Pig Today, Bacon Tomorrow...

I saw a pig and I was disgusted (I’m always disgusted when I see pigs)… I saw bacon and my heart leaped with glee. Lesson? Don’t write people off, you never know how yummy their finished product is.

God is still working.

The moment of rejection of the pig was just a process. It was going through life hated and rejected. It lived through it knowing it had a greater purpose. It had to die to be enjoyed. Whatever anyone’s going through right now, it’s to serve his greater purpose. Of course we aren’t going to kill you and eat your ribs or make bacon out of you…. But I’m sure you’ll serve a nice dish to the world with your purpose, outside the struggle of not being accepted and being looked down on, this phase would die as you birth that which you were created for and be a blessing to the world.

Be careful whom you turn your nose up on. They could be a pig today, but I bet ya, they’ll be bacon tomorrow… and you’ll be in the dog house salivating, because the bacon is so enticing, but you’ve judged it so harshly, it’ll be a shame for you to come eating.

“Don’t judge me from where I start, judge me by where I finish!” Bishop T. D Jakes

(Peppa Pig is the best pig in the world and I love her. Anyone who uses her for bacon has me to deal with... she's just the cutest little british accent speaking sweetheart. I'll never turn my nose up at Peppa, I'll give her kisses and read her bed time stories if given the chance :))

Miracles, Magic, Illusions, A Figment of my Imagination...

Miracles, magic, illusions, a figment of my imagination… call it whatever, all I know is that, it is all God! And I’m thankful.

My mum has been undergoing treatment in London. She had an ultra sound done in the course of her treatment and her consultant saw something, a growth between her pancreas and blab la bla. He was worried. He pointed it to her and said all he had to say before booking her for a CT scan the following Saturday. Now this was a completely different issue from what she was being treated for...

I had not come to join them in London when this happened. I was still in Lagos, my sister and I couldn’t attend the March Holy Ghost service billed for Friday as much as we wanted to and we couldn’t watch it online because we had a vigil somewhere. She called my sister in London on a whim and asked her to make sure my mum watched the Holy Ghost service of that night. It’s usually aired on OHTV.

As the service was going on, in the style of Pastor Adeboye, where he stops in the middle of a message and gives a word of prophecy “the Lord said…”

He gave a word; the Lord said He’s already done a surgery on you, no need for one… or something like that. It had to do with surgery anyway. My sister true to her nature, along with her kids gave a loud shout of Amen.

The next day was the scheduled day for the CT scan. The result of the scan? Call it a miracle, an illusion, a delusion, whatever you call it… It was God and that’s all that matters to me. The doctor was stunned. My sister said he looked puzzled. He was so sure of what he saw in the ultra sound, but the scan came up with nothing. Absolutely nothing! Where there was a growth, he saw a scar, thus he asked mum if she had surgery before, cos it looked like a scar from a surgery…. Like for real? Surgery? The woman’s never been under the knife. It was a heavenly surgery; God took the growth out and left evidence that He really did do it. He left a scar. God just waltzed in and beat the doctor to the surgery.

Now that’s what I call a miracle.

These are just little glimpses of the illusions, delusions, magic… whatever it is you call the miracles of God that I see in my life and the life of my family daily. Little things that really are big deals that just shows me how real God is to me, how much He loves me and mine, how He’s always there and steps ahead of every battle we face, going ahead and making all things right.

I believe in Miracles.

Do you believe in miracles? Call it whatever you want to, but I believe in it. I believe in God and His wonder working power.

Hail My King...

'Hail My King' is one of the tracks off Obiora Obiwon's latest album 'Gold Water' featuring Frank Edwards, Eben, Kenny K'ore, Nikky Laoye and produced by Phat E.

The just released video was directed by St. Imaculate.
Let's hail our King :)

#NoFilter

#Nofilter… That’s a harsh tag of pride on instagram. It says “hey look at me, I’m pretty all by myself… no help from  the instagram filters, my photo just turned out great and showed how great my skin tone is and how beautiful I am.”

I love the filters on some days…. What’s the fun in instagram if you don’t use the filters? That’s the whole point. Make the world see you as fabulous as you want! It’s unfair the pressure to conform to no filters on your pictures to prove a point. Sometimes I don’t use filters, because, who cares? Thus I see it as “what’s the big deal?” when I see the harsh tags on some pictures.

