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Showing posts with label Waiting&Loving It. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Waiting&Loving It. Show all posts

Tuesday, 25 October 2016

Waiting and Loving It!!! feat Sewa and 'Laolu Olubiyi

I am so excited! Yes, yes, yes!! We are back! I have missed featuring this series and I am really glad that it is back. 

If this is your first time reading about Waiting and Loving It then it might help to read an introduction to the series/project, please click HERE, HERE and HERE.

This week, I am delighted to introduce you to Sewa and Olaolu Olubiyi! It feels like Sewa is my sister, yet we were reminded last week that we'd actually not met properly in person! I remember when we first started Waiting and Loving It, Sewa was one of the first people I contacted but I guess it wasn't to be at the time and their story is actually richer a few years down the line.

I won't say too much, but hope you enjoy the trip into a little bit of their beautiful and blessed world and I bet you will pick up one or two things.... Presenting Sewa and Olaolu Olubiyi!

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Hello guys! Thanks for being our 'come-back' feature on the Waiting and Loving series. Please tell us a little bit about yourselves...

Sewa - Hiya! My name is Adesewa Olubiyi. I’m 27 years old, a Law graduate and I work in the city of London within the financial services sector. I have been married to my hubby for 4 years now to the glory of God and we are blessed with a son. I am a chorister and worship leader in my church. I also run a fashion styling, wardrobe management and wig making business. I enjoy singing, shopping and meeting people. I also enjoy counselling people in relationships.
Sewa Olubiyi 'Fashionista'
Oh fab! Thanks Sewa, very impressive. Good to meet you! Laolu?
Olaolu - Hi, I'm Olaolu Olubiyi. I’m a Solicitor, a go getter, a worshipper and I love my Baby – Adesewa very much. My hobbies are reading and travelling. I used to support Arsenal football team, but now I support any team that plays well after experiencing several heartbreaks with Arsenal.

Hahahaha... I feel you, that's a very wise decision! Thanks Laolu. So, tell us Sewa, how did you meet Laolu?

Sewa: Ok so I attended my current church (RCCG) with my family in 2006 and when we walked in as first timers, the ushers greeted us and led us to our seats. My hubby was the head of the Singles' department and also a worship leader. The choir was ministering when we walked in and I noticed a guy (my husband) with a black suit and white shirt and a red tie on the stage. (You remember what he was wearing?!! Lol) He was standing at the far end. He was looking very very handsome and was the only guy on the stage among so many ladies in the choir. That was when I noticed him and nothing more crossed my mind. I just thought to myself, "The only guy in the choir... wow!" 
Some time later. a lady heard me sing and suggested I joined the choir. She told me the day the choir would meet, and so I attended. 

On the choir practice day, (which happened to be the same day as my hubby’s birthday in the choir), I still didn’t know his name. I just attended the choir practice for the first time and I was told it was Laolu’s birthday and someone explained to me that Laolu was the guy in the choir, so I knew it was him. I was told to sign a card that they got for him which I did. (We still have that card at home and of course so many cards after that). So they served refreshments and celebrated it for him. However, we did not speak to each other even though I had signed his card. The following Sunday, he came to introduce himself as the head of the Singles' department and asked for my number and said to me that he does follow up of all the new singles / youth that join the church. He then called me the very next day – a Monday and left a voicemail as I was not available to pick up the phone. When I heard his voice, my heart melted. I could not hear most of what he said but I kept playing the message over and over and over again and blushing that this very handsome guy had called me. I felt really important. I was getting butterflies. So I returned his call and it went to voicemail too. I also left a voicemail. Eventually we got talking but whenever we saw each other at church or choir practice, we never spoke for some reason. I used to find it difficult to look into his eyes then. I struggled to look at him which is probably why we just never spoke. There was always this fire that ignited or spark that came out of his eyes whenever we looked at each other by mistake. So to avoid that spark, I just never looked at his direction. I really couldn’t look at him for a long time in the relationship. We would go home and start chatting via Yahoo messenger about how choir practice went, etc. and what we thought of the service or the message. As I was very young then, I was only partially involved in the Singles activities and so he would call me to tell me everything and how the programs I didn’t attend, went etc. I would rush home from College just to be able to sign on to Yahoo messenger cause I knew he was online from time to time because of his Law School studies then, to send me chats and it was so cool chatting with him for hours non-stop. All these while we were still ‘friends’. Then one day, he started chatting to me on messenger saying ‘you make my heart melt’, ‘you make me shiver’ etc blah blah blah and that was when he asked me out to be his girlfriend and the godly courtship / relationship of 5 – 6 years started. We have now been married for 4 years.
Hopefully, you're able to look into his eyes now :-)
Oh wow! Sewa! I laughed at so many points! Ignition, spark! Awww young love is so beautiful. Thanks for replaying it so vividly. So Laolu, what's your side of the story?

Olaolu: It was a summer evening on a Thursday – our usual choir practice day which happened to be my birthday when my Baby walked into the church hall. Unknown to me, she was joining the choir for the first time and no one had told me about her or anything.

She was wearing a black top and green bottoms and I was singing on the stage when she walked in. She then went to pick up something by the side of the Ushers' department table, and that was when I set my eyes on her as she walked passed and I REALLY noticed her. There was an immediate skipping beat in my heart even though she didn’t see me or notice me that evening. Later that week after the Sunday service, I stylishly approached her to collect her number under the guise of ‘following up’, for the Singles' department because I was the head of the Singles department at the time. That was when the journey started. Several calls, texts, and Yahoo messenger chats later, we became an inseparable item! We courted for 5 – 6 years in the godly Christian way. The rest they say is history. We have been married for 4 years and it feels just like yesterday.
The rest they say is history....
Succint and straight to the point lol. Thanks Laolu. So I know you already mentioned her looks, down to what she was wearing but what was the specific attractive quality you saw that got you sprung?

Olaolu: Ahhh! It was her sexy eyes and that innocent beauty she has. . I just could not keep my heart beat under control. I also had to be careful not to be too carried away.

Sewa: For me, it was his love for God. His gentle and calm nature, also the fact that he was and is still an ardent worshipper, The way he pours his heart out to God and sweats when he leads praise and worship. He gives it his ultimate energy. He’s a man after God’s heart. And to me that is very sexy. He’s also got that sexy Jesus Boy Look and cute eyes.

