I’m writing this through a brutal headache because I spent what feels like most of yesterday crying genuine tears of joy.
A little over a year and a half ago, a good friend of my family showed up at our door in complete and utter despair–six months prior he’d been at a work conference, had too much to drink, and slept with a prostitute. His wife found out because she was diagnosed with an STD, and promptly threw him out of the house, allowing him one phone call per day to say goodnight to their two children.
I have never seen a man so shattered and drowning in self-loathing.
He stayed with us for almost a month as he and his wife spent hours and hours with the elders of our church and marriage counselors, and eventually she was able to forgive him enough to invite him back home again–and I have never seen a man so relieved. Not in denial about how much work would be needed to rebuild their marriage, but incandescently happy to have the chance.
Yesterday he and his wife–both of whom affirm that their marriage is now far stronger than it was before he broke his wedding vow–had their recent third child baptized. Something that seemed impossible, unimaginable during that long month where she debated whether or not to divorce him.
I’m writing this to remind everyone that sometimes things that are broken can indeed be repaired, and be the better for it. Usually the way is hard and painful, but it can be done, and the reward is sweet indeed.
Nothing is truly lost until you give up on it.