We love our story because we believe it is a testimony to the gospel and redemption of Jesus Christ. We met when we were seventeen years old on a blind date. We shared the awkward end of our teen years together, fumbling through a broken, selfish relationship before painfully going our separate ways. We both encountered the grace of God in our early 20s, deciding to believe Jesus is Lord and that the gospel is true. Jesus became real to us, alive and involved in our day to day lives. We began to trust the cross truly paid our debt of sin in full and that the sacrifice of Jesus paved the way for reconciled relationship with the One who created us and loves us most. God met us in our messiness and began to heal the wounds wrought from our broken relationship. We fully believe the Lord lovingly separated us to bring us to Himself - the only place our needs are fully satisfied. Alex completed school at West Point and pursued a career as an Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army while Cecilia attended The Ohio State University and moved to France to pursue a career in foreign relations. Both of us cherished these years, growing in friendship with Jesus and being formed into His image. Five years later, with Alex living in New York and Cecilia in Washington D.C., Alex couldn't get Cecilia out of his head (much to her delight and constant teasing now). Over many months, and many sushi dates, it became apparent that we were running after the same goal - to truly know Jesus and make him known. Alex's patient and consistent pursuit of Cecilia has been a direct illustration of God's relentless pursuit to be in relationship with his people. Cecilia’s gentle love and devotion for Alex has represented how believers, Christ’s bride, respond to such faithful love. We know what relationship is without Jesus. We have lived through the heartbreak and the wreckage. Through the grace of God, we now know the joy of relationship the way God intended— two people fully satisfied in Jesus first, freed up to love selflessly and lavishly. Brokenness turned to wholeness. Shame turned to freedom. This is the gospel of Jesus, and we are so honored to carry a story that carries His name.