For the people who know our story, they can attest to the beautiful work of the Lord from the very start. The years prior to us meeting, we both had been through hard life seasons. I had decided to stop searching for a relationship, but what I didn’t know is that Zach was doing the same thing. I was focusing on healing with the Lord and Zach was focusing on finding his God given purpose. We didn't intend to meet this way, but God turned our paths towards meeting. I had felt the Lord tell me to lead a book study for young adults at my church. I started the Awe of God book study and was unaware that Zach would be a part of this group. We had met a few weeks prior but it was a small introduction through Zach’s friend. The study went on for 12 weeks and slowly I started to notice Zach. He stood out to me for many reasons, but I admired his passion for Jesus, the peace he carried, and his humor. I didn't know it then, but the lord was healing wounds in my heart already. Multiple weeks later, Zach pulled me aside at church and asked if he could intentionally pursue me. I was caught off guard because I didn’t know if I was ready to trust a man again. When I prayed about it I felt peace, an unexplainable peace. We had our first date on November 9, 2024. I was determined to meet even though it had snowed 2 feet the night before. I had my dad come shovel my car out of my parking spot just to go on the date. We talked for hours. We were two people who had been hurt in the past and nervous about starting to open up again. But Zach made me feel so safe. I could feel the Holy Spirit's presence with him and that made me feel the safety I needed. The following week I thought about how I wanted to proceed. My fears were loud, but my desire to get to know Zach was louder. As we had more and more dates I felt so assured. The lord had confirmed things to me so clearly that I was able to let my guard down despite everything from my past telling me not too. Promises that the lord had given me years ago were being fulfilled through Zach. For over 9 years I’ve had dreams and visions from the Lord in a forest. The lord will meet me there and speak to me. I knew I was going to marry Zach when he told me about a prophetic word he had about him being in a forest (specifically a clearing in the woods). The Lord told me I would meet my husband in a clearing and that's what happened. The Lord brought us together, healed parts of our hearts and showed us his faithfulness and goodness. We have a list on our phones of the continued things that God has done since we have started dating. The amount of healing that the Lord has poured out on me has been overwhelming and has only led me to praise him. The Lord restored my soul, redeemed my story and gave me this amazing gift of Zach Harris.

"Sophia" in its Greek meaning is "wisdom". A few years ago, I was posed a question that will now remain in my mind. I was outside the church sitting around a fire with a few of my good friends, one of which was Scott Hayzlett. He asked the question, "If you could have anything, or if God could do anything for you in the next 5 years, what would you pray for?" My answer was wisdom. I have gone over the events in my mind and I can't imagine that I've tracked half of everything that God has done. What I do remember is all of 2024. I began that year deep in study. I wanted to tackle one of the most controversial books of the Bible ever written; The Revelation. I was convinced that I was missing something and that the church was missing something. I wanted to find the truth, and so I spent about 6 months just to break the surface. I was reading the book over and over, listening to podcasts and commentaries, reading dissertations, and even making my own cross references through the old testament prophecies. What I came to find, and what was pertinent to this story was the theme of marriage all throughout the Bible. The Bible begins with a marriage and ends with a marriage, and even God himself has entered into a marriage. As I was studying, I began to see the importance of it, and I asked God if I was meant to have it. I didn't get an answer, so I assumed that it was not for me. But God obviously had other plans. He began to present me with opportunities to date. It seemed as though everyone and their mother was trying to set me up with someone. Each one seemed like the wrong one, but maybe it was because I wasn't interested enough in the idea of getting married. Then one day, my friend Zach pointed someone out to me that stood apart from the rest. I finally met "the one". And I said "hi" to her and walked away. Still wasn't interested! God continued to put her in my path. He kept encouraging me, and showing me more and more about this woman. She soon started to peak my interest! The way she held herself, and the way she responded to questions, and the way that she was gentle and kind towards other people were just a few things that caused me to wanna know more. She was a different kind of woman, and so I made a different kind of approach. I put myself out in the open. I made no room for secrets. I could tell that she was the kind of woman who could see right through me. I told her that I was interested in dating her, and to date her seriously. I remember she looked like she was caught off guard and nervous, but still interested. She said "No, but we can talk over text and get to know each other!" We talked for a few weeks until I couldn't help but ask again; "Can I take you out on a date??" Finally she said "yes!" and we had our first date on November 9th. All of this led up to the relationship we have now. I wanted to share this part of the story because the truth is that I would not have even considered pursuing Sophia if God had not gotten my attention first. He was preparing me for her farther back then I can really see or understand. My prayer now is that our story can be a testimony to the plans that God has for all of us. That we can have faith in the God who sees us, and that even when we don't see the destination God is leading us toward, we can know that it is better than we could have ever planned for ourselves.