Love Found, Foust Bound

Have you heard of the group, "The Trading Depot"? It's home to over 9k Brothers and Sisters trading information, recommending services, vacations, supporting small businesses, etc. In 2024, I was having a house built and wanted a 3D wall. Barris had posted that this type of work was in his wheelhouse, so I reached out. The challenge was that the house wasn’t finished yet, and Barris needed measurements in order to provide a quote. By the time I closed on the home, other priorities had surfaced. Our communication eventually flatlined. A couple of months later, Barris followed up. I apologized for leaving him hanging without communication and explained that the wall would have to wait until the fall. I wanted to focus on completing the main floor first, and the 3D wall was planned for the second floor. Life continued moving forward for both of us separately. What we didn’t know then was that more than a year later, we would cross paths again in a completely different way. During that time, we were both working on ourselves and focusing on our spiritual goals. Then one date turned into 50+ dates. Our first date was in mid-July 2025. We officially began dating on August 22. We became engaged on February 21, and now we are joyfully awaiting our wedding on April 26, 2026. I wasn’t looking for him—in fact, I had already looked past him. And he wasn’t looking for me either; the timing simply hadn’t aligned. But then it came. At first quietly, and then loudly—with intention. Every date felt like 50 first dates. Not because I couldn’t remember them, but because each time we were together felt brand new. We devoured hours together, both in person and on the phone. Our faces hurt from smiling, and in every picture our teeth are showing. What truly molded us and fused us together, though, is our love for Jehovah. We both longed for something we had never experienced before, so we committed to doing the work Jehovah asks couples to do. We took the time to qualify each other spiritually and emotionally. With a clear conscience, we know that Jehovah has bestowed upon us a blessing so dear. We intend to honor Him, keep our vows to Him and to each other, and continue running this race of integrity together.