Friend requests on Facebook typically don’t lead to much more than sharing vacation photos and other tidbits.
But for Shannon, a former Nebraska City resident, and Ray Griffey of Omaha, a friend request turned into marriage.
Ray knew Shannon’s sister and brother-in-law. They encouraged him to reach out to her on Facebook because they thought Shannon and Ray would make a good couple. So Ray connected with her, and he and Shannon began messaging each other on Facebook
They discovered that both are musicians who help lead the worship music at their churches.
They decided to meet, and picked a west Omaha coffee shop where Ray works part time.
After coffee they went to his church and jammed on guitars and talked some more.
Both knew they wanted to see each other again soon.
They hung out a few more times, including attending a concert and, another time, watching the stars while they sat on the tailgate of Ray’s truck on a country road.
They discovered they had more in common than music. They shared a strong Christian faith and a love for camping and road trips.
The couple started dating two months after they met and got engaged the next spring.
They married outdoors on June 19, 2016, on property that Ray’s church owns in the Millard area, and celebrated their first anniversary this summer.
Ray and Shannon say they know Facebook played a role in connecting them, but there was a more important factor.
“God put her in my life,” Ray said.
