"I’ve never believed in coincidences but rather divine appointments, and the Lord is always on time. When Candis and I matched on Hinge, it had to be fate. Connecting with someone over 50 miles and an hour away had to be “luck,” right? Little did I know that the distance between us would only increase due to Candis' dreams and aspirations. Our love for one another would have to endure the trials and continue to grow stronger as our distance grew.

As the text notifications continued like clockwork each day, we eagerly learned more about each other’s values, dreams, and desires and finally decided it was time to meet. Our first encounter took me by surprise when something fell out of Candis’ pocket, and she scurried to pick it up and put it away. When I questioned her about it, she casually pulled out a pocketknife, claiming it was for protection. In this amusing moment, I found myself more drawn to her quirkiness and innocence. The pictures did not do her justice. She was stunning, but her beauty took a distant second to her heart. I was enthralled and knew I had found my wife.

As the days, months, and years passed by, we found ourselves spending more and more time together. We quickly realized that it didn’t matter what we did. As long as we were together and as long as there was food in the forecast, Candis was happy, which in the end made me happy. We've faced our fair share of challenges, with the biggest being the long distances that kept us apart for much of our relationship. Those miles tested our patience and resilience, but they also strengthened our bond and made our time together even more precious. No matter the obstacles, we've always made it a priority to spend time with God and make time for each other. Whether it was a spontaneous weekend getaway or a late-night video call, our love found a way to bridge the gap. Every moment we spent together, no matter how brief, was a reminder of why I fell in love with her in the first place.

THE PROPOSAL 12/23/2021: One of the hardest but most rewarding things to do is surprise Candis. She loves to plan and be in charge. So planning a surprise engagement without her catching on was a challenge to say the least. I knew I had one chance to surprise her and make the memories last a lifetime. So I thought "What would Kanye do….". The Pro Football Hall of Fame has meant so much to me over the years I thought it would be the perfect setting. I made all the arrangements and had the venue. I now needed to get her parent’s blessing.

Another divine appointment was set. After numerous failed attempts to try and set up time to speak with them, I took a leap of faith and made the hour drive the Lehigh hoping they would be home. They were not but God had other plans.

Cheryl had forgotten her cell phone that day and had to go back to the house. My moment had finally come. As Alphonso said when I asked for his blessing “Well we let it go this far, why should we stop it now? ” I knew there was nothing that could stop this proposal from happening.... other than the venue security guards. Ask me about that later! In the end the proposal was a great success and I was able to finally surprise Candis and fulfill my hearts desire.

Since that ordained encounter in 2019, our journey has been filled with joy, laughter, and unwavering love. The connection at the beginning was so full of the spirit, it ignited such a strong bond that no distance could keep us from being together. Even during the pandemic, no amount of time spent together could drive us apart.

As we look towards our future, my heart is filled with excitement and anticipation. I'm eager to start our lives together, to build a home filled with the presence of God, love, laughter, and countless memories. Planning our future has been a beautiful adventure, and I can't wait to see where God will take us. We have been blessed over the years with great family and friends who have supported us as we have grown as a couple.

On this day, we would be honored to have you join us to celebrate our union. Your presence in our lives has been a blessing, and we are overjoyed that you will be joining us. Your love and support mean the world to us, and we can't wait to share this special day with you.

Thank you for being a part of our story and for celebrating the start of our forever."

Love,

Cody and Candis

Photos