I still remember the first time I saw Tyler walk into church.

It was Sunday morning and I was praise singing. He was from Cincinnati, Ohio and came to Orlando to do the college intern program at Disney World. I was just 16 years old at the time and he was 18. Our friendship grew at youth outings, group hang outs, and then he finally worked up the nerve to ask me out.

The four short months of his college program had come to an end and Tyler had to move back to Ohio. If you have ever been in a long distance relationship you know how difficult it is, but through that hard time period of separation we became best friends. That old saying “absence makes the heart grow fonder” was true for us. With every visit we fell more in love and I knew without a doubt he was the one for me. It may seem crazy to say I knew he was the one at such a young age, but when you know, you know!

After four years of dating Tyler popped the question.

On a Sunday afternoon we went walking down to a dock by my house. We would often go to feed the fish and turtles, but this walk would by far become one of the most memorable we would take. When we got to the dock Tyler expressed how he hoped we would spend the rest of our lives together. He got down on one knee and asked for my hand in marriage.

I said yes, and in all my excitement and happiness I couldn’t help but just laugh!

We’re approaching our first marriage anniversary and I feel blessed beyond measure to spend the rest of my life with my best friend. I’ve learned that marriage is not finding the right person but becoming the right person. I wasn’t searching for someone to spend my life with at the age of 16, but God placed this wonderful man in my life and I’m so grateful He did.

My advice to those who are single is simple: put God first. I know you’ve probably heard that a thousand times, but the Word of God tells us if we put Him first that He will give us the desires of our heart.

He is a good God and an on time God.

Trust in the Lord to guide every aspect of your life and most especially to guide you in finding a mate.

Images of Caitlin and Tyler used with permission from Sunglow Photography // Narrative by Caitlin Kovatch