A God-ordained love

Siobhan Neita and Johnoi Marshall share a long history of living near each other, attending the same church, and sharing a deep passion for ministry. Yet they never imagined walking down the aisle until the Lord intervened. With a clear message and mission, God did the seemingly impossible: He led two hearts to each other. Taking a leap of faith, the lovebirds dated for only one month before tying the knot.

“We have worked on many passion projects in the ministry, done several outdoor evangelisms and ministry related tasks. But we never knew then that the Lord would have seen fit to join us together in 2025,” Siobhan, who also goes by the name of Zoe, told Island Wedding.

The revelation came in 2024, when, according to Zoe, the Lord told her that Johnoi was her husband and that He would make it happen. “My initial response was, ‘Absolutely not!’ And I struggled with this for quite some time because I had no interest in him [then]. I only saw him as my brother in Christ,” she explained.

The encounters about the fated man grew constant. And when she wasn’t able to shake the thought, her pastor joined in on the Lord’s bidding, “I was instructed to share this with my pastor and I refused. I tried bargaining with God. However, in January while travelling home from church, my pastor told me to change my menu. I immediately knew that he was aware of what was happening.”

One night, her pastor called, asking pointed questions about Johnoi. Though advised to take the matter to the Lord in prayer, Zoe resisted, doing everything she could to deny the inevitable. But when that didn’t work, other church members stepped in, unknowingly reinforcing God’s message.

Meanwhile, in Johnoi’s world, he was just as surprised when he received a similar message of love and marriage from the Lord.

“I have known Siobhan since I was a child. Grown in the fear of the Lord, we became spiritually mature adults and maintained a good friendship,” he highlighted.

Last year, Johnoi said the Lord visited him in a dream. In it, he saw a young woman standing before a large congregation. He explained, “In the dream, the woman spoke openly that there was a young man seated in the congregation that she wanted to marry. She even held a ring in her hands.”

In the dream, Johnoi was sitting quietly among the men when, out of nowhere, the woman called his name, “I was shocked because I didn’t expect her to choose me. I got up out of my seat, walked towards her and she placed the ring on my finger.”

He woke up confused by the dream and began seeking clarity from God. What was revealed next were the specific instructions given for his soulmate to make her declaration.

The woman from his dream continued to be a mystery until 2025 when Zoe finally approached him.

“The thought of approaching Johnoi who has absolutely no idea of the situation was terrifying, and I thought I couldn’t do it,” Zoe said, adding, “When he came, I carried out the mandate of God without fear, telling him exactly what the Lord said.”

Little did she know that God was speaking on Johnoi’s end. And he was finally able to solve this love puzzle: Zoe was the woman of his dreams. “After sharing, we prayed. And that’s when I knew he was the other half to my puzzle and the one God ordained for my life and heart,” she said.

GOD’S PERFECT GIFT

It wasn’t long before romance entered the chat.

“I started to love and adore him. And I tried to understand but it wasn’t my doing; the Lord had it all planned out,” Zoe shared.

For Johnoi, the feelings were mutual, “She is God’s perfect gift for me. I had no doubt that she was my wife. Our only duty was obedience. And my love grew stronger and deeper daily.”

Making significant mention of his loving, caring, industrious, passionate and God fearing side, Johnoi continues to present in Zoe’s life, all while showing her unwavering support.

“Having someone’s genuine support makes everything better. He has invested so much time and prayer into our relationship, always presenting it before God to renew, refresh and bless. He always seeks spiritual ways to enhance what we share, as we both believe that once the spiritual aspect is fixed, everything else will fall into place,” she highlighted.

For Johnoi, he finds Zoe to be kind, caring, honest, industrious and prudent, “She is a giver, good at decision making, disciplined and determined. She always encourages me to pursue my goals and has been a great help in their implementation.”

In no time, he was asking the love of his life for her hand in marriage.

“Siobhan is very specific, and she had a lot going on, so I knew she didn’t want too much excitement. It was a regular Sunday at church service. We were randomly called upfront, and while the pastor was talking, our song came on and it pulled her attention. When she saw me thereafter, I was already on my knees waiting for her to say yes. It was a beautiful moment,” he enthused.

Zoe planned the wedding, and despite the challenges, it was all worth it. For her statement dress, she said yes to a gorgeous ball gown from Unions Bridal Boutique.

On July 12, just one month after they began courting, Johnoi and Zoe became Mr and Mrs Marshall at The One Way Apostolic Faith Mission Church in Kingston.

The dashing groom said the highlight of the ceremony was dancing with his new wife.

During their reception, the newly-weds took their first dance as husband and wife to Everything I Do by Bryan Adams.

“It was a beautiful moment; one that I will remember for a lifetime,” the blushing bride added.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com