acknowledgments Thank you to my dad, Lee Smith, for believing in me and supporting me in this endeavor; to my sister, Lily Smith, for walking with me on the journey that led to the inspiration for this project; to my aunts, Bonnie Gloth and Connie Weresuk, and my dad’s wife, Marilyn, for spurring me on with their enthusiasm and encouragement. And heartfelt acknowledgments to my brother, Marshall Smith, his wife, Tara, and my niece and nephew, Cali and Mac. I am grateful for so many incredibly supportive and talented friends who have stood by me, encouraged me, prayed for me, helped me navigate the publishing world, steered me toward great resources, and given me solid input on this project. Special thanks to each of the following: Todd Adams, Amy Biter, H. Jackson Brown, Jr., Jennifer Callais, Dave Carew, Cheryl Casey, Joseph Chargois, Cindy Comperry, Kellie Conn, Pamela Daugherty, Deby Dearman, Anna Floit, Monna and Wallace Journey, Amy Kelly, Dave Killean, Mary Evelyn Kimbro, Fran Rajotte, Ken Rajotte, Michelle Reeves,