Wedding Day

Ceremony

Eagles Nest at the Lake

Reception

Ceremony 

Reception 

Our Wedding

This&nbsp;is&nbsp;the&nbsp;tale&nbsp;of&nbsp;Mariana&nbsp;and&nbsp;Josiah,&nbsp;an&nbsp;Oklahoman&nbsp;boy&nbsp;and&nbsp;an&nbsp;Illinoian&nbsp;girl,&nbsp;destined&nbsp;against&nbsp;all&nbsp;odds&nbsp;to&nbsp;fall&nbsp;in&nbsp;love&nbsp;and&nbsp;be&nbsp;married.&nbsp; Our&nbsp;story&nbsp;begins,&nbsp;where&nbsp;all&nbsp;great&nbsp;love&nbsp;stories&nbsp;start:&nbsp;Salina,&nbsp;Kansas.&nbsp;At&nbsp;Saved&nbsp;By&nbsp;Faith&nbsp;Youth&nbsp;Camp,&nbsp;or&nbsp;SBFYC.&nbsp;I The&nbsp;year&nbsp;is&nbsp;2018.&nbsp;Nobody&nbsp;couldn’t&nbsp;have&nbsp;guessed&nbsp;that&nbsp;the&nbsp;most&nbsp;beautiful&nbsp;girl&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;universe&nbsp;would&nbsp;meet&nbsp;her&nbsp;husband&nbsp;to-be&nbsp;at&nbsp;that&nbsp;little&nbsp;church&nbsp;camp,&nbsp;but&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;destined&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;so.&nbsp; While&nbsp;we&nbsp;only&nbsp;met&nbsp;in&nbsp;passing&nbsp;that&nbsp;year,&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;the&nbsp;first&nbsp;time&nbsp;we&nbsp;met.&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;the&nbsp;jock,&nbsp;the&nbsp;all-star&nbsp;quarterback,&nbsp;the&nbsp;devilishly&nbsp;charming&nbsp;lone-wolf.&nbsp;She&nbsp;was&nbsp;the&nbsp;cute&nbsp;nerd&nbsp;who&nbsp;wore&nbsp;glasses,&nbsp;but&nbsp;when&nbsp;she&nbsp;took&nbsp;them&nbsp;off&nbsp;she&nbsp;was&nbsp;the&nbsp;most&nbsp;gorgeous&nbsp;girl&nbsp;anyone&nbsp;did&nbsp;see.&nbsp;Thus,&nbsp;that&nbsp;year&nbsp;passed,&nbsp;without&nbsp;so&nbsp;much&nbsp;as&nbsp;a&nbsp;word&nbsp;in&nbsp;between&nbsp;us.&nbsp;But&nbsp;something&nbsp;took&nbsp;root&nbsp;in&nbsp;Mariana’s&nbsp;heart&nbsp;that&nbsp;year:&nbsp;a&nbsp;firey&nbsp;passion&nbsp;that&nbsp;would&nbsp;only&nbsp;be&nbsp;quenched&nbsp;by&nbsp;my&nbsp;affection. Next&nbsp;year,&nbsp;SBFYC&nbsp;2019:&nbsp;The&nbsp;feelings&nbsp;inside&nbsp;our&nbsp;heroine&nbsp;were&nbsp;reawakened&nbsp;once&nbsp;again.&nbsp;Though&nbsp;she&nbsp;tried&nbsp;to&nbsp;fight&nbsp;the&nbsp;fever&nbsp;that&nbsp;had&nbsp;taken&nbsp;hold&nbsp;of&nbsp;her,&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;just&nbsp;too&nbsp;infatuating&nbsp;to&nbsp;resist.&nbsp;While&nbsp;we&nbsp;spoke&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;lunch&nbsp;line&nbsp;and&nbsp;exchanged&nbsp;occasional&nbsp;greetings,&nbsp;the&nbsp;extent&nbsp;of&nbsp;our&nbsp;communication&nbsp;was&nbsp;merely&nbsp;acquaintanceship.&nbsp; Year&nbsp;2020:&nbsp;disaster.&nbsp;COVID&nbsp;strikes,&nbsp;camp&nbsp;is&nbsp;cancelled.&nbsp;Mariana&nbsp;mourns&nbsp;the&nbsp;absence&nbsp;of&nbsp;her&nbsp;distant&nbsp;inamorato.&nbsp; SBFYC&nbsp;2021:&nbsp;Mariana&nbsp;and&nbsp;Josiah&nbsp;Reunite!&nbsp; Now&nbsp;familiar,&nbsp;our&nbsp;two&nbsp;unwitting&nbsp;pawns&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;great&nbsp;game&nbsp;of&nbsp;love&nbsp;foster&nbsp;friendship&nbsp;and&nbsp;have&nbsp;many&nbsp;stimulating&nbsp;conversations.&nbsp;It&nbsp;is&nbsp;then&nbsp;that&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;first&nbsp;time&nbsp;Josiah&nbsp;begins&nbsp;to&nbsp;wonder&nbsp;at,&nbsp;and&nbsp;admire,&nbsp;the&nbsp;lovable&nbsp;and&nbsp;adventurous&nbsp;spirit&nbsp;that&nbsp;is&nbsp;Mariana&nbsp;Velazquez.