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From broken beginnings to unshakeable love: A couple reveals how faith anchored their 40-year second marriage

Not Easily Broken Shares How Christ-Centered Love Overcomes Past Divorce, Strengthens Relationships, Sustains Commitment and Builds Blended Families

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH, January 2026 — In a culture where fewer couples are getting married, divorce rates remain steady, and singles navigate complex expectations, Joyce and Steven Dinkins anchor readers to the love of God to help them overcome challenges, strengthen relationships and deepen love connections.

In Not Easily Broken: Wisdom for Dating and Marriage with Christ at the Center (on sale March 17, 2026) the Dinkins openly share their journeys through previous marriages—each with a child—followed by divorce, years of singleness, and ultimately the story of how God restored, reshaped, and sustained their second marriage together. Now 40 years strong, their blended family includes three children.

Part memoir, part devotional and part relationship guide, Not Easily Broken weaves together storytelling, poetry, reflection and Scripture to trace the Dinkins’ journey from childhood experiences to young-adult decisions, from previous marriages and painful divorces to their decades-long marriage.

“In this book we describe in detail what happened before our first meeting, long before our promise to one another and God to remain in this marriage,” writes the Dinkins. “We’re sharing with you our upbringing, our twenty-something and thirty-something selves, and how those backstories connect with our decades of devotion to our marriage.”

Not Easily Broken shares how God redeems marriages, enriches single living, defeats divorce and gives hope in remarriage.

Possible Discussion Topics:

  • From Brokenness to Blessing: How Joyce and Steven Dinkins’ past divorces were redeemed by putting God first, creating a 40-year marriage
  • Forgiveness and Healing: How the Dinkins worked through past hurts to rebuild trust and intimacy
  • Divine Timing: The story of how God orchestrated Joyce and Steven Dinkins’ meeting and guided every detail of their decades-long relationship
  • The Role of Prayer in Relationships: Specific ways prayer guided the Dinkins through challenges, decisions and relational growth
  • Faith in Singleness: How seasons of being single brought the Dinkins closer to Christ and prepared them for lasting love
  • The Power of Upbringing: Exploring how childhood experiences shape perspectives on love, relationships and marriage
  • Navigating Blended Families: Insights and lessons on building strong, Christ-centered families after divorce and remarriage

Joyce Dinkins has been a professional writer and editor for more than 50 years, with a longtime commitment to empowering Black and underrepresented voices and serving diverse audiences.

Steven Dinkins has served as a chaplain in various ministries, as well as a Bible teacher and church planter. Together, they love and lead their extended family and enjoy each other’s company on their 40-acre property near South Haven, Michigan.

About Our Daily Bread Ministries
Our Daily Bread Ministries is a global Bible engagement ministry with a staff of 700 serving in 32 offices to distribute more than 60 million resources in 58 languages throughout 150 countries. Often known for its global devotional, the ministry produces short form Bible content across print, video, audio, and digital platforms with the goal to fuel a global Bible engagement movement. For more than 85 years, the ministry’s mission has remained the same: to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to all.

Media Contact:  Joyce and Steven Dinkins, Joycedinkinspublishing@gmail.com


Sample Interview Questions for Joyce Dinkins

  • Joyce, can you share a bit about your upbringing and how it shaped your understanding of relationships and faith?
  • How did your previous marriage and the experience of divorce impact your personal faith journey?
  • What role did God play during your years of singleness, and how did that period prepare you for your second marriage?
  • When you first met Steven, did you feel any hesitation? If so, how did you overcome them?
  • Early in your relationship, what were the most important priorities for you? How have these shaped and strengthened the longevity of your marriage?
  • What advice would you give to couples who are dating seriously now, especially about keeping Christ center?
  • From a practical perspective, what habits or practices sustain your 40-year marriage today?

Sample Interview Questions for Steven Dinkins

  • Steven, looking back, how did your early life shape the way you approached love and marriage?
  • You’ve been open about your previous marriage that ended in divorce. How did you find healing and restoration after past brokenness?
  • When you and Joyce first met, what drew you to her, and how did faith play a role in building your relationship?
  • How do you encourage other men to trust God with their relationships, even when past experiences have been painful?
  • How do you and Joyce maintain a strong marriage after decades together—are there specific spiritual or relational practices that have been key?

Sample Interview Questions for Joyce & Steven Dinkins

  • The two of you co-authored the new book Not Easily Broken: Wisdom for Dating and Marriage with Christ at the Center. How has intentionally putting Christ at the center transformed your marriage?
  • You’ve both been open about previous marriages that ended in divorce. How did those experiences shape the way you approached your second marriage, and what role did faith play in guiding you toward healing and restoration?
  • Your love story shows diving timing. How did God orchestrate your meeting?
  • How did God guide the merging of your two families? What advice do you have for other blended families seeking to put Christ at the center?
  • Over 40 years together, what have been the most challenging moments, and how has your faith helped you navigate them?
  • Fewer couples are getting married today. Why do you think that is, and what encouragement would you offer to those who are skeptical about marriage?

 

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