We are so happy you're here!

Every Summer through high school, “FUSE” (High School Ministry at Westover Church) would go on a missions trip called Project Serve. In 2014, (Josh’s Freshman Year and Ashlee’s Sophomore Year) the trip was to Johnson City, TN! With such a large youth group — often times, we wouldn’t know anyone in our work groups. However, through serving the Lord together across various cities — would bring us closer together through Jesus! It was on that trip that Josh found himself in a workgroup with BFF and Bridesmaid, Maddie Gough! From that point on, our friends became mutual friends and that is when our friendship formed! Over the next year, we went from best friends into a MASSIVE falling out. But like clockwork, Summer 2015 — it came time to find out our groups for the upcoming Project Serve. At this point, we hadn't talked in months, but still we walked into our assigned groups. We quickly realized by that little number on our name-tag that we would be in the same work group. This was a rarity as the staff made a big point to ensure students who knew each other were not placed in the same group. Anxiously, we navigate Project Serve 2015 — but throughout the trip, we were reminded of the joy we brought into each others lives. During that week we experienced healing in our friendship and were better for it. When girls and guys become close in their work group, it is called a “Project Serve Relationship” (or PSR, for short)! These rarely last past the week, and then students move on...obviously that was not the case for us! What makes this so special is that Project Serve 2015 was in Atlanta — where we now call home! The next month we started dating — sometime in July!

We made a lot of mistakes in our relationship. After high school, we had a really tough time navigating our relationship through college. We fought often, we didn't understand how to show grace or compassion towards one another. Rather than going to the Lord to fill us — we went to each other. This resulted in us asking each other to do the impossible...heal our burdens. How could we love each other so much but could never figure out why we continuously struggled? Through all of college, we struggled loving each other selflessly. When it came time for Ashlee to graduate in 2020 — it was a very confusing season for everyone. Impulsively, Josh made the decision to drop out of college and we made the move to Atlanta, together. We foolishly thought that living together would be the solution to so many of our struggles. Thinking we each would get a job no problem — we took the step of faith and moved to Atlanta, GA. We worked for Instacart and DoorDash to make ends meet. Quickly realizing that getting a job was going to be much harder than anticipated — things were not going to get better for either of us, anytime soon. This was the darkest time in our relationship; filled with deep battles Spiritually, Mentally and Physically. Through it all, we continued to helplessly bring all our pain to one another. Throughout that year, we both became involved in Passion City Church, and finally started to find our community. In February 2021, the young adults ministry did a series on dating. We drove to Collective Night at the church (and we didn't know this at the time) but had both been praying for God to reveal if this relationship was worth fighting for. That night, we were gifted with a “Free Date Night” to our favorite place in the city! Throughout the rest of the series, God placed conviction on our hearts about us living together outside of marriage. We decided that when our lease ended, we would move into separate apartments — and that’s exactly what we did! The move-out was extremely messy and hurtful. We continued to bring God-sized needs to one another; it was the common denominator that we couldn’t see, but felt every effect of. Deciding it would be best to take a 30-day break (with no communication except emergencies) — the story of restoration, while we didn’t realize it — was underway. During those 30-days we both worked on ourselves. For the first time, we began to shift our focus from our relationship with each other, to our relationship with the Lord. After 30-days, we realized that we missed each others’ presence in our lives and that we wanted to work on our relationship. We began the process of rebuilding on our new foundation. Only to get knocked down so far that we broke up indefinitely. That is, until we found GROW counseling. Since starting at GROW — we’ve learned what it means to love one another, and that neither one of us can fix our brokenness. Only Jesus can do that! We learned what it means to communicate with each other in a healthy way, and how to navigate complex situations together, as a team. We both learned how to love God more than we love each other, while continuing to turn to Him first, in all circumstances. We allowed God to refine us into the people He created us to be. We learned the importance of evaluation in dating. The freedom that comes from fully trusting in God’s plan, and accepting that His plan is so much better than anything we could ever imagine. God took the past year to completely shift our perspective and call us back to Himself. He was so gracious in allowing us to heal, individually. Taking all our brokenness to Him — to truly be set free from the burdens we carry. Then through counseling, we were able to rediscover our love for one another. This time, with Jesus truly in the center of it all. During this process we both began working in ministry together serving the Kingdom of God, which is exactly where we fell in love to begin with!

We had been talking a lot about engagement the months leading up to November 5th, 2022. Ashlee had started to become suspicious that a proposal was coming because she felt people were acting weird. Ashlee struggles allowing surprises to just happen, which made this very difficult for Josh because even though she digs for answers, she loves a good surprise. Josh assembled a team of their closest friends to help him pull of the proposal of her dreams. Months leading up to this day they had been planning. Meanwhile Ashlee is digging for answers. Ashlee's closest friends had no other choice but to lie to her so she would drop the idea. The week leading up to the proposal Ashlee is drilling all her friends about the idea of getting to proposed to, and all friends are continuing to shut the idea down. The day came, and Josh and some of our closest friends were preparing the night and Ashlee was getting ready for the day with Sabrina's help. It comes time for the date and Sabrina drops Ashlee off at Josh's apartment complex so we can go on a walk prior to us going to get steak...because that is all this date was after all, just steak. Ashlee is so mad because she genuinely believes that this is just a steak dinner. On this walk Josh keeps talking about taking in the moment, and throughout the walk Ashlee is getting more and more confused. Then we get to this beautiful river, and we are standing in front of the river. Josh places his stuff down and then never comes back to stand next to Ashlee. Very confused, Ashlee turns around to see what he is doing and finds Josh kneeling on one knee. Josh goes on to say "I want all the moments with you. The good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful. Every moment is special with you, and I want to take in each and every moment with you for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?" Ashlee then screams yes, and then out comes our great friend Addison who was capturing the entire moment. We take some pictures, then Addison goes on to say "there is a beautiful view this way, lets go over here" so we do and meanwhile, we are in a whole new world. Then all of a sudden we walk into the most beautiful party that Josh had planned that had almost all our closest friends and some family. All there to celebrate this beautiful moment. Josh and some of our closest friends had decorated this beautiful gazebo with balloons, candles, and pictures from all 7 and a half years! And to top it all off, we still got our steak!