Wife of the senior Pastor of Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC), Pastor Yemisi Ashimolowo speaks about meating her husband and getting married to him. KICC is one of the largest and fastest growing churches in Western Europe, with branches all over Africa.
Read Excerpts Below:
Now, let’s go personal Ma, how long have you been married to Pastor Matthew?
I have been married for 33 years.
Did you envisage that you were going to be married to a Pastor as a Pastor’s daughter?
No, no, no! Marrying a Pastor was the last thing in my mind. Because my Dad is a Pastor and as a Pastor’s daughter, I dreaded marrying a Pastor. My Dad has 2 brothers that are Pastors also but of different denominations. I never really wanted to marry a Pastor but God knows the plans He has for our lives.
So, how is being married to Pastor Matthew like?
First and foremost, I thank God that I never listened to the Unilag lecturer who warned me against marrying Pastor Matthew otherwise I would have been probably in a one corner room here in Lagos. But see how my life has turned out to be traveling all over the world to preach and minister. The lecturer never saw any future in Pastor Matthew as a Pastor but the lecturer is late now.
I didn’t know that marrying Pastor Matthew will end this way even I didn’t want to preach when I married him, I just wanted to be a full house wife but he was the one who really discovered me, and saw the beauty of God in my life. So, he mentored me to be what I am today. And I never knew that KICC would be a big church that it is today.
How did it all happen between you?
Okay! I can still remember vividly, it was January 1980, when Pastor Matthew came to my Dad’s church to assist him as an Assistant Pastor. He just came out of Bible School as a fresh graduate then and he was immediately posted to Foursquare Bible Church as an Assistant Pastor to my father even though he had CAC background. And I saw this young vibrant man who was posted to my Dad’s branch. I remember, we were having a serious challenge at that time and we were worshipping outside because our properties were been thrown outside by our landlord over land problem in my area at that time.
It was at this period of time that this young and fresh man (Pastor Matthew) came. This man was so committed and the way he was serving God swept me off my heels. Then I told God that God, if only you can give me a man like this young and vibrant man that is newly posted to work with my Dad for a husband but must not be a Pastor, then I will forever be grateful to you. It was his commitment to the Lord that attracted me to him. This young man was so committed to the things of God.
Was it love at first sight?
Not really because he was a Pastor and I didn’t want to marry a Pastor but I was only attracted to him when I saw him. I must also confess, marrying Pastor Matthew is the best thing that has happened to me. But you know, as a Pastor’s daughter and having 2 Uncles as Pastors, I wasn’t interested in another Pastor again. But I thank God I married one now.
What has been the challenge(s) so far?
Definitely in life there will be challenges. But you need the grace of God to deal with them. And in the ministry, you have to meet and deal with different kinds of people and all of these takes the grace of God.
Marriage-wise?
Every marriage has its ups and downs and every marriage goes through challenges and as I said earlier, it only takes the grace of God.
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