After trying about a dozen different quasi-clever opening lines and then deleting them, I’ve decided to just go with the simple approach.
The happy announcement is this: Sarah has a BOYFRIEND!
(The reason I’m making a bonus post is that it just happened this past Monday and I couldn’t wait until next Monday to let you know.)
I’ve been waiting a long time to write those words and I know that many of you have been waiting a long time to read them, especially those of you who have been following our story since Sarah was a child.
Growing up, Sarah wasn’t particularly interested in dating; she had a few teenhood crushes but was overall content with singleness. She has had several good male friends whom she considered dating, but they ended up happy to just stay friends. A few guys have been interested in her, but none of them possessed all of the qualities she values most highly. She grew up observing how the beloved men in her life – her dad, her brother, her two grandpas – treated their wives with respect, cooperation, gentleness, and love. And for many years, the ideal fella just never came along.
Until now. Until Gage.
On May 22, Gage and Sarah met on a Christian dating site and corresponded for a couple of months. And when I say that they corresponded I mean they typed tens of thousands of words to one another. If you haven’t guessed, Gage is a fellow lover of words and writing.
After it became apparent that they shared a connection in many different areas, they decided they wanted to meet in person. Since he lives in Fayetteville (four hours away) they found a place halfway in between for that first meetup.
Steve went along with Sarah just to be sure this online fella was who he said he was. Once he had chatted with Gage a few minutes, he left him and Sarah to hang out at a coffee shop a couple of hours.
This is a picture from their first meeting. (Gage is using a cane because he had hurt his foot a few days earlier.)
They didn’t plan their outfits but don’t they look like they did? They’re a matched set.
After she got back home Sarah told me that while she and Gage were sitting and talking, an elderly man approached them and said, “When I saw you two young folks, with the lady wearing a dress and a hat and the gentleman wearing a bow tie I thought to myself, ‘There is hope for this world after all.'”
Don’t you just love that story?
At any rate, here are a few details about this fella who has won Sarah’s heart.
Gage is a missionary/pastor’s son who had lived in or visited twenty countries including Australia, Nepal, Yemen, Bosnia and Croatia. He is twenty-five years old with five younger brothers; his parents are currently pastoring in Fayetteville, NC.
He is a devoted Christian who loves writing, art, film-making, board games, puns, and any other kind of wordplay. He works with his parents at church in youth and music and is also employed at a radio station in Fayetteville.
While we were in Charlotte for Ken’s funeral, Sarah decided that she would really like Gage to “meet” Nathan and Meagan while she was together with them, rather than doing it while they were back in Florida. They set up a Facetime appointment and during the conversation, Nathan and Meagan asked all the important big brother/big sister questions they could think of, which Gage handled with great aplomb.
Steve laid out (literally) of the conversation since he had already met Gage and wanted to give the siblings time to talk. But he enjoyed being in the background and listening. (Even Vernie got a chance to chat with Gage for a few minutes; she really liked him.)
At the end of the conversation, Nathan and Meagan both told Sarah that they were really impressed with him. Over the course of their time together, I overheard them talking to her some more about him and relationships and dating in general. It always makes me glad to hear those kinds of conversations. Nathan and Meagan take very seriously their roles as older sibs/friends/mentors in Sarah’s life; she is incredibly blessed to have their loving influence,
I also skipped the Facetiming that evening because I knew that I would be meeting Gage in person a couple of days later as Sarah and I were planning to detour through Fayetteville on the way home from the funeral. The three of us met at a fabulous coffee shop/store where Gage explained that all the regulars had their own reserved coffee cup. Such a cool idea!
Before I left them for a few hours, I snatched this surreptitious shot of the two of them chatting.
I’ve been kidding Sarah about her and Gage’s collective dearth of photos. Four dates and we only have two photos! But in a way, it’s refreshing that they are just living in the moment and not needing to take multitudinous photos. They have found their own rhythm of friendship and romance and are moving forward in it with a sense of contentment and joy.
We are looking forward to Gage visiting us here at the Outer Banks in the next few weeks and especially looking forward to all that their friendship will bring.
