Good day once again 
No! I have to tell her half the truth. I can’t lose my wife! No I can’t! I thought loud in my head. Managing a weak smile which was in much contrast to the mood my broken and sullen appearance had created, I whispered to my loving wife,
“I felt the hand of God upon me tonight. I stopped by the church on our street. Believe me love, God is there…”
I paused and gave her time to assess my words. Her eyes were moving desperately from left to right, piercing into my heart. She was searching for signs that I was telling the truth. Convinced she had believed what I said, which was the truth, half the truth though, I continued,
“I heard the truth of God’s word preached tonight… the gospel as of old…”
I paused again. My heart was pulsating as rivers of tears pooled from my eyes.
“…I have been lost for the past twelve years. My claim to love God was a lie and what we called worship in our family church can best be described as a social hangout or at best a regular business conference. I don’t see how I will make heaven continuing with the sort of worship we have there. I am through with our family church baby,”
I said emphatically.
“I will go with you wherever you want to go, especially to this place that brought this zeal and love for God back into your life. When do they have another worship service?”
my wife asked.
“I brought with me the church bulletin, it contains all the information about the church services and programme,”
I replied rummaging through the pouch which held my bible and sermon note.
“Here it is.”
She took it from me and said something about the look of the bulletin. I heard her but could not tell what she actually said. My heart was pounding very fast. I was still wondering if to tell her the whole truth.
“I think this is an answer to my prayer. I have been meaning to tell you that we should change church. I think our family church has lost it. I can’t quite say it is still a church.”
“Thanks baby,”
I said, careful not to say too much. The burden in my heart was threatening to burst out. It felt as though a bucket load of filth had been emptied from my life in my encounter with God at the church. In fact, the thought of the uncountable s** marathon I had with Anita Magbere in my office, made me want to puke several times.
“I think we should announce to the children in our morning devotion that we have made up our minds to leave our present church. There is something about this church next door. I can feel it even in this bulletin,”
she observed and placed her head on my chest. Just as soon as she did that, she removed it, looked at me oddly and wondered out loud, “Your heart is beating too fast!”
“I do not think I lived the best life I could in the past twelve years as a believer in Christ. What if I had died? I am scared stiff as I think about eternity and hell. I could have been gone you know, baby.”
This time I was the one holding her so firmly that you would have thought she was about to bolt from me.
“No matter how bad your mistakes were, the truth is that God has forgiven and cleaned you up. There were times I felt you had forgotten you were saved. I wanted to talk to you about it but chose not to. I felt it might drive a wedge between us. I am glad God heard my prayers.”
I was shocked by her words. Was it obvious? How bad was it? Could it be my wife knows about Annie? My thoughts were racing at the speed of light. Eager to find out from my wife how much clues I gave away about my illicit relationship with Annie while I was backslidden, I asked.
To be continued
COMING SOON !!!
THE CHURCH NEXT DOOR -EPISODE IV