We're getting married!

His POV: We first met in 2018 at church, introduced by Crystal’s father. At the time, Crystal was in PT school and living in St. Augustine, so our connection was light — just occasional conversations and a little playful banter over the years. Fast forward to early 2023: we reconnected, and this time felt different. Conversations flowed, laughter came easy, and I began to truly see her in a new light. Still, I wasn’t ready. Fresh out of a relationship, I tried — unsuccessfully — to revisit the past instead of embracing the future God had for me. That’s when God began speaking. Through dreams shared by a trusted elder, I was urged to fast and seek Him, but I resisted, clinging to what was familiar. Each time, God gently redirected me, showing me that I was not where He wanted me to be. Finally, after letting go for good, I obeyed the call to fast. During that week, every devotional, every message, every verse pointed to one person: Crystal. When the elder revealed the dream after my fast, it confirmed what God had been making clear all along — His plan was Crystal. From that moment, I surrendered my own plans and chose to follow God’s lead. The result has been nothing short of beautiful. Since then, Crystal has been my partner in every sense — nurturing, selfless, and steady. From planning self-care dates and skincare routines to booking massages when life gets overwhelming, she’s shown me love in the most intentional ways. She has been God’s gift, arriving in His perfect timing, and I am endlessly grateful to cherish her now and forever. Her POV: In 2018, I went home for the weekend to visit my parents and attended church. That day, my dad was preaching, and during the service he had me stand up and proudly told the congregation that I was his daughter visiting from school — and, to my surprise, he also announced that I was single. Afterward, he introduced me to Jean. I quickly said a polite “Hi” and made my escape. At that point, I had never officially met Jean, but I knew who he was because my parents — especially my dad — would not stop talking about him. Honestly, I thought, Who is this man they keep praising & talking about more than me? (LOL). Fast forward to 2022: I had just bought my house and moved to Davenport, which meant I was attending church in Poinciana more often. I would see Jean at game nights and church events, and while it was always fun to talk with him, I was dating at the time and he was in a relationship too, so I saw him strictly as a church friend. Still, I found it odd that he was so present at church, yet I had never once met the person he was with. Then came 2023. After my father passed away, Jean — along with others from church — was one of the very first people to come to my mom’s house the next day. In that season, I wasn’t looking for a relationship. In fact, I told God, If You really have someone for me, You’re going to have to come down and tell me directly, because I’m over it at this point. Later that year, in November, Jean started texting me. Normally when he texted, it was just a quick “Hi, how are you?” followed soon after by a request to help with something at church. But this time was different. A whole week went by, and I realized he was still texting me — and strangely, he hadn’t asked me to do anything for church yet. I was completely oblivious and kept wondering what the “catch” was. By February 2024, Jean made his intentions crystal clear. He sent a package to my house with a dress, shoes, and a purse, along with a huge bouquet of roses. That night, he took me to a restaurant in Tampa and asked me to be his girlfriend. It was the sweetest, most romantic gesture I had ever experienced, and from that moment on, Jean never stopped being intentional and thoughtful in his pursuit of me. And in May 2025, when he asked me to be his wife, I said yes — to my favorite person, the man God handpicked just for me.