Love Never Fails
- Bianca Helen Estandarte
- 17 hours ago
- 5 min read
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25
We usually play music during our slow mornings, and one weekend, Out of My League by Stephen Speaks was on. As I listened to the music and the lyrics, I remembered that the younger version of me wished that my husband would love me the way the songwriter did, poetic and full of adoration. I had imagined that the love of my life probably sang and played the guitar, and I'd swoon from "kilig" in the audience.
I looked at Drew, all sweaty while tinkering around the house, and he was nowhere near the person I imagined living the rest of my life with — BUT HE IS SO MUCH BETTER.
People often ask married couples about a moment when they felt that their other half was THE ONE, and I don't really have an answer to that. Our love story isn't something to be proud of, but one of redemption that can only be orchestrated by the master Creator. And I can say that over the years, I am certain that I saw God's hand in our relationship and how He had set Drew apart for me.
We were very young when I got pregnant with our eldest. Our circumstances then weren't traditionally acceptable, especially on his side of the family, so we kept it a secret for a while. Still, he wanted to give me the best care, so he rented a room, just walking distance from where he lived — a bold and risky move, all to ensure that I'm safe and near. I remember he would ride his bike to bring me food from his house or a nearby store, and we'd eat lunch or dinner together.
"Basta pag umalis tayo dito, hindi mo na ako ibabalik.". He assured me then, and until now, praise God he hasn't returned me...
When I gave birth, we moved into my mom’s house because we were both overwhelmed and unsure how to care for a newborn on our own. After a couple of months, the conditions there became unfavorable, which caused me a great deal of anxiety. That’s when Drew decided it was time for us to find a place of our own. He was so determined that I just said, "...Basta pag umalis tayo dito, hindi mo na ako ibabalik.". He assured me then, and until now, praise God he hasn't returned me (He even married me!).
In the last quarter of 2024, we joined a team that managed the construction of our church's worship center. Part of the role was organizing activities to engage the community while also raising funds for the project. In one of the activities, the Tara Run Fun Run in 2025, God truly showed me that Drew and I have indeed become one. I was managing activities in the main events area while he was managing incoming traffic and other logistics, more than half a kilometer away. We didn't get our online walkie-talkies to work, so we never had the chance to coordinate what each of us was doing, nor what was happening in our specific areas of responsibility. And for 2 people who don't run and have never done something like that before, we only have God to thank for developing our partnership to be so in sync that it worked. It was such a relief to be able to depend on your husband like that!
It's just so heartwarming to see our kids shift from being scared to being reassured that we are going to be ok because of the kind of bravery and protection their father displayed that day.
One of the greatest blessings of having a reliable husband is knowing your children have a reliable father. Last year, we went beach camping in Nasugbu, and the weather seemed really nice when we left home. It was such an impromptu escape that we failed to check the weather forecast. Little did we know (and so did the camp caretakers) that tropical cyclone "Crising" was already brewing in the area. We set up our tent right by the beach, laid out our gear, and enjoyed dinner followed by family devotion before calling it a day. By midnight, a soft rain began to fall — the kind we’ve weathered many times before. Then the rain changed. Within minutes, the drizzle turned into a downpour that could no longer be ignored. The wind slammed against our tent, bending its poles. Water started seeping in from the sides and pooling beneath us. Thunder cracked violently, and lightning split the sky. The kids started crying. Drew stepped out of our tent to assess the situation. It took him a while, and I got worried. I said a short prayer to God saying "Lord, I will not let my husband die from this do this (Hahaha ganon ka-lala!) alone. Please protect us from this storm.", and went out. We tried to reinforce what we could, but the rain was so fierce it stung our skin like tiny pellets. We could barely open our eyes. In that moment, we knew—this wasn’t something we could outlast. It was time to pack up and find shelter before things got worse. Drew took an umbrella and brought the kids out of the tent into the car to secure them. They were already laughing and making light of the situation, taking pictures in the vibes of "picture muna bago ang sakuna" kind of thing. It's just so heartwarming to see our kids shift from being scared to being reassured that we are going to be ok because of the kind of bravery and protection their father displayed that day.
Napakarami pang kwento, but I think these best represent the picture of love God had written for me. Now more than ever, I find the advice "Be careful and discerning about who you marry, not just for yourself but also for your future children.", something that a lot of women really need to hear. Drew is not perfect; He is not in a band, doesn't play the guitar, nor make cheesy love songs, and needs to take extra courses on Women 101 — a work in progress, yet his love is genuine and now, by God's grace, rooted in God's word. God is indeed the best matchmaker!
Bessy, I'll always praise God for giving me one of his greatest blessings — YOU! I love you!
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