Debbie Lloyd – married 18 years says, “It probably took me two days of not even being able to talk to him, I just couldn’t.”

Debbie is recalling how she first reacted when she learned that her husband Kevin had had an affair. Many spouses react by walking out the door, but she wanted something different.

Debbie says, “We had decided a long time ago that we would stick through thick and thin… at that point the ball was in my court.”

Kevin Lloyd – married 18 years says, “Debbie asked me do you want to stay with me, and my answer was yes… I knew that I wanted Debbie and I wanted to stay married to Debbie.”

Romie Hurley – counselor, Focus on the Family says, “There’s pain, there’s a lot of different emotions, but the love is kind of underlying it all, and so reconciliation is always the best for healing.”

So Kevin committed to change, and Debbie committed to forgive – two crucial ingredients necessary to begin the healing process in their marriage.

Debbie says, “Every aspect of life, reconciliation is important, and so to model that to our children… to see how to do that, because there are issues in life along the way, always, that you’ll have to learn to reconcile.”

Romie says, “It’s just wonderful to see the breakthrough that comes when both people are willing to work, forgive, love, lay their lives down.”

In many cases, that kind of breakthrough can result in a stronger, healthier marriage than the couple ever dreamed of having before.

Debbie says, “Because of what we’ve walked through and the choices we’ve made in walking through it and allowing healing and restoration and you know what, the marriage we have today is what I thought I was going to have when I said ‘I do’.”