and unfortunately for Dave I didn’t really understand my feelings enough to say that I felt the same.  At 18, the summer after my graduation, I left the area to work at a Salvation Army camp.  While I was there my parents began the process of applying to the Salvation Army Training School, and when I returned I packed up everything and left about a week later.  Dave and I lost contact, and our lives went on. 

            Six years passed, and randomly in November, via one of these mass e-mails of my father’s, one copy was sent to David’s account.  He read it, and went to the family website to see what else the Stetser’s had been up to.  There he found the family pictures, and the e-mail links.  He wrote to me, telling me about his time in the Navy, and how he was serving in Iraq when the war started.  Needless to say, I was amazed to hear from him.  Had God placed this old friend back into my life for a reason?  Again, unfortunately for Dave, I am very bad at keeping in contact online.  But December 18^th, the night before I was going to be going home for Winter Break, David called me.  We ended up talking for about an hour, and set up a mini reunion.  The next night I pulled into a bowling alley and saw what looked like the young man I once knew.  Conversation flowed, and it was like we were close friends again.  For the past 7 months Dave and I have been talking quite regularly, and this past Saturday was our 6 month-anniversary.

            Well, this was enough of an introduction.  About a week ago, Dave proposed.  Because he is a spontaneous type of person, I had to wait a whole week before informing my parents, in person, that I had accepted.  This is the reason you are just now being told.  Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, because we have a long ways to go still.  If you would like to send an encouraging note for us, please do so via my e-mail address: JesiandDave@gmail.com.  Thank you for letting us share our wonderful news with you.

                                                                                    Jesi and Dave

PS from PB: Many of you will have the same questions on your mind that Becky and I did immediately after our conversation, namely …. When? Where? Etc.?

We are pleased to pass on the fact that David wants to make sure Jesi finishes her degree and student teaching before they get married. He also wants to complete his own studies. So they are looking at a 2 year engagement, which we are happy with (because of the forementioned “education clause”). As to where, the Elmira area is the place where our family spent the longest period of time (Jesi entered 7^th grade when we moved there and graduated High School shortly before we moved.) so she is looking at “somewhere in the Elmira area”.

We will follow this with more news when we get it.

Blessings!

PB