Our journey of love began on a Friday evening in the spring of 2023 at a church event at City Life Church in Houston, where we happened to be seated at the same table. From the very start, it was a meeting blessed and ordained by God, though we didn’t yet realize it. At the time, we were simply two strangers from similar backgrounds in a sea of people, and that shared familiarity became our first point of connection. We wouldn’t see each other again for a few weeks, but as we’ve come to learn, what God sets in motion cannot be stopped. When our paths crossed again, it sparked conversations that naturally led to shared invitations, dates, and the formation of a meaningful community around us. We began as friends, and in the summer of 2023, our friendship blossomed into love through simple yet intentional moments, dinner and movie dates that lasted for hours, filled with laughter, deep conversations, and connection. Those early moments quietly set us on the path we are walking today. Over the next two years, we intentionally worked towards a future together, learning one another and supporting each other through every season. We explored our world side by side, discovering new places, new experiences, and new parts of ourselves while building a bond rooted in love, trust, and shared purpose. In August of 2025, nearly two years after our love first began to bloom, it reached a beautiful fullness as we made the decision to commit to a lifetime together. Our love was sealed with a ring and a kiss. As we step into this next chapter, we are deeply grateful to God for every path, turn, and moment that led us here. We look forward to a future of love and adventure, and a deep commitment to walking through life together by putting God first, and each other next, while trusting Him to sustain us through every season.

It was a warm summer afternoon at Hermann Park, one of our favorite places to take walks and spend time together. We were there for a birthday photoshoot to celebrate Uzo, whose birthday had been the day before. As the photos continued, Uzo called Dera over to join him for a few pictures. While her attention was fully on the camera, he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. In that moment, everything felt perfectly aligned. It was all that we could have hoped for and more. A reflection of our shared hopes, dreams, and the future we are building together. On that beautiful Friday afternoon, our love was sealed with a promise: a promise of forever.