Logan and Megan Lollis’ hearts are resilient organs, having been stretched, broken and reshaped. They found love through FCA. And, in the midst of great heartbreak, they found a bit of soul balm through the ministry as well.

FCA had always been a part of Megan’s life: leadership team in middle school, leadership camp, becoming a coach at camp—FCA is in her blood.

Logan had similar involvement and was a Huddle leader at camp, and interned with FCA for eight months after college. They met at a St. Simons (Ga.) Leadership Camp and became friends, then reconnected a few years later at the same camp and their friendship bloomed into love.

Logan and Megan Lollis (second couple from right) at the FCA Coaches Camp in St. Simons, Ga.

When they were married, both became Huddle leaders at their respective schools in which they taught, Logan at Dalton Middle School in Dalton, Megan at Lakeview Middle School in Rossville. Life was unfolding. And when Megan became pregnant last year, they anticipated the excitement that would culminate just before the holiday season.

But what should have been the most wonderful time of the year turned into the worst, when the young couple faced the unimaginable.

Nine months pregnant, Megan sensed something amiss. Thirteen days before her due date, she went into labor and delivered a baby girl with no heartbeat. They lost Edie Kate on November 23, 2015. Just before the holidays.

How could they even begin to understand a bigger purpose in this devastation?

“As Christ followers, we’ll never understand some things as part of His will, and that’s what we struggle with,” Logan admitted. “It would be hard going through something like this without that relationship with God. It tests our faith, but we’re still going to hold fast to God’s Word.”

In the hospital, a tiny shaft of purpose poked its head through the dark.

Both Logan and Megan have tender hearts for young people. They’ve brought students to FCA Camp for many years and poured into countless lives in and out of their classrooms. It was only fitting that in lieu of traditional memorial flowers, donations were to be made to an FCA Camp scholarship fund in honor of their daughter.

“For both of us, it was an automatic thing that we wanted to give to FCA, because that’s the ministry that impacted us the most growing up,” Logan said.

Megan echoed similar sentiments. “Without FCA, we wouldn’t have met, and we wouldn’t even be where we are, so we just knew that we wanted that for her,” she said.

At their middle schools, the FCA Huddles took the initiative to take up collections in support of the Lollises. Students launched “Edie’s Gift”, a pink box passed around at sporting events and schools for camp donations in Edie Kate’s honor. They also made bracelets to sell, giving students ownership in raising money for scholarships.

“To see the heart of the kids has been powerful,” Logan shared. “It shows what FCA’s all about. To see the love and power of kids giving and wanting other kids to experience that kind of love—it’s beyond words.”

For Megan, her relationship with God is forever changed. She’s seen Him in tangible ways, which she‘s pleaded for from Him in the wake of raw heart wreckage. He’s manifested Himself in the outstretched arms of students and community for young people to find a purpose in Christ through Edie Kate.

“We can’t imagine not talking about her and not giving Him glory."                 -Megan Lollis

“She’s going to have an impact on people and that means something to me,” Megan said. “For her and for our future kids, we want them to understand that everything we do here is for His glory and plan.”

Communities are pouring out support to the couple, continuing to donate to the fund. Currently, more than $10,000 has been raised for FCA Camp scholarships. Through Edie Kate, many young athletes will step on campuses this summer and be forever changed because of Jesus.

The Lollises keep turning their attention to the ministry that’s been embedded in their own DNA.

“FCA has molded us,” Logan explained. “Without FCA we wouldn’t be the people we are today. That’s the whole reasoning behind giving back, because we want kids to experience camp the way we experienced it and see the love of Jesus that they normally wouldn’t be able to experience without it.”

Logan and Megan stand strong on the Rock and cry His glory, even when clouds spill over their sun. Edie Kate will always be the sweetness on the other side.

“We can’t imagine not talking about her and not giving Him glory and thanks for her,” Megan said.

It’s heart wrenching and terribly difficult to walk through, they admitted. Yet Logan conceded it’s not their job to understand the ways of God, and believes their story brings purpose amidst tragedy for His ultimate good.

If you’d like to send a donation or note of encouragement to the Lollis family, please email North Georgia FCA Area Representative David Grusnick at dgrusnick@fca.org to connect.

Photos courtesy of Logan Lollis