It was a Monday night on July 22nd, 2013. I (Julie) was about to make the hour-long drive through Atlanta traffic to attend a coed bible study a friend had told me about. I walked out, getting ready to leave, and my friend said, “Is that what you’re wearing?” I looked down at my outfit. There on me was some old exercise pants, a zip-up sweatshirt, and a face with no makeup on. I confidently replied, “Yes, this is exactly what I’m wearing. I’m going to learn about God, not meet my husband. Plus, if my husband were there, I’d rather have him see me looking like this than all dolled up. At least he knows what he’s getting!”

Once I finally arrived, I sat down in one of the chairs that were arranged in a circle in the living room. I didn’t know any of the other people sitting alongside me, except the friend who had invited me to this Bible study group.

I had come because I was seeking a group that went deep into the Word and into what God revealed to those who pursued him with their whole heart. I had found that most Bible study groups weren’t willing to go this deep and tended to stay surface level. This group, I was told, was different.

As the study began, I accidentally dropped my pen, and it fell down the stairs behind me. I looked to my right and left to see if someone near had one I could borrow, when out of nowhere this guy (my soon-to-be hot hubby) from across the room leapt out of his seat and dashed toward me like someone out of a movie.

Yes, my wife is right, and to be quite honest, I wasn’t paying much attention that night because I was staring at Julie the entire time! Which meant I was the first person to see her pen drop, giving me an advantage to leap out of my chair and make sure no one else got to her before I did, so that it was my pen she took.

That pen exchange would begin the start of a beautiful and messy journey of love, grace, forgiveness, and God’s power when we truly surrender it all to Him. Shortly after that first exchange, we began dating. Three months later, we got engaged, and four months after that, we said, “I do.”

We know a total of seven months together before two people, who were total strangers not that long ago, become husband and wife, can make most people’s eyes pop open. But the Lord had very clearly told me (Julie) the previous year that this is what would happen. I remember telling my mom what I heard the Lord say, so it was no surprise to her when Ryan and I started making wedding plans that following year. I (Ryan) knew by our second date that Julie was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, and that we would get married within a year.

Our marriage has been a beautiful mess. We’ve laughed, loved, and been broken-hearted from each other's actions. We’ve been stretched, pruned, explored the world around us, and have experienced very dark seasons together. But that’s the key. It’s always been together, with God at the center, always drawing us near to Him. Taking us deeper than we could have ever imagined, but secretly longed and hoped for.

The trials we have been through have not only strengthened us as individuals and as husband and wife, but also the very foundation of our marriage. A foundation that was torn apart at one point but has now been built on the rock of God’s truth. The truth of who we each are as His children, understanding why He’s brought us together as husband and wife, blessing us with three amazing children, and knowing the purpose of our calling as a family.

We don’t have it all together. We’re always learning, but we pray that, as the Lord teaches, shows, and grows us as husband and wife and as a family, what we share will benefit you, your marriage, and/or your family as well.

We’re Team Taylor, and we’re so excited and blessed to have you along this journey with us! As we, in our best Steven Curtis Chapman voice, love to say to one another, “Saddle up your horses, we’ve got a trail to blaze!”