Mark 10:8-9

We met at Renova Energy. Joel was just promoted to Lead Technician & I congratulated him via text to his work phone & we exchanged numbers & Joel asked me out on a date. We had Hot Cocoa & walked the Christmas lights at 123 Farms. Our conversations were filled with Jesus. He taught me the difference between a relationship with Christ vs religion. He explained who Jesus was & the importance of following him.

Joel surprised me with a picnic. He had his guitar, our favorite sushi, & a blanket. The weather was perfect. While I ate my sushi, he strung his guitar & sung worship. After exchanging some tears & giggles, I rested my head on his chest & we watched clouds pass by.

Joel would leave numerous notes with either cringey cute pick up lines or bible verses at my desk every day with his signature on the back of them. One day, he left me Ecclesiastes 11: 9-10, since I was overthinking about my youth & having a fear of missing out. Joel always prioritized the Lord & put him first as our foundation.

Our first soccer game together. Joel emphasized how important soccer was to him & I was there for support at first & now I am in love!

Joel & I shared a common interest of living on the edge. The best place to go was Six-Flags. However, long story short this was the moment when I knew Joel truly cared for me. We were about to drop on the 50ft Goliath & a bug with a sharp head got stuck in my throat & I instantly was choking on the ride. I got off & couldn't breathe. Joel took the bug out & my throat started swelling. Joel started to panic and rushed me to the emergency building. The first thing I said once I walked in was I was stabbed in the throat & the guy's face was priceless. Joel then expressed what happened & we had a laugh after & enjoyed some dippin-dots.

Jesus told me I wasn't ready to be with Joel. I had Joel wait 6 months prior to dating me since I wanted to have a true relationship with the Lord. I didn't understand who he was and I wanted to learned about him on my own to ensure our relationship started on a strong foundation. Once I told Joel I was ready, he got me flowers & asked me to be his girlfriend in the Costco's parking lot & it was perfect.

Viewpoints for Joel & I are our highlight. Joel showed me a beautiful spot that showcased the entire Palm Desert area. This officially became our spot. During the day its beautiful, especially during night.

Fast Forward to 2024, Joel proposed. The day was perfect. We were with our closest friends and went to get tacos, Dave and Busters, The Meek House (my favorite coffee shop), and then to our 60 viewpoint. I did not see it coming and when I saw Joel on his knee, my world stopped for a brief minute. I thanked the Lord and praised him. We ended the night with Dutch and that was the cherry on top.