After years of marching and teaching drumlines while pursuing my degree in college, I finally graduated in May 2016 and moved back home with my family. During this transitional time in my life, I was slowly but graciously drawn back to my relationship with God that I had left behind in my teenage years. Through the help of old friends and pastors I got more involved with my home church community that I grew up with. In spring 2017 I surrendered and returned back to my Father God, repented for my past life, and haven't been the same since. He has expedited and blessed so many aspects of my life from friendships, living situations, family, jobs, finances...but most of all He has transformed my heart. My capacity to love others is becoming second nature, and a dream I didn't know I had was awakened: my desire to marry. I believe fully that my purpose here at home was not finished and my Father was preparing me for more than I could ever imagine. There has been a yearning for a relationship with the woman of my dreams my whole life. Many friends, some close, some not, came and went, and I never fully stepped into my confident self to pursue them. Heartache is tough, but it is a great teacher. After finally letting go of my past hurts, I focused on pursuing God fully and surrounded myself with a loving community of believers eager for the same thing. God had a plan for me all along and He has guided me through this journey every step of the way. He plants the desires of our hearts in there, which fall into place at just the right time. My story all has a purpose behind it to lead to something greater, and that is why God placed Catherine in my life: to show His goodness through it all. Life is full of changes, pauses, unrelenting seasons with no end in sight, and seasons that are full of abundant fruit that you never want to lose. Since my return home, I have learned that walking with the Lord through these things gives purpose, meaning, hope, love, and so much more.

My life has been one of adventure, family, and loving those around me. Growing up as a Christian, I learned early on how broken people could be, but I also learned that there is grace to turn around and beauty found in the process. Alongside my family, I have lived in Alaska, started churches and ministries in multiple places, and thoroughly loved participating in humanitarian outreaches. My heart is to love people where they are by drawing them towards the love of God, whether that be through spoken word, serving their needs, or through expressive dance. I have been richly blessed to have most of my family present and invested in my upbringing, which has instilled within me the desire to marry and pass on my heritage. In 2016, as I kept my eye on the horizon for Mr. Right to come along, I moved in with my eldest sister to assist with my five nieces and nephews while also running my own business. Gaining wisdom through this experience was priceless, but I still yearned to deeply commune with another person: a husband. Various men came along to no avail, which caused me to build walls around my heart in order to safeguard its purity. In doing so, I made it nearly impossible for the right man to win my affections. But in this fortress of my heart and soul, I realized that I was stunting my own growth. I asked God to soften my heart and lead me to the husband I could walk with, trusting that His intentions for me are good. Upon letting go, more was received than what was surrendered, and all at once my world was changed. Spending time with Stephen has led me to feel like I have truly come home for the first time with such peace and a longing to know more of who he was. My days of searching are over! Before me is a transformed man, full of compassion and strength. Eagerly I embark on this new journey full of promise!

This story is bigger than us. It started not like most relationships, but where two families became bonded first, before we decided to unite. Only something God could do... Summer 2018 Our first connections with each other began after some extra tickets were available to go on a unique fishing trip. Through a mutual friend, a family group of us got to do what not many people would recommend: noodling for catfish. On an early summer afternoon, we spent hours blindly diving underwater to intentionally let catfish bite our hands. Alas, we never succeeded in grabbing our own and we allowed the captain to finish the job for us. Soon after this wild event, we took a Starr Mountain hike and had a nice Rembrandt's coffee get-together. That particular first coffee together sparked something between us. Unsure about what this meeting would entail, we opened up and shared our stories with one another. That night we both departed with something we didn't have before... After taking into account that the Camp clan commutes a long way to church every week, the Nolte-Allen household opened the doors to their family. We got to fellowship more between Sunday morning and night services, by arranging some family time together. Catherine's five little nieces and nephews got to play in a new environment, while our siblings and parents established a new friendship together. The status, however, remained unchanged between us as the difficulties of life stalled the potential relationship. As time passed by, natural circumstances brought forth dilemma, our friendship survived coming out of the miry clay with hope knocking on the doors of our hearts. In October 2018, we went to a United Pursuit concert with a group of friends and experienced worshiping God together side by side for the first time. A change in heart from Catherine came after a word from God saying: "It's okay, it is time to begin." And on October 7th, we sat down for coffee and began our courtship...