Trivial frustrations about how toothpaste is squeezed.

Disagreements over how in-laws should be treated and children raised.

A lonely caregiving journey following a wife’s life-altering illness.

The betrayal of a husband’s drug addiction, porn habit and even infidelity.

 CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR COPY OF Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith in Love

This is not the stuff of fiction, but experiences of relationship realities in new our book, Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith in Love.

It is no secret that marriage struggles can run from the trivial to the tough. How can we stay true to our vows through all that life throws at us as a couple?

Through testimonies of God’s faithfulness, Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith in Love reveals truths that have grounded marriages, even through heart-wrenching and seemingly unsurmountable challenges.

Here are 3 important lessons these faith-driven stories have taught us.

1. Husbands lead, wives submit: God’s design for marriage is not about who is better

When God asked wives to submit to their husbands, He was not talking about who is more important than the other, said Pastor Lee Teck Hong, a husband and father of three.

“God is saying, ‘I have appointed men to bear the responsibility.’ Wives submitting doesn’t mean you have no say.”

Cautioning husbands, he added: “Don’t get too pleased that your wife submits to you. Ultimately, the submission means you bear the responsibility. God will come to you at the end of the day, holding you responsible.

“So, before you want this wife to submit to you, you’d better think properly, do your homework and have a proper discussion.”

“We do not lord over one another but submit to one another because we love the Lord, we fear the Lord,” said Pastor Lee Teck Hong (extreme right), pictured here with his family. Photo courtesy of Pastor Lee Teck Hong.

As for wives, a seasoned wife of nearly 30 years shared that when Paul described a good wife as one with “a gentle and quiet spirit” (1 Peter 3:4), he was not asking wives to be “softies”.

“The word ‘gentle’ is often also translated as ‘meek’, which means ‘strength under control’,” said the writer.

“And the ‘quiet spirit’ or hēsychiou that Peter talks about is not about never speaking up. It is about being at peace and being tranquil, having a steely inner core that is unshaken by circumstances.

“All in all, the gentle and quiet wife is one who has her strength under control and is at peace in unwieldy circumstances. There’s nothing doormat-y about that at all.”

2. God will help you to live out your marriage vows

Alvin Ngo’s wife, afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease, struggles to respond to him.

Margaret Ong’s husband, who has schizophrenia, either thinks they are divorced or that she is dead.

Still, the two of them are living out their wedding vows to love and cherish their spouses “in sickness and in health”.

Alvin chose from the beginning to be his wife’s main caregiver. They have no domestic helper.

“This is my commitment and my responsibility as a husband. After over 30 years of marriage, I love my wife. I am willing to suffer the inconvenience,” he said.

When his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, Alvin Ngo (right) was determined to take care of her for as long as she needed care. Photo courtesy of Alvin Ngo.

But he has not been alone. He pens in his stack of journals all the ways God has provided for him, big and small.

“When you have a need, don’t tell people. Talk to God. You must always trust God because God can do more than what you can think and ask.”

For Margaret, God’s love has proved to be a soothing balm for her heart whenever her husband’s condition overwhelms her with grief.

“I don’t think I could do it without God’s love in my life and in my children’s lives,” she shared as she recounted the myriad ways God has been faithful in her caregiving journey.

“In the midst of all my struggles, I still have room to enjoy myself, room to love because God has given me life. He has taught me how to celebrate life in grief and in struggles.”

3. God can restore any broken marriage

There is no marriage too far gone for God to redeem.

When David and Jay were both unfaithful to each other, they believed their marriage was irreparable and got a divorce.

Yet, when they surrendered their lives to God after their split, they experienced a miraculous healing of their relationship – to the point that they found themselves at the altar again.

At their second wedding, Jay broke down when the pastor declared them man and wife. She said: “God, not everybody can get back a destroyed marriage, but You gave us a second chance.”

David added: “I saw this brand-new, whole woman … I think she was even more beautiful the second time I married her.”

They have since been married for 30 years.

Knowing that they were given a second chance at marriage, Jay (extreme left) and David (beside her), pictured here with their son Marc and his family, now take their wedding vows seriously. Photo courtesy of Jay and David.

Similarly, when May Lim found out that her husband had been indulging in pornography and frequenting prostitutes throughout their decades-long marriage, she resolved to divorce him.

But that was when she heard God challenge her: “Forgive him as I forgave you. Love him just as I have loved you.”

In tearful obedience, she confronted her husband, who was repentant, and brought his sin to their church leaders in an attempt to fight for her marriage and family.

Five years on, the couple has seen their marriage healing. It is a work in progress, requiring commitment and accountability from both husband and wife.

“It is not easy to forgive but God can heal us,” said May. “Through Him, I forgive. I always remember I am God’s child; He loves me.

“In my deepest hurt, l just call on His name and He is faithful to answer.”

Just released! Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith in Love

Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith in Love launches December 10, 2024.
Now available for pre-order here.

Please note that only orders made by December 10 will be delivered by Christmas.

Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith in Love focuses on God’s heart for us in marriage, relationships and singlehood.

Draw inspiration so that you, too, may experience life-giving faith in your relationships, even through times of testing.

To purchase a copy or bless someone with one, or simply to support the work of Salt&Light, please click here. $15/copy just for this launch (usual price $20). 

To purchase our other books, Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith at Work and Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith in Families, click here.

If you have any queries or for bulk purchases of more than 10 books, please email [email protected]

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