Not Easily Broken

I can think of no better and more loving couple to write this book on love, life, dating, parenting and marriage, with JESUS at the center, than Joyce and Steven Dinkins, who are so in love, and so committed to God and one another.

It is clear that their love is not easily shaken, and definitely not broken.

Whether you see them in person, speak to them on the phone, or listen to or read their wisdom on these pages, it’s like prayer and love embracing one another, and then being sealed and all wrapped up in a big hug.

Her femininity, his masculinity, and their authenticity are engulfed in God’s divinity, as they share openly and poignantly. This is a must-read if you’re thinking about, interested in, about to or are already dating or getting married.

–Rev. Dr. Ambassador Suzan Johnson Cook, 3rd US Ambassador at large for International Religious Freedom and authorMarriage ‘advice’ can be helpful; however, marriage is ultimately an on-the-job training, build-the-plane-as-you-fly-it phenomenon–no instruction manuals included. Every now and then, a special resource comes along that guides those who are married (or desire marriage) with gentleness and time-tested wisdom, as most individuals entering into marriage do not have hindsight as a tool. Not Easily Broken covers these bases beautifully with authenticity and transparency. It is useful at any phase in the marital journey.–Dr. Quantrilla Ard, grief coach and lived experiences expert at It’s All Grief to MeMarriages are built thread by thread and strand by strand, until, with God’s help, they become durable cords. Readers of Not Easily Broken will be inspired to strengthen the bonds of love, marriage, and faith through difficult times and tender times. Joyce and Steven Dinkins share their hearts, their truth, and their example to encourage a lifetime of love. They remind us that God keeps His vow to sustain a marriage long after the wedding ceremony is over. All we must do is give Him the threads of our love story.–Karen Moore, devotional authorThe biblical book of Proverbs exhorts us to be attentive to wisdom and to incline our hearts to understanding. As I read the eight ‘love stories’ that make up Not Easily Broken, I was reminded of that exhortation with each turn of the page. This work borne out of the hearts, minds, and relationship of Joyce and Steven Dinkins is filled with wisdom that any of us who are in dating or marriage relationships would do well to savor and apply. It’s a testament to their own enduring relationship, and an investment in the relational path their readers are on. Highly recommended.–Jeff Crosby, author of The Language of the Soul and World of WondersThere is so much to appreciate about Not Easily Broken that makes it a compelling and educational must-read for all–married and engaged couples, those considering marriage, and those working with couples. Beautifully written, filled with inspiring stories, and embedded with practical exercises, Joyce and Steven take us through the ups and downs of mature marital relationships (primarily theirs but also others), while demonstrating love and resilience in the context of biblical wisdom.–Lee N. and Shirley A. June

Joyce Dinkins has loved words and literature since childhood. She has been a professional writer and editor for more than fifty years. Joyce simply enjoys being together with Steven on their forty acres, and interacting with their three adult children as well as her extended family.

An influential and award-winning Christian editor-with a long-time commitment to empowering Black and underrepresented voices to serve diverse audiences-Joyce Dinkins is a former executive editor for the Our Daily Bread devotional. She retired in 2023 as founding editor for Our Daily Bread Ministries VOICES. Through Joyce Dinkins Publishing LLC, she owns and is director of Publishing in Color. For several years, Joyce has enjoyed being a voice on recordings of the Our Daily Bread devotional.

While Joyce majors on speaking, mentoring, networking, and collaborating in excellent Christian content developed by BIPOC, she’s committed to preserving her family’s history, and is writing a cookbook with her mother’s recipes and stories. Family and friends enjoy Joyce’s gifts of homemade lemon pound cake, blueberry cobbler, and breads. She enjoys collecting children’s books that have the BIPOC representation she always longs to experience, the fine arts, and birdwatching. Praying for loved ones, friends, and others is a daily preoccupation.

Steven Dinkins has been a teacher at churches he helped plant and lead in Chicago; Colorado Springs; Birmingham, Alabama; and South Haven, Michigan. He has served on missions to Africa and Haiti, and has shared biblical wisdom with Joyce since they met. He has been instrumental in her Christian publishing career. For a decade, he served as national sales manager alongside Joyce when she developed Black and multiethnic church curricula for a major Christian publisher. He has also served as a chaplain in prison ministry, with the police, and professional sports.

A former Michigan Golden Gloves state boxing champion, Steven sparred, and shared Christ with Muhammad Ali. Though he was invited to compete in the 1972 Eastern Olympic tryouts, and fought on the same card with Sugar Ray Leonard, Steven would rather exercise his spiritual gifts of mercy and teaching to win someone’s soul. He has prayed for and shared his faith in Jesus with many, including Muhammad Ali. Steven enjoys playing pocket billiards, photography, and the outdoors.

He likes hikes with his wife in their woods and along Michigan’s lakeshore. He dearly loves their three adult children, and has a fondness for babies everywhere. Steven has taught adult Sunday school for more than forty years, and leads a weekly small-group Bible study with his family and a few others. His robust prayer life includes a prayer call with his family each night. Steven has been privileged to lead his mother, stepfather, and all three of his brothers to Christ.