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Building a Lasting Marriage: Beyond Binge Culture

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We live in a culture of bingeing

Binge-watching shows.
Binge-scrolling feeds.
Binge-consuming experiences.

And unfortunately, many people have begun to approach relationships the same way.

They start fast.
Enjoy the excitement.
And when things become difficult… they move on to the next episode.

But marriage was never meant to work like entertainment.

Marriage is not a show you watch.

It’s something you build.

Marriage is sacred work.

It requires commitment, patience, humility, forgiveness, and deep partnership. And when we look at Scripture, we discover something important:

God never designed marriage to be effortless.

He designed it to be purposeful.

Let’s Be Honest for a Moment

Before we go deeper, pause and think:

Do you think modern culture prepares people for real marriage—or just for romantic moments?

Think about it.

Movies highlight the wedding day.
Social media celebrates the highlight reel.

But very few conversations focus on the lifelong work of love.

Let’s explore what God actually intended.

The Origin of Humanity: Designed With Intention

The story of marriage begins with the creation of humanity.

In Genesis 2:7 we read:

“Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”

Human life began with divine intention.

God didn’t randomly assemble humanity.
He formed man carefully and breathed life personally.

From the beginning, humanity carried both:

  • God’s breath
  • God’s purpose

Yet something surprising happened.

Even in a perfect garden, something was missing.

God’s First Observation About Human Life

In Genesis 2:18, God makes a powerful statement:

“It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

This is fascinating.

Up until this moment, everything in creation had been declared good.

But suddenly God says something is not good.

Isolation.

Human beings were designed for relationship.

But notice the wording carefully.

God didn’t just promise Adam companionship.

He promised the right companionship.

A helper suitable for him.

Not Every Relationship Is Meant to Be a Covenant

Before creating Eve, God allowed Adam to meet every animal in creation.

Scripture says in Genesis 2:19–20:

Adam gave names to all the animals… but none proved to be a helper suitable for him.

Adam encountered many living creatures.

But none were right for him.

There is a lesson here many people discover in life.

Not every connection is meant to become a covenant relationship.

Some relationships are temporary.

Some are teachers.

Some help us discover what isn’t right before God reveals what is right.

Waiting is often part of God’s process.

The Power of Rest While God Works

After Adam recognized that none of the animals were suitable companions, something remarkable happened.

God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep.

This moment reveals an important spiritual principle:

Sometimes while God is working, we are called to rest.

Many people try to force relationships.

But God’s design shows something different.

The right relationship is often prepared by God, not manufactured by human effort.

Waiting on God is not wasted time.

It is a season of trust.

The Master Builder at Work

Then Scripture uses a fascinating word when describing the creation of woman.

In Genesis 2:22:

“The LORD God built the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman.”

Notice the word built.

God approached this moment like an architect constructing something sacred.

He was not improvising.

He was designing.

Even more profound is what He used:

Adam’s rib.

The Hebrew idea suggests not a tiny fragment, but an entire side of Adam’s being.

This reveals something beautiful.

Woman was not created as an accessory to Adam’s life.

She was created as his significant counterpart.

The Powerful Symbolism of the Rib

The location of Eve’s creation carries deep meaning.

She was not taken from Adam’s head to rule over him.

She was not taken from Adam’s feet to be trampled beneath him.

She was taken from his side.

Which shows:

Beside him — partnership
Under his arm — protection
Near his heart — love

Marriage was designed to be a relationship of mutual honor and unity.

The First Love Poem in History

When Adam first saw Eve, his response was immediate.

In Genesis 2:23 he declares:

“At last! This one is bone from my bone and flesh from my flesh.”

This moment is often overlooked.

But it is actually the first recorded love poem in Scripture.

Adam recognized something profound:

Eve was not just another being in creation.

She was part of him.

This moment established what Scripture later calls the one flesh union.

Marriage Points to Something Greater

Marriage was never just about companionship.

It carries a deeper spiritual meaning.

The union between husband and wife reflects the relationship between Christ and His people.

The apostle Paul the Apostle explains this in Ephesians 5:31–32. He calls marriage a profound mystery. It is connected to Christ and the church.

