It all started a long time ago in a galaxy far far away. The Milky Way galaxy to be exact. In a small town, called Waukesha, where Mackenzie and I went to college to study the Bible. She was a high-school cheerleader who went to college to study Biology and enter into a medical career. I am a South-African/Philippines-raised missionary kid who wanted to go into a professional cage-fighting career. However, God had different plans for the two of us, and He changed both of our lives for the better when we trusted in His Son for our eternal salvation!

Shortly after both of us enrolled into and started Bible College, we got into a similar friend group. We both avoided each other to the fullest extent due to our differences in personality (Mackenzie was introvert-oriented while I was extremely extroverted and somewhat attention-seeking). However, after I wowed her with my good looks… she fell in love.

Really, it all started at the student welcome desk. Having nothing to do, the two of us started talking and had our first actual conversation: sharing each other’s testimonies. It was here when I, for the first time, saw what a gem and Godly woman Mackenzie is. However, I trusted in my own strength to pursue her, and really just annoyingly followed her around some time (but she enjoyed it).

While my parents visited my sister and I in the States, Mackenzie offered to give me a ride to see them. Since I did not have a driver’s license at the time and Mackenzie wanted to visit my sister, who is a close friend of Mackenzie’s, we would frequently go together. After numerous 40-minute-long car rides full of conversation about how amazing God is and each of our own likes and dislikes, we started to fall for each other.

Eventually, I called Mackenzie, having just missed her and my opportunity to tell her in person that I liked her. She laughed and returned the feeling. After seeking council with our respective mentors, we started dating in a blessed and joyful relationship!