Of course you know this isn’t about instagram and it’s filters. Sure you know? Yes you know!

As much as we love to show off that we’re really naturally stunning without filters on instagram, I’ve got to confess I walk around in reality with a filter on my life, from my head to toe, from the inside spilling out to my outside, and I really don’t care because well, I don’t care and I’m not ashamed to say I’m not perfect the way I am in reality, I need filters to get me through life, to get the only one who matters in the world to double click on my being. If He (God) is not liking my picture, then I have no business posting any.

The blood of Jesus that was spilled is my filter. The blood is my cover, the blood makes me more beautiful than you can ever imagine beauty to be…  By myself, in my #nofilter state, I am a sore sight to God, covered from head to toe in filth. My good works and self-transforming makeup is not enough to get me approved and get the like that matters. And so the precious blood of Jesus came to my rescue…. It makes me perfect in the sight of God. It transforms the plain sinful me into a flawless perfection in God’s presence. I can come boldly before Him to obtain mercy. I can confidently call Him father… I am righteous, I am justified, I am Holy, and I am victorious because of the blood. He calls me His beloved, He calls me friend, He knows my name, His mind is full of me, He double clicks and keeps double clicking on my being because He sees me how He sees Jesus, and He has adopted me into sonship, I am His princess, His daughter, His baby.

The blood is my filter to the world, my wisdom, my advantage, my favor, my door opener, my provider… thankful for the blood.

“This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.

Colossians 1:21-22(NTL with emphasis)

And as the lyrics of Hillsong's 'Man of sorrow'  goes “Oh that rugged cross my salvation. Where Your love poured out over me. Now my soul cries out Hallelujah... Praise and honor unto Thee” 

My soul really does cry out halleluiah, praise and honor to that lamb that was slain, to the sweet Jesus who gave it all up for me, whose body was broken and whose blood spilled just for me. Isn’t He amazing? Do you go about with a #nofilter harsh tag in life, or have you subscribed to the fabulous life of the greatest filter in the world? Easter is a great time to reflect and get your priorities right. You really aren't cool with no filter. Your natural beauty is hideous.

“When God looks at you today, He sees Jesus. He is not judging, esteeming and measuring you according to your imperfections. He sees you in Christ and His thoughts toward you are thoughts of loving-kindness, forgiveness, blessings and favor. Jesus paid an immensely heavy price at the cross so that you can live life completely accepted and unconditionally loved by God.” Joseph Prince

 “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9And since we have been made right in God’s’ sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.” Romans 5:8-12(NLT)

#DearLostMe

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Dear lost me,

Look where I am now. I got out of that place of blurriness; I got out of the backstreet of pain and insecurity. I got out of that place you left me, thinking I was done for. I stayed still long enough, wrapped up in all the insecurities you threw my way, wanting better, but thinking I wasn’t meant for that good and perfect life. Loving my beauty but being made to believe it was all a curse, a gift that never was worth the pain, destroying myself slowly in my insecurities. Wanting to grasp at the love of Jesus, but feeling unworthy in my filth.

Here I am, far from where you ever thought I would be, living a life that is rich and satisfying in everyway, realizing that the good life is far beyond what you made me believe, what the fairytales I got lost in painted for me. Looking in the mirror and sending a prayer of thanks for the wonderful creature that I am. Realizing that every part of me is a precious gift, made with exquisite care and not a curse. I am royalty, a princess so precious in the eyes of the King of all kings, and His mind is full of me. I am His precious gift to the world.  The world has been waiting for me, groaning for me to manifest my purpose, and I’m ready to satisfy its cry.

I’m finally able to rise above myself and see me in the eyes of God, as I lay in His arms of love. A love that found me, washed me, and restored me, making me perfect in all my imperfections.

I don’t hate you… I don’t resent you.  If I were never lost, I would never know the joy of being found. If you didn’t take me to that lonely alley, I’m not sure I would have been able to understand this grace that I receive, and the love and redemption of one so pure and holy. The depth you threw me in was just a springboard for a higher height of glory. I would never have come this far if I was never taken back so far. Today I stand as an emancipated woman, as I lift my hands in praise… look how much I’ve changed from who I once was, brought out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Yours Truly

Redeemed me.

