Free The Women of Duck Commander by Kay Robertson, Jessica Robertson Page B

WHILE
We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
    ROMANS 5:3–4

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    INTRODUCTION
    Miss Kay
    I just love to read. I especially love to read to my grandchildren. In fact, at my house, I set up a little library for them. They can go in there, look through the books, choose some to read, and then sign their names on a piece of paper to “check out” the books like I used to do before so many libraries got computers. Like any good librarian, I want to make sure I get my books back so other children can enjoy them!
    When I was a child, my favorite stories were ones that ended with the words “and they lived happily ever after.” My grandchildren like that kind of ending too. But what I know, and what they have not yet learned, is that “happily ever after” sometimes takes a while.
    I learned the hard way how long a happy ending can take and how difficult it can be. Sodid my daughter-in-law Lisa. Both of us want to share our stories with you. We do not necessarily enjoy talking about the heartache and struggles we have been through, but we want to talk about them because we want you to have hope for any disappointing or devastating situation in your life and to know that God is always in the business of healing and restoration, no matter how bad the circumstances might be.

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    I FOUND OUT WHAT IT MEANS TO FIGHT
    Miss Kay
    My grandmother once told me, “You’ll have to fight for your marriage.” When she said those words, I did not understand them. I had no idea what she meant. I never really saw her fight for her marriage because she had a good relationship with my grandfather. I would not say they were lovey-dovey all the time, but they treated each other with respect and there was peace in their home.
    In the early years of my marriage to Phil, I did everything I could think of to be a good wife and a good mother to Alan. I had all kinds of dreams about a happy marriage and a loving family, and I honestly believed if I worked hard enough, those dreams would come true. They didn’t, no matter how hard I tried—at least not for a long, long time.
    I was pregnant with Alan when Phil and I moved to Ruston, Louisiana, for him to attend college and play football at LouisianaTech. Phil was really good! In fact, when he left the team a couple of years later, his replacement was a guy who was also really good, but not as good as Phil. That second-string quarterback was named Terry Bradshaw, and he went on to become a very famous football player.
    B AD C OMBINATIONS
    The football team and everything that went along with being a player did not provide a good environment for Phil. After spring training of his first year, he had to spend some time living in a dorm with his teammates—a bunch of single guys out from under their parents’ watchful eyes for the first time. They enjoyed drinking and partying, and because Phil was the star quarterback, they always wanted him to join them. He was young, like the other guys on the football team, and some of them told him he was really missing something because he had never had his “wild time.” I guess he believed them, because he got wild pretty fast and started drinking with his buddies. When that happened, I tried to be with him without getting involved in all the things he was doing. I went to some parties, but when the drinking started, all I could think about was my mother and what alcohol had done to her. Besides, I had enough sense to know that drinking and being pregnant did not go together. So Phil started sowing his wild oats, while I stayed sober and scared of what was happening to him.
    During this time, Phil and I did not go to church. He didn’t want to. He did not have his own faith at that point, and neither did I.Both of us grew up attending church, but once we were out on our own we were free to choose whether we would continue or not. Part of me wanted to go, but I