Category: Success Stories

Here are some of the stories recently shared with Christian Connection from people who found love through the site or app. What stories have most encouraged you?

Charlie and Ruth

Following on from their comment above, Charlie and Ruth explained how their individual dating journeys eventually led them to each other, and how they were both proactive and patient along the way.

“Some people say the right person will come along just when you don’t expect it, as if nobody has to lift a finger. It’s not true and we thank God for sites like Christian Connection that provide an opportunity to do something proactive.

Both of us had been on the site for years before we met in June 2022. It wasn’t a case of love at first sight, but we soon realised we were clicking (and others could see this too), and after seeing each other for a month we knew this was serious and agreed we were an item.

Things took a step further forward later that year when I (Charlie) had to move out of my flat. At the time we lived over 20 miles apart, so when Ruth suggested I move near to her it was clear how serious she was!

We grew closer and closer and by early 2023 it was clear where we were going. We bought an engagement ring but had to wait a few weeks before formally getting engaged while we waited for it to be made. It was hard keeping it secret from all but a very few.

Our wedding day in October 2023 was magical – apart from the Lancashire weather – and we had a wonderful honeymoon in Scotland afterward. Both of us had waited a long, long time for this day and both of us had felt we had little hope at times, not least in early 2022 before we met!

Ironically, we had seen each other’s profiles on Christian Connection before, but we had never made contact. Perhaps it was a matter of timing, perhaps we were too fixed in our ideas of what the ‘ideal’ marital partner would be like. That may be a lesson; be open to the possibility that the best person for you to marry is somewhat different to what you imagine them to be.

Using Christian Connection hasn’t been a ‘quick fix’ for either of us. It has involved learning about ourselves and others, with mishaps and misadventures along the way. Most of these were down to wrong matches but occasionally – in both our cases – we were unfortunate enough to meet people who came on this site whose intentions were less than honourable or honest.

However, persistence paid off. What we have ultimately found in each other is a reward for not giving up. So, if you too are one of those people who finds yourself asking at a wedding when your time will come, remember that was us once, so be encouraged and keep going!”

Rhonda & Russell

This happy couple sent a fairytale-style story soon after their marriage!

“Once upon a time there was Russell and Rhonda, two star-crossed lovers who were fated to meet through Christian Connection. That fateful day in December 2021, Russell sent the first electronic wave and Rhonda waved back.

Then it started – long deep daily messages between Rhonda and Russell. Despite the possibilities of modern technology, something about the old-fashioned way of communicating appealed to them, so in January 2022 they decided to start phone conversations that quickly turned into long-lasting conversations about everything and anything. Every night, they’d talk for hours – and it felt like the time was just flying by.

Three weeks later, the two found themselves on a picnic – the first of many dates. Despite the unknown and the fear of not knowing what was to come of this connection, the two took a leap of faith and embarked on a momentous journey together. As the days and weeks went on, they were drawn closer together and in February 2022, the two became a couple from that day forward.

Everything seemed to align quite perfectly when they met. They both shared the same values and beliefs and knew that putting God (Yahweh) first, was the key to a lasting, meaningful relationship.

Some people searching for a Christian partner will settle for a church-goer, but they wanted more than that they wanted a committed Christian. They searched for someone whose faith was so strong and profound, and that person was each other.

Russell, in May 2023, literally bowed on one knee – “I asked for Rhonda‘s hand in marriage; she goes ‘ohhh, yeah!’” From then on, these two hopeless romantics have sworn to love and respect one another until the end of time. They were married November 2023. So there you have it folks, true love.”

Congratulations Rhonda and Russell!

Dave and Jenny

Dave and Jenny made contact after their wedding, with some great advice for Christian Connection members.

“I met a lovely lady called Jenny on CC and we are now married! She “bravely sent the first message” and we talked on the phone for 1.5 hours, which was a good sign. We met and, as it was my birthday, she kindly bought me lunch (another good sign). We have had our ups and downs, like any couple, but I proposed after we had known each other for a year. We had to wait 6 months for a slot at the Registry Office, but also had a lovely Church Service as well, with various members of my family attending. Our tip would be to ignore any age difference.”

Kerrie

Sometimes Christian Connection members get in touch to let us know about a developing story! When Kerrie made contact she wanted to share something exciting in her future…

“Thank you for your website! I’ve been on and off Christian Connection for the last few years. I messaged, talked to a number of men over the phone and had a few dates. They were nice guys, just not for me. I figured that God meant for me to be single after 17 years a widow. In September 2023, I waved at yet another nice guy, he messaged back, we got to chatting for literally hours and hours. We met up and now we’re engaged to be married this year! God is good!”