Sexy Jesus Boy Look (SJBL), that's a new one! :-) So apart from the obvious attraction points, what were the other qualities that made you know that this is the person you would like to spend the rest of your life with?

Sewa: I realised that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him because we had courted and had been friends for so long, and although there were many guys from all walks of life (both celebrities and normal guys), interested in me at the time, he was different. There was just something so genuine about him, his attitude to the things of God, his selfless love for me. He was my brother, my best friend, my gossip buddy, my go-to person all rolled into one and I had grown to love him more because he was just always there for me. I remember even during my college days, he would study with me as I was reading Law and he was a Law graduate so he really helped to mould and shape me, my orientation about life, my studies and so on. He is just simply the best.

Awwww, that's lovely!

Olaolu: I had been spending time in prayers before then for God’s will to be done in my life. I did not know how or when but in my walk with God he had and still always does things for me at his own right time. There was a time we had a conversation and I had a lot on my mind. I had been fasting and praying and at that stage I asked God for a clear sign that if this, this and this happened, then I knew she was the one. Almost immediately it happened, exactly how I had asked God. I got my clear confirmation that she was the one and there was no going back. I keep sinking into the ocean of love and joy with my wifey every single day. I have not looked back since.

No looking back... Just looking forward!
That's so beautiful! Thank God for you both!
Now, as you mentioned, you both wanted and made that decision to have a godly relationship. What made you make that decision to wait?

Sewa and Olaolu: Waiting was an important part of our Christian journey. We wanted to look forward to something special. There was no point trying what you will still enjoy later and we looked forward to the goal. It wasn’t easy but boundaries were set to ensure that the ultimate goal was achieved. There was no point going into something that after the wedding it would just be a case of ‘continuing’ from where we stopped. We felt it wouldn't feel special anymore. The thought of falling was also a very scary one and neither of us wanted to bear the consequences. The fact that we are also worship leaders would have made it very hypocritical lifting up ‘holy hands’ in church when we knew we were not living holy. So there was no way we would defile ourselves in that way.

(Sewa) On my own part, my parents had drummed it into me from a very young age that the wedding bed must be undefiled and that I had to keep myself and preserve myself for only my husband and no one else. My mum had told me of consequences of spiritual soul ties and repercussions which I definitely did not want to dabble with.

That's great, thank God for making it possible and giving you the grace to go through with your decision. However, was it smooth-sailing or was there a time you wanted to throw in the towel?

Sewa: Oh yes it was extremely hard especially because we were so attracted to each other. There were tears. Lots of tears lol especially in the cold nights of winter when we go out after a lovely meal! The desire was very strong! But with God’s help we overcame the strong desires and temptation! When one person was weak, the other was strong for both of us. The words I remembered when I faced these temptations were ‘of what gain is few minutes of pleasure for eternal regret and condemnation?' The consequences were not worth it. I also believed keeping it was the best gift I could ever give my husband and I had made up my mind that there was no question about it.

Olaolu: It was very hard, several times, but I just relied on God to see me through. I also encouraged myself that I am having this forever so why rush into it!

What practical measures did you take to ensure that you stuck by your decision? 

Sewa and Laolu
: We made up our minds that the foundation of our marriage had to be firm, right and rooted in God. The practical measures we took were that we ensured that our Pastors were very much involved in our relationship from the start and were able to guide and counsel us during difficult moments. They were always only a call away. We also had great Counsellors/mentors along the way who were married and were great sources of inspiration. We always tried to focus our discussions on things that were edifying and not sex-related. We just had the mind that keeping things uncomplicated was the best way to go. We ensured that we were not alone in private places so as to avoid any unnecessary invite to temptation.

Thank you guys so much! We are almost there now, tell us what one advice would you give to your single self in preparation for marriage now that you’ve crossed that line?

Sewa: Although I married at the age of 23, I would have probably spent more time volunteering in more ministerial projects such as youth empowerment. Also I would not have courted for 6 years, and would have probably married earlier.

Olaolu: The waiting would be all worth it in the end and I probably should have made more business investments… lol

Describe in 3 words / sentences the best part of being married!

Sewa: Companionship, Responsibility and being a home maker. Marriage is enjoyable with the right person in it. You feel complete. You feel whole. You feel fulfilled. Your whole world starts to make sense. You get that sense of TOGETHERNESS in everything you do. Always having a shoulder to lean on or a listening ear is awesome! And having someone who can share your pain, your thoughts, your highs and lows is a great feeling!

Olaolu: Sex, Children, Companionship and Friendship. Having my second half always there is a good feeling. Having my ‘go-to’ person is a gooood feeling. The saying two heads are better than one is a true wise saying.
Two heads definitely better than one!
Awesome! Finally, just before we let you go, it's PDA time! We usually like to give couples that opportunity to publicly affirm each other...

Sewa: Baby, you are the best man on earth! I love you with all my heart. You complement me and complete me. You make my world go round. You give me constant joy. I don’t know how my life would have been without you in it. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. I thank God that he made our paths to meet.

Olaolu: Blessed is the day I set my eyes on you Adesewa. If I had another opportunity in my lifetime to share my life with you again, I would grab it with both hands! I won’t trade you for anything in this world. Glad I stayed and waited till the end. I love you Baby mi, Aya Mi, Iyawo mi. You made my heart melt then and you still make my heart melt now. EVERY SINGLE DAY. I love you so much and I CAN'T SAY THAT ENOUGH! You are special to me in every sense of the word. Your passion for fashion is infectious…lol. I love you baby with all your sweet imperfections.

   

Sewa the Fashionista! Follow her @adesewastylesignature on Instagram
@adesewastylesignature on Instagram
                   For all your fashion styling needs, accessories, wardrobe management and wigs, please follow Sewa @adesewastylesignature on Instagram!
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Wow, love love love the comeback with these two! They've said so many things so I won't repeat them, however I'll like to pick on a little point that Laolu mentioned with regards to getting that confirmation and assurance that Sewa was his wife.

I know that a number of people, often ask this question - How do I know I'm making the right decision? In addition to the other points raised (attraction, character, compatibility, friendship), it is important to present before God and even ask Him for specific signs. I have heard so many testimonies of people who did this, and God answering very specifically (You don't have to be a Pastor or Prophet to do this!). Just ask sincerely and wait on God to answer. He will!

