Our Story
A Prayer and a Dance
He came so that we might have life, and have it in abundance.— John 10:10
In early October of 2024, Jacob moved to Philadelphia, looking for new life and a fresh start. On October 7, he found himself praying using the words of Percy Mayfield, “Please send me someone to love.”
Two months prior, I had also moved to Philly from the small town of Steubenville, Ohio, feeling called to leave behind the last 7 years of familiar comforts, like weekly tap dancing at a local studio and hosting monthly brunches with friends after church. I felt compelled and spoken to by the Lord through the words of Aly Aleigha, “Into the unexplored enclave, little bird, take flight.”
I knew that starting a new life in a new city meant finding a new community. And I knew that I could find community through church, and also through my favorite hobby — dancing. I started visiting different parishes and searching for West Coast Swing, Salsa, and Lindy Hop dance socials, and soon was invited to attend a Blues and Fusion event on October 18th in Old City.
The Sidewalk
A block away from the Liberty Bell, standing outside the Concierge Ballroom and waiting for the doors to open, Jacob and I met. He was tall, handsome, and vivacious — with a kind of golden retriever-energy. The night started with a blues lesson, during which we rotated partners frequently. While I was occupied with learning the style’s rhythm and the names of my quickly turning-over partners, Jacob has since admitted that he was stealing glances through the mirror.
At the end of the night, as I gathered my belongings, I caught sight of Jacob across the room out of the corner of my eye. I had this sense that he wanted to talk to me, and curious to see where things might go, I paused by the door to fill out an interest form and give him the chance to approach.
Bingo.
He came over, we chatted a bit more, and then said our goodbyes. After I turned and walked out, he made note of my name from the interest form. The next morning, I saw I had a friend request from Jacob Stephens (sent at 2am the night before).
A week later, I ran into Jacob again — this time at a Lindy Hop social at Cherry St Harbor. We danced several songs over the evening before I ran off to welcome friends from out of town, who had come to celebrate my birthday. Jacob intentionally asked for one last song before I left, so that he could be my last dance on my birthday.
Tacos and Theology
Another week later, on November 1, the Feast of All Saints, we both found ourselves back at the Concierge Ballroom for a Balboa dance. As we danced and conversed about our days, I mentioned I had gone to Mass for the feast day.
Jacob’s ears pricked — he had been feeling drawn to explore the Catholic Church and join a formation class to learn more. At this time I still hadn’t settled on a parish community for myself, but had been to St. Agatha St. James a couple of times and thought the church was beautiful and the community faithful. I invited him to join me sometime, hoping I could snag him for the Church and maybe also myself…
The next day, Jacob invited me to join him and a couple other dance friends in seeing live theater — The Obama Musical (which, if you’re wondering, was not very good but was entertaining, if at times a bit of a fever dream). Afterwards we got tacos, and somehow ended up on the topic of Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body while he drove me home.
It was at this point that I really started wondering, “Who is this man, and where did he come from? How do I make sure I sound as interesting to him as he does to me?”
The Balcony
Through November, we texted with some regularity, carpooled to dance events, and even cooked in my kitchen together for a dance group’s Friendsgiving dinner. I told him I was going to see Hamilton (much better than The Obama Musical) with friends from church, and from my seat sent him a picture of my view of the stage to tease him about not being there. Apparently that grainy photo from my cheap Android and his growing desire to leave an impression on me were enough for him to find me in the balcony at intermission with a ticket he bought last minute. As the lights flickered and Act II started, I frantically texted my future maid-of-honor, asking for confirmation of if I was living in a Hallmark movie.
One Sunday, Jacob joined me for Mass, and I noticed him get emotional before I went up to receive Communion. He was recalling his prayer from October 7, and there in the church next to me felt with certainty that God was answering it. Knowing that he could not yet receive the Eucharist as he was still in formation, I pulled up an Act of Spiritual Communion for him. He read it, and the tears started flowing. He later shared that he was deeply moved by the parts of the prayer mentioning a contrite heart and the poor dwelling my heart offers You. He felt the ache of his old self, and a beckoning towards a newness of life. I myself was grateful for this encounter I could tell he was having with Christ, and wondered how this new relationship in my life would play out.
The First Snow
We finally went on our first official date, only a month after meeting but it felt long overdue. After witnessing me make a sausage dish for Friendsgiving, a day after having made the same for another group dinner, he was convinced — “This girl LOVES sausage” — and found a local, vibey spot known for their sausage sandwiches, hoping to impress.
Note: I like sausage. But the back-to-back dishes were more about the convenience than any preoccupation Jacob assumed I had with the ground pork.
