At a time when too many entertainment marriages end in acrimony, Joey and Rory Feek illustrate the grace and beauty behind the institution.

That they’re doing so during their darkest hours makes their bond all the more powerful.

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Rory Feek, one half of the country duo Joey + Rory, is opening up about Joey Feek’s cancer battle on his blog, The Life I Live. Her medical status has taken an ominous turn in recent weeks. Her stage 4 cancer hasn’t responded to the traditional treatment options at their disposal. Now, she is back home in Indiana with the couple’s two daughters from Rory Feek’s previous relationship and their 1-year-old child, all preparing for the next step.

Rory Feek’s latest blog entry shares how the family has rallied to his wife’s side along with a look back at the earliest days of their marriage:

“When we got married in 2002, Joey not only took on my name, she also took on my two teenage daughters, Heidi and Hopie as her own.

“At the alter, in front of God, the preacher and the whole congregation, Joey and I exchanged rings. After I put a ring on her finger, she slipped one on mine. Then she called the girls up and gently slid a ring on their fingers too … a  symbol of her commitment to them, like her commitment to me …

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard the girls tell anyone that Joey is their stepmom. But I have heard them tell people numerous times that she is their mother.”

The Feeks are planning a prayer vigil for 8 p.m. CST Thursday. The family asks friends and fans alike to consider Joey Feek’s prayer, “Pray for a miracle … and even more so, for peace with his decision.”