Ben Marler: A life at sea — grounded in faith (PHOTOS)

This is the second installment in a three-part series on Capt. Ben Marler.

SEPT. 2: Meet Capt. Ben Marler
TODAY: The best moment of Capt. Ben’s life
SEPT. 12: Living a life of service

When Capt. Ben Marler returned to Destin in 1963, he had just graduated from Florida State University. He and his wife, Joan, had two daughters, Beth and Athena — and they wanted to repay his parents for all the help they had given the young couple.

“My intention was to double my dad’s business — did it too — and then go somewhere to use my degree in management/marketing and ability to fly light aircraft while doing it,” Capt. Ben told The Log.

“This instantly changed when my fantastic daddy died from a massive heart attack in 1970. My mom wanted to keep the business going, and I was in agreement. This began a 27-year time frame where I helped her operate the business. The best pay was sharing Jesus with our customers every day.”
Joan Marler, Capt. Ben’s wife, remembers the many church groups that took advantage of Capt. Ben’s fishing knowledge.

“For a Christian captain like Ben, it was wonderful,” she told The Log. “He always gave a fishing lesson in the morning filled with scripture and references to God. There was lots of singing, and conversations about Christianity were common in the 25 years Ben was captain. We had some wonderful experiences running singing cruises for an organization called ‘Food for the Poor’ and also with choirs that came to minister to people at night on the docks.”

The Marlers had two large boats in service at the pier, and the 76-foot Her Majesty II was under construction in Biloxi when Capt. Ben’s father died.

Capt. Ben’s daughter, Beth Fife, remembers when that new boat arrived in Destin on a very cold January night, five months after her grandfather’s death.

“We stood on the dock and watched my uncle, Capt. Tom Marler, drive the new boat into our slip,” Beth told The Log. “I stared at my father as he gazed upon my grandfather’s dream and knew he must be in pain. But God is faithful and he did help my parents run that business. They worked side by side giving God the glory for everything.”

The next 19 years, Capt. Ben was a licensed captain, and in 1990 he and his wife brought home the Emmanuel, a 65-foot all fiberglass catamaran party boat, which they operated for eight years.

“We were successful until Hurricane Opal struck, making it basically impossible for us to operate due to debris in the harbor and very shallow shoals,” Capt. Ben said. “The bank mortgage payments never ended and forced us to retire. This was made easier for me, for by now my Mom had joined my Dad in Heaven.”

Life with Christ

But something else, something wonderful, also had it’s beginning when Capt. Ben’s dad died in 1970.

“I was lost at the time and these words at his funeral gave me hope — ‘I Am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, even if he die yet shall he live. Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die,’” Capt. Ben said. “I felt a click inside me and from that time on I was on my way to coming to know Jesus.”

But it was his wife, Joan, who met Jesus first — early one morning in their living room.

“She rushed to our bed where I had finally fallen asleep,” Capt. Ben said. “She was so excited I thought there was a burglar in the house and was reaching for my pistol. Well, there was someone there, but it was Jesus. Her face literally glowed, making me jealous.”

Capt. Ben realized he had to have the Lord, too, and about six weeks later, May 23, 1971, he says he gave in and gave up.

“After a good time of repentance, where the carpet was showered with many tears, my pastor had me ask God to forgive me,” Capt. Ben said. “Then he led me to invite Jesus into my heart and, folks, let me tell you, it is an experience. There is no way anyone can give up this life and take on the life of Jesus and not have some experience. I felt tons of guilt leave and enormous joy come when Jesus entered into my heart. Never had I felt so good and free!”

That night, while Capt. Ben was praying, the Holy Spirit came to him.

“I felt a wave-like motion start at my toes and rush to my head,” Capt. Ben said. “When it arrived, I was speaking in a language I had never learned. In 1 Corinthians 13 it is called the language of angels. For at least 20 minutes or so it didn’t stop and I didn’t want it to stop. I actually went to sleep praising God with His angels.”

Capt. Ben says, without a doubt, this was the very best day of his life.

“It was as if a VW left my back. When the Lord came, a joy filled me that hasn’t gone away. I was free at last, praise God Almighty.”

Sept. 12, read how God changed Capt. Ben’s life.