So that’s the story! Please take a moment to leave Sarah and Gage a comment and also, if you have any stories to share about how you met your spouse or what your courtship was like, we’d love to hear those, too.
Thanks for reading today’s happy news and for following our family’s story.
Congratulations to Sarah and Gage! I’m glad that they found each other. Gage has to be pretty special to measure up to the other men in Sarah’s life! They make for a cute couple couple. Amazing that they didn’t coordinate their outfits, must be because they have so much in common with each other.
Kari,
It IS kind of crazy they didn’t coordinate ahead of time. So perfectly synched in so many ways.
Oh my goodness! I have missed so much in the past couple years! Life got me not checking in on my favorite people and blogs but I decided to look in on y’all this morning as I’m often thinking about you. I’m so sorry to hear about Ken’s passing! My heart and prayers go out to your family. <3 Gage seems like a great match for Sarah! I'm so glad she has found someone worth her time and also that she waited until she did to start really dating! She's got a very bright head on her shoulders. Girls everywhere should have someone like Sarah as their role model!
Lizz,
Well, welcome back! So glad you decided to stop back by.
Thank you for your condolences on Ken’s passing. I’m grateful for the forty years I had him in my life; what a treasure he was.
And yes, Sarah and Gage certainly are a good match; we are thrilled for them and thrilled for us.
I imagine Sarah saying, “You had me at ‘I’ll be wearing a bow tie.” So happy for the adorable couple.
I literally bumped into my husband. Sitting in the basement in one of the halls at Fairleigh Dickenson College, Florham campus (NJ), there were coffee machines & the school store available… but the store had been closed when I sat down with some friends from my class. I got up to see if the store had opened yet; it hadn’t, so I turned around to take my seat again, and walked into the best looking man I’d ever seen, spilling his coffee over both of us. (Machine coffee, so not terribly hot.) And that was it for me.
Jan,
Thankful the coffee wasn’t scalding and EXTRA thankful the coffee introduced you to a most wonderful fella! Isn’t it amazing how those things happen?
And yes, Sarah and Gage are definitely an adorable couple. He wears a bow tie well!
They look really adorable together!! And happy. He sounds like a really nice guy and I am delighted for them.
Jenna,
Adorable is definitely a good word for the two of them!
This is awesome! Can’t wait to see what the future holds for you two!
(This is Sarah; Mom’s blog is having a glitch with the comment replying function, so I logged in to her account to reply!)
Thanks so much, Bridgette! We’re excited to see, as well! 🙂
Congratulations, Sarah and Gage! What exciting news and it sounds like a match made in Heaven! Can’t wait to hear updates and see more visit photos. 🙂
(This is Sarah; Mom’s blog is having a glitch with the comment replying function, so I logged in to her account to reply!)
Thanks, Gayle! We’re going to try to take more photos in the future so Mom has more to share, haha!
How exciting…..I am really happy for Sarah and Gage! They make a great couple and sound like they are meant for each other.
Lee Anne,
Yes, they do seem to be very well-matched. We are thankful they have found each other.
I hardly ever comment, but this post made me incredibly happy for Sarah and Gage and for you and Steve as well! They look so great together! I know how it feels when your children find their person. My oldest, Aden, met his girlfriend, Annee, when they were both undergrads at UC San Diego. Their relationship has blossomed and they completed their Master’s together, and moved over the summer together to Durham so that he could attend medical school at Duke! It makes my heart happy to know that they have each other as they move through life together. Just waiting for the the engagement news!!
Debbie,
Thanks for leaving a comment; always a treat to hear from a rare commenter. (If you didn’t see the comment right after you left it, had somehow gotten stuck in my Spam folder. I unstuck it and all is well.)
And thanks too for joining in our happiness for Sarah and Gage. We are thrilled!
I love how the names Aden and Annee go together so well. Both unique spellings starting with A. Perfect!
I know what you mean about being so happy when our children find that special someone. It does a mama’s heart good. Waiting for the engagement news right along with you.
Wonderful post. They seem to be made for each other. So happy for all of you.
Cathie,
Thanks for your comment; they truly DO seem to be made for each other.
