Our story is one that God began writing long before we ever realized it. We grew up in the same church, crossed paths countless times, and were often in the same place yet we hardly ever spoke. Looking back, it makes us smile, because now we understand that God was quietly preparing our hearts for everything that would come later. Everything shifted during a youth outing to Fort DeSoto that my brother organized. What we expected to be a simple day at the beach became the beginning of something special. We spent most of the day playing games like mancala and dominoes. I won almost every game, and to this day he insists he let me win, but we all know the truth. From that day forward, we never stopped talking. Our friendship grew through iMessage games, jokes, and little moments that slowly made us part of each other’s daily lives. God has guided our journey from the very beginning. We went from barely speaking, to becoming friends, to realizing that over time God had been preparing us for each other. Today, we are engaged and deeply grateful for the future He is leading us into. Our story did not start with one dramatic moment. It began quietly, with a picnic table full of games, laughter, service and the everyday ways God brought us closer. And now, with full hearts, we look forward to seeing what God writes next. With love, Karla and Abel