The Love Story Of Grant And Hope Staples

Happy Valentine’s Day to our wonderful customers and followers! We want to take just a few minutes to celebrate love by featuring one of our favorite local couples, Grant and Hope Staples.

If you’ve ever met Grant and Hope, you’ve probably noticed their love for one another that permeates the air around them. They affectionately call one another “Lovie” and “Dovie.” Even on days full of ministry obligations, when exhaustion sets in, you’ll see the strength of a marriage where they not only cling to the Father but also lean on one another as they impact the world around them. The love inside of them spills onto others as well, as they’re always willing to pray for others, whether in the front yard at the Glory House or when you bump into them at a local restaurant.

In the beginning…

Grant and Hope met at Grace Covenant Church. Hope, a single mother of three, was working in the nursery to make extra money. At that time, Grant was a part of a Christian band called Somethin’ Real that played at youth camps and retreats. The band played for a youth camp at Grace Covenant on an evening Hope was working in the nursery. Grant and Hope had mutual friends at Grace Covenant who introduced them, and one evening, several people gathered around Hope to pray for her and her children. Grant led that prayer. It was a year before the two would cross paths again, but the seed was planted. 

In God’s Timing

Grant and Hope began dating a few years later, but then broke up for over three years due to Hope’s fears of relationships based on past hurts. Grant was also fearful of failing a family with children, and didn’t feel ready for a forever commitment. Walking away was hard for both of them. After nearly three years of being apart, Hope had the opportunity to be a missionary in Honduras. While Hope was there, Grant’s friends asked him a profound question, “Are you a better man with Hope?” Grant knew he was. This conversation along with several other confirmations led to Grant popping the question when Hope returned from Honduras. The two were married at Grace Covenant Church on May 20, 2006.

Following God’s Lead

The two lovebirds felt a calling on their lives a few years ago to purchase a house in downtown Laurel and give it the name “The Glory House.” It’s a place where hope and prayer are combined with meeting the needs of local residents and traveling missionaries. Grant and Hope believe in being the hands and feet of Jesus to our community.

Through The Glory House, Grant and Hope, along with their team and other volunteers, are able to share the gospel and the love of Christ through several avenues, including a food and clothing ministry, discipleship opportunities for all ages, construction and home repair and hosting short-term mission teams. The food pantry is open weekly, and they host a third Sunday community meal and worship service in Gardiner Park that includes distribution of food bags to those who have need.

The Ups and Downs of Life in Marriage

Grant and Hope are polar opposites when it comes to their personalities, and they will admit that sometimes finding a balance can be hard, even after 13 years of marriage. Regardless of their differences, they both love having one another to experience life with - on both the good days and the bad.

They believe one of the biggest challenges in marriage today is the number of things constantly vying for their attention. Since Grant and Hope live in the house from which they operate the ministry, they believe it is necessary to take time to rest and spend time with family.

Keeping the Fire Alive

So what’s their secret to staying “in love?” They credit six things – laughter, compromise, communication, trust, love and Christ. Hope says that Grant offsets her Type A personality by always being able to make her laugh. They agree that the Bible offers the best wisdom in Proverbs 17:22, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” As for compromise, Grant and Hope go against the “me-culture” to serve one another, and they put one another’s desires and interests ahead of their own. Open and honest communication, even when it’s hard, builds trust.

This sweet couple knows that love is an action not merely a word. They believe that the misuse of the word love as a feeling is the downfall of so many marriages. Their definition of love is defined in Scripture in 1 John 4:7-11, because they know that without God, there is no real love. They credit Christ for keeping them together. “Our belief is that if we say with our mouth that we trust Him, then we better act like it! We must trust Him with our marriage, our family, our business, our ministry and every single aspect of our lives,” Hope said. They both believe that Christ must be at the center of their marriage, for “a threefold cord is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

At Rubies, we are thankful for people like Grant and Hope in our community, who share the true meaning of love inside and outside of their home. If you are interested in giving financially or becoming a volunteer, you can find out more details at www.thegloryhouse.org.