Elijah and Isabelle first met in the fall of 2019 during their undergrad at CBU. Eli was running late for chapel one day and happened to walk through Isabelle's line where she was working as a chapel scanner. As soon as he saw her smile and curly hair, he looked at her name tag and texted himself "Isabelle Sharpe" . . . Eli knew the chapel scanner girl was special and he was determined to pursue her! After persistently going into her line week after week, conversation would spark, and they started to intentionally get to know each other. The two began to bond over coffee, take late night trips to the beach, and go on long drives up and down Victoria Avenue in Eli's red Dodge Charger. Through time spent together they learned about each other's uniqueness, their love for Jesus, deep care for others, burdens for those who do not have access to the gospel, and desires to be apart of the fulfillment of the Great Commission. The two were drawn to each other and began to build a sweet relationship. A couple months into getting to know each other, covid struck. That, along with other life circumstances, eventually led them to go their separate ways. Both Isabelle and Eli, as difficult as it was, had resolved in their hearts that it just wasn't meant to be. Over two years passed before God surprised Eli and Isabelle with the sweetest gift of bringing them back to one another. Unexpectedly, through a humbling, grace-filled, and redemptive conversation God restored their relationship and quickly grew their hearts to deeply love one another. They went from strangers to friends to strangers again only to later be reunited, fall so sweetly in love, and eventually become one. God has been kind and gracious to grant Elijah and Isabelle the love that He has. A love that constantly reminds them of the gospel and the hope that comes with it. There are so many more details to this story, but it is only by grace that they are here together today :)