When we lived here we were on food stamps…

Ashley Kirkwood

May 10 (edited) • Mindset & Motivation

We Went Back…

This is our first apartment as a couple…we lived on the third floor.

When we lived here over a decade ago, about 12 years ago, we were on food stamps.

We’re in Chicago for a few days, and Chris had the idea to visit our old apartment.

The moment he suggested it, I felt a wave of emotion.

That apartment held so many memories—good, hard, real.

It’s where we lived when we were just starting out.

I was studying for the LSAT.

I took two trains and a bus to get to work.

Chris was driving a 1998 Mitsubishi Galant to his job at Chicago Public Schools.

All of our furniture—aside from maybe a couple of pieces—was free. Craigslist finds. We paid $550 a month in rent, $575 with parking. That was our world.

Today, we drove down the same streets we used to travel every day, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the girl who used to live there… about the couple we were back then.

We had no idea.

We had no idea that the day-to-day decisions we were making in that tiny apartment would one day lead us to a life we never imagined.

We didn’t know we’d go from a $575-a-month apartment to a 6,500-square-foot home. We didn’t know that working multiple jobs and putting our honeymoon on hold would one day turn into being able to travel together freely, to celebrate our love in whatever way we chose.

We didn’t know we’d be parents to a beautiful little girl.

We didn’t know that one day, we’d start a business together—one that would grow into a multimillion-dollar company, one that wouldn’t pull us apart but would actually bring us closer. We didn’t know that a single idea we believed in would change everything.

And yet, I don’t look back at that time with pain. Not even a little. I remember the joy. I remember the laughter. We would sit on the couch for hours watching Heroes. We used to make fresh smoothies from the mangoes sold by the man on the street. We didn’t even have a headboard—we slept on a bedframe with a mattress—but we were happy. Really happy.

I was so in love with my husband. We had just gotten married when we moved into that apartment, less than a year in. And it didn’t matter where we lived. I was just so grateful to be his wife.

What stands out most when I look back is the peace. The presence. I wasn’t tied to social media. I wasn’t comparing my life to strangers. I wasn’t anxious about a future I couldn’t see. Every day, every action, every decision was guided by our faith, our private goals, and our love—not by a need to perform for others.

I think a lot of people would be happier if they realized that they’re starring in their own movie. Yes, there’s a world around you—but don’t let it distract you from being present in your own life. You don’t have to live it for an audience. You just have to live it.

I know many of you are anxious about reaching your next level.

You wonder: How will I get there? When will I get there? What do I need to do?

And what I want to say is—there wasn’t a single big moment that changed my life. It was a series of small, consistent, faithful decisions. Nothing drastic. Just a lot of obedience, commitment, and grace.

And what if… you’re not behind at all?

What if everything you’re going through right now is preparing you to hold the big, beautiful vision God has for your life?

Be encouraged. You’re doing better than you think.

And Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms.

We honor you, love you, and see you.

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