Terms of Engagement

Grand Prize winner
A Fairy Tale Come True

I first met Andrea in 1995 when we were placed on the same mission team in the Ukraine. To pass the time while riding trains cross-country, we read to each other from an old book of local fairy tales I'd found. We grew to be close friends, and two years later, after returning to the States, I invited Andrea to my hometown of Pensacola, Florida.

As we walked the beach one evening, enjoying the sunset, we were approached by a homeless man who rambled on about "love lost," and gave us a treasure from his sack—a beautiful handmade wooden book with leather binding and parchment pages.

Surprised by his gift, we watched him walk away and sat down to read the book. We opened it to find an old fairy tale about a beautiful young girl named Odette. The book contained charming hand-drawn illustrations, and it wasn't long before Andrea realized that the drawings and story mirrored her life story.

Finally, it dawned on her that this was a set-up, and that I'd made the book. (The old vagabond was a friend of mine who eagerly played the part!)

The fairy tale told of Odette's travel to a faraway land to tell the people of Christ's love, and how she built a relationship with another young missionary named Jonathan. The story progressed to a time when Odette and Jonathan were walking together on a serene beach, enjoying the sunset, and they received a surprise visit from a vagabond. The drifter talked of love and gave them a special book that inspired Jonathan to kneel in the sand and ask Odette for her hand in marriage. The story ended as Jonathan awaited a response from Odette (the story couldn't be finished until Andrea gave an answer).

I then closed the book, knelt on the sand, and asked Andrea if she would be my wife. She tearfully replied yes, and we were married soon after. We're still missionaries serving in eastern Europe, and now have three daughters—the first named Abigail Odette.

Bob and Andrea Burnham
Hometown: Lawrenceville, Georgia
Married: February 7, 1998

Runners Up
A Moonlight Canoe Ride—at the Y

Ever since Rebecca and I started dating, I thought we might get married. So early in our relationship, when I asked her "nonchalantly" about her dream proposal, I listened closely. It was an intricate outdoor lakeside fantasy, complete with floating candles and a canoe ride.

A year and a half later, I was ready and eager to propose. There was only one problem: it was December. December in Michigan means frozen lakes, which are somewhat bad for canoeing.

So the elaborate planning began.

I called some camps and found one that would let me borrow a canoe. Then I needed a lake. I made some more calls, explaining my plight, and found a YMCA with an indoor pool that was willing to let me bring in a canoe.

Some friends and I drove to the camp to get the canoe. And two nights, some spray-painted cardboard trees, and several floating candles later, I was ready to propose.

After a nice dinner, I blindfolded Rebecca and drove her to the YMCA.

I led her inside and took off the blindfold. She couldn't believe what she saw: the canoe floating in the indoor pool, large spray-painted trees, floating candles, and a few dozen friends and family I'd invited for the event. Even some of the staff at the Y stuck around to watch!

We got in the canoe, I paddled out to the center of the "lake," and while trying to balance the boat as I got on one knee, popped the question. She accepted!

On the way back to the edge of the pool, I saw my friends waiting to tip us. So I saved them the trouble. We both got soaked, but at least it wasn't an icy lake!

Nathan and Rebecca VanderMolen
Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Married: July 4, 2003

Horsing Around

On the day we were celebrating two and a half years of dating, my boyfriend, Jamie, asked me if I wanted to go horseback riding. I was disappointed, because I thought he might be planning something special to celebrate, perhaps an engagement. But I agreed anyway, and we headed to the stable.

After we'd been riding for a while, the trail guide began to lead us through the woods. As we went around a bend in the path, I noticed two red roses hanging in a nearby tree.

I looked at Jamie, but he didn't seem to notice. So I clumsily maneuvered my horse to retrieve them, and discovered another set of roses in a tree farther up the path. I continued on my horse to collect five pairs of roses, each pair attached to a white piece of paper.

We were both laughing as I tried to hold on to thorny roses, papers, and stay on my horse!

After I collected all the roses, we trotted toward a clearing that overlooked the beautiful hills of New York State. My heart was racing as I thought, This is it!

