The First Love series takes a look at how different individuals in The Voice community keep Christ the first love of their lives. Meet: Kathy Vega and Reece Poe, who have been dating for two years.

Placing Jesus at the center of our relationship means these 2 significant things:

1)  First, as long as we place Jesus at the center of our relationship, we are never alone. He is everything we lack. He provides patience, wisdom, comfort, strength and joy. Since we are most vulnerable and “real” with each other, He helps us strengthen one another and keep each other accountable.

2) Communication & BOUNDARIES… need we say more? No, but seriously, the obvious boundary is intimacy; however, with Jesus at the center, setting boundaries goes beyond that. For example, how we communicate with one another, how we treat each other, and how we spend our time together. Concerning communication, I (Reece) think it’s so easy to equate placing Jesus at the center of our lives with doing some big radical thing for God when a lot of the time we neglect the more difficult ways we love Jesus by truly loving those closest to us on a daily basis. I mean, it’s much easier to tell someone on a missions trip about Jesus than it is to hold your tongue in an argument.

1) How did the chemistry come to be between the two of you?

(While writing this Kathy asked if we even have chemistry. SMH…) Honestly, we don’t really know how to describe our “chemistry.” What we do believe is God made this thing happen. We’ve lived in the same neighborhood since Kathy was four. Known each other since middle school, where I had a crush on her. Went to the same high school. Then both ended up in a relationship with God and reuniting at the Voice. Cue the “awwwwww.” Not so fast… We ran into each other at the first Voice Conf., Loud. I thought we’d hit it off but she rejected me. I guess God had other plans.

Two years went by and we ran into each other AGAIN at The Voice Conf., and the rest is history.

2) How are you and Reece different, and how does that work well in your relationship?

This is a funny question for us because when we first started dating we were very different. He liked the outdoors and going on adventures, while I liked being a homebody, watching tv and reading books. As time went on though, Reece started reading and I went outside more often. I guess, as we started to enjoy each other’s company more, we began to enjoy what the other liked. Obviously, our personalities are still different, I like to go with the flow while Reece likes a structured plan. That works for us because when I need some grounding he is there with the practical and when he’s being too “grandpa” I am there to remind him that we are young, need to relax, and live a little.

3) You both serve in ministry here at Mainstream Orlando. How has serving been impactful (in both a good or challenging way)?

It is challenging when we can’t spend as much time together because we work in different types of ministry. Sometimes while one is at the church the other isn’t, and even when we are there together we are leaders not a couple. On the bright side, we can ride together and save gas. But seriously, it’s been impactful because we get to serve together and see each other living out our dreams. Also, serving together keeps us accountable and helps us to encourage one another to be more Christ like in our daily lives.

4) What is your advice to anyone waiting or wanting to pursue a relationship?

Don’t settle. Be content in singleness. As you read above, it took a long time for us to get to the place we are now (seven years). Although during that time we dated other people, God always let those relationships fall because He knew there was better out there for us. God’s plan and His timing is so much better than our own. We basically were always in the same circle, but God had us wait. We had to fall in love with Him and find our identity through Him first before we pursued a relationship.

Another word of advice, don’t think that once you find bae you’ll complete each other and everything is going to be perfect. People are jacked up, relationships are difficult. Two imperfect, fallen people, do not come together to make a whole person. If anything it makes more of a mess. BUT, with Jesus at the center He can make two imperfect sinners become whole in Him.

Kathy Vega & Reece Poe