We met on ChristianMingle in August of 2012; I actually meant to sign up for a different Christian dating website that someone recommended, and I even had a code for a discount! After submitting my profile, I realized I had forgotten the code! Naturally, I went back to look for the code to see what discount I missed out on when the “oh no!” moment happened – I’d signed up for the wrong site! Laughing it off and seeing it as an adventure, I began the process of online dating through ChristianMingle.
I am a former “Buckey” girl turned California girl. Eleven days after signing up on ChristianMingle, I saw Danyel’s profile and was curious about this Midwest Indiana boy. I made the first move by reaching out to Danyel, which caught his attention. He then followed up with something funny about my love of Starbucks. From that moment on, communication progressed quickly from two e-mails exchanged a day, to the first phone call lasting more than three hours! Since I lived in California, we planned to meet in-person over the Christmas holidays, when I came to visit my family in Ohio.
Our first date took place on Christmas Eve and consisted of a two-hour coffee date at Starbucks, Danyel’s truck being towed, and a snow storm! Despite the obstacles, we were excited to spend more time together later that week.
How do you know you should continue a relationship with someone? Some people just “know” as they progress through their relationship and love is a gradual process. Others have this one moment to pinpoint the time when they fell in love and knew this person was “the one.” I was a mix of the two. My love deepened as I got to know Danyel, but on New Years’ Eve, while having breakfast together, I knew this was the man I wanted to marry and I hoped he felt the same way. I actually told Danyel about that moment a month later and he said the Lord confirmed the same thing to him the very same day! Our God is a God of mystery and love!
Danyel proposed on March 30, 2013, and we got married on March 8, 2014! ChristianMingle, which I thought was an “accident” ended up being the best “accident” of my life! Thank you for providing a Christian connection for those looking for godly friendships and relationships! Long distance is not easy for anyone, but we are thankful for technology that not only allowed us to meet, but kept us connected! We cannot thank God enough for His provision and guidance in our life and are excited about our continued adventures together!