Our story is long, layered, occasionally messy, and very “us.” So, here’s the short version for those who want the highlights - and the full version for those who like a good story. TL; DR (i) Family friends → best friends → “just hanging out” (ii) Covid, first date, first love (Jake & Avery 1.0) (iii) Growing pains, heartbreak, time apart (iv) God brings us back (Jake & Avery 2.0)

Jake and Avery’s story begins many years ago in a homeschool group. Throughout their childhood, their families did many things together: classes, church, small group, VBS, youth group, field trips… the list goes on. They always knew of each other and each other’s families, but for a long time, that was it. Well, that was almost it. Avery had a crush on Jake starting at age 13, and while Jake took a little longer to realize his feelings for her, the two were faithful friends throughout middle and high school. All this continued until the year 2020. Between small group nights at Avery’s house, serving together in youth ministry, and long, deepening conversations, Jake and Avery started to realize that maybe this was more than just a friendship.

The early stages of Jake and Avery’s relationship took place during the Covid quarantine season, so it looked a little different. Much of the beginning was writing each other letters, playing Brawl Stars together, and talking on the phone. After several months of this, Jake started to realize he wanted more. One night before a worship night at Avery’s house, Jake made his move by texting, “Hey, I’ve got something I want to talk to you about tonight.” Avery had a feeling she knew what that “something” was, but Jake spent the entire evening avoiding the subject. As he was about to leave, Avery finally worked up the courage to ask, “Oh, what was that thing you wanted to talk about?” Jake lit up at the question and expressed his feelings for her, ending with the question, “Would you ever want to go on a date?” That was the beginning of Jake & Avery 1.0.

Their early relationship was simple and sweet, filled with beach walks, DIY outdoor activities, and evening conversations in the car after youth group. But a new chapter began at Hume Lake, about a month in, when Jake asked Avery to be his girlfriend. He also said, very confidently, “I had two things I wanted to do… ask you to be my girlfriend and give you a kiss.” Avery responded, “Awwww.” Jake followed up, “…Is that a yes?” (It was, even though the kiss had to wait - honor thy father and mother!) Things continued to progress in the following months. Jake even said “I love you” one night while watching Phineas and Ferb - Avery was over the moon and told him she loved him too! It was a wonderful season. But they still had lots to learn, mainly that loving someone doesn’t automatically come with perfect communication. They were young and it was the first relationship for them both, which meant lots of feelings went unspoken. Small conflicts continued to build up until 2021, when Jake ended things believing they had run out of emotional fuel. Avery was crushed. One week later, though, after lots of reflection, prayer, and very honest conversations, they realized they weren’t done. This was the start of Jake & Avery 1.0.1 (?). At first, everything was perfect!.. Until they realized it wasn’t the same as it had always been.

Over the next few months, life began to stretch Jake and Avery in opposite directions. Avery planned to move away to college, while Jake wanted to continue his work in youth ministry at Anthem Church. As they prepared for long-distance, Jake leaned in, while Avery pulled back, knowing she needed space but unable to come to terms with ending the relationship. Neither knew how to say exactly what they needed. By late 2022, Jake made the hardest decision of his life - ending the relationship they had both thought would lead to marriage. They walked away from the conversation heartbroken and confused. Three years went by with little to no communication. Jake and Avery lived separate lives, pursued their individual dreams, and pressed into their relationships with God, learning to trust Him in the unknown. They saw each other occasionally when Avery was home on breaks and had cordial conversations. They even tried dating other people. But year by year the truth remained the same: no one compared, and they couldn’t shake the thought that maybe, somehow, they’d reunite one day.

In early 2025, God did something completely unpredictable (as He often does). Through a complicated turn of events, Avery got hired at Anthem Church, working right alongside Jake. By that time, they’d achieved the ability to talk openly about work and had even started tiptoeing back into the realm of friendship. Avery started wondering if a romantic relationship could work again, but constantly forced herself to write the possibility off because it had been so long since they’d dated. Things began to shift throughout the summer, though. What started as fifteen minute catch-ups turned into long conversations. Their first coffee was a six-hour deep dive into the past three years of each of their lives. That evening, they both knew deep down that they’d found their future spouse. During the following weeks, they talked openly about the past for the first time. They shared fears, apologized for their mistakes, and celebrated growth. A mere two weeks from their first date, Jake asked, “Wanna make this piece official?” To which Avery responded with a resounding yes (after she made him ask again in a more romantic way). Enter Jake & Avery 2.0! There had been lots of natural maturing in the 3 years apart, but there was also undeniable evidence of God’s sanctifying work in each of them, which was perhaps the most attractive to them both.

A few months after they’d started officially dating again, Jake asked Avery’s dad for his blessing. He plotted and planned for weeks on end, until the weekend after Thanksgiving when Jake told Avery they were going to dinner with his family. After being informed their “reservation” had been delayed, Jake told Avery he wanted to show her a pretty view at the top of Point Dume. Avery had some suspicions at this point and tried asking Jake lots of questions to get him to break character, but Jake was determined to surprise her anyway. And it worked! Just when they reached the top of the cliff and Avery had accepted that the proposal wasn’t happening that day, Jake dropped to one knee. The first words out of Avery’s mouth were “NO WAY!!!” She was in shock. But after listening to Jake’s proposal and realizing that this was indeed happening, she shouted, “YES!” The rest of the evening was a blur, full of joy, laughter, excitement, and Avery’s jaw on the floor in every photo. They were surrounded by friends, family, and each other - what more could they ask for? The wait had been worth it.

Our story has had its ups and downs, as every couple’s does. But what we love most about it is the undeniable truth that God was working in every season. We could never have found our way back to each other or resolved our past hurts on our own. We needed His wisdom, guidance, forgiveness, and deep love to transform a relationship that wouldn’t have worked five years ago into the great gift that it is today. What an immense and undeserved blessing it is to do life on the same team and to choose each other every day! As we prepare to build a life together, we pray we are able to reflect and appreciate His immeasurable kindness in every moment. “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 118:1