If you told me years ago that my forever love would come from a youth concert at church, I would’ve smiled and said, 'only God could write a story like that'. But our story actually started even before that. 2018 — We were introduced by a mutual friend during a conversation that wasn’t exactly going well. Stephen, being the grammar corrector he is, was arguing with our friend about her spelling, and I jumped in to defend her. Who knew that after that night, he’d want to talk to me after? 🫠 But he did and we spoke for hours. It felt so natural, like we already knew each other. Still, I wasn’t looking for anyone at the time… but God clearly had other plans. 2019 — Months later, I saw him in person for the first time at my church’s youth convention, playing the drums. I was speechless and honestly, a little avoidant — until God had His way and literally had him bump into me before the night was over. That small moment would soon change everything. As time moved on, our friendship deepened and eventually turned into something more. But just as our connection grew, so did the miles between us. What began as frequent conversations turned into long-distance love as he flew back to North Carolina, later Georgia, and I was in Cayman. The distance never really shrank enough 1,763 km became 1,636 km at best but somehow, our love only grew larger than the space between us. For six years, we built our relationship through FaceTime calls, WhatsApp messages, laughter, and prayer. One trip became another, and then yearly April reunions those visits quickly became my favorite time of year. Every call, every prayer, every mile brought us closer to this moment. Today, looking back, I can see how beautifully God wrote our story from a random grammar debate to a love that crossed oceans. Stephen isn’t just the man I fell in love with; he’s the answer to years of whispered prayers and the partner I want to walk beside for the rest of my life. ❤

Who knew being a grammar police would lead me to the love of my life? I always said I wanted to meet my wife at church—little did I know what God had in store for me. As my church’s former drummer, I was playing at a youth concert when I first laid eyes on the girl who would change my life. In true Stephen fashion, I “accidentally” bumped into her just to start a conversation. My heart had never felt so calm. From that day on, I knew we had a natural connection. I pursued her until she finally accepted my offer of a relationship, and from there, our story began. Many nights were filled with long conversations and movie watching over the phone. Even though distance and time tried to challenge us, our love only grew stronger. I still remember sitting in on her nursing classes during COVID, learning right alongside her—never giving her a moment’s break. Looking back, I wouldn’t trade a single moment of it. As time passed, we finally had the opportunity to see each other at least twice a year. Those moments made my heart flutter every time. Each goodbye was heartbreaking, but deep down, I knew that one day I’d get to be with her forever. Patience is a virtue, and through patience, I became the man God was shaping me to be—a husband.