Living Hope

No-one embodies the living hope of Jesus better than Dean Greer, our Living Waters USA Manager, and wife Chrystal. I met Dean in San Francisco, mid-nineties, as he struggled to break the low ceiling of an HIV diagnosis. Despite renewed faith in Jesus, Dean nurtured little hope of thriving in the ‘land of the living.’ He met Chrystal soon after who loved him well then added Jeremiah (now 14-years-old!) to their family a decade later. Dean wrote this last week on his 25th wedding anniversary:

There was a time when I was told I would never, could never, should never get married. There was a time I was told, even if I did find a woman I could love, she wouldn’t be willing or even able to love me.

There was a time I was told my desire for a family of my own was nothing more than a fantasy that would never be realized. There was a time I wanted to listen to the lies, chose to believe them and miserably lived my life accordingly. I was ending in death.

Then God in His mercy told me through His Word: “I know the plans that I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:11).

It took me some time, but I ultimately chose to listen to Him -- the only one worth listening to -- and that has made all the difference!

My lovely wife and I are grateful, and humbled, to have reached our 25th wedding anniversary today. We wouldn’t be here had we listened to mere creatures. We wouldn’t, couldn’t, shouldn’t, won’t continue without Him.

Chrystal, I’m so grateful God led me to you, gave us the love we have, the family we have, the life we have.

Who knew what God had in mind, so many years ago? We’ve only just begun…I love you still!