Most importantly, even today, it is very possible to have a relationship fully committed to God, with the grace to hold on until marriage for sex. It might not be easy but it is possible and very worth it! May God give us all grace in Jesus name.

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Click HERE for other Waiting and Loving It Couples... And please don't forget to share too!

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Do you have any question, please do not hesitate to ask!
Email - 1plustheone@gmail.com
Twitter - @1plustheone
Instagram: @1plustheone

Tuesday, 1 December 2015

Waiting and Loving It!!! Feat Isioma and Tobore Benson

It is almost difficult to believe that the last time we had a Waiting and Loving It feature was in January!! Almost one year *eeeek*!

For all those who are visiting the blog for the first time (welcome!!) or haven't read a feature, it would be great to read a little background to the series HERE, HERE and HERE.

Right, now we've gotten that out of the way, let's go on to today's very special couple! Isioma is one of the ladies I refer to as my 'heart-sister', 'blood-girl' lol (no covenants there, just the acknowledgement that the blood of Jesus that binds us is deeep!).. I consider her a very dear dear sister, a contributor to 1 + The One (including Conversations with One), one of my 'accountability partners' and I know that we both looked forward to being featured on Waiting and Loving It! Indeed, when I sent her the email request, her response was "Yayyyy, I kent believe I can finally participate!" Lol.. Thank God for amazing friends!

I love the way her and her husband relate with each other. There's a deep friendship that is just beautiful and I am glad and very grateful to them for being a part of Waiting and Loving It (Isi-linyo, you did it!! Thank God for grace :-D)

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One: Hiya Isioma and Tobore, glad to have you on the hot seat! I think I am definitely giddy with excitement :-) Please could you tell us a little about yourselves?

Isioma - Hi!!! My name is Isioma Benson (nee Ikediashi), I’m a happy young woman and I recently got married to my gorgeous T-baby as I fondly call him (2 months in marriage). I am a worshipper, I just love to sing and show how good God is through my life. I’m also the first of 4 kids (all boys after me) so I can be pretty tough at times. I love talking to people and being an inspiration.

Tobore: I'm Tobore Benson, I can be quite reserved and enjoy my own company but I certainly love the company of my wife, my ‘Omotekoba’ as I call her. She’s the one person that can bring all of my different sides out. I love reading and researching and finding out facts about any and everything. I love to laugh and can laugh about anything. Oh and while my wife is the singer, I’m the listener.

We see how she listens alright.. :-)
One: Awww, that's lovely! So 'Omotekoba', how did you meet your 'T-baby'? :-)

Isioma: I’ve gotta say that my hubby will be more detailed here…lol! It was an early morning, sometime before 7:00am. I was on my way to a business lecture when I suddenly heard someone say – "Hey! Where do you think you’re going this early morning?" I turned to see who it was and he was just laughing. I told him I had a lecture and he found it ridiculous that I would actually attend an early class. He categorically told me he wouldn’t attend if he were me. Anyway, we chatted till I got to my faculty and he took my phone number and the rest was 10 years of friendship!

One: Wow! 10 years... That's amazing! Tobore, we would definitely like to know your version of events..

Tobore: I met my wife on Wednesday the 17th of November, 2004. Too much detail huh…lol!

One: Not at all, lol. That's nice actually. It means the chances of you missing an anniversary is slim to none *major points*.. Please go on...

Tobore:  I was on my way back to my hostel off campus at some minutes past 6:00am when I saw this young girl walking so fast and going to God knows where! I was curious as to where she could be going to at that time of the day while I was going to continue my sleep from where I stopped, at my friend’s hostel. I called out to her and asked where she was going and I was laughing at her as well. It was even funnier when she said she was going for a lecture and had to go early to secure the front seat. Anyway, I asked her to slow down and we started to chat until she got to her faculty and I asked for her number. She gave her number to me and our story began…

After 10 years... the smile must be huge!
One: .. And the story began indeed! So tell us Tobore, what would you say initially attracted you to Isioma?

Tobore: It’s a funny one but she looked like one of them girls that have never had their hearts broken – the ‘good girl’.

Isioma: For me, I was attracted to his ability to hold a decent conversation. Many guys in Uni lacked what to say to a girl. They just talked a lot of crap but he made a lot of sense and he was consistent at it.

One: .. A good conversation struck the deal for you, that's nice.. What would you say made you know that this was 'IT'..

Isioma: Hmmmm! Interestingly I only got to realise in 2014. We had been friends for sooooooo long and I had completely rested in the comfort of that friendship that it almost seemed weird to think we could spend forever together. One thing was sure, I cared about him a lot even though I fought with him a lot too. Anyway, in 2014 he rang me again and this time he wasn’t taking 'No' for an answer. I genuinely felt in my heart that it was time to listen, I felt a calmness in my spirit and a desire to tell God about it. I spent some time talking to God about him and my heart and spirit was at peace with the decision to take a next step.

Tobore: I remember going back to the hostel that day after I met her and I was telling my friend about her so excitedly and I was looking forward to an opportunity to meet her again. I knew in 2005 (one year after) after we became good friends that I needed her to be in my future. It sounded silly to my friends but I always wanted a good LISTENER in a person and she was 100% that person. I also wanted a person who was friendly and hadn’t been messed up by wrong relationships and she ticked it too.

This is IT!
One: That's fantastic! Now to the very important question, what made both of you make the decision to wait until marriage before having a sexual relationship?

Isioma and Tobore: Waiting was a desire for both of us. In all the 3 years of Uni that we were friends, he never made any advances at me. He saw me as one to protect. I think he felt he needed to keep me for himself eventually…lol! When we decided to start a proper relationship in 2014, we spent more time discussing other kinds of boundaries just to avoid any temptation but we were solid on waiting. On my own part, I had made a decision as a young girl to wait till marriage and by God’s grace, it was a strong resolve.

One: Was it difficult? Did you get to any point when you just wanted to let go?

Isioma: YESSSSSSSS it was hard! I think I can be quite the ‘toughie’, I won’t give in under any pressure and best believe I’m not tempted to at all but with Tobore the story changed. We only had a 1 year courtship and we spent most of it apart but it was tough. We were both so attracted to each other and of course we missed being apart for so long. The few days before the wedding were the hardest. The days became so slow….hahahahaha!

