Dominique's POV: Where do I even begin?! Jacob and I met at Home Depot when we were in college. I worked at the customer service desk, and he worked in the garden department. We started talking because I noticed the cross necklace he wore, and I asked "do you wear that because it means something or for fashion," and Jacob told me that he wore it because he is a Christ follower. I quickly learned that Jacob was the most different man I have ever met in the most beautiful way. We went out on our first date, which was the most random but memorable date I have ever been on lol and after our first date, we didn't go on a second date because I realized I wasn't ready to fully commit to a relationship and thought J deserved someone who could be fully present. A few months went by, and I was driving home from church and asked the Lord why was it so hard to find a good, Christian man. I heard the Holy Spirit say "why not Jacob," and I had texted him once I got home after months of not speaking to one another beyond the typical work jargon, and to my surprise he said yes to hanging out. We went out on our second first date in downtown Belleville. We got ice cream, walked around, sat by the lake and talked for hours. We began dating a week later, and we have navigated long distance for 2 1/2 years, going through college, career changes, splitting up for a time period and all the growing pains of becoming independent adults. Through it all God has always been faithful to us. Our story more than anything is a reflection of God's goodness and faithfulness. We wouldn't share the love we have if it wasn't for love of God that we abide in, and we wouldn't have each other if it wasn't for God's divine intervention. The Lord has blessed us with so many wonderful memories and laughs together, and we cannot wait to see all the beautiful things God is going to do through and for our marriage.

Jacob's POV: Man it's been a ride, mostly because Dominique ensures it's never boring with her feisty personality, but I love every part of it and her! We first crossed paths even before I began working at Home Depot, coming out of the height of COVID towards the end of 2020. My mom was picking up an order from Home Depot and I happened to tag along that day, and Dominique was our cashier. We didn't speak a word to each other, and it was just a normal transaction. I began working at Home Depot a couple months later, and started to take a liking to her as we interacted more and more at work. Our love of Christ is what initiated our first conversations, and soon enough I found myself waiting specifically for her to be available when I would bring customers up to cash out, just to get a couple minutes with her. I always volunteered to pick up our returns from the service desk to have another excuse to cross paths with her. In April 2021, I finally worked up the courage to ask her on a date, but like most guys at 22 I said "let's hang out" even though we both knew it was a date. What followed was probably the most poorly planned, spontaneous first date ever but it somehow worked and we both had a great time! Unfortunately, she was not in a place to continue dating somebody and we (sort of) went our separate ways, yet the attraction and conversations were still present every day at work. She texted me a few months later asking if I wanted to "hang out", I was hesitant at first but said yes because I still enjoyed our time together. After our second first date, she showed up on a random Friday night while I was working, and we talked in the outside garden area for at least an hour while I was sweeping. The conversation flowed so naturally and it was as if no time was lost--it was there where I felt it was time to make things official. A few days later, we started dating. Throughout all the ups and downs we endured, our love for Jesus has held us together and strengthened us to navigate some very difficult challenges, even coming back together after a short period of being separated. It all has led to where we are now, preparing to be married and spend the rest of our days together, and it has all happened because of the Lord and His faithfulness!