How we met

Matthew and I heard about each other before we ever met. I was teaching English at a Thai Christian school in Northern Thailand and he was working in Kansas City. His parents, Michael and Naomi Phillips, are missionaries in the village I was teaching in. We met and connected right away. They told Matthew about me and he began praying then about me as a possible future spouse. While my third grade class was asking me about what I was looking for in a man, Matthew's cousin Bim emphatically suggested his older cousin, Boom (Matthew's Thai nickname), who was soon coming back to the village to visit for Christmas. I had thought Matthew would be more like a little brother to me (being 3 years younger than me) until this day when my thoughts began to change.

Matthew arrived in Chiangkham, Thailand with his family in December 2014 and we met in front of his house. We didn't interact a lot during his visit, but our first conversation happened after he was interacting with one of the village kids and I asked him if he had a girlfriend and if he wanted kids! He said he didn't have girlfriend and he wanted kids! Good news for me :) I also remember washing dishes together once during that visit. I was impressed by his heart to serve and his love for God.

On the day he left for America, he brought his cousin Bim to school on a motorbike and I happened to be standing at the front of the school receiving students that day. I waved goodbye to him as he drove away, having no idea that I would see him again.

We kept in touch and I passed messages to him from Bim. He knew that he was interested in me, but trusted that God would make it happen if it was His plan and committed the matter to prayer.

I felt called to do an internship at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri. I decided to do it in the summer of 2016. I didn't realize at the time that Matthew was living in Kansas City, Kansas and working in Kansas City, Missouri. God has an amazing way of writing the most beautiful and fun stories!

I found out that I would be in the same city as Matthew so we decided to have dinner together and watch fireworks on July 4th, the day after my parents and I arrived in Kansas City! Matthew cooked and we had a delicious meal at Dale and Elli Franz's home (Matthew's host parents for his first 2 years in KC and the wonderful couple I currently live with!).

Matthew spent the next day with my parents and I which included time at the International House of Prayer, go-karts, pizza and a walk. My parents liked him and were happy that we would have the chance to get to know each other.

My internship started the next day and I wasn't allowed to meet with any guys one-on-one. Matthew and I talked on the phone almost daily and hung out in groups. Our feelings for each other grew but we had to wait until my internship was over in September to share our feelings. By the time September 23rd, 2016 came, I was ready to begin dating as I knew his intentions even without him sharing them in words. We were able to talk that night and committed to be in a relationship with each other with the intention of marriage.

We had 5 days together before the second part of my internship started and we would be allowed to communicate only through written letters and after the Friday service at Forerunner Christian Fellowship.

We were able to share a lot with each other then and the Lord had already confirmed to me that he would be the man that I would marry! He knew since the day we met that I would be his wife.

We shared a lot of our hearts through written letters over the next few months and our love for each other grew deeper.

We were so happy when my internship finished at 6am on December 16th. We have spent a lot of time together since then! Matthew went home with me for Christmas and my parents gave him their blessing to ask me to marry him!

He proposed on February 15th, 2017 at Shawnee Mission Park on one knee with a beautiful ring in his hand and beautiful smile on his face. I said yes!

We are so happy that Jesus is making us more like Himself through our relationship and revealing in a greater was His love for us! We are so blessed and so excited for the journey ahead!