When a husband and wife walk in love, sacrifice, and unity, they become a living picture of the gospel.

A Powerful Reminder for Husbands

The New Testament reinforces the sacred responsibility within marriage.

In 1 Peter 3:7 we read:

“Husbands, treat your wives with tenderness… honoring them as co-heirs of the grace of life so that your prayers will not be hindered.”

Think about that for a moment.

How a husband treats his wife can affect his prayers.

Marriage is not just emotional.

It is deeply spiritual.

Honor. Respect. Tenderness.

These are not optional qualities.

They are part of walking in God’s grace.

Marriage Is Sacred Work

Modern culture may treat relationships like disposable experiences.

But God’s design is very different.

Marriage requires:

• intentional love
• daily sacrifice
• patience
• forgiveness
• spiritual unity
• lifelong partnership

It is not passive.

It is not casual.

It is sacred work.

And when two people commit to building a marriage God’s way, something beautiful happens.

Their relationship becomes more than a personal story.

It becomes a living testimony of God’s grace.

Let’s Talk

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Consider on these questions:

1. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing marriages today?

2. Do you believe culture helps or harms our understanding of marriage?

3. What do you think makes a marriage truly thrive?

Your perspective matters. Let’s start a meaningful conversation.

Because marriage isn’t just a relationship.

It’s a sacred assignment.

Standing in Faith 2

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You cannot deal with fear on your own, you will need the One who dealt with fear and death, this is God through Christ. You need to draw near to God to trump fear. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you…” James‬ 4:8 KJV
The great promise to those who seek the Lord is that he will be found. “If you seek him, he will be found by you” (1 Chronicles 26:9) And when he is found, there is great reward. “Whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6)
God himself is our greatest reward. And when we have him, we have everything. Therefore, “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” (Psalms 105:4).

God’s candid advice to all: if you don’t take your stand in faith, you won’t have a leg to stand in.
“People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, Steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don’t quit. Depend on God and keep at it because, in the Lord God, you have a sure thing.” Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭MSG‬‬
Trusting in the ability and capability of God is not a one-off thing. You have to be consistent, persistent, and committed to it. Even when it does not look like it, you will still trust Him. Abraham became the father of faith because of his unrelentless trust. Confidence in God.
“Against all odds, when it looked hopeless, Abraham believed the promise and expected God to fulfil it. He took God at his word, and as a result, he became the father of many nations. God’s declaration over him came to pass: “Your descendants will be so many that they will be impossible to count!” Romans‬ ‭4‬:‭18‬ ‭TPT‬‬

We looked at King Ajar last week, King Ajah had a better idea than God, he had already figured out how going into a treaty with the king of Syria will shut down his enemy. He had an alternative to the help of God because he had easily forgotten the mighty hand of the God of Israel that delivered him once.
Another incident occurred in his life; he had a foot disease which lead to his death. He thought he had it all in place, he did not bring God into the picture because his trust was in his physicians.
“In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a serious foot disease. Yet even with the severity of his disease, he did not seek the Lord’s help but turned only to his physicians. So he died in the forty-first year of his reign.” 2 Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In conclusion, my admonition is this; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬
Revealing His love,
Jummy Akinjide

The Importance of Covenant Names

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Names are a set of words that you are identified by, called by, or known as. Your name speaks volumes about you.

God is interested in the names we are called by as it’s confirmed in Ephesians 3: 15 that the whole family in heaven and earth are named through God. Your name should reflect your faith and your relationship with God.

Our names according to the above scriptures should be traceable to God. Also, in the scriptures and our present-day world, it is common to see parents and relatives christening their children according to the circumstances surrounding their births. 

A good example in the scripture is ‘Isaac’ which means laughter, ‘John’ which means God is gracious, and ‘Cole’ means victory of the people.

What is the meaning of your name? This is one question I wish to ask you, my reader.

God entered into covenants with a few people in the Bible and changed their names. Abram’s name was changed by God to Abraham to reflect the covenant (father of nations) God had with him, so likewise Sarai to Sarah.

Jacob (meaning a supplanter) was changed to Israel (one who prevails with God) after his encounter.

