Looking back, the true first time Jack and I met was at my first-round audition for a student ministry called BreakDown St. Louis. Initially, I thought I first met Jack at my second-round interview in Starbucks. We walked in at the same time, and he opened the door for me. We sat down with the founder of the organization, and it wasn’t until he started asking me questions that I realized we both weren’t being interviewed; he was interviewing me.


I made the team, and right off the bat, he was a leader to me by title and by example. I was dating someone else when I met Jack, but as a new follower of Jesus, I didn’t know how a daughter of the King should be treated. I know the Lord strategically placed Jack in my life at the time and place that He did to save me from a broken relationship. Jack has always been a gentleman to me. He has treated me with respect, affirmed me in times I needed it most, and continues to find ways to make me feel special. He is intentional, selfless, and cares deeply about those he loves. Though no one is perfect, Jack set my new standard for the man I wanted to marry some day. Never did I ever think I’d get to marry him!


Jack and I were on the team together for two years. I remained on the team for another year after he graduated off the team to do overseas ministry in Haiti and travel for work. I soon graduated off the team as well and started school at Maryville University to pursue physical therapy and continue my softball career. My freshman year at Maryville was probably one of the hardest years I’ve experienced. My social environment shifted almost entirely, and the Lord isolated me to remove things in my life that held a higher priority than He did.


Before the summer of 2021, I was discouraged but hopeful to heal throughout the upcoming summer. I was given the opportunity to lead the women’s summer bible study for BreakDown beside Jenna Schoch (my MOH). It just so happened that Jack helped lead the men’s. As both groups met up for ice cream after their bible studies weekly, Jack and I reconnected as Papa T and Jenna Imergoot were in my ear that Jack was single and back in town. My interest grew quickly, but I continued to doubt that he would even be interested.


The morning after a Monday night bible study, I received a text from Jack asking me to coffee that upcoming Thursday. I soon responded with a “Yeah I’d love to:)”. I felt overwhelmed with excitement and anticipation, but I still doubted he was interested until the very moment he told me he liked me and asked me on a date. After coffee, I went to Target for groceries. I walked the isles with a heart so full of butterflies, I forgot what I needed and left:)

Erin and I met in her sophomore, my junior year, of high-school. Erin was auditioning for BreakDown St. Louis, and I was the greeter for auditions that day. I remember handing Erin her audition number and taking her picture, then wishing her good luck. Erin then made it to the interviewing process, and little did she know, she’d be interviewed by her future husband. By no surprise, Erin made it through the audition and interview process, being then placed on my crew for the next year. Being Erin’s captain for that year, we got to know each other well. I recognized Erin’s hard work and her compassion for the ministry, and she was a team member that I could depend on. One day at rehearsal, I told Erin she looked pretty. There were no hidden motives, just an honest compliment, but I didn’t realize how impactful that would be to her later on. I finished high school, went on to Haiti for missions, and traveled for work over the next two years. Meanwhile Erin graduated from high school and completed her first year of college at Maryville University.

I came off the road from work in May 2021. Leading up to my homecoming I had been thinking about Erin. Thankfully, our summers became intertwined. That summer Erin was leading a women’s Bible study and I was leading a men’s. After the actual study, the guys and girls would meet up for ice cream. It was through those few Monday’s that Erin and I reconnected. Following just a few Monday’s and a few pep talks from some of my brothers, by the grace of God, I mustered up the courage to ask Erin out.

So I texted her on a Tuesday morning, right after I saw her on Monday night, and I asked if she could grab coffee on the upcoming Thursday. What many people do not know is that Thursday was my mom and sister’s birthday, which was a dead giveaway! Thankfully Erin agreed to coffee and when we met up, I was straightforward with her and asked her out on a date.

About a week later (on July 3rd), Jack surprised Erin with their first date. They met at the Mid Rivers Mall Drive Dierbergs and left for Union Station. They proceeded to enjoy dinner, mini golf, a waterside fire show, and bahama bucks. By the end of the night it had been mutually decided that there would be a second date and both were elated! The following week the two were lovestruck and spent six out of the seven days together. The week together consisted of the 4th of July, BDSTL bible study, a worship night, church, a movie night, etc. Though many moments with Jack throughout that week gave Erin butterflies, she still remembers feeling vividly giddy when Jack put his arm around her for the first time on the 4th.

A couple weeks later, both Jack and Erin attended the BreakDown STL Summer Retreat, and Jack asked Erin to be his girlfriend the day after they got home. Around the time that they first started dating, Jack was upfront with his commitment to a three-month-long mission trip to Haiti beginning on August 5th. The time that they spent together that followed was rich and intentional, yet full of questions. It wasn’t ideal to start a relationship and then go live in a third world country for two-and-a-half months, but that’s what Jack did.

The next two-and-a-half months were long. Jack had very limited service, in the remote area of Haiti. They spoke on the phone only four times throughout the trip. However this was a very formative part of Jack and Erin’s relationship. It was the long distance, the lack of communication, and the growing desire to be with each other, that pushed the couple deep into prayer. Even now Jack and Erin can confidently say they have not had a season more soaked in prayer than that one.

