Kerry Van Hemert!

This sprightly elf filled with yuletide season cheer is Kerry Van Hemert.

Kerry has been writing an ungodly long paper about God for quite a long time now and I figured he deserves to be celebrated today.



I've known Kerry for about three and a half years and I don't think I've met another person that just reeks of spiritual and worldly standards of eu de coolness. I mean this kid dresses very snazzy and hip (borderline hipster), studies theology, is an uber-talented drummer for a surprisingly rockin' and well-trained band ( I mean really, really decent for being from middle-of-nowhere Iowa http://www.myspace.com/sonsandheirsmusic), and he and his family tame adorable, tiny dogs that look like snuggle bear. Not to mention he has the ability to produce fantastic feats of facial hair in like two minutes. Nothing screams awesome manliness more than when you can pull off looking like a lumberjack in one day. This is Kerry's noon o' clock shadow!

Mrowza, what a beard!

Kerry is also very Dutch through and through! He and his partner Biertje Van Schnockenbooken are Dutch Dancing regional champs in the Midwest Polka circuit. "Ja, danzing is very gut!"

That was a lie. Sorry.

I am glad I have had the opportunity to watch Kerry grow spiritually and emotionally since he was a freshman. He was already was pretty fly then, and now he is super fly. But seriously, when you live in a pretty small Christian community, you get to see small changes and big changes happen over the course of the years. Especially after this summer I have noticed a lot of maturity and godly gentleness come from Kerry's persona. To get to see anyone grow and be more transformed into what God has created them to be makes my inner-stuart shout "Hooray! Yay! God look at what you are doing! It's sooooooooo gooooood!" (Teen Girl Squad, anyone?) Then I go comatose in warm fuzzy feelings.

I have gotten to see where he shines because excels as a leader, as a friend, and as a man. He is such a wonderfully talented musician and because of that he has special avenues to relate to different types of people and hopefully chances to witness Christ to them. He is a leader, and although he says he's a quiet behind-the-scenes leader, I really think that somewhere down the line, when he begins to speak about whatever, people will listen to what he has to say. He possesses that kind of swagger. I also have gotten to see when he's been most vulnerable in rough seasons and watched him grasp onto Christ in those seasons to walk through them gracefully. I really appreciate those moments because it helped me grow in my capacity of compassion and prayer for him and my other friends.

Kerry also come from one of the coolest and probably hippest families from Pella. I mean 2/3 of the Van Hemert boys are in a band and their dad kinda looks like Kevin Spacey. The neatest thing is that theyare always willing to offer copious amounts of hospitality. I have seen them open up their home for people to stay there long periods of time and they are always willing to let Kerry's friend cook at their house. Their dad makes a pretty mean corn-and bean salsa too. I don't want to forget to mention those dogs. God, I love those dogs for some reason (don't be alarmed that is a prayer.) So adorable! Again I am going comatose with warm fuzzy feelings. Their family lives for Jesus and it can be visibly seen and it is evident in their blessed children. Yay Jesus!

Always the life of the party.


I have no good words for expressing how happy I am to know Kerry Van Hemert (it's probably because I possess fourth grade vocabulary and grammar skills). I feel giddy with warm fuzzy feelings on the inside. I guess you could say in the words of Mike Meyers' Coffee Talk Lady from SNL that I'm verklempt over Kerry. So verklempt!

A chick pea is neither a chick nor a pea. Discuss amongst yourselves.

Kerry is pregnant with the Holy Spirit, ready to give birth to much fruit.

Merry Christmas, Kerry Van Hemert and everyone who reads this! You're Awesome!