There Just Might Be A Wedding!

I never expected a funeral to change my life, but that’s exactly how I first walked into Cedar Creek Baptist. My grandmother immediately felt at home there, and before we knew it, we were attending—and meeting people who would change everything. That’s where we met Pastor Mike Kikendall, his wife Anita, and some of their thirteen kids. There was one little boy I noticed and immediately thought to myself, “What in the world is that?” Come to find out…it was a Teddy. I became friends with his sister Melodie, but him? I never thought twice about him. Not once. One day, riding the church bus—bus kid life—Pastor Mike was driving. I asked him how to say his last name because I wanted to make sure I was pronouncing it right. He repeated it slower so I could understand. After I finally said it correctly, I smiled and said, “Cheyanne Kikendall.” He laughed and said, “You never know.” At the time, it meant nothing to me. I was just a kid on a bus. But looking back now… God was already writing a story I had no idea about. Years passed. Life happened. We moved around and eventually found our way back to Florida. That’s when my friend from church, Julie Foust, decided she knew God’s plan better than I did. She was convinced Teddy and I were meant to be together. Her reasoning? “I love both of y’all, and both of y’all love me—so why wouldn’t it work?” And listen… she did not let it go. Every time she saw me at church, she brought it up. What I didn’t know was that Teddy was getting the exact same speech on his end. This went on for years. Around that time, I prayed a very specific prayer. I asked God that if I ever found the person I was meant to be with, he would say “I love you” first. I was tired of being the one to say it first—and being the one who got hurt. Well… God was listening. One Sunday, Julie invited Teddy to our Sunday school class. When he walked in, I thought, “What in the world is she thinking?” He had on a big ol’ belt buckle—I mean HUGE—jeans, a button-up shirt, and long hair. I was not impressed. So again… I said no. But Julie wasn’t done. One day she texted me his number and said, “Reach out.” And somehow—I still don’t know how—I did. On June 23, 2021, I sent that first text. A few days later, we went on our first date at Ale House, and it felt like two old friends catching up after years apart… even though we never actually talked as kids. We planned a second date, and I was so excited that I set an alarm after working night shift just to make sure I wouldn’t miss it. Except… my phone didn’t charge. It died. We were supposed to meet at 7:00 PM. It was now 7:30. I charged my phone, called him, apologized like crazy, and asked if we could still do something. So, we went to Zaxby’s, talked until they kicked us out, and then kept talking in the parking lot while it drizzled. That was it for me. I decided I’d go on another date with him. About a month later, on July 25, 2021, he asked me to be his girlfriend—in his living room. And a few months after that… he did exactly what I prayed for. He said it first. “I love you, Cheyanne Nicole Barnes.” On March 14th, 2026! He finally asked! I said yes! I could go on forever about the dates, the memories, and the life we’ve built—but the truth is, our love doesn’t make sense on paper. It never has. God has always had a sense of humor in our story—often quietly, often unexpectedly, and always perfectly timed. And looking back now, I see it clearly: every moment, every delay, every unanswered question was shaping something far greater than I could have imagined. God knew exactly what He was doing. He didn’t just bring this man into my life—He gave me the kind of love people spend their whole lives hoping to find. And He shaped my heart to recognize it when it finally arrived. And even now, standing here with a love that feels so full it could be a lifetime all on its own, I know—with absolute certainty....... —THAT THIS LOVE STORY IS JUST GETTING STARTED!—