We met during the very first Cru meeting of Sydney’s freshman year, as two people who had no idea what God was about to orchestrate. What started as a simple introduction slowly became a story only He could write. Through seasons of friendship, sparks, distance, frustration, rebuilding, and redemption, God kept drawing us back to each other. Again and again. Even when we didn’t see it, He was stitching our paths together. We went from friends, to something more, to enemies (the dramatic kind), to teammates on the court, and finally to forever partners. Every chapter had its own lessons, its own laughter, and its own proof that God’s timing is always better than ours. We’ve driven through literal tornados together, the kind where the girls in the back of the car were scared for their life. We’ve learned how to grow as individuals while keeping God at the center of everything we do. And somewhere along the way, we realized that the person sitting next to us in the chaos was the same person we wanted next to us for the rest of our lives. There were moments that shaped us in ways we didn’t expect: -1. At Winter Conference, we handed out care packages door-to-door. Sydney was so nervous she didn’t say a single word, leaving Ryan to do all the talking while she silently prayed the next door wouldn’t open. -2. We played in the most intense UWL intramural volleyball open championship imaginable. A match so close that losing by 1-point haunts us still. -3. We've explored La Crosse together, wandering through the fancy neighborhoods, talking about our future together. -4. And through every adventure, every miscommunication, every victory, and every “what are we even doing” moment, we kept choosing each other. Our story isn’t perfect. It’s real. It’s full of growth, grace, and God’s fingerprints. And now, standing here, we’re grateful for every twist and turn that brought us to this moment. Because every chapter, even the messy ones, led us to forever. We are excited to have you join us in Our Story.