In 2007 TJ was a student at the International House of Prayer's (IHOP) Forerunner School of Ministry. At that time, I had just completed IHOP's Fire in the Night internship. Both of us were doing the midnight til 6am shift in the prayer room.

We first met in the IHOP kitchen, where we were both helping out. I was chilling in the kitchen when TJ walked in. He didn't seem eager to talk to me, but I managed to at least squeeze an exchange of names out of him! Turns out he thought I was an intern, who are IHOP's undateables ;) so he felt it was best not to be too friendly... but later on he discovered that I wasn't an intern and so it was okay to be friends! Various escapades involving coffee, donuts and a box ensued...

(TJ speaking)

Allen Hood once said “a heart won in tenderness is held in the tightest of grips.” That would fairly describe my pursuit of Helen’s heart over the past two and a half years. Learning to let go and let God was a tough battle and the ebb and flow of the relationship kept things interesting. We read back over old emails and chat conversations and we laugh at how crazy we were about each other. None the less, we insisted on not trying to force anything. Every time we separated, either from dating or ‘friendship,’ it felt like we were diving into water not knowing what was beneath. Yet, every time we started talking again, we always picked right back up where we left off. This was the case once we decided to officially start dating again. My heart was settled on the matter. I knew I wanted to marry her.

The proposal happened on December 11, 2009, a year after we officially started dating again. The story, however, started about five months earlier. Going to Australia was going to be a big step for me. I knew that a lot of things would be confirmed in our relationship. Most importantly I would be asking Helen’s dad for her hand in marriage. I believed in doing things the right way. The trip was exciting and ended well. Even though it was a short visit, it was very fruitful. I left missing Helen more than ever and yet smiling at the fact that her dad said “yes".

I bought Helen’s plane flight from Kansas City to Houston early and sent her the itinerary. Helen had no idea I had cut out my name and sent the rest. The next thing I was looking for was ‘the ring.’ Helen and I had looked at rings together ‘just in case.’ None of what we saw felt like a perfect fit. I decided to sit down and draw out the ring on a piece of paper just to get an idea of what I wanted. I showed my roommate and we decided to go ring shopping. It must have been the fifth store we went to before we saw the design that I had drawn the week before. I had found her ring!

It felt like my plan had changed six times before the big week came. Shari Homan, a good friend from Kansas City, said she would help me pull it off. Helen and Shari soon became facebook friends and we decided that the setting would be at Shari’s house. Shari picked Helen up for coffee on Friday night around 5pm. Shari made the call back to the house where I was nervously waiting. The quick hang-up was the signal. As they began to ride down the road, Shari mentioned she needed to stop by the house. When they pulled up a friendly offer to come inside was given. Helen followed her up to the house.

Once Helen and Shari reached the house, Shari opened the door and to Helen’s surprise was a tea candle pathway covered in rose petals leading into the house. Helen’s mind was racing as she felt the awkwardness of crashing someone else’s romantic night! Shari insisted Helen go in first. Still unaware of what was going on and feeling bad for interrupting a beautiful night obviously planned by Ryan, Shari’s husband, Helen reluctantly walked forward.

As I heard the door open, I knew that this was it. There was no second chance. There was nothing else except for this moment. My heart was racing so fast. I didn’t know what to do. I heard her walk through the door and slowly come towards the next room where I stood with rose and ring in hand. As she cornered the hallway I could finally see her. Her eyes were enamored with the lights and paper-cut butterflies that came to life from the flickering candles all spread out around the room. The dim atmosphere seemed to almost dance around us. I finally got a hold of myself and said “hi.” Helen had been amusingly distracted by the pretty lights and hadn’t yet noticed my presence. Why should she? Just thirty seconds earlier I was in Houston.

At the sound of my voice was an alarming squeal of happiness and disbelief. “You’re here!” she yelled. I was taken back and almost froze myself. “Yes.” I replied. The silence settled as we both stared at each other. I moved toward her and extended the rose I had in my hand. She grasped onto it as she tried to make sense of it all. She still didn’t realize what was happening. It wasn’t until I dropped to my knee that she knew. Her eyes widened and her face lit up. Tunnel vision is what she described it as. I remember watching her go from me to the rose and back again. Then her eyes started to wonder back and forth rapidly until they settled onto the ring in my hand. I brought her hand out and looked up at her. I nervously let out “Will you marry me?” as I slipped the ring partly onto the tip of her finger. I paused and looked her in the eyes as I waited for the answer.

“Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” she screamed loudly followed by “I must be dreaming.” “You’re not dreaming, Love.” I answered. She sighed as she began to regain control of herself. “You did well” she said as she held my hand. “I’m glad, I wanted to surprise you. Now let’s get out of here.” The evening was followed by a dinner at our first date spot and a weekend at IHOP together. Two days later, we were sharing a flight back to Houston as an engaged couple.