I have a deep fondness for a good origin story. How did Bruce Wayne become Batman? What events caused Vito Corleone to become The Godfather? Why does Elphaba become the Wicked Witch of the West? We are naturally inclined to ask “how” to help us configure a reason as to “why” something happened. We all already know I have been blessed with the love and affection from an amazing woman who agreed to spend forever with me, the question is how I was able to snatch up someone as patient, gracious, funny, and beautiful as Emori and trick her into saying “yes”, well “duh”, to marry me. The answer boils down to divine interference from our Creator who intentionality placed mine and Emori’s lives together to grow a love that will reflect His love for us. Though the reason is as simple as that, the story is a whole lot of fun.

While in my biased opinion, Emori is my favorite Zieverink, but she was not the first Zieverink I met. Her older sister, Sloen, was my Camp War Eagle Counselor, and for all those not included in the cult known as Auburn University, it just means she was my orientation counselor for college. Emori did not wait long to make her presence known to me, later that day I had already receive a follow notification from Ms. Emori Zieverink herself. This made it pretty easy to make the connection between the two sisters, however the seed was planted.

Time went on, freshmen students doing freshmen things, trying to make as many friends as you can, get involved in as much as you could, might I add this was still in 2020 when you couldn’t cough in public without having the hazmat team coming to quarantine you. An opportunity presented itself to join the student government on campus as “freshmen representatives”, normally something I would scoff at but seemed to be a great way to meet new people. Through God’s intricate plan, I was chosen to be a part of these freshmen ambassadors, information I found out, might I add, via Sloen while I standing on the side of I-85 traffic in Atlanta because my car broke down, but you’ll never guess who else was selected, one Emori Zieverink.

As a guy from out-of-state looking to make new friends, Emori was the perfect person to know, she was kind and inviting and seemed to know everybody. I was lucky enough to be invited. Our first unofficial date, also known as a “hangout”, was at this romantic little spot called Cookout, which seemed to be ideal spot for broke college kids looking for a snack in the middle of the night. We talked and got to know each other, bonding over our shared passion for a ministry called Younglife, and I asked her if she would like to accompany me to the football game the next day as my date, and I kissed her! On the first date, how scandalous.

The game was a torrential downpour, she stole my favorite sweatshirt, and hours after the game called me and ask to fix her flat tire. We continued these ongoing late-night talks, formed a mutual group of friends encompassed around one activity, volleyball. Before college, I committed to myself that I would not have a girlfriend my first semester of college, so the day after finals we went on our first “official” date, and I asked her if she would also like to put a title on these “unspoken love” (except it wasn’t unspoken and everyone thought I was being stupid for waiting so long to ask her out).

Soon after, I met her dad, who, when we first met, was coming from the hunting camp wearing all camo, which immediately gave me a sign a relief knowing we would have something to talk about and he has progressed into a man I greatly respect in my life. Emori and I continued to go through our college experience together, watching each other grow up and mature in a lot of ways. We have had really good seasons and bad seasons, but nonetheless, she became someone to love and cherish and I am very grateful God has been so kind to intentionally place her in my life to be my wife.

Emori, I love you and excited to continue this story as it unfolds.