We’re getting married!

Buckle up, this is a slow burn… Anthony and Janiece first met in 2016 at their Christian middle school, FCPA. Anthony, 8th grade, was the leader of the cool kids, while contrastly Janiece was the not-so-cool, bullied new girl in 7th grade. Although the tension felt intense between the popular kids and Janiece, it was very short lived as Janiece ended up transferring out in high school; which temporarily ended the relationship between her and Anthony. In 2018, Janiece and her family visited and eventually started attending The Hope Center Tabernacle, which happened to be Anthony’s home church. Although some time had passed, the feelings of not being too fond of the other hadn’t. This would soon resurface at their first Fine Arts Convention together in 2019, where Anthony took the initiative to finally patch things up and move forward as friends for the first time. Friends they stayed for years. Janiece would turn to him when she REALLY wasn’t okay, and Anthony was always there to comfort and help where he could. He would even get her Ubers home when she was stuck at places she shouldn’t have been. When Janiece eventually left the church, God put on Anthony’s heart to check up on her and extend kindness towards her while gently inviting her back to church when he could. But alas, the line of friendship was never once even thought to be crossed. In November 2021, Janiece developed a crush on Anthony after hearing him lead prayer during Sunday service. The quality of being a true man of God attracted her. Later that service, he also complimented her outfit. Memories of how he had always checked up on her and cared for her flooded back. It sparked a deep appreciation and interest towards him. However, it was complicated because Janiece and Anthony shared quite a few exes as friends and knew they would both want to be respectful towards that. She did not want to overstep even one bit, unless God Himself opened that door. Confused with her feelings, she prayed and told God that if the door was ever to be opened, she swore to treat him delicately. That following January, Janiece’s mom, who fully supported her crush, pitched the idea to watch a movie with him and see if there was any chemistry. The two of them conspired with the help of her father and her younger brother to get Anthony to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home with her. Coincidentally, Anthony also had his own test of chemistry months later where he invited Janiece to his gym to work out together and go out to the mall afterwards. This was the first time they’d ever hung out together just the two of them. On April 11th, 2022, the two were on the phone all night long (seriously, until like 5am) talking about everything under the sun. Anthony made a remark that under different circumstances and in another universe, they’d make a great couple—as the two had a complex past. This was the first time any confirmed interest had been shown, and so naturally Janiece stood silent for what felt like an eternity. “…Wait, what did you say…?”, followed. Thrilled and shocked, she gasped, “Anthony you like me?!!”. That night, the two finally confessed feelings for one another. For four months, it felt like absolute bliss. They fell hard for each other quick and effortlessly. But God saw beyond the feelings and knew there was still a lot of healing they neglected to do individually, collectively, and most importantly, with God Himself. The next year apart would be a year of breaking, chiseling, and refining. Their relationship with God was now the strongest it had ever been. And once God saw that the time was right, they at last started dating October 1, 2023. Ever since then, they’ve grown, they’ve loved, they’ve matured and now…they’re ready to tie the knot!