It all began with a single Facebook message. In 2014 Mark wrote to Vera a day after meeting her at a camp where he preached. This message is the only surviving proof of the start of a friendship that would quietly continue for 13 years.

Mark lived in bustling LA, while Vera lived a fast-paced life in the calm of Sacramento. Their days were filled with ministry, grad school, and travel. And yet, every so often, a casual message kept them connected. For more than a decade, their friendship lingered that way—sweet, platonic, unhurried.

Then came the summer of 2025.

Mark’s world had never been busier, filled with ministry travel, preaching commitments, and new responsibilities at Grace Church following the passing of our beloved Pastor John MacArthur. The timing for romance was, to put it mildly, untimely.

In God’s providence, Vera reappeared in Mark’s life and they had their first phone call four days after Pastor John’s memorial service. What began as simply catching up soon turned into regular phone calls.

Mark found out that Vera and her closest friends planned to attend the Puritan Conference at Grace Church strictly for theological enrichment. Mark had an alternate plan and asked her out for their first date on October 4. She came to study history and found her future instead.

Four days later Mark left on a ministry trip with no contact with Vera for three weeks. They reconnected at the end of October and more phone calls followed until their next date at the end of November when he met her family. As their relationship developed, it became obvious that their friendship had slowly and beautifully grown into love.

Mark knew exactly what to do next. On January 19, Mark asked Vera’s father for her hand in marriage. Intending to surprise Vera, Mark chose February 13 as their engagement day. As the sun was setting over the Pacific Ocean in Malibu, Mark took a knee and asked Vera to marry him.

Instead of saying yes, she laughed. Apparently, when Mark opened the box, the ring was upside down at the top of the box. But Vera finally said yes! 💍

God’s timing is always perfect!