We met through a violent situation, with God’s hand on our separate lives. Patrick was only a few months beyond a disastrous relationship. A non-denominational, circuit riding preacher became a friend in Patrick’s life. A deeper longing for and commitment to God arose within him. With the encouragement and help of this friend, Patrick was fully reconciled to God by his grace and mercy. This began the healing and restoration through Christ in his life.

Penny had recently shouldered the role of single mother of three children. She was struggling with her singleness, all the while realizing what a good marriage could do in her life and the lives of her children. On the same day as Patrick, she was also reconciled to God at another place and began her life of healing and restoration.

Grace and mercy prevailed as we sought to make a permanent relationship, declaring to each other a single purpose: to  sell out to God and to be responsible for our covenant relationship to him and to each other, ignoring family and friends’ approval or disapproval. Most importantly, God was to be the center and the third party in our marriage! We married in 1974.

Our lives became challenging. We struggled with inadequate money, lack of jobs, parental and family situations, little or no insurance, and a person from Penny’s previous life. We were "tentmakers," supporting ourselves through our employment. We are both educators and have taught at high school and community college levels. Patrick also worked in retail and various other jobs over the years.

We moved frequently within the first twenty or so years of our marriage. We were at peace with these moves, and the children became resilient because of the changes. God was there all the time. We never went hungry, although we ate some creative meals. Two of the children were educated beyond high school. How this was accomplished is beyond normal imaginations and expectations. Our Lord and God, the Creator, is highly creative!

The Lord began to refine us even more when the children began flying out of the nest. We always sought out faith communities where life took us. Some we stayed in for a season, others for longer periods. We even had to leave some where things were not right. For a while, we lived in a dry but very compact home, a converted school bus. It was not where one would expect educators to live, but, in a sense, it was appropriate for educators. Two of our children were home-schooled in it.

Knowing that God was leading us, we accepted his call to work with him as his servants and found him taking us to places we had never been before. During one period, we ministered the Gospel together as a family through puppets in over 60 faith communities of all denominations and non-denominations.

Our life seemed full of starts and stops. We remained faithful to God and each other. We waited, and God moved, in us and through us. We continue to carry out our mandate to witness and minister the reconciliation, healing, and restoration that only God can bring through his love and compassion. Three children and seven grandchildren have given us a wealth of experience.

Patrick is a classically trained singer and an actor. In addition to Community Theater, he acted for many years in an interfaith drama outreach and the choir and drama ministry of a local faith community. He recorded and released a CD of classic sacred hymns. He is an author of several inspirational books. He taught Psychology and related subjects over a 25-year period and is a professional Mediator.

Penny has taught in high school and community college and has worked as a classroom, home bound, and alternative classroom teacher. An artist and author, she ministers God's Word in a special way through her novels and other writings. Our books are available at www.hessionbooks.webador.com and at online bookstores internationally.

We have grown old together. We chose to move to the mountains to write and to spend our last years, however many they would be, together. The mountain has been a learning experience over and beyond all the accumulated years of ministry and service in the Lord. The Lord said that he has "embedded" us on this mountain to recover the Church. We are still learning what that means.

Quietly, our lives are touching many, both on the mountain and farther away. We pull wisdom from our nomadic life to live in his grace and mercy. Emmanuel, God with Us! We invite you to partner with us in any way that the Lord might show you.

The Lord, our God, has blessed us in all our undertakings.

he has been concerned about our journey.

It is now more than 47 years that he has been with us,

and we have never been in want.

Deuteronomy 2:7 Adapted