Buyer Beware

Ola Zaccheus

Description

The decision of who to date and marry can be daunting. The wrong choice can literally jeopardise your future. Many have made the wrong choices and are full of regrets, pain and sorrow. You don't have to make a wrong choice. In this book, the author gives several tips on how you can make this decision without having any regrets.

In Buyer Beware, the author highlights the different platforms in which you can find considerable choices for a marriage partner. Some venues may be more conducive to finding the right partner than other places. The most important thing is to always involve God in the process. This is because pretenders abound everywhere and one must really be able to discern genuine people from the fake ones. It is helpful to understand that there is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. It is in your best interest to receive the perfect will of God when it comes to marriage.

If you consider yourself marriage material, then you must know that your real character and how you present yourself to others matter a lot. It is important to take good care of yourself because how you look will be the first thing others will see.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Christian Living
• Philosophie et théologie
• Marriage
• Love

Informations

• Publié par: eBookIt.com
• Date de parution: 21 décembre 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780995506701
• Langue: English

Extrait

The decision of who to date and marry can be daunting. The wrong choice can literally jeopardise your future. Many have made the wrong choices and are full of regrets, pain and sorrow. You don’t have to make a wrong choice. In this book, the author gives several tips on how you can make this decision without having any regrets.
 
 

 
 
OLA ZACCHEUS
 
Scripture quotations noted GNT are taken from the Good News Translation.
 
Scriture quotations noted NIV are taken from the New International Version.
 
Scripture quotations noted AMP are taken from the Amplified Bible.
 
Scripture quotations noted KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
 
Scripture quotations noted NKJV are taken from the New King James Version.
 
 
Copyright © 2016 by Ola Zaccheus
 
 
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
 
 
ISBN: 978-0-9955067-0-1
 
 
Published in eBook format by Ola Zaccheus
Converted by http://www.eBookIt.com
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My appreciation, love and gratitude go to my late dad, HRH Oba L.O Oyelana, Oloni of Oni (Fiwagbade 1) and my mum, Mrs R.A Oyelana (Retired Matron, General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria). My parents worked very hard to give my siblings and myself a qualitative education. I am immensely grateful for their love and sacrifice.
 
Special thanks to Pastor E.A Adeboye and Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye (General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and Wife of the General Overseer) for their spiritual parenting for over two decades. Their godly parenting has helped to shape my life.
 
My gratitude goes to Pastor Tunde Balogun for writing the foreword and reviewing this book.
 
My warm regards go to my English teacher in secondary school, Mr Kwasi Opare, who went above and beyond his duty as a teacher to follow my journey from secondary school till now. Teachers like him are very rare. You are very much appreciated sir.
 
My deep appreciation goes to my husband, Pastor Adeniyi Zaccheus, for his love, support and kindness, especially in this book project.
 
My warm and kind regards go to my three lovely children, AanuOluwapo, Oluwatobiloba and IreOluwatunde. I have said it again and again: You are the best!
 
Finally, my greatest appreciation goes to the Giver of life, my Maker, my Sustainer, my Everything. I love You Lord! To You alone be all the glory.
FOREWORD
In Buyer Beware , the author highlights the different platforms in which you can find considerable choices for a marriage partner. Some venues may be more conducive to finding the right partner than other places. The most important thing is to always involve God in the process. This is because pretenders abound everywhere and one must really be able to discern genuine people from the fake ones.
 
It is helpful to understand that there is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. It is in your best interest to receive the perfect will of God when it comes to marriage.
 
If you consider yourself marriage material, then you must know that your real character and how you present yourself to others matter a lot. It is important to take good care of yourself because how you look will be the first thing others will see.
 
There are different types of characters in the world and you need to know the strengths and weaknesses of your potential marriage partner so that you can decide if you can live with him or her.
 
You must make an informed choice as on no ground should you be forced into marriage. Transparency is critical as important information must not be kept from your spouse-to-be.
 
Finally, the author encourages pre-marital counselling which is extremely beneficial and covers crucial areas such as faith, finances, family, friends, use of time and much more.
 
