I never could have guessed that a weekend at the lake and a wedding would lead me to the love of a lifetime.

I first met Josh when my best friend, Tiffany, had just started dating Brandon in the summer of 2015. She invited me to join her and Brandon, plus a few mutual friends for a fun day playing in the annual mud volleyball tournament at Lovewell Lake. Brandon's friend, Josh, volunteered to drive and picked us all up at my house in Deshler. We set off to enjoy a sunny August day at the lake near Webber, KS. I don't think we won the mud volleyball tournament, but thinking back to how much mud we had to wash off of ourselves, I'd say we were the team that had the most fun.

After the tournament, our weekend took an unexpected turn when we ended up making a last minute road trip from Lovewell to Harlan County Lake, where we all stayed the night at Josh's lake house. We grilled and enjoyed a few drinks that evening and then spent the next day cruising and racing around the lake in Josh’s boat. Despite all the fun, I didn’t talk much to Josh after that weekend. We went back to our separate lives, catching up only occasionally at New Year’s Eve parties or with a simple and friendly "Happy Birthday", post on Facebook each year that passed.

Fast forward eight years later, Tiffany and Brandon were engaged and began planning their wedding for April 2023. Josh was a groomsman and I was a bridesmaid. To my surprise, we were paired to walk together in the ceremony (However, looking back, I think that was strategically planned by Brandon and Tiffany). I was extremely nervous, but also relieved to be walking with Josh, as I had always had a tiny crush on him, though I never knew if he felt the same about me (as it turns out, he did). I remember sitting next to him before the ceremony began, trying to brainstorm our entrance into the reception. After scrolling TikTok, the only thing I could come up with was Josh "proposing" to me with a surprise beer. Of course, Josh was all for it (a little foreshadowing, maybe?).

Needless to say, we had so much fun that night. After the reception, Josh and I stayed in touch, talking almost every day via Snapchat. Before long, we realized there was something a lot deeper between us. Our first date was in June 2023, and the rest is basically history.

Now, over two years later, I’m still amazed that something so perfectly right could start from such a spontaneous meeting so many years ago. Josh and I are best friends and each other's #1 supporter. We share the same values, passions, and most importantly, love for our families and faith in Christ.

Romans 8:28 says, "In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." What an amazing promise this verse is-- that God continuously works for our good in every circumstance and every experience we face throughout our lives. I think it's safe to say our relationship is an answer to many prayers and our story has been a part of His perfect timing all along. His plans are always good, and they are so worth the wait.