Welp y’all…I’m engaged….I am someone’s
fiancé…. I am going to be a wife…very soon…. eeeeeeek!!!
First off here is our God written love
story,
You see ever since I can remember I have
longed to be a wife and have prayed that God would provide a Godly husband that
would not only love me unconditionally but also lead our family in the perfect
way God has designed. My prayers were answered beyond my wildest imagination
when Evan Holbrook asked me to spend the rest of my life with him on January
1st, 2015.
Our story began way before a relationship even
started. In the spring of 2013, I moved to Katy, Texas to intern at Second
Baptist Church for the summer. It was at Second that I met Evan but he barely
said two words to me that whole summer. Part of it could have been that I was
in a long distance relationship. That relationship unexpectedly ended late that
summer and quite honestly it left me broken. It wasn’t long after hearing I was
single that Evan began his pursuit of my heart by asking me out on our first
date. Considering everything that was going on, I was very hesitant but I
decided to go. I am thankful that I did because I will always remember it as
the best date ever.
A week later I moved back to Virginia and said
goodbye to the friendships and people I had met in Texas, including Evan, never
even thinking that I would be back. It was while being home that God started to
mend my heart like only He can. He showed me that I needed to spend sometime in
a season of singleness in order to focus and depend completely on Him and not a
guy. As a result, God blessed me with time to invest on friendships. In fact, I
ended up with lifelong best friends. Evan pursued me in an entirely different
way during this time. He sent me flowers, letters and prayed for me. We were
never officially together while I was in Virginia and he was in Texas but we
went through seasons of talking all the time to not talking at all. The more I
sought God’s will for my life the more He stirred my heart to move to Texas. As
much as I knew it would be hard to leave my family and friends and everything I
had ever known, I knew I was supposed to go back and I wanted nothing but to be
obedient to God.
I moved to Texas early January 2014 and few
weeks later Evan asked me to be his girlfriend. I was in a completely different
point in my relationship with God at this time and I had peace from Him when I
said yes. Over the next year, God grew us as a couple after growing us
individually. God began to give me a love for Evan and a desire to serve him
and with him, pray for him and encourage him and love him unconditionally. Evan
had made a promise in his heart that he would only tell his wife that he loved
her but Evan showed me his love for me in deeper ways than words throughout our
relationship. What I love most about Evan is his heart for God and his heart
for people. He makes me laugh like no one can and he makes me feel like the
most beautiful girl in this world.
It wasn’t easy moving to Texas but God used it
to stretch me in so many ways. I am so glad I listened, walked by complete
faith and moved to Texas. It was there that I met my future husband! The
Lord had a plan for sure since it was there that I found my best friend. When
he got down on one knee and said those three words I had been waiting to hear
(“I love you”) I realized then that he wanted to marry me…he wanted me as his
wife and in a few short months I will be marrying my best friend!!
Fun Fact: Growing up people always told me I
was going to be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and that I was going to marry a
pastor. I would just laugh when they said that. Little did I know how sneaky
and amazing our God is. I may not be in Dallas but I am in Texas and I am
marrying a pastor!
Now on to how the proposal went down!
I went home to Virginia for Christmas and
later that week Evan flew down and joined me. At this point, my family and I
had not done Christmas or opened gifts because my sister and brother-in-law
were in Georgia for Christmas with his side of the family and we wanted to wait
til we could all be together! On the afternoon of January 1st, both my sister and
brother-in-law joined us in Virginia. We had made plans to visit Lewis Ginter
Botanical Gardens later that evening. For those of you who do not know what
that is, it’s a massive garden and they light it up completely during Christmas
time. It’s absolutely beautiful! Once my oldest sister arrived, we walked in.
We hadn’t walked far when Evan handed me his phone and started playing a VIDEO (<--click the
link to see) of him talking to me. Immediately, I started tearing up. Evan and I had not said “I love you” at all during our relationship) The
video completely melted my heart and for the first time in a year he told me
those three words! Some of you may be thinking that it’s crazy or thinking “I
could never do that.” That was me too…it killed me not to say it and I used to
go home crying because I just wanted to scream it from the mountain tops that I
loved Evan so much. I am so glad that we didn’t say “I love you” though because
it made the proposal beyond special and mean soooo much more. Also, did I
mention that “words of affirmation” is my love language??? You can only imagine
how hard it was for me not to hear those words. Any who, once the video ended,
he pointed at the GoPro on the ground and at my family, it was then that he got
down on one knee and asked me to be his wife and it was an unforgettable
moment. It was AMAZING that my entire family was there to witness this
INCREDIBLE moment in our lives! Afterwards, we left and went to our favorite
pizza spot and were able to celebrate altogether. I couldn’t really eat because
I was just so excited and my head was in the clouds. The night continued to
only get better from there. We got home and sat around the Christmas tree in
the living room altogether and opened gifts and had our family Christmas.
Literally that day could not have been more perfect!
I cannot thank you all enough for all your
love and support. Your sweet words on Facebook, Instagram and any social media.
Evan and I feel so loved and we have enjoyed sharing our special day with you.
We cannot wait to share our next special day as we get married in Texas on
March 14th, 2015.
I have been asked multiple times and on
several occasions why we are getting married “so fast.” So a conclusive answer
is… honestly why not?!? We never wanted a long engagement and we can’t wait to
be Mr. & Mrs. Holbrook. The Lord literally made the 14th of March [we are aware
its Pi Day haha], the perfect date for our family, friends, wedding party and
us. Everything is falling together perfectly and we already have most of the
wedding planning done. It’s been a blast! My advice to all the girls who are
engaged is: if you don’t have to wait to get married then don’t! It is totally
doable and I am not just saying this but we have not been stressed at all, its
been a blast planning. God has provided everything we ever needed/wanted in
such a short amount of time, even a honeymoon…Hawaii!!! For now, I am just
soaking up every second of wedding planning, and most importantly preparing to
be a wife to the most amazing person on the planet.
Click here to read something from Evans
perspective on our engagement/wedding/me. You’ll see why I am head over heels
in love with this guy! Also, click here to see more pictures of the proposal!
xoxo,
Kristen
Brooke Carden
I met Evan in college as transfer student to HBU. I'll never forget that day in New testament the Anakin Skywalker looking freshman walked into New Testament class to the vacant chair beside me and asked "Is anyone sitting here?" I told him it was open and I instantly saw him as a little brother from then on.I was so impressed with the where his heart was and how it was so full of the love of GOD. He knew what he wanted to do and became just that, a youth pastor. He was also well rounded a good basketball player and musician too. I remember when I was going through something and randomly bumped into him and he asked how I was doing. I confided him and he prayed for me right then and there. Then there was the time when we had a discussion about his future wife and how he wanted to wait and do things GOD's way. Although he had options he was very discerning with who he dated or even associated with for that matter. His focus was truly on the Lord. He preached purity to me and standards in relationships and told me how he would honor his one day wife. I couldn't be happier for him being engaged to his dream girl even though we don't speak much I am proud of the man he has become and love him dearly. May GOD bless you both and congrats. -- Byron from HBU
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