Jacob and I have such a unique story! God's hand was VISIBLY in all of it. This is not something I share lightly, but it is too much of a testament to God's goodness not to share it.

November 2022 I was down on my knees beside my bed praying for my future husband, as I did often. There was an unusual heaviness that night for God to bring me who I had been praying and waiting for, for years now. It had been a long-winded test of faithfulness and endurance, and I had felt confident I had done everything I could to prepare for my person. God did such a work in me the years before meeting Jacob--preparing me in ways (I now know) would be crucial in order to meet the type of man I desired/ needed. November 2022 down on my knees in prayer, I said "Amen" and longingly asked God if he would share my husband's name with me. Not thinking he would (because hello, that's pretty wild), I immediately heard an "air drop" in my spirit and God spoke the name "Jacob" to me. Looking back at this moment I laugh at the way that we (me) can completely underestimate God's power and ability to show himself in supernatural ways. At this time, just for context, I had NO ONE in my life that I knew named Jacob. I did not know anyone by this name, so naturally, I assumed maybe I made it up myself in my head, and disregarded (which normally I will write down when God speaks to me in these ways, but in my head I'm like no chance God just actually told me my husband's name), so I go about my night and forget it ever happened.

Fast forward to 1-2 months later, December 2022.

I am finishing up my first semester at Highlands College, and am serving at Church of the Highlands every Sunday. One of the first Sundays of December, I noticed this blonde-haired guy who looked familiar to me. For some reason, it just now clicked that he was in my Highlands College class (a large class) and sits across the room from me. We had never spoken before, and I did not know his name. It was interesting that he stood out to me randomly the beginning of December instead of earlier, and I noticed him in a way that I had not before. We served at Church together and had seen each other in passing for months, sitting in class together across the room for months, and I noticed he was attractive, but I never thought beyond that. I was truly so singularly focused on chasing Jesus that I did not even take enough time to truly "notice" him. But all of a sudden, I definitely noticed him. This was interesting to me, since my prayer for over a year before that was for God to blind my heart until it was time to meet my person, and then similar to Ruth and Boaz, for God to drop the veil from my eyes when it was my time to meet my person. I did not want to be distracted by anything else until it was His specific pick for me. Trusting my own male judgement in the past always failed me, funny enough. So I knew better. For two years, I asked God to cover my eyes until the time was right, and He was ready to place who he had for me in front of me. I noticed Jacob in a new way beginning of December, but kept staying close to the Lord and not allowing myself to get too far ahead mentally (that's what girls do in case you didn't know). I still had not talked to him, and still did not know his name. I would notice him from afar at church after our semester ended, but that was it.

At the end of December, our church held a week of church services. The first service of the week I attended with my friend Abby (who is now a bridesmaid!) and Kennedy, my sister and Maid of Honor. We were leaving the service to go take a picture in the Lobby next to the Christmas Tree, when I noticed the same blonde-haired guy standing there with a group of friends talking. I had seen him before and thought he was cute, but again, we never talked. As we're walking Abby whispered in my ear "who is that guy?! he keeps staring at you!"-- I started laughing, super confused and genuinely shocked when she pointed to the blonde guy. It was a very weird coincidence that he noticed me, since I figured he didn't even know I existed. I thought he may have even had a girlfriend! I had no clue! I laughed and replied "No, he's probably just looking because we're in the same class at Highlands College and he recognizes me from there". Abby laughed back, "Oooookay. He will not look away and he keeps staring". Kennedy and Abby won't let it go and keep noticing the staring as we walk up to take a picture near his group. I now notice the staring and Abby encourages me to go say hi. I said absolutely not and got our picture taken and left, lol. While we were at lunch, they would not let it go. It sparked some hope and excitement in me, but I knew better than to let my mind wander over seemingly nothing. I brushed it off and let it go. Days later, I was serving at one of the last Christmas services before Kennedy and I left to fly out to San Diego for UNC's bowl game to meet our family. I was greeting and holding the doors to the auditorium, when the same blonde-haired guy walked out of my door and we met face to face for the first time. I was speechless and awkward, probably thanks to my friends who were already teasing me about our meaningless interaction days prior. He fumbled his words, I fumbled mine, and it was like we were back in middle school. We both said we blacked out and don't remember what we said, but were trying to play it cool. It was a very quick exchange, but during that exchange, I noticed something. His name tag.....it said "Jacob". In a split second it was like God lowered the veil. So many revelations came crashing down. I remembered that moment in prayer in November. And suddenly, I thought to myself... could this be real? Surely this is just a coincidence, there is NO way, right? I had barely spoken a few sentences to this man and barely talked to him. I couldn't get ahead of myself.

But at least 5 different times throughout that night, he would casually walk out my door instead of the other remaining 4 he could've chosen. It was obvious to me he kept wanting to be seen by me, but we still did not speak after our first encounter. I left that night smiling ear to ear. Something in my spirit knew... that maybe this could be it. Kennedy and I got in the car and she said "why are you so smiley?"

"Nothing" I replied

but I knew.

