On the 4th episode of The Matters Of The Heart podcast, I have the delectable and pretty Mrs Rasheeda Rasheeda-Abeka. She's a Mother, Phlebotomist, Student, Entrepreneur, Health Coach, Fashion Coach and an Ambassador for Equal Rights for Women. 

We covered areas likes:

- 2:00 She Why we should not write ourselves off

- 14:00 How her husband was supportive when she had her health challenge

27:55 Her love story and marriage journey

51:15 What communication is like in her marriage

57:20  Why we should put God first in everything we do in life

On the 3rd episode of The Matters Of The Heart podcast, I have the beautiful and industrious  Mrs Joke Odukoya. Joke is a Registered Childminder and also into Health and Nutrition.  She also has a degree in Health Management in the UK. Most of her education has revolved around education and healthcare which she loves to do with a passion.

   We covered areas likes:

- Giving an opportunity to love again

- Words of encouragement to people who have gone through heart break

- The journey to meeting her husband

- The huge age difference between her and her husband and how communication has played a pivotal role in their marriage. We also covered how her husband has taught her a lot due to the fact that he's way more matured and experienced than she is. 

- Also stressing that age is nothing but a number
  
- Focusing on the inward and not the outward appearance

Today on the show! We'll be talking about having the right companion before going into a relationship or marriage. 

We'll hear David and Cathie share their love story of nearly 48 years in marriage. They share about what it was like getting married as teenagers and what has helped their marriage stand the test of time. David and Cathie are now retired. They both worked as Social Workers and are also into ministry work. They're parents and grandparents who have travelled far and wide as this seems to be what they're passionate about.

We delved into areas like how having the right companion is an advantage in relationship and marriage?

Their relationship and marriage journey - how they met, when and where?

How long they've been married and the  core foundation and values that has bound them together over the years.

The signs that confirmed to them that they were meant to be together.

The important qualities to look out for in a potential life partner.

How they handle their differences.

The pertinent issues we find in relationships today.

How being Christians have been of huge advantage to their marriage.

Today on the show! I'll be talking about having the right mindset before going into a relationship and marriage. I'll be dropping gems this entire episode.

I'll also be sharing [about how a very dear cousin of mine who was pressured by her parents to get married ended up rushing into a marriage which became heart-breaking]. She's the oldest of four siblings and was in her mid-twenties. The wedding ceremony was a colourful one and the parents on the other hand, outshone the couple of the day as this was all they've always wanted.

Problems started shortly after they got married, where her husband began to show his true colour. There were some warning signs she ignored while they were dating as she thought he was going to change after marriage!

Permit to say that you can't change anyone especially after marriage, so as soon as you start seeing the red flags during courtship address it straight away and take all necessary actions.

If the red flag is not properly dealt with during courtship, without a doubt it will get worse in marriage. This is like a ticking time bomb ready to explode at the slightest opportunity.

My cousin was blessed with 3 beautiful children, those were joyous moments to the family. She then realised that she was saddled with 80% of the parental responsibility.

This sure had its toll on her and she got really edgy and defensive. This went on for years and the parents on the other hand, wanted her to stay in the marriage because of stigmatisation and the fear of what people will say.

This had a detrimental effect on her mental health where she decided that leaving the marriage for her sanity and the safety and well-being of the kids are her utmost priority.

With what my cousin went through, it has been my heart cry that no one should go through the same ordeal. Therefore, I strongly believe that having the right mindset, counselling and advice before going into relationships could prevent a disastrous marriage by all accounts.

That's all from me today on the matters of the heart podcast. Thank you so much for listening.

If you haven’t already, go ahead and subscribe to the podcast so you can be the first to know when new episodes drop. I’m really looking forward to sharing everything I know about [relationship and matters of the heart ] with you!

This is a trailer on the matters of the heart podcast