The reason I stayed is a raw, unflinching collection of poems that trace the journey from silence to survival, from unanswered prayers to love that feels like grace. Karl writes with ink that bleeds-confessing trauma, addiction, heartbreak, and the quiet wars waged within. But through it all, one presence remains: his wife, Andeo, whose love becomes scripture, sanctuary, and salvation. These poems are not polished-they're personal. Not sermons-they're scars. And in every line, Karl proves that even when dreams fade, devotion endures.
She thought grace was out of reach-
until a boy who prayed in quiet found her in the ruins.
He didn't try to fix her.
He just stayed.
And somehow, staying became healing.
Because love doesn't always arrive loud-
sometimes it kneels, waits, and believes.
And sometimes, God writes the softest love stories in the shadows.