Bentonville Nikki & Shari Cathcart-Sievert

Shari: As a single working mom in a small community, dating was a challenge. Add to that being an LGBTQ Christian, finding romance seemed like an uphill journey. Online dating apps were the avenue that opened up the most possibilities for me meeting someone worthy of my time and energy.

Nikki: I was really just looking for a friend, someone I could talk to about the intersection of our faith and our sexuality. Eventually she convinced me to meet up in person. And we had a grand time, coffee, dinner, and a movie. She was very intense and intimidating. So I don’t think I looked her in the eye at any point.

Shari: I knew by the end of our second date that I didn’t want to be without this unique, extraordinary woman. Every sappy love song seemed to describe this magic that we had found together.

Nikki: I always would watch romance movies and think “That’s not real life.” Since falling for Shari, I have found myself saying “I get it!” over and over. I found my fairy tale love. It’s messy at times. Romance is everything. It’s the highs and the lows, the romantic getaways and the dirty laundry, passionate love and passionate anger. It’s the first date, the proposal, the wedding, the anniversaries, the kids and all the weekdays and weekends in between. It’s the person God created for you, the one created to be your home.