“I STILL LOVE TONYE” (7) SHORT STORY
Intro:
At the end of the last episode, a distraught Tonye woke Obinna up in the wee hours of Sunday. She had been praying and weeping the previous day but had been unable to see Obinna to apologise for her misbehaviour. Let’s see Obinna’s response and how the couple eventually end up. Do they part for good or reconcile to continue their journey towards matrimony? With this bumper episode, we draw the curtain on this captivating story about God’s leading and compatibility in serious relationships. As usual, I welcome your reactions to this final instalment and the entire story. And do share the story widely on social media. You are blessed!
“I STILL LOVE TONYE” (7)
Embarrassed by the applause from their unwanted audience of lodge mates when Obinna answered Tonye’s knock early that Sunday morning, he had quickly pulled her into his room, precipitating louder cheers. When they got inside, Tonye knelt down again and repeated her plea in different words.
“Obi, I messed up big time. But please don’t lock your heart. You can punish me however you like but, for the sake of God, forgive me.”
Obinna was very surprised. This did not sound like the Tonye who told him off some hours ago. But she shouldn’t be kneeling to me.
“Please, don’t do that again,” he begged her. “Sit.”
“I would have loved us to go outside, but the harmattan chill can get us sick,” he continued, as he sat on one of his plastic chairs a few feet away from the one Tonye had chosen.
“I’m sorry I woke you up,” Tonye responded. “I just couldn’t spend a night without telling you how terrible I feel about my behaviour yesterday.”
“Well, I did get some sleep before you knocked. And I think the person you should ask His forgiveness is God. I’m used to people calling me all sorts of names but the Bible teaches that sex outside marriage is sin. …” Obinna was unwilling to continue because he saw some resistance in Tonye’s countenance.
“What I’m concerned about is that I hurt you.” Obinna was disappointed. She still doesn’t get it. You shouldn’t cherry-pick God’s laws. But he didn’t know how to explain it to her.
“I’m fine.”
“I promise never to touch another man again.”
“That is not enough.” Tonye winced. What else does Obinna want?
“I told you I’m doing everything I can to be free from Boma.”
“I’m not worried about Boma. The things that happened since you returned have shown me that we’re too different to make a marriage work.”
“Wow!” Tonye replied. She didn’t see that one coming. She thought their only problem was her misbehaviour with Boma after agreeing to marry Obinna. His assertion meant he was seriously thinking of calling off their engagement. She couldn’t allow that to happen. She would convince him otherwise. It was looking like it would be one of the hardest things she would accomplish. But she was determined to do it. At the moment though, she needed to hear him out.
“I think it would be best if we went our separate ways.”
Tonye began to sob. Obinna waited for a minute or two and continued, “I don’t know how to quarrel, but I’m afraid if we’re together, painful disagreements will be inevitable. I feel that two people who want to be married should have a similar world view, they should reason alike or they would be asking for trouble.”
“I know why you’re saying these things. It’s because I’m not born again.”
“Maybe. But if I may ask, what is wrong with being born again? Why do you despise those who say they are born again?”
Tonye hesitated for a moment. “Promise you won’t misunderstand me. I can never be anything but frank and I don’t want you to take anything I say on this as personal.”
“I won’t; go ahead.”
“Well, I just don’t want to deceive myself. There’s no way anyone can claim to be sinless in this world.” Obinna nodded. “Is that not what born again people claim?”
Obinna exhaled and launched into a detailed explanation. “Born again people have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, as the Bible says we should. Thereafter, they study the word of God to know His commands. They also commune with the Holy Spirit who comes to live in their hearts after they receive Christ. He teaches them God’s ways and enables them, beyond their own abilities, to meet God’s demands. That does not mean that as human beings they don’t make mistakes. But they acknowledge those mistakes and ask for God’s forgiveness. They don’t settle in their mistakes and make them a lifestyle.”
“Then there’s no difference between them and any other person out there. We all make mistakes and ask for God’s forgiveness too.”
“You know that is not quite true. When a person has not surrendered his life to the Lord Jesus, he does not feel obliged to obey God. Most people make up their own standards of morality as they see fit, rather than living according to God’s dictates. Someone may say, ‘I won’t kill to make money’, but they see nothing wrong in duping others. But the most important difference between the saved and unsaved is how God sees us. The blood of Jesus was shed to take away our sins and once you receive Him into your life, you are justified.”
“What does that mean? I’m guessing it’s not the same meaning as when you asked if I was justifying myself yesterday afternoon.”
“Not at all! It means that God takes away your sins and gives you Christ’s righteousness. From that point, when He looks at you, it’s as though you’ve never sinned before.”
“How is that possible?”
“That’s the mystery of salvation. God trades our sins for the spotlessness of Christ when we are saved. That is all He sees when He looks at us subsequently. It’s like the blood of the Passover Lamb which the Hebrews smeared on their doors in Egypt. When the angel of death saw the blood, he passed over their homes because they were identified as God’s own. In the same way, the blood of Jesus identifies us as children of God and saves us from God’s anger now and in the final judgment of the world.”
Tonye was impressed with his exposition. No wonder he was so steadfast. He really knew the basis of his faith, and he believed it wholly. She wanted to be born again too, even though she had many more questions stemming from his last statement. For instance, if the blood of Jesus covered born again people, why did they suffer hardship, illness and natural disasters like everyone else? But that question would have to wait.
“I want to be born again. Would you pray for me?”
“I would gladly lead you in prayer for your salvation, but you must realise it doesn’t change what I said earlier.”
Tonye was shocked. “How can that be? You said we are different, and the way you’ve explained it, that difference is clearly because you’re born again and I’m not.”
