Elena was a sophomore and Josiah was a junior when they met on a youth group summer beach trip. Josiah was captivated by Elena's stunning eyeballs, dazzling smile, contagious joy, and gentle heart. Elena thought Josiah was pretty cool, too. On January 1st, 2020, after getting to know one another, they decided to officially become boyfriend and girlfriend.

Elena lived about an hour and a half away, so they didn’t get to see each other very often. Josiah got his driver's license and tried to visit any weekend he could. He drove across the land, over the hills, and through the great forests, just to unite with his beloved Elena… in the Sacramento area. They learned to make their relationship work long distance for about two years, sometimes going a month without seeing each other. After Elena graduated, she had the opportunity to move to the same city.

When God Stepped In

During the first two years of the relationship, Jesus was on the back-burner of their lives and they were not living out their faith as fully as they could. They had boundaries in their relationship, but their lifestyles were not in alignment with God's instructions. They both had some areas of growth and healing that needed to be addressed. In June of 2022, they went to NorCal youth camp, the Christian summer camp Josiah grew up going to. Josiah (19) was a counselor, and Elena (just graduated high school) was a camper (on separate teams). They agreed prior to youth camp to focus on God during the week, not each other. During that week, God spoke to both of them and they encountered His great love and mercy. Josiah was healed from the weight of the wrongs he'd done against God, others, and himself through Jesus’ forgiveness. The joy, peace, and purpose they were given was unmatched by anything they’d ever known. They knew God wanted them to commit to fully living for Him. When they did, their relationship with one another hit a new level of meaning. It wasn't easy to make changes, but on Jesus's side they weren't alone in any challenges they faced.

Proposing

After about three years of dating, Elena started throwing hints for Josiah to propose. Josiah first wanted to get God's approval. He prayed and prayed, and patiently waited. God had previously instructed Josiah to work on a project and made it clear that he needed to finish it first. He was determined to complete it without compromising quality. Elena patiently waited, supporting his call to honor God first. When Josiah finished, he planned out a thoughtful, private proposal to the most beautiful girl he’d ever met, unmatched in both physical and spiritual beauty. After 4 years, Elena is proud to call Josiah her fiancé (she said “yes”)! She looks forward to marrying the man who has shown her what healthy boundaries and dedication looks like. This kind hearted, generous, playful, reliable, silly couple look forward to a lifetime of loving God and each other!