One: LOL.. Thanks for being real.. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak but God's grace is suffient aka Diarris God! So what practical measures did you take to ensure that you stuck by your decision?

Isioma and Tobore: We both wanted a good foundation for our marriage, one that is firmly rooted on the word of God. For me, I cringed at the after-feeling if I ever let my emotions win. I didn’t think I would be able to pray or worship and I don’t know if the marriage would be worth it after all. So we used the ‘guilt trip’ a lot….lol! We would say things like, what will God think of us now? How can you minister to other people 'Sis Isioma of the Holy Ghost'…hahahaha! I kept my godly girlfriends very close, I will tell them what I’m feeling, doing or planning. I wasn’t taking chances. Then we prayed sometimes when we felt high on emotions and of course we tried to spend more time in public places and with other people too. It also helped that we were friends, we would tell each other off if one person was losing it….lol!
One: Lol.. That's great, thank God. Now that you are married, what one advice would you give to your single self in preparation for marriage?

This is from the both of us – Nothing is impossible with God, not even the highest mountain or the darkest cloud. We couldn’t be more direct about this. We experienced God’s faithfulness at every turn in our preparation for marriage. From deciding to wait, to learning deeper things about ourselves, to submission, to wedding plans etc. We sought God like the air we breathed and He showed up big time!

One: Praise our ever-faithful God! Alright Isioma, 2 months in, describe in 3 words, the best part of being married?

Isioma: Companionship, Maturity, Satisfaction

Tobore?

Sex, Responsibility, Children

One: Nice one! Thank you very much.. Now, just before we go, It's PDA time! We'd like to step aside and allow you both indulge in some healthy Public Display of Affection.. 

Isioma: If I knew what I know now, we would have been married at least 5 years ago Baby T. Every day with you is never enough. I look forward to coming home now because I have a partner who’s also my friend. Cheers to forever baby xxx Oh and thanks for giving me a really kool last name….hehehe!

Tobore: I had an opportunity in my lifetime to share my life with you and I won’t trade you for anything in this world. Glad I stayed till the end. I love you Isiyoma Benson.

Mr and Mrs B!!
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Awww *sniff* don't you just love *sniff sniff*....

I thank God always for writing and making the very best love stories. I believe one of God's names is Jehovah El'Romantique - Creating love stories from time immemorial (Issac/Rebekah,  Ruth/Boaz) :-)

One of the reasons I love the Waiting and Loving It series is that it is an encouragement that there are so many expressions of God's love to us through people He brings into our lives. It's not impossible, it's real and God can make yours beautiful too!

Very importantly, God is LOVE so He alone has the authority on setting the standard and parameters for love.. Any other way is the wrong way of doing it, no matter how popular it may seem. I have had conversations with people who say that chastity is out-dated; impossible in today's world but time and time again, God proves that His word remains unchanged through generations and fads, He remains consistent.

It may not be easy but then, His grace is more than sufficient - that's a promise He has given that you and I can hold on to.. So, please join me to continuously ask "Lord, please give me your grace!!" Amen :-)

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Click HERE for other Waiting and Loving It Couples... And please don't forget to share too!

Do you have any question, please do not hesitate to ask!
Email - oneplustheone@gmail.com
Twitter - @1plustheone
Instagram: @1plustheone

Tuesday, 13 January 2015

Waiting and Loving It feat Toun and Bayo Osinubi

Hello everyone!!

We bring you the very first brand new Waiting and Loving It feature for the year 2015!! *Whoop Whoop!!*

For those joining us for the first time, welcome! Great to have you join us :-) You can read an introduction to the series from the first post HERE and my personal decision HERE. These other posts would also be useful too HERE and HERE!

For old-timers, let's dig in!! :-D

I met these lovely couple late 2013 and it has been really beautiful watching them relate with each other. The bride and I worked closely together and it was interesting to find out that her sister used to read the Waiting and Loving It posts on the blog.. It wasn't long before she also started reading and was a huge source of encouragement to me in doing new posts and blogging (thanks hun!)..

She had already said that when she tied the knot, she would kindly oblige being featured alongside her beau on the series and of course I was more than delighted and counted down eagerly with them!! Hehehe..

Well, here we are after a little over a year of meeting and knowing this beautiful couple, I have the immense pleasure of introducing to the HOT Love seat, Toun and Bayo Osinubi!!! I pray that you will be inspired and blessed by their story :-) :-) xxxx

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The Mr and Mrs Osinubi!
Hiya Mr and Mrs Osinubi!! It's definitely great to have you grace our Love seat!! Could you please tell us about yourselves?

Bayo and Toun: Our names are Toun Osinubi (formerly Adelaja) and Bayo Osinubi. I am a Lawyer and Bayo is a Banker. We are both ardent football lovers that support Chelsea and Manchester United respectively. We also love watching movies and series, hanging out together and are bestest gist partners. We got married on Dec 20 2014 so we have been married for 24 days at the moment.

Awww, that's wonderful! A huge congratulations to you both!! You're probably our 'freshest' Waiting and Loving It couple :-) So tell us, how did you get to the 20th of Dec, what's the story?

Bayo: So it happened this way... While on vacation, I finally had time to wind down and have fun. So I went on Facebook and ended up on the page of a friend. On the side of that page was a cross-section of her friends. Until this day, I am glad I chose to click on one of the friends' profile cause that friend ended up being my Adetoun. I added her up, she fronted for a while but eventually, things kicked off

Toun: Some very random guy sent me a friend request on Facebook which I accepted simply because we had some credible mutual friends. We started chatting rather slowly and I definitely didn't take him seriously as he wasn't in Nigeria. After a few weeks, he returned to town and started desperately trying to see me. After several pleas, he came to the Law School (where I was at the time) to see me. It wasn't ‘love at first sight’ for me but I knew I had found a new friend. Fast forward to months of phone calls and BBM chats, visits and dates, he asked us to start a relationship. First response was ‘No’ but after proper thinking and a bit (yes just a bit) of prayer, I agreed to give him a chance.

Friend-zone --> Love-Zone! :-)
Lol.. See serious friend zoning - "It wasn't ‘love at first sight’ for me but I knew I had found a new friend".. See, guys and ladies, there's hope even in the zone of friendship lol.. So Bayo, we need to ask you, what was it that attracted you to this Facebook friend?

