Focus on the Family Magazine - August/September 2023

COUPLES / COMMITMENT
Left: Family trip to the beach, 1997
Right: Dev and Marcy in front of one of her paintings
that I opened up to Dev about the
extent of my memory loss and pain.
Throughout my early recovery, and
even my drinking, Dev never stopped
praying for me.
In the hospital, when he’d had no
sleep, he stayed there. Dev kept coming
back and kept coming back. And
throughout my drinking, he never gave
up and kept loving me.
Stroke of a paintbrush
Eighteen years after the coma, I had
an intense urge to paint. Dev said he
wasn’t surprised, knowing that I had
majored in studio art in college and
was often covered in paint during
those years. I didn’t know why I’d given
it up—another lost memory—but I
concluded a busy family life might
have been the reason. After taking
some art classes, I rediscovered a longlost
passion for oil painting.
Today, I see how God is at work
through my art. The abstract style I
use requires multiple layers of paint
on canvas, and one day I sensed that
God was speaking to me as I looked at
an unfinished piece. I recognized that
He’s the master artist. Every layer matters.
Nothing is wasted. God is working
every layer of our lives together for
good (Romans 8:28).
Dev leans on another Bible passage
that means a lot to him.
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when
you meet trials of various kinds, for you
know that the testing of your faith produces
steadfastness” (James 1:2-3).
Dev would never say that our trials
were a joyful thing to go through, but
he sees that God had real purpose for
saving me and our marriage.
Five years ago, I discovered I suffer
from rheumatoid arthritis. After
six surgeries, the debilitating disease
has impacted my work as an oil
painter. But Dev and I still cling to these
verses when life’s big problems seem
insurmountable.
Not alone
As lifelong travel companions, Dev and
I have raised children together and are
now welcoming grandchildren. We also
share life with six other couples who we
lovingly refer to as “friends like family.”
When Dev and I consider where we
are now, he’s quick to point out that
we’d be completely lost without our
faith in the Lord and a strong spiritual
support system.
Despite the beautiful trajectory of
our story, there are still losses.
Dev and I lost a common thread
that most couples have. We don’t have
the shared memory of dating, getting
engaged, getting married or having our
children. And for me, that is a real loss.
Yet we marvel at God’s faithfulness—hardship
and victory blending
like paint on canvas—with each layer
serving a purpose. And we’re careful to
ensure that each layer we’ve endured
is not wasted.
Margot Starbuck is a graduate of Westmont
College and Princeton Seminary, and is the
award-winning writer of more than 30 books.
She especially treasures the privilege of writing
alongside athletes, entertainers and overcomers.
BLANK CANVAS
by Marcy Gregg
When Marcy awoke from a coma, 13 years
had vanished from her memory. Terrified
and confused, she did the only thing
she could think of: She faked it. Marcy
bluffed her way through doctor appointments
and visits from friends and family.
It worked: She was released to a home,
family and life that was hers—but felt
like a stranger’s.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE GREGG FAMILY
34
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA
AUG / SEP 2023