If you have a #MetOnCC story to share, please do get in touch. It’s simple to send your story – along with any photos or video clips you’d like to add to it – by clicking here and completing some details.

Enjoyed reading ‘”Be encouraged and keep going!” – Christian Connection couples share their stories’?

Read more #MetOnCC love stories here.

Watch Christian Connection couples tell their own stories here.

“Both of us had spent many years looking for the right person, often feeling in tough times that it would never happen. Time and again either of us would be at someone else’s wedding and think: ‘When will it be my turn?’” This is how Charlie and Ruth opened their story when they got in touch to let us know they’d just got married after meeting on Christian Connection. Online dating can bring ups and downs,. Couples who meet on Christian Connection often ask to share their stories so that those who are currently dating will be encouraged, and show how they navigated their dating experiences to find each other.

“It really is a privilege that God paired us together” – James & Pam, our Christian Connection story

James had been a Christian Connection member for some time, and had worked on creating a strong profile: “I’d been on previous dating websites, and they weren’t as detailed. So I definitely used a lot of the space that was given.” He wanted to make sure anyone reading it would get to know him before they made contact.

“I wanted to kind of be quirky, funny, relaxed,” he says, “And I must have put something like ‘Jollof rice for breakfast’. And that’s kind of like me, tongue in cheek sort of stuff. So that was really important for me…. so that when the person whoever did me to get to know me, it’s like, they can look at it and be like, ‘Oh, yeah, I can actually see you really are like your profile.’”

This impressed Pam. “His page was just the whole essay, which worked out in the end. After I read it, I think he gave me a better sense of who he was what his personality was like…that’s the reason why I messaged him to begin with.”

“I could sense his personality through it, I can tell that he was quite funny, quite laid back, I’m quite a laid back person as well. So you just [seemed] quite laid back, quite jokey as well. But at the same time, quite confident and assertive in his in who he is, and who he was at the time… he had that all on display. That point is when I decided to send him a message, because I thought we’d probably get on quite well.”

James, however, wasn’t as impressed by Pam’s profile! “There wasn’t much to notice! Pam’s profile was quite bare, honestly… So there wasn’t really much to give in terms of get an idea of a personality through the profile. And her pictures… It wasn’t that she didn’t look nice on the eye. But when I saw her in person, I was like, ‘Wow, wow, your pictures really don’t do justice.’”

Watch their story in full – including James’s magical proposal – here: embed

The first date

After messaging and chatting for some time, they decided to meet and James planned the date.

“I planned this whole day for us. We met in London. We had a lunch date. And then we took a little walk. That was actually when we we first held hands… The day was really good. A random lady came up to us. And she was just watching us from from afar. She came over and she was like, ‘oh, oh, just be watching you guys. You guys look so cute together…. have you guys been which each other for a long time?’ And we  was like ‘no it’s our first date’.  And then yeah, and then we took a long, long extended bus ride back home to my area. And then we round off the day with Krispy Kremes.”

Pam was impressed by James once again! “It was really lovely. I felt it was really well planned out, very thought out, very thoughtful. He knew I liked art, so he included the Tate Modern in there. And I thought it was a really, really lovely date. And I just thought he was just a really nice guy, I thought was really, really nice. And I think, yeah, the Krispy Kreme and the hot chocolate at the end just confirmed everything for me.”

The relationship develops

James and Pam got to know each other and found lots of common ground and much to appreciate about each other. Pam says, “The defining moment… He came down to where I lived for that weekend and I think just how he just treated me how he spoke to me…. that really confirmed everything for me. He’s very different. And he will be a good lifetime partner to me.”

James says, “I think we invested so much of just our heart, like talking to each other, exploring so many things…. we both actually had a list that we didn’t know about, that we didn’t know about for a while. That we’ve written about what we wanted God to have for our partners, and she’s really ticked off all the boxes and more… I knew it quite early on, that, you know, this is someone I want to spend my life with.”

Pam says, “I always say that I knew I wanted to be with him even before I met him physically, because I already knew his mind and his mindset and always talked him about how I fell in love with his mind first…. even though we’ve been married for coming up to five years and been together for seven years, like communication is still one of the I think greatest values and things that we have in our relationship we still talk all the time.”

