His Over Mine...

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Many plans are in a man's mind, but it is the Lord's purpose for him that will stand. Proverbs 19:21(Amp)

I had plans for this year. Well, when you look at them, they weren’t really plans, probably just vague wishful thinking… but they had sense and reason to them, they were all for a greater purpose. But thank God God’s purpose prevailed over my wishes.

The painful losses I later discovered were gains in disguise… its heart wrecking to think you’ve lost something valuable, but the joy of realizing that it really wasn’t a loss after all... It was such a gain. When you look beyond your emotions in most situations, you’re able to take the moment like a good sport because you know the pinch is worth the pain of now, than the torture of a deep gashing wound in future.

There were pains that brought tears… but ah, what a beauty it was to discover that the ugly of the tears served as the moisture needed for purpose to expand and grow. I asked for growth and it rained… Can I complain about that? The rain that got me soaking wet and messed up my hair and make up, was nourishment to the seeds I planted and look how the tree has grown… I can’t wait for the fruits to ripen and begin to drop.

Some dreams were crushed, but even as I tried to figure it out, I realized that they were only crushed to be reshaped into bigger realities.

I’ve had trust broken enough to make me take a stand against trusting anyone… but then in the betrayals, I’ve learned to love and to trust again in the face of the obvious scorn, because love is all that matters. We don’t give so much power to past betrayals by letting them dictate what our attitudes to others should be like, devoid of openness and love. Love is my anchor, my essence, I breathe and live and survive and joy in love. God loves me, and that clouds my judgment for good, to look at (some of) those who’ve hurt me with eyes of love to a point of foolishness… I admit not everyone has come into my circle of positive vibes, but I’m good to go on this love journey.

I have stretched…  like Isaiah 54 says; I have enlarged the place of my tent, and let the curtains of my inhabitations stretch out, spared not and lengthened my cords and strengthened my stakes. My stretch has taken me farther in faith, in hope, in understanding and in grace.  Oh, it hurts to stretch, to go beyond capacity, but same Isaiah 54 says Fear not, for you shall not be ashamed; neither be confounded and depressed, for you shall not be put to shame. I love the feeling that comes after the discomfort. It’s a good one, especially with knowing that a stretched out heart can’t go back to its previous state, it’s filled with capacity and only gets better.  I have not been put to shame; I have not been disappointed in daring to step out. God has met me every step of the way. Miracle worker He is.

This year I have grown in my understanding, and what this understanding has taught me is that the more you eat, the hungrier you become… the more of God I’ve come to know, the more of Him I want to know.

I’m thankful for His grace and His love.

God has been faithful and I’m not complaining. His plans over mine any day, any year.

We humans keep brainstorming options and plans,

but God’s purpose prevails.

Proverbs 19:21(msg)

2015 has been real… excited for 2016!

Fire On The Mountain...

So what if you’re in a fire right now? A fire that has been heated seven times hotter than what others seem to be going through. Like the three Hebrew boys…

“Nebuchadnezzar, his face purple with anger, cut off Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace fired up seven times hotter than usual. He ordered some strong men from the army to tie them up, hands and feet, and throw them into the roaring furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, bound hand and foot, fully dressed from head to toe, were pitched into the roaring fire. Because the king was in such a hurry and the furnace was so hot, flames from the furnace killed the men who carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to it, while the fire raged around Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm and said, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound hand and foot, into the fire?”

“That’s right, O king,” they said.

“But look!” he said. “I see four men, walking around freely in the fire, completely unharmed! And the fourth man looks like a son of the gods!”

Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the roaring furnace and called in, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the High God, come out here!”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of the fire.

All the important people, the government leaders and king’s counselors, gathered around to examine them and discovered that the fire hadn’t so much as touched the three men—not a hair singed, not a scorch mark on their clothes, not even the smell of fire on them!” Daniel 3:19-27

Maybe this year has felt like you’ve been bond and thrown into a roaring furnace from January to December. But look, it’s the end of the year and you’re standing in victory right in the midst of it. You’re praising God right in the midst of the fire. The only thing that burned off the three Hebrew boys was the shackle. They only things the fire has been able to burn off you are every bondage and shackles.

It’s burned off self. It’s burned off the weight and the flaws, but it hasn’t touched you.

Rest in the midst of the heat. There’s a fourth man in the fire with you, the world and those who’ve wished you evil can testify to that.

Keep praising, that’s your rest, your praise and your trust.

Those outside see the hand of God upon you. And you’re coming out with not a smell of smoke, not looking like what you’ve been through… but better, because self has died, character has formed in the midst of the trial. It’s only Jesus.

