Emily's Side of the Story

When i met Evan i was at a AZ Diamondbacks game where they were playing the Rangers (see i loved baseball even BEFORE Evan ;) ) and i had been on this christian dating app called upward for about two ish weeks. Now, i wasn't one to go on dating apps but i kept seeing advertisements for it all over my social media and said jokingly "well maybe God has my husband there!!"....LOL. When i met Evan on that dating app we never even talked on it, i just followed him on instagram and said "i'm gonna like a few pictures of his and see if he gives me the time of day" and later that night after the game i was with my girlfriends when i recieved a DM on insta from Evan Gates and we all SCREAMED! From there i thought nothing of it, i thought, "hes an athlete probably doesn't actually have a relationship with Jesus, just says hes a christian to look good" - and with his baseball schedule he could only hang out at night and i was like NOPE! Not hanging out with a guy after 8 pm! But it was the more i continued to get to know Evan i learned, wow, this man's heart for the Lord is so REAL and so sincere. Evan is the most caring and loyal man i know. He loves so authentically and truly inhibits many of the characteristics of Jesus. He is such a hard worker and so disciplined that who he is has encouraged me to be a better woman every single day. I remember when he invited me to see Michigan during Christmas time i said yes, so quickly without even thinking it actually scared me. like it was so out of character for me to just fly across country to meet someone - but there was always a sense of peace even form the beginning that i was walking in the right direction. I knew Evan was my husband, very early on and Jesus gave me many signs, but the one that stood out the most was when Evan and i had only known each other for about 4 months, he asked me if i wanted to do a bible study on the book of John with him before his upcoming season so he could get some ideas on how to lead it in bible study for the boys through season. When we got to John 13 i opened my bible and saw a letter i had written to my future husband that i remember specifically feeling the conviction to put in John 13 & that me and my future husband would read that together on the day of our engagement and our wedding. Well, one thing about Evan, is 13 is like HIS NUMBER. He and his sister's birthdays are both on the 13th & they have matching tattoo's of the number 13. So before we facetime to read John 13 together, he sends me a text "Oooooh John 13! My number and my favorite chapter!" and i kid you not i threw my phone on the floor because i was like "OH OKAY SO HE IS MY HUSBAND?!" amongst many other things, the Lord has been so faithful in showing me that He was making a way for me to meet Evan, even when i was unfaithful and messed up on countless occasions. Evan is everything i've prayed for and more (Epeshians 3:20) and i am so ridiculously honored to share a life with him, glorifying Jesus and leading other to Jesus, TOGETHER.

Evan's Side of the Story

I always joked that once I made it out west, I would find my wife. The typical American dream, go out west to follow your dream and find stardom, but I went out there and found my dream girl. Now I never met Emily while out there, she had a boundary of not meeting guys at night and that was the only time I could. Yet, the boundary was eventually surpassed as she flew across the country to meet me in Michigan after I invited her to come see Detroit during Christmas time. I started to like Emily because of her authentic love for Jesus and how amazing of a conversation she was. But it was when we went to downtown Detroit to see the campus martius Christmas tree and go on our first date that I realized I loved this woman. She made me feel a way a woman never has before, it was in that moment she made me want to be a better man and from that point forward I knew she was the one for me. We took a year of intentional friendship and did not start dating till October because I felt led by God to ask her on the 23rd (Hebrew 10:23 - God is faithful to keep his promises) which Emily is to me and I was asking her to be my girlfriend knowing she was eventually going to be my wife. I was at the moment of having to say yes to the ring to get this crazy deal (thank you Lord for providing) and I asked God, “If I am meant to be with Emily, play the song that makes me think of her next.” I couldn’t wait so I skipped and it was that exact song! God has been involved in this relationship from the beginning, the only reason we met was because we were on a christian dating app and I am grateful for it! Asking Emily to be my wife was a moment I wish I could relive everyday, but I am so excited to spend everyday with her for the rest of my earthly life and am grateful to celebrate that first day with all of you!

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