Lauren, Hanna, Dan, and Erin picked Jack up from the airport on October 12th, 2021. Their feelings had progressed significantly while Jack was away, so it took a minute for Jack and Erin to get back on the same page. The ride home from the airport was awkward, yet flirtatious, but things seemed to lighten up when they had some alone time later that evening.

The following night, they attended church together at Matthias Lot. After the service, they started reaping the fruits of all the Lord did in them while they were apart. It was the first time Jack and Erin used the “L” word…… LOVE!

All fears that Jack and Erin weren't on the same page quickly faded.

Their love for each other continued to grow throughout the next year together exponentially. Worry didn’t lie in the need to grow more affectionate for the other, but that their hearts wouldn’t move too quickly.

It was May of 2022 the Lord started to press marriage on Jack’s heart more heavily. Through conversations with the Lord and many phone calls with Jack’s groomsmen, it was concluded that Jack was going to ask Erin to marry him, it was just a matter of when. Jack couldn’t rest at the thought that he would wait until after Erin’s fourth year of a school to even ask her! Which was (at this point) two years away. So after more prayer, Jack decided to ask her before fourth year. This lead to a chain of events.

Jack first reached out to Brian (Erin’s dad) to see if he could grab lunch. He was very vague. Brian was surely onto him. They met at Syberg’s in the valley and Jack asked him for Erin’s hand in marriage. Brian said “I saw this coming but not this soon.” Jack was awkwardly relieved but still unsure as to what that meant. The conversation eventually led to a “yes” from Brian.

Next, Jack met with Christine (Erin’s mom). Jack could tell she was nervous. Chrisitne had voiced that she didn’t want Jack to take her little girl away from her. Jack assured her as best he could, that she would not be losing a daughter but rather gaining a son.

Then there was Richard (Erin’s grandpa). Jack was preparing himself to take the brunt of the “silliness” that was proposing at twenty-one years old. To Jack’s pleasant surprise Richard was very supportive. It led to a great conversation, one that Jack will not forget.

Lastly, Adam (Erin’s brother). Jack took Adam out to lunch one day, just to recap on life, and to Adam’s shock, shared the plan. Adam was pleasantly surprised, and very excited for his sister.

In the midst of the conversations, Jack had worked with Christine to pick out a ring for Erin. Once the design was selected, Jack looked around for different diamonds. One day Lauren (Jack’s mom) was going to a jeweler's and suggested Jack go with her. She showed Jack a diamond that was in a piece of estate jewelry and Jack bought it. Jack then had his own jeweler place the aged diamond into the newly constructed ring. As soon as Jack saw it, he knew Erin would love it.

After a few different plans, the Lord had led Jack to October 23rd as the day to propose. Jack told Erin to block off her schedule that day for a surprise date (which was not uncommon). When Jack picked Erin up at her apartment that morning, he thought she knew. Erin was so giddy and glowing, Jack thought she knew exactly what was about to happen. She didn’t. Erin had no idea, but the Lord had been faithful in the way that he prepared Erin’s heart for what was about to happen.

They left for their date, and Erin quickly realized that they weren’t going to where she anticipated (the fox). They jammed out, and Jack set the tone for the date as one where they would “celebrate how far they’ve come.” They soon arrived at Chandler Hill winery. Jack tried to find a parking spot by the building, but they were full so they parked at the bottom and walked up. Erin gave him trouble for walking up the hill in her heels. They got to the building up top, and walked in. Jack said he had an order for Jack (& Erin was confused because this is a winery…???). The waitress gave him an appetizer of pretzels and we left to go find a place to sit (to Erin’s relief). Once they headed outside and down the stairs, Jack turned to Erin. “I have some bad news” he said. “Now we have to walk back down the hill”. As they were walking back down, Erin’s thoughts were stumped in confusion as to why they just went to a winery for pretzels & why Jack wanted us to walk up and back down the hill to get them, but Jack insisted she trust him. As they approached the car, they eventually took a left into the grass and came up over a little hill to see a blanket, wine bottle, and two glasses set up in front of a pond. They soon sat down and started reminiscing on their relationship. It didn’t take long for Erin to recognize that Jack was nervous, so her mind started racing with “what ifs” but also doubts that they could possibly get engaged right then and there. After a long pause in conversation, Jack stood and helped Erin to her feet. He told her that she was his best friend, he loves her, and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. He proposed around 3:30pm that day, and after she said YES, their families came out from behind the bushes cheering, smiling, and greeting them with hugs. They took a few pictures with the photographer that was there, and sat down to hang out for a bit. Jack mentioned that the plan afterwards was that their families would go back to the Sammelmann Home to eat dinner, so their families left the couple to process. After praying, taking a couple pictures of their own, and taking in the moment, they left for the Sammelmanns. They arrived to a surprise engagement party with some of their family and closest friends. To this day, they both can confidently say this was the sweetest date they’ve had:)

Over the next 8 months Jack and Erin have been planning and feel elated for their big day. They continued to fall more and more in love and are excited to spend a lifetime together serving the Lord.