Eric and Nicole were both raised in homes where ministry was a focus of their parents and families. Eric's father served (and still does) faithfully in ministry positions around southwest Ohio. Nicole's father served faithfully as a pastor in Hamilton, Ohio until his passing in 2006. It was through the ministry of their parents, that God provided Eric and Nicole the opportunity to meet. While a freshman at Miami University, Nicole attended the Crosswalk Student Ministry that Eric's father, Don, led on campus. Don would encourage Eric to attend when he was home from Campbellsville University.  Eric and Nicole met several times while she was on campus, but it wasn't until Eric was called to serve as Youth Minister at the church where her father pastored that they began to truly get to know each other. Through serving in student ministry there, God opened their eyes to greater possibilities and they began to date and later married in June 2004. Over the years, God has grown a couple into a family of four. Brody was born in March of 2007 and Lilyann was born in February of 2010. Life has been a continuous journey of joys and sorrows, but as a family of four they are excited to see the journey God has placed them on within their home village of Carlisle.