February Black Love Series

Joseph Davis & Camea Osborn

Our love Story

First and foremost we believe our opportunity to love one another is merely a reflection of God’s grace towards us. By that we just mean that there is nothing so special about us that we’ve been granted this great love. It’s just the greatness of God and his glory.

With that said we’d like to give the Journ3y our love story in a form that is most fitting for us: art. We met at a youth summer arts program where we became friends. After a tried and true friendship for about a year we cautiously prayed and Bible studied our way into a love relationship. We’ve been dating happily for six consecutive years to date and are now happily engaged!

Joe said he made a list of his perfect woman as a preteen and Camea was everything on his list when they meet many years later. Camea says she wrote a love poem about the future love of her life as a young teen and Joe fit the description exactly.

If we had to put a sound track to our love it would include:

“Charlene” By Anthony Hamilton because we’ve spent much of our relationship in a state of long distance. From long distance we’ve learned the strength of something God purposes, the power of great trust, and the truth that is in patience. Distance does indeed make the heart grow fonder!!

“Must be Nice” by Lyfe Jennings because the lyrics are precisely our story. We both agree that our partner’s love “makes the projects feel like a mansion” and it’s amazing to love someone that loves you back in the same way…..it must be nice!

Our stance on our relationship as a being archived among black love is that we strive to present black love as anti-tragic. Too many times the media portrays black love as a response to tragedy, a result of tragedy, or the precursor to tragedy. We just want to love one another simply and hold one another down when tragedy does arise but we strive to in no way to be defined by tragedy.

Joe: I always say keep it simple. We don’t argue much at all because it just complicates things. Camea: We use laughter and tickling as weapons when necessary. (corny I know) Let the Journ3y be the first to bring it to you: there is a book being born and coauthored by us on this concept!

Anti-Tragic Tip: DO NOT ALLOW SOCIAL MEDIA to be a partner in your relationship!

Joe & Camea catchphrase: God is our only guarantee.

(Trust this earnestly, in every regard: body, mind, finances, etc…it worked for us)

Lastly, if we had to pick a movie to symbolize our love it would definitely be Love and Basketball because it’s about two young, black kids in the ghetto that fall in love and live their dreams. That’s all we aspire to do is live out the dreams, passions, and purposes God planted in us by loving one another. By the crafty design a great creature both of our dreams complement one another in a strengthening way.

Tip: Love someone who believes in you, even when you doubt yourself.

Love God above all else and then (and only then) will all else be added unto you! Our measurement for love is 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.