We’re getting married!

If you ask Jalen: On Sunday, March 26, 2023, my home congregation, Zion Church of Christ, hosted a fourth Sunday singing. I was responsible for the PowerPoint display, so I was sitting in the front by myself. After the singing, I was talking with a few friends near the front of the building when my grandfather, Mike, came over and pulled me aside. He wanted me to meet Jadyn and her mother who had been sitting toward the back. No eye contact was made, barely a word was exchanged— it was awkward, to say the least. But knowing my grandpa, it wasn’t a shock. He’d tried to play matchmaker before. Later that day, I got a call from Amy Roberts, a member at Zion. She let me know I had a date set for that Thursday with Jadyn. We met at El Tap on March 30, 2023. I did most of the talking, but overall it went well. I asked her on a second date before we left. Things picked up quickly after that. We saw each other once a week, then every few days, and soon it was nearly every day. And now we’re getting married! All thanks to my grandpa, Mike, and Amy, who saw something special before we did. If you ask Jadyn: My mother asked me to go to the fourth Sunday singing with her at Zion. We showed up, sat near the back, and not long after, a man walked over and started chatting with us. It was Mike, Jalen's grandfather. He asked about college, my home congregation, and-unexpectedly—my love life. Then he mentioned his grandson, in passing. I could tell he was trying to play matchmaker. After the singing, I tried to quietly slip out the back, but Mike stopped me and asked me to wait. A moment later, he returned with Jalen and introduced us. The four of us stood there as Mike kept the conversation going. Jalen and I barely made eye contact. When we left, I shrugged it off as a funny, slightly odd encounter—but that night, Amy Roberts called and asked if I’d be open to going on a date with Jalen. Though hesitant, I agreed. We met at El Tap on March 30. I’ve always been shy, so having Jalen do most of the talking took the pressure off. I was nervous and quiet, but before I made it back to my car, he asked me out again. From then on, we were spending more and more time together. Now, we're getting married—-all because Mike and Amy were playing matchmaker.