Suddenly the horses were startled by the sound of music—the Hallelujah Chorus! There in the clearing was a table with two chairs and a white tablecloth. On the table were a bouquet of flowers, a vase for the roses, two wine glasses with sparkling grape juice chilling on ice, and an open Bible with another rose on top.

We sat at the table, and I read the papers attached to the roses I'd gathered. In sequence, they formed a poem Jamie had written for me about our relationship.

After I read the poem, he picked up the Bible and read verses from 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter. As he finished reading, he closed the Bible and handed it to me. On the front was engraved my future married name.

As I began to cry, he reached into the bouquet of flowers, where there was one last rose. Tied onto the rose was a beautiful diamond ring. Kneeling in front of me, he sang the song "If You Could See What I See," and ended by asking, "Pam, would you please marry me?"

I'm glad we went horseback riding that day!

Jamie and Pam French
Hometown: Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Married: June 29, 1996

A Half-Time Show

Cameron was a band director at the local high school in the district where we both taught. He set up the proposal through my principal so I'd be at the last football game of the season.

My principal told me I needed to take the junior high cheerleaders (whom I was sponsoring) to the game for a "recruitment night."

I took my cheerleaders that night, and we all sat with Cameron's mother and my mother (who told me she wanted to see Cameron's last marching show). At halftime I watched the marching band, but didn't see Cameron, who usually directs out front.

At the end of the set, the marching band scattered into a heart formation. The game's announcer told everyone to focus their attention on the center of the field for a special treat.

At that moment, the two drum majors unrolled a 20-foot banner that read, "Jenny, will you marry me?" The crowd went wild!

I ran onto the field. Next to the banner was Cameron—down on one knee, holding a dozen roses and a beautiful diamond ring. After I said yes, my dad (who I thought was missing this whole thing) came around the track in a sports car. Cameron and I hopped in the car, and he whisked me out of the stadium to an engagement party he'd prearranged at our favorite restaurant. It was a girl's dream come true!

Jennifer and Cameron Akin
Hometown: Tyler, Texas
Married: June 14, 2003

Love from Iraq

It was September 1, 2003, and 120 degrees outside my base in Mosul, Iraq. I hadn't seen my girlfriend, Brittney, in five months, and I knew I had another seven long months until I could hold her in my arms again. September 1 was our one-year dating anniversary, so I decided to propose on that day.

While my proposal plans had always included being less than a foot away and on one knee, now I found myself more than 6,500 miles away with a satellite phone in hand. A month earlier I'd coordinated between my parents and Brittney's parents for what I hoped to be a memorable proposal. I made a short video, giving Brittney a tour of my base, and had the commander of the 101st Airborne Division, Major General (now Lt. Gen.) David H. Petraeus, lead me into my proposal. He put his arm around my shoulders and said, "Brittney, Jonathan has a very important question to ask you and we both agree the answer should be 'yes.' So make sure you're in a 'yes' state of mind when you watch this."

I arranged for a treasure hunt around her house with several hidden clue cards of poetry that would lead her to different presents—the last being the engagement ring. As we spoke on the phone, Brittney followed my clues around her house and discovered the gifts (scrapbook materials to record memories of the day, 12 pink roses for the 12 months I had the privilege of loving her, a dozen pink Swarovski crystal roses to cherish always, and a framed photograph). In the frame were photos of my tanks that I'd positioned to spell out "Will You Marry Me?" Beneath the framed proposal and inside her hope chest was her ring. Before she opened the ring box, she watched the video where I knelt and asked her to be my wife.

Brittney responded with a tearful "Yes, I will!" After my return from Iraq, almost 10 months after our engagement, we married with the commitment to serve the Lord together for the rest of our lives.

Jonathan and Brittney Carl
Hometown: Killeen, Texas
Married: June 26, 2004

Honorable Mentions
Blown Away

Pete and I started dating soon after I'd returned to college. He, an electrician's apprentice, and I were both struggling financially but knew we wanted to be married. Pete explained it would be a while before he could save enough money for a ring and we put our sights on the following spring.

Since we couldn't afford to go on dates every week, we instituted our "date-a-month." This was a special date one of us would plan and pay for, alternating months, sometimes surprising each other with a new adventure. So on October 20, 2002, our date day, when Pete told me we were going to the Delaware Water Gap, I suspected nothing.

