Some relationships don’t start with cute meetings or grand gestures — but with saying hi to someone who you've only ever seen from a distance. Every relationship starts with a moment of this nature that grows into something greater. Likemindedness is not always the pathway to friendship alone — but recognizing when someone is searching for the only person who can meet us where we are and bring us to where He wants us to be creates a bond unlike any other. The Lord’s timing is always perfect & that certainly applies to this story of faith, friendship, and love.

Nicholas & Emily’s story began in August of 2022 when they became co-workers at Publix. Despite working in different departments, they slowly got to know each other through conversations held over their shared brakes, finding mutual interest in the Renaissance Fair, Star Wars & other quirky whimsies.

After six months of limited interactions, Nicholas couldn’t shake the desire for something more and longed to spend time with Emily outside of work. Unfortunately, work-life had one last card to play in keeping the two of them out of each other's sight for two weeks — but in hindsight this may be seen as the Lord’s way of showing Nicholas that he earnestly cared about Emily. When he finally saw her again, he sprung at the chance to have this connection as he was driving out of the parking lot at work catching a long awaited glance of Emily. As a girl who had never been in a relationship before, Emily was slightly hesitant to see Nicholas as anything more than a co-worker & growing friend when she only knew one side of him. Nevertheless, a part of her was curious to see where things could go & what kind of person Nicholas was so she gave him this chance and agreed to meet him at First Watch for their first outing as friends.

Three years later, and a once slow budding friendship has now grown into a daily faith-leading covenant that is on the path toward marriage. No relationship is easy, but the ones that start with a foundation built to endure the storms in life are worth having for all the years to come.