A church camp relationship that was meant to last forever.

When we were both going into our sophomore year of high school, we both went to Epworth Forest church camp called "That Thing." We went with the same group and stayed in the same cabin, but you could say we never really "met" that week. I would guess we didn't ever say more than "hi" to each other that whole week. It wasn't until the next summer, at camp, when we stayed in the North Star cabin (shown in our engagement picture below), that we finally hit it off and started flirting. Needless to say, shortly after that week we started dating and the rest was history. As most people know, though, usually church camp relationships usually don't tend to last much beyond church camp itself. However, we managed to grow stronger and stronger throughout the year, even though we didn't go to the same high school. It made it easier that we were only 20 minutes from each other. -Written by Kendra

Just after getting my nails done with Joe's family and just before we both moved back to school for junior year, on August 16, 2017, Joe asked me on a simple dinner date to a restaraunt in Warsaw. I was feeling sick that day and didn't want to go (normally he would have cancelled if I was not feeling well) but he insisted that I just bring medicine with me and that should be fine. After some convincing (I was still on the couch in my pajamas when he came over to pick me up, I was being very stubburn), I decided to tough it out and go with him. He also wanted to go for a drive around the lakes, which put me over the edge because I didn't want to spend any more time away from the house than neccessary (note, I still had to pack for school). Eventually, we got to the restaraunt, Noa Noa, and we had a great time. He then asked me if I wanted to go to Epworth Forest (the church camp where we met) because it was "right down the road" (it was 30 minutes away, but I agreed anyway).

When we got to Epworth Forest that day, he walked me over to the beach. The beach was significant to us because that was where we sat and talked for a while and learned a lot about each other during our week of camp. He handed me the sweetest letter, and then ended up on one knee to pop the big question. I took a second to soak in the wonderful moment I was experiencing. I was standing on the beach where a cute blonde guy once tried investing in me as a friend. In the place where I had met some of the people that have changed my life and the place where I had experienced so many powerful and emotional moments with God. As I am standing on this special beach, the man I have grown so fond of is promising to always love me and asking me to be his wife. So, with great joy, I agreed to spend the rest of my life with my best friend.