Tales By Gift

Story Title: The pastor who kept saying I love you ....

Episode 4

One Sunday morning, Rachel walked into church expecting another ordinary service. She walked out carrying the heaviest heartbreak of her life.

The atmosphere inside the church felt different.
Everyone looked excited.
People were smiling.
Some members were whispering to one another.
Rachel couldn't understand why.

After the sermon, Pastor Henry stepped onto the altar with a broad smile.
He adjusted the microphone.
Then he said,
"I have an important announcement."
The entire church became quiet.
He smiled again.
Then he said,
"By God's grace... I'll be getting married next month."
Thunderous applause filled the auditorium.
People stood to celebrate.
Some shouted,
"Congratulations, Pastor!"
Rachel smiled too.
At first...
She thought she already knew what was coming.

Then Henry stretched out his hand.
A young woman walked onto the altar.
She stood beside him.
Smiling.
Henry looked proudly at the congregation.
Then he said,
"Everyone... meet Grace, my fiancée."
Rachel felt the entire room spinning.
For a moment...
She wondered if she had heard him correctly.
She stared at the altar.
She couldn't move.
She couldn't breathe.
Nothing around her made sense anymore.
The applause continued.
People rushed forward to congratulate the couple.

Rachel quietly stood up.
Nobody noticed her leave.
She walked slowly to the parking lot.
Entered her car.
Closed the door.
And burst into tears.

That evening...
Her phone rang.
It was Pastor Henry.
She answered immediately.
Her voice was shaking.
"What happened today?"
Henry sounded confused.
"What do you mean?"

Rachel couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"You announced another woman as your fiancée."
A long silence followed.
Then Henry sighed.
"Rachel... where is all this coming from?"
She replied,
"You tell me you love me every day."
Henry answered calmly.
"Rachel... that's the love of Christ."
"I love you as my sister."
"I never asked you to be my girlfriend."
Those words pierced her heart.
Then he said something even more painful.
"Grace and I have been together for over two years."
Rachel slowly closed her eyes.

For two years...
She had been praying for a wedding.
While another woman had been planning one.
In that moment...
She realised the life she had imagined had existed only in her heart.

Heavenly Father, bless this new week with favour, peace, good health, open doors, and unexpected testimonies. May every heart rejoice. Amen.

May heaven open over you this week. May God go before you, remove every obstacle, grant you favor, protect your family, and fill your heart with peace.

Wishing u a fruitful week 🙏🏼

Title: The pastor who kept saying I love you ...

Episode 3

Love wasn't the first thing Pastor Henry asked Rachel for. It was trust. The money came later.
It started with a small request.
One afternoon, Henry called.
His voice sounded hesitant.
"Rachel... can you lend me fifty thousand naira? I'll pay you back as soon as I can."
Without asking any questions...
She transferred the money.

A few weeks later...
Another request came.
Then another.
Twenty thousand.
One hundred thousand.
Two hundred thousand.
Every request came with the same promise.
"I'll pay you back."
Sometimes he did.
Most times...
He didn't.
Rachel never complained.
She never reminded him.
In her heart...
She wasn't helping just her pastor.
She believed she was helping the man she would eventually marry.

Then one afternoon, Henry called sounding unusually excited.
"Rachel... I've finally found the car I've always wanted."
She smiled.
"Really? Congratulations."
He laughed.
"I'm almost there... I'm only short by nine hundred and fifty thousand naira."
There was silence.
Then Rachel asked one question.
"Is that all that's remaining?"
Henry sighed with relief.
"Yes."
Without thinking twice...
Rachel completed the balance.
Henry couldn't stop thanking her.
He kept saying,
"God will bless you."
"I'll never forget this."
Rachel smiled.
She never asked him to sign anything.
She never asked for a receipt.
She never even wrote down how much he owed her.
Because in her mind...
They were building one future together.

By the end of the third year...
Rachel had given Pastor Henry more than five million naira.
Some of it was support.
Some of it was clearly marked...
Loan.
But she never stopped to count.
Because she believed she wasn't losing anything.
She believed she was investing in the future she thought they would one day share.
She had no idea...
She was paying for a future she would never be part of.

Title : The pastor who kept saying I love you ....

Episode 2.....

Weeks turned into months.

Rachel and Pastor Henry became inseparable.

They spoke almost every day.

Some conversations lasted only a few minutes.

Others stretched late into the night.

Whenever Rachel felt discouraged, Henry prayed with her.

Whenever she doubted herself, he reminded her that God had not forgotten her.

He knew everything about her.

Her failed relationships.

Her fear of ending up alone.

Her dream of building a godly home.

Sometimes, before ending a conversation, he would say,

"Rachel, you're special to this ministry."

Other times he would tell her,

"I thank God for bringing you into my life."

Those words meant more to Rachel than he probably realised.

Then one evening, as they ended another phone conversation, Henry said something he had never said before.

"I love you."

Rachel froze.

She smiled to herself.

"Thank you," she replied awkwardly.

The call ended.

But those three words stayed with her.

The next day...

He said them again.

"I love you."

Then the next day.

And the next.

Sometimes he added,

"I love you, sister."

At first, Rachel thought it was unusual.

But as the months passed, those words became part of every conversation.

Eventually, she began replying,

"I love you too."

Pastor Henry never asked her to be his girlfriend.

He never spoke about marriage.

Yet he never corrected the picture that was slowly forming in her heart.

Rachel convinced herself they were taking a different path.

A relationship built on prayer before romance.

Faith before feelings.

Because of that belief...

She quietly turned away every man who showed interest in her.

She believed that if God had truly brought Pastor Henry into her life...

There was no reason to keep looking elsewhere.

She didn't know it yet...

But somewhere else...

Another woman was already planning a wedding with Pastor Henry.

Outfit of the moment. Hope we are not late.