&nbsp; 2022:&nbsp;The&nbsp;dark&nbsp;days.&nbsp;Josiah&nbsp;was&nbsp;foolish&nbsp;and&nbsp;blind.&nbsp;Where&nbsp;he&nbsp;had&nbsp;failed&nbsp;to&nbsp;see&nbsp;the&nbsp;beauty&nbsp;and&nbsp;goodness&nbsp;of&nbsp;his&nbsp;once&nbsp;devoted&nbsp;admirer,&nbsp;others&nbsp;had&nbsp;not.&nbsp;Pursued&nbsp;by&nbsp;countless&nbsp;suitors,&nbsp;Mariana’s&nbsp;heart&nbsp;was&nbsp;in&nbsp;high&nbsp;demand.&nbsp;Morose&nbsp;and&nbsp;sullen,&nbsp;Mariana&nbsp;dismissed&nbsp;the&nbsp;possibility&nbsp;of&nbsp;ever&nbsp;winning&nbsp;Josiah’s&nbsp;love&nbsp;(who&nbsp;had&nbsp;hitherto&nbsp;been&nbsp;indifferent&nbsp;and&nbsp;aloof&nbsp;in&nbsp;reply&nbsp;to&nbsp;her&nbsp;honest&nbsp;hints&nbsp;and&nbsp;signals).&nbsp;Josiah,&nbsp;with&nbsp;all&nbsp;his&nbsp;might&nbsp;sought&nbsp;to&nbsp;deny&nbsp;his&nbsp;reluctant&nbsp;feelings,&nbsp;but&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;true:&nbsp;he&nbsp;longed&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;affection&nbsp;which&nbsp;Mariana&nbsp;had&nbsp;once&nbsp;so&nbsp;freely&nbsp;given.&nbsp;But&nbsp;now,&nbsp;she&nbsp;was&nbsp;taken&nbsp;by&nbsp;another&nbsp;man.&nbsp; All&nbsp;seemed&nbsp;loss,&nbsp;and&nbsp;as&nbsp;he&nbsp;bid&nbsp;her&nbsp;farewell&nbsp;that&nbsp;year,&nbsp;he&nbsp;thought&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;very&nbsp;last&nbsp;time.&nbsp;And&nbsp;Mariana,&nbsp;once&nbsp;so&nbsp;enraptured&nbsp;by&nbsp;her&nbsp;young&nbsp;love,&nbsp;fought&nbsp;hard&nbsp;to&nbsp;press&nbsp;down&nbsp;the&nbsp;rising&nbsp;wave&nbsp;of&nbsp;uncertainty&nbsp;and&nbsp;confusion&nbsp;in&nbsp;her&nbsp;heart.&nbsp; All&nbsp;chance,&nbsp;any&nbsp;reality&nbsp;where&nbsp;our&nbsp;heroes&nbsp;reconciled&nbsp;seemed&nbsp;impossible.&nbsp;But&nbsp;God&nbsp;works&nbsp;in&nbsp;mysterious&nbsp;ways,&nbsp;and&nbsp;He&nbsp;wasn’t&nbsp;going&nbsp;to&nbsp;let&nbsp;His&nbsp;match&nbsp;made&nbsp;in&nbsp;heaven&nbsp;diverge&nbsp;for&nbsp;long.&nbsp; And&nbsp;so,&nbsp;we&nbsp;come&nbsp;to&nbsp;Act&nbsp;2&nbsp;in&nbsp;our&nbsp;story.&nbsp;The&nbsp;fateful&nbsp;evening&nbsp;of&nbsp;March&nbsp;5th,&nbsp;2023.&nbsp; Josiah&nbsp;and&nbsp;his&nbsp;trusty&nbsp;comrades,&nbsp;Hudson&nbsp;and&nbsp;Pierce,&nbsp;were&nbsp;adventuring&nbsp;across&nbsp;the&nbsp;Indiana&nbsp;countryside,&nbsp;when&nbsp;night&nbsp;began&nbsp;to&nbsp;fall.&nbsp;We&nbsp;began&nbsp;to&nbsp;search&nbsp;for&nbsp;a&nbsp;campground,&nbsp;or&nbsp;a&nbsp;Walmart&nbsp;parking&nbsp;lot,&nbsp;anywhere&nbsp;to&nbsp;stay&nbsp;until&nbsp;the&nbsp;morning&nbsp;light.&nbsp;While&nbsp;we&nbsp;were&nbsp;deliberating&nbsp;or&nbsp;best&nbsp;option,&nbsp;I&nbsp;recalled&nbsp;a&nbsp;memory,&nbsp;until&nbsp;that&nbsp;moment&nbsp;hence&nbsp;long&nbsp;buried:&nbsp;Mariana&nbsp;lived&nbsp;in&nbsp;Illinois,&nbsp;and&nbsp;we&nbsp;were&nbsp;just&nbsp;about&nbsp;to&nbsp;pass&nbsp;through.&nbsp;Surely,&nbsp;she&nbsp;would&nbsp;be&nbsp;kind&nbsp;enough&nbsp;to&nbsp;let&nbsp;them&nbsp;park&nbsp;in&nbsp;their&nbsp;driveway&nbsp;for&nbsp;a&nbsp;night.&nbsp; Hesitantly,&nbsp;I&nbsp;dialed&nbsp;her&nbsp;number.