When I She

Description

Why I Stay: The Choices We Make in Relationships Gayle Haggard-2010 memoir where she explores themes of love, forgiveness and faith in marriage. Wife of disgraced evangelical pastor Ted Haggard, Gayle Haggard described standing by her husband during times of the scandal that shook their lives and community to its very roots.

Plot Summary
It reports on a very publicized scandal in the case of Ted Haggard, who in 2006 was accused of having a sexual relationship with a male escort and using drugs. Ted Haggard is the founder and president of New Life Church, one of the biggest evangelical churches in the United States, as well as president of the National Association of Evangelicals. A media storm broke loose due to the accusatory torrent; it took Ted off the leadership seat and brought the whole family into the limelight.

She opted to stay in the marriage with her husband instead of leaving him. In Why I Stay, Gayle discusses her decision, taking readers through the highly emotional period she went through. Gayle underscores deep religious faith and the “spirit of redemption, forgiveness, and the power of love overcoming even the most trying of circumstances”.
The central idea of the novel, therefore is forgiveness, be it in marriage or in the faith of Christian.
Faith and Redemption: Gayle’s Christian faith turns out to be her strength to resolve to work her way through the emotional anguish she suffered owing to betrayal.
Marriage and Commitment: It makes such a seminal note on the nature of long-term commitment and how love and loyalty can prevail even during severe trial.
Public vs. Private Life: Gayle shares the pain of having one’s private life in the public and its impact on her family.
Tone:
Reflective, emotive, and deeply personal: Gayle reveals her inner battle and the process of healing while writing so vulnerably. She is hopeful, too, which is grounded in faith.
Writing Style:
The book is pretty accessible and conversational. Gayle is straight-forward in her narrative often pointing to her religious convictions as she navigates through her personal, and marital trials.

Key Takeaways:

Faith-Based Perspective: Gayle’s reasoning behind sticking with her marriage is heavily rooted in her Christian beliefs that cherish themes of grace, redemption, and the possibility of changing towards someone better.
Marriage as a Journey: The book approaches marriage as a journey, which can weather tremendous storms of conflict, by forgiveness and by love.
Public and Personal Crisis: The book shows how individuals and families storm through crises that are at once deeply personal and very public.
Why I Stay provides a faith-focused perspective on marriage, forgiveness, and healing after betrayal, and zeroes in on choices-that-define emotionally and spiritually