Pastor Tunde Balogun
The Redeemed Christian Church of God
Kingsborough Family Church
Hayes, United Kingdom
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
PART I - BE INFORMED, BE AWARE
CHAPTER 1 - AN INFORMED CHOICE
CHAPTER 2 - BUYER BEWARE
PART II - THE FOUR P COMPONENTS OF MARKETING
CHAPTER 3 - INTRODUCING THE FOUR ‘P’S
CHAPTER 4 - PLACE
CHAPTER 5 - PRICE
CHAPTER 6 - PRODUCT
CHAPTER 7 - PROMOTION
PART III - OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
CHAPTER 8 - FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS
CHAPTER 9 - YOUR CHOICE
CHAPTER 10 - PREPARING FOR MARRIAGE
CONCLUSION
INVITATION
 
INTRODUCTION
The dating or courtship scene can be likened to a market where eligible men and women are on the lookout for who to marry. This is not to suggest in any way that people sell themselves or allow themselves to be bought for money. Indeed, every form of slavery, trafficking of children and adults as well as all forms of subjugation perpetrated against humans should not be tolerated by right thinking people.
 
What this book seeks to highlight is the fact that every time a man or woman is ready to get married, he or she consciously or unconsciously enters an existing market that is filled with eligible, not so eligible and downright ineligible men and women. This market can be called the dating market or the marriage market. The choice that is ultimately made by a man or woman emanates from this market, hence the need to provide information about how this market operates. When an eligible man or woman understands how this market operates, it is then easier to make an informed choice.
PART I - BE INFORMED, BE AWARE
CHAPTER 1 - AN INFORMED CHOICE
A few years ago, I took some Marketing courses when I was studying for an MBA in the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. I found the information gained from those courses very useful when writing this book. Without meaning to state the obvious, I realise that everyone is involved in some form of marketing every day. The student works very hard to make a good impression with his lecturers. The office worker works hard constantly to impress the boss. Married folks strive to look good for their spouses. The single guy or lady pays a great deal of attention to his or her looks, carriage and comportment because he or she could have a chance meeting at any time with his or her future spouse.
 
Why is it important to make an informed choice?
It is important to make an informed choice when purchasing a product in order to avoid consumers’ dissonance. Dissonance in Marketing is when there is a conflict or tension within a consumer before or after purchasing a product. This is an uncomfortable feeling for the consumer and usually leads to the buyer taking her money elsewhere or experiencing remorse over the purchase. Marketers seek to eliminate dissonance and encourage positive emotions when people are considering the purchase of their products. This leads to longer-lasting business relationships and raises the chances of repeat purchases in the future. (Jonathan Lister in his book, ‘What is Dissonance in Marketing?’ )
 
One of the ways to avoid consumer dissonance as it relates to the dating market is to thoroughly scrutinise the choices of products before buying. If consumer dissonance occurs after marriage has been contracted, this results in marriage dissolution through separation or divorce. Divorce is a course of action to avoid because the scriptures say in Malachi 2:16a NKJV, ‘For the Lord God of Israel says that he hates divorce.’
 
Just as it is possible to make an informed choice about a product which would lead to the satisfaction of the buyer, it is also possible to make a good choice of spouse that will result in satisfaction for both parties. Conversely, a person can make a wrong choice of spouse that will create a massive dissatisfaction in both parties. In the advanced countries, a buyer is given a window to return any product which he is not entirely satisfied with. Let’s assume a buyer purchases a television and then realises that it is a wrong brand or perhaps the product is defective. Or perhaps the buyer has realised a need to conserve his cash for contingencies. When the buyer realises the above, he does not panic. This is because he can return the television to the seller within a specified number of days (ranging from 28 days to 90 days depending on the product).
 
Though this opportunity exists in the advanced countries, not many people take advantage of it and I am one of those people. Years ago, I used to buy products for resale from Italy, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. The UAE at that time was not favourably disposed towards the returns of products bought. So every time I was shopping in the UAE, I had to be sure that I was satisfied with the items I was buying as they could not be returned. Also, in my present life in the UK, I am usually pressed for time and it is very inconvenient for me to make two trips to the same shop because of a product; one trip to buy and the second trip to return the product due to dissatisfaction.
 
So, in order to avoid having to return a product, when I get into any shop, I say a simple prayer for guidance and then ensure that I am happy with the product before I buy. Now, if I am this circumspect when purchasing an inanimate product, how much more then should anyone be circumspect when the decision they are about to make involves a relationship that could metamorphose into marriage, which is a life-long commitment.
 
Human beings are extremely complex. A man or woman is superior to anything or any animal that exists on the earth. Therefore, when making a choice of who to marry, recognise that you will select someone that you probably only know 10% of by the time you get married. Other layers about that person will be revealed to you gradually with time. It is wise to ensure that the co