The night that changed everything, even though it took 2 more years. Kelsey was sick and tired of single guys at church not asking out the ladies. She reached out to our pastor, Sir Joel Trainer, and began planning this singles event that became known as "Cuffing Season". Kelsey remembers talking to Jeff and remembers hearing a lot of things similar between her dad and Jeff, Jeff doesn't remember anything.....

We both signed up to go on a mission trip to Guinea in West Africa with our church. At this point, we still didn't know each other well and were barely friends. But this was the start of what has now become our story.

This was our first community group meeting in the fall of 2022. We had been asked to serve together prior to our Africa trip and both said yes. This is where we really got to see each other's hearts for community and creating space for people to experience Christ. Not to mention Jeff's incredibly good looks and Kelsey's fantastic baking.

Kelsey had a terrible week at work and joined the fam for dinner the night before Thanksgiving. At said dinner, Bethany and Austin brought up the idea of going on a date with Jeff Shafer. Immediately, Kelsey said, "No way, Jose, he would never ask me out and he is just a kid who likes to play the Nintendo Switch." Austin and Bethany were shocked by this response.

Around the same time that Austin and Bethany asked Kelsey, Jeff's discipler and Best Man, Brandon, suggested the same thing. Shut down immediately with "No chance, I'm too young, she wouldn't say yes". Jeff would like to take this time to yet again say, Thanks Brandon.

Jeff planned a game night at Kelsey's, with no intentions other than to play games with FRIENDS! At game night, Kelsey got a text from a guy who was a potential set-up from one of her friends, Nicole. Little did Kelsey know, this made Jeff furious. In the days to come, Kelsey noticed Jeff had been acting strange but wasn't sure why...

Jeff started to text Kelsey daily.....very odd. But then it started to make sense. This was the text that changed everything....

The first date...which was not top golf. Jeff planned a date at Penn and Beech Candle where we made candles, followed by dinner at True Food. We got to skip the small talk and have very sweet and intentional conversation. This was the start of our forever.

He made it official! Jeff asked Kelsey to be his girlfriend but had to leave shortly after to watch the GOAT Jon Jones win his Heavyweight title. We are still working on weaning off UFC.

The. Best. Day. Ever!!