Every love story has a beginning, and ours began with a simple super-like, a prayer, and God’s perfect timing.

We met on a Christian dating app called Upward, where Alan super-liked Hazel’s profile. His smile immediately caught her attention, especially one picture of him laughing with SpongeBob in the background. What started as a simple match would soon become the beginning of a love story neither of us could have written on our own. Before meeting Alan, Hazel had prayed for a man who would pursue her intentionally, love her well, and most importantly, reflect Christ through his character. She even prayed that the man she went on her first date with would bring her flowers. After matching, we spent about three months getting to know each other before finally going on our first date at Main Event. Alan showed up with flowers for Hazel, and in that little moment, she felt like God was reminding her, “I hear your prayers.” 🌸 Of course, Alan won basically every game, and we ended the night with ice cream. 😂 As we continued going on dates and getting to know each other, Hazel began to see Alan consistently display the fruit of the Spirit: love, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Through his words, actions, and the way he treated her, Hazel began to realize that Alan wasn’t just someone she met on a dating app; he was an answered prayer. After four more dates, Alan asked Hazel to be his girlfriend, and the rest is history. Over the next three years, God continued to grow our relationship through laughter, challenges, memories, and countless moments of love and grace. Looking back, we can see His hand in every part of our story, from a super-like and a SpongeBob picture to flowers on our first date. Now, three years later, we are engaged and preparing to begin the greatest chapter of our lives: marriage. We pray that Christ will always remain at the center of our relationship and that our marriage will reflect His love.

As Ecclesiastes 4:12 reminds us, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

What started with a prayer became an answered prayer, and what God began, we pray He will continue to carry into forever. 🤍💍