We're getting married!

Nick and Emily met on January 17, 2025, at a bowling night for a small group for late 20s/early 30s that Emily now co-leads. After waiting over an hour for a free lane, the group finally laced up their bowling shoes and started typing their names into the little machine. Soon, Chase, a loyal small group member, came around the corner. But he wasn’t alone. He had brought his roommate and college friend, Nick. Emily waved, saw Nick, and distinctly remembers thinking, “Ok Chase, rude of you to just hide your cute friend away for so long! Who is this guy?” That night, Emily noticed how sweet Nick was, how easy he was to talk to, and how much he loved his dog, Lady (he only showed her about a dozen photos). From then on, Nick started coming to group. As the months went on, Emily opened her home to create community, and Nick kept showing up, unknowingly visiting the home they would one day share. Before Chase moved back to Tennessee, he looked at Nick and said, “You have to find a way to marry Emily Mewborne.” From there, a curiosity was born, and soon enough, it would come true. Throughout the summer, the group played plenty of pickleball, grabbed dinners downtown, and hosted game nights. Emily found herself looking forward to seeing Nick at small group and feeling ever so slightly disappointed if he wasn’t there. One day, after telling absolutely no one how she felt, she finally confessed to their mutual friend, Kari: “I’m just going to say something, and you can do what you want with this information, but I think Nick is cute.” “Really???” Kari replied. With Emily’s permission, Kari texted Nick to put a little bug in his ear. Nick said he could definitely be interested, but since he was so new to the group, dating the leader felt a little complicated. Fair enough, Emily thought, and moved on. But the seed had been watered. Meanwhile, Nick was quickly becoming a fan of Emily’s kindness, humor, and the way she brought people together. He found himself looking forward to small group gatherings, even if he wasn’t fully ready to admit why. Everything shifted in late October after a county fair with friends. Emily and Nick kept drifting toward each other all evening, and at one point Emily caught herself thinking, “Self, I think I’d let him hold my hand if he tried.” A crazy thought considering they had never even hung out one-on-one. Little did she know it wasn't such a crazy thought after all, because he was thinking the same thing. A couple weeks later, on Veteran’s Day, Nick asked if he could come hang out at Seacoast Church, where Emily works. They talked for hours, admittedly getting very little work done, and at the end of the day Nick said, “I like spending time with you, and I want to take you on a date.” We love a clear king! Emily said yes. A few walks, dinners, and a Ridley Scott movie later, Nick asked Emily to be his girlfriend. A few short weeks after that, they said “I love you.” When you know, you know! Nick and Emily are so grateful that the Lord brought them together in His house and gave them a deep love for Him and for one another. They are pumped to get married and start serving the Kingdom together!