The next day we flew out to California for a week. On the plane ride there, with my bible opened, the name "Jacob" in scripture jumped out to me off the page in ways I had never experienced before. I had always noticed that name in scripture but somehow, reading it this time was different. It was like the text was bolded. Our 10 second interaction replayed in my head for days until I waved it off and put it to the side. Once we returned to Birmingham, Kennedy and I were having a picnic in the park doing a Bible Study, and we sat on the park bench and talked. I turned to her and said "You're going to think I'm absolutely crazy. Ready?" I asked. She nodded and I continued. I shared the story of my prayer time back in November and how God spoke the name Jacob to me. "Kennedy, I think he's my husband. I can't even explain it, I just feel it. It's like I just KNOW, and I don't even know him!!! But I know he's my husband." I went on and on explaining what God was revealing to me and all the reasons I felt like this could be it. I was almost positive-- and I had learned the hard way not to be too sure with this kind of thing in the past, but this time was different. I was sure enough to look like a fool if it ended up being a coincidence. Kennedy's eyes got wide and she replied "I absolutely believe you and I think he is". We sat on the park bench and laughed "If this actually happens, won't this be the best God story ever?", I asked. "It would be insane", Ken said. I told her how I had no idea where to go from here, and that I literally did not even know this man. How in the world did I know this deep in my heart and spirit that this unknown stranger was going to be my HUSBAND? It was the oddest and most beautiful feeling in the world. And I had no idea what to do about it.

A week later, Abby invited me to serve with her at mid-week, a student night at church. I knew Jacob would be there because I knew he was super involved in Midweek. I felt shy and awkward, very unlike me, and almost passed up the offer, but Abby dragged me out of the house. I arrived and saw him through the glass doors, I immediately wanted to RUN. I felt so awkward !!! "I'm crazy", I thought. "I made all this up in my head, he probably has a girlfriend, what if I don't even like his personality if I get to know him"-- SO many what ifs!!! But, God was gently laughing at me the entire time and just urging me to trust Him. I passed Jacob in the hallway and said "Hi Jacob!" as we walked by. I wanted him to know slightly that I at least knew his name, knew who he was. He briefly said hi and kept walking.

After service, Abby walked me to my car. She was smiling at me and looked guilty. "Don't kill me, okay?" she said.

"oh my gosh what did you do...", I questioned.

Abby told me that she knew I thought the blonde-haired guy was very cute (the only person that knew about the name thing was Kennedy at the time), and so she approached Jacob in the lobby while I was inside the auditorium, and asked him if he had a girlfriend. He said no, and she said "Good, because my friend thinks you're really cute but she would kill me if she knew I was telling you this". She said Jacob's eyes lit up and he knew exactly which friend she was talking about. He said he thought I had a boyfriend the entire time and there was no way that I felt that way about him. He said he thought I was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen but there was no way I was single and interested! Abby said she definitely thinks I would be, and in that moment he was determined to talk to me/ pursue me. I was so starstruck that night that Jacob felt the same way I did and noticed me too, that I couldn't believe it. It didn't feel real!

That upcoming Sunday, Jacob approached me at church, and asked me out on our first date. During our first date, the entire time he was talking, I knew I was going to marry him. God had been spot on, and I knew within the first couple of sentences. It was surreal. I got in my car afterwards and texted my mom "I know this sounds crazy, but I just found my husband. I'm going to marry this man." -- and the rest is history! We dated for 10 months, got engaged, and are now counting down the days to December! The almost 2 years I've had with Jacob have shown me how wonderful it was to wait on God's timing. It is so evident how God chose us for each other. We feel so incredibly blessed and grateful!

Side note (from Jacob's perspective-- we debriefed all of this on our second date and had the best time EVER it was like putting all the pieces of a puzzle together):

Christmas service when he was staring: he turned to his friend when I walked by and said "That's my wife. I'm going to marry that girl." Jacob said he has never in his life felt that way or said something like that, but something in him "just knew". That's why he couldn't stop staring. I was shocked when he told me this!!! He had to look me up on the class roster, he didn't even know my name. He told me this story before I told him about the name story, which was so crazy. God was working behind the scenes so evidently!

Christmas services later in the week: He said he actually accidentally came out my door while I was serving, but once he saw it was mine, he intentionally only went out my door the rest of the night to try and get my attention to build up the courage to talk to me again. And we both blacked out and don't remember what we said during our first exchange. So funny! Our pastor and officiant, Blake Lindsey, casually approached us during our conversation to say hi, and we still laugh about it to this day that we don't remember at all what he said or what we said. It was all a blur in the moment, and Blake had no idea when he walked up! lol.

Motion Midweek: He said when I said his name in passing, he freaked out and kept thinking "she knows my name?! how does she know my name?" and when Abby approached him, he said he felt like it wasn't real. He was in another universe. There was no way I had felt the same way he did. He said after their conversation he went behind one of the poster board signs and started jumping up and down with excitement, LOL.

It was so cool to see how God was working in both of us, on our behalf, to one another behind the scenes. We cannot wait to finally make it official and celebrate with you in December! Thanks for reading!