A Decade Together: Building a God-Centered Life with My Husband
A little over ten years ago, my husband and I began creating a rhythm of life together through Thursday evening movie dates, weekends spent side by side, and a love that continued to blossom. I have shared pieces of our relationship and marriage before, but this milestone deserves a fuller reflection on what God has built between us.
Neither of us could have known how meaningful those early moments would become. Conversation and laughter deepened into companionship. Choosing to remain present made room for trust, devotion, and a shared life filled with happiness, purpose, growth, and adventure.
A Love That Stood Strong
Love revealed its strength during the seasons that asked more of us. When my husband faced cancer, I remained fully present and hands-on throughout his entire journey. I stood beside him through fear, treatment, caregiving, advocacy, recovery, and every uncertainty in between. He lovingly called me his Florence Nightingale, and I carried that name with honor. Caring for him meant noticing what he needed, staying steady when life felt unsettled, and meeting each day with compassion, determination, and prayer.
The promises of “for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health” are not merely ceremonial words to us. We know what it means to rock with one another when circumstances change, resources shift, bodies need care, and life requires more than expected. Devotion has meant continuing to choose each other through every version of the journey.
Faith, Growth, and Many Miracles
God showed Himself faithful throughout those experiences and in countless moments before and after them. We have witnessed healing, protection, provision, restoration, answered prayers, and divine timing that could never be credited to our strength alone. Many miracles have become part of our testimony and a continual reminder that God has remained present throughout our story.
Alongside the hard seasons, life has given us so much to celebrate. We have honored countless degrees, certifications, professional milestones, new ideas, and meaningful opportunities in both of our lives. Every achievement carried a story behind it. Late nights, sacrifices, difficult decisions, persistence, and sincere encouragement helped us continue moving forward.
Our relationship with God has deepened alongside our love for one another. The spiritual foundation strengthened within our church home continues through the nightly prayers we share at home. Together, we bring God our gratitude, concerns, hopes, plans, and expectations. We trust Him with the extraordinary moments and the ordinary responsibilities shaping our days.
Home has become a sanctuary where faith is practiced, laughter is welcomed, love is protected, and care is freely given. Life together has taught us to support growth without creating distance. We offer help without keeping score and celebrate the people God continues shaping us to become.
Each of us carries an individual light, calling, and body of work. Bringing those lights together does not require either of us to become smaller or surrender what God has placed within us. We honor one another’s gifts while allowing our distinct purposes to strengthen the marriage and legacy we share. Together, those lights give God glory and bless the world around us.
Dr. KayLa N. Allen-Young and Dr. D. Ivan Young: Blessed to Do Life Together
Looking back fills me with gratitude for every version of us that helped bring us here. I cherish the two people who made time for standing movie dates, the caregivers and prayer partners we became, the professionals who celebrated one another’s accomplishments, and the husband and wife we are today.
You may know him as Dr. D. Ivan Young, but he is my husband, prayer partner, closest companion, and the person with whom I have shared ten years of steadfast love, spiritual growth, hard-won triumphs, and many miracles. The relationship we have nurtured now lives within a sacred marriage filled with purpose, laughter, tenderness, happiness, and joyful expectation for everything still ahead.
God remains at the center of our threefold cord, strengthening our marriage and the purposes entrusted to each of us. Although we carry distinct callings and bodies of work, partnership is woven throughout all we do. We pray, build, encourage, and stand beside one another. So many more beautiful adventures are ahead, and we are blessed to be doing life together.
Explore the work I carry through Dear Mixed Girl®, strengthening identity, deepening cultural understanding, and shaping more intentional ways of leading and serving. Learn more about my husband’s work in awakening purpose, developing transformational leadership, and guiding meaningful change through his official website.
Dr. D Ivan Young and Dr. KayLa N. Allen-Young – The Forever Youngs 🙂