What a joyful post! Sarah and Gage seem like such a good match, each with their own uniqueness! I wish them much love and happiness and many blessings as they begin this new and exciting chapter in their lives.
Hugs,
Linda in Pittsburgh
Linda,
Thanks for taking the time to comment on Sarah and Gage. We are excited for them!
Wow, this post brought everyone out to comment. How wonderful. Sarah has so many admirers and we are all so thrilled for her happiness, clearly. I love her style of thinking everything through ever so carefully.
So back to the couple, they seem like a very good match. Gage seems interesting, not run-of-the mill at all. Yay!
I first saw the love of my life when I spotted him across a gymnasium. He was sitting on a bleacher with a few friends and he was bouncing a basketball. From the first glance, I just knew. I did not know his name or anything at all about him. He seemed so familiar, like he was a family member and yet we were complete strangers. It was so odd but it was definitely meant to be. That, I knew for sure. We got to know each other, slowly, over time. First as part of a bigger group and then more one on one. We were so alike, we even looked alike. We were such a perfect fit. But, we were young. 16 and 17. We were together for the next 7 years, through the rest of high school and college and wonderful years they were. Over time, he felt a wanderlust, a need to spread his wings, check out the world, sail the seas and learn more about who he was. (He had very overbearing parents who were just smothering him). He literally took a job working crew on a large sailboat and sailed for an entire year. We couldnt stay together while this was all going on and I was devastated. But life went on for each of us. That’s not the end of the story at all but I won’t bore you with that, we are focusing on courtship! Ha!
So happy for Sarah, one step at a time. It is very exciting 🙂
Lesley,
Just saying. You can’t leave us hanging with your story! If you don’t want to write it all hear at least email it to me! 🙂
As you said, Gage is definitely not run of the mill. His uniqueness and Sarah’s uniqueness seem to meld quite well.
Thanks for being happy with her–and us!
Rejoicing with our dear Sarah and can’t wait to meet Gage someday!
Love, Deb
Thanks, Deb! Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Hi again, Becky —
I tried to reply in our comment thread but it was uncooperative, and then I saw a few notes from Sarah saying that that blog feature is currently on strike.
So, whatever I am doing, today, is actually adventuring just around the corner from you! My family is on their annual sojourn to OBX (with an RV and tents this time) and I’ve joined them for a few days.
My mother mentioned possibly wanting to find a local church service to attend, and I told her I would check with you. Is Manteo First holding regular services, and are visitors welcome? It seems weird to check about whether it’s “okay” to come to church, but I wanted to be sure!
– Kristina
Kristina,
How fun that you are close by!
We’d love to have you at church. I’ll email you.
Enjoy the OBX!
Oh. My. Goodness! I love this post! I’m so happy for Sarah. I’m so glad that she waited to find the right one. And that first picture of them is precious. I love the matching and the bow tie.
I pray that they continue to enjoy each other and get to know each other more.
Lord’s Blessing’s, Sarah and Gage
Krista,
I know, right? That matching and the bow tie were two wonderful features of their first meeting. 🙂
Hi Becky!
I’ve been reading posts lately, just haven’t chimed in on the comments. But I couldn’t let this news pass without saying something… I’m excited to hear that Sarah has found someone she clicks with!
I’m always been so impressed by her resolute determination to prioritize other things in her life, and wait until the right time and right person to start dating. I hope all goes well for them!!
Kristina,
Always great to hear from you!
We’re thankful that the right time and the right person have both come along in her life. Exciting days.
Hope you’re enjoying whereever you are and whatever you are doing! 🙂
Congratulations Sarah and Gage!! So happy for you both!!! I wish you all the best and God bless!!!
Becky what dating site did Sarah use? Would like my Sarah to look into it. Please if you don’t mind.
Hi Catherine,
She met Gage on the FTH dating app. (Pronounced FAITH) I believe it is free whereas Christian Mingle has a monthly fee.
(This is Sarah; Mom’s blog is having a glitch with the comment replying function, so I logged in to her account to reply!)
