“ Long Distance relationship” our favorite nickname on social media at the moment due to our not so subtle height difference lol. What most people do not know however is just how “long distance" our relationship has truly been in every other way...Time and location. I met Laolu at age 10 at our children’s church drama group, canaanland and It was ‘crush at first sight'😄. We immediately became very good friends having the childhood fantasy of one day becoming ‘husband and wife’. He would save me a seat next to himself, walk me down to my parents car after service or wait patiently till they fetched me from a particular pickup point. He was so protective and made all effort to either talk away or bully any other seemingly interested guy friends lol. We both knew we were too young at that age to start anything....but there was just this mutual wish that our friendship/crush would grow into something much more concrete when we grew older. Sadly, Laolu and his family will later leave winners chapel for his dads personal call to Ministry. Church was our only means of meeting then, as we lived very far from each other. So with that no longer possible, all we had was good old landline calls once in like 6 months. The distance only kept increasing as growing up would see Laolu attend varsity in a different state, and a year later, me relocate to a totally different country to study medicine. I remember our call just before my departure and him reassuring me the Holy Spirit will keep me for him, despite the time and distance. From the days of handwritten letters, to yahoo mails and messenger, to Facebook, Skype, bbm and what’s app ....we kept evolving with the latest means of communication to keep in touch as often as possible😅. We got to see each other just once a year .....every moment together was golden and priceless & just reaffirmed how much I really loved this person and my choice to be with him. As soon as we both felt we were mature enough and of the right age, our courtship officially began (in 2010) and the rest they say is history!😁.

And so begins the countdown to me wedding my Prince Charming. From the overprotective teenage boy who always doted over me at children's church and youth chapel; to the vibrant youth, zealous for God and the things of His kingdom, shying away from the corrupt things of this generation ; to the perfect gentleman who's the complete definition of a good husband; who's love for me can only be likened to the love of Christ for me; who literally makes me feel like the best and only woman on earth......baby I have loved every phase of you. It's hard to imagine that fairy tales like ours still happen....through the years, the distance and growth, one thing stayed true, and that was our genuine God based friendship and love for each other. I sometimes ask myself what juju I gave you as a child that has made you so obsessed and in love with me ..lol😅. Whatever it is, it will never stop in Jesus name.

Here's to doing life together forever with my childhood crush, best friend, husband of my youth....I love you❤.

I mostly can’t write about my dear wife and friend without feeling emotional and I can’t write about her all at once. It seems I’ve lived a million years of experience with Derin and there's too much already to be encapsulated in a note. No man’s life can be encompassed in one telling; there’s no way to give each year it’s alloted weight..to include each event and every experience.

I met Derin at children church as an 11 year old boy. She smelt of morning and looked like sunshine. She was so full of life and grace, the best child in children's church, the joy of her teachers and the pride of the whole children church programme...winning the top prizes at church. Derin had her sermon notes complete even when it wasn't going to be examined. Even at that tender age I fell in love and just wanted her company. I would look forward to every Sunday morning just to see her in church, hold her hand while my heart raced.

Growing into her teen years she only became more beautiful and Graceful, charming everyone with her sweet nature, dedication and her graceful steps now being made more evident by an emerging ‘figure eight’ and her mid-back length long black natural hair. Chai! What could a brother do?! I was dazed Sunday after Sunday😍

Thank Jesus I caught her eye too and I chased her skirt all through her teen/ adolescent years, even as we made a commitment to each other.

Time, distance, seasons, land's, borders would by Grace only increase the fondness for each other rather than wane our Love..thanks to the the Grace of our Lord.
And as the years grew so did her strengths and grace. She increased in every good thing but height..lol😄

The True daughter of her Father..Bishop David Oyedepo

MY wife is smart,beautiful,kind,respectful and very wise...and she likes Lionel Messi and supports Barcelona...😅😅😅😅😅

I'm very blessed to to walk life with her...She's Jesus's gift to me.