My Love Story

Believe it or not, Keoki and I, didn't have our first kiss until our wedding day at the altar. I know it sounds crazy...it even feels crazy for me to type that out...but it's true and I say that not to brag but to share that it's possible and that we are both SO GRATEFUL we chose to wait to have our first kiss on our wedding day.

Keoki had hoped to be able to do that (which I didn't know until after we had started dating) and a mentor of mine had suggested that to me (which I thought was crazy when she did) but then when we started dating we decided to have a boundaries talk pretty much immediately. I was leading worship on a girls conference tour that was traveling through the U.S. at that time and he REALLY wanted to honor the Lord and create healthy boundaries so this was one of them. We both agreed to not kiss each other until we got married (which we didn't know when that would be at the time) but we both knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives with each other.

I remember talking to other friends that had gotten married before me and I asked them if they could do anything differently in their "courting" before they got married what would it be? Many of them said they could have excluded the physical part because it created unnecessary temptation.

Thankfully, through team work and following the boundaries we set which included not hanging out past a certain time and not hanging out in each other's room at all, we were able to do this big thing and what I didn't know was that it would set up a great foundation for our marriage. Don't get me wrong we don't have the perfect marriage but it was about deciding to work as a team and accomplish a goal together. When you're married you can have different opinions and preferences but you want to make sure that you're both headed in the same direction.

I don't share this to pressure you but to let you know it's possible and can be done! I was 32 when I got married and Keoki was 34. Here's to the professional singles...I promise it'll be worth the wait.

Keoki and me on our wedding day as we walked down the aisle after saying our vows on August 31, 2012 at Kawaiaha’o Church in Honolulu, Hawai’i.

Wedding Highlights below…I’m not gonna lie, we had some amazing friends sing at our wedding which ushered in the Presence of the Lord and allowed us to worship the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords as we became one. I love looking at these pictures because it reminds me of God’s Faithfulness, the dear family and friends that I have been blessed with, and the gift God gave me in Keoki.

So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. Matthew‬ ‭19:6‬ ‭ESV‬‬