Our Friend Preston

Last Monday night a friend of ours, Preston Newby, was killed. Please feel free to learn more about this story here, here, and here. Kevin and I were classmates, co-workers, and fellow ministers with Preston. He and my brother Jonathan were co-youth pastors at their church, and Preston was one of Jonathan's very best friends. He is a man who changed the lives of everyone who knew him, and we both wanted to share a few of our favorite memories of Preston.

Kevin knew Preston before he knew me, and they both worked on the grounds crew at our college. Kevin said he would always see Preston driving around on this big green tractor, all over campus. Even driving it through the rain Preston was always smiling, and joking with his co-workers.

When my brother and Preston began working together at Lake Bible, I couldn't think of a better ministry situation for Jonathan. Jonathan and my sister-in-law Kristin were inseparable with Preston and his wife Tara. I could hardly ever think of J&K without P&T. When Kevin and I attended Lake Bible while living in Portland, we would visit my brother up in the youth room, and Preston was almost always the person to greet us, and ask how everything was.

After our wedding Kevin and I returned to Portland, and late one night we were shopping at Target. We had only been in town for one day, and Preston and Tara were the first people we saw when we ran into each other in Target. It was great seeing them that night, because we were excited for them as Tara was newly pregnant with their son Jacob, and they were excited for our new marriage.

We also shared a "kids" Thanksgiving with Preston and Tara, Jonathan and Kristin, and Matt and Stephanie. Some of the guys relaxed...


While the ladies worked....


Jonathan carved the Turkey...


While Preston and Tara waited patiently...


We have prayed non-stop for Tara since we received the news. Please pray for her, and also pray for Jonathan and Kristin as they have lost someone who was as close as a brother to them. Preston will be greatly missed in our lives and in the lives of the countless people he helped.