A Forever Kind of Yes

Claudia Mitchell-McLeod • June 4, 2025

Part 3 of Two Become One: The Prelude to a Joy-Filled Marriage

She wasn’t looking for a fairytale.

And he wasn’t trying to be anyone’s knight in shining armor.


But love has a way of writing its own script — especially when God is the author.

Meet Grace and Jordan

Grace is a 28-year-old third-grade teacher with a laugh that could light up a room and a habit of baking banana bread for neighbors “just because.” She journals her prayers each morning and keeps a bookmark in 1 Corinthians 13 — a quiet promise to herself of the kind of love she’s waiting for.


Jordan is 30 and serves as a volunteer paramedic while working full-time in tech. He grew up helping his grandparents tend their garden and still brings his mom flowers on her birthday — and random Thursdays.


They met at a local outreach event — not at a singles mixer or on an app — but while handing out backpacks to kids in need before the new school year. Grace was kneeling to help a child tie his shoes. Jordan noticed not just the kindness in her touch but the light in her eyes.


That was August. By Thanksgiving, they were still serving side by side — but now at soup kitchens and holiday drives. He started saving the last slice of pumpkin pie for her. She started carrying an extra pair of gloves — just in case he forgot his again.

A Love That Looks Like Jesus

A Love That Looks Like Jesus

Grace once told a friend, “I don’t want a man who just buys me roses. I want one who prays with me when life gets thorny.”


And Jordan? He wasn’t just praying for a wife — he was preparing to be a husband. Not perfect, but present. Not flashy, but faithful.


Their relationship was filled with simple, sacred moments:

  • Picking up groceries for an elderly neighbor together.
  • Reading devotions out loud over FaceTime.
  • Saying, “How can I serve you today?” instead of, “What can you do for me?”

Not Just Romance. A Covenant.

When Jordan proposed, he didn’t get on one knee in front of a fountain or at sunset on the beach (though he’d planned to). Instead, he asked her while they were packing donation boxes for hurricane relief. Surrounded by canned goods, bottled water, and a room full of need — he whispered,

“I want to serve God and others with you. Forever. Will you marry me?”


Grace looked up, eyes misty, and smiled.

“Yes,” she said, “a thousand times yes.”


That was twenty years ago… yet it still feels like only yesterday.


Today, Grace and Jordan have three amazing children who have grown up watching — and joining — their parents as they serve others. From local food drives to mission trips overseas, theirs is a family stitched together by love, faith, and service. They never stopped choosing one another — or the God who brought them together.

Love Isn’t Just a Feeling. It’s a Call to Action. 

Their story reminds us that Biblical love is rooted in service, selflessness, and steadfastness. And isn’t that what God calls all of us to?


To love not just in word, but in deed.

To reflect His heart in how we treat one another.

To pursue a love that not only lasts — but multiplies.


Thinking About Your Own Joy for a Lifetime?


Whether you’re planning a wedding, preparing to say “I do” again, or celebrating a vow renewal, you deserve a ceremony that reflects the depth of your love and the One who makes love last.


At Notary Near Me Florida and Joy for a Lifetime, we don’t just officiate weddings. We honor the stories that brought you here. We celebrate service, faith, and forever — with warmth, joy, and meaning.


Let’s Connect


Ready to create a Christ-centered ceremony filled with love, laughter, and purpose? Book your consultation today. Call (813) 239-4117 or visit www.notarynearme-florida.com


Because the right “yes” isn’t just for the moment. It’s for a lifetime — a Joy for a Lifetime.

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