Bayo: It definitely had to be her smile! It lights up any room. From the first Facebook picture through to the real first meeting and till now, I totally adore her smile. She is also a very bubbly character that fears God and always looks for the best in everyone.

And for you Toun?

Toun: Bayo is good looking if I do say so myself! :-) However, the first attraction would have to be the fact that he is extremely intelligent. I could also easily sense that he was a very disciplined and focused individual. Those are basically strong points I look out for in people any day.

That's lovely.. So Bayo tell us, how did you know that the 'search' was over and you had found a wife in 'your Adetoun'?

Awwww..
Bayo: My spirit felt at home with her. She ticked pretty much all the boxes I ever wanted in a wife…and more.

Toun: He knows how to love! He loves God wholeheartedly and he loves me completely and without any shadow of doubt. That was it, that was all I needed. Oh yeah, he also has so many more fantastic qualities that made me know I had found ‘The One’.

"My spirit felt at home with her"
Beautiful! Thank God for you both indeed! Now to the main question of the day, what made you make the decision to wait until marriage before getting intimate?

Bayo and Toun: Hmmm, to be honest that wasn't the plan initially but after we started the relationship, we had ‘The Talk’. We knew it was the right thing to do and we had no plans to mess up the special bond we shared. That was all the motivation we needed and it worked.

Fantastic! You make it sound so easy lol.. Was it difficult? Were you tempted?

Bayo and Toun: YES it was!!! Extremely difficult! We were tempted oh, don’t even dull, the temptations will surely be there no matter how spiritual you are. However, there is no temptation too severe that we cannot bear… Just take the escape route already provided.
There were times we just wanted to stop and let it go after all we knew we were getting married anyway. .We noticed though that we were never weak at the same time. When she was weak and wanted to let it go I was the strong one and vice versa. That was probably what helped us through.

*Nodding* Thank God for that! Were there any other measures you took or things you did that helped?

Bayo and Toun: Well, we prayed together a lot. That was basically the best measure. Everything else didn't really work. We also like challenges a lot. This was a big challenge from the moment we agreed to be celibate. We took it as a task that we had to overcome - Our first major joint decision and so we knew we could not afford to fail.

That's wonderful.. Now that you have passed that mark, what advice would you give to your single self?

Bayo and Toun: It is worth it! Just see it as a joint challenge that comes with a prize at the end and together you will be proud you achieved the goal together.

Thank you.. Now tell us, it's been 24 days, what are the joys of marriage you're discovering first hand?

Bayo: I no longer have to spend hours on end on the phone (which by the way is not healthy!)… I've got my best friend, prayer partner and 'gossip' partner with me every day.

I can eat her cooking anytime I want. I love her food so it is exciting to look forward to her meals every time.

I now have my own wife. Someone I have to love, cater to and care for. I am happy to do this all day and every day for the rest of our lives.

Toun: I am excited to have someone to cuddle up to, watch movies with and gist with for hours on end into the night. I am happy to have a companion to go through the highs and lows of life with.

The best part so far is the freedom marriage brings. The freedom we both have to be our own people. We now make fully independent decisions without being questioned. That is sweeeet.

Lol... I like the way you drag the sweeeeet! May it continue and get even sweeter in Jesus name!
Thanks a lot for your time and for this very honest conversation. Now, before we let you off the hook, we would like to give you a moment with yourselves for some PDA! Love is beautiful when shared personally but it is also important to publicly affirm your love.. So here you go guys, the stage is yours......

Bayo says:
"Dearest Iyawo, having you beside me supporting me, comforting me, playfully slapping me, gives me all the confidence and strength I need to happily go through this life."

Toun says:
"I love you my darling husband. You are all I have ever wanted. You make feel like the most special woman in the world and for this I am grateful."

A little lot of PDA never hurts :-)
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Awwww, *blush blush* {whispers} I'm such a sucker for love! lol. You cannot imagine how delightful it is to prepare and produce these interviews. No matter how similar the questions are, each couples story is very unique. At this juncture, I would like to use this opportunity to pray with everyone who desires marriage, may God who knows how to give His children good and perfect gifts (and delights in doing so) grant you the desires of your heart according to His will. May we celebrate you too this year in Jesus name.

I have learnt so many lessons from the many couples who have graced this page. As Toun and Bayo said in the interview, it is very important to determine early on in your relationship, your expectations, values and beliefs. It is a lot better when two of you are working towards the same goal and helping each other during moments of weakness.

Can waiting be difficult? YES! Definitely! (Borrowing their words lol).. But it is definitely possible by God's grace and worth it. In waiting, you honour God and you honour each other too.

Remember it doesn't have to take super-human personal strength, make that decision, ask God for grace and He will be very willing to oblige :-)

Once again, a HUGE thanks to Toun and Bayo Osinubi, may your marriage and home be immensely blessed and may it continuously inspire and be a blessing to others in Jesus name

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Click HERE for other Waiting and Loving It Couples... And please don't forget to share too!

Do you have any question, please do not hesitate to ask!
Email - oneplustheone@gmail.com
Twitter - @1plustheone
Instagram: @1plustheone

Tuesday, 14 October 2014

Waiting and Loving It!!! Feat Tosin and Lanre Oladapo

Hello beautiful people!!

I present to you another edition of Waiting and Loving It!!

First time here?! Welcome! I love you already!! *cheesy grin*.. If you'd like an introduction to the series/project, please click HERE, HERE and HERE.

This week, we feature teenage sweethearts Tosin and Lanre! I totally enjoyed speaking with them and I love how real they are! I can't wait for you to read their 'Awww' love story of how they met, I'm sure you will have many things to laugh about too!

I know that you will be blessed by their story, so without further ado, I present to you Waiting and Loving It!!! With Tosin and Lanre Oladapo.

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Tosin and Lanre Oladapo!
Hello Mr and Mrs Oladapo! It’s a real delight speaking to you today. Thank you very much for taking out time to share with us. Could you please tell us about yourselves?

Tosin: Hello everyone! My name is Tosin Oladapo, I am married to my first boyfriend, a wonderful man, my sugar banana, my sweetie, my most cherished coco. He is God’s special gift to me and we have been married for seven wonderful years (2007) and every day I keep thanking God for making me marry my own.