After a picnic lunch in the mountains we were on the road again, when all of a sudden Pete pulled into someone's driveway. I thought he was lost and turning around, but he turned off the car and told me we were "here." Then I saw it—a hot air balloon basket in the back of a pick-up truck! The weather was perfect and the leaves on the trees were beautiful shades of gold and red as we sailed above the earth. When we were close to landing, the man flying the balloon said, "Jean, I think you should look over there." I obediently walked over, looked down, and to my amazement saw a huge banner on the ground that read, "Will You Marry Me?"

Needless to say, I said yes. Our "date-a-month" routine ended then and there—I knew I could never top that!

—Jean Carlson, New Jersey

The Rainbow Connection

On Saturday, August 10, 2002, Brian picked me up at 6:30 A.M. We were headed out of town for the day to "see his family."

We left Wilmington, North Carolina, as he played Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon" and "New York, New York." He smiled conspiratorially at me, and shocked I asked, "Are we going to New York?" He nodded.

We arrived at the airport and Brian and I boarded a plane headed for JFK airport. When we arrived 11:00 A.M., we saw a man holding a sign that read, "Brian James." I was surprised as he escorted us to a stretch limousine. Brian gave the driver a spreadsheet with the day's detailed itinerary.

We headed to Bow Bridge in Central Park. Standing on the bridge, Brian said, "Wendy, in Genesis 9:16, God made a covenant never to destroy the earth by flood again. The sign of that promise was the "rainbow" or "bow." On this "bow" bridge today, I pledge my covenant to love you forever. Wendy, will you marry me?" I started to cry and said yes.

Next, we drove to Saint Paul's Cathedral where we prayed and committed our future to God. Then we headed to Broadway for the matinee showing of Oklahoma! (This was special since I played "Ado Annie" in Oklahoma! years earlier.) Our next stop was Rockefeller Center where we ate dinner in the Rainbow Grille on the 65th floor, facing the Empire State Building. After dinner, the driver took us to JFK and we flew back to Raleigh. Our day ended late at his Mom's where we celebrated our romantic engagement with the family.

—Wendy James, North Carolina

A Boulder Proposal

I never suspected anything when Tina, my fifth grade room mother, offered to plan an end-of-the-year field trip for my class. She suggested a hiking trail at the base of the mountains overlooking our hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

That Friday after school, Tina drove me to evaluate the prized location. As we approached the trailhead, I thought of Matt, who was teaching in a Chicago suburb. He'd be surprised to find out I'd visited the location of our first date!

Suddenly, Tina pointed at two roses and a letter placed at the trailhead. Surprised, I skimmed the letter about "a journey to the man of my dreams." Then Tina directed me to red yarn strung along the trail.

The yarn led to five more locations. At each, I found two red roses and a promise letter. Amidst anticipation and excitement, I tried to read the letters but caught only glimpses of each—Matt's promise to be a spiritual leader, to think of my needs as his own, to be a faithful husband, and to rear our future children knowing Jesus.

Six letters and a dozen roses later, the yarn looped to form the words I love you. As I finished reading the last letter, Matt emerged from behind a boulder, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. Speechless, I grinned broadly and nodded emphatically.

We dreamily returned to the parking lot to find my parents, Tina, and a couple from church who'd photographed and videotaped the proposal. We laughed at how Matt had beautifully orchestrated his scheme without my ever suspecting!

—Kim Schleicher, Michigan

A Puzzling Proposal

I almost stepped on the card lying on the floor just inside my front door. It was a letter telling me that my sweetie, Steve, had planned a scavenger hunt for me just before he left town for the week. Something was taped to the bottom of the card. A piece of a puzzle? According to the instructions, I was to find a puzzle piece and a word with each clue in the hunt—30 in all—and then put them together in sequence to reveal a secret message.

The twenty-ninth clue was in my mailbox a block from my house. As I walked back to the house, I read the assembled words: "'Dear Julie, God has blessed me richly in my first 33 years and made my life a beautiful jigsaw puzzle. It's missing a piece, though, and that piece is … ' For the last piece, go to the dining room table."

Back at my house was a big surprise. Stephen Curtis Chapman's love song, "I Will Be Here," was playing and Steve sat at my dining room table holding the last piece of the puzzle.