Sarah Jakes started a campaign for the release of her new book Lost & Found: Finding HOPE in the Detours of Life. She’s encouraged people to send in their Lost me letters. Reading different stories on lost and found has shown me you can’t be too lost to be found, too broken to be fixed, too dead to live. What’s your story?  There’s always hope in the detours of your life.

Road Trip...

Driving with my mum is ‘interesting’. She sits and everything is fine till she stops in the middle of a nice conversation and gently exclaims, “Watch it”. That pisses me off.

“Don’t go”… of course I’m not going mother, I’m watching as much as you are and I can see a speeding car coming. Or she goes “wait” even when I can go, the road is clear and the trailer is miles awayyyy. I can go dear mother, I cherish my life as much as you cherish yours and mine.

My mum is apprehensive when I drive her (now that's funny, because I attempt to be gentle with potholes when she’s in the car, my body aches from being extra careful for her sake, but I guess, I’m never careful enough with her)

Its amusing how on the other hand, she comfortably sits home and sends me to a dozen places without baiting an eyelid.

Sometimes she throws in a “be careful” if its on an extremely busy road.

I wonder how come she trusts me to drive safe when I’m alone. She trust me to “watch it” and “wait” and “move out of the way” on my own, but when she’s in with me… that trust is broken.

You see, I’m like my mum today. I have been able to encourage people and tell them it’s aright, trusting God for them, and believing God will do it without having to ask Him or bug Him. I send them off in the car God is driving, on that road trip, trusting they’ll be all right, trusting God will know when to “watch out” and “go slow” in their lives. I sit comfortably at home as I send them along saying “don’t worry, God is in control… it is well” and knowing deep within that it really is, because I know just how good God is.

It’s that easy.

My mum hasn’t been feeling well for a little while now. Today, I’m riding in the car with God. It’s my turn and like mum, as much as I trust Him to take those who come to me safely on their journey, I still feel the urge to try to control Him as He drives me. I know He’s the best driver ever… I know what His word says. I know all is well, because right in this vehicle, I have seen how ill my mum was and I see her taking recovery steps that can only be God. But I fiddle with my prayers. I just can’t seem to sit back and relax like I do when I’m not in the car. I want Him to “go now” “speed up” go past the traffic light. "Could you do this a little faster Lord? I know you’re a perfect driver, but I just have to speed you up on this drive. I know I can trust you, but I really don’t want to be here this long. I want to see the finished works of her healing right now. I have the word, but I need the manifestation right now." That's how I've felt for so long. I literally got sick with worry, lost do much weight, because I chose being a nagging passenger, instead of relaxing on the ride.

I know it is well… it’s all down at His feet. Thank God that He is more patient with me than I am with mum when she tries to control the way I drive. He gently comforts me when I interrupt, I’m thankful He never snaps at me even as much as I know how annoying trying to make the driver drive my way is annoying. I have learned to sit back and relax and even when I hit the imaginary accelerator with my feet, trying to use some telepathy to control His movement because I want Him to go faster. His ways are better than mine, His pace better and He knows how best to handle my deepest burdens. He’s given His word, It’s taken a few weeks but we’re here, so deep into recovery, it can only be God! 

“I don’t think the way you think.

The way you work isn’t the way I work.”

God’s Decree.

“For as the sky soars high above earth,

so the way I work surpasses the way you work,

and the way I think is beyond the way you think.

Just as rain and snow descend from the skies

and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth,

Doing their work of making things grow and blossom,

producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry,

So will the words that come out of my mouth

not come back empty-handed.

They’ll do the work I sent them to do,

they’ll complete the assignment I gave them

Isaiah 55:8-11(MSG)

Whatever you’re trusting God for, whatever word He’s given that you’re holding on to, keep trusting. His words never return to Him void, they do their work and go back with the rejoicing of our heart. It is His good pleasure to bless us and grant us the desires of our heart. Remember that in all your worries. God is the best driver to go on a road trip with. I would willingly go on a hundred road trips with God as my driver than go on a smooth ride without Him behind the wheels.