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon. Daniel 3:30

Be expectant for the new. What was meant to kill you, to burn your will, to melt your faith, raze your trust and consume you has only brought promotion your way. Be expectant for promotions to come, for higher, for better. Don’t let what you’ve been through this year lower your expectations or determine your joy. Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire that was meant to destroy them and got promotions. The plot to destroy them made a way for their promotion.

God’s got you, and that’s why He’s promised that When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you. Isaiah 43:2

Merry Christmas...

The Word became flesh and blood,

and moved into the neighborhood.

We saw the glory with our own eyes,

the one-of-a-kind glory,

like Father, like Son,

Generous inside and out,

true from start to finish. John 1:14(MSG)

The joy of Christmas, celebrating the birth of our King, the word that became flesh and dwelt amongst us. How precious it is that God moved into the neighborhood… and how glorious that He went a step further, He moved into our hearts and dwells within us. The God of the universe, living within me! Christmas reminds us that He moved into the neighborhood, it’s a season to remember and be thankful that God is always with us, around, above and within us.

Merry Christmas! Now and always, may you continuously see His glory with your own eyes and may His beauty outshine the ugliness the world forms against you. I truly do love you all.

Bewitched?

My mum's friend has been born again since I was little; she dropped the make up, dropped the jewelry, covered up her hair and as much as she is well to do, she lives the heaven bound life in a hell on earth mentality….

We had tons of visitors come over to visit mum after we returned home from her treatment in the UK after been away for months. (Read here) Everyone who came expressed delightful shock at how well she looked, no one could reconcile the robust looking, freshly baked dough look of mum with the one who was really ill and at deaths gate. Most left our home after shedding tears of joy and thanksgiving, because the testimony of God’s goodness and how He came through for her was just so beautiful.

So, one evening, this 'real' born again friend of mum came from out of town to visit, and she had a late lunch at ours. Later that night, after she left, my mum angrily narrated what happened. This friend of hers after hearing mum’s testimony told my mum that God made her ill because He wanted to punish her. * pause * I gasped in shock, seriously?. She then asked mother dearest to clasp her hands together in a certain way and start asking God to forgive her, but before the prayers could start, mother needed to go and clean off her nail polish… (My mum has beautifully shaped nails and they were well painted glossy red)… and she also asked her to take off all her jewelry before the prayer for forgiveness starts. I’m not sure if she was asked to take off her beautiful hair extension as well or get a scarf.

Mum said she was livid, but calmly told her friend she wasn’t doing any of those. She said her God looks at the heart not the outer person. I’m not sure if the prayer was still said.

I was sad when mum told me what happened. I told mum her friend wants her to look as miserable as she does. A plain, solemn look doesn’t translate to salvation. I’m so sad about this sort of bondage people live in, all in the name of religion. God is a loving God, why would you tell a person she was sick because God wanted to punish her? Then why would He heal her in tangible creative ways? Why would He bother with making her whole, stunning even her doctors? Why not make her well half way, and then send thunder to warn her to remove her jewelry lest she dies? Or probably tell her she needs to promise to stop wearing makeup and jewelry before He heals her, because she needs to be taught a lesson?

Why would God want a woman He’s created so beautiful to live beneath the fullness of her beauty especially at her age? Why do we preach religion and leave love out of it? Why do we kill people’s spirits all in the name of religion? Why do we paint out our loving Father as a horrible monster? A God roaming the earth, looking to punish people and bless the select few who take off their jewelry?

Unfortunately, loads of people are in this bondage, where salvation is a bunch of laws, dos and don't… We’ve been so blinded to the truth that grace came to abolish the law, and its not all about a bunch of religious rules and keeping up appearances, its about the heart and the personal relationship with God, the knowledge of His love and grace and mercy and leaning into the goodness of who He is as a loving Father, enjoying the gift of His righteousness as we’re being daily transformed to perfection by His Spirit in us.
The bedrock of Christianity is in the unconditional love of God, so unconditional that He gave us His best even while we were still sinners, to redeem us. God must hate majority and love only a few people if we're going by mums friends doctrine and that is such a senseless thought.

I have nothing against taking off your jewelry and not wearing any makeup, if that’s your personal conviction and not because someone puts a bounty of hell on you if you don’t. I know there are people who genuinely love God, are not religious freaks, and have had personal experiences to make them choose the plain path, but they are not going round bashing, judging and sentencing to hell those who don’t have the same conviction.

"You crazy Galatians! Did someone put a hex on you? Have you taken leave of your senses? Something crazy has happened, for it’s obvious that you no longer have the crucified Jesus in clear focus in your lives. His sacrifice on the cross was certainly set before you clearly enough.

Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying the Law and doing its works, or was it by hearing [the message of the Gospel] and believing [it]? [Was it from observing a law of rituals or from a message of faith?] "

Gal 3:1-2(msg,amp with emphasis) 

We clearly don’t have the crucified Christ in focus when we go around with this mindset of laws and religion when grace has been given in Christ death, burial and resurrection. We’ve lost ourselves in a sea of religion… a set of rules to determine if we’re qualified or not to be called children of God. God knows if I had to work for righteousness, to keep sets of rules or laws, I would be grossly disqualified.

Thank God that He’s not a God that punishes me with horrible diseases just to teach me a lesson because I have red lipstick on.

Who has bewitched us? Put a hex on us?  These bewitched people are going round passing judgment and through fear causing people to move from a loving relationship with God to bondage of rules.

I was unfortunate to catch a part of a program on TV where the preacher was saying “how can you ask God to give you a child when you’re wearing trouseeees(Trousers)” It’s all hilarious, but same time heart wrenching, that after all Christ has done, we still insist on paying our way to heaven by keeping a bunch of rules. Looking gloomy isn’t proof of spirituality. What has my wearing trousers got to do with my ability to bear children?

I saw this post on FB, I’m not sure how it appeared on my timeline, as I'm not friends with the poster.... It's so sad to see how some people live in bondage all in the name of Christianity, you should read the comments underneath this post, people were actually applauding him and damning my weave wearing self. I just want to give us an idea how some people still live in bondage when God has freely given us freedom(I obviously don't endorse it by posting it). This is the hell checklist, as copied and unedited from FB… 

ANY CHRISTIAN THAT STILL USES OR INDULGES IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING LISTED BELOW IS AREALDY ON HIS OR HER WAY TO HELL, EXCEPT HE OR SHE REPENT
FOR GIRLS/WOMEN
1) weavon
2) attachment
3) rubber thread
4) brazilian hair
5) lipstick
6) cortex
7) eyelash/eyeshadow/eye-brows
8) make-up
9)bangles
10) earring both big and tiny ones
11) any woman that wears trousers, even if the trouser is engraved women trouser
12) eye pencil
13) wearing jewry of any type or bead of any type
14) mini skirt, spaggetti, hot mini, show back, show breast, show waist, or wears any tight clothes that shows the body cleavage
15) bleaching cream or any cream that changes the natural colour of the body.
16) drawing of tattoes
17) perming or dieying of hair
18) watching worldly movies, soap opera's, listening to worldly music/secular music
19) going to clubbing/night club or attending worldly parties
20) being into boyfriend and girlfriend relationship
21) being into masturbation/ lesbianism
23) those that sag THIER skirt
and a fornicator, please repent now if you find yourself in any of the listed above or you end up in hell.
FOR THE BOYS/MEN
1F YOU STILL--------------------------------'
1) take or drink alcholic beverages such as star, gulder, hero, 33, small star, burukutu, kaikai, schnapp and so on,
2) those that still barb funky hair style such as galaxy, afro and so on
3) those that still sage THIER trousers and always expose THIER chest
4) those that draws tattoo or fix earring
5) those that break dance
6) those dance worldly-secular music
7) those that watch worldly movies/ soap opera's
8) those that listen or plays worldly music
9) those that smoke
10) those that are into girl friends relationship
11)those sells anything worldly, such as high heels, women trousers and so on
12)those That are homosexuals and fornicator
13) those that plays football
14) thosethat plays demonic games like war or violent games such as prince of persia, brothers in arm, clash of the titans, mortal combat, wrestling and so on, please repent now or perish forever in hell

And that folks is what the road paved to hell looks like, good thing he didn't list perfumes, at least I got something on me that is holy and acceptable, I can’t live a hell on earth heaven bond life not smelling good. I’d rather much just spread my salvation without body odor. 

Don’t be bewitched darlings.

INCENSE Cyprus

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I haven’t been regular here. I have dozens of reasons and excuses about how busy I’ve been, but that doesn’t cut it.

I just got back from Cyprus. I’ve done things beyond what I envisioned this year… and the chance to organize Incense in Cyprus has been so amazing. How beautiful is our God?

Alighthouse international is such a wonderful ministry, and Pastor Obi Anyi is such a blessing, I only got to meet him and in this three days I have been blessed by him.

We were born to worship! Oh, to know and experience the beauty that is found in the place of worship where we are lost in reckless abandon. Where a higher love collides with our fragile human heart and wrecks our soul with its beauty, blinding our eyes to self, and opening our minds to new possibilities and dimensions of truth… barriers are broken in these moments and we are released to worship in Spirit and truth.

In your messed up stance, knees bowed, tears streaking down and mascara ruined… everything stays on fleek!

We get our fleek on basking in Gods love and enjoying His presence in worship.

