MARRIAGE: A LEAP OF FAITH(LESSONS TO LEARN FROM MUMMY OYEDEPO)

Marriage is not an achievement like one of your certificates, degrees and credentials. It is not an acquisition like a car or landed property. It must be noted that some marriages bring the completeness that a man or woman needs. Let's take you on a journey, as we look at the ten facts or behind-the-scenes of the life and marriage of Bishop
David Oyedepo and his first lady, Faith Oyedepo:

1. The great man of God, Bishop David Oyedepo was a polytechnic student at Kwara State Polytechnic in the city of Ilorin. The wife,
Faith was a university student in Ife. We are all aware of the battle of credentials: the discrimination between Diploma holders and Degree holders. They both met at a motor park, and the great Bishop proposed to her. She could have snubbed him when he approached her, but the queen was humble enough to respond positively. This is a great lesson that our 21st century ladies need to learn: humility.

2. There was a time that David Oyedepo's friends complained that he was becoming hyper-spiritual. They said he was carrying Christianity too passionately and zealously as if he were the only Christian. This burning zeal and passion was later transfered to Faith, and she became passionate also. As their love progressed, David took her to church in
1976 and made her to sign an agreement (Sailing Under Sealed Orders) to marry and follow him whether he became blind, lame or handicapped. And she signed. This is a great lesson about commitment and
Determination.

3. Before they got married, while David was still hopping between
jobs, David told Faith that God has sent him to liberate the world. It
could be very hard to believe, you know. During this period, he went
ahead to resign his job. This caused his elder brother to lambast him,
but Faith stood by him. David made her to know that God had shown him
the key to prosperity, and she believed. Hmmm...

4. David also went ahead and told her that they would build a 50,000
capacity tent and preach the gospel in private jets: Faith also
believed her dream lover. During their wedding eve, David was too
'financially balanced' to afford a hotel room, and had to sleep in his
rickety Volkswagen Beetle. And Faith married him.

5. There was a time he ordered a mad man to be put in his car alone
with Faith while she was pregnant. It was like a moment of insane
faith, but the wife stood still and remained. She proved her name. A
time came when she was dripping blood during her pregnancy, she told
him that she had a miscarriage and he exclaimed: ''It cannot happen.
Can I have my food, please?'' She went ahead and served him.

6. When they had their first baby and there was no food and money at
home, he refused to borrow or ask or take church money. They were
eating and drinking 'Cerelac' baby food for three days. She didn't
complain in all these. A lesson about perseverance. There was a day
she came to church and found her husband very excited with few
members. She was waiting for the service to start but he told her that
service was over already. She just smiled...

7. People started praying for her and her husband, because they
thought they were crazy and needed deliverence. She was calm and she
kept faith. The time came that her husband announced a new Bible
school and she knew there was no facility. She didn't face him in
public. She asked him privately and he responded with a 'Is it your
school?' She kept quite and didn't fight her husband. Getting
interesting, huh?

8. She didn't know he will pastor and she, co-pastor the largest
church auditorium in the world. She didn't know they would be flying
in customized jets around the world. That looks so wonderful, huh?

9. Faith didn't know that her husband, David, would be a father to
millions of people all over the world. Faith didn't know that her
husband would be hosted by Presidents and Heads of States of nations.

10. She didn't know he will be a Chancellor and Pioneer of one of the
best private-owned Universities in the world, and six others. There
was a time when she was sick and was admitted to one of the hospitals
in USA. She woke up to discover that her husband, David, had flown
quietly from Nigeria and was by her bed, refusing to wake her up. He
was kneeling on the floor by her legs and crying 'Lord, heal her and
prove that you sent me'. She got healed miraculously. And that
happened twice. All that the wife saw was a big God inside her
husband.

Thanks to Mama Oyedepo for not forming #Tushgirl. Now we all have seen
the #TushQueen you have become to that king, Bishop David Oyedepo.
Let's get our priorities right. It is sad to see that many ladies of
these days can't stand by a man with purpose and vision like Faith
did. Most ladies want a man that has 'arrived'. They are not
interested in staying at Surulere before moving to Olorunsogo. They
seem to forget that most men that walk with God need to grow in Him,
even as they (the ladies) grow with him (the husband). Some of our
mothers married our fathers when they had nothing to their names and
together, they grew to where they got to. Sadly, some of those parents
will not accept a spouse that doesn't have much to his or her name
when their child wants to be joined with one. Who upturned our values?
Who said you need to 'arrive' before taking a helping hand and
obtaining blessings from God? Remember, you don't need to be great to
start, but you need to start to be great. Everything begins from
below. The only thing that begins from the top is the grave. Learn the
lessons and build your future. God bless us!