The proposal

When James started to plan a proposal to remember, he didn’t leave anything to chance.

“The actual plan was was we were to meet at the place where we had our first date…. that’s where we I wanted to her to meet me and I was waiting there. I had like a bouquet of flowers and I laid out some candles in the former like a trail coming down. It took her a while to actually come there…. she comes to the front of the gate and she’s seen the candle but she’s not registering what’s going on. And she’s standing there for what seemed like eternity and I’m just standing there like and then the next minute she realises what’s going on and she’s sprints down.”

Pam says, “It did take me a while to realise what was going on. I remember looking at the lights on the floor: ‘Oh, this is lovely. What’s going on here?’ I kept looking at it I saw a heart shape on the floor and then I saw this man I was like: ‘Wait, I know who that is!’”

James remembers being overcome, “I had the speech planned. But to be honest, once I saw that she was looking so nice. I just looked in her eyes and I guess my heart just went just fluttered away and all my words just suddenly just went… I just don’t know. Couldn’t couldn’t get my words out. And I think I just sort of said just ‘Would you marry me?’”

Pam laughs, “Yeah, he may say he had a whole speech planned but it couldn’t quite come out on on the day. But it was really good. To be fair, I don’t think anything would have went in anyway, if you said a speech. I was just so excited I don’t think I would have remembered half those things you would have said…. I think I said yes straightaway.”

The wedding and life since

“It was such a wholesome time, ” says James, of their wedding, who remembers “grinning, smiling all the time”. Pam says, “I think what was really lovely as well, for me was seeing how much our friends celebrated our union. And even hearing what people said after the wedding, like ‘oh my gosh your relationship made me want to reconnect with God’ or ‘It made me believe in love’.”

James adds, “And that was something that we even prayed for, in regards to our relationship, because we wanted it to be not just a thing for just us. Obviously, us is important, but we wanted it to also just be a reflection of God’s love and for other people to be able to benefit from that as well.”

Now, James and Pam are enjoying life with their young son. Pam says, “We’re just being parents, learning that process of what parenting is. Seeing him as a dad is quite funny some days. I’m sure he has the same comment to make about me. It’s just been very lovely. I’m so fortunate that God partnered us together…. we complement each other so well.

“At the same time, we’re growing individually and developing in our own ways. And having somebody who’s rooting for you, supporting you watching you grow, through the praises, the good, the bad, the ugly, but still being there…. being really good friends and teasing each other and mocking each other and just having somebody there for a lifetime to go through those, you know, life just life with. It’s been very lovely.”

Advice for single Christians

Finally, James passes on something he learned that he thinks will benefit single Christians today: “One of the most important things I think I learned when going on that journey of meeting Pam was: find a way to find healing first in any areas. So past relationships, emotional traumas, that sort of stuff. Whether it’s seeking out therapists or seeking out counsel from a spiritual leader, whichever way.” And, he adds, “the second thing is really tried to be as authentic as you can be yourself…. Nobody wants to date a copycat.”

Congratulations, James and Pam!

Watch more #MetOnCC stories here and some shorter highlights here

When Pam first joined Christian Connection she had just one goal: “I was actually looking for friends at the time. I was newly saved.. and I was looking to change my friendship circle around to find more likeminded people. I came across Christian Connection…” And, soon after joining, she spotted James’s profile! Now her story is one of a changed life: “I wanted a friend now I’ve got a husband and a child and everything else included.”

“I saw Emma’s profile and was hooked” – Emma & Sam, our Christian Connection story

When Emma joined Christian Connection she was looking for friends in a new area, and Sam was one of the first people she connected with. “I’d done the dating in church environment, and it hadn’t worked out for me,” Sam said, “So I decided to try online dating. Christian connection seemed like one of the best options. Within a few weeks, I saw Emma’s profile and was hooked within the first couple of lines. Because the start of it was ‘nice to e-meet you’, which I found hilarious.”

Emma’s profile contained a lot more that caught Sam’s eye. “Then I saw that she was into her running, enjoyed guitar, seemed a solid Christian from her profile, was also into cats quite a lot into cats. Which I am. I enjoy cats.”

Emma didn’t want to rush into dating. “I was adamant,” she said. “I just wanted to be your friend then…It lasted about a week.”

They were both reassured by what they found on Christian Connection. “We know quite a few people that are on it,” Emma said. “Or have tried it, or are trying it, or have been success stories, as well,” said Sam, who also appreciated “sections you can fill out about faith and fun habits and funny questions, which is a really helpful and good feature.”

