Pastor Yemisi Ashimolowo, wife of pastor Mathew Ashimolowo, founder of Kingsway International Christian Church, has opened up about how the couple met in an interview with City People. The beautiful mother of four spoke about her 33 year old marriage, how they met and how a lecturer at UNILAG warned her not to marry the pastor because he had nothing.
On how they met?
"Okay I can still remember vividly. It was January 1980 when Pastor Mathew came to my Dadi's church to assist him as an assistant Pastor. He just came out of Bible School as a fresh graduate then and he 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 Da's branch. I remember we were having a serious challenge at that time and we were worshiping outside because our properties were thrown out by our landlords over land problem in my area at that time. It was at this period in time that this young and Fresh man came.
This man was so committed and the way he was serving God swept me off my feet. 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".
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.
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 attracted to him when I saw him. I must also confess marrying Pastor Mathew 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 got married to him.
On obstacles to their love
"I thank God that I never listened to the UNILAG lecturer who warned me against marrying Pastor Mathew otherwise I would have been probably in a one corner room in Lagos but you 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 Mathew as a Pastor but the lecturer is late now.
I didn't know that marrying Pastor Mathew 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 what I am today and I never knew that KICC would be a big church that it is today."
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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