The Man That Married

Episode 6

That night I couldn’t sleep because I know I don’t love Bro David but pastor said God told him we are meant for each other. If I marry this man I will spend all my life fasting and praying. There will be no time for play and social life with him. I’m sure he will be a virgin; will he even be a real man in the bedroom? He’s a type of man who will not care about his wife’s sexual temperament because of spiritual assignment. He may even see sex as unclean and unholy. I judged him all through the night. I shared my burden with Mr Alfred on reaching the office the following morning. He seemed to like the idea, ‘don’t you think Bro David will make a good husband?’ he asked. ‘He has been our prayer leader for the past four years. He’s a child of God and I am sure of this; he is working, he has integrity, he’s spiritual and gentle. What else does a woman wants in a man? If you join your resources together you are sure going to start well and grow together. He advised me. His advice sounded nice but I was not at peace in my heart. But pastor said “we are meant for each other ” this kept ringing in my heart every time I made up my mind to turn down the proposal. The six weeks I gave pastor will elapse by Sunday. Pastor will surely summon me into his office to ask for my reply on the issue of Bro David. I was really confused and I felt like not going to church that Sunday.

I picked my Bible to read so I can pray and go to bed. I opened a place at random to read and it was 2 Chronicles 20:20 “And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” I read it over and over again as if I have never seen that verse in my Bible before. Could this be confirming pastor’s words “you are meant for each other”. No I told myself, this is talking about Israel and not Folake Kehinde. But how would I tell pastor that Bro David is not God’s will for me? What would I give as a reason for rejecting the proposal? That he’s too spiritual? Of course that won’t be an excuse before my pastor. ‘Good morning Sis Folake, I am sure you must have prayed enough now, the pastor asked. But before I say anything, Bro David can you share the revelation you shared with me on Friday again? Thank you daddy, Bro David shifted and sat well on the visitor’s chair with smile on his face. But I must be frank, I was irritated by the whole drama.

‘I had a dream last week after our departmental vigil and I saw Sis Folake crying and holding her wedding gown on her left hand but her man was not with her. Suddenly I saw you daddy and mummy asking her to go through a narrow road where she will see a tree with fruits and names written on each fruit. You instructed her to pluck any fruit of her choice from the tree. By the time she came back with the fruit I saw my name written boldly on the fruit in her hand then I woke up. The pastor interpreted the dream and asked me to say yes to Bro David’s proposal. Right in the pastor’s office he put an engagement ring on my finger. By the time I came out of pastor’s office, a lot of brethren were waiting at the pastor’s office reception to cheer us up. I came to meet the embarrassment of my life as every eyes was on the ring on my left finger.

Congratulations! Congratulations!! Congratulations!!! The awaiting members gave me hugs and handshakes. Thank you all, I said as I put on a fake smile. We courted for three months and wedded. There was no need for long courtship because we were both ready and mature. At the time we wedded he was 34 while I was 31. Just as I anticipated, our honeymoon was nothing to write home about. We lived in the same house like strangers, and we barely spoke to each other. He’s either preparing one sermon or Bible study note. He fasts three times in a week, Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. He leaves the house anytime he’s called upon for any emergency prayer meeting. I was married but lonely.