For Emma it was important to be able to see someone’s faith. “Having been on sites that weren’t all that Christian, I felt like over the years, I’ve been able to detect from a bio how much their faith actually means to them.” Sam, who was looking for a “solid Christian, with like-minded interests and a similar kind of age,” was surprised to find that “in fact, Emma and I are only 20 days apart, so definitely hit the nail on the head there!”

“Joint birthdays forever!” laughed Emma, who was clear that she “knew what I wasn’t looking for. And to have so many shared interests off the bat. With Sam, just, yeah. That was what I was looking for.”

“We started off texting heavily,” remembered Emma. “I went from getting up at runs at 5am to getting up slightly later, because our texts we’re going later on later in the evening. So you changed my body clock for sure. And then we tried to do video calls quite soon, because I feel like that’s the best way to get to know somebody… we were trying to build up the confidence to speak to each other. So we did voice notes.”

Things developed into shared interests. Emma recalled, “We started doing Bible studies, and we would send each other songs that we were singing with guitar because we both play guitar. So we did a bit of recording for each other. And then we were keen to get that date in as soon as lockdown lifted quickly. Of course you could go absolutely nowhere.”

Because of lockdown restrictions at the time, Emma and Sam’s first meeting in person was a little limited. “Our first date was in the car, and then walking in the forest,” said Emma, “It was really cold.” But they were still able to share some quality time together: “We ended up watching some Star Trek episodes in the back of the car on Sam’s phone.”

Their relationship developed quickly. “We became official after three dates,” Sam said. “We were boyfriend and girlfriend.” Emma added “I think honestly, I knew the first day that I wanted you and you weren’t going anywhere!” Sam laughed, “I wasn’t gonna get away”.

Being upfront about feelings was helpful. “We were very honest with feelings from the start. It wasn’t a case of ‘I’m not going to tell you’ or playing hard to get. We were just very open on how we were feeling,” said Emma.

Several months later, Sam hatched a plan! “It was a beach sunrise where I prepared the camera set that all up. You very patiently waited siting down. Then I proposed on the beach as the sun was rising. On the most easterly point of England.”

The place for significant for Emma, who had served on a beach mission there. “The area itself means quite a lot to me and Sam had never been before so we were taking a little holiday. And to be honest, when Sam said we’re going to for sunrise walk at 5am I thought okay, there’s something coming here because typically neither of us see that hour of the day!”

A beautiful wedding soon followed. “We had we three months to plan it, because we wanted to get married on the day that we met, one year to the day.”

“We had about 50 or 60 people there,” Emma remembered. “I’ve got a really small family. We just wanted to keep things small, so we had the ceremony at my childhood church and then we had the reception just at a little village hall. Yeah. And it was very cold but very beautiful. I was praying it wouldn’t rain…”

“And it didn’t,” added Sam.

After the wedding, relaxation beckoned. “We’ve done two honeymoons,” said Sam, “A mini moon when we went to a spa, an overnight spa, with a swimming pool, and then we went to Spain for a week as like a second honeymoon.”

Since they’ve settled into married life, Emma and Sam have been joined by some new friends! “I have I’ve waited like 10 years to have cats back in my life,” said Emma.

The couple also have great advice to share with single Christians who want to meet someone special. “Fill out your bio!” said Emma. “And be honest in it,” added Sam. “There’s no point lying. People are going to find out eventually. So tell the truth on it. Be open.”

Being clear about who you are is important, Emma noted: “Really do put what you’re interested in. Because you’re trying to find common ground. That’s the first thing you’re looking for. Obviously, number one is are they a Christian? How is their faith? But after that, you do want to connect on other levels as well. So put as many things as you think they can relate to on there. And that should help immensely? Because it did with us.”

And don’t forget to complete your profile with good pictures, said Sam: “Put some effort into the photos, as well. Clearly they work. So don’t be afraid to if you see a profile that you like, someone you like on there. Don’t be afraid to actually read their profile properly, and then ask a personalised question.” Emma agreed. “If your first message clearly shows that you’ve taken the time to read their essay, then yeah, that bodes well.”

Watch more #MetOnCC stories here and here

When Emma joined Christian Connection she was looking for friends in a new area, and Sam was one of the first people she connected with. “I’d done the dating in church environment, and it hadn’t worked out for me,” Sam said, “So I decided to try online dating. Christian connection seemed like one of the […]

Here are some of the stories shared with Christian Connection recently.

