We met in college at Biola University. We were both in the Student Missionary Union, the longest running group of mission minded student volunteers in the country. Lauren was the President and Mickey worked as the Local Missions Director, working closely together for over a year. While we kept it strictly friendly and professional, Mickey admits later that he had a long standing crush on Lauren during their time working together. We stayed friends but reconnected almost a year later at Biola's Missions Conference. Mickey was representing his ministry organization and Lauren came to visit, preparing to leave for her two year missions stint as a teacher in Nicaragua. Mickey innocently asked Lauren to get coffee at his coffee shop to catch up on life before she left for the mission field. When we met for coffee, it was love at *second sight*. The connection was immediate and the conversation flowed into a twelve hour coffee date, going from coffee at the shop to standing in the parking lot to getting fried chicken to talking in the car. That night Mickey confessed his long standing crush. While the prospect of Lauren leaving for the mission field was intimidating and felt, at the time, to be a huge obstacle in our relationship, it only proved to be a testament of God's grace to us both in the time we've dated. We reflect now on how early into dating we felt the confidence that each other were "the one". Since the very beginning our relationship has felt covered by peace, joy, and provision. We've been blessed to be able to travel to visit one another, including two visits to Nicaragua, spend time integrating with each other's families, and enjoy many a FaceTime date despite Lauren's spotty service. Together we love spending time outside, finding new coffee shops, thrifting and antiquing, devotional dates, day trips, time with our people, and everything in between. It makes us laugh now to think that the love of each other's lives were hidden in plain sight during our time working together and as friends. We pray that our story can continue to give God glory as we've navigated long distance, travel, challenges, and a continued surrender to the God who has constantly lit the way for our paths and confirmed our hearts for each other. We are thrilled to be embarking on our new journey of marriage, and can't wait for you all to join us.

James 1:17: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.