Maria Itodo... Got to organize INCENSE with this great woman of God.

Pastor Obi Anyi

Adakole William

N.U.T.T.Y Josh

Pastor Atom Ahura

Beautified By Grace...

Heard a song by a talented young lady titled 'Beautified by grace'… and the words have been playing in my head.

Those words mean so much to me, more than words can say. I’ve always been called beautiful, all my life, I grew up hearing how pretty I was from strangers even when I didn’t feel like it. I have been chubby, slim, thin and in-between, and in all that, beauty has remained my constant. Beauty has been a part of my life, like my nose is a part of me… O, some times I see it… well more recently I’ve seen this beauty and basked in it. But the beauty that has floored me, taken over me and driven me crazy is the beauty of grace I have seen in my life. I can’t explain it; it’s beyond the physical of what my nose looks like or the color of my eyes. My goodness, how can anyone ever put to words the splendor of Gods grace and what it does to and for you?

I know just how beautiful I am. I have begun to see what strangers told me from days when I was a little girl… I have begun to see this beauty they talked about, but I see it through the eyes of grace and it makes it even more beautiful, it takes my breath away, as it rightly should. For the beauty of Gods grace should make me die to my flesh. My heart is renewed; fear has taken a back seat and o, the confidence, even in the midst of the uncertainty. Do I make sense?

It’s given me an assurance, given me a stand…. You know how confident we feel when we know we look extra beautiful on certain days? It’s given me confidence.

I can confidently say I’m beautiful. I don’t have to doubt or look for endorsements of my looks via compliments from strangers to know this truth.

You shall also be [so beautiful and prosperous as to be thought of as] a crown of glory and honor in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem [exceedingly beautiful] in the hand of your God. ( Isaiah 62:3 AMP)

  

The word has said it all, I am exceedingly beautiful in the hand of my God. 
Most times, when I get to meet people who've seen my pictures online, they comment on how different I look from my pictures… they say “you look bigger in pictures and you’re so small physically.”

That’s my life… it’s like what I am seen to be in pictures, and how I am seen outside the pictures. I am amplified under the lens of His grace, and I am so small and ordinary outside of this beauty of grace. This grace has given me a new kind of beauty… made me larger than life. Why would I want anything else when I’ve got all the goodness in this?

Listen to and download Beautified By Grace by Naomee Here

Faith On Fleek...

‎Sometimes our strength lies in our willingness to break down.

My grandma is the strongest woman I've ever known... and one of the most stubborn women too. She's the best cook and entertainer as well. I have seen her sick but I've never seen her this ill and weak and restless.

I am strong as well, plus i'm this badass woman of God with my faith on a no crease fleek. I get worried but act like it's nothing, because most times I know it's nothing even when it feels like something. I tell myself it is well and I comfort people that it is well as well.

But the day I saw my grandma weak, the day she looked at me and didn't recognise any of us in the room. The day she was treated like a baby, this strong woman whose shoulders we all stand on... the day I saw her helpless even as my faith assured me that she would be back to herself marching to the kitchen and making my favorite soup with the biggest chicken ever. (The last time she sent soup to me, I was overwhelmed by the size of the chicken, maybe it was a giant chicken... Just maybe, because I kept sighing in frustration as I ate wondering how I would go through it. )

Anyway, my faith was on fleek but my heart was breaking, so I refused to be strong for a few minutes. I stepped out of the room and sobbed like a baby. I broke down and then I cleaned my eyes. Removed all evidence of fear and weakness and walked back to mama and my family.

What a relief that cry was. It made me realize that our strength sometimes is in breaking down, giving in to the emotions of pain, but just for a minute. It becomes a weakness when you let that downpour of pain and heartbreak drag you into a pool of selfpity and depression. That little cry strengthened me as I now move around in faith. Spending all day in the hospital and watching IV after IV flowing into her body and jabs of injections piercing her, knowing the doctors are doing their best, but resting in the truth that God's done His best already through Jesus, and that's our hope, our anchor, our faith on wheels, faith on fleek... 

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This Love...

“For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs." Zephaniah 3:17(NLT)

The message translation says “he'll calm you with his love and delight you with his songs.”

Oh how beautiful this is… to know that God’s calming my fear with His love, wrapping me in the comfort of His love and rocking me like a child and singing all these beautiful love songs to me…

Picture these words dropping all over you... "Child, I have paid the highest price, I have proven my great love for you and I love you through eternity.

Baby, have you heard what I’ve done? What your Daddy’s done? I have destroyed the works of satan, and I have given you victory….

Your Daddy is a great warrior, ho can stand against you?

You are a chosen generation, called forth to show my excellence. All you