A certain Igbo woman, married to a pure breed Igbo man in a traditional Igbo marriage had many concerns about her marriage. It was the type of marriages most of our parents had, one in which the woman had no voice, she was completely under the control of her husband who ruled with an iron fist. The woman and children revered and feared him. Her unhappiness and frustration led her to seek solace in God and got truly born again as she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and saviour.

One morning as the man was getting ready to go to work, she told him of a dream she had the night before and begged him to stay at home and pray with her. In his usually manner he dismissed her and drove off, he was on his way to the village. She went into serious praying and fasting on his behalf, begging God to keep her husband safe.

As he approached Ihiala, one of the towns enroute to their village, he noticed a small bungalow with a man and a woman seated in front and two children a boy and girl playing in front of them. As he approached, the boy child slapped the girl and she started chasing him, without looking he dashed into the road, directly on his path and he crushed him, he died instantly. Meanwhile the two adults who were seated in front of the bungalow turned out to be the parents of the child. They told the man to leave immediately before the youths of the village descends on him, they had observed what happened and it wasn’t his fault. He promised to come back later and see them and went straight home. On his arrival at home he met his wife in prayer, he told her what had happened, they prayed together for the little boys soul. From that day forward, he never took any decision without consulting her, he became a completely changed man, appreciating, respecting and loving his wife completely. He was amazed that even after the way he dismissed her concerns, she cancelled all her own appointments, stayed home and continued praying for his safe return.

The woman in this story got everything she wanted without raising her voice, without confrontation or arguments and without turning her household into a feminist shrine. Standing up to him and claiming rights and equality may seem like the right thing to do in this day and age, but it may just complicate and worsen things, especially if you married a stubborn and an unreasonable man. This woman got everything she wanted and even more by trusting and waiting on the Lord patiently. Sometimes all you need is patience and complete trust in God for a turn around in your marriage. The woman regardless of her living condition continued to pray for her husband, I believe it was her prayer that touched the hearts of the little girls parents to confess the truth they had observed and let him go, you will agree with me that this was real divine intervention.

Regardless of what he has done, keep praying for him, the power of a praying wife is limitless, God is working to change things in your marriage for good. Do not give up and rush out of your matrimonial home at the first sign of problems, it is only dead people who do not quarrel. You will disagree and sometimes bitterly, with patience and total trust in the efficacy of prayer, things will definitely turn around for good for those who trust in the Lord. – Sir Stanley Ekezie