More than a decade ago, the Lord graciously ordered my steps to the corridor of one of my childhood heroes. Few years flew by and I had the honour of becoming the "landlord" of the dynasty's Palace. My childhood hero became my friend and at a point, I became his confidant. Dreams do come true, even the craziest of dreams.

I had the honour of learning from him. Time and again, we discussed Nigeria, business ideas, tourism and entrepreneurship, to the fullest. I don't know many better human beings than Broda, especially when it comes to forthrightness and compassion. Standing on his shoulders, I could see the world. He absorbed me as his boy, without any reservation. I still treasure these privileges. His generous feedbacks regarding the hand of the Lord upon my life served to encouraged me and reminded me of God's covenants upon my life.

The Lord works in mysterious ways. We got to a point that my childhood hero would not conclude on few decisions without hearing my views, the Lord be glorified. Then we got to a consequential point - I was to advise him in making a choice out of the professional beautiful ladies in his life. You know the kind of beauties that surround kings. More than beauty, they were professionals in impeccable places. What shall I advise? By God's divine revelations, I knew I was born for such tough and narrow calls as this. But this, involved my hero who turned benefactor.

I need to add, he got married about a decade before this time. Has a wonderful child. Wife and child were in the United States. Marriage was as good as in the septic tank - gone, and never to come back. High profile personalities from both dynasties had intervened, but to no avail. While the prince worked and lived in Nigeria, the choicest and most assorted ladies were easily on his offer list. His social class, profession, along with "oil money" meant that he had no reason to struggle before delving into adultery. And you know our South South for being arguably the national headquarters of such ladies. Officially he was not divorced, perhaps because of US divorce jurisdiction and few complexities. But, restoring "that" marriage was not a thing he wanted us to talk about.

Anyways, now, he wanted to "settle down", and I should kindly recommend one of the candidates. The conversations were more like jokes, but of course he was serious. What shall I advise??

Then, God showed up for me. The Counselor Himself showed up. I told Broda to go to US and see his daughter. That by the time he returned, I would have my opinions ready. He laughed me off, but I politely insisted. I told him that I could not advise on remarriage since he was not yet officially divorced. And that if two weeks with his wife in the US, after almost a decade apart, could not reignite the fire that bonded them together in the first place and once made them unstoppable duo, then truly he (as a matter of fact - they) would have to move on. In this situation, I dared not begin Bible study on what the Scriptures say regarding the divorce. Egbon is perhaps more versed than I am sef.

After so much ado, my big brother went to United States, and came back chubbier, with wider and happier smiles. I had never seen him that happy and confident. God took control. And, today, their marriage is flying for God.

What about their irreconcilable differences? God reconciled them and turned them to glue. How? Each party sat back to understand what should be done better in order for the home to prosper. Tolerance and acceptance replaced the touchy and oversensitive egos. Building a successful marriage became more important than winning the duels.

I will now hand you over to my aunty and Pastor....... Mrs. Y. Y.

Don't try to play God - when you do, you fall into the sin of asking the unquestionable God so many 'WHYS' that you may never get answers to and as a result you either get hurt, frustrated, disappointed and/or heartbroken.

There is time for everything and a season for everything under the heaven. There is no permanent season, for time and tide changes, according to God's plan.

A TIME TO WAIT

We got married some 26 years ago. We both had religious foundation but we were not genuinely converted. We are both top class professionals. 3 years after we married, my husband relocated to the United States, leaving me with 2 children in Nigeria. Looking back now at those 21 long, lonely and hurtful years, I realised the waiting was not totally a waste of time. God was building up our spiritual lives, and structuring our lives to accommodate each other's excesses and weaknesses.

While I have always been the conservative type, my husband was an outgoing extrovert man of the world. For 21 years, he wandered back into worldliness and saturated himself with all the pleasures of life. God watched on. Then he got frustrated with worldliness and made a retreat, like the prodigal son.

RESOLUTION

I gave my life to Christ, zealously serving in His vineyard, faithfully seeking His face and patiently waiting for divine intervention. I did not allow any distraction or negative counsels to hinder my faith. Many family members tried to intervene; fathers in the Lord prayed for miracle but apparently, God wasn't ready. I made a resolution that no matter what, I would bear my cross, and gracefully so. By this time, my husband had also resolved to move on with his life.

FORGIVENESS

One fateful morning, my husband called me and said - "I am tired of living my life like this, I want to move on with my life". I resented him with all my heart and said to myself - "I will never forgive this man, never!" I stopped picking up his calls and I became so bitter in my spirit. Any time I tried to pray, the Holy Spirit would say to me - "forgive him, let go, and pray for him". I found it so difficult to yield to it; this is a man who had attempted to remarry 3 times. Nevertheless, I finally submitted to the Spirit of God and I forgave him, and I received my peace back. I must add, that he had his own grudges too which made him vowed that nothing would bring us together as husband and wife again.

THE STORY CHANGED

The day I stumbled on this scripture in Job 38: 4 - 11, I stopped trying to understand how God works. I learnt to wait for Him to show up in His own time. I relied completely on Him. A day to my interview for US visa, I told God - "it does not matter whether I received it or not, you will be my God forever, nothing would ever change the way I see you; let your will prevail over my will. And so it was. His will prevailed. His time came to change (my) our story. Before I joined my husband in the States, he had given his life to Christ and became a pastor. So it happened that God delayed my US visa - for few years, using the time to pull him out from the world, in order for me to enjoy a brand new man, meant for only me.

I concluded with this scripture in James 5 vs 16b - "the effective fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much". Prayer works. God answers prayers.

What is your story? What has become the reproach in your life that has gotten so stuck to you such that people now use it to describe you? God has not given up on your case, so do not give up on yourself. Remain faithful in all things, give Him the rein and let Him direct you wherever He Pleases. Here, God has built us a home and sanctioned our living together as happily ever after. The same God is able to help you through. Lean on Him.

Credit: We thank Broda and Pastor (Mrs.) Y. Y. So far in my young life, the restoration of Pastor Y Y's marriage and the perfection of many other blessings in their family is one of the most beautiful testimonies I know of. Truly, once there is life, there yet remains hope. Broda and Ma, I celebrate God in your lives and families, and we decree that your joy shall know no bounds, in Jesus name.

Good morning and Happy Sunday.

© SELAH SERIES 2020