To Have & To Holt

Jerry and Mikayla’s story began in 2012 at a Church of Christ Youth Explosion in Atlanta. Both were a part of their church youth choirs, and during rehearsal, Jerry playfully teased Mikayla about her glasses. Their lighthearted banter turned into mutual flirting throughout the conference. On the final day, as Jerry sat on the church bus preparing to head back to Nashville, and he spotted Mikayla walking by. He boldly asked for her number, but she declined and offered her Facebook instead. After the conference, Jerry returned to Nashville while Mikayla went back to Jacksonville, FL. Though they went their separate ways, they stayed connected as friends. In 2013, when Mikayla was preparing to graduate high school, Jerry reached out on Facebook and encouraged her to apply to Tennessee State University, where he was a freshman. Mikayla, eager to leave Florida for college, took his advice. Initially thinking she was headed to the University of Tennessee, confusing the two universities. However, she began researching TSU’s history, applied, and was accepted with a scholarship. By September 2013, their connection had blossomed into a relationship, and they officially became a couple. The rest, as they say, is history!