I am a full business woman, I am into shirt customising /Printing/Signage. I love to bake and I also love to make up for people. I am an addict of Jesus Christ, He is my number one Hero, I love LOVE, I like to have fun and I love having people around me. I cherish friendship and I like people that are real. I am not a sport person like that, I watch football when I want to encourage my sweetie so I am a Chelsea fan, lol.

Lanre: My name is Oladapo Olanrewaju Kolade, I come from Ire in Osun state (Nigeria). I am the third born of a family of four and was born on the 11th of May. I grew up in a very military conscious environment. I am a Chartered Accountant and I work with SuperSports Nigeria as the Finance Manager. My favourite food is Rice and Plantain (if you want to make my day, make sure there’s plantain). My favourite colour is green, favourite football club is Chelsea. I love travelling, teaching, talking and meeting people. I have been married for the past 7 years to the only official person I call my best friend. 

Lanre and his best friend :-)
Love the introduction! Great to meet you Lanre and his best friend :-) So Lanre, how did you meet your best friend?

Lanre: Well it all started in September 2000. I had registered to sit for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) exam and I spent the period in her house because her elder bro and I were preparing for the same exam. We were reading together and I also wanted to escape from home lol. Prior to this time, I had had a private conversation with God in 1998 as He was my only friend and in one of the conversations, He told me to write certain qualities I wanted to see in my wife. I didn’t take it seriously until my Uncle in America called that year and in the course of our discussion asked – “Lanre, Iyawo nko?” (Lanre, how about getting a wife?) I hadn’t spoken with him in 10 years! I knew it was God speaking through Him. I wanted to give God a tall order so I went through the place in the bible that talks about a good woman and I picked out 20 characteristics thinking “Since God is the one that sent me, this is my recommendation/specification”. I said to Him “If she doesn’t exist on earth, you have to draw her from heaven, if not I don’t need to marry” (I knew my relationship with God as my Father, so I could talk to Him as a son). I never approached a woman without presenting her to God first.

Tosin: Hnnnmmmmm…. Can I still remember? *smiles* How can I forget my teenage love story...
Alright! We met over 15years ago at my house, he was actually my elder brother’s friend. I liked him the very moment I set my eyes on him, it was like love at first sight lol. Dreams do come true oh! I was less than 15years old at that time and I secretly admired him.... (Covering my face...chai!)
Note: Don't underestimate teenagers o....lol
He was ‘Uncle Lanre’ to me then (it was customary to call older people ‘Uncle’ as a sign of respect), we weren't friends, he was more like a ‘big bros’ to me and he was closer to my two elder sisters.
I got attracted to him more when he came to my Secondary School to re-sit an examination, I was in SS 1 then. He was very neat and kind of different, I don't know if it was because he was ‘baba dudu’ (very dark-skinned), lol or because of his carriage. What struck me most then was when he got on the assembly stage to preach and everybody would go quiet and listen attentively (this was unusual in my school!)

After my graduation from Secondary School (2000), I was home when I saw ‘Uncle Lanre’ with a bag and I was told he would be spending some days in my house in order to study for the ICAN examination with my brother.
I was so excited about it, it was like a dream to me. As God would have it, my elder sisters were not around for him to gist with so he became friendly with me and started sharing God’s word with me. Infact I used to call him ‘spiritual brother’ because he didn't know how to gist or say anything other than preaching.
To be sincere, all the preaching then did not enter my head, I just liked the fact that he was always talking to me. In my mind I was like “Doesn't this guy have any other thing to say other than to preach??”
Anyway, I was very glad at that time because my dad as a military officer was on transfer so he was not in Lagos and my mum was an early sleeper so you can imagine the free time lol

When he finished his exams and was about to leave I was not happy at all because I had gotten so used to him and the attraction was very strong. I was 16 years old at this time.
We communicated afterwards through letter-writing as we didn't have mobile phones at the time. As usual, he was preaching and encouraging me in his letters. However, to my surprise, in the 5th letter or so, he was friendly and started becoming more personal, he asked me out on the 4th of November 2000 and I said YES with so much joy in my heart. (See child abuse o, I was just 16 and he was 19years old!) He was obviously my first boyfriend and I was his first too. We dated for 7years and we got married in 2007.

                          
Wow! Very interesting story. I smiled throughout :-) Lanre, what was going through your mind over this period? How did little sister (or shall we say convert) become ‘potential’?

Lanre: One Saturday, I was going out with her brother. I passed by the bathroom where she was cleaning. As I walked past, God said to look again. I saw a spotlight shining on her and I just knew she was special. I said “God I’m so sorry, You have chosen the woman for me so I will go through the process.”

I started by writing a letter to her. I was very scared because with it, she would have physical evidence to show the fellowship if she wanted to report me. You see, I was an ‘exco’ (leader) in the fellowship and she was a member and I didn’t want any trouble with the fellowship.

My first 3 letters were exactly the way Paul wrote to the churches lol (that was the only way I could write). I think in her third letter, she said “I am not saying that you shouldn’t encourage me oh but you can talk about personal things” – she was teaching me. I was happy because this was Holy Spirit ‘expo’ (insight). We exchanged over 200 letters! Hers were definitely more than mine lol. I didn’t know that letter writing was one of the best ways of expressing herself. 


Oh certainly Lanre! Letter-writing is often always a winner (ask Shakespeare!) and thank God He gave you the ‘expo’ you needed to win her heart. What was the attraction for you both?

Lanre: I found her very attractive. Physically, I was attracted to her lips, her eyes, her legs. I liked the way she looked.

Tosin: What attracted me to my sweetie apart from his eyes (lol) was his passion for God, he was very disciplined, focused and very humble.

Nice!! A man that fears God is to be loved :-) How did you know you wanted to spend the rest of your life with him?

Tosin: I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with my husband at that age because he behaved very mature. He was very focused, disciplined and humble .He was somebody I could allow to lead me because of his passion for God, Infact he made me who I am today, he was like an elder brother to me that led me in the way of God.
I watched the way he behaved to others, he was always there for people, he is someone you can go to sleep and rely on. 


That’s’ really nice. What made you make the decision to wait and how did you handle pressure?

Lanre: I ordered for some sexual padlocks (kidding).

Tosin: For me, to abstain from sex was something I had purposed to do from a very young age. What was difficult was trying not to touch and kiss. 7years of seeing each other regularly was no joke! And you know you can't kiss without touching - that was the challenge.
We were making ‘no-touching’ rules and breaking it, asking God for forgiveness, but God saw us through so that we never gave in to the pressure.

