God most definitely has a sense of humor, because just two weeks after promising myself, "I'll never marry a man that I met through social media!" guess who proved me wrong?— Darick so charmingly slid into my DM's with the cheesiest conversation starter— and well, it worked! So after a few facetime calls and lots of texts, he hopped on a flight to California and formally introduced himself. The first thing I noticed about Darick? He’s tall. Growing up, I was surrounded mostly by short asians (I can say this because I am one), so seeing a tall Tennessee boy? Yeah, instant heart eyes. But more than that, what truly stood out was his heart to serve. He didn’t wait to be asked, he simply stepped in wherever there was a need. And it wasn’t for attention or applause. It was just who he was. That kind of genuine servant’s heart meant everything to me. People always say, “When you know, you know,” and I used to roll my eyes at that—because what does that even mean? But now I get it. When you know… you really do just know. Darick and I knew pretty early on that this was it. I think I realized I was completely in love with him the summer he surprised me at a youth camp I was serving at with my college group. I’m not easy to surprise, so the fact that he pulled it off was impressive in itself. But when he drove away that day—not knowing when we’d see each other next—I cried. I knew in that moment I didn’t want to spend another day of my life without him. Darick is the most hardworking man I’ve ever met. He loves people deeply and unconditionally. He leads gently, but with strength and humility. But what drew me to him the most—and still does every day—is his love for the Lord. It pours out of everything he does. Darick is more than what I’ve prayed for— he’s proof of God’s grace and goodness in my life. I’ll never get over the fact that I get to walk hand-in-hand with him down the aisle and for the rest of my life.

Brooke and I first met at her church pastor’s conference — but if we’re being honest, the first move happened on social media. Yes… I slid into her DMs. We had a lot of mutual friends, and I had actually known of her and her family for years. I just didn’t know that one day, she’d be the one. From the very beginning, Brooke amazed me. She’s beautiful, incredibly smart, and has the kindest heart I’ve ever known. She lives to serve others and loves God with her whole heart. And as soon as we started talking, it felt like we’d known each other forever. Conversations were easy, natural, and full of laughter. Our personalities just clicked. Early on, we dated long-distance — lots of late-night calls, FaceTimes, and counting down days between visits. Then her college tour group came through Tennessee and actually stayed at my family’s house. After she left, I turned to my dad and said, “If she doesn’t break up with me after this… she’s the one.” (Spoiler alert: she didn’t.) After that trip, things kept growing, and it became clear to me that this was something special. So eventually, I packed up and moved to California so we could date in person — and I’ve never looked back. Somehow, a middle child from a family of 11 and an only child managed to find each other and fall in love. God’s timing is perfect. And now, I get to marry the girl I once nervously messaged online. Still can’t believe it.