Psalm 143:8: "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life."

The greatest love stories are the ones forged in patience and faith, with the groundwork being laid long before two soul mates ever meet. The strongest bonds are the ones that stand in defiance of adversity and odds, in perfect accordance with the purposes of God. Such is the story of Christine and Derek.

Though both serving in the US Air Force, Christine was stationed in Germany while Derek was 7500 miles away in Hawaii. It was the winter of 2016, and Christine and Derek had struck up a connection while playing Destiny online together. Destiny. Ironic, right? It didn’t take long for them to discover their vast commonalities; most important being their shared faith. It seemed that this friendship was the answer to much earnest prayer by both Christine and Derek and their families. But this friendship was soon to become something much deeper.

Across 7 time zones and countless hours spent on Skype, Christine and Derek grew closer under the direction and protection of God. In the spring of 2017, Derek made the long trip to Germany to meet Christine – in the flesh – for the first time. Their adventures included a Hans Zimmer concert (since both of them are lovers of epic scores) and lots of European sightseeing. In September of that same year, Christine made the trip to visit Derek and his family. Upon her arrival to the airport, with the whole Hobbs family surrounding them, Derek presented Christine with a rose. But not just any rose – a velvet one with a lid and something precious inside. Derek explained that, any other time, he would have given her a real rose. “But this rose will last forever, just like us”. Then getting down on one knee, Derek asked Christine to be his wife. Less than a year later, Christine and Derek would fly from their homes on opposite sides of the world to stand on a shady hill together beside the sparkling waters of Grand Traverse Bay and establish a new life together as one. Their wedding day, like their love story, was beautiful and deeply significant. Full of joyful tears and the heartfelt prayers of their tightly knit families, these two lovers will have an amazing network of support and encouragement for their road ahead together.