We assembled all the pieces of the puzzle made from a photograph taken of us posing by a beautifully decorated Christmas tree the previous New Year's Eve.

I got to the last missing piece of the picture—my face. I turned around to find Steve on one knee, holding the piece. Grasping my hands in his, he said, "Dear Julie, God has blessed me richly in my first 33 years and made my life a beautiful jigsaw puzzle. It's missing a piece though … and that piece is … you. I love you. Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" I shrieked. Through laughter and tears, he handed me the last piece to symbolically put in place. The picture was complete.

—Julie Ferwerda, Wyoming

Princess and a School Bus

After a three year long-distance relationship, John, who was visiting me at my parents' house, told me he had an entire day planned for us. That morning he escorted me into the kitchen, where a trail of rose petals began. After following the petals through my house, I found a note marked "Princess Ashley." The note said we were about to go on a treasure hunt, gave me a clue for the first location, and told me to go outside because "a princess needs a carriage and yours is waiting outside."

We went outside, and parked in my front yard was a school bus! John and I had met on a school bus three years earlier on a trip to California! The bus took us to all our "special places" in my hometown while I collected clues and princess-themed presents along the way. We went to the golf course where we first went "alligator hunting," my church, the park where we first kissed, our special swing at my neighbors' house, and finally, a lakeside park we visited together often.

At the park, we walked around the lake to a picnic set up under a gazebo. On the table was the glass slipper that belongs to my Meme that I've played with and admired my whole life. After eating lunch, John secretly placed my ring in the slipper. He then told me how much he loved me, got down on his knee, slipper in hand, and asked me to marry him. After hugs, tears, and with a beautiful ring on my finger, I read my final clue, instructing me to "be ready for the ball" at 5:30 sharp. That evening he had a white limo drive us to dinner and, upon our arrival back home, my parents threw a surprise engagement party. Talk about a day straight from a fairytale.

—Ashley Hall, North Carolina

Who You Gonna Call?

It was Christmastime and my boyfriend, now husband, mentioned that he'd purchased my favorite movie Ghostbusters II. He'd frequently complained about my zeal toward a movie that was more than 10 years old. So I was really excited when he said he'd watch it with me.

He'd driven all day from South Carolina to Florida, and arrived about 7:00 p.m. He said nonchalantly that he had the movie and wanted to see what the excitement was all about. I offered to cook dinner but he said no, he'd rather just watch the movie. We sat down and popped it in the VCR. I glanced over periodically to see if he was enjoying it; his face was like stone. I even tried to over-exaggerate my joy in hopes that he'd catch some of it. It was to no avail. When the courtroom scene arrived, I said, "Baby, this is my favorite part!" He said, "I know, you told me several times!" As the scene unfolded and the monsters were about to emerge from the can, the screen changed. My boyfriend was on the screen wearing a suit and holding a ring. He said, "Carmen, will you marry me?" I did a double take, turned, and looked at him; he was on his knee with the ring in his hand. Of course I said yes! Now the movie is my favorite for another reason. Who you gonna call?

—Carmen J. Harris, North Carolina

Out of Africa

In the summer of 1998, I embarked on my first mission trip to Botswana, Africa. I was privileged to take the gospel to the Bushmen of Africa in the remote village of Nxamasari in the Kalahari Desert. For two weeks, my heart became forever intertwined to these beautiful people. Twenty others were also on this trip, including my future husband, Mike.

Returning to Texas, I longed to make mission work a continual part of my life as long as God would allow me to go. Aside from brief hellos at our church, Mike and I didn't have a relationship for another three years. When the timing was right, we began to talk more and date. We returned to Botswana and after four months of dating, shared our first kiss beneath the waterfalls of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

In the fall of 2001, we went to a Asia on a mission trip with our pastors. At the end of the trip, Mike came to my hotel room and told me he'd purchased a decorative scroll in the market.

"Let's have it interpreted," he suggested. I agreed, and after the interpreter silently read the scroll, she pushed it back into his hands with a grin and a blush on her checks.

"You must read this," she told Mike. I thought this was a joke as they pushed the scroll back and forth between theirs hands; she, with laughter, he, with trembling.

