September 4, 2002: Gwendolyn Joy Davies is born to parents Andrew and Holly and big sister Hannah. She’s named after Holly’s grandmother, and everyone calls her “Gwen.” 

“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” John 1:4 

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January 2003: Gwen is baptized into the Episcopal Church where she joins the rest of her family. “They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.’” Acts 16:31 

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May 2004: Hannah and Gwen are allowed to watch their neighbor John Fincham feed the birds. 

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June 2004: Hannah and Gwen are babysat by their neighbors John and Louise Fincham when their mother goes into labor. Gwen becomes a big sister to Noah. 

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July 4, 2004: Gwen gets scared of the fireworks her dad sets off in the backyard and tries to run away back into the house but ends up falling and breaking her arm. 

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July 7, 2004: Gwen attends church with a new cast on her arm. The whole church prays for her fast recovery. Gwen feels loved by her church and her community. 

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May 2005: Gwen becomes a big sister to James. 

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June 2005: Holly takes Gwen and her sister and brothers over to the Fincham’s to feed the birds. When Noah pulls himself up on the birdbath, Gwen runs over and pulls him away before it falls on him. 

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November 2005: Gwen is put in ballet class like her sister Hannah. She likes it a lot but gets a little bored and wonders why she and Hannah don’t wear nice ballet slippers like their friends in class. 

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“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 

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February 2006: Gwen gets a book from a flea market at her church. She asks Hannah to read it to her every night before bed. The girls read “Green Eggs and Ham” hundreds of times. 

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May 2006: Gwen and Hannah don’t go back to ballet class. They still practice in their backyard and wear socks as ballet slippers. 

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August 2006: A summer thunderstorm knocks a tree branch right through Gwen and Hannah’s bedroom window while the girls are sleeping. Gwen gets cut under her eyebrow and probably should have gotten stitches. It scars. 

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September 2006: Gwen turns 4. She gets a homemade birthday cake, a new outfit, and a small soccer ball. She wishes for a puppy. 

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December 2006: Gwen wants a puppy for Christmas more than anything! There’s no room for a dog in a house with four small kids, so Andrew and Holly take the children to volunteer at the SPCA. 

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2 

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January 2007: Gwen wakes up to Louise Fincham babysitting. She hears her mother in labor in her parents’ room. Gwen and Hannah are allowed to be there for the home-birth of little sister Emilie, who has Down Syndrome. 

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March 2007: Gwen is sad because her parents and new baby sister always seem to be away at doctors. Gwen prays for her sister. John and Louise let Gwen and her siblings feed the birds more times than usual this month. 

“Pray continually.” Thessalonians 5:17 

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September 2007: Gwen turns 5 and starts Kindergarten. She misses her parents but is excited to be at school with Hannah and away from the babies at home. 

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December 2007: Gwen remembers the Fincham’s bringing Christmas presents to her house even though they are Jewish. The Fincham’s brought over a lot of food, too. 

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May 2008: Gwen starts summer soccer! She loves it and is pretty good at kicking the ball. 

“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:30 

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September 2009: Gwen meets Megan at school and they become fast friends. 

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November 2009: Gwen goes over to Megan’s for a sleepover. She meets Megan’s grandma, who makes these amazing pastries. 

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March 2010: Gwen and Megan learn how to knit! Megan shows Gwen a new TV show, Power Rangers. Gwen lies and tells Megan she loves that show but really she’s never seen it because her family doesn’t have a TV. 

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November 2010: Gwen doesn’t have enough lunch money to buy lunch. A teacher sees her sitting without food in the cafeteria and buys her a meal. She and her siblings will receive reduced lunch from now on. 

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January 2011: Gwen remembers her whole family nursing a pot of vegetable soup for four days. 

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November 2013: Gwen becomes a big sister to Travis. That makes six children! 

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June 2014: Gwen goes to bed hungry a lot during this month. 

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September 2015: Gwen begs her parents to let her join the indoor soccer league that Megan and some other girls are playing during winter. She gets to join the Blossoms. 

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March 2016: Period atrocity. We don’t talk about it. 

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September 2016: Gwen starts high school. Hannah is starting her third year and tells Gwen there’s nothing to worry about. 

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3 

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October 2016: Gwen overhears her parents discussing whether or not they can send Hannah, Gwen, and the rest of the kids to college. Andrew says they’ll need a lot of scholarships. Gwen realizes that she needs to work super hard in school in order to go to college. 

“For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” Timothy 1:7 

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November 2016: Gwen and her family volunteer at the soup kitchen with her church on Thanksgiving. All of the volunteers get to eat dinner as well—Gwen knows that she would not have had a dinner otherwise. 

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December 2016: Gwen hopes for a cell phone for Christmas because every girl at school has one. She gets her first concussion (from soccer) instead. 

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January 2017: Gwen starts reading and following the news. Inspired to make changes to the world, she joins the Amnesty International club at school per her father’s recommendation. 

“We love because he first loved us.” John 4:19 

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April 2017: Gwen is elected Vice-President of Amnesty International club for the 2018-2019 school year. She hopes to be President when she is a senior. 

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May 2017: Gwen finishes her school year with a 3.9 GPA. 

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September 2018: Gwen turns sixteen. She starts Junior Year of high school. She’s getting ready for the best season of indoor soccer she’s ever had (she sincerely hopes!) 

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14