Song of Solomon 3:4

“I have found the one whom my soul loves.”

I had seen Jaron around church for a couple of years, though he was always going back and forth between Houston and Dallas. Even though we're the same age, Jaron hung out in the young adults ministry because I believe he thought he was “too grown” for student ministry.

We had a few small interactions before ever really talking. One Sunday, Jaron held the door open for my mom and I, then chased after us to tell me I had a name tag stuck to my back (I think he just wanted to talk to me). He introduced himself for the first time (I already knew who he was) and was super smiley and charming about it, too. As we walked away, my mom said, “That’s what it looks like when a guy likes you,” and I replied, “MOM — that’s Megan’s brother-in-law!” thinking she was hilarious for saying that.

Eventually, our paths crossed again at a young adults table talk. My older sister had been sitting with Jaron and his brother for weeks, saying they were the only fun ones there. I thought Jaron was so weird and funny in the best way, he acted so differently than people my age I was shocked to find out we were the same age, but most of all I especially remember him bringing a huge pile of candy and chips to the table "to share."

From then on, Jaron started calling me “failed ice cream woman” every time he saw me after he found out I had put my gelato job on hold to serve at a wing restaurant that summer. Somewhere along the way, my sister told her coworker that I was in love with Jaron (a huge overexaggeration but whatever)— and that coworker told Megan (Jaron's older brother's wife). Once Megan found out, she wasted almost no time playing matchmaker and set us up on a date a day before I left for college, at Paciugo Gelato in Watters Creek which also happened to be my workplace.

It was my very first date ever — and the start of something so much better than either of us expected!

- Jordan