Despite coming to Southwest Baptist University at the exact same time and living on a pretty small campus together, Jonathan and I somehow managed to completely avoid each other for the first two years we were there.

We finally met at the beginning of our third year of school when he became a RA (I’d already been one for a semester before he started) and he started going to Springhill Baptist Church (I'd also already been going there for a semester before him). After two years of having never seen him or even hearing his name, he was suddenly around me all the time. The first time I remember talking to him was during a spontaneous game night in September with some of our mutual friends where we played Sushi Go. A few days after that I went to my friend Brook Duncan, now Stafford, and told her to set me up with anyone she wanted. She said, “What about Jonathan Cunningham?”

As she plotted to set us up, Jonathan and I kept finding ourselves together whether that be running into each other in the Student Union or both signing up to study the life of C.S. Lewis in Ireland through our school (very important detail for later). After two months of us "accidentally" running into each other and orchestrating movie nights with friends so we could hang out, Jonathan asked me on our first date. I was awed by his intentionality, Christ-centeredness, and boldness; he asked me to be his girlfriend on the first date...to which I said no. After two weeks of praying and talking to wise people in my life, we went on our second date where he asked me to be his girlfriend again. Of course, I said yes.

Jonathan has been my favorite person and someone I've always felt so natural and comfortable around, which is not normal for me to feel around most people. He has time after time again made me feel so loved with his intentionality (getting to know me through a list of 1,000 questions that we went through together over five months) and desire to keep Christ at the center of our relationship by leading us so well.

In May of this year, we finally went on the trip to Ireland we had signed up for back in September. I am not a fan of surprises so I 100% knew the proposal was coming. On May 13 Jonathan proposed in Rostrevor, Ireland on a little trail called the Fairy Glen in the pouring rain. It was so perfect and romantic and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I praise the Lord for how He has consistently provided for us throughout our relationship, making it possible for us to meet, giving us wisdom as we pursue each other, allowing for us to travel together, and now leading us into marriage!

Going into my senior year of college, I was praying that God would bless me with the most amazing girl.

There are a few things that happened which led to the two of us meeting. The first was the both of us were RAs at SBU. We probably first saw each other after two years of going to the same school at RA training before school started in 2023. The other important thing that happened which led to us talking was that we both were going to the same church, Spring Hill Baptist in Springfield, MO. The last thing was that I began hanging out with Michael and Natasha Deschenes. Natasha was Lucys boss at the time, a friend to her.

A few weeks went when I saw an Instagram post on her dorms page where she was dancing in it. I thought she was really cute, so I sent her a follow request.

I began to think of ways to put myself into places where the two of us could be together. At some point, I asked to hang out with the Deschenes at their apartment, hoping that Lucy would be there. And lo and behold... she was! So we all played games in the lobby, which was so fun!

Time goes on, and I continued to put myself in places where I would run into her. We watched movies together, talked in the Union at school, played games together, and so on.

After lots of prayer and time, I decided that I wanted to ask Lucy out. So I talked to Michael to see what he thought of her and if I should ask her out. He had nothing but great things to say about her.

I had to wait to ask her though since she was in the hospital for a few days. We also spent a day in the cold, rainy day to make my Halloween costume. I was making a Thomas the Train costume. This was just a big box on a little cart I made. So she helped me paint the box. Like I said, she was sick at the time and it was really bad weather out yet she still came out and helped me. I figured she was at least interested in me since she was willing to do that.

We were here hanging out by now, so when we were in my dorms office, I asked her if she would like to go on a date with me. She said yes.

We went to Black Sheep, then we painted pottery and got coffee. It was a great first date, so good even that I asked her if she would be my girlfriend. She replied to this with no, but to ask her on the second date. So I was happy since we had a second date. So we went on the date and I asked her the same thing, this time she said yes.

Time went on, and we went on many more dates. At some point, we signed up for the trip to Ireland with SBU. I jokingly told my Mom that we might get engaged there. I also joked about that with pretty much everyone I knew. Then I actually thought about it and realized it was really possible to get engaged there.

Joke turned to reality, and we got to Ireland, where I had a beautiful woman and a ring. So in the village of Rostrevor in Northern Ireland, in a perfect cloud of rain and vibrant green plants, I asked Lucy to be my wife, to which she said yes.