Daily Devotionals
Friday, October 11, 2024 (Ashley)
On Tuesday, my husband and I celebrated our thirteenth wedding anniversary. And in honor, I’ve decided to share a funny story about that time…
Ben and I met in 9th grade when the Cambridge and Isanti Schools combined. We instantly hit it off, and by the time 10th grade rolled around, we had started dating. Fast-forward, after college, we found ourselves in our early twenties, living together at my mom’s, talking about marriage and planning for our future.
This is when God got ahold of us both.
We had started attending church and digging in to what a Christian marriage looks like. Neither of us had been raised in Christian homes, and we were determined for our relationship to look different from what we had seen growing up.
Before we were engaged, we both felt convicted to no longer be intimate until after we were married. That’s a long story but it’s relevant for what’s coming…
About a year and a half later, we had gotten engaged and had begun premarital counseling with our Pastor. I couldn’t wait for counseling! I showed up with a notebook in hand, ready to jot down every single word Pastor Randy was going to teach us
I was even prepared, and a bit proud, to share with him our previous conviction. Benny, however, was a tad more nervous. “What’s there to worry about?” I reassured him as we walked into our first meeting.
One of the first topics of discussion was our living situation. Because we had hit the pause button on the bedroom activities, I excitedly explained that we were looking for a place but in the meantime were living with my mom.
THIS was the moment I never saw coming. As our Pastor kindly ministered to us about not living together until marriage, my flesh started turning…
“But we aren’t having sex anymore!”
“Why would we move apart when we’re this close to getting married?”
“I am so excited to be his wife, I don’t waaaant to separate!”
As I held back tears and Pastor wrapped up, he turned to Ben and asked, “How long do you think it will take you to move out?”
“Buy us some time, Ben!” I thought. “We can push this off until next week… We could even just lie, Pastor will never know.”
Before I could even look over to try and get Ben to read my body language, Ben spurts out, “20 minutes.”
20 MINUTES?!
I didn’t want him to move out at all and he just committed us to 20 minutes? It makes me giggle now but at the time, I felt like my heart was breaking into a million pieces. This is NOT what I wanted!!! 
But, it is indeed what happened. Ben moved back in with his mom and I stayed with mine. We signed the lease on our very first apartment just five days before we were married.
It wasn’t what we were used to – No way did we ever see it coming!
It wasn’t what the world was doing – People thought we were completely crazy!
And it was really, really hard on our flesh – We were young and in love!
The only explanation is that we had been made NEW in CHRIST.
I share this story today because yes, it’s fun to reminisce but also because I believe God gives us opportunities like this all the time…
Opportunities to listen to the Holy Spirit!
Opportunities to show God respect through our discipline!
Opportunities to spur other Christians on to do what is right!
And although we don’t do it for our blessings, I believe that God deeply delights in rewarding his children when we listen to convictions and respect him through obedience.
I sure didn’t enjoy Benny’s, “20 minute” comment all those years ago but there is no doubt in my mind that God richly blessed us right then and there.
I credit our marriage completely to God and am ever so grateful —
Ashley
Ben and I met in 9th grade when the Cambridge and Isanti Schools combined. We instantly hit it off, and by the time 10th grade rolled around, we had started dating. Fast-forward, after college, we found ourselves in our early twenties, living together at my mom’s, talking about marriage and planning for our future.
This is when God got ahold of us both.
We had started attending church and digging in to what a Christian marriage looks like. Neither of us had been raised in Christian homes, and we were determined for our relationship to look different from what we had seen growing up.
Before we were engaged, we both felt convicted to no longer be intimate until after we were married. That’s a long story but it’s relevant for what’s coming…
About a year and a half later, we had gotten engaged and had begun premarital counseling with our Pastor. I couldn’t wait for counseling! I showed up with a notebook in hand, ready to jot down every single word Pastor Randy was going to teach us
I was even prepared, and a bit proud, to share with him our previous conviction. Benny, however, was a tad more nervous. “What’s there to worry about?” I reassured him as we walked into our first meeting.One of the first topics of discussion was our living situation. Because we had hit the pause button on the bedroom activities, I excitedly explained that we were looking for a place but in the meantime were living with my mom.
THIS was the moment I never saw coming. As our Pastor kindly ministered to us about not living together until marriage, my flesh started turning…
“But we aren’t having sex anymore!”
“Why would we move apart when we’re this close to getting married?”
“I am so excited to be his wife, I don’t waaaant to separate!”
As I held back tears and Pastor wrapped up, he turned to Ben and asked, “How long do you think it will take you to move out?”
“Buy us some time, Ben!” I thought. “We can push this off until next week… We could even just lie, Pastor will never know.”
Before I could even look over to try and get Ben to read my body language, Ben spurts out, “20 minutes.”
20 MINUTES?!
I didn’t want him to move out at all and he just committed us to 20 minutes? It makes me giggle now but at the time, I felt like my heart was breaking into a million pieces. This is NOT what I wanted!!! But, it is indeed what happened. Ben moved back in with his mom and I stayed with mine. We signed the lease on our very first apartment just five days before we were married.
It wasn’t what we were used to – No way did we ever see it coming!
It wasn’t what the world was doing – People thought we were completely crazy!
And it was really, really hard on our flesh – We were young and in love!
The only explanation is that we had been made NEW in CHRIST.
I share this story today because yes, it’s fun to reminisce but also because I believe God gives us opportunities like this all the time…
Opportunities to listen to the Holy Spirit!
Opportunities to show God respect through our discipline!
Opportunities to spur other Christians on to do what is right!
And although we don’t do it for our blessings, I believe that God deeply delights in rewarding his children when we listen to convictions and respect him through obedience.
I sure didn’t enjoy Benny’s, “20 minute” comment all those years ago but there is no doubt in my mind that God richly blessed us right then and there.
I credit our marriage completely to God and am ever so grateful —
Ashley