“My dear, I want you to become born again because you have repented of your sins and want to live for God, not because of me. Besides, praying the sinner’s prayer does not change a person’s way of thinking overnight. It takes a process of renewing one’s mind by feeding on the word of God.”
Tonye was perplexed. “Let me understand this: You want to leave me hanging until my mind is renewed, that is, until I become a mature Christian? How long do you think tnat will take?”
“No, I want you to forget I ever proposed to you and let us each live our lives in peace.”
Tonye was visibly agitated. “Is that what God told you? Tell me, you who claim to hear from God, did He tell you to leave me and live your life in peace?” Obinna had no answer.
“So you think it was an accident that you proposed to me and I accepted? I am convinced we are meant to be together. Before last Saturday, I’ve been praying that God should deliver me from Boma. You know I’ve not told you much about myself. My dad died when I entered secondary school. My mum had died two years earlier. It was just my elder brother, Godwin, my sister in JS 3 and my two younger brothers. Godwin went to learn a trade to help us. My siblings and I stopped school for two years and stayed with my aunt until he completed his apprenticeship. But his settlement amounted to nothing since his apprenticeship was short and he had no money to start selling electronics. Then I met Boma. I was just 14, hawking pastries. He was nice to me and asked me if I wanted to be a sales girl. I told him I wanted to go to school but that my brother could be his sales boy.
“My brother worked for him for three years. Meanwhile, Boma was paying my school fees. My sister had got married by then and Godwin had started catering for my younger brothers but he could never make ends meet. So Boma helped him open his own shop. He imports electronics and he would give Godwin goods on credit to pay when he sold them. He seemed like a God-sent. He funded the rest of my education and it was like there was an unwritten agreement that he would marry me. But as my graduation from the university approached, I began to have this inexplicable dread about the matter. I knew he had a violent temper. I knew he had other girlfriends but I was confident I could live with all that.”
Obinna gave her a questioning glance. You ignored the fact that Boma has girlfriends, but you were ready to fight Enobong just because we were going somewhere together.
It seems curious that we pick frequently on those we love till we realise it’s because we hold them to higher standards.
Tonye was quick to answer the question in his look: “I didn’t love Boma, but with him I had what most girls were struggling for. He had money and he was generous with it. I felt every other thing was secondary and tolerable. But the fear in my heart remained. So I started telling God to rescue me and give me a better man. The night before you proposed, I was in a dream and you knocked on my door. You told me that God said you should marry me and I burst into laughter. You said it was not a laughing matter, that my life was in danger. In that dream, I remembered my prayers and the fear that had been plaguing me and I accepted. Shortly after, I woke up to fetch water and you showed up.
“What I’m trying to say is that I don’t think it would be wise for you to reject me now. I may not be the most logical choice for you. I may annoy and hurt you from time to time, but I think you have a job to do for God in my life. And I’m certain I won’t be entirely useless to you either.” Tonye, who had gained confidence from Obinna’s rapt attention, had a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she said the last part and Obinna couldn’t help but smile.
“God help me,” he muttered though, upon catching Tonye’s allusion.
“Take me as you would a rose plant.” She leaned forward in her earnestness. “You don’t uproot it because of its thorns. You learn how to handle the thorns for the sake of the fragrance.”
That’s deep, Obinna thought. He was developing a new respect for Tonye.
“I don’t know what it is about Boma that is scaring me so much,” Tonye carried on with her representation, “but I don’t even want to find out. I just want to be safe and I think I have a better chance of that with you.”
“This is all so touching, but I think we need some time apart,” Obinna said, even though he was moved by her account.
“No, we don’t!”
“I’m not sure I’m even ready for a relationship. What I suffered when you left is not something I want to go through again.”
“I’m really sorry. I thought Godwin was owing Boma so much and would be in trouble because of me. Besides, they are good friends. So I decided to spend some time to make him my ally. He has finally begun a degree programme in UST, I figured that helping him to do some of his assignments would make him come round.
“I also tried to investigate my suspicion that Boma has some children with another woman. It didn’t matter to me before but I wanted to use that as the reason why I decided I could not marry him. I confronted Godwin with it. He verified it and decided to back me up. It seems he found out some other things which he refused to tell me. But he warned me not to pick Boma’s call or have anything to do with him ever again. He also assured me that he would handle him when he returns from Asia.”
“Good for you!” Obinna declared, but inwardly his determination to separate from Tonye was waning.
“No, good for us! I can’t be free from Boma unless I’m with someone else, and that person is you.”
“I have no Messiah complex, Tonye. The only person you need is Jesus.” Even as he said this, he knew he wasn’t being perfectly honest. He wanted to protect Tonye. He would go to great lengths to keep her safe.
“Well, Jesus works through people and ….”
“Listen, maybe in future,” Obinna interrupted. “I mean after we’ve passed out from service and are individually established …,” he said, in a final feeble attempt to dissuade Tonye.
She made no response but just stared at him. Lost in her gaze, he exhaled once again and admitted the futility of his efforts to break up with Tonye. She was right in disbelieving that God was behind his present reluctance to forge ahead with her. He had told God his frustrations but hadn’t waited for his response. He was afraid of further exasperation from Tonye, but didn’t factor in what God had to say. If what the Bible says that God is unchanging is anything to go by, He would still be asking him to be patient with her as He did earlier.
Another incontestable fact was that he still loved Tonye. It was something he could not understand but decided to embrace.
“Okay, you win!” Tonye threw herself at him, but he gently held her away. “But it will be my way, the born again way!” She was nodding. “That means no sex, no petting, no fighting, ….” She was nodding so vigorously that Obinna began to laugh.
