The Vow

The Vow

2016 February

She was determined to get married that year

She had been in a relationship with her man for over four years

They struggled through the polytechnic together

She was a studio brat and so was he

He was a very talented drummer

She was a backing vocalist

They met while working on a gospel music project for a popular artiste 

They were usually paid stipends for their studio work

Most of the artistes they work with were upcoming artistes that couldn’t afford to pay them so much

The moment she met him that fateful day

She felt alarmingly drawn to him

She couldn’t believe herself

There was a guy she had been crushing on for months in her church

The guy had stylishly distanced himself from her because she wore her heart on her sleeve and her desire became obvious

What she thought she felt then was like the evening breeze

With this drummer boy, it was like the hurricane

Her heart pounded so much, it almost jumped out of her mouth

She had to excuse herself and run to the restroom about four times during the session

His impact on her was otherworldly

She practically ran away from the studio immediately they finished their session

She didn’t want to have to talk to him on a one on one basis

She might burst into tears!

The next day, she stood before the mirror and prayed

“Father, I don’t want this kind of feeling to dominate me. Other ladies have crushes and manage their emotions well, I refuse to be hyperactive and disadvantaged! Today, I am composed, put together, gathered and perfect. I will relate with everybody including him naturally! If he was diabolical in anyway or if it is just chemistry, please put the trigger under subjection and set me free. In Jesus name. Amen

He didn’t show up at the studio at all that morning

When she left the studio that evening, she saw him at the car park

Her heart leapt for joy

He offered her a ride

She jumped into the car without a word

He also didn’t say anything

Not a word!

He dropped her at home and they exchanged numbers!

The following Sunday, he started attending her church

She was naturally a member of the choir!

He joined the choir too

She knew she would marry him

He knew she was his wife

He told his mother about her

But his mother said No!

Why?

His mother wouldn’t say!

He wouldn’t hear it!

He was determined to marry her and damned the consequences

But she was weary!

Marriage is a marathon of many years, if you begin a marathon with a sore in one leg, you put yourself at a great disadvantage!

She went to church on Sunday and explained her predicament to the brother in Jeans and T-shirt, he was the minister in charge of their church choir

She wanted to know what God is saying!

The brother in Jeans and T-shirt: Did his mother say you two cannot court each other

She: No, she only said we cannot marry

The brother in Jeans and T-shirt: When are you planning to get married?

She: About two years’ time, sir

The brother in Jeans and T-shirt: So what is the problem?

Sometimes she just couldn’t understand men! What sort of question was that? Was she supposed to waste two years courting a guy she will never marry?

She: I don’t want to fall into the trap of a time waster sir

The brother in Jeans and T-shirt: All these terms you Pentecostal people borrow from the sense realm to describe spiritual things…Hmm, do you want to marry him?

She: Yes sir

The Brother in Jeans and T-shirt: Please, tell him I will like to see him

She brought her man

Brother in Jeans and T-shirt: Do you want to marry her?

He: Yes sir

The Brother in Jeans and T-shirt: Mummy will change her mind shortly before you guys get married. Feel free to continue your relationship but remember to keep the relationship in such a way that the Holy Spirit will be pleased with you

They both chorused Amen, thanked the brother in Jeans and T-shirt and walked away!

The Brother in jeans and T-shirt forgot all about the matter

2018 May

She asked an usher to please call the brother in Jeans and T-shirt for her

She was at the choir practice the previous day to explain certain developments to him

He didn’t show up

By the time she got to the service on Sunday morning, the choir had commenced with praise and worship

The Brother in Jeans and T-shirt came outside to meet her

She: Sir, something has happened! As you know that we are planning to have our wedding in June, my man’s mother who had consistently said she will not support the wedding in any way or attend the wedding lost her best friend yesterday and is now hiding behind the bereavement to mount pressure on the entire family to cancel the wedding because she was mourning her friend!

Please sir, I need divine intervention

The Brother in Jeans and T-shirt: You need to thank the Lord, you just got the breakthrough you had been waiting for. The wedding will hold and your mother in law will support you now!

She was stunned!

What happened had cast a long shadow on her wedding and even her man was seriously shaken by the turn of events!

That evening, her man’s mother called her and told her she was now in full support of the wedding!

What happened?

Her Man’s mother: When my best friend got married in 1972, she married a man from your village! That man was the devil! He abused my best friend and dealt with her very violently

One day I went to her house one Saturday morning and found her in a pool of blood! She was lifeless!

By the time we got her to the hospital she had lost her two months old pregnancy and her left eye

It took her many months to recover from the battering!

Do you know my friend was never able to conceive again?

Her husband ran mad a few weeks after she was discharged from the Hospital

Apparently the man had a history of mental illness which he had managed all his life but nobody told my friend the truth about his condition

Even his family members!

Everybody kept mum and allowed a mad man to get married to my friend all because they wanted him to have a child he can call his own

I made a vow never to have anything to do with anybody from that village while my friend was still alive!

This was why I said you cannot marry my son!

Everybody spoke to me about it but I was determined to honour my friend by keeping my vow but before my friend breathed her last, she asked me not to deny you both your heart desires for her sake and I promised her I wouldn’t

This is why I will support and be at the wedding now!

PS: The wedding held on the last Saturday of May 2018

We have a God who watches over his word to perform it

It is an act of sheer wickedness to have friends and relatives with mental health challenges, impotency, epilepsy and/or any other hereditary sickness and keep quiet about it just so that they could get married and have children!

A spouse is entitled to full disclosure of all the facts about his or intended

We should try not to visit the misdeed of an individual or a family on an entire tribe or group of people

We must learn to contain misdeed and deal with such with a heart of love and forgiveness