This is our Story:

We were high school sweethearts with our whole lives before us living for the moment and having as much fun as we could.

Fast forward six years and we met at the alter and said “I DO”! A year later we bought our first home and another year after that we had our first child a beautiful boy! My wife left her career to stay at home and raise our son which I was in support of.

Our relationship had started to develop patterns of doing our own thing separately which led to a lot less time together for anything let alone connecting on the important necessities for a healthy marriage. She was very busy at home and I was busy working.

About this time I attempted a career change that failed and I took it to heart and became bitter towards those that loved me the most. This caused me to make a drastic change with a different career path that caused me to be away with work for days, sometimes a week or two at a time. We grew even further apart as there was little to no investment into our marriage.

In my wife's loneliness she turned to God and after growing up in a church all her life decided to dust off her bible and read it. This brought about a radical change in her as she found salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. When I came home for a day or two from work I did not expect to hear how she had given her live to Christ and has found new hope and joy and peace. She wanted me to repent and place my faith in Jesus also but I wanted nothing to do with God. I became the mission field and weary of my wife preaching to me I became more bitter and miserable. It was like I didn't know her anymore.

Our marriage started to feel hopeless and I actually thought it was over. As things spiraled downward and our relationship grew colder I was starting to think of preparing an exit strategy.

About this time I came home again after being away with work for what seemed a long time and there was something different in my wife that I couldn't put my finger on. There was no more preaching to me, no more arguments, she was very sweet and loving towards me and I knew I didn't deserve it. As this went on it did start to soften my heart.

Something else that started to happen was everywhere I went I saw bible verses; on buildings, along the roadways especially. It didn't matter where I was I couldn't escape God. I was becoming more and more convicted with the person I had become and how I fall short in so many ways, I was getting so tired of fighting and striving for something out of my grasp. Six months had gone by since my wife's transformation and then it happened, this one thing changed our marriage forever. I was between Detroit and Chicago and was faced with a clear view of all my sin from an early age till this moment and knew I was out of options, it was if I could see the outstretched arms of Jesus saying come unto me and I'll give you rest. I knew I had to make a decision right then or this opportunity for forgiveness may never come around again. I didn't know what to say, I just cried out; “Lord I can't live my life anymore, I need you to live it for me”....at that moment like a shift in time and space I knew something had changed in me, I instantly had a new peace and joy I never knew before, things looked different and my outlook and hope was renewed.

I came home from being on the road a couple days and asked where the bible was....my wife and I began to read together and I found bible verses I saw while traveling and realized I'd been saved just like my wife! Now we were one like we never had been before, even in the early years when life seemed carefree and fun together this was even better. I can't explain the dynamics of the transformation within a person when they surrender all to Jesus Christ, but I know it's real. Since that spring night in 1997 our marriage has never been the same and continues to get better! Back when things were bad in our marriage and my wife was pestering me with wanting me to change she had a paradigm shift when my she stopped focusing on what she wanted me to be and started to focus on who God wanted her to be she had started displaying an unconditional love that began the change. Love is a powerful thing, it's meant to be in marriage but doesn't always look like or feel like we believe it should. When you demonstrate a sacrificial love toward someone expect miracles to happen! It's not too late for your marriage, don't give up, be a "Marriage Hero" and fight for your marriage. It's worth it and you and your spouse can be blessed together!