We have God in our Corner

I am writing my first blog today, my 13th wedding anniversary! God is so faithful!

I met Chidi while preparing for the first stage of a professional examination. On the first day of lectures, I had come to class rather early and was seated, all by my lonesome, watching as people strolled in. I don’t remember most of the people who walked in, but when he stepped into class, my first thought was, wow, that is one good looking guy! I will be honest, I thought he was fine! He was wearing a “coat” that was at least two sizes too big for him, but he was fine!

At that time, I had been born-again two years. I was on fire for the Lord and was not looking for any relationship. It’s not like I had been in many relationships before I became born again anyway, but once I gave my life to Christ, I decided I would stay away from relationships until I was ready to get married. I did not want to try men on for size, I did not want a hit-and-miss type relationship, I wanted to hit the bull’s-eye at my first attempt.

I did not actually get to meet him that first day, but when I did, I found he did not believe like I did. In fact, he was actually a bit of a rascal, but that’s a story for another day (if I ever get permission to tell! LOL!). However, we became friends and study buddies. Each time I made an attempt to preach to him, he would tell me how all pastors are psychologists, how they simply preyed on human emotion. He would tell me that people who claimed to flow in the prophetic gift “…there is someone here…” were simply applying the law of averages in situations, afterall, in a large group of people, there would be all kinds of needs represented, all kinds of people going through stuff. Once, he actually threatened bodily harm if I continued to badger him with my talk of giving his life to Christ! (Did I mention he was a rascal? LOL!)

I still remember the day we met in class and he told me, in a very somber mood, that he had been arrested. I was alarmed, my mind went to all manner of things he could have done to get himself arrested. Then he explained, he had given his life to Christ. I was first relieved, then exhilarated! He began to attend church and began to grown in faith (he is a Pastor today, who would have believed!). We remained friends, but believe me when I say my only interest in him was platonic. I even watched girls flutter round him (did I mention he is fine?) with mild disinterest. And then, one day, I felt I was ready for marriage, and I prayed, and I heard. I was surprised I heard because, it was my first time ever hearing God speak to me so distinctly – Chidiebere. And I was surprised because he had never said anything to me that could even be misinterpreted as interest. And so I prayed some more, and it was the same. Chidiebere.

Now, I teach people not to give God ultimatums because it doesn’t change who He is, instead, it limits us. But one day, I gave God an ultimatum. I said, Lord, if this is you, then I want a ring on my finger before the end of the year. I prayed this prayer in February. March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October all went by, and he did not so much as smile differently at me. Then in November, he asked me out on a date. I was not quite sure it was a date at first because we had gone out to eat together a number of times. But then he asked me to dress nice, so I figured it was a date. But was I being too hopeful? The year was almost gone and I needed to get on with my life if this was not going to work (my husband will tell you that one of the reasons he was not sure the marriage would work is that I’m too practical. There’s very little emotion present in these bones, people! LOL!). So, on our date, he fills in the gaps I had about his rascally past and then asks me if I would be interested in dating him (see who says I am not emotional!!!). I say yes, but in my mind, I’m thinking, this guy does not know his time is running out!

December rolls around and the days go by, one by one, by one, until it is the 31st and I’m thinking, I must not have heard God right. We go out to a restaurant, and at some point, he tells me he needs to get something from the car. I hold my breath, this is it! And he comes back with a camera! Can you believe that!! And the year keeps on rolling by, minute my minute, until it is a few minutes to midnight and I tune out his rambling. Honestly, I’m not listening. All I remember is a flash and there is a ring before my eyes. I may not be emotional, but I cried. I cried that this sweet, great looking, smart, articulate, God fearing man, who also happened to be a great friend, had just asked me to marry him. I cried because I realised that God not only turned up right on time, but He had been working behind the scenes for many months. I grabbed the ring and put it on my finger myself, I was just being practical! LOL!

One year later, Chidiebere and I vowed to be with each other, in sickness and in health, till death parts us. Has it been a bed of roses since then? Nope. Have there been times when we almost threw those vows under the bus? Yep. Have we always wanted to be with each other? Nope. Have the years taken their toll on our love and commitment to each other? Yep. But here we are, thirteen years later, still together, still best friends, still loving on each other, because we have God in our corner.