“Happy Birthday Obi’m” Melvin pecked his  fiancée on her forehead. He had driven a long distance to ensure he arrived early before she left for work.

Chioma blushed. Melvin was very thoughtful. She smiled when she remembered how bad things were initially, how she was sad because Melvin wasn’t trying to be romantic. Little communication here and there and many weeks of patience did the trick. Now, he was at her doorstep, holding a bouquet of the most beautiful flowers she had seen. Ah! Thank you, Jesus. Chioma said to herself.

“Thank you, baby; it means a lot to me. Please come in; let me get you something quickly before-“

6 MONTHS LATER

Jola leaned forward; Pastor Lere was making a lot of sense. “There are some of you here today, praying for God to give you a God-fearing spouse, an understanding and loving spouse; my question for you is, are you also God-fearing? Understanding and loving? Do you know how to control your anger? Do you have a good character? Are you bearing fruits consistent with the spirit? He paused, then continued. “There are some other people here who are in toxic relationships. In fact, they had no business dating the person in the first place but, because of the pressure to settle, have compromised their standards-“
Jola’s mind drifted to a conversation she had with Tife the day before. She had stopped by her friend’s house on her way from work. She needed to talk to someone and felt Tife was the best person to share her feelings with but when Tife opened the door that evening, Jola knew her friend had been crying.

A FEW WEEKS LATER

Lola paced in her room, lost in thoughts. She had been raised in a Christian home, and her parents attended the Anglican church. Still, she joined a Pentecostal church in her 2nd year at the University, so when she was told that Brother John had approached the marriage committee about his interest in her, she became anxious because she knew what was coming. Lola already liked another man, though he did not attend her church. They had been talking for a month, and she felt ready to ask him about his intentions. She had planned to meet up with him, only for her to run into Brother John at the car park.