We're getting married!

Our story began at a Young Adults gathering through our church—though we remember it a little differently. I (Sarena) first saw Josh at a Friday night dinner party. It felt like any ordinary evening, until I noticed him. He looked familiar, though I couldn’t figure out from where. All I had was his name—but that was enough to stir my curiosity. I may or may not have tried to find him online afterward… but came up empty. A few days later, at our Monday night Young Adults gathering, I was mid-conversation with a friend when I saw him again. I decided to be bold. I reached out my hand and said, “Sarena. Your name’s Josh, right?” (That’s how I remember it, at least.) From Josh’s point of view, that moment stood out too—mostly because, as he puts it, I walked up with a level of confidence and warmth that caught him off guard. We talked briefly, and I offered to introduce him to some friends. He politely declined, thinking, “This girl is something else.” And then… we didn’t really see each other again for a while. About a month later, we started bumping into each other at group hangouts with mutual friends—pickleball, bowling, hot pilates, the usual. Around that time, something about him kept tugging at my attention. I found a subtle way to show I was interested—liking a few of his Instagram posts—and slowly, we began to connect more naturally. Then came the half marathon. Josh and Cameron were running, and I went to cheer them on. After the race, Josh invited me to a Saint Patrick’s Day event in downtown Broken Arrow. It was meant to be a group outing, but somehow, it ended up being just the two of us. That evening changed everything. We talked for hours over tacos and cupcakes—about our testimonies, our vision for life, what we believe about marriage, even our love languages. What started as casual turned into something intentional and deeply meaningful. By the end of the night, Josh asked me on a date. I joyfully said yes. From Josh’s perspective, that was the moment it all shifted. There was something different about me, he says—something he couldn’t ignore. It didn’t take long before he knew: I was the one he had been praying for. Since then, our relationship has been marked by clarity, prayer, and purpose. From the very beginning, we’ve sought not just God’s blessing—but His permission. And He’s answered with peace. Through our story, God has brought healing, growth, and restoration in both of our lives. He’s reminded us again and again that love—real, godly love—isn’t about earning or proving anything. It’s about grace. And for both of us, that grace has never been more clear than through one another. Josh is part of the good God promised. And this—this is just the beginning.