Hey guys! It's Natalia here. I'll be telling our story on here because Lord knows that I am better typing out my words than speaking them out loud. Tyler can tell our story very well in person, but I'll go into detail on here because I can!

Tyler was a traveling musician as well as an entrepreneur (still is, haha!). He played drums on tour for many Christian artists, and bounced around to places like Nashville, Daytona, and Seattle. He has worked with churches to better the culture and serve in the worship department as well as the media department. He has a servant's heart that I absolutely love!

I've heard about Tyler from his brother and his mom before. When I was in youth group, his brother Ryan showed me his Instagram to give a face to the name and I thought, 'Wow, that's cool!'. Little did I know, that small glimpse at a my friend's brother would be a picture of my future husband.

I thought I would never meet him, actually. He was 'The man, the myth, the legend, Tyler Pruitt!'. He came and visited his parents here in Tampa, and we never crossed paths. God knows, if we would have met any sooner, neither of us would have been ready. This is how perfect God's timing is. How He weaved our stories together is a testament of His goodness and faithfulness in both of our lives.

I have been at the Crossing Church in Brandon, Florida for all of my life. My parents were saved there, and I was saved there. I now work as a part-time staff member, leading the high school/middle school and young adult ministries in worship, and I love it!

Fast-forward to the beginning of 2020! What a year. Everyone and their mother was declaring '2020 Vision'. This was going to be the year of clarity! This was going to be the year of greatness! However in February, the COVID virus had changed that vision completely. Church was now closed, and I was no longer able to lead worship for the students anymore. No one knew how long this would last. I thought it would be two weeks at most. That was obviously not the case.

At the beginning of 2020, we were planning for the Easter service and I heard one of our worship pastors, Jon exclaim, "Yes! Tyler Pruitt is playing for Easter!", while pumping his fist in the air. I finally had the chance to meet him!

We ended up being around each other a lot after meeting because of the recording of our online services due to the mandatory quarantine. For every weekend, First Wednesday service, and noon prayer recording, Tyler was playing drums and I was singing. I got to learn so much by simply watching him. There was no hidden agenda, no desire for a relationship on either of our ends. I just saw a beautiful, authentic heart.

Fast-forward to July. It was a Thursday night and I had just finished hosting a life group for church. It was almost midnight and I was exhausted, sitting at the table and hanging out with my family and my friends Jennifer and Marco. All of the sudden, I hear a voice similar to my own playing on Jen's phone. Jennifer shoves her phone in my face and says, "GIRL! Release your music already!". She had saved a video from two years ago of me singing a song that I had written. She went on and on about the power in the songs that I write and how they were not only for me. God wanted other people to hear those songs too! I had never felt so convicted about hiding my music. I had kept it inside for so long, and in that moment I felt that the Lord had opened my eyes. I cried out to Him that night and asked Him to send me someone that understood me in order to produce my music the way that it is meant to be.

The very next day, I was invited to worship alongside my lead worship pastor, Pastor Bruno at this church called The Resting Place. When I arrived there, I saw that Tyler was playing drums for the night. I was talking with Bruno before rehearsal and he told me that Tyler was producing a song for him. Pause. Do you remember my prayer from last night? Then ONE DAY after, I learn that Tyler produces music?! There are no accidents, as Master Oogway would say!! Without hesitation, I asked him that night about producing my music. He said yes!

That following Wednesday, we met up in the studio and produced my first song, 'Meant For Me'. We worked that day and the next day, finishing the song in two days. It was so freeing and fun. All of the fear that came from our first impression disappeared. He was now someone that I felt safe around, and it was like any barrier that stood in the way of our friendship was knocked down. It seemed that the Lord had more for us because the next week, he began to pursue me! We went on our first date!

My heart pounds in my chest as I write this because of how special he is to me. Our story is greater than us. Remembering the story of how God brought us together will always cause me to thank God.

I made a vow that I would never get married a year before Tyler and I met. Marriage isn't promised in the Bible and after two failed relationships, I had decided my own destiny. However, I had a desire to be married and I knew that if God placed that desire there then He would make a way. I went through a Freedom class at my church, and repented for making that vow. A few months after that, I met Tyler.

Both of us are excited for this new season in our life. There are already so many new stories in the making, and all of them will trace back to the goodness of God. We wouldn't be where we are without Him. To those of you who read to the very end, thank you for reading our story! We hope you see that God redeemed both of us through His love and mercy. There is no one He cannot redeem. That includes you. He loves you. We love you!

Registry

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