Why I Stayed: The Choices I Made in My Darkest Hour

Written by Gayle Haggard and Angela Elwell Hunt

Narrated by Gayle Haggard

On November 2, 2006, Gayle Haggard’s life changed forever when her husband, Ted Haggard, founder of the 14,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs and president of the National Association of Evangelicals, was publicly exposed in a scandal. In the days and months ahead, everything in Gayle’s life was at stake-her beliefs, her marriage, and her relationship with the church community she had been a part of for more than 20 years. In Why I Stayed, Gayle walks us through the choices she made in her darkest hour and shares her renewed passion for the central message of the Bible-the liberating message of forgiveness and love. Why I Stayed reminds us of what less-than-perfect people desperately need-a community of family and faith that offers healing love and a path to restoration.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
• Release date: Jan 26, 2010
• ISBN: 9781414348490

Reviews for Why I Stayed

[Jean-Jacques Belinga · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This has the potential of being the most powerful book of our time. There’s hardly any aspect of the human experience that is not substantively addressed in this book. It’s a living anthology of humanity and God’s redeeming grace. Gayle is such a powerful voice whose down-to-earth tone makes the reader vicariously live through the harrowing pain and the glowing bliss her tale puts her through. I have decided to make a mandatory reading for all our colleagues.

[Lyne Henson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

you are so right Gail, who are we to judge

[sparkleandchico · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I picked this up because I thought it would be good to read a true account of infidelity in a Christian marriage that didn't end in divorce. That aspect of the book was good and I admire the author for supporting her husband through the terrible consequences of his sin and downfall from a position of leadership. The only explanation for this type of patience and forgiveness is God.

However, I wonder about the motives of the author for writing this book. The initial part of the book is dedicated to events leading up to the discovery of his infidelity but a large section of the latter part of the book describes the aftermath including naming and shaming many Christian leaders and others involved in the "clean-up." I don't think putting this information in the public domain was especially wise on the part of the author as it will no doubt be read by non-Christian's and enhance their view that Christian's are divided and cruel to each other. That said, if this couple were treated in the way that is suggested in the book, maybe some lessons should be learned for the future.

I feel that the author has expressed her private emotions and circumstances in a very public way including details of her husbands sin and I'm not sure that this is the best outlet for that type of emotion.

Maybe this book will encourage others going through similar circumstances to persevere even when rejected by others in the Church.