In addition, we had people that were looking up to us and we could not afford to disappoint them.

Lanre: It was not very easy, we had issues - Sometimes, she would be in my house and then rain starts falling (lol). I would make some passes and she would say “Don’t worry, I am all yours when we get married, you will have free rein.” We helped each other but she was mainly the one who calmed me down.

In addition, one of my relationship mentors Pastor Bimbo Odukoya used to say that in a relationship if all you think about is sex, sex, sex, then break up! – This one that I had confirmed with God and her, I would rather think about other things than break up with her! Practically, we tried to keep ourselves busy. We used scriptures, it didn’t work. We also consciously planned other fun activities (games) while we were together to engage us so that we were not left idle. 

When it was time to stay away from me, she did. It wasn’t easy but it had to be done! 

Licence to HOLD!
Thanks for being real with us. Thank God for grace to stay true to Him. Now that you are married, what advice would you give your single self?

Tosin: Look out for a guy that has the fear of God, someone that is passionate about the things of God, someone that is responsible, one that you can trust with your life and that will tell you the truth no matter what. Also, be observant of the way he treats others.

Lanre: Majority of the time, what breaks a relationship and practically a marriage is the man choosing to opt out. If the man insists he wants it to work, it will work.

Men, have you heard? Lol.. What is the best part of being married?

Lanre: Too many things to mention! First, my wife is not just the description of favour she is favour personified, Ever since I got married, things I struggled with became faster than ever! Doors were opening for me. My wife is a wonderful prayer partner!

Also, there’s rest of mind and satisfaction that comes with marrying your best friend, every day is different. There’s something new each day. I find myself rushing home from work each day to meet with a wonderful person because each day is different. She is fun to be with! No 2 same days

I have to mention this, she has improved my fashion sense! I used to dress like ‘Broo’ – I just wore clothes to cover me, whether it was in or out of vogue. My wife upgraded me up and brought out the gold in me! Right now we have to chase away the vultures who want to reap where they did not sow. Lool.

Finally, her openness – She said to feel free to tell her anything, whether good or bad. It has paid off for me. Now I tell her things not because I need to tell her but because it is my deliverance! But me I tell her “don’t tell me your own, I can’t handle it!”

Tosin: The best part of being married is having someone that loves you and that’s got your back covered, someone to sleep with and wake up with, Someone that loves God and puts you first even before himself. 

*All Smiles*
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I absolutely enjoyed interviewing Tosin and Lanre, they are such a joy to be with and their love for God and each other shines through. 


I learnt a lot from them as well. I admire Lanre’s relationship with God, I like the way that he was able to express himself and be open with God. The great thing about being with a man who loves and knows his God is that he does not mess around with you, he is purposeful about his relationship with you because he respects the God that is your Father. 

I am encouraged that even though they were in a relationship for 7 years, they had made a commitment to God to keep sex in marriage, and beyond asking for grace to stick to it, they were also very practical in their approach. 

Know yourself, don’t push the limits. 

It is very possible by God’s grace. I’m Waiting and Loving It!!! 

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Click HERE for other Waiting and Loving It Couples... And please don't forget to share too!


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Do you have any question, please do not hesitate to ask!
Email - oneplustheone@gmail.com
Twitter - @1plustheone
Instagram: @1plustheone

Tuesday, 26 August 2014

Waiting and Loving It!!! Feat Rebecca and James Aladiran

Hello beautiful people!!

I present to you another edition of Waiting and Loving It!!

First time here?! Welcome! I love you already!! *cheesy grin*.. If you'd like an introduction to the series/project, please click HERE, HERE and HERE.

This week, we have a very beautiful couple whose feature took 7 mountains and 10 hills to achieve haha iKid.... All I can say is that the wait is well worth it and I am very grateful to Rebecca and James for taking out time of their very busy schedule to chat with us!

I know that you will be blessed by their real and very frank expressions!

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Rebecca and James Aladiran
Hello Mr and Mrs Aladiran! A real pleasure to have you on the Waiting and Loving It 'seat' this week! You're welcome.. Could you please introduce yourselves?

Rebecca: Hello! We are Becky and James Aladiran and we lead a prayer movement called Prayer Storm: www.prayerstorm.org. I lead worship and James leads the Intercession. We are in love with God and running after a grace enabled lifestyle that is holy and set apart to Him. We love to seek and worship Him and are on a journey after His presence. We also have a baby who turned 1 recently! I am 24 and James is 30 and we celebrated our two-year anniversary on the 28th of July which is the day after our baby's birthday. Our son is named Justice.

Hiya! I'm Justice Aladiran :-) Cuteeee!
I also train two days a week as a seamstress working for a Christian business called Wedding Angels (http://www.theweddingangels.org) that helps couples get married with everything they need. Hopefully in two years I'll be able to make a wedding dress from scratch!

James works full time at the Message Trust as their Prayer coordinator and splits his time there to also establish Prayer Storm which he will be transitioning into full time as it becomes a registered Charity in September!

James: Like my wife has said, I'm James and I lead a Christian Charity called Prayer Storm, I've been married for two years :-)

Thank you guys! Lovely to meet you.. So tell us James, how did you meet Rebecca?

         The Worship Leader & The Intercessor! :-D
James: I met Becky through prayer Storm. At the time I was looking to connect with musicians/worship leaders who had a heart for Prayer. I worked with her mum at The Message Trust and mentioned to her one day that I was looking to connect with young people with a heart for prayer. She recommended that I got in touch with Becky because she is a worship leader and has a heart for prayer.

Rebecca: I will let this video tell the story...
(1 + The One - Please, please watch and just be amazed + blessed + awww at it!)



..What was the attraction for you?

James: Her heart for God and the vision she had for her life was the same as the vision I had for mine.

And Rebecca?

Rebecca: I loved James' passionate pursuit of Jesus. I started out really respecting Him as a man of God and later fell in love with Him in a Prayer meeting! There's nothing more attractive than a man after Gods own heart!

That's really beautiful Becky. 
How did you know that "This is the person I want to spend the rest of my life with?"

Engaged!
Becky: I knew I wanted to spend my life with James because I knew he was God's best for me and our destiny was a powerful one together. I know that for me not to have married James would have cost me God's best for me in terms of my destiny and purpose in God. 

