So last year, just about a week after I posted about being single, something uncanny happened. I broke my phone and went to get a new one with my dad at Verizon, and this really mellow looking guy caught my attention. I didn't say anything to him though, other than "I broke my phone," and nothing happened at the store aside from my making a mental note of his name lanyard thing.
I had just moved out, and was by myself because my roomie Mads hadn't arrived from Minnesota yet. That night I was so lonely and bored, and going through a rough time anyways. With the most innocent intentions you could ever imagine, I decided to look up that guy at the Verizon store on Instagram. After sifting through a few Zachary Mikel's, I came across the man I'd seen earlier, and found that he was a talented music producer and posted amazing original music! Convinced he would not remember who I was, I decided to follow him just to see more of his music. I mean, he was pretty cute, too. But yeah.
Soon, he followed me back, and started liking a bunch of my pictures. I was intrigued, and started liking his back (Ah, such millennials). A few days later, I was hanging out with a friend and we were driving down Eagle road. I looked over into a pretty red bimmer next to me; lo & behold my Instagram crush driving alongside me! I did everything possible while driving to get him to notice me, but his eyes were glued to the road.
..this is where it gets a lil creepy..I told my friend to take a picture of his car with my phone, and I sent it to him on Instagram.
It worked though, and after a conversation about our shared personal interests he offered me his number! What a score. I named him "Verizon Guy" and he apparently named me "Stalker"...a love story was born? haha. After a few days of texting we decided to go longboarding together. It was so easy to hangout that we saw each other every day after that: playing music, floating the river, going to dutch bros, watching silly TV shows, going to church and bible study...and after about 2 weeks of this, he asked my dad if we could date. It was pretty much the coolest thing that ever happened to me.
I found it super strange to meet someone and almost immediately become romantically interested in them. Something about Zach felt very peaceful and I never felt like it was risky at all. God had His hand on me, I could feel it.
My relationship with Zach was so contrasting to many of the other relationships I was experiencing at that point in my life. In the past couple years, I've felt a lot of hurt and frustration from the ending of friendships. I have cried out to God and asked why the people I loved so much kept disappearing from my life or changing into completely different people. It was hard not to have closure with friendships God had taken away from me. Because in the end, I felt a lot of reassurance from Job 1:21 - "The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away; Blessed be the name of the Lord." I knew that friendships were really a gift from God and I had no control over those in the long run. God puts people in your life and you love them as hard as you can for as much time as you have.
This was heart-breaking to learn, but also I felt the grace of God on my heart when He gave me the best friend I'd ever had! This best friend is here to stay. I get him my whole life. Zach is the answer to my prayers. I can't believe that I get to be his wife. I also can't believe that a little over a year ago I was mourning singlehood, and I now get to honor God in marriage. It is truly a privilege to do it alongside someone as determined, thoughtful, and God-fearing as Zach. I have loved pushing each other to be better, it has absolutely lightened my load...I really believe we are equally yoked and made to do this thing together.
So, this blogpost is honestly a testament to God's grace and love that He gives to us even when we sure as hell don't deserve it. I am a pencil in the hand of God and I love reading His stories, heartbreak and all. It'll all be worth it :)
