In 2021, I moved away from Chattanooga to work for Young Life in Franklin, TN.

At the time, it was an uncomfortable move for me. Chattanooga had been a part of my story for 5 years prior and I was sad to say goodbye.

Little did I know that city would soon cross my path again. This time, in the form of a cute girl who happened to be working there.

Every September, Williamson County Young Life goes to camp with Chattanooga. Which is precisely how I would find myself spending Labor Day Weekend with a new girl Chattanooga had hired. As soon as I saw Taylor, I remember her catching my eye. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t trying to shoot my shot.

We hit it off that weekend and even ended up as square dance partners by pure coincidence (wink, wink). Before we went our separate ways, I worked up the nerve to ask Taylor out.

For reasons unbeknownst to me, she said yes.

A month or so later, we would finally work out our first date. After that, well, we just never really stopped. I soon found myself driving to Chattanooga every chance I got to go and see this girl. We dated for a year over FaceTime and weekends. In the midst of that, I started to realize this girl was different. I couldn’t get down to Chattanooga fast enough and going back home felt hard to do.

After a year and a half of dating, I decided I was tired of being Taylor’s boyfriend. So I went down to Naples secretly to ask her parents if I could be her husband.

A few short months later, we were engaged and I think I may still be the only person to ever surprise Taylor. Let me tell you, it wasn’t easy.

When I think about our story, I can’t help but feel like God was at work in every detail. Chance encounters, a square dance, the timing of our paths crossing. In so many ways, God has been writing our story together before we even knew it.

The beautiful thing is that this is just the beginning of the story. I know that our best days are still far ahead of us and I can’t wait to see what God has in store.

It is our prayer that our marriage is a reflection of His love for us. We are so grateful that He has led us to each other and hope that our story and our marriage allow us to bring other to Him.

Here’s to a girl from New Jersey falling for a guy from Sparta, TN and to the story God continues to write in their lives!