From Will

“That’s a bold move,” was one of the first things I said to Prestley, maybe five minutes into our first date. I just couldn’t help but notice the white pants and thinking how confident she must be to keep the stains from ruining them – wow, even with how careful I could be, I was sure those pants would be a victim of my morning coffee or worse. But without missing a beat, she fired back, “You just bleach ‘em.”

Bleach them? That was a woman with experience in dealing with life; here I was trying to be safe and reserved, while she had the opposite attitude of living to the fullest, facing the consequences, and meeting those challenges with a smile. While I might not have had a full conversation just yet – we’ve only said a handful of words – I knew this woman was special, and if I could just get that second date, this just might be the woman for me.

From Prestley

They say that love hits you like a lightning bolt, but that wasn’t my experience. No, falling in love with William was like being warmed by a fire. Cozy, safe, and slowly thawing my frost-bitten heart. If you don’t know Will, you’ll find that he’s often quiet unless spoken to, and on first impression, I thought, “Oh boy, I’m going to have to work to get him out of his shell.” But he caught me by surprise, and by the end of the date, I was more nervous because I knew there was something different about this man. 

He had a quiet confidence that was equally calming and intimidating. I’ve come to realize that’s because Will knows exactly who he is, and more importantly, he knows whose he is.  

Ironically, the moment I knew I would marry him was the same moment I thought we would break up because I saw how I clearly wasn’t what he was looking for, or so I thought. He wasn’t startled by where I was in my journey, but loved me as I was and encouraged me to continue searching for the truth. I remember his exact words, “I don’t care where you are on your path, only that our arrows are pointed in the same direction.” 

Along the way, he would listen to me talk and answer my questions with more questions; usually while jogging the many miles of trails of Cochran Shoals or Columns Drive. In time, God revealed Himself to me and allowed our relationship to grow into something truly special. In short, Will loved me to Christ, and God blessed me twofold, in giving His Son, Jesus, as my savior, and giving me William as a future husband.