“But I’m still not born again, remember?” she reminded him.
“That we can remedy in a minute.”
“Would you believe I’m actually looking forward to this?” Tonye asked. “It can only be God!”
“It definitely is God!” Obinna affirmed. “Remember He works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. Shall we pray?”
-The end-
Ⓒ Edith Ugochi Ohaja 2018
I’m so excited we’ve come to the end of this story and I’m so glad that Obinna and Tonye’s love survived all the turbulence. Love to chat with you.
Do you think Obinna let Tonye off so easily?
Do you agree with his gospel presentation?
Do you have friends that this story has brought to your mind – friends that are different from you? Is it possible to find some common ground that can present you with an opportunity to share the gospel with them?
Obinna drew our attention to the practice of cherry picking God’s laws. Seems a pretty common practice today. Can you give us some examples of this that you have observed?
Tonye alleged that Christians claim they are sinless. What other common accusations do Christians face today and how can we respond to them?
After agreeing to pray the sinner’s prayer, Tonye has a long road ahead of her. Can you give her some advice on how to last and grow in the faith?
Any final relationship advice for our lovebirds?
❤️
❤️
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Wow Obinna is a true definition of a lover…the greatest love someone can show you is introduce you to Christ… Tonye is some how right… Christans today make others believe they are the Angels while others are the devil…. Some Born agains are just too Judgemental…. Tonye ought to start serving God now in truth and spirit she shouldn’t serve God just because she wants to keep Obinna…
I like what you said that introducing someone to Christ is the greatest love we can show them. Wish most people knew that. You are lifted in Jesus’ name.
My God, this is exactly what I’m experiencing now. I love the love Obi has for Tonye and the fact that he’s bringing the God factor into it, I pray they finally get married. Nice one my able lecturer
I’m glad you enjoyed the story. You’re richly blessed in Jesus’ name, Chisom!
Wow, I love the way Obinna presented the gospel to Tonye, helping her understand the truth and the way he always believes what God is saying to him.
Tonye really went through a lot while growing up, i pray her decision to accept Christ helps her in her relationship with Obinna and I also wish this heavenly designed couple well
This is exactly what I expect Obinna to do and thank God he did not make a mistake b/c Tonye may have been made for him.
I’m glad they found a happy resolution. Have a beautiful week!
Awesome. This is really a twist. I still don’t think there could be any excuse for a born again to leave his or her household of faith to find love elsewhere. But all things work together for good, that God wanted to use Obi to perfect his work in Tonye is a miracle. It doesn’t always turn out that way.
Many Christians have lost their salvation that way. Obinna is a true believer. I love the way he presented the Gospel of love and grace to Tonye. Many spiritual brothers need to learn from him. Thank you for this, Ma.
Yes, Miracle, it’s not advisable to take such a step unless you’re specifically led to do so. I know a sister that was ridiculed for getting close to young man. Because he was a friend, I knew he had been born again in sec. sch. but wasn’t in the faith when they were dating. She was so.convinced she was doing the right thing and they got married. Now, almost thirty years later, they are still married, happily I think. Maybe, he too needed her to find his way back to God. You are super blessed in Jesus’ name.
Very interesting and heart touching story :l am glad they ended up together despite all the problems they had in terms of individual differences. Tonye made the right decision to give up her worldly life and be in right standing with God and for her relationship to be built on trust and love. Don’t give up if you really love someone because life is not a bed of roses, try every means to work out your relationship and most importantly always pray for God’s grace and his will towards your life
Beautiful advice, Faith. It’s not good to give up on people so easily. The sinner today may be a preacher tomorrow. More grace in your studies, my dear!
Wow,this story is touching. Obinna is a man with difference for accepting tonye back after her disappearance with boma. Tonye with no remorse still insulted him after telling him she performed fellatio for Boma and still expect him to clap for her,crowning the whole thing with been narrow minded. yes Obinna is a Christian but it has nothing with been narrow minded,even an unbeliever fiancé won’t have taken it slightly with her. Obinna should consult God to know his stand in the whole issue,although tonye is ready to change to avoid further pain and disappointment.
You have almost reviewed the entire story, Kosiso. Lol! Bless you!
To err is human, to forgive is divine. Obinna did the right thing by telling Tonye about being born again and not the way she takes it to be.
Obinna is a true lover, a religious being and an easy forgiver.
Yeah, I wish we all ensure that we share the gospel clearly to our friends like he did. Have a beautiful evening and remain blessed.
I came back to see to the end of this story. Indeed, there is no love greater than the love of Christ. And Obinna just allowed that love to flow past his own personal feelings for Tonye and they were both better for it. I am happy for them and also I love how Obinna presented the gospel to Tonye. He is now officially, her pastor. LOL.
Lol! I reread this episode from time to time myself. I can’t have enough of the gospel message. Have a gear vacation, Precious!
A very wonderful ending. I didn’t think Obinna will go this far to end up with Tonye although it’s a good one but risky. You know at times when you are married and not convinced yet you found a good thing. So it is a felicitation to Obinna on his oustanding belief, patience and dependence on God that changed Tonye’s concept of Christianity. A true love indeed, especially in Christ.
I love the ending too, Lucy. You are blessed!
i must say it is beautiful to locate the right person in terms of finding love, because if not no matter how the opposite person tries to show that he or she cares, the effort will never be noticed. I am glad it ended well.
I particularly like the end too. You are blessed, Ifunanya!
If imI to be in Tonye’s shoe, I will not leave Obinna. Lol
Obinna is the coolest guy I have seen, notwithstanding all the insults he got from Tonye, the love was still there. The way he puts God first is what marvels me, I love the story.