&nbsp;Mariana&nbsp;was&nbsp;confused&nbsp;to&nbsp;hear&nbsp;my&nbsp;voice&nbsp;through&nbsp;the&nbsp;other&nbsp;side.&nbsp; “Friend&nbsp;Mariana”&nbsp;said&nbsp;I,&nbsp;“thou&nbsp;hast&nbsp;been&nbsp;my&nbsp;bosom&nbsp;companion&nbsp;throughout&nbsp;our&nbsp;time&nbsp;at&nbsp;church&nbsp;camp.&nbsp;Would&nbsp;you&nbsp;grant&nbsp;me&nbsp;and&nbsp;my&nbsp;brethren&nbsp;a&nbsp;nights&nbsp;stay&nbsp;in&nbsp;your&nbsp;parent’s&nbsp;driveway?”&nbsp; “Oh&nbsp;Josiah”&nbsp;Mariana&nbsp;spoke&nbsp;sweetly.&nbsp;“I&nbsp;would&nbsp;never&nbsp;dream&nbsp;of&nbsp;letting&nbsp;you&nbsp;take&nbsp;refuge&nbsp;in&nbsp;our&nbsp;driveway.&nbsp;Nay,&nbsp;rather,&nbsp;we&nbsp;will&nbsp;prepare&nbsp;the&nbsp;finest&nbsp;beds&nbsp;for&nbsp;thee,&nbsp;and&nbsp;will&nbsp;serve&nbsp;a&nbsp;banquet&nbsp;to&nbsp;satiate&nbsp;your&nbsp;likely&nbsp;famished&nbsp;appetites.”&nbsp; Overjoyed&nbsp;by&nbsp;my&nbsp;old&nbsp;friend’s&nbsp;generosity,&nbsp;my&nbsp;fellows&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;made&nbsp;our&nbsp;way&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;abode&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;fair&nbsp;Mariana.&nbsp; Once&nbsp;there,&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;then&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;first&nbsp;time&nbsp;I&nbsp;had&nbsp;the&nbsp;pleasure&nbsp;of&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;the&nbsp;master&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;house,&nbsp;Mariana’s&nbsp;father:&nbsp;Christopher&nbsp;Carter.&nbsp;Mr.&nbsp;Chris&nbsp;was&nbsp;a&nbsp;towering&nbsp;and&nbsp;formidable&nbsp;man,&nbsp;who&nbsp;scowled&nbsp;upon&nbsp;me&nbsp;questioningly&nbsp;with&nbsp;a&nbsp;gaze&nbsp;that&nbsp;would&nbsp;curdle&nbsp;even&nbsp;the&nbsp;bravest&nbsp;of&nbsp;spirits.&nbsp;However,&nbsp;not&nbsp;one&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;intimidated,&nbsp;Josiah&nbsp;and&nbsp;his&nbsp;company&nbsp;entertained&nbsp;Mariana&nbsp;and&nbsp;her&nbsp;family,&nbsp;by&nbsp;regaling&nbsp;many&nbsp;tales&nbsp;of&nbsp;their&nbsp;feats&nbsp;and&nbsp;adventures.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was&nbsp;then&nbsp;that&nbsp;Josiah’s&nbsp;charismatic&nbsp;and&nbsp;irresistible&nbsp;personality&nbsp;awoke&nbsp;once&nbsp;again&nbsp;the&nbsp;dormant&nbsp;passion&nbsp;inside&nbsp;Mariana.&nbsp;Though&nbsp;I&nbsp;left&nbsp;the&nbsp;following&nbsp;morning,&nbsp;this&nbsp;time,&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;not&nbsp;leaving&nbsp;Mariana&nbsp;behind.&nbsp; For&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;short&nbsp;while,&nbsp;at&nbsp;SBFYC&nbsp;2023,&nbsp;I&nbsp;would&nbsp;proclaim&nbsp;my&nbsp;love&nbsp;to&nbsp;her&nbsp;for&nbsp;the&nbsp;first&nbsp;time.&nbsp; Our&nbsp;courtship&nbsp;was&nbsp;great&nbsp;and&nbsp;fruitful.&nbsp;Even&nbsp;though&nbsp;hundreds&nbsp;of&nbsp;miles&nbsp;lay&nbsp;between&nbsp;them,&nbsp;their&nbsp;love&nbsp;only&nbsp;grew.&nbsp; And&nbsp;in&nbsp;another&nbsp;year’s&nbsp;time,&nbsp;at&nbsp;SBFYC&nbsp;2024,&nbsp;I&nbsp;proposed&nbsp;to&nbsp;that&nbsp;girl.&nbsp; And&nbsp;on&nbsp;March&nbsp;1st&nbsp;2025,&nbsp;a&nbsp;new&nbsp;chapter&nbsp;will&nbsp;begin.

Mariana & Josiah

Mariana & Josiah

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