Ben and Sarah met in a hopeless place like many modern romances: Online. This story is a hopeful one, but the path to getting here was not straight forward. In the Fall of 2022, Ben saw Sarah's dating profile. He sent the first message and suggested they meet up at a bar equidistant from their respective apartments in the big city of Chicago. They sat on an empty patio at a local bar for 4 hours. Conversation was easy, they had countless things in common: books, poetry, faith, and hopes. They both felt the butterflies and the sparks and all that kind of thing the movies talk about. As they walked away from each other at the end of the date, they were both giddy. Ben's curiosity continued to grow in the days that followed. Meanwhile, Sarah's fear of heart break creeped in. They went to dinner for their second date and Sarah served Ben a large slice of awkward pie. This date was one of the worst. Attempts at connection from Ben. Short answers from Sarah. As expected, the following day Ben received a text asking to be friends. This turn of events could be a case study for the perils of courting in the 21st century. Sarah is sorry. Fast forward, to early 2023. Ben was the bigger man and set down his pride to reach out with a text message. They made plans to meet up again - as friends. For months, the two of them spent time getting to know each other. Jazz festivals, restaurant week dinners, roller skating at a community center. In Sarah’s heart, these were fun evenings with a new friend. Ben hoped things could grow into something more. From an outside perspective, these “hang outs” looked like dates. Then there was a beach day at North Avenue Beach in June. The afternoon was spent reading and sun bathing. It was blissful and easy, when a classic midwest storm rolled in unannounced. They packed up quickly but were caught in the rain anyways. Instead of racing to the car parked a mile away, they took their time splashing in puddles and making prolonged eye contact. Like a playwright set the stage for a fairytale ending. But that was the end. Nothing. The most naturally romantic moment wasted on these two. So, Ben moved on. Set his very real heart on a metaphorical shelf. But at the same time, Sarah was calling her friends admitting that her feelings had changed. Ben spent the following weeks and months moving on and forgetting about Sarah. Meanwhile, Sarah was loosing sleep. The ball was in her court and she was anxious about it. Labor Day weekend, 2023, another hang out was scheduled at the beach. Finally when the day was nearly over, Sarah found her window to tell Ben how she felt. Understandably, it took Ben some time to build back trust and romantic feelings for his future wife. Sarah was all in. They started over with a second first date at the Art Institute of Chicago, dinner at the Red Lion Pub and a drink at AliveOne. Ben says that he knew she was the one from the very first first date, but they both admit the slow start to their romance was a blessing in disguise. The gift of being a student of each other in the context of friendship is irreplaceable. They know that when the initial sparks fade and the quiet comfort of loving each other settles in, their foundation in Jesus Christ is a firm one. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. It will be a good story to tell for many years to come.