Rory Feek of the Christian music duo Joey+Rory expressed mixed feelings of gratitude and grief in a touching new blog on his website called "This Life I Live" which he wrote last Thursday to update their fans on his wife's valiant struggle against cancer.
He said he is thankful for "all the extra days and weeks that we've been given together" after Joey's "doctors here didn't expect Joey to make it to Thanksgiving," The Gospel Herald reported.
However, Rory said he can't wish away the grief in his heart knowing that Joey is moving closer to the brink of eternity. Joey remained in hospice care after a terminal cancer diagnosis in June.
"I cannot even begin to imagine going home to Tennessee without Joey, or living my life and raising Indy without her, but I know that day is coming," he shared.
The loving husband said despite the long days spent reflecting on life's mortality, he and his wife of 13 years are still coming to grips with the "hard questions" about life and death. "We don't have any answers for them," Rory wrote.
"But still, we have faith—we choose to believe. I think that's why they call it faith," he said. "If we knew all the answers, no faith would be required. And so Joey and I do our best each day to only see the plus's in our life."
In his latest blog, Rory also reminisced on the highs and lows he and his wife experienced when they formed their country act on CMT's singing competition "Can You Duet" in 2008.
"When we found out we had made it through the first round of auditions, they asked us what our stage name was going to be," Rory recalled. "I told Joey that I think we should tell them 'Joey+Rory', because that's what it actually was ... You + Me = whatever this is going to be."
"Without knowing it, what we were actually adding into the equation that day in 2008... was God," Rory reflected. "It was faith that we added—a willingness to trust Him and be OK with whatever He had in store. I think that's where the power is. There's nothing magical about Joey and I together. We bring our skills and talents into this union, but God brings the magic."
In an earlier blog post, Rory revealed that Joey is having "serious talks with Jesus" as she prepares to enter the gates of Heaven.
"I'd like to tell you that she's doing great and is going to beat this thing. But I can't," Rory wrote, adding that Joey's pain and discomfort had increased daily and the morphine dosage needed to help her comfort had to be quadrupled.
"Yesterday with tears in her eyes and mine, Joey held my hand and told me that she has been having serious talks with Jesus. She said she told him that if He's ready to take her... she's ready to come home."
The Grammy-nominated Christian couple has inspired countless supporters with their unbreakable faith in God and dedication to one another.
