“Sis. Seneatha, this isn’t your AYC; it’s your BAEYC!” These words became a common refrain on my AYC Trip to Senegal. They were inspired by my interactions with a man named Jared I had encountered in New York City, just as I was exiting Terminal 4 at JFK. I was headed to meet the rest of the trip chaperones in order to explore the city for the night when he caught my eye at the end of the terminal. As I approached the stranger who was smiling at me, I realized he recognized me and we chatted about the events of the evening. (His heart had also immediately identified me as the “pretty woman who stood out to him in a sea of people,” but I didn’t know any of that yet.) He was in town to see his sister, but wanted to meet up in the evening to hang out with myself and the other chaperones. The group made plans to meet at The Edge (which features some of my favorite views of New York City) after which we all decided to grab dinner in Little Italy. Jared, who had kindly made our reservations, also confidently told us the wrong train. By the time we realized our mistake we had ridden all the way up to Harlem, instead of down to Little Italy for dinner. We stopped, ran off the train to the other side of the tracks and headed back in the right direction. That little mishap had us arriving in Little Italy around 11:30 PM. It didn’t seem to matter how late it was as Jared sat by me. We were both looking at the menu, indecisively torn between pizza or pasta. Jared suggested we share, with each person choosing a dish to surprise the other. I developed an immediate fondness for this new friend of mine who spoke my love language: “adventures with food.” I didn’t over-analyze our connection, I was just grateful to have a good friend I immediately knew would be someone to talk to during the trip. I remember how he made me laugh. When faced with corny things, I usually roll my eyes and run, but something about him made me stay and laugh instead. Jared could always be found next to me for the first few days of the trip. I thought nothing of it and was surprised when others asked about it. “I enjoy talking to him," I would say. Jared later told me he enjoyed my company so much and loved making me laugh to the extent his brain was working overtime to find ways I needed “help” with trip items or details. Enter the acronym: “BAEYC.” Members of the group would say things like: “There is something between you all. Haven’t you noticed the way he looks at you? It’s making us blush.” Jared, a tad introverted as he is, didn’t like all of the attention. Hearing the comments caused him to withdraw, almost ignoring me. I wasn’t sure what had happened. He turned cold, which was a full one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn from the beginning of the trip. It didn’t bother me terribly until he began to talk to a few other girls. I couldn’t help but notice I didn’t like that one bit! When I realized I was jealous, it hit me, I had actual feelings for this man. Although that was unexpected, as well as a lot to process, I couldn’t deny that I was interested in seeing where this could go. A few conversations, a trip home, and one week later we went on our first date. When he told me he loved me, I cried. Things may have moved fast, but it turns out they say: “When you know, you know” because it’s the truth. Although Jared knew he wanted to propose to me, everything really solidified for him when he spent Thanksgiving with my family and me. He went home and bought the ring he would give me Christmas of 2022. I was crying again at the Grove Park Inn at sunset. I said "yes" with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background as a photographer captured all my dearest dreams coming true. Jared is everything I have prayed for, and countless happy tears besides. I cannot wait to marry the man the Lord saved just for me in June of 2023. Our God truly gives the best gifts.