John the Baptist was given his name at birth (Luke 1 vs 13-17) by an Angel

This is the same for Jesus, the son of God, “he shall save his people from their sins’

Emmanuel means God is with us

Also, we were introduced to a man named ‘Nabal’ whose name meant ‘a fool’ in the book of 1 Samuel 25; and this is reflected in his character and disposition in life.

How can we forget Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4: 9- 10? His mother named him Sorrow because of the circumstances surrounding his birth and that was reflected in the encounters he had which were sorrowful.

The most interesting lesson from the story of Jabez is that you can change whatever negative meaning of your name by crying to God today. God is a merciful God and He is always willing to give you a new beginning if you can call on Him.

My dear friend, it’s not too late for you to have a covenant name and start afresh with God.

Jesus explained to a Pharisee called Nicodemus in John 3vs 1-5 how he could get a new name and the man was confused. “How can someone be born (get a new name and start all over again when they are old?) and Jesus simply explained how that transformation can occur; it starts from starting a relationship with God. Jesus said, “Flesh gives birth to flesh but Spirit gives birth to spirit”. God is committed to giving you a new name as you enter a covenant “by new birth with Him.”

“And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.”

Isaiah 62:2 KJV

Examine your ways, be truthful to yourself, and make up your mind to reconcile with God through His son Jesus Christ today.

If you are ready for an encounter with Yahweh, repeat after me:

Lord Jesus, give me a new heart and a new name.

I want to have a relationship with you through Christ who died for my sins.

Come into my heart and make me your child.

I believe Jesus died for my sins and rose again to reconcile me with you.

I receive the new birth and I receive a new name

Thank you, Jesus.

A TIMELY ENCOURAGEMENT 1

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Life, as it is, has its ups and downs, moments of pleasure and moments of sadness, but we’ll all need to learn how to navigate through life.

Fortunately, God’s word has already prepared us for what to expect and the wise ones will take the pain of following the advice of the manufacturer Himself.

“To everything, there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;”
‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬, ‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Life is not all rosy, the rich also cry but God is our comfort.

Jesus did not promise a life without any issues what he promised to us as his followers is victory.

Whatever you are going through, Christ won the battle for you and all you need to do is to come into the light of it and embrace the truth

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]”
‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭33

Cheers!

Parenting 101. Your kids are vulnerable!

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Just last week, I was having an Instagram live conversation with Mrs. Toyin of Discipleship Parenting Academy, I had such a great time. While I do not parade myself as a parenting expert, I want to share one of my thoughts.

One of the major thoughts that has ravaged my mind is one I found in the Bible. It’s about rape and the vulnerability of our kids found in that scripture in Gen 34. My manager can attest to how I have not stopped to drum this in our conversations since the time that scripture jumped at me. There is a translation that says, Dinah was left unattended to which resulted in her rape and that caught my attention in no small way.

Parent, our kids are very vulnerable if there are no systems in place to protect them and if you are not doing what you should do. Our children will not be protected and supported. Our parents did their best within the limits of the much they knew to shield us but some of us still grew up in situations unsupervised, you owe it to your children to do better because you now know better.

Thank God for these days, they are a lot of parental coaching programs and academies.

Nothing is new under the sun, the Bible has many examples of events that have happened in the past, open your children to Bible study, this will give them an opening to learn and see the consequences when they do not adhere to parental guidance.

So how do you go about helping your children?

Parents must realize that their kids need care, and they don’t own their kids, God does. So, we need to go back to the manuscript which is God’s word and find what God says about training up a child. You can learn a lot from the book of Proverbs in the Bible [the little advice given to Solomon by His mother.]

Most parents have to protect their children and encourage them to be open. Please do not try to be superstars that did not make any mistakes while growing up.

A lot of times we parents tend to present to our children that we were never vulnerable and that everything was smooth when we were young. We should open up to our kids and also know that they can learn from our mistakes.

As a parent, know how to correct with love and teach them.

The home should be the first place a child learns anything not in school or on social media and not from random people. So, if the child doesn’t get all the home training, love, and affirmation from home, He is going to get it somewhere else. The best thing is for a parent to teach their children all they need to know and to protect them. They should do all they can to be closer to them, teach them good morals, and pray for them. They should know that if they are too protective it might not work.