Tonye was lucky to be forgiven again and Obinna is such a good man. I wish men would emulate his character.
I love how God uses people to touch the lives of others, to bring them close to him. Clearly that’s what Obinna did for Tonye. That’s the greatest show of love anyone can give. And I still admire her persistence.
Communication, I have come to know, is a great key to a successful relationship. Sometimes, even when God speaks to us, we might still be in doubt. But communication opens the door to a defined and firm stance on decisions.
this is a good one. Christ is needed in every life and relationship so that when struggles come Christ will be their strength
The highest love is agape which is unconditional and this is the exact love that exists in dis relationship…..Obinna really loves Tonye. He is also a good Christian by forgiving her and introducing her to Christ. As Christians, we should not avoid or forbid interacting with sinners, rather we should pray and introduce Christ to them. Nice one, ma!
What a wonderful piece! God bless you ma for this story. I can’t think of any better way to have ended this story. Now, we have our darling Tonye introduced to Christ and not just that, Obinna will still be with someone he loves and most importantly he’ll have a godly relationship with Tonye who has agreed to give her life to Christ.
Furthermore, there’s nothing impossible with God. We really need to learn how to communicate with Him.
Great story! Thank you, Ma, for not just entertaining us with your stories but also teaching and blessing us. Remain blessed!
To err is human and to forgive is divine.
I love the way Obinna forgave Tonye and accepted her back. It shows that he is truly born again.
Thank God for using Obinna to convert Tonye. This is the best love a man can give to a woman; bringing her closer to God .May God bless them as they start a new life in Christ together.
This is a nice story ma,
Obinna is a true believer and this was seen in the way she forgave Tonye despite her misbehavior. I believe we all can learn the act of forgiveness just like Obinna did.
Now I understand what is actually wrong with with Tonye no wonder it’s not good to judge a book by the cover. Thank God for Obinna too for having the patience to wait now we know the handwriting on the wall
The will of God must be done, as long as you make your supplication to Him in faith. Obinna is really faithful.!
What an awesome wrap up…The story was definitely worth my time. Now my thoughts on Obinna;who wouldn’t want a guy like him? His a born again, kind, smart, and very mature in thinking. The way he handled everything is very soothing and finally he got what he wanted in the right way… We can never fail when we listen to God… Now TONYE is finally born again. Hurray!!!
What an awsome ending. I really love the way obinna handled the situation. He really is a good Christian. Sometimes, God sends us someone who’s presence alone reminds us of who we are. Its very hard to find an obinna in our society today, where premarital sex is a normal for everyone. Thank you so very much ma for such a beautiful write up.
Wow…this is beautiful, love is indeed beautiful when shared with the right person. We believers should learn from Obinna who stood firm and his decision made His financee give her life to Jesus Christ, this is so Romantic!
Nice story at last they were together ?
I like the ending after all they went through ?Obinna is really a good person
Nice write up ma. God has some many ways to win his children and the story of Obinna and Tonye just said it all, love in its right direction could win that soul that seems hard to win. Bless you ma.
Wonderful series!! I agree with obinna’s presentation of the gospel and I think he let Tonye back into his life because the love he feels for her outweighs her shortcomings. Also, a lot of us are guilty of selecting God’s word, for instance we consider stealing to be sin but lying to be the norm. May God help us to apply his word in all we do.
The ending is epic..
Am reading this on easter sunday ,which has enlighten me more on the benefits of Jesus death n resurrection and accepting him as the ruler over my life .
Such a wonderful piece
Wow !!! ?? i love the happy ending of this wonderful love story, i believe that God always have a Good plan for us all we need to do is to be patient, have hope and trust him.
Thank you ma for this wonderful story; i believe that through this story many lives will change for good.
Whew! We’ve come to the end of another intense series.So they are finally together again. I have to admit I’m not exactly surprised that they reconciled. I think Tonye was telling the truth when she insisted that God was actualising his plan in her life through Obinna and I can only hope that she behaves herself this time around. ?? here’s to a fresh start and a happy marriage to come?
Wow,I am very halo because they later ended up being together.For Obinna to recieve Tonye back means that he has a forgiving spirit.
We all should work towards converting our fellows as we saw the role that Obinna played in Tonyes life.Nor matter what somebody did to you,always create a space in your hearst for forgiveness though it’s easy.
Thank you ma for the wonderful story you gave us
Wow, am happy that Obinna at last led Tonye to Christ and that also, Tonye was able to receive Christ as her Lord and Savior.
Obinna had a disinterested interest also, and
never wanted to gamble with his christian life that was why he was able to convince Tonye and lead her to Christ.
I must confess that his type are rear to see in our present generation.
There’s no greater love than the love of God 1 John 4:8.
And Obinna was also patience wanting for the right time which is explained in 1Corintians 13:4-7.
Am happy that the story had a great and wonderful end.
Knowing to well that Christ is the author of our salvation. Having in strong foundation in Christ and christ having a say in everyarea of our life. Just as obinna who showed it down to his relationship life and these should be an eye opener to every youth who get to read these piece , that Christ comes first in our individual relationship and sex before marriage is not allowed and it is not written in the laws of God. Following the principles of choosing a life partner will lead to good family,married life and a well defined Godly home .
Thank you ma,it came as a reminder to me.
God bless you ma.
Wow! The end is beautiful, Obinna is one of a kind, hard to find such a guy this days, I hope tonye make a good wife for him, becus it seems like she is accepting to be a born again just to have Obinna back?? lovely story, I really enjoyed every bit of it??