Finally he said, "It says, Dena, 'Will you marry me?'"

The poor man, I thought, he bought this on the street thinking it was just a nice poem, and he's gotten himself into an awkward position here. But, oh how I wished it wasn't a joke!

I stared at the symbolic letters, beautifully crafted on the paper.

"Did you know it said this?" I asked.

"Yes, Dena, I had a friend of mine make it back in the U.S., and I've been carrying it with me until the right moment."

Mike and I just returned from our fifth mission trip into Africa. God not only brought me a vision for his work, he brought a partner to share the adventure.

—Dena Arellano, Texas

Out to Pasture

I wanted to surprise Jessica with a proposal in one of the pastures where her horses roam. There's one particular place that's surrounded by trees and bushes. The day before the proposal, I recruited her mom and aunt to help run white Christmas lights out to that spot, about 200 yards away. I strung lights within the bushes and a tree, and hung the engagement ring by a fishing line right at head level.

The next evening, July 22, at around 9:00 p.m. I decided to go home, just like a normal night. I drove down her dirt road and past the field and barn where everything was set up. Just after I left, her aunt, who was down the road, called her house and said, "Your horse is loose. Get Jess down here now! Roberto is coming back to pick her up!" I returned to her house, where Jess was waiting with a flashlight. (It was pitch black out and Jess's aunt had told Jess she saw the horse in the field. I grabbed the flashlight from Jess and said, "Let's go out and find him."

I was acting irritated about not being able to go home. When we got to the proposal site, I flashed the flashlight, which signaled to her aunt to plug in the lights. When the lights came on, Jess jumped back and said, "What is this?" She soon noticed the sparkling diamond ring hanging from the tree, and began to cry. I grabbed the ring, cut it down, and got down on one knee. I told her what she meant to me and asked her to be my wife. In her tears she said yes and then jumped on me with excitement.

—Roberto Torres, Massachussetts

The 12-Day Proposal

Several months before Christmas, I purchased a box of 12 Christmas cards. I had each member of her immediate family, my immediate family, and several of our closest friends sign a card and jot a note at the bottom that read, "P.S. Joe said to tell you he loves you." Then I pre-ordered 23 dozen red roses and made arrangements to have them picked in batches every few days leading up to Christmas.

On each of the 11 days leading up to Christmas, I had one of the cards delivered to her along with two dozen roses. On Christmas day I filled one of the rooms of my house with the last dozen roses. I took her engagement ring and wrapped it along with the last Christmas card signed by me asking for her hand in marriage. The present was a Precious Moments figurine of a little boy proposing to a little girl. They were looking for the ring and it was behind the little boy, sitting on his dog's nose. I placed the ring on the dog. I then wrapped the door of the room like a Christmas present and waited for her to come over. When she arrived, I made her open her other presents first, then told her to open the room, which was her last gift. She said, "Yes!"

Besides Christ, she remains to be the greatest gift God has ever given me. And I keep a bottle filled with the petals from the roses in our room.

—Joe MacMichael, New Jersey

The Golden Egg

It was Easter Sunday, and I was preparing for a dessert party I was hosting that evening for some friends. My fiance, Jason, helped, then went home to clean up before the party.

So I was surprised when he called. He told me he had a surprise for me hidden in the apartment, and where to find it. Then he hung up! I found an egg with a special message and began an Easter egg hunt! The hunt sent me to the homes of four friends. Each friend's house had three eggs hidden. One had a Bible verse about love, one had a sweet message for me, and one had the phone number for the next house to visit! The last house had Jason's phone number for a clue, and he told me to return to my apartment.

Driving there I thought about how sweet he was to plan such a special Easter treat—I still had no idea what was coming!

When I opened the door to my apartment, he greeted me! He'd set the table for dinner with meals from our favorite restaurant! After we ate and I beamed over how special he'd made Easter, he asked me to dance.

As we slow danced, he whispered, "There's one more egg."

I found the egg, and when I began to open it, he dropped to one knee.

Inside was a ring! He proposed, I said yes, and we called our parents. The Easter dessert party I'd planned turned out to be the perfect engagement party!

That morning we celebrated the new life we have in Christ and his victory over the grave, and that evening we celebrated the new life Jason and I were planning together with the Lord as the writer of our love story!

