Worth the risk

So this guy and I have been friends for years. Extremely close we tell each other everything no secrets. Know the good, the bad, and the ugly about each other. At the end of the day I’ve never met anyone that I click with on so many levels.

Thing that has stopped us from progressing as more than friends are my hang ups. I’ve never been in a relationship, he has been in several long term ones. He’s not seeing anyone seriously just has let’s say fwb on rotation. Also difference in views of religion though this is getting to be less and less of an issue. He is not religious at all and I’m Christian and would be fine going to church with me and bringing up kids in Christianity. My family is not the biggest fan as they blame him for encouraging what they view as poor decisions. The poor decisions that they have issues with are me standing up for myself. Going to school and pursuing my education and career goals. Since taking his advice I’ve almost doubled my salary in 2 years and received 3 promotions. Oh and other thing is distance he’s literally across the country.

Both grown ass adults I have a house, degree, good job on its way to becoming better. He’s also on his own better job than me and graduating soon with his degree. Getting ready to enroll in an mba program as his he. May end up in same one actually with same concentration. Don’t get me wrong there are days we both would willingly strangle each other. But at the end of the day we keep coming back to each other. Our lives seem destined to converge.

Question is this would you risk this close friendship for more. We both have talked in depth and if we do this we are all in. Rings, ceremony, kids, dog etc in deference to my moral beliefs. We both agree I’d be the one to move my family is a lot for me to handle and too close to involved where I currently live. Plus he has the better job. So it’s literally going into it with both feet which is nerve wracking for someone who has never been in a relationship.