Hi there, Catherine! I just double checked and saw that the FTH app has been renamed to Upward; it’s still free to download but it seems to now have optional in-app purchases, though I’m not sure what for. I was really fortunate to meet Gage on the app, but I just wanted to add that it’s pretty new (less than a year old) and is still in development. Back when I was using it, it had some glitches with saving my settings, such as my preferred age and distance ranges, which would sometimes skew my suggestions. Hopefully those things will be fixed if they haven’t been already. The app offers an internal texting feature (so you don’t have to immediately exchange phone numbers with people); it gets the job done, but it isn’t ideal for full conversations. If your Sarah meets someone she likes, I’d recommend that they exchange email addresses (or maybe phone numbers, if she’s comfortable with that) in order to talk more fluidly before they meet in person. I hope she enjoys! 🙂
This is glorious news and one of the best blogs ever! I am so happy for Sarah, you and Pastor Steve, especially since I have had the privilege of knowing you personally. Since Lucy is from Elizabeth City and I am from Fayetteville (four hours apart), this story did take me back in time. I’m wondering if their meeting place was Greenville, where Lucy and I met? Best wishes for much happiness to all! By the way, I agree completely with the gentleman’s comment about Sarah’s hat and Gage’s bow tie!
Fred,
You are a good guesser. It was indeed in Greenville where they first met. They’ve had two dates there so far. 🙂 Always love hearing the stories about how you and Lucy met.
(This is Sarah; Mom’s blog is having a glitch with the comment replying function, so I logged in to her account to reply!)
Thank you, Mr. Fred! That’s so cool that you and Mrs. Lucy were in a similar situation when you met! Greenville is such an interesting little city; it’s not too big, has plenty of variety, and is a good halfway spot between Fayetteville and Manteo. Our date this past Monday was in Wilson and we loved the lake there; we’ll probably alternate between the two cities!
This is such a sweet post! Sarah and Gage look fabulous together! Wishing them only the best!
Suzanne,
Thanks for being happy with us!
This post actually brought tears to my eyes! I’m so happy for Sarah and Gage. I’ve been following Sarah’s (and your whole family’s) since the early CaringBridge days. This is, indeed, a special milestone. Wishing them well as the begin the journey of friendship and love
Levelle,
How lovely to get a comment from an early Caringbridge Days person. And thank you especially for being happy enough to cry on our family’s behalf. Blessings!
Definitely sounds like a match orchestrated in heaven. They make an adorable couple.
Happiness abounds! I love the family meetings.
Mrs. Pam,
Match, orchestrated, heaven, adorable, happiness, family. I love the words you use!
What a wonderful happy post!!! I’m so very happy for Sarah and her beau! I love pretty much everything about this post, especially Steve going along to meet Gage first, and Nathan & Meagan giving their advice and approval. And what could be sweeter than the elderly gentleman’s comment about their giving him hope for the future. Thanks for this mid-week surprise and have a wonderful rest of your week.
Sue Ellen,
Midweeks surprises are nice, aren’t they? Especially when they happen to be about a certain young lady and her fella.
With all the craziness happening these days this post was just what my heart needed ! I’ve been following you since Sarah’s CaringBridge days and to see her and Gage warms my heart.
Sarah,
Hard to believe that that little girl you started following all those years now is entering into this exciting new stage of life. Thanks for hanging out with us all these years.
Glad we were able to de-crazify your life a little bit.
Very happy for Sarah and Gage and that they “chatted” a lot before meeting. Continue to get to know each other better and enjoy each others company. Sounds like you have a great deal in common. I am a PK and worked for the Billy Graham Assn., which is where I met my husband. We will be married Dec. 30 – 54 years.
Sharyn,
BGA is a great place to meet a good husband. Congrats on almost 54 years.
And yes, a lot of chatting is a good foundation on which to build a relationship.
How sweet! A dating site… I’m constantly amazed at those who meet through dating sites. I can’t imagine, and yet… I should as I “meet” people on line all of the time and feel like some of them are long time friends. Like I know them. So why not widen one’s world and meet one’s love that way.
Cath,
Yeah, I’m always a little surprised too, at how well they can work. But they are a real boon to those who live in smaller areas and don’t have a lot of people to choose from in their area. Widening one’s world is a great way to put it.
