Hannah and I (Reid speaking here) met briefly in February of 2017, then spent a week working at a camp together that June. We fell for each other almost instantly. Me, the bonafide relationship cynic, told her I loved her two weeks after that camp after swearing on multiple occasions that I would never use that word with a woman before the one year mark. Me, the person who didn’t let people in because I preferred to stay aloof in my aura of superiority, couldn’t help but open up completely the first chance I got to sit down with this girl. Me, the person who had all but sworn off marriage and had prayed many times: “God, I know I’m supposed to marry (my plan is to attend seminary to pastor a church), but I’m really content where things are, so don’t worry about bringing anyone around right now,” told one of my friends that I had found the woman I wanted to marry two days after that camp ended. As you can see, it was not what I brought to the table that brought us together. It was her unrivaled beauty that stirred my affections in a way that I didn’t think was possible. It was her kindness that drew me off of my high horse and into the real world where I could be near her. It was her amazing character that made me realize that marriage wasn’t going to get in my way of being close to God and glorifying Him, but it could be one of the very instruments by which that goal is accomplished. We have absolutely had our fair share of problems, but God has brought us through every stumble and every heartache and every wall that has come between us for the last year, and we plan on trusting Him and leaning on Him to help us do that for the rest of our lives for His glory. I could not be happier to spend the rest of my life with someone who makes me love God and others more, pushes me out of my comfort zone, is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on and is my best friend in the entire world.