Mark and mikala are getting hitched!

Like every good love story, ours starts with food! It's Mikala here. I always swore I wouldn't be one of "those girls" who said they knew they would marry their man so quickly. Man, God must have had a good laugh at that one! I had a crush on Mark back when he had shaggy hair and one dreadlock. I had seen him around our church, and knew that he was one of the most joyful, interesting, and Godly men that I had ever met. I could see that he knew how to have a good time, make everyone feel like a friend, love the Lord deeply, and wasn't too bad on the eyes either! So of course I had to get his attention! I knew he had studied art in school, and I am an Art History minor. I made up some very flimsy art-related excuses to talk to Mark, and eventually one of those excuses led to dinner at his favorite Thai restaurant. We talked about art for maybe 5 minutes, and then spent the whole evening together. After some texts and a little more time together, Mark told me he wanted to pursue me, and I said "YES!! Are you sure?" Turns out, he was sure! It was only a few days later that I felt the Lord stirring in my heart that this would be my husband. I was pretty dang excited, and pretty dang nervous! The same day I felt this stirring from the Lord, Mark told me he loved me, and knew that he was called to "lay down his life to serve mine." SWOON. The last several months have been full of coffee dates, walks in the park, puzzles, growing conversations, some hair cuts, belly laughs, Bible studies, and an intense desire to pursue the Lord as we strive to love each other well. We have pushed each other to love the Lord with all of our hearts, commit to purity in all aspects of our lives, serve God with every part of our relationship, and we are so excited to grow closer to each other and the Lord for the rest of our lives!

Mikala's Perspective The proposal was basically everything that Mark Brian Williams Jr. is - genuine, thoughtful, tender, and absolutely dreamy. He proposed during the quarantine, so everything had to happen at home. We got all dressed up, Mark brought over a bottle of wine, a candle, and Outback Steakhouse. Does it get any better?! After dinner, Mark asked me to dance with him and then he gave me a handwritten note talking about the firsts in our relationship. He told me he wanted to give me another first that night, and asked me to wait inside the house until he told me to come outside. When I stepped onto the porch, he was ready with his guitar to sing me a few love songs. He sang me two of my favorite songs, got down on one knee, and asked me to be his wife. It was so special, so perfect, and I felt so loved! I love that he proposed on my front porch, because now every time I walk through my front door, I think about how lucky I am to be marrying the man of my dreams! Mark's Perspective Hello friends, I was so nervous all day the day I proposed to Mikala. I worked from 9am to 5pm that day and then we were eating dinner at 6:30pm. So I was in a little bit of a time crunch! I got off work, went to Target, then home to get cleaned up, and then went pick up our food. I got to Mikala's house and, as you already read, we had an amazing dinner! Afterward I handed her the note, went out to my car, grabbed my guitar and the ring, went to her door, took a breath, and then knocked. I started playing my guitar and I messed up A LOT on the first song (In Your Arms by Johnnyswim). The second song went much better (The Wine We Drink by Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors)! Afterwards, I said "Mikala, will you forever be in my arms, will you be the one thing that I know," I got down on one knee, "Mikala Danielle West, will you marry me?" and the rest of the night was history. It was such an amazing day, so much better than I could of ever imagined!

When we started dating, we were two people who really, really, REALLY wanted to get it right, but didn't really know how. Neither of us had very healthy or successful relationship history, and we knew we wanted things to be different. This relationship has been a serious team effort, and those people deserve quite the shout-out! We want to say thank you to our parents, Lisha Williams and Mike and Tonia West for offering sage words of advice, and so much wisdom. You have created family legacies that honor the Lord and serve as an example to others. To Donnie and Terri Standridge, we would not be where we are without the two of you. Thank you for keeping us accountable, calling us up to higher standards, pointing us back to the Bible at every turn, and being such great examples of a Godly marriage. Sarah Denbow, thank you for teaching me what it means to be a Godly wife, to honor my husband well, and for listening so faithfully for so many months. To all of the friends in our bridal party, thank you for supporting us so well, loving us so well, and celebrating us so well!