We’re getting married!

It's not safe to say that there was a specific moment when we met, and that was the end of the story. Gabriella and I have had a journey that has been challenging and exciting. It has ultimately caused us to look more like Christ, pruning our character in our relationship along the way. I initially saw Gabriella for the first time at Teens for Christ. The first time I laid eyes on her, her beauty was something I couldn't help but notice. Being a part of this ministry allowed us to continue to get to know each other monthly. That year, a pivotal moment was when Gabriella's family came to Davison-Free Methodist Church the same day I was leading worship; when I spotted her in the crowd, I was reminded of my prayer walk in a park from the previous day. I had prayed about what the Lord wanted regarding my future life partner. My prayer that day in the park was, "Lord, if there's a Godly woman out there who's not going to keep me from the plans and purposes you have for me, send her my way." The next day, Gabriella's family entered the church, which was odd given that they had never attended there. So once again, that cute girl I'd seen at camp several months prior stumbled into my path; that day, I began to pursue a friendship with her. Soon after, on February 22nd, 2020, Gabriella and I found ourselves on a mission trip in the Dominican Republic for two weeks. During that time, we painted the walls of the missionary home under construction, giving us hours and hours of meaningful talk. It was reciprocal, but most of the talking came from me due to the uncontained excitement that I had the opportunity to get to know this beautiful girl for two weeks. I later found out that one of her best character traits was how she could listen and get someone talking because of her selflessness and deep care for people. In retrospect, we both agree that the time on the missions trip was pivotal because confidence in a potential partner began to rise. In November 2020, Gabriella and I went on our first date. The funny thing is, this was during the COVID lockdown, so our first date was inside her house and Charlie, her little brother, waited our table as our 'server.' That was the beginning of the next chapter of dating. During that season, we had many long FaceTime calls and drives, which was challenging but all worthwhile. Thankfully, throughout this season we had impactful leaders who helped guide and teach us how to have a meaningful relationship. During our dating season, the words of 1 Corinthians 13 were the ones we constantly sought to grow in.......patience, perseverance, not being irritable, etc. We also held onto the promise found in Matthew 7:11, where Jesus said, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" These moments then led to complete confidence and assurance from the Lord, that we did not need to look any further and could take the next step. On a cold yet best day of the year, December 18th, 2024, I knelt on one knee to ask the love of my life to continue this journey with me. Thrilled, she said yes! Wrapping up our dating season was exciting due to what lies ahead and the pleasant memories of a well-run race with a fantastic partner. This three-and-a-half-year dating season has caused us to grow, and see the Lord move in many different ways. We are so thankful that we met in Teens for Christ, and had the opportunity to build friendship on that mission trip and the following months. Plus, the challenges of a long-distance relationship have truly been a testament to one another's character and the Lord's faithfulness! This Allows us to proceed into marriage with confidence and hope for what the Lord has ahead!