Joseph and Emily met in a circle of friends at DBU on December 13th. This was a place they both attended for three years, yet somehow never crossed paths until that very day. Both of them look back and see the Lord’s timing all over it, bringing them together at exactly the moment He knew was right.

As Christmas approached, they headed home to spend time with their families, keeping in touch, and ready to get back to Dallas to see each other again! On January 5th, they had their very first date at Cidercade. With both of them being wildly competitive, playful, and quick to trash-talk each other in the most endearing way, there truly couldn’t have been a better place for their story to begin. Just eleven days later, on January 16th, Joseph asked Emily to be his girlfriend on one of the most meaningful walks of their lives.

The months that followed were full of travel. Their jobs kept them in and out of different cities, but instead of creating distance, the time apart only strengthened what they were building. Every reunion felt like stepping right back into something steady. As they spent more time together and talked about life, faith, and the futures they hoped for, it became so clear that the Lord had hand-picked this relationship and written this story with intention.

Emily had the chance to live with Joseph’s family for four months—a season that gave them a sweet amount of everyday time together. Around that same time, Emily’s dad moved just three minutes from Joseph, and having both families so close became a blessing they never took for granted. These months grounded their relationship in real life that was so effortlessly authentic. Fun filled Saturdays, late-night conversations, and slow Sunday lunches with family quickly became some of their favorite memories.

But what truly made Joseph and Emily fall in love was how much fun they had simply being themselves. They are goofy, playful, and completely authentic around each other—something they had both prayed and longed for. They can talk for hours, laugh constantly, and make even ordinary moments feel special. Their relationship has always felt light, joy-filled, and safe. No matter the mountains and valleys, they both know they can always rely on each other to stay grounded in their love.

As time went on, it became undeniable to both of them—they had found their person, their home.

Exactly 9 months and 9 days after Joseph asked Emily to be his girlfriend, he proposed in Mineral Wells, a place he had dreamed of proposing since he was a kid. And in the sweetest moment of all, this was also when they shared their very first “I love you,” words they had both felt deeply for a long time that were shared as they stepped into forever together.

Now, as Joseph and Emily enter this new season, they are grateful, hopeful, and excited to continue walking forward hand in hand, and with unconditional love.