I have been infatuated with Madeline since the moment I saw her, and I’ve fallen more in love with her each day since. She is the girl of my dreams, and I believe the Lord brought us together at the perfect time. We met on a chilly Saturday morning on January 6, 2024 in a little coffee shop on Hudson Street in the West Village. I was having breakfast with my friends, when this fine honey came strolling through the door. I’m sure the conversation with my friends was riveting at the time, but my focus was now squarely on this mystery girl and how I could make my introduction. After about 20 minutes of scheming, a mutual friend walked through the door, said hey to us, and sat down at the table with the mystery girl. It was only a matter of time now. As we rose to leave, we approached the table full of ladies to meet. The pretty girl’s name was Madeline, and she was from Texas. I was impressed by her handshake, and she seemed to like my American Flag sweater. We invited the ladies to play cards with us at a nearby brewery, and to our surprise they actually came. I was flanked on either side by two impeccable wingmen— Charles D. Welch and Justin M. Mathews. Madeline led the way for the girls walking through the door and sat right down next to me, a seat we had strategically left open. From there, I had my opportunity to take Madeline’s full attention, while Charlie and Justin held court with her friends. We discussed art, culture, ski trips, the Gutenberg Bible, and high finance. I was impressed by her deep trust of the gospel, her passion, her intensity, her love of her family, and her sweet heart. We had similar stories of college, work, church, Kanakuk, etc., so we had plenty to talk about. I could not let the day end there, so we convinced the ladies to accompany us to a birthday party, leading to the iconic Bemelman’s Bar, and of course a night cap at Melody’s Jazz Club. During this whirlwind, I successfully secured a date night with her for the following Friday. Early dating was marked by a busy season of work for Madeline, so I did my best to encourage her while she underwent fire from her hectic job. Nevertheless, her fortitude, toughness, resolve, and courage shined through. She could take a punch and keep moving forward while looking adorable the whole time, and I got to witness it all. Not long after came her new job, unlocking her potential and a lot more free time. Being with Madeline felt easy and natural from the beginning, because we go together so well. I fell in love with her the first week we met, and the dating time after was essentially me deciphering if my feelings were but a spell cast by her beauty (they were not). I watched her worship and pray, and witnessed how her heart is overcome with and led by the Gospel. I trust Madeline because I know her heart is good, her intentions are pure, and she always puts others ahead of herself. The Lord had been preparing me to receive my princess, and He gave me one who is strong, smart, selfless, thoughtful, and drop-dead gorgeous. She is my dream girl in all aspects, and I am filled with joy that I am the one who gets to marry Madeline Bryant. Psalm 16: 11 - You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

On the first weekend of January 2024, I had plans to meet up with my girlfriends to have coffee and catch up. On our way to the designated coffee shop, we walked past a window where a table of boys sat— one in an American flag sweater with particularly strong dimples and fluffy hair. We took a hard 180-degree turn into that restaurant instead and texted the rest of our friends to meet us at the new location. I purposely sat facing him from across the restaurant, and we caught eyes a time or two. The last of our girlfriends to arrive walked in, and (to my excitement) was greeted by the table of boys before sitting down with us. She explained that she knew them from church, and we squealed and begged her to PLEASE invite the cute boys over to talk to us! John Harris and I shook hands, and the boys invited us to their next set of plans, where we all got to know each other and had a great time. The more I learned about John Harris, the more he was too good to be true. I couldn’t believe that we had attended the same church in NYC for two years and never met, or that he had spent his college summers working at the same summer camp I attended for 13 years. I think John Harris was equally excited. See below a picture from that first encounter… We spent the entire rest of the day together which included a high school friend’s birthday party, an Upper East Side jazz club crawl where we danced the night away, and John Harris asking me for an official date the following Friday. The rest was history… While John Harris made an outstandingly romantic first impression the first day that we met, the way that he pursued me in the first several months of dating was where I truly fell in love with him. On days when I was “too busy” to see him, he would pick me up from work to walk me home through Central Park. Not a single day went by where he wouldn’t find a way to bring me a coffee, kill a bug, fix something at my apartment, help me with work, or support me in some way. Not only did he add a ton of value to my daily life, but being with him made daily stresses melt away, songs sound sweeter, and colors seem brighter. I have never felt so cherished, encouraged, or safe, as John Harris immediately made me feel. As I spent more time with him, I was blown away as I observed his compassion and the strength of his character. I was touched by the way he loved and served the Lord, worked harder than anyone I’ve ever met, and both adored and was adored by his amazing family and friends. I love his grit, resolve, strength, leadership, and passion for life. I cannot wait to spend my life with him. I am so moved by the Lord’s provision in my life, and the gift He has given me in John Harris, who is more than I could have ever dreamed of. Praise be to God. “I have found the one whom my soul loves.” - Songs of Solomon 3:4