Like many couples, Hunter and me met online. I had originally seen Hunter on the dating app Christian mingle, and from there he also had slid into my DM’s on Facebook back in August of 2023. I still tease Hunter about the lack of information and pictures he had put of himself on his profiles. His main picture on the app was of him on a horse with a big beard and his reply was, “I thought chicks digged horses.” However, back in the month of August, the Lord was still doing a work in both of our lives. Hunter was finishing up in the Academy for becoming a firefighter, and the Lord was taking me through a season of furthering my growth and trust in Him. However, from August to November of 2023, I felt like the Lord kept bringing Hunter up into my life online. In November, once again the Lord let Hunter pop up on my screen through the Christian dating app called Upward. We talked for about a week and a half, and through a lot of prayer, I felt the Lord put it on my heart to get to know Hunter better. From the very beginning, Hunter was so diligent in pursuing a relationship with me. Hunter had been planning to pick up his brother Logan from college to bring him home for Christmas break and decided to stop here for a bit on his way. For our first date, we talked for hours. We were both so intentional in our interview process for a future spouse knowing what we would look for. I knew right away that Hunter was a man of God ready to step up and be a husband and father. He loved the Lord and strives to walk in obedience to Him. Hunter was so loving, sweet, steady, and servant hearted to those in his life, and so faithful at being this for my son Martin and me. Looking back at the past few years of our lives, Hunter and I are so confident in the timing and work the Lord has done to get us to this point. I have found the one whom my soul loves. Someone with character, commitment, and perseverance to not just Christ, but also to my son and me. I am so thankful the Lord brought us together and I cannot wait to get to build a family and faithfully love and serve Hunter as his wife. We both know the road will not always be easy, but it is so worth the work. “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance” (‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭7‬).

Growing up I always heard people say, about finding a spouse, when you know, you just know, and I hated that. It made no sense at all, how can you just know? That was so bogus. But it all made sense after meeting Claire. We started talking pretty seriously several dates in and it became apparent almost immediately that she was the one I wanted to commit a lifetime to, and an answer to many prayers.

Its written, “An excellent wife, who can find? She is far more precious than jewels!” And also, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD!” “House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.” Indeed God is faithful to answer prayers, certainly in ways we could never conceive of on our own. Claire is a wonderful young woman, and I look forward with enthusiasm to the privilege of taking her as my wife, and starting a family together with her and martin.