Lee and Leslie Strobel's Marriage Inspired Stars Of 'The Case For Christ' Mike Vogel and Erika Christensen
True love is remarkable, and it's something that many people in today's world long to have but cannot obtain. Lee and Leslie Strobel, the Christian couple whose lives are now portrayed on the big screen, are one of the lucky few to have it.
Because of this, "The Case for Christ" stars Mike Vogel and Erika Christensen are deeply inspired by their love. Christensen told the Gospel Herald that Leslie's love for her husband is remarkable, and it's all because of her faith.
"She's a very passionate person and also not afraid to express the way that she's feeling. That's the core of who she is, and what spoke to me about her. That's what I love about her as a person and her as a character to play," she said.
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As for Vogel, he said the Strobels' marriage is something that younger generations can really look up to. "You meet Lee and Leslie today, and they're such a kind-hearted, beautiful couple, and so in love," he said. "As a husband and as a father, it's an awesome example for me to see that stand the test of time, but to also see that they're human."
However, Lee and Leslie's relationship wasn't always smooth-sailing. In fact, Lee confessed to The Christian Post earlier that he almost divorced Leslie because she became a Christian. "I didn't want to be married to a Christian, and I thought she was going to turn into some 'Holy Roller' or something," he said.
Lee used to think that his wife joined a "cult," and his frustration over her conversion was highlighted in the new film, which opened in U.S. theaters on Friday. "You're cheating on me with Jesus!" he even accused Leslie at one point.
Lee promised himself that he would discredit Christianity. However, his effort to disprove Jesus became impossible. After two years of intense investigation, Lee himself embraced Christianity.
The Strobels' story, according to Vogel and Christensen, should give hope to other people who are struggling with their marriages.
"I had a youth pastor tell me when I was much younger, 'Fellas, love is choice. There will be many times when you don't feel love for your wife, or vice versa, she may not feel love for you, but that does not mean that you are not in love still. It is a choice to pick up and continue in that,'" Vogel shared.
Christensen added, "What kept them both going was that they cared so much about making it work, ultimately. They were both trying very different approaches to how to make it work, but they were both fighting so hard for that marriage...Lee and Leslie, in the middle of the craziest fights, would still know that they loved each other."
