Sometimes love is a matter of “the right person, wrong time.” It was the fall of 2020, Daniel’s sophomore year at Fairhaven Baptist College, when Belia came in as a freshman. They hit it off quickly as friends, talking for hours in the gym or the church auditorium. Though they were very compatible, sharing many common interests, and even though they were interested in each other, they did not enter a relationship. The year ended, and Daniel transferred to a different college. It certainly seemed they would never meet again.

​In the summer of 2023, Belia was traveling throughout the country as a member of Fairhaven’s mixed ensemble, singing at many different churches. One of those happened to be Daniel’s church, Berean Baptist Church of Ogden! Once again, on a Sunday evening, June 11th, they met face to face. After spending time together that evening, Daniel helped Belia put her luggage into the ensemble van, and again it appeared to be goodbye.

A few days later, while Belia served as a counselor at a mountain camp hosted and run by Berean Baptist, Daniel journeyed up to the camp to seek her out on the last day of the week. By the campfire that night, he asked her if they could keep in contact.

​From there they began communicating long-distance: musing, sharing, growing closer and closer. Visits to Texas, trips to Utah, and the bond grew ever stronger. Separating that last year together at Fairhaven didn’t make a lot of sense at the time. But it made sense now: they discovered God had been preparing them for each other in the time they spent apart. On a cold winter evening, December 27th, 2024, in Park City, Utah, Daniel asked Belia to be his bride and make a life together. She said yes!