I know we’re the last to update, but I’ve been out of commission for the past five days. I had my wisdom teeth removed, and let me tell you, it was no fun!

The love story of Jacob and Chantel … ha-ha:

Before I met Jacob I was at a point in my life were I was ready for a change. I was ready to fully give my life back to Christ and I didn’t want anything or anyone distracting me.

Jacob and I were introduced at a friend’s birthday party. It wasn’t anything special; there were no fireworks or magic. It was just me meeting another person. I was hanging out with my friend Krystina a lot and she started bringing me to this home fellowship that Jacob attended. Jacob was very flirtatious and I wasn’t. One night after home fellowship, we were at a friends surprise party and Jacob went; I remember my friend Sarah and I were exchanging phone numbers and all of a sudden Jacob comes up to me with his phone out asking me for my number. I can’t even tell you how many times I turned him down. He must have asked me a dozen times for my number and I said no. So, finally, I gave in and gave it to him.

You have to remember; it wasn’t that I wasn’t attracted to Jacob or anything like that; but I was at a point in my life where I wanted all of my attention and energy to be on God and Him alone. I didn’t want the distraction of dating or having a boyfriend because at the time I felt like that would only bring me down.

A couple of days later I went riding quads with my dad at this really rugged trail at Lake Moreno. Something happened when I was riding to were my quad was on two wheels and I fell off and all 600 lbs. of it rolled over on top of me. I was only by the grace of God that I came out of that with a few scratches and a bruised knee. Jacob heard about my accident and decided to call me to see if I was okay. We were talking for a good hour on the phone. He told me later; that night he went to a friends house and told her that he was just on the phone with the person he was going to marry. Let me remind you that Jacob and I only knew each other for about a week and we weren’t even dating.

By then Jacob was calling me more and I was starting to develop feelings for him. He would bring me soup when I was sick and hang out with me.

I was constantly praying; Lord, if this is not the man I am suppose to marry take him out of my life. I don’t want to date; I’m over having boyfriends that last a few months. I’m serious about my walk with you Lord and if Jacob isn’t it for me; then I don’t want it.

I can’t even tell you how many times I prayed that. And the thing is; God never took him out of my life. Even when I was starting to fall in love with him; I would be on my knees praying if he wasn’t it, I didn’t want it.

That’s how I knew Jacob was the man I was supposed to be with and marry.

I get that question all the time, “How did you know he was the one?” And I tell people my testimony of how faithful God is and how He does provide. Everything happens on His perfect timing.

The best advice I can give people who are about to embark on marriage is this: on your wedding day just take five minutes with your husband or wife and take everything in. It all goes by so fast you’re left wondering where it all went. Enjoy your day and remember that is only happens once. Marriage is one of the greatest gifts from God and people seem to take it so lightly. A lot of people think because we are young that since it is a huge commitment that we’re taking marriage lightly and just did it on a whim. But that is so not even close to the truth.

For better or for worse, till death do us part; those are our vows and that is how it will be for the rest of our lives.

Chantel

You can check out some photos from our personal collection here