(This is Sarah; Mom’s blog is having a glitch with the comment replying function, so I logged in to her account to reply!)
Online dating is definitely different! The process of small-talking with strangers was a little tiring for the few weeks that I used the app, but Gage and I connected immediately. We are both writers and introverts, so getting to know someone via long emails just came naturally to us. Our emails are usually several paragraphs long, covering several topics, so at one point we said it was like we were back in the 1800’s, writing letters across the Atlantic 🙂
So excited to hear this news! I have to say, the first picture Gage reminded me of Steve, lol!
Guerrina,
Being reminded of Steve is a GOOD thing!
Darling Sarah! I could not be happier for you. Have been following your story from England since you were six! Gage looks nearly as adorable as you! He sounds like the perfect choice to go forward in life with. All our love to you both, Teresa and Juliet
(PS…Becky… I understand and share in your joy as only another mother could…my Juliet, who was also “late” to the dating game, being so shy and having never found the right man she could walk out with, got engaged just three weeks ago to the loveliest fella you could imagine. I know he will take care of Juliet and that is a huge relief to me and a weight off my mind for her future.. So you see I do specially understand your happiness. Xxxx
Teresa,
Sending Manteo hoorays and congratulation to you and Juliet on this recent happy news for your family. How wonderful that she took her time to find someone and ended up finding someone just right.
And thank you for your sweet and happy words about Sarah and Gage. Hard to believe you’ve been reading about Sarah since she was six! Wow.
Such good news. Prayers for Sarah and Gage. I agree with the man who told them, there is hope for the world. It is people like them who will lead the others. I met my husband at church where he was the pastor. He lost his wife to cancer and shocked me when he asked me out. It was my first marriage, I was 50! We have been married now 13 years.
Patti,
I LOVE that you got married at age 50. Such a great story of a great love. It makes me smile.
So excited about Sarah and Gage and look forward to hearing more. They look and sound like a perfect pair!
Cindy,
Yes, indeed. They are like bookends!
Happy News Indeed!! 🤗
Sheri,
You know all about daughters and their beaus! Thanks for rejoicing.
Exciting news! I am so happy for both of them. This makes my heart happy.
Debbie,
So glad to spread some joy all the way to Charlotte.
This post makes me so happy!! I am excited for Sarah and Gage!! Abby, my oldest daughter, is also very selective, and has said to me times in the past, mom, do you really think there is someone out there for me that believes like I do? I pray for that for her every day, and can now tell her, it is worth the wait when you find that special someone who enjoys you for who you are! 🙂 I look forward to hearing many happy stories in the future from you about them!!
Tiffany,
I love that Abby is taking the choice of a life’s mate so seriously. Good for her! You’re blessed with some wonderful daughters.
They seriously look like they were meant for each other. I love God stories! Super happy for Sarah and Gage. Yes. I have been waiting for this post a long time! Has
she met his parents and siblings yet?
I met Richard at a revival at his home church in Chesapeake Va. I was a freshman at Mid-Atlantic Christian University in Elizabeth City. He was a senior in HS. When I laid eyes on him that night I told my roommate I was gonna marry him some day. The following year he comes to MACU as a freshman. The rest is history. Married now 45 years. ❤️Buff
Buff,
No, the meeting of the parents and siblings is still to come.
Love the story of your meeting. Isn’t it amazing that out of all the guys in the world you can lay eyes on one of them and immediately just know? Forty-five years is a pretty confirmation he was the one!
Congratulations to Sarah and Gage. I love his bow tie. My old boss’ son wears bow ties a lot.
No stories of how I met my spouse since I’m not married. Although I did meet a guy on a flight back to Tampa several years ago. He lived in KC and I was in Tampa at the time. He was in the middle seat and I was in the aisle seat. We had a couple “outings”. Once when he was in Tampa on business and once when I had moved to Kansas. Nothing much developed from it though.
Phyllis,
Well, even though nothing came of the middle seat romance, it was fun to get to know someone new!
Glad you liked Gage’s bowtie. Steve loves bowties, too.