“We’re getting married! You are invited!”

Kristene and her fiancé’s story began at church, June 2024. One day, he asked her out for lunch, but it didn’t happen right away. Nearly a month passed before they were finally able to go. In the meantime, they attended a college camp together and spent more time getting to know each other. During that time, he realized he needed to pursue her before someone else did—but to Kristene, he was still simply a best friend. When they eventually went out for lunch, he asked her to be his girlfriend. Kristene gently told him no. It wasn’t because she didn’t like him—she did. But she believed that love takes time and intention. She told him that if he truly cared for her, he would need to court her and prove his sincerity, because you can’t truly love someone you’ve just met. And so he did. He pursued her with patience, consistency, and genuine care. Their friendship deepened as they spent time together doing the things they both loved, especially serving the Lord in church. Through those moments, their relationship continued to grow stronger. On April 20, 2025, their friendship officially blossomed into a relationship. Later that year, on Kristene’s birthday—December 13, 2025—he asked for her hand in marriage so that they could become one before God. Their journey hasn’t been without challenges, but through every season they have trusted that God brought them together for a purpose. Now, they look forward with gratitude and joy as they prepare to begin their next chapter together—marriage in May 2026.