David and Jenna

Despite the disruptions of the pandemic, David and Jenna formed a lasting connection.

“We first chatted on Christian Connection in September 2020 and at the time I had come back to give the site another go and Jenna had just recently signed up. We had to face the challenges Covid brought and our first face to face meeting was on Zoom and the first time we met was a walk in the town where Jenna lives. I remember I drove a fair distance to meet her and was happy to do it to potentially meet that someone special, I also remember the first thing she said to me was you’re really tall! (I’m 6’4″)

Fast forward nearly two years and we are married, which was such an amazing day with our friends and family and I have moved from where I was living, the place where I grew up and never thought I’d ever leave. I’m blown away and thankful for all God has done in our lives and is continuing to do.”

Chidinma and Derek

For Chidinma and Derek, a simple wave was all it took to start a connection that led to engagement!

“Derek and I met on the Christian Connection site in August 2022… I had previously met someone on the site earlier but that didn’t go well as it wasn’t the will of God. I stopped renewing my subscriptions but did not close my account. On that beautiful day, he waved at me and asked if I was interested in talking to him that I should like his message which I did. I got his number and we took this to WhatsApp… we met a week later and now we are engaged to be married later this year.

It has been a blissful journey from the first day we met till now as God is involved in the relationship… I am truly happy to have met my wonderful fiancé on CC.

Thank you for creating this platform for like-minded Christians to meet. Be honest and do not be dismayed. At God’s time, the right person would come.

Colin and Maria

When Colin and Maria connected online, prayer was an important part of their relationship journey.

“We met on Christian Connection when Maria liked Colin’s profile. After a few days of exchanging messages we decided to meet for a lunch date. Even on that first date the conversation was starting to go deep, and we had a sense that we could be right for each other. We prayed before parting and committed it all into God’s hands.

The following weekend we were talking marriage by the end of the day, and we commenced nightly video chats reading the Bible and praying together. Every time we prayed we would sense God’s peace. We ended up getting married two months after that first date. We’ve now reached almost 16 months together now and know beyond doubt that it’s something God has ordained.”

Daniel and Sarah

When Daniel and Sarah met online, they didn’t let distance get in the way of their growing connection.

“Sarah and I met on Christian Connection back in 2016. We both began chatting and moved to phone contact. She was in NYC and I was in SF Bay Area. We talked every night and began getting serious in 2017. We knew one of us would need to fly out and Sarah asked me to fly to NYC. I flew into NY and we met in Times Square for the first time on her birthday in 2017. It was very romantic! We ended up dating that week and I flew back to California after our initial meeting. We kept seeking God for our future.

We definitely matched well and I sought out a transfer from California to NY with my company and it was granted in April of 2017. Sarah and I continued seeking the lord for our marriage and were engaged on Good Friday 2017. I asked her to marry me prior to the service that day at Brooklyn Tabernacle.

We were married in Brooklyn in March 2018. I took her home to the Philippines in December of 2018 and we got married a second time in front of her entire family. We will make 5 years married in 2023 and we have had the blessing of God on our lives. God has given us miracles and success in life. We are living out our dreams that we spoke of when we were first getting to know each other. We plan on another trip back to Sarah’s home country in 2023 to see our wonderful family again.

My number one tip for anyone seeking a godly relationship is to pray together, read the word and establish your faith together with the lord in spirit and in truth.”

Elise and Thomas

When Elise and Thomas met on Christian Connection, they learned from past experiences to build a promising future together.

“Our first date was an escape room, it forced us both to interact and talk to each other, it broke the ice for sure and made for a lot of laughs. I think to have a chance at actually finding someone you have to be willing to put all guards down, past hurts aside and be 100% honest. It takes a wonderful man to love someone else’s kids like they are his own and I found mine on CC. We met in July 2022 and our wedding is March 2023.”

Read more stories of couples who started their love story on Christian Connection here.

For help getting started on Christian Connection and making the most of the site and app, check out the great advice, stories and encouragement in our blog archive.

Every story shared by Christian Connection couples is unique – and often full of surprises. Behind the #MetOnCC hashtags are the nervous waves, faltering first messages and cautious first dates that start so many modern love stories – but the stories don’t end there! If you’re wondering how Christian Connection members go from creating their profiles to walking down the aisle, read about couples who connected simply and prayerfully online, and those who overcame distance and pandemic restrictions to be together. Joy, encouragement and thankfulness abound!