Infidelity. Lack of intimacy. Financial problems. These are just some of the top reasons people site when getting divorced. The statistics surrounding divorce are no secret, with nearly 50% of all marriages ending in divorce. For first-time marriages, this percentage is slightly lower at 41%. But did you know that Christian marriages have significantly lower divorce rates, with only 38% ending in divorce? Despite these statistics, many people choose to get married, and equally, there are numerous reasons why couples decide to get divorced. Now, imagine how much the odds decrease when you throw in unemployment and homelessness. When I share our story, people often ask me, "Why didn't you leave him? He wasn't taking care of you."
My response to that is: Why would I? Indeed, surviving homelessness in a car for over three years might seem unbearable to many. It's a valid question, and the answer lies in my unwavering commitment to my husband and the three words that kept us together: Faith, Hope, and Love.
To stay together, we had to have faith, period. We had faith in God to see us through poverty. We had to have faith in each other that we would stay together. We had to have faith in the Word of God, that it was true and reliable. Our faith in God provided us with a sense of purpose and a belief that He had a plan for us, even in the darkest times. We had to have faith that our love would sustain us and that we would arise from our trials stronger than before.
To stay together, we had to have hope. For those long 3.5 years in the wilderness, we held on to the hope of a better life, the life we envisioned when we decided to follow Christ. It was hope that fueled our determination and helped us overcome the daily struggles of homelessness. We believed that our situation was temporary and that better days were yet to come. This hope kept us pushing forward, even when we wanted to give up. This hope is what many couples don't have when facing hardships. Without God, I'm not sure we would still be together, and statistically speaking, our marriage probably had an extremely low chance of success. However, because we had such a foundation that was built n faith in God, we knew we could face any and all challenges together.
Of the three traits that we needed to have to keep us together, we strongly feel the most important one of all had to be love. Our love for God and each other is the foundation our relationship was built on. Our love was an unbreakable bond that gave us strength, comfort, and resilience. It was love that made us support each other, share our burdens, and find joy in the little things. The love we have for one another was so powerful that it transcended circumstances that most couldn’t imagine going through alone.
1 Corinthians 13:13 states, "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." We couldn't agree more! Our love was our lifeline during those trying times, reminding us of the commitment to each other and to God we made “for better or for worse.” Surviving 3.5 years of homelessness as a married couple is not easy by a long shot, but we managed to do it with unwavering faith, steadfast hope, and an enduring love.
Our journey may be unique, but the lessons we learned can be applied to any relationship. In times of adversity, having faith in something greater than yourself, holding onto hope for a better tomorrow, and nurturing the love you share with your partner can make all the difference. It's our hope that our story can inspire others facing difficult circumstances to find strength and resilience in these three simple yet powerful words: Faith, Hope, and Love.
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