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Funsọ: Did you ask God what He wants?
Iwa: I am still new in knowing God’s voice, being led by the Spirit, and separating the voice of my flesh from my regenerated heart. Goke is a very nice guy and I’ll admit, I almost got to desiring him for a mate, but he’s a father. I won’t have the confidence of achieving wifehood before being thrown into motherhood. I just don’t believe I have the spiritual or soulish resources to do both at this time.
Ire: So it’s really a faith issue. God’s word says you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. You say you can’t.
Iwa: It’s the pot calling the kettle black. The only reason you’ve not been able to return to your old church is because you can’t get over your sister-in-law’s demise. How come your faith has been ineffective till now?
“Iwa, Ire,” I started. “There is no need to get into an argument. We all walk at the pace we can, one day at a time, based on our revelation of God’s truth.”
Bolu: May we pray together? There is nothing God can’t do. Even when we’re confused as to His perfect will, He will guide us into all truth.
We all joined hands and prayed one for another. After praying the Exs settled down to eat while I enjoyed the melody of the hymn, Amazing grace playing in the background. Iwa too was blessed by the hymm for she said;
Iwa: This hymm is so old, yet it is so powerful. Written by a preacher in the 1800s, the melody and words are very edifying.
Dēbhōrah: He wrote the words, but the melody was sung by slaves.
Ire: I watched a show where a musician was relating that story. Everytime I hear the hymm, I remember slavery.
Funsọ: Slavery, the darkness in our past! Although, in my own opinion, slavery still continues today. It’s only a different form. Rather than Africans being taken against their will to first world countries, they are rushing to come by any means necessary.
Dēbhōrah: It’s called economic slavery. People would rather live in a developed world than squander in their homeland. It’s the bad planning of our ancestors.
Ire: It’s selfishness. No nation is free of it.
Bolu: I call it fear and ignorance. Take
Nigeria
for example, why can’t we get over our differences and work together? There’s no nation that does not have problems. We are too afraid of each other. When people are united, nothing can stop them. Remember what the Lord said at the
Tower
of
Babel
?
“I call it greed and wickedness.” I responded. “As we mentioned before, our laws are violated consistently. Many people live as if they are above the law. If we can’t abide by our laws, how can we expect our nation to be strong?
Iwa: T’was grace that caused my heart to fear, and grace, my fears relieved, how precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed.
Ire: Iwa, do you want another drink?
Iwa: No, I think I’ve had enough.
Ire: Are you trying to save Goke money? Just teasing.
Dēbhōrah: That reminds me. I wanted to invite him to our show.
Dēbhōrah got up and went to Goke. On return she whispered, as she sat down;
“He has the cutest eyes, and his voice is so soft.”
Funsọ: If he comes to the show, I’ll get a better look at him.
Dēbhōrah: Iwa, if you’re really sure you don’t want him, I’ll introduce him to my sister. She wants a godly man.
Bolu: Which one Daphne, Dorothy or Dodie?
Dēbhōrah: Theodora
Funsọ: She’s not even your blood sister.
Dēbhōrah: She’s my sister in Christ. That’s all that matters. She asked me to be on the look out for her.
Funsọ: Iwa, you better make up your mind fast. Dēbhōrah is a good matchmaker. She matchmaked me and my husband.
Bolu: Don’t let them scare you. If Goke is yours, no Dēbhōrah or Theodora can take him away from you.
Dēbhōrah: There’s no hurry Iwa. It takes me three months to do a background check. I won’t go ahead if you’re uncomfortable.
Ire: I like your style.
“That’s why I perished for my ignorance.” I declared.” I didn’t know one had to do a criminal background check before marriage.”
Dēbhōrah: You must do many kinds of checks. Your life may depend on it.
“Tell me about it.” I said. “I am alive today only by God’s grace.”
Iwa: Aren’t we all?
Ire: His grace is the reason we can smile in the morning.
Bolu: His grace is the reason we can get up from bed.
Dēbhōrah: His grace is the reason we say His grace is the reason
We all agreed and laughed.
Ire: Derbrah, wasn’t that the title of your write-up?
“Not exactly, but similar.” I replied.
Iwa explained, “We just finished our editing session. We write and share at least one write-up together once a month. The only rule is it must be about something in our past, our present or our future. Derbrah’s write-up was titled Grace for My Race, Ire’s was The Humanist Christian, mine was Our First Anniversary.
Bolu: May we share in your talents?
Iwa: Sure. I’ll read mine first. It’s the shortest. Ire wrote an epistle.
When Iwa finished, Dēbhōrah remarked;
“Are you sure, Goke isn’t Demilade?”
Ire: Now I see the resemblance. Ha! Ha! Ha!
Iwa: No, he’s not. I was just imagining that’s all.
Ire: Well, my epistle as Iwa called it is this. She went on to read her piece.
Bolu: Beautiful. I like that S.S.S. acronym. I would have thought it was single still searching but slap somebody silly is just right.
“She isn’t no single still searching.” I chuckled. “She’s married, beating up on hubby.”
Funsọ: You’re abusing your husband?
Ire: No I am not. Just because I gave him a black eye on our wedding night does not mean I am abusive.