—Kirsten Northrup, Texas

A Flight of Fancy

My husband's friend Vinny just received his flying license and wanted to take some of his friends flying. So on June 18, 1999—a day after our 6 month anniversary and my 36th birthday—we headed to the airport. Vinny was going to fly with Greg and me and Vinny's brother. We were in the air for no more than 10 minutes when Darren got air sick, so we had to turn around and go back. We dropped off Darren, and took off again. We flew over Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach in California.

It was cloudy that day and it was hard to see anything below us. There was a little clearing in the clouds and we circled over the Redondo Beach Pier. I looked down and saw, "Dolores, Will You Marry Me" in big, block letters.

I pointed it out to Greg and said, "Isn't that sweet?"

Then Greg handed me an engagement ring and asked me to marry him! I was in shock. Only after seeing the ring did I realize that I was the Dolores of the message.

It seems that Greg had all his family and friends make huge letters on white cardboard paper. Then they met at the park and held the letters down with bricks, shoes, and everything else they could find.When we arrived back at the airport some of my family and friends were there to congratulate us. That afternoon we met with the rest of our friends and family for a barbeque at our house. Later, Greg told me he was praying the whole time we were in the air that God would open a clearing in the clouds.

—Dolores Bernhard, California

Reality Engagement

I'd recently applied for a writing position in the entertainment industry. One Friday night I received a call from a guy who said he had a new reality dating show concept and wanted to know if I was interested in working on the project. He told me to write a summary of my experiences, and he would present the concept and my experience to investors the following Monday. The job was at three locations on the Northern California coast.

He also offered me $1,000 dollars and asked if I had a boyfriend who would help me test the concept. I was excited and eagerly told my boyfriend, Robert, every detail of the assignment. He thought it was a good idea and agreed to go with me.

The following day, I met with an assistant at the local Starbucks. He gave me a contract, instructions, three sets of dating questions, and a "mystery box" for the third location. We drove to our first location, sampled wine, and opened the first set of questions. I was feverishly taking notes for the so-called review I would be writing later. Then we had lunch and answered another set of questions. After lunch, we drove to the ocean and found a quiet spot on the beach. Robert opened the "mystery box." He pulled out a blanket, a set of questions, a CD player, and a blindfold. He blindfolded me and had me listen to the song. The music started and I quickly realized it was our song. I was confused. How did this company know "our song"? When the song was over, I pulled the blindfold off and found Robert kneeling in front of me with a ring in his hand. He told me how much he loved me and asked me to be his wife. Of course I said yes and we sat together on the blanket and enjoyed a beautiful, romantic, ocean sunset. The whole plan was a hoax, set up by Robert and his Bible study group, to create the perfect date with a perfect ending.

—Angela Combs, California

At the Beach

Robin and I were spending a few days with my parents at their 19th story condo overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on Daytona Beach Shores.

One morning, I woke before dawn. Using the ball rack from my parents' pool table, I carved my proposal in the sand in front of the building. The letters were about six feet tall—large enough to be viewed easily from the 19th floor.

The proposal read, "Robin, will you marry me?" and then included three check boxes: yes, no, and maybe. The boxes added some humor—but I was sure hoping for a "yes" check.

Waiting for Robin to wake up was the more difficult part of my plan! I went back up to the condo and waited. She didn't get up until about 8:30 (it felt more like noon!). Joggers, merchants, condo owners, and beachgoers began to take note of my proposal. And I wasn't sure the letters were going to last.

When she finally awoke, she was in no hurry to look over the balcony at the view, something I thought everyone did first thing in the morning! After eating her breakfast, and after many subtle hints about the beauty of the day, Robin finally walked to the balcony and looked out. With a crowd of curious onlookers, she saw my proposal in the sand. She was speechless. Not one word!

Instead, after many moments of excited facial exchanges and several chants from the "gallery," Robin raced down to the beach, and jumped enthusiastically into the "yes" box. She even made a sand angel there, to the cheer and applause of many.

—Justin Miller, Florida

Copyright © 2005 by the author or Christianity Today/Marriage Partnership magazine. Click here for reprint information on Marriage Partnership.

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