Matt was my guide.

It's fair to say I never really considered myself a religious person. I believed in God and Jesus and that was pretty much the extent of my spirituality. At 14 and 16, Matt and I never discussed religion in high school. But when we reunited in college and our relationship grew, it often came up in conversation. Matt was Catholic. I was non-denominational and never went to church regularly. I wasn't even baptized. But I remember the first time I ever went to Catholic Mass with Matt. I was trying to figure out what to wear. We were at my townhouse. I ended up wearing khaki pants with a green striped button-down shirt. Somehow I remember that.

From there, we oftentimes went to church together... probably every week. I found that I enjoyed the organization of Catholic Mass. And it was just serene and beautiful. Time went on and we knew that our relationship was pretty solid, as in... we would go on to marry each other. Matt talked to me about becoming Catholic and I was interested. I did not belong to any church and I wasn't even baptized so I felt that joining would be a good thing for me and for us. I wanted to become more spiritual.

Matt contacted the church to sign me up for RCIA, which is Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. He went to every single class with me. I always asked him questions about religion. He was my guide. I remember watching The Passion of The Christ with him at his townhouse one day. He told me I was feeling the Holy Spirit after watching it based on my reaction.

It was my 21st birthday, April 15, 2006. The baptisms took place during Easter Vigil Mass. I was baptized, confirmed and took my first Communion from Father Tom; the same priest who married us, the same priest who officiated Matt's funeral and the same priest who baptized our daughter. Matt also met with him for Reconciliation the prior year. He wanted to do another Reconciliation here in Greenville. He had been meaning to go; it just got lost in the shuffle of a house to keep up and two young children. He wanted to be the best person he could ever possibly be; in faith, in family and in career.

Matt was there as my Sponsor with his hand on my shoulder as I became Catholic on my birthday.

Matt showed me God. I oftentimes wonder if that's one of the reasons he was given 11 more years. He showed me God during his life here on Earth and he continues to show me God every day following his death.