Women Who Inspire: Ashley DiNuoscio

Stephanie Kelley: Please give us a brief introduction and testimony.

Ashley DiNuoscio: My name is Ashley. I’m a 34 yr old single cat mom to 5 fur babies . I grew up in a Christian household; my grandpa was a preacher in Kentucky. I grew up knowing Jesus but I wouldn’t say I really started following him until about 5 years ago after a failed engagement. After my relationship ended I was in a really dark place, where I was struggling with depression and anxiety. It was after that I found a home church, got baptized, and really started digging in to who God is and his plans for my life.

SK: What do you feel is the biggest challenge for today’s single Christian women?

AD: The biggest challenge for me as a single Christian woman is just meeting single Christian men. I attend a very small church that is predominantly young married couples with children. If you ask most of the couples how they met, majority will tell you while attending a bible college. For me that really only left online dating. In my experience I found that it’s easy to check a box that says “Christian,” but much harder to find someone who actually has the same values.

SK: What is your best tip for those who are seeking to be married but haven’t found the right person?

AD: My advice to singles who are seeking to be married but haven’t found the right person yet is just be faithful in prayer. Don’t idolize marriage more than Jesus himself. I spent so many years wasted because I put my life on hold because I was single. I used to tell myself, “I’ll be happy when,” or “ I’ll do this after I have a spouse and children.” The reality is God didn’t promise me any of those things. My best advice is learn to find joy in the waiting, in the “right now,” in the “even if.” God really does have the best for me, He knows what I need so much better than what I think I want.

SK: Do you have any insider information about the best place to meet perspective dates?

For me personally, I don’t think there is any specific place that is better or worse to meet perspective dates. I recently had a close family member tell me that she really believed if I was just more persistent with the online dating, that I would meet my future spouse. I believe God is so much bigger than that! If God has someone for me, He will make sure our paths cross. Whether that’s at a grocery store, or during a night out with friends. He’s the God of the universe, he doesn’t need a dating app lol.

SK: Do you have any good date stories to share?

So recently I had met up with a man I had met on an online dating site. When I walked into the restaurant I was pleasantly surprised. He was even more attractive than his pictures lol. The two of us really hit it off and we ended up talking for hours about God, faith, things we valued, and things we were looking for in a potential spouse. Although ultimately we realized it wasn’t going to work out due to distance, I left the date feeling really hopeful. I went home that night reminded that there are still good Christian men out there.

SK: Do you think that the recent COVID-19 social distancing restrictions have helped or hampered the Christian dating scene?

I think the recent Covid-19 and social distancing has made Christian dating really difficult. I have found that a lot of my single friends(myself included) are really struggling with feeling lonely and more isolated then ever. Although it’s been a really tough season in my singleness, I’ve also seen a lot of growth that’s come from it. During this season I have found more time for prayer, and reading my bible. Also I have been able to discover new hobbies, and more time to slow down and rest.