Parents should also pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit.

I am not asking you to overprotect your children. Overprotective parenting is the parenting style that do too much out of fear and never explains why they do what they do to their kids.

For instance, my daughter always says, Mummy, you do too much. I would give her 30 minutes out and go to pick her up myself. I give her too many rules and recently I had to open up to her about why I treat her that way.

Being overprotective is not good, we should know they are children and they should be room for them to learn and make mistakes that are not grave though.

Sometimes my daughter would say, “do your best to pray and teach us, that’s all.”

I hope I have convinced you that your kids are vulnerable and they need you so much.

Happy holiday!

THE HOME AND MOLESTATION (Part 2)

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Weddings!

We all love to attend them. Love stories and their attractions for all of us. Cakes! Dance! Laughter! Light and decors!

I love the father daughter dance whenever I attended weddings, I’m sure you do as well. It is beautiful to watch and more so, to see the bonding between a father and his daughter. I’m a very emotional person, so when I see that; I could just shed some tears.

I want to give some closure on my last week article, let’s explore the roles fathers play in their daughter’s life.

Firstly, fathers help their daughters to prepare for and know the kind of man to look out for marriage.

Sometimes if you are not careful, it is what most ladies do not want that they end up getting attracted to. Some might start attracting the type of Dad that they have. I believe that a girl can learn how a man treats a woman from her dad.

Secondly, it helps her to know a man is supposed to protect her.

A father is suppose to be as Christ is to the church, He is supposed to shield and protect his family from evil.

Thirdly, she can also learn to achieve her goals through words of affirmation from her father. This is part of what propels her to be great in life. If a child does not get that, it might take determination to achieve greatness on time. A girl is supposed to know that the sky is her beginning.

Lastly, we cannot deny the facts that only few men have been awesome with their daughters. However, if you never had a father figure in your life, how do you manage this seeing how important this is for your emotional growth.

One of the ways you can manage the situation is if God leads you to a father figure for your life. We have a lot of single mothers; they can never take the place of a father. Hopefully and prayerfully, if the child gets a father figure in somebody else, like a Godly pastor, it might be a better way.

Moreover, there is a father in God and he wants to father you more than any father would have done. Give Him your heart today and let him introduce you to the father-daughter dance

Thank you for reading, like comment and share.

Cheers!

THE HOME AND MOLESTATION (Part 1)

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THE HOME AND MOLESTATION, Part 1.

Charity they say begins at home. The home gives the foundation and this is why I love the scripture that says, “if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3)

For a female child, her father plays a key role in deciding her view of men. So I believe that there is a connection between a Father and a daughter.

God created us male and female and created marriage for companionship. Even a relationship between a man and a woman has a special thing it does in one’s life. For a lady, the truth is that her first love is her Father.

She learns everything that she needs to know about men from her father i.e, how to relate with a man in the exact way God has created it.

A child should be able to receive free words of affirmation from her father which is very important and a lot of fathers do not recognise their roles in their daughter’s life. They are supposed to show the daughter what it means to be a man, how to protect a woman, and how to love, so the daughter will know what love and protection should look like.

A lot of times we see young ladies that have low self-esteem and are excessively timid, if you look deep into their backgrounds, you would find out that they probably never got a word of affirmation from their fathers and that has fueled their insecurities alongside that feeling of unworthiness.

The Father is like a God figure to the daughter. A Father is supposed to be a priest, a provider to the children. If this is missing in a child’s life it will show.

I will tell you a short story,

When my mom gave birth to me, my Dad came to the hospital and the first question he asked was, “what is the sex of the baby?”

When He was told, he was disappointed and left the hospital. My Dad wasn’t happy and this affected my Mom for a long time. She was constantly bringing this up in my presence and this made me feel unloved and a sense of just being tolerated.

I remembered when my mum and I would go to our family hospital, the nurses who were witnesses to my Dad’s attitude would call me “oh my God” mimicking my father’s exclamation when he saw me.

I would laugh but they were unaware of the effects their jokes had on me.

Fathers please love your girls and affirm them, this is one way of securing them from predators who have dastard intentions.

See you in my next post

(Like, share, and comment please)

Cheers!