I love this piece, Obinna is more than a lover, his ability to understand and accept Tonye despite all odds shows true love. Their story made me believe that destiny can never be denied. Love birds at last.
I love the end to the story. Tonye’s decision to accept Jesus is proof that anyone can come to Christ and he would accept. Tonye has s lot of work on her hands now that she has decided to be born again and with Obinna by her side, God would see her through. Light and darkness have nothing in common so we should be guided in choosing our partners.
I love the end to the story. Tonye’s decision to accept Jesus is proof that anyone can come to Christ and he would accept. Tonye has a lot of work on her hands now that she has decided to be born again and with Obinna by her side, God would see her through. Light and darkness have nothing in common so we should be guided in choosing our partners.
A wonderful one ma what an interesting short story .. obinna in this particular story potrayed true love to tonye and thats what all patners should imbibe cause with this it could ensure a very good home ..
Wow!
This is really a true love story. Obinna is a definion of true Lover and a good Christan. Tonye must be lucky to have him because he is rare to find.I really enjoyed it ma.
This is really an interesting story. Thank God it ended this way. It implies that God is willing to accept anyone who turns to him in sincere heart. I hope Tonye makes a good wife. Well done for this wonderful story, ma
Finally, the end of the story. I liked the fact that obinna didn’t think of jumping into a relationship with tonye immediately and i also liked the way he explained what being born again means because, it looked like she was actually doing it to win back obinna’s trust. The ending of this story was superb.
Wow firstly i was touched by Obinna’s sermon, and his firm stand against entering a relationship with her, this is a nice and compelling stories cant wait to see what happens next, bless you Ma
Waw ooo, this is wonderful thing from Obinna, he showed a great love for Tonya, and bringing the issue and important of being born again is crucial for their relationship to be strong, I pray they finerly marry each other.
It finally ends in praise. Obinna is a definition of true love, very rare to find. He portrays true love and an examplary Christian life.
Everybody with their different stories situations. Obinna is a Christian worth emulating. Tonye reminds us that we are never to sinful to turn back to God and begin a new life. Ma thank you for sharing such a knowledgeable piece.
I still believe that both of them should really take time apart from each other. Obinna should guide her through what being a born again really entails. I can’t help but feel that she might have made her decision just because she does not want to loose Obinna and not because she wants to be close to God. To all those in relationships, it is of utmost importance that you put God first in everything you do and please do not carry all your quarrels to your friends or outsiders. For those who are not, do not feel obligated to rush into it just because your friends or your parents expect you to. Wait for the right time, you will know when it comes. Thank you ma foe this wonderful story, it is something we can relate to and I’ve learnt a lot.
What a twist. I didn’t expect Tonye to accept to being a born again so quickly. I think this goes to say that she either loved Obinna beyond words can explain or she was never so strongly opposed to being one. I believe that in as much as Obinna forgave her and accepted they still need some time away from each other so that when they eventually decide to take it up to marriage, both of them would be sure it actually what they want
Wow!! This story has a sweet and interesting ending. I love as Obinna forgave Tonye and carried her along in his faith in Christ. With God in their relationship and marriage,everything will worketh for their good. They will also have a sweet marriage, because the foundation is for sure and of God.
I like the way obinna made Tonye understand that Relationships should draw you closer to Christ, not closer to sin. Don’t compromise to keep anyone, God is more important.”
Letting go of any wrong someone does to u is a good example of a good Christian and Obinna is one of them.
Wow! That is why is not good to jump into conclusion. Tonye has her reasons and her action is worth emulating; as she noticed her mistake,she asked for forgiveness.
At the other hand, Obinna is really a child of God, I love his spirit.
This is a very nice story… Tonye’s willingness to repent from her sinful ways was a sign that she was considering salvation. Also, obinna showed the characteristics of a true Christian by forgiving Tonye and accepting her just like God forgives us when we sin and accepts us.
Now the ending of this story is epic, despite the fights and turbulence, love prevailed. Weldone ma
I don’t think Obinna accepted her back so easily and even if he did, LOVE supersedes all.
I love this happy ending. Happy endings are sweet.
I wish Tonye and Obinna all the very best in their endeavors, less obstacles and wisdom to tackle their issues.
Wow! I like this part of the story so much, I like the strategy obinna used on Tony, is true he has forgiven her but he need to ensure that she has a good attitude before he can accept her back but after every said and done he forgive and accepted her back.
Awwwwwn! Obinna should give her a chance. It’s obvious that Tonye is now a changed person. I never knew she would show such remorse while apologizing. Since she accepted to give her life to Christ, the onus of making her know more about Christlike life is on Obinna.
He should give her more time to know if their world view will eventually align.
Meanwhile, I totally enjoyed every bit of this story.
Quite an interesting and happy ending
Obinna lifestyle is worthy of emulation he portrayed the christ like life by forgiving tonye just like jesus did for us he’s truly a christian by example. Love conquers all things
If God marks our guilt, who will survive?
Absolutely no one!
An glad Obinna still tried to find somethung good in Tonye since no one is perfect. If a person truly loves you, he or she will be concerned about your relationship with God just like Obinna did.
more grease to your elbows Ma.
Obinna might have killed his conscience and didn’t wait to hear from God as usual. Telling Tonye that there will be no sex, petting, or fighting is like telling a lion not to eat flesh. One thing leads to another and this might put a dent on the white banner of Christ!
What a happy resolution . The way obinna introduced the gospel and even forgave tonye shows love supersedes all.
wow
i dont even know who impressed me more
weather its was obinnas answers and gosple presentation or tonyes response and determination.
no ,obinna didnt let her off easily, what matters is that he still loves her
as for our new convert , thank God it her husband to be that is converting her so its will be a romantic follow up
let her jux submit her totality to God
she is reallly a good person that needs a good God
I’m so happy they finally found a way to work things out. This is the intention of Christ. In every relationship we’re in (whatever kind) we should intentionally spread the gospel of love.