James: We became best friends and I fell in love with her. I felt in my heart that my destiny was connected with hers. Plus I felt God speak to me about it.

That's wonderful.. Now to the main question, what inspired your decision to wait? 

James: For me, I wanted to honour God and honour Becky. I knew it was the right thing to do.

Rebecca: When I hit puberty and started to develop and experience hormones, (wink wink nudge nudge) because of my lack of maturity and understanding...plus media exposure, I said to God "I don't know why it's important to wait, I only see sex as a pleasure thing but people call it making love and until I can understand the concept of making love I don't think I'm mature enough to make any kinds of decisions on sex." So I waited for understanding and prayed for Grace to keep myself pure because I knew I could easily have just given into very strong temptation + a truck loada hormones! 

Anyway when I was 17, I felt God tell me to leave College to do a gap year called Challenge Team UK which was a charity which sent a bunch of 18-25 year olds to tour the UK delivering assemblies and school & college lessons on saving sex for marriage. Although this charity was run by Christians, it wasn't a Christian charity and had no biblical content to its material shared in schools. They gave Christian training to us by a lady named Pam Stenzel (Sex Has a Price Tag) which was awesome and we went into schools and talked about the physical and emotional consequences of sex, the damaging effects of pornography, and how to build long lasting healthy relationships. We did it in a way that made sense and was fun and hilarious for the kids and young adults. We talked about sexual health, as well as pregnancy and contraception and their user failure rates which was scarily high man! But so many kids would thank me at every place I went to saying "I never knew I could just say no."

As much as I learnt and became wiser through these times I never became so thankful I waited until after marriage. After nearly 2 years I still say to my James, I'm so glad I waited! I'm not gonna get graphic but the first time we had sex, even though we had little idea of what we were supposed to do, it will always be my favourite time. Your 'first time' is probably the most vulnerable thing you'll ever do. To expose your whole self to someone for the first time is the time that usually sticks the most and I'm so blessed to have shared it with my James on our wedding night. 
I shudder at the thought of someone else knowing me that way. You'll never realise how precious your first time is until you've experienced it. I can't even stress it enough. It's more than just pleasure. Media and pornography have made it so impersonal and distorted. I remember a friend of ours who believed in waiting but just didn't, and ended up living with their spouse before marriage and he said to us after he got married (when we were engaged) that he never knew how important it was to wait until he got married and he wished he'd just waited and now I'm married I completely understand why. 

You know there are so many facts and statistics I've heard and known over the years that tell you saving sex for marriage is the best way, the most biblical, the safest and healthiest. Which I totally agree with, but I just wanna share with you from my experience that there's no greater gift than sharing your first time together with your spouse, and until you experience your wedding night for yourself you're just gonna have to take my word for it. :-)

Also, I have to say that it's NEVER too late to start waiting if you haven't. 

Thanks for that in-depth response Becky and for sharing your personal experience as well! Was it difficult though, like did you get to any point when you wanted to just let go and give in?

Becky: Oh Lord! Is that a rhetorical question? I don't understand people who find it easy. My advice to anyone is to find accountability that knows where you are and when, and asks you tough questions because you will want to let go and you will make it happen if you aren't accountable. Things that worked for us - Find someone you are honest with but you'd be way to ashamed to do something and then have them know. Cover yourselves in prayer. Don't stay up late. Try to be in public together. Guys don't think you're 'safe' around your lady because we can be just as horny as you fellas! Put a time limit on how long you spend time together. Watch where you put those hands! Girls dress extra modest around them. Leggings are not trousers you may see it that way but guys don't! lol. Guys be honest about your struggles with things your lady may be doing or wearing which is causing you to stumble. 

Honesty is key - Be honest and open with each other
James: No, I didn't just want to "just let go" lol. Yes, it was difficult, but we were both committed to staying pure till we got married so we made ourselves accountable to people around us. We both knew we had to fight for purity. In our eyes the victory was much more greater than momentary pleasure.  
I believe the power of sin is in secrecy. So, what we tried to do was to walk in the light and not have things hidden. We made ourselves accountable to people who could ask us the hard questions. We had physical limits i.e. no go areas in terms of touching, kissing etc... We set time limits too.

Thank you for that. Any advice you would give to yourself as a single person in preparation for marriage now you've crossed that line?

Rebecca: You're gonna be married for the rest of your life, singleness and waiting is quickly finished. 

James:  Let God do so much work in you that when you get married it is easier to reflect His heart and love to your spouse everyday. Surround yourself with Strong, Godly, pure men of God.

Nice one, noted! In 3 sentences, what's your experience of being married?

"Doing life with my best friend"
Rebecca: Doing life with your best friend and being one in everything. Dreaming together and for each other. Falling asleep in each others' arms!

James: Dreaming together, companionship and growing in God together.

Beautiful! Finally, before we go, it's PDA time! We always like to encourage you to publicly affirm each other -

Rebecca: James we've been through so much together and I'm glad it's you I've been through it all with. I never stop thinking about how perfect we are for each other and how I've never respected or looked up to anyone like I do you. I love doing life together and growing up together. I love you so much and can't wait for the future!

James: Thanks Becky for challenging me in so many areas to be more like Jesus. I love spending time with you and doing this thing called life together. I'm excited about the future and all that's ahead of us. I love you!!

"I love you!"
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Awww *grabs tissue*.. I absolutely loveee reading every single Waiting and Loving It interview. It's a joy being welcomed into a little bit of these wonderful couples' world and it's even more beautiful learning and being inspired by their individual relationships with God and their decision to save sex till marriage.

I think the consensus is that it's not at all easy.. Like Rebecca responded when we asked if it was difficult, "Is that a rhetorical question?" lol.. Don't get it twisted, it ain't easy (at all, at all!) - Attraction is a wonderful blessing and managing it could be quite dicey! But by God's grace it's very possible..

Another thing that has been mentioned a few times is ACCOUNTABILITY! Be accountable. It's a good idea to have someone you can talk to and be honest with. It's not 'policing' you, it's just ensuring that you are not doing this alone and you can draw strength when those weak moments come.. 

By God's grace, I am Waiting and Loving It!!!

You like?
Please click HERE for other Waiting and Loving It Couples... And please don't forget to share too!

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Do you have any question, please do not hesitate to ask!
Email - oneplustheone@gmail.com
Twitter - @1plustheone
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