We AreSayingI Do

Darien

Regan

Willardson

Wedding

August 31, 2024

His Story

I was born in southern Utah but moved to Henderson near Las Vegas, NV after my parents divorced when I was four years old. By middle school, I was big into skateboarding. I lived at the skatepark and would skate the streets day and night. But with that lifestyle, I slowly grew closer to the rebellious pot smokers than the sport. Throughout high school and shortly after, I started experimenting with other drugs, the worst being heroin. I tried getting clean many times and, although I wasn’t raised in a Christian home, I started writing to God in a prayer journal asking him to make a way, and He did. This was a pattern that started the course of the next 6 years of my life. I would stray off with these big dreams and goals, and fall back into one addiction or another. I started acting and modeling in 2013 and lost my sense of identity in the things of this world, chasing one relationship after another, fame, fortune, drugs, alcohol, acceptance, happiness, you name it. I pursued everything under the sun other than The SON of God. I was lost and mentally ill. I tried taking my life in 2019 by walking into oncoming traffic on Flamingo in Las Vegas, but I believe God saved me and put these words on my heart, “Now is not your time.” And when I walked to the sidewalk, I sat down on the curb and right in-between my feet was this little blue Christian gospel tract titled, “The Book of Hope”. I opened it up and read, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…”. I moved back to Utah where God providentially placed me under the care of my pastor, Bryan Hurlbutt. Our second lunch together, he shared the gospel with me and I gave my life over to Christ. I started attending his church and it was like every sermon was written just for me. As Bryan discipled me and taught me Scripture, I remember thinking every question I had could be answered through the Word of God. I was growing and learning so much when Bryan challenged me to go to Bible college and, once again, God made a way. I attended Ecola Bible College in Cannon Beach, OR 2021-2023. I had a phenomenal first year with lots of soul-searching, reading, studying, serving, and getting to know God and His Word. At the end of my first year is when God said it wasn’t good for this man to be alone, and He reconnected me with who was soon to be the love of my life, Regan Ann Schnetz.

Her Story

I was born into the midst of ministry, as my dad gave up the blue collar world to go to Bible college, where I was born a year later. A pastor’s kid since the age of two, I was taught the teachings of Jesus as young as I had the ability to comprehend. The Lord’s transforming work in my life peaked when I was six years old. Although I had known from a young age who Jesus was and the price He paid for my redemption, I had not truly seen myself as a sinner up to this point. As my mom sat with me during this recognition, she explained the gospel as she had done countless times, but this time my heart was receptive by the rejuvenation of the Spirit. Love surrounded me throughout my upbringing, and the Lord’s faithfulness was ever present like the ocean’s tide. I have as many siblings as a cat has lives, and had many additional foster siblings. The following years consisted of the PK life in Washington & family vacations to California. Although my cares were few, my inward worries were many as the years went by. Fear vs. trust describes the battle within me from a young age to present. Overcoming fear by trusting in the Lord was put into practice through the joys and heartbreak of foster care. My faith became my priority when I trekked off to Ecola Bible College right out of high school in 2017. The expression of my faith came to life during the three years I spent at this Oregon coastal college. As I wrapped up my time there, I was desperate for the Lord’s guidance for my future and fears overcame me once again. Almost a year later, His providence brought me to interview at a pregnancy help center near my home in Washington. He led me into this ministry of helping vulnerable women and children, something my heart was deeply tied to. It becomes easier to face your fears when you see the miraculous work of the Lord on the daily. A year into this job, my younger siblings were looking into following their sister’s footsteps and going to Ecola Bible College. I tagged along as they went for a tour, and here is where I connected with a guy I knew little about, but would soon become the person who knows me best.

Our Story

Darien was sitting in the front of the class one evening at Ecola Bible College in May of 2022. Regan, an alumni, was in the back of the classroom as her younger siblings were touring the school. Pastor Bryan was our mutual connection, as he teaches at Ecola several times a year. He happened to be there that week, and was determined to set us up. You see, Darien and Regan had initially met a few years prior, but it wasn’t God’s timing. Regan was hesitant at first knowing his background, but Bryan reassured her that, “In my twenty years of ministry, I have never seen a transformation like his”. That evening, Darien was reintroduced to her and that is where our story began.

Darien worked his charm and got her number after an evening of boardgames in the student lounge and walking her to the hotel her family was staying at. We texted and FaceTimed countless hours over the next few months. In July, Regan visited Darien in Utah and we officially started dating. The long distance became a little shorter when Darien went back to Bible college that fall, only three hours from Regan’s hometown. We made an effort to see each other every chance we had. Cannon Beach, OR was near and dear to both of our hearts, and you could say that Jesus and Haystack were the rocks we built our love upon.

Darien graduated that Spring and moved back to Utah. We had the trial of long-distance once again, but as the days went on, our communication and commitment grew stronger. In full circle, Regan went back to Utah that July, this time permanently. Our relationship flourished as we now live in the same city and share the same Christian community. Through Darien’s connections at church, Regan continued her passion serving at the local pregnancy help center in Salt Lake. Darien’s background of drug and alcohol recovery and counseling prepared his heart to serve at the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake. We see clearly how God used our individual pasts and brought us together to fulfill His great commission. March of 2024 after a day of snowboarding, Darien proposed and that is where our story continues…