Most Christians needs to take cue from Obinna.
Tonye is very lucky.she met a man who loves God truly and was able to forgive nd introduce her to Christ in a very good way.love always supersedes all indeed
I don’t think Obinna was too quick in letting Tonye off. He just had to be straight forward with what he wants. If they had kept going the way they were going, things may go wrong for him and his faith. I liked the way he made his mind clear to Tonye so that at least, she will be aware of what Obinna wants and what he does not. Her explanations about her background that prompted her relationship with Boma may be emotional enough but we are talking about marriage here. I know it may not be wise for Tonye to marry Boma out of emotional consideration but I believe explanation would have done it. She should have just explain to him why she don’t think they are compatible for marriage. It does not matter how he takes it because God will protect her knowing that she is doing the right thing.
The practice of cherry-picking God’s word today is so rampant even among preachers. Some of them pick the ones that will appeal to the emotion of their audience and make them acceptable while they leave the rest. eg. Some only teach financial breakthrough devoid of any suffering meanwhile of suffering is part Christianity.
Christians are also being misconceived as people who love only themselves but hate others but then it is just a misconception. Genuine Christianity teaches love not only for fellow believers but also unbelievers.
Agreeing to follow God is making commitment, so I advise Tonye not to go back to on her resolution to follow God. She should follow God with all her strength and might and she will see God work wonders in her life. The problem I have been able to discover is that most people follow God, living faith aside. Faith is very instrumental in Christianity (Hebrew 11, emphasis on Verse 6) and Christianity is also practical and not theoretical. If you are following God and there has not been any practical positive change in your life, it is time you started praying for a practical positive change and as you pray with that consciousness, you will see positive result.
To Obinna and Tonye,I say, Let the love of Christ rule your relationship and they should not delay longer in getting married but that is after Tonye had put to an end her affair with Boma and not just by mouth but it must be a conscious effort and Boma should be aware because if that does not happen, it may cause trouble for them in the future.
The fact that Obinna reminded Tonye of giving her life to christ is very right and accurate. Those in a relationship should do the good things that pleases God and seek his direction in the union they further expect.
The way Obinna directed Tonye towards a Christ-like life is what i like about this story because not every youth of this generation will do that so Tonye is lucky to have someone like Obinna
God really used Obinna to change Tonye. I love the end of the story. The love birds finally got reunited. Theirs, was a love made in heaven.
Wow, I love the way Obinna presented the gospel to Tonye, helping her understand the truth and the way he always believes what God is saying to him.
Tonye really went through a lot while growing up, i pray her decision to accept Christ helps her in her relationship with Obinna and I also wish this heavenly designed couple well
It is one thing to be born again, and another, to grow in Christ . Tinted has a long way to go if she really want to be born again, it is a long but interesting journey. Some people want to be the next to Christ immediately they become born again, but it doesn’t happen that way. It takes consistency, it takes sacrifice and self denial among other things to grow in Christ. I pray that God’s grace will see Tonye through as she embarks on the journey .
Finally, a satisfactory end. I admire the way he presented the gospel to Tonye.Making Christ our priority is very vital in every human relationship. As for Tonye , I pray she repents genuinely.
It has such a wonderful ending. It’s good to see that tonye became a born again. I really liked this series. It’s a shame to see it end
God is really amazing. He can use anyone to call a sinner back into his grace and in the case of tonye, he used obinna. Amazing
What a wonderful story. Thank God both of them finally ended up together. I just love the way Obinna handled the situation. He used one stone in killing two birds. First, by changing Tonye’s mentality and second, introducing her to Christ. We just need more of Obinna in our society, an understanding, caring and God fearing man.I just hope that Tonye will maintain and grow in Christ as she goes further in life. Thanks ma for sharing, I really enjoyed the story.
This story tells a lot. One is that it shows how wonderful Obinna is. Secondly, it exposes some flaws that are in the lives of certain Christians who judge others as if they were perfect. Being born again comes with a lot of sacrifices. One has to walk with Christ to truly be called a follower of Christ. Kudos to Obinna for making Tonye see the light.
Seriously, tonye is lucky to have obinna who is understanding and has the fear of God, because any other random guy would not even listen to what tonye was trying to say, its not her fault though she felt she owes bamo for training her in school and supporting her brother, Thank God she made the right choice.
We must meet and discuss. For if we fail to, will not know where we agree and where we disagree. The importance of dialogue in the midst of troubles and/or problems, cannot be over emphasized. Tonye has finally understood this, went ahead to dialogue with Obinna and now she’s not only at peace with Obinna, but also with God. I thank God for using Obinna to bring back the lost sheep (Tonye). Glad for their reunion too. Wish to see them get married, lol. Cheers, Aunty Edith.
What a wonderful ending. Thank God both of them finally ended up together. I just loved the way Obinna handled the situation. He used one stone in killing two birds. First, by changing Tonye’s mentality and second, introducing her to Christ. We just need more of Obinna in our society, an understanding, caring, forgiving and God fearing man. I just hope that Tonye will maintain and grow in Christ as she goes further in life. Thanks ma for sharing, I really enjoyed the story.
Wow! Its an interesting story, and also a true love story. Am so happy to have they ended up together at all. Obinna went far by making sure he ended up with Tonye. This simply means he lovesTonye so much. Obinna was able to forgive Tonye because of the love he have for her.and also God used obinna to change Tony.
