It was the summer of 2022 when everything quietly began. I had traveled to Nottingham, not expecting anything more than a good church service and time with old friends. But then I saw her — standing up front, leading worship with this radiant confidence that lit up the whole room. Her name was Maka. She was beautiful, vibrant, and completely in her element. I didn’t know it then, but something in my heart stirred — something quiet, but certain.

Maybe she sensed it too, because when our eyes briefly met, she looked away with a kind of grace that carried both strength and caution. It wasn’t time yet.

As if fate was already writing our story, I ran into Tadi — a friend from university I hadn’t seen in a while. We caught up, laughed like no time had passed, and to my surprise, he mentioned he was heading home for lunch and invited me along. That home? Maka’s home. Turns out, Tadi was her cousin.

Looking back now, I realize how gentle God’s timing can be — subtle, deliberate, and so perfect. A whole year passed before Maka and I truly connected. When she finally let her guard down and said yes to a date, everything changed. From that day, we never looked back.

What started as a quiet moment in church became the beginning of something extraordinary. Maka is now my darling fiancée, and every day since that first “yes,” we’ve been walking forward together — heart first, hand in hand — with no intention of turning back.