Amy McArthur, the wife of Ashers Baking Company’s Daniel McArthur, has said the couple’s two-year ordeal has been worth it.
The mother of two spoke out as she and Daniel prepare to return to court next week for a crucial appeal hearing.
Ashers goes before the Court of Appeal in Belfast on Monday 9 May in a bid to overturn a decision made last year by the County Court, which found it had broken discrimination law.
God in control
The court ruled against Ashers, owned by Colin and Karen McArthur, for refusing to fulfil an order to make a cake with a slogan supporting same-sex marriage.
Amy said that being taken to court for her faith has been a difficult experience and said some people “might wonder if it’s worth it”.
Speaking about her two young daughters Robyn and Elia, she said: “Our children are too young to understand right now what’s going on with all this here.
… our God is worth making a stand for
Amy McArthur
“But when they do, we want them to know our God is worth making a stand for. We’re still trusting in His good and perfect purposes. He’s in control.”
Faith
She has previously emphasised the importance of her faith, saying: “It is my life. It isn’t just something I just do at church.”
She added that God has used the case to strengthen her marriage and relationship with Him.
“We have to trust in Him and we have seen Him answer our prayers time and time again.”
Daniel McArthur said he hoped the judges would “recognise what’s at stake and decide to protect their freedom to express their Christian beliefs”.
Appeal
The appeal hearing takes place exactly two years to the day that the order for the cake was placed on 9 May 2014.
A previous hearing scheduled for February was delayed following a last-minute intervention from the Attorney General – an indication of the legal significance of the case.
The legal action is scheduled to be heard in the Court of Appeal in Belfast starting on Monday 9 May and is expected to last several days.
More than 16,000 people have signed a Christian Institute petition in support of the McArthur family.