Ashley Willis
You may or may not be fans of Joey and Rory Feek’s heartfelt, country music, but you can’t help but be moved by their beautiful love story. Recently, at the young age of forty, Joey Feek tragically passed away after a long fight against cancer. Rory Feek, a songwriter and blogger, frequently wrote about their love story and their life through this difficult journey, but he shared his most poignant words at his wife’s memorial service at her high school gym.
You may have seen the widely-shared video, of Rory sharing his heart at Joey’s public memorial service, on Facebook and didn’t bother to watch it, because you thought it would make you feel too sad. Friends, I often avoid watching things like this too, but I truly believe God spoke through Rory during his message. It’s worth the watch (see video below).
In his heartfelt speech, Rory shared several things that I believe all people, especially those who are married, need to take to heart:
- Give the kind of love that you long to receive. In his talk, Rory admitted that, before he met Joey, he didn’t think he would ever experience the kind of love “you see in the movies”. He also admitted that he had written many songs about it over the years, yet he had never felt it himself–until he met Joey. He described Joey’s love towards him and others as the kind of love described in 1 Corinthians 13,
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
As Christians, this is the kind of love our Father gives us and the kind of love we all strive to give others. Rory talked about how this kind of love has the power to change people for the better, and his wife, Joey, gave him this kind of life-changing love, though it’s not always “an easy thing to do”. We can’t simply expect to receive this kind of love, we must choose give it FIRST.
2. Have faith…even when you don’t completely understand it. This point really struck a chord in my heart. So many times, I’ve asked God for clarity on something–where to go, what to do, etc.–and had anxiety because I didn’t have a clear understanding of the situation at hand. I should’ve simply trusted that God is in control and accepted the peace that only He can offer–peace that surpasses understanding..
Rory described Joey as having this kind of peace while losing her life to cancer. He said that he frequently asked her if she was worried about how things would be with their family when she passed away, and every time, she would reassure him that God is in control. And, He would take care of them as He has always done. What faith!
3. Don’t be afraid to share your story, even if there is some sadness in it. Throughout his speech, Rory stated that Joey had always believed that God would give them a great story to share, and He did. Rory called it a great story “to tell” AND “to live”. Joey was the one who encouraged Rory to blog, and she was often the inspiration for their beautiful songs.
Rory and Joey were both willing to be vulnerable and honest while experiencing tremendous highs and lows. During his speech, Rory reminded all of us to remember that hard times help us to appreciate the good times even more. God will use our struggles for good when we are willing to be honest about them. Our struggle often becomes our greatest testimony. This certainly rings true for Joey and Rory.
4. Above all else, love one another. Towards the end of the service, Rory put on a letterman jacket with a big “A” on it. As he put it on, he thanked the town of Alexandria, Indiana for being the place where Joey was born, raised, married, and laid to rest. He also thanked the town for showing tremendous love and support to their family throughout this cancer battle. Rory also expressed his gratitude to the millions of people online who reached out to them with encouragement and prayer.
Rory also stated that if we were going to remember anything from his speech, he hoped we would all remember to love our spouse. Love our kids. Love our neighbors…”even the neighbor you cannot stand.”
At the end of the memorial service, Rory talked about how Joey had been an athlete and had even played sports in the gym where he stood. After a long pause, Rory beautifully declared, “I may be wearing her jacket, but what she lettered in was love.”
Friends, please pray for this family, and let’s all strive to “letter in love”. Let’s learn to embrace our struggle and allow God to use it for good, like this courageous couple has done.
God has given each and every one of you a great story as well. Lean into it. Live it. Tell it.
For more on loving your spouse and family, purchase your copy of the best-selling book, “The Seven Laws of Love,” by clicking here.
I’d love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Be blessed!
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