#Gramsteer

Dee and Joseph met more personally in their last year of college. In the past years, they knew about each other but never had the chance to get to know one another. Until, this fateful year of 2021 when they seemed to keep bumping into each other. Scratching their heads and wondering to themselves they didn't think much of it, yet it seemed like God was introducing these two for what was about to come in the next few months. They were both in their separate college ministry as a leader, Joseph in Christian Challenge (C.C) and Dee in Reach. One day one of Dee's friend invited her to go to C.C, so she did. Only to find that her friend wasn't able to go and leaving Dee by herself to go alone. Yet, she did look forward to seeing one person she was fond of and knew a little about. She arrived and she got to meet some good folks who welcomed her, played a group game and she even got to be partnered in a game with Joseph. She felt lucky and learned that he was a funny guy and she admired him more. A few weeks later, Dee committed every week to attend her college ministry and his ministry, to you know, get together with believers in Christ yet, see Joseph and talk with him too. They had long conversations together at Christian Challenge and at Dee's job on Fort Lewis as a front desk employee. One time Joseph talked with Dee at her desk job for about two hours until her shift was over! There was something there for the two. Fast forwarding to 2022, spring semester of college, there was a C.C mission trip in Mexico coming up for their spring break. They both went and God helped them see their spiritual leadership in each other. Much admiration was found for each other. They worked hard, loved the people of Mexico, the location, the humility of trying to speak Spanish, and yearning to connect with the people around them. Dee admired Joseph for his wonderful Spanish speaking skills. After a long day's hard work, Dee would rush to Joseph to ask how his day went and he would share. During downtime, Dee would ask Joseph to dance with her and he felt a little intimidated because he knew she was trying to flirt with him. Although, Joseph did enjoy his time with Dee and everyone around could see that. After the Mexico trip, they realized they needed to talk about what was aching on their hearts for each other. They needed to have "the talk" about being more than friends with each other and it was obvious it needed discussion, thought, and prayer. They had their first discussion together at Nini's Taquiera and they were so nervous especially Dee. They talked a long time and decided they would not date....yet. Although, the conversation did open up their hearts for each other more and it soon led to another meet up for discussion. This next time, they met at a coffee shop and Dee just poured her heart out to Joseph. He sat there listening, almost frozen, and terrified to make any decision for them. Knowing this was a big leap for Joseph, to date again, he acknowledged how far God brought him to love unconditionally and with redeeming love. Dee helped him make that leap to become unfrozen because he realized his love for her was there the whole time and it was time to love again but without fear. Because love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). So their journey began, they decided to go on a date on April 29th of 2022 at Still Life Coffee. About 3 weeks before they would graduate college! At their first date, there was excitement, nervousness, smiling from ear to ear, sappiness towards each other, reflection about God in their lives, giddiness, and high-pitched voices because they were so off the wall for each other! The next few days, they would have spontaneous dates with each other; dancing under gazebos, ice cream, star gazing, coffee shops, homework together, hot springs, movies, drives, and more. The next two years they learn to grow closely with each other and God.

The morning of June 29th, Joseph was downright excited to pop the question to Dee, "Will you marry me?" yet, was nervous because he wanted everything to go smoothly. He woke up early to make sure to write in his prayer journal to reflect on and anticipate the enormity of the day that lay ahead. He wrote about his heart posture before The Lord and Dee. "Lord please place my motivations and desires before you at the foot of the cross. Let me surrender it all to you." Now, it was time for Dee to come over...about 40 steps away from Joseph's place in the same neighborhood/complex. Joseph had to move at a quicker pace than his usual sloth morning self to get her breakfast ready in time. Breakfast was ready, and Dee only had to wait 10-15 minutes for it! Coffee and breakfast was slurped down and devoured and Dee read her first letter about Joseph and Dee's favorite time of the day to be together: bright and early in the morning eating and enjoying breakfast. The next stop was the Fort Lewis gym, although Dee wouldn't realize this until she read her next letter about another favorite activity of the happy couple's: working out together. Unfortunately, it was the weird summer hours of a college gym, so Joseph's schedule was pushed back an hour, resulting in him killing time with an impromptu drive with his love until the gym would open. After a grueling but worthwhile over hour long workout, it was time for the next destination to another favorite activity of Dee and Joseph's: Durango Hot Springs. This was three out of four fours. The first four talked about in the breakfast letter was 14 months together. The next four was all about 24 years old for Dee since her birthday was tomorrow. The third four at the Hot Springs in the third letter/riddle/poem out was all about "our lives 4 God." And, the fourth four would be at the front desk area at Fort Lewis which unfolds "our lives together 4ever." Joseph had created the most hair-brained lie to get Dee to come to Fort Lewis before he said that they would go to their dinner reservation: "Good news Dee! If I get my paperwork printed from Fort Lewis listing all the scholarships I got in college, I get a pay raise at work at Durango High School." Somehow, the lie worked, and Dee went along to campus with him. He nervously told Dee to wait in the car because he would be able to get his "paper work done" while simultaneously he texted the two photographers Saylor and Cassidy hiding in the Student Union that he was there. It was time to get ready. Sounding incredibly suspicious once he was positioned at the front desk, Joseph anxiously told Dee to please come in through a certain door (so the photographers wouldn't be seen.) He knew he'd given away his suspicious behavior, but he just decided to keep going with it. Dee even asked about a speaker that looked exactly like his sitting on the front desk (purposefully placed there by him to play music for when he knelt down). While Joseph supposedly was waiting for his paperwork, it was time for the last four (because the riddle/poem/letter) notes to be read aloud by Dee because Joseph knew he would be too nervous to articulate a speech. The notes all about "our lives together 4ever" that ended on the rhyme of "will you marry me?" To take a step back from the end of this narrative, Joseph was amazed at God's provision of the blessing of Dee in his life, the most wonderful human on earth to him now and forever. Truly and only a gift from the Lord. Also, the fact that the timing on a jam packed day had all worked out including the fact that there was almost no one in the Union. After Joseph popped the question, Dee with her adorable teary eyes said "me?" "yes!" and snatched the ring right out of his hand. The rest of the weekend: photos at the Lion's Den, contacting friends, breakfast, community, lake time, Farmington Chick-Fil-A, Bowling, Hiking, and gathering was pure bliss! And now together in Christ the blissful couple ventures on!