Last year, I had the pleasure of reading Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon, Wife of Charles H. Spurgeon by Ray Rhodes. It was my first introduction to the Spurgeons, and I immensely enjoyed learning about them. This year, to my utmost delight, Rhodes followed up Susie with Yours till Heaven: The Untold Love Story of Charles and Susie Spurgeon.
As the title implies, Yours till Heaven is about the Spurgeons’ marriage and relationship. While many Christians are familiar with their powerful and faithful ministry, few know their godly and exemplary marriage. In this book, Rhodes pulls back the curtain on their love story and reveals how Charles and Susie maintained their bond throughout their lives.
The book has ten chapters, each about a theme that characterized the Spurgeons’ marriage. These are, A Not So Victorian Romance, Biblical Spirituality, Shared Mission, Mutual Support, Expressive Communication, Learning Together, A Time to Laugh, Habits of a Creative Couple, Compassionate Hearts, and Eternal vision.
I love how Rhodes portrays Charles and Susie’s relationship in this book. He takes us with the Spurgeons through sufferings, sicknesses, and setbacks and shows us how they weathered it together and remained faithful. You can’t help feel with them through Rhodes’s excellent descriptions.
What I admire most about the Spurgeon’s relationship was its Christ-centeredness. As Rhodes says, “Their marriage was because of the gospel; it was a marriage for the gospel, and it was a marriage that wonderfully displayed the gospel as it looked forward to heaven.” The Spurgeon’s love for Christ and devotion to His work undoubtedly nourished their love for one another. And it is a magnificent sight to behold!
As a single woman aspiring to marriage, I loved seeing such a beautiful example of a godly, Christ-centered couple. The Spurgeons loved each other, supported each other, cared for one another, laughed with one another, and pursued Christ together. They are a real-life example of Ephesians 5, and I enjoyed learning from them.
I highly recommend reading Yours till Heaven, whether you are single or married. Charles and Susie set a beautiful biblical example of a marriage that couples everywhere would benefit from following.
Moody Publishers graciously gave me a complimentary copy for an honest review.
