Articles on pre-marital relationships leading to marriage
My wife and I have had several born-again young women write to us about the ups and downs of dating and young marriage relationships in the 21st century. One particular recurrent issue we keep hearing is, “I don’t feel protected by him” or “I just don’t feel safe with him.” When the young Christian man hears the term “protect your woman”…More
When I got married, I was met with a few realities that I never expected. I thought I was weird for having encountered these realities until I spoke to a few other married folk, only to realize that the experiences were mutual. I thank God that I was prepared for some of these realities thanks to pre-marital counselling and my…More
Gentlemen, your lady meets you for a coffee date and she is depressed. You naturally ask what the matter is. She reveals that she has just accidentally sent money via M-PESA to the wrong person. You panic for her and ask her the amount. 10,000 KES, she responds. “Did you call Safaricom?” you ask, frantic. She says she did and they…More
Over the past one year, I have had several twenty-something year old Christians inbox me questions about dating. I found several negative themes in majority of these questions (not all, but majority). Some of these were: difficulty to maintain sexual purity, identity crisis, disillusionment about a good marriage, scepticism about their current relationships and uncertainty of dating again. To sum up all…More
Have you given up on love? Men and women walking with God who get into serious relationships need to be patient with each other during difficult times. Often I have heard of two well-meaning people who lose a good relationship at the first sign of trouble. When the mushy feeling disappeared, when one ate ugali with their fingers instead of using…More
I get asked this question severally by my dating friends. Ernest, you married Waturi but how did you know she was the one? How do you know you did not marry the wrong one? What if the one is out there and you missed her? If you get a divorce doesn’t that mean she was not the one? If you…More
Why do you want to marry our daughter?” The question had been asked severally and frankly, I was growing weary of answering it. Still, I recited my response with a positive face. It had been three hours in the same chair surrounded by my fiancée’s father, grandfather, uncles and elder cousins. It was 8 men versus one. I sat in…More
One of the most heart-breaking moments in anybody’s life (even though few will admit) is the realization that Disney relationships are not real- that we can have our idea of love destroyed by the reality of relationships. We are currently at a point in history where relationships are craved for more than anything and at the same time loathed more…More
You like her company. You have a lot in common. You talk a lot on chat or via text message or via Whatsapp. You would be dead worried if she got hurt. You would punch the guy who breaks her heart. You are fond of her. You know her very well. She refers to you as a close friend. You…More
Relationships are sweet when you receive affection. They’re sweeter when you give affection. They’re sweetest when it’s mutual. Hey, I just came up with that! You can quote me if you want. If you’re obsessed about receiving attention in a relationship, your need (read greed) will never be satisfied. Relationships thrive best when we give. Give your money, give your…More
Dear reader, Today’s blogspot is a guest article from a writer I admire. Mr. Owuor Kuyoh. I asked Owuor to guest write this week on Pen Strokes because the same spirit and the same ministry or reconciliation rests in his heart and lies in his words. Not only will you enjoy this read but you will be transformed to devote yourself to a league…More
God doesn’t have favourites but he has intimates. I have seen this to be true in my life. After struggling to find the pencil that all along was on my ear for such a long time, I came to learn that every man who desires to live a life of fulfilment with a godly, loving, romantic and mature woman (the…More
I once heard someone ask: If Santa Claus, the Easter bunny, the perfect gentleman and the perfect lady once crossed a busy street, who got to the other side first? The answer is the perfect lady. All the others are figments of your imagination. That humorous conclusion compels us to ask. Are good men really a rare commodity? Is gentleman,…More
For Part 1 Click here For Part 2 Click here Dolly Gitonga. Spirited woman. The best lecturer I’ve met so far. Nothing would stop her from teaching an enjoyable English class. Not even if it spelt JET. And therein lay the problem. JET shared ENGLISH 1106 in classroom A in the Spring of 2009. JET was ostentatious and working against Dolly’s mettle.…More
For Part 1 Click here Turi and I date a meeting history as far back as 2007. Our paths crossed and we never realized it. She attended Kianda Girls. I attended Sunshine Secondary School. Kianda was a day school with neat lawns and trimmed fences. Sunshine was a boarding school with dusty grounds and cracked pavements. Two worlds. Two leagues apart.…More