My question is do men like Obinna still exist.
We Thank God Tonye is back to her normal senses. Obinna is truly a child of God because it takes more than a mortal mind to forgive what Tonye did. I enjoyed the story.
Woww, finally they ended up together am so happy,I also like the fact that obinna brought the gospel or rather being born again into the issue well thank God for that and also obinna converted a soul to Christ. Who knows where that courage tonye got to confront obinna came from, nice one. Thank you ma for this wonderful touching story
Wohoo they finally ended up together and in the right way. I have much respect for Obinna because he really endured a lot, he prayed a lot for the relationship. He should be a role model to guys out there. Tonye also earned my respect. She did the right thing and am happy she decided to be born again. Without God everything is completely useless and meaningless in life. That is why I said communication is the key to every relationship. Obinna accepted Tonye because he now fully understood her. Am happy that at last everything worked out just fine.
After everything they still ended up together and that is the hand of God working in their favour. God indeed works in mysterious ways. I’m happy for Obinna. His prayers were certainly not invain and he succeeded in adduad a new soul to the Army of Christ. What a beautiful story.
The love between Tonye and Obinna is very strong. Even after all the trouble, they remained. And I also see God use Obinna to get Tonye to repent and also the fact that Obinna forgave Tonye. I admire Tonye’s persistence which paid off at last and this was because she was sure Obinna is the man for her.
Am happy the ended up together because anything apart from this could have thrown tonye’s life apart.. .I really appreciate obinna’s personality, he is the kind of man that every woman will like to spend the rest of her life with
Wow,this story is touching. Obinna is a symbol of peace. He is also a man with a difference for accepting tonye back after her disappearance with boma. Tonye with no remorse still insulted him after telling him she performed fellatio for Boma and still expect him to clap for her,crowning the whole thing with been narrow minded. yes Obinna is a Christian but it has nothing with been narrow minded,even an unbeliever fiancé won’t have taken it slightly with her. Obinna should consult God to know his stand in the whole issue,although tonye is ready to change to avoid further pain and disappointment…
I really enjoyed this story mummy!
It’s important we note as believers that is not always good to leave our household of faith to find love elsewhere. But all things work together for good, that God wanted to use Obi to perfect his work in Tonye is a miracle. It doesn’t always turn out that way. Many Christians have lost their salvation that way but most importantly let God lead us in our relationships.
The truest love anyone can show you is introduce you to Christ. Christians nowadays make others believe they are perfect while others are devilish.Some are extremely judgemental…. Tonye ought to start serving God for her own benefit.
This is an interesting and heart melting story, I’m Happy they were able to resolve the way they did
I envy Obinna’s love for Tonye
Obinna is an epitome of God’s love,this can be seen between him and Tonye,many Christian have to put on the amour of God’s love in other to attain God’s salvation which can save man kind,in the area of marriage,if the type of obinna will be there, we can hardly hear about divorce in the society
Waoo, obinna is a replica of a true Christian, what interest me most is that even though he so much love Tonye, he didn’t allow this love to distract him from the love he had for God.unlike many of us that will fall in love today and forget about the things of God.he also has a forgiven spirit that after everything Tonye did he still accepted her back and not only did he accept her back but also led her to Christ, many Christians today will even be the ones to condemn an unbeliever like Tonye. We Christians should try to imitate obinna’s ways of handling things
What an interesting and educating story. Obinna just portrayed the attitude of a true Christian from the beginning of the story till the end. One thing I love obinna for is that even in all the love he had for Tonye, he didn’t allow that to jeopardize his relationship with God and he later converted Tonye to a born again Christian. This story is indeed amazing, full of lessons.
And it all ended in praise after all. Tonye is indeed the die-hard type. she really is a good fighter who knows what she wants. Others in her shoes might probably care less but her insistence to protect her relationship is one like no other and I am happy Obinna came to his final conclusions, with his terms though.
Wow. I really love the way obinna handled the whole thing. Its obvious he loves Tonye and sincerely wants to bring her closer to God.. Any relationship with spiritual backup is bound to survive the test of time…
Fantastic! I like the little conversational tussle before it ended. He presented a practical christianity and not just the “only believe” thing. that also helped to convince Tonye just as her explanation about Boma convinced him. In this kind of situation, Obinna is advised to put her through in a deeper knowledge of God. It’s all a nice story.
Thanks so much ma for this piece. Today I got to know that when we fine good thing or receive salvation we shouldnt enjoy it alone living those we use to live such lives with to die in sin. We should also try to bring them to the light which change our lives. Obinna is a character we should emulate, some Christians in their attempt to convert their partners in crime fall into sin again.
Am very happy that Obinna and Tonye ended up together
I love the fact that Obinna did not leave Tonye because she was living a worldly life
Obinna is a true definition of Christianity
He keeps close relationship with God at all time no matter the situation
And he did a good thing by converting Tonye and showing her the right way.
Wow!? How come she didn’t tell obinna her reasons behind her being submissive to Boma all this while? Well, I really loved how the story ended…remain blessed ma!
Ma, I find the third person view on this insightful but complex, especially the part where his thoughts and considerations about accepting her back was detailed. You say God has to give a response and is unchanging. I don’t know if this applies to every relationship we encounter, or maybe we’re just not listening enough. But when do we know it’s the right person, and the right time? Pastor obviously loved her, but in love should there be doubts? Feelings and attaching to someone can be far to risky for people like me. Yet, we still ask for the grace of discernment and wisdom. Thanks for this ma, a definite food for thought it is!
I am thrilled , I don’t blame Tonye, she was with Boma for his money and I am sure Boma knows, he just wants her for some selfish reason he would surely call love. God bless their union.
