Let Me Tell You About My Best Friend!

It was a Monday night, three days after I graduated high school, when this handsome young guy walked into the back door of our church for our youth activity the week of Vacation Bible School. I was new in town, and nudged my friend beside me, "Who is THAT?" I inquired. "Jason Aultman" she replied. I was smitten!

He was brought to church by a mutual friend to meet the new girl in town, which was me. He says he still remembers the first word out of my mouth "Hi!"  Yep, that's how deep I was...still am; just keep it simple!

That was June 3, 1985, eight days later we had our first date. Yes, he was the only guy I ever dated after high school. We had so much fun that summer just getting to know each other. We'd play basketball, go to the lake and water ski, watch movies, just get to know each other. Oh such fun memories!  I knew by the time college started that August, I had found my other half.

We dated the next two and a half years, then in December of 1987, he took me out to eat and then we drove up to Love's Lookout. (yeah, that just sounds like a make-out place, doesn't it??) It was there that he gave me a huge box that had a bear inside, and also just happened to have an engagement ring tied on a bow around his neck. Jason took the ring off the bow and took my hand and ask "Toya M'chele Turner, will you marry me?" 

Well, if you know me, you know I like to take my time and really think things out. Ponder them. Not rush into anything. Not be too spontaneous. I'm sure I waited at least 2.3 seconds before I shouted "YES!"  We had some schooling we wanted to get behind us, so we set the date of June 17, 1989.

I remember planning and dreaming of our wedding day. I wanted it to be what every little girl dreams of. I grew up with the fairytale wedding of Princess Diana all over the news and I wanted my wedding to be just a notch or two above that!

During all the planning and dreaming stages, we also had to live life. We had to go to school, deal with studying, juggle jobs, writing papers, and squeezing dates in here and there.  It was a long time to date, much less be engaged!  There were many struggles during this time, because Satan just loves to throw things our way and he knows the human desire for sex. Though it is a gift from God, the devil loves to use it against us. I'd be lying if I told you it wasn't a struggle, but I can also tell you that He will give you the strength and grace you need to save yourself if you only ask and continue to seek Him daily in the relationship.

It seems like yesterday that I was preparing for a wedding this week. In reality, it is 22 years ago this week.  22 years! 22 years I have spent living with my best friend. Doing life together. Serving together. Worshiping together. Laughing together. Crying together.

Jason has many fans, I know, but there is none bigger than me!  He is such a man of character. He chooses first to ask what God would have of him, and then everything else seems to fall into place. He's the epitome of displaying the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I can look at every one of those words, and if I were to write a dictionary, I'd put his picture beside each one.

Yes, after 22 years of marriage, I am still hopelessly in love with my best friend. He has been by my side through the good times and bad. I choose today to thank him.

Thank you, Jason, for listening to that friend years ago and coming to check out the new girl in town. Thank you for pursuing me. Thank you for putting up with me during those dating years, while in college and still discovering who I was. Thank you for loving me, loving God, and guarding my purity. Thank you for saving yourself for me. Thank you for being the most patient husband on planet earth. Thank you for the times you've set beside my hospital bed and just held my hand as I underwent infertility surgeries. Thank you for following God's will for your life and going into the ministry. I cannot imagine doing anything else with our lives! Thank you for your servant's heart. Many do not know what all you do behind the scenes for folks, but I do and our kids do and they are paying attention. Thank you for putting such a Christlike example before them. Thank you for being an amazing daddy and desiring to be as involved as you can be in the lives of our kids. Thank you for loving our church family and setting a true example of a Christian leader before them. Thank you for understanding me and allowing me to do what I feel God calls me to do. Thank you for treating me like a princess every day of our lives.

I'm very unworthy of a man like you, but I thank God for you every single day of my life. I have been blessed!  You truly are the most amazing, humble, caring, patient man I know!  I count it a blessing to be married to a preacher, when that preacher is you!  Being a pastor's wife is not always fun, but the blessings I have received in this life through our service together to Him cannot be counted!

I love you, Jason Aultman!! Lets go another 22 years or more, shall we?

22 years in pics put into one song! :)

Graduating Gifts

Yes, you read that right, not "graduation gifts", but "graduating gifts" because that is what the senior class of 2011 has been to me....gifts from God!
My husband, Jason, and I had worked with youth from the time we were youth. In all those years of youth work, I never taught a Sunday School class. I guess I figured they always got enough of me. Well, Jason, not so much left youth work, because he still loves youth, but his position changed and we were no longer working directly with teens anymore. Honestly, it was nice for a while, to just be with grownups, but....after SOAR 2007, I felt God leading me to get back involved somewhere. I wasn't sure where, so just dropped a word to our youth pastor if he needed me anywhere.

SOAR 2007

class trip to Branson

Well, I was given the 9th/10th grade girls Sunday School class that Fall.  Whoa! Yeah! Scary room!  I remember being so excited, yet so nervous; so ready for that first Sunday, yet wanting time to stand still for a moment.  High maintenance, hormonal, drama-filled, whiny teenage girls??  What had I gotten myself into??

Playtime Pizza!

I didn't know it then, but I would stay with this same crew until this week, the week they graduate high school. Yes, we stuck it out four years together. I've had others join me along the way, to step in beside me and help me with the class and what blessings they have been. I've watched them share their struggles and be open and honest with these girls and impact lives.
We've been through a lot together, in four years, and I want to thank God for using these girls to teach me. There were Sundays I would sit in front of them and be so totally humbled and at a loss knowing some of them could teach me. Some of them had experienced more in their young lives than I ever had. They were true walking testaments of His amazing grace and love!
Last year when I moved up with them and we began those crucial Junior/Senior years of high school the walls began to fall. We became more transparent with each other; more loving with each other; we cared more; we listened more; we all, including me, began to really get it!

Retreat 2009

This year, they asked me if I would send them a verse each morning? Yes, you read that right. Teenagers asking for a Bible verse to be sent via text every morning before school. Talking about holding me accountable?!!!  I had to make sure I was spending time with Him so I would have a "word" to share with them. Some of them even send me a text of a verse, on occasion, that has really spoke to them that week. Let me tell you, THAT gets me excited, because that shows me they are searching the Scriptures themselves. They're in His Word. They're getting the fact that its not my faith, or their parents faith, but THEIR faith! And that makes me smile SO big!!

Retreat 2010

Bethlehem Work day

just a typical Sunday! :)

So girls, I want each of you to know that it has been a major blessing to have shared life with you all these past four years.  We have laughed together. We have cried together. We have prayed together. We have grown together. We have discussed friendships. Service to God. Serving others. Transparency. School. Texting. Tweeting. Facebooking. Spiritual gifts. Boys. Girls. Parents. Boundaries. Sex, and I'm sure a whole lot of other topics!  I've received texts letting me know you were praying for me and texts asking for prayer. Texts letting me know you were struggling with a friend. Texts saying you had gone too far with your boyfriend. Texts telling me of God's goodness. And texts telling me that you had screwed up and needed help.
Just because our time together has come to an end, I want you all to know I'm still here. My number won't change. College will bring even MORE temptations and boundary stretching limits, stay strong, ladies!  Continue to seek God every day. His Word really does provide all you need to live life to its fullest. Many use the college years to try and find those through alcohol, drugs, sex, and even just studies and different philosophies. As you encounter these, remember the words of that song we learned many years ago in those little toddler rooms of church...."Jesus loves me. This I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, they are weak, but He is strong!"  Yes! Jesus does love YOU! and He has that strength waiting for each of us, all we have to do is ask. Know that I am praying for you. And I love you so very much!!!!

My Graduating Gifts of 2011

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11