Dear Reader,
Happy New Year and God’s abundant blessings to you and yours! We hope this message finds you well and filled with hope for the year ahead.
We're excited to share with you the highlights from Part 2 of our "Chat with Exceptional Couples" session held two days ago. In it, Emmanuel and Adaku Udo opened their hearts and shared their remarkable marriage journey. If you've ever wondered whether God's leading guarantees a smooth path, or if you've faced challenges that made you question your decisions, this session is for you.
When God's Will Meets Life's Storms
One of the most powerful revelations from this session is this: divine leading doesn't eliminate trials - it equips you to overcome them.
The Udos shared how, despite absolute certainty that God had brought them together, their early marriage years were marked by devastating challenges:
· A near-fatal accident involving Adaku's entire family on their way back from the traditional wedding - the car somersaulted near a bridge, narrowly missing the river below
· Loss of twin boys at seven months due to eclampsia and lack of proper medical facilities, with Adaku in a coma for four days
· A second life-threatening pregnancy requiring emergency midnight evacuation to a specialist hospital in another city.
These experiences led some people - even close friends - to question whether their marriage was truly God's will. Sound familiar? How many of us have faced circumstances that made others (or even ourselves) doubt what we knew God had spoken?
The Anchor That Held Them
What kept them steady? Conviction rooted in God's clear leading.
In one of their darkest moments, after losing the twins, Adaku received a divine promise: she would have a son as an anniversary gift. Their wedding anniversary was August 19th. Despite another complicated pregnancy that nearly took her life, their first surviving son was born on August 16th - just three days before their anniversary. The nurse who cared for her called Adaku "the present-day Lazarus" after she recovered from gasping for breath while medical staff gathered around praying.
This testimony beautifully illustrates that God's promises stand firm, even when the journey gets stormy. As Adaku powerfully shared: "Whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world." That scripture became their anchor.
For those in young marriages facing unexpected trials, this message is for you. Watch the full session to hear how they navigated seasons when their circumstances seemed to contradict their convictions.
The In-Law Factor: Turning Potential Conflict into Beautiful Relationships
If you've ever dreaded in-law relationships or heard horror stories that made you anxious, the Udos' experience will challenge your perspective.
Adaku, an Igbo woman, married into an Akwa Ibom/ Cross River family. Despite cultural differences and an initial tribal preference from her father (who had said he'd disown his daughter if she married outside their tribe), they built extraordinary relationships with their in-laws.
The secret? Intentionality and the right mindset.
Adaku chose to see her mother-in-law not as competition for her husband's affection, but as her own mother. The relationship became so strong that her mother-in-law stayed with them for nearly a year during her final illness - the longest she'd ever stayed with any of her children. Before passing, she told Adaku it pained her that she couldn't help more with the new baby due to her health. This wasn't obligation - it was genuine love.
Her father-in-law would babysit their daughter and sing hymns with Adaku despite her admittedly poor singing voice. When she became a chartered accountant, he proudly announced it to every visitor. Both parents saw her as their daughter, not just their son's wife.
Emmanuel made an equally crucial decision: instead of trying to separate his wife from her closely-knit family, he chose to integrate into their family circle. Today, his mother-in-law (about to turn 80) recently told him he's her "best son-in-law."
Their advice? Go into marriage with the right mindset. Your in-laws are not your enemies. The same way you wouldn't want your siblings' spouses to create problems in your family, don't be that person in theirs. Approach the relationship with wisdom, prayer, and genuine love.
The full session contains practical insights on navigating these relationships, including what to do when conflicts arise and how your spouse can bridge the gap.
Career vs. Family: The Sacrifice That Changed Everything
Both Emmanuel and Adaku are accomplished professionals - she's a chartered accountant; he's a mechanical engineer. But their journey required difficult choices.
After their first pregnancy tragedy, Adaku left her high-flying position at Akintola Williams (now Deloitte) to join Emmanuel in Akwa Ibom. She spent years as a stay-at-home mother while her former colleague climbed to become CFO of UBA Nigeria. Later, after becoming chartered, she resigned again from an oil service company when Emmanuel got an opportunity in Qatar Energy. Her MD was mad because he had great plans for her.
Here's what makes their story powerful: this wasn't forced - it was mutually decided. Adaku admitted it was initially difficult, but she focused on it as a worthy sacrifice. She used the time to complete further professional certification and invest in their children.
Their crucial message: There's no one-size-fits-all approach. Every family must prayerfully determine what works for them. But never sacrifice your family for your career. The full session explores how to strike this balance, including practical advice on house help (with important warnings about spiritual and moral risks).
Why You Need to Watch the Full Session
This newsletter only scratches the surface. In the complete session, you'll discover:
- How to develop the kind of relationship with God that gives you clarity in major life decisions
- Specific strategies for building strong in-law relationships across cultural boundaries
- The mentor couple approach that strengthened their marriage from day one
- Practical wisdom on balancing dual careers with child-rearing
- How to assess whether household help is right for your family
- Real, transparent conversations about navigating differences and challenges
Whether you're married, engaged, or preparing for marriage, this session offers biblical principles applied to real-life situations - not theoretical advice, but battle-tested wisdom from a couple who has weathered storms and emerged stronger.
A Personal Invitation
The Udos closed with this encouragement: find couples whose marriages you admire and put yourself under their mentorship - not to complain, but to learn. They also emphasized that they're still learning, still growing, still applying scriptural principles to their unique family dynamics.
As Adaku humorously illustrated with a story about a couple who started arguing over car door-opening etiquette after a marriage seminar: wisdom means applying biblical principles in ways that work for your specific relationship, always grounded in Scripture.
The bottom line? If God is in your marriage, you can trust Him to see you through every challenge. Just follow the process - it works.
Watch Now
Don't miss this transparent, encouraging, and deeply practical conversation. Whether you're facing challenges that make you question your path, struggling with in-law relationships, or trying to balance career and family, this session offers hope, wisdom, and actionable insights.
The full recording is available on our YouTube channel. Set aside time this week to watch it with your spouse or fiancé(e). We promise it will be worth every minute.
Next month, we'll feature a different couple sharing their journey. But this session with the Udos is one you'll want to save and revisit.
May your marriages reflect God's faithfulness, and may you find strength in every struggle.
With love and encouragement,
Chat with Exceptional Couples Team
P.S. If this session blesses you, please share it with friends who might benefit. And if you're interested in our upcoming marriage training course, let us know by replying to this email!