I’m happy that God used Obinna to lead Tonye to him and it’s good that she was willing to change. On the other hand, it might be difficult to get out of relationships with people who have helped us a lot, especially financially which is why we must make effort to not be to dependent on people. Let us depend on God instead. Beautiful story ma!
I envy obinna’s love for Tonye. I like how obinna didn’t leave Tonye after all her worldly escapees. He is a true definition of a Christian.
I personally believe tonye is a changed person, although she decided to be a born again because of the love she has for obinna,but with obinna,she will go closer to God…..
It’s not totally advisable for both to continue the relationship bcos the devil works in mysterious ways,so some time out will be better in order to give tonye time to go deeper in her new found life,with that chances of temptation will be reduced and both will think and understand alike.
Being a born again doesn’t mean pretending to be sinless,it means being conscious of one sin, admitting it and pleading for God’s forgiveness and grace. Such a person doesn’t duel in sin rather washes it off with the blood of Christ,a born again sin can be referred to as a mistake or temptation…
But when one is not a born again,such a person becomes a slave to sin,he or she will just believe that sin is unavoidable and so duels in it.
Wow. Finally tonye later realized that obinna was the best man for her. Obinna indeed is really a reliable and trust worthy. Even with all the rejection, he still sticked to tonye. He forgave her even after everything.
I can’t help but continue wowing.Obinna is a true christian well x_rayed when it comes to putting God first in everything,spirit of forgiveness and his manner of propagating the gospel I believe earned him that name “pastor”.So much love how the story ended.thanks a lot ma.
Wow what a wonderful story, Obinna is indeed a lover of God,The teachings he impacted to tonye is very necessary because the greatest love we can give to each other is to introduce someone to christ. On the other hand Tonye has to be careful on her decisions, if it is that Tonye and Boma had any agreement in exchange of his help to her, then she should better think twice.
Wow! What an interesting memory lane. God works in mysterious ways. I see a home that will be built with a very strong foundation.
Awww!!! This is so good. I just hope Tonye doesn’t cause trouble in Obinna’s life.
Finally in essence to what i said in the previous episode, God can answer our prayers in different ways, through people and eventually you it depends. In this case God answered Obinna’s prayers through Tonye, so what Obinna didn’t know was that God gave him an assignment to accept Tonye and change her life for the better just like in the Bible when God told Hosea to marry a harlot and change her for the better. In conclusion to my own point of view in this story, God sent Obinna to win Tonye’s soul for Him (God).
Honesty, I don’t think obinna had intentions to let her go, he just converted her, tonye on the other hand I commend her willing to fight for what she loves. Her approach towards the issue was very diplomatic. In general loves conquerors all. A beautiful story.
Wow!!!
Finally, we have come to the end of the story. What an interesting and suspense-filled story. I love the fact the story ended happily for the duo despite the troubles in their relationship. They are meant to be and their love has come to stay. Awwn! Tonye decided to surrender to Christ, thanks to Obinna who did that good work.
Thanks ma for this wonderful story.
Wow, what a relief for Tonye. She went through a lot, I now understand the reasons of some of her actions. Am so happy that they both resolved all their differences and they finally got things to work out fine. A big thank you to Aunty Edith Ohaja for this wonderful story, “I Still love Tonye 1_7”. It was a touching story and I learnt a lot. May God Almighty bless the works of your hands, MA.
Wow! This is much interesting. Obinna is a typical example of Christ lover. And for that same love, he took his time to preach to Tonye about Christ Jesus. Tonye’s presentation shows that she passed through hell,that made her to accept Boma,not minding the affairs he was having with other women.This is just because she needed help from him.But if actually Boma has any good plans for Tonye (marriage),it won’t be so easy for her to settle with Obinna, except for God’s intervention.Obinna and Tonye really needs to be prayerful in this kind of situation, for their wishes to be perfected by God, for their love is so strong. Thanks to ma’am, this is really educative.
Wow!! And finally the saga ends.That was beautiful! And a serious eye opener. Most times people don’t believe that we’ve been made righteous. Not by our works but by our faith. I’m glad they didn’t break up though. They will make a great couple
Finally, they ended up together. Theirs is an example of Christian relationship. Obinna didn’t forgive Tonye easily at least, she won’t be in a hurry to repeat the same mistake, besides, she is now a born again Christian.
What a happy ending!, this is God intervening for obinna, I am so happy for tonye as she became a born again, that is the greatest gift one can give his or herself. The holy spirit is involved.
I love the love obinna showed tonye.obinna love for tonye is just like the love of christ,he still and always love us despite our sins and scars.
Thou I have been reading it from episode one the story is actually interesting ,from episode one I was wondering what will be the fate of both of them obinna and tonye, the inner peace tonye felt after the proposal .when thank God for the life of obinna and we should always be ready to forgive people
God love is the greatest, telling someone about Christ is the greatest love you can show to the person.
Interesting!I love the end of the story, I liked the fact that obinna didn’t think of jumping into a relationship with tonye immediately,and I also liked the way he explained what born again means, cause it seems she was actually doing it to win back obinnas trust
The end of this story made fresh in my mind, this statement; “Christ at the centre, the hope of eternal glory”. Obinna’s unflinching trust in God made him stand out in his relationship saga with Tonye.
Thank you ma’am for such an intriguing and engaging story.
This is an amazing story
True love played a key role in this write up.
Am very happy for the patient obinna showed and the willingness to lead her to Christ is amazing.
Thank you ma’am for this wonderful story.
Wow! this is amazing, it has always been my dream to be with a man that has same faith as mine for it gladdens my heart living in the way of the lord.