Dillon Bennewitz and Rachael Arnold - Married March 2020
Rachael became a Christian 12 years ago in the teen ministry in State College, Pennsylvania. She was looking for someone she could connect with spiritually who also shared her dreams of living a simple life.
Fast forward to 2020; Rachael had been using DT Heart & Soul for about a year and was feeling like she would never find love. Her dad kept telling her “2020 is your year, I have been praying about it!” In February she had a deep prayer time with God, pouring her heart out to him about the desires of her heart. After that prayer she was at peace and chose to be content.
Little did she know that 2500+ miles away, Dillon was having similar thoughts about joining the same website. Dillon was baptized in Lancaster, California in 2016 at the Antelope Valley Church. He had his share of trials and struggles that left him feeling like he would never find someone godly to love. The day after Rachael prayed that prayer, she woke up, logged into the website and Dillon was her top match! They connected and within a few weeks they exchanged numbers. They quickly bonded over TV shows, their testimonies, and the fact that they both worked in the education field. The best part of this new friendship was that at the end of their phone calls or FaceTime dates they would pray together. From the beginning they wanted to build a foundation on God.
It became apparent that both Rachael and Dillon had some past pain and hurts from previous relationships that they needed to sort out. This is where seeking advice and godly wisdom came in. Rachael called up her mentor, Lanae, sharing her heart with her. She told her how serious Dillon seemed and it terrified her! She was so afraid that if she gave her heart, she would get hurt again. Rachael had been stuck in a legalistic mindset, basing every move in her past relationships off of people and their idea and opinions. Lanae eased her worries and reminded her of God’s love and plans!
Rachael clung to scriptures like, Psalm 27:14 – “Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” and Psalm 37:4 – “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
These verses were close to Rachael’s heart as she continued to trust God with this new friendship. Dillon’s kind-hearted yet bold personality helped Rachael dig deep to find her convictions and go back to the Bible for her truth instead of to others.
Like Rachael, Dillon had some deep rooted hurts that shaped his mindset on relationships. He met with his mentor, Randy, to deepen his faith and convictions, but to also seek advice on his friendship with Rachael. Dillon knew that a relationship would require a lot of self-denial and humility. His times with Randy helped him learn these important principles. During this process of building a friendship with Rachael, Dillon stayed close to God and the Word.
He relied on scriptures like…
- Galatians 6:9 – “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
- James 1:12 – “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
- Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
These verses helped Dillon realize that even during the beginning stages of his friendship with Rachael, God had a plan and would bless him!
After a few months of getting to know one another, Dillon and Rachael wanted to meet in person, but COVID-19 canceled all their travel plans. They continued to meet each other’s friends and family members over Zoom and FaceTime. They even had a Zoom call so their parents could meet one another. Rachael joined Dillon’s Bible Talk over Zoom and he watched her church services. This was a way for them to stay connected to the body, together.
After prayer and advice they decided to start dating before meeting in person. This was a huge leap of faith for both of them, and although it was not an ideal situation, they knew they had a connection and wanted to see where God would take the relationship. They continued to seek godly wisdom and advice on how to navigate this new online dating situation. Over the next few months they enjoyed fun FaceTime dates like painting, cooking together and playing Battleship.
Because of the pandemic, Rachael and Dillon had never been to church with one another or even on a real date at a restaurant. They had to be creative and make efforts to stay connected to one another and their friends during this time. They quickly learned the importance of godly communication considering the distance. This communication became a huge foundational piece of their relationship, that taught them humility, compassion and service to one another despite being 2500+ miles away!
Without Rachael knowing, Dillon bought a ring in August and got the approval of her dad. Over the next few months Dillon planned how to make a marriage proposal in Rachael’s hometown. In October he came to visit her for her birthday. During the trip they traveled, made memories and ate a lot of good food. A few days into the trip as they were making nachos, Dillon said, “Can you see yourself making nachos with me for the rest of your life?!” Rachael remembered that comment for the rest of the trip.
On her birthday, she opened gifts; Dillon’s gift last-–a picture frame with a document titled “The List”, containing all the things he was looking for over the years. All of the boxes were checked except the last one: “She says Yes.” Rachael was in complete shock when Dillon got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. Dillon and Rachael are so thankful to God for his plans for them and also to their families who encouraged them from the beginning. Without God and the support system surrounding them, they would not be here today! They are also thankful for DT Heart & Soul’s part in their lives completely changing in the best way, supporting a solid foundation on God, purity and godly love. They plan to get married on March 20, 2021 in Pennsylvania at the Christmas tree farm where they got engaged.
