In a blink, seasons change, and the Lord does exceedingly abundantly above all we could ask or imagine! ♥️🙌🏻 On April 27th, 2026, I married the man of my dreams! 🤓 The Lord heard the prayers of so many and brought Jeff and me together in a miraculous way. I think of Psalm 10:17 as it says, “Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear”. We are humbled and in awe of God’s goodness and His perfect plan! At 36 years of age, the wait was longer than some and not without its challenges and heartaches, but worth every moment. As I look back, I wouldn’t trade a day of my singleness as it was used by the Lord to do HIS good work in me and through me. He was with me every step of the way, proving His faithfulness and steadfast love. And now I greatly rejoice in a desire fulfilled and the gift of marriage to Jeff! Jeff wrote out our wedding story, and I think he says it much better than I ever could. So, today I thought I would share “Our Story” which is a testimony of the Lord’s faithfulness, His love, and His working on behalf of those who (imperfectly) waited on Him!🙏🏼 To all who joined us and helped make our wedding day so very blessed… THANK YOU! 😊

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Our story

Praise the Lord, He is always faithful! He knows all things, orchestrates all things according to His good plan, and His timing is perfect. In all of this, we grow in trust – in humility with thanksgiving.  May our desires increasingly conform to His – not our will, but thy will be done.

Our story begins two springs ago, the Church & Family Life conference of 2024. I (Jeff) went in faith to the conference at Ridgecrest in the NC mountains, with a singles conference offered at the beginning. I showed up feeling like a fish out of water – but one kind girl (Rachel) had compassion and suggested I unfreeze myself from the carpet I was stuck to – and take a seat at the round tables. We sat and talked in those first moments of the conference – but the Lord would not spark anything in our hearts then. The Lord had work to do in each of our lives separately.

We arrive at the following spring, Church & Family Life conference of 2025. This time, knowing what to expect, I again came in faith. I had no aspirations aside from a retreat to draw near to the Lord, all while enjoying good conference teaching, good food, and coffee shops in Black Mountain, and good hiking. The first afternoon, I joined a crew of young adults walking to the top of the mountain. I recognized Rachel – she couldn’t help but exclaim when she saw me – “You came back!” Needless to say, she did not expect I would come around again after the prior year! In the Lord’s providence, we were given just the right gift that day – to be able to walk and talk. The following day, I was motivated to get a group together for an evening getaway to Black Mountain for dinner and a hike to the top of the mountain. I sought out Rachel since she seemed to be the ringleader for the walkers and hikers. Her sister Lydia was a very wise sister to suggest to Rachel that I ought to have her number to coordinate the meeting together that evening. Again, the Lord gifted a beautiful evening sharing dinner with Rachel and her brother and sister – and a meetup and hike with the rest of the crew to the top of the mountain for a glorious sunset. The conference came to a close the next day – and Rachel drove home to Texas and I drove on my way back home in North Carolina. The Lord would not spark anything in our hearts then.

3 months later, July 2025 – I woke on a Monday morning with Rachel on my mind. I wanted to reach out and see how she was doing. As much as it came upon me, it felt wise to be still and pray, seek the Lord if this is from Him.  I spent a day in prayer and waited – and waited. Thursday I reached out to her, with her kind response to ask me of my intentions.  From that point, she took a week to pray – and at the end of the week, that spark was planted in each of us that the Lord would grow in His perfect timing.

We praise the Lord that we waited on Him, we sought Him. We did not run ahead.

Our stories came together with my first visit to Texas to see her. While sitting and talking on the front porch, I shared with Rachel a big element of our story which had to wait to tell her in person – how the Lord had brought her to my mind that Monday in July – and how I felt the conviction to wait, to pray – and by Thursday was ready to reach out to her. Her response as I shared this with her on that front porch bench was humbling. That same week – the Lord brought me to her mind – on Wednesday. She was led to pray that the Lord would provide a good wife for me. Little did she know – I was already praying for her that week – and would reach out to her the following day!

While we knew the Lord was leading us – this moment was humbling, the clarity in the moment that the Lord truly had his hand in leading us separately, preparing us, and now leading us together. Incredibly humbling to see His provision, His timing, His faithfulness to us in drawing us to Himself in these days – and drawing us to each other.

We have sought the Lord, sought His leading, His wisdom, sought to grow in the knowledge and Love of Christ. We grew to find joy in seeking the Lord together – coming together before the Lord in His word and in prayer. We see how His hand has been at work in all things, in His perfect timing – and now we especially are seeing how he loves to give good gifts to those who love Him.  We are humbled.

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

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“The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.”
Psalm 126:3