We have to give some Big thank you’s to God for orchestrating this interaction and Grace’s brother-in-law, Shae, for making the connection. So, it all started with Lily and Shae’s wedding in August of 2025. Grace was just finishing up serving with YWAM Kona, a missions organization, for the past 4 years. She was thinking about moving to South Africa to join the same ministry, just in a different location. Grace went to Phoenix a few weeks early to help with Lily’s wedding. Her plan right after the wedding was to spend some time in Iowa with her parents and her brother’s family before potentially moving across the world… But oh did God have other plans!! A few months before August, Ben and Shae have been going to this same guys Bible Study. Shae made the connection that Ben and Grace have a lot in common, so he put Grace on Ben’s radar and that she was coming into town for the wedding. (Grace had 0 clue that Shae did this, let alone that Ben even existed before she met him) So, if you know these two people, they love being physically active. It is fitting that they first met at a Saturday Morning Workout with all of Lily and Shae’s friends. That same night, Lily and Shae’s friends went out dancing to a country bar. Ben and Grace loooove to dance. (But Grace has two left feet compared to Ben). They danced the night away! The next day, a group of friends went to Lily’s church. Grace knew that Ben went to a different church, but prayed she could see this amazing man at least one more time. Sure enough, in walks Ben into the line of chairs for the service! After church, the group went out to brunch, but it felt like it was just Grace and Ben off on their own. Conversation just flowed from one thing to the next. It took some convincing of Ben to actually ask her on a date, because in his mind, she was moving to South Africa right after the wedding! But, Shae had Grace’s back and reassured Ben that it wasn’t that set in stone. So, a week later, Ben finally asked Grace out on their first date! After a few dates and the Hernandez wedding, the couple made the relationship official; right before Grace moved to Iowa. Throughout 4 months of long distance dating and many flights between Iowa and Arizona, Grace finally moved down to Phoenix. God had flung wide the doors for her to work, coach, and live in community in Phoenix! While Ben continues to work for Path for Growth in Phoenix, the two of them have been able to attend Redemption Tempe where most of their friends and community gather each week! They’ve felt so blessed and supported by their friends and family. Truly, God has been so faithful and so good throughout this whole story!!