Joel and Cas met in the fall of 2020 shortly after Joel moved to Redding, CA from China. In Redding, they lived as neighbors for 8 months. Each being the "friendly neighbor" they were, they enjoyed friendly neighbor conversation and respected each other's decision to take regular, barefoot strolls around the neighborhood.

It was once they were no longer neighbors things took a fun turn. It all started at a dinner party which lead to "I have a crush on you," and next thing ya know, they were dating.

Maybe it was their mutual love for "making new friends" (aka meeting strangers), loud laughs, deep love for the Lord, or call to the nations-- whatever it was, it didn't take them long to know they didn't want to love without each other.

After a trip to Illinois, where Cas is from, asking Poppa Maynard for her hand, buying a ring, and asking Cas "the question" over a picturesque picnic dinner "Mr. and Ms. Fiancé" they became.

May the countdown continue until "Mr. & Mrs. Smith!!