Matt James handed out something sweeter than a rose.
The former Bachelor lead took to Instagram to celebrate his girlfriend Rachael Kirkconnell's 25th birthday on Sunday, Sept. 26. In true Matt style, the reality TV star shared an uber-romantic tribute to his leading lady, which only further proved their love is the real deal.
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you—Deuteronomy 31:6," Matt began his Instagram caption, quoting a Bible verse.
He added, "Happy Birthday to my emergency contact @rachaelkirkconnell. I love you."
Along with his message, Matt posted a collage of photos that featured heartwarming moments with Rachael, including a candid image of the two during his season of The Bachelor, which aired earlier this year. One picture captured the couple interacting with kids at a school, while another showed them snapping a selfie during a casual afternoon outing.
This is just one of many adorable shoutouts Matt has posted in honor of his girlfriend.
The two, who fell in love during the 25th season of The Bachelor, put their romance to the test after images of Rachael attending an Antebellum plantation-themed party resurfaced online and stirred controversy.
Following the season finale of the dating series, in which Matt made history as the first Black male lead in the ABC franchise, the couple decided to part ways.
However, they gave their love another shot and officially rekindled their romance this past summer.
In May, Matt candidly discussed his and Rachael's relationship and even detailed the qualities he loves about her.
"The best thing about Rachael is her heart," Matt shared on The Pomp Podcast. "She's the most kind, caring person, understanding, I've ever met. Everything we've been through, everything she's been through, she's stuck right by my side. She's continued to have a positive attitude towards everything. It's one of the many things I love about her."
The real estate broker also admitted that before they decided to get back together, Rachael gave him an ultimatum.
"I wasn't really honoring that commitment that I made to working on the relationship," Matt explained, adding, "It was just a come to Jesus talk with Rachael where she was like, ‘If you're going to make this work, let's do it. But, if you're not going to make it work, then I'm going to let you do your own thing.'"
These days, the pair seems happier than ever.
Click here to find out which other Bachelor Nation couples are still going strong.