We went on two more dates, I daringly wrote him half of a poem for his half birthday, and then he went radio silent for three days. So when he finally responded by showing up unannounced on my doorstep with two chicken maroosh sandwiches, a massive tub of hummus, and two kinds of baklava, my brain short-circuited. I apologized for my inability to sit and have dinner with him as I was just about to run out for the evening. But later that night we reconnected, walked through the first snow of the year, and after some prodding — I drew out his intentions. He envisioned a long journey ahead for us.
With wonder and joy, I accepted his invitation.
Pastaio
At Christmastime, we walked through the LumiNature exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo. A jazzy Winter Wonderland started playing under an illuminated candy cane archway, and we broke into swing dancing on the path. A passerby mistook us Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.
For New Year’s, we drove to Boston for Countdown Swing — a five-day West Coast Swing convention I had almost backed out of before Jacob offered to make the trip with me. At two in the morning on New Year’s Day, I asked him for one last dance in the vacant lobby next to the ballroom, just the two of us, before parting ways for bed.
We started the Rosary in a Year podcast together, catching up on the first week of episodes side by side on his couch. He was new to the prayer and I was always bad at praying rosaries, so we embarked on this together, encouraging each other to remain faithful and persist in daily prayer.
In late January, temperatures were frigid, and I asked Jacob if he could give me rides to work so I could escape the long walk to the bus stop while it was so cold out. Daily rides soon became the norm, even after temperatures came back up.
In early March, I brought Jacob to Steubenville — the town where I had spent my whole college and post-college life up to my move to Philly. After attending a praise and worship event at my alma mater, we went to dinner at Pastaio, the only “fancy restaurant” in the area (which is actually really good — they made it onto an episode of “America’s Best Restaurants” — check it out if you ever find yourself about 45 minutes west of Pittsburgh). With plates of pasta between us, I told him I loved him. He had been waiting to tell me the same.
The Novena
A week after Easter, on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27th, 2025, Jacob was received into full communion with the Catholic Church at St. Agatha St. James — confirmed, and receiving the Eucharist for the first time.
Some of Jacob’s early-on sleuthing led to him discovering that, a week before we met at the fusion dance on October 18th, we were in the same room together dancing lindy hop to Chelsea Reed and the Fairweather Band, although our paths never crossed that night. On May 3rd, Chelsea Reed returned to Philadelphia for another show. We made sure to see each other this time.
Over these months, we also faced challenges beyond our control, and during which all we could do was wait and pray for a clear path forward for our relationship. By June, the wait became unbearable, and we decided to pray a very intentional novena for the future of our relationship. On June 13, only the second day of our nine-day novena, we received the answer to our prayers. Assured of God’s will for our future, we began to envision a new and richer life together in more detail than we had previously allowed ourselves.
The Blessing
In early September, Jacob excused himself from my company one evening, claiming he was “busy.” He drove an hour out to the suburbs to meet my parents for dinner and ask for my hand. My parents joyfully gave their blessing, and upon leaving the restaurant, they noticed a rainbow in the sky, and thought of the Biblical symbolism of promise and covenant.
Written in Stone and Sky
Jacob insisted I request off from work on September 26, and that evening as our plane descended, I was quite surprised to finally take out my earbuds and hear the pilot welcome us to Calgary, in the province of Alberta, Canada. We spent the next day, September 27th, hiking in Banff National Park, and after a pitstop at the hostel to shower and “put on something nice,” we were driving the Icefields Parkway.
We walked to a rocky overlook on Mount Jimmy Simpson, above Peyto Lake. The deep, looming clouds sat heavy in the valley, and we were surrounded by the grandeur of the Canadian Rockies. Below, the lake sat quiet, still, and brilliant blue. We braced ourselves against the chilling mountain winds and falling mist. A guitarist starting playing a sweet, acoustic cover of Can’t Help Falling In Love, and Jacob knelt down before me.
I said yes
...and seven hours later we were back on a plane to Philadelphia.
The next day, our pastor Fr. Remi Morales blessed our engagement during a small ceremony surrounded by our parents and friends.
Afterward, our families shared a meal together, and we celebrated this turning point in our lives — turning to a new adventure and embracing a new, joined life together.
Divine Mercy’s Design
Our Nuptial Mass will be on April 11, 2026 at St. Agatha St. James Parish in Philadelphia. The reception will be at Bala Golf Club.
It’s been quite the journey of faith and hope. God has been present every step of the way. We still love dancing and being very involved in our parish community, and are excited to be preparing for our sacramental wedding. Jacob entered the Catholic Church in fullness on Divine Mercy Sunday, 2025, and our wedding date is set for the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday, 2026. God has made us new and continues to make us new and give us new life and new hearts, and we see His beauty and His hand in our Easter Octave wedding date.