To make a long story short(er) - the Lord certainly has a sense of humor. Some of life’s sweetest moments don’t come through our own plans or perfect timing, but only through surrendering to the Lord and trusting where He leads. More often than not, He is answering prayers beyond what we could think to pray. And so it was! Silas, a 22-year-old from Omaha, Nebraska, had packed up and moved to Tulsa to run track at the University of Tulsa. He didn’t know anyone here and never expected Tulsa to become home - it was just the next step the Lord had placed in front of him. Meanwhile, Kate, a 21-year-old from Collinsville, Oklahoma, had just moved to New York to finish school and soak up everything the city had to offer. She loved the energy, the fashion, and the adventure, and if you had asked her then, she probably would’ve told you she wasn’t planning on coming back to Oklahoma anytime soon (sorry mom & dad)! But the Lord had other plans. Doors shut by the Lord's divine will, and both individuals found themselves - candidly - slightly let down, as the Lord guided each of their steps to continue, and start, a new chapter of life in a familiar environment: Tulsa, Oklahoma. As life settled into this new chapter, old friends moved away, new friendships formed, and we both spent that season individually seeking the Lord and figuring out what He had next for our respective, and until this point, separate, lives. On February 23rd, 2025, Silas got an invitation to a Sunday brunch after church from a new friend to meet a larger group, or so he thought, at a little cafe called Queenies. Kate got an invitation from a separate friend attending the brunch to come to Queenies and meet some new incredible, yet mysterious, guy named Silas, which truthfully did not excite her because if you know Kate you probably know it would take a LOT for any guy to get her attention, and at that, time. So, Silas wrapped up playing guitar in the worship set at their church, BattleCreek Midtown, and Kate finished up attending the very same church before both went on their way to meet their friends. Naturally, what was supposed to be fifteen turned into a group of four people: two being Silas and Kate, and the other two being the friends who invited each to the brunch. We sat across from each other at Queenies, and still joke to this day that it felt like a first date from the very beginning. The entirety of the restaurant disappeared. Silas couldn’t take his eyes off Kate, and Kate hung on every word he said. It was instant. We could stop the story there! From the first handshake on the corner outside Queenies, to the first conversation, to a strange feeling that neither of us could explain, but yet knew, there was this overwhelming sense that our lives were about to change. Looking back now, we see the Lord’s fingerprints all over our story. And today, we find ourselves learning more about the Lord through the grace, fun, and love that is found between one another. Love was our Father’s Creation. It is to be given back to Him, and used for His glory. It is our greatest privilege that, for the rest of our lives, we get to keep pursuing the Lord by pursuing one another!