From Gabe
By the age of 26, I had experienced my fair share of failed relationships. All of these failed relationships had one thing in common, they lacked Jesus at the center. I know it’s probably shocking to hear this, but I can be a fairly stubborn individual. I say this because from the very first girlfriend I had - until the very last one I had before my wife; my parents always told me that Jesus was what was missing. At the age of 26 I decided to listen to my parents after a life of realizing they had never steered me wrong. At that time, I was living with them as I prepared to purchase my first home. As a family, we attended Emmanuel Community Church. I decided in the spring of 2021 to become involved in a young adult group that met once a month on Friday evenings. I also decided around this time that I wanted to take my faith more seriously altogether, so I signed up to be baptized in the summer of 2021. It is very clear to me that my life turned out the way that it did because of His plan. I attended the young adult group a couple of times before the pastor at Emmanuel, Mark Vincenti, made the decision to walk me around to meet some others at the group. In particular, other individuals who would be getting baptized that upcoming summer alongside me. On April 30th of 2021, Mark took me from my table of guys over to a table of young ladies that were all seated together to introduce me to a specific girl who would be getting baptized with me. When I shook her hand and introduced myself to her, during those brief moments of meeting her I knew that this was why I had started coming here. I had been planning to prioritize inner beauty over outer beauty by looking for a wife at church, so when I saw how truly beautiful Jessica was both inside and out, I knew I’d be a fool to look anywhere else. I have told Jessica this story plenty of times and those of you who know me well know it as well. When I went home after group that night, I had a very strong feeling that I had just been introduced to the woman I would marry. I wasn’t quite sure how that was going to work just yet, but I was sure He had a plan, and He did. When our baptism arrived, our last names were side by side after everyone was placed alphabetically. We hugged and shared the joy of that day together and that was the day I got the phone number that I would see in my phone for the rest of my life.
From Jess
When I first met Gabe, I thought to myself “Wow this guy is quite easy on the eyes”, which is very worldly of me but hey, he sure is handsome. We met at a Church event through Emmanuel. I was sitting at a table with a bunch of friends from work when Mark Vincenti, one of the pastors at Emmanuel, came up to me. He told me that Gabe was choosing to get baptized at the same ceremony as me in June of that year. We talked a little, got to know each other, and left that night even more excited than before about our upcoming baptism.
Two months later was our baptism. The line of those getting baptized was alphabetical and it just so happened that “Jacobson” was one in front of “LaMaster” that day. We chatted some more in line, were baptized, and then gave each other a huge and joyful hug. Gabe then asked for my number! At the time, I was not ready to date, but I kept it safe for when I was in the mental space to reach out.
In August of 2022, I unknowingly met Gabe’s grandmother, “Grammy”, in the hospital. I was working on the floor that she was admitted to and went into her room. We talked, cried, and prayed together. This situation was just one of our many invisible strings that led us together.
Two months later, Gabe and I reconnected and the rest is history. Now we have 4 beautiful fur babies together, a fiery love for Jesus, and a bond that can never be broken.
Forever & Always
