P.S. Thank you for challenging my faith...

The P.S. series includes behind-the-scenes insights and closing thoughts on each feature piece — the good stuff that didn’t quite fit into the final story. Click here to read “Life with Luke.”

“Can I be a like fly on the wall in your home and observe your family so I can take some notes and tell your story?”

I’m not even sure I’d say yes to this bold request. But without hesitation, Andrew and Kristi Lundgren agreed, and invited me into their home for a more than two-hour interview that served as the launching point for “Life with Luke.”

They knew Luke’s behavior might be unpredictable during my visit. They didn’t flinch at the fact that they’d have to do some pretty hard-core parenting with an audience. They were perfectly ok with opening some of the private moments of their lives, if God could be glorified. I’ve met few people more at ease, more genuinely humble, or more sincere in their faith, and I truly felt the peace of God from the moment I entered their front door.

I spent several hours with the Lundgren family, whom I’ve known from church for a few years. There was a whole lot of laughter, some tears, a few snacks and requests for bubbles (Luke’s favorite), and Luke’s repeated attempts to re-name me. “You just really want to call her Becky, don’t you?” Kristi joked after the third or fourth time. But if I could single out the most memorable moment from my visit, it was when I asked Andrew and Kristi what I thought was a pretty predictable question.

First, some context. My husband and I have had the privilege to walk closely with quite a few people who’ve answered the call of God on their lives to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15) as full-time vocational ministers, pastors and missionaries. We’ve often stood in awe as they give of themselves - their time, emotional and physical energy, forsaking physical comfort - for the sake of making Jesus known.

With those hardships in mind, coupled with the daily challenges of raising a son with special needs, I asked the Lundgrens quite candidly if they’d ever thought of doing something - anything - other than full-time ministry.

Andrew and Kristi both paused and looked at each other, slightly puzzled, in the way you might expect someone to react if asked a highly specific question in a field of study they’d never heard of. It took them a second to give me an answer because they’d clearly never even considered the question.

“No,” they both said after some thought. They are doing exactly what they know God has called them to. And they have joy in it! Pursuing a life of ease was never a top priority.

There is so much more of the Lundgren’s story that I could have written. They’ve seen God move miraculously and experienced more answered prayers than I had space to include. But to me, the beauty of their story is the raw relatability of it. There are no Christian cliches or happy platitudes here. When they say they are completely and utterly dependent on God, it’s not an overstatement. When they talk about prayer and how much they love God’s people, it is as real as can be. They’ve seen the miracles but not complete healing. They’ve had to wrestle with the tough questions, and yet they still cling to God in a way that is both radical and downright Biblical.

I left their home both challenged and inspired. I pray their story does the same for you.

Click here for more information on Chi Alpha Chicago.

Thank you to photojournalist, Sarah Slayman for capturing these images.