Dēbhōrah: That’s understandable, he didn’t know when to stop. I bet he learned his lesson.
Ire: I learned mine too. He was a cry baby. He was afraid to come near me for a month. But I must admit, once a while I beat him up psychologically. It’s just that he makes such childish decisions.
Iwa: All men make mistakes. However, yours is a cry baby because he is seven years younger than you.
Funsọ: Girl, I am challenged by you. I could never marry someone I was older than.
Bolu: I could. All that matters is love.
Dēbhōrah: That’s the same way I feel.
“Maybe five years younger at the most.” I responded. “Anything younger than that and I’d feel like an aunt.”
Iwa: So that’s why you did not respond to Olu. He was just six years younger.
“Oh. I didn’t even know that.” I replied. “His case was just bad timing. I was busy getting over the effect of my brother’s death. I wasn’t interested in no intimate relationship at that time.”
Ire: Twenty eight years you grieved. That’s a lifetime.
“I grieved at different levels.” I said. “I had to publicly sever the inner vow I made under ignorance.”
Bolu: Your brother died twenty-eight years ago?
“Yes.” I replied. “However, because of some decisions made by my parents I ended up being exposed to the spirit of error and that tormented me for many years. I just got over the effect of the exposure and decisions I made due to ignorance this year.
Iwa: By His grace, we stand indeed. I am still battling with 15 years of erroneous exposure. At least you’re out.
Ire: And you’re out too, if you keep declaring your deliverance in Christ. The scriptures say that he that believes, speaks.
“And from speaking,” I replied. “You’ll move into knowing and into doing.”
Iwa’s cell phone beeped and as she checked the message, she looked up to where Goke was seated. She declared slowly, “It’s Goke asking if I’m free tonight to go to dinner.”
Although we smiled quietly, none of us said a word. Iwa looked at our faces and typed a text message. As she returned the phone to her purse, she proclaimed, “Alright. I’m taking the step of faith. We’re going out tonight. If anything happens, I’m blaming the five of you.”
Ire: Who said? If anything happens you blame yourself. We didn’t say anything.
Iwa: You didn’t have to. Your facial expressions were loud and clear.
Bolu: God’s perfect will be done.
Iwa: Thank you.
Funsọ: So let’s hear your write-up Derbrah.
As I bent to pick up my write-up, I heard my name. Following the sound of the voice I saw an old friend of mine, Oye. I could hardly believe it. She called my name again as she walked towards my table. I stood up to receive her. When she arrived, we greeted with a hug. Introductions were made and we invited her to join us, but she couldn’t because of her time.
“You know, Oye,” I started, “I saw your look alike today. It’s good to see you.”
Oye: Really, where?
“A few minutes ago. In fact she’s still here. Do you want to meet her?
Oye: Sure. I’ve never had a look-alike before.
I excused myself and took Oye in to mama Jade’s office to meet Laja. Both of them were pleasantly surprised at their resemblance. We chatted for a few minutes and they exchanged contact details and Oye left for her table. On return to my seat, I met a note addressed to me.
“Hmm. Who wrote this?” I asked.
Bolu: It’s from the man in blue over there.
I turned to see who she was referring to and put the note aside.
Iwa: You’re not going to read it.
“Not right now.” I responded. I’ll read it just before I leave.
Ire: What if it’s an emergency?
“It’s not.” I replied. “Believe me I have a hunch what’s in there.”
Dēbhōrah: I take it there is some history.
Iwa: Oh, is that the guy at the African market?
“Yes it is.” I replied.
Iwa: Let her read the note later. I’m sure it’s a prayer point or something.
Ire: Minister Derbrah and her 24/7 ministry. You should be charging high for doing the work pastors don’t do.
Iwa and Ire giggled.
Funsọ: Are you being taken advantage of?
“Not as much as before.” I responded. “Becoming a mother has helped me to sever unnecessary relationships.”
Ire: There’s still many more to sever. If you check her calendar, every weekend is blocked out till next year.
“Yes.” I responded. “However most of it is for my kids.”
Iwa: That’s one of the reasons I’m hesitant about Goke. I don’t think I’m over my abandonment issues. I don’t want the girl to feel unloved or rejected.
Ire: You’re still clinging on that’s why. You called them your abandonment issues.
Dēbhōrah: That's true. You have to place your grievances, your dissatisfactions and your disappointments under the blood of Jesus and leave them there.
Bolu: It was when I stopped seeing myself as a victim that I could live the life of a victor.
“Amen sister.” I put in. “I declare daily that Jesus Christ has made me a king and a priest unto God our Father. A king issues decrees. A king reigns. A king is in charge. No longer will I be dominated, exploited or violated. I am a king in Christ!”
Concluded in part 5
Derbrah writes courtesy of Agape for All Ministries. Author retains copyright.
Jadesọla’s restaurant is a drama ministry of the Yoruba Christian Women (YCW), an international faith-based non-governmental, not-for-profit organization. Similarity of names and stories are coincidental. Feel free to copy for non-commercial use. Commercial use requires permission. For more information on YCW write Jesutoyin Ajikẹ-King (toyinking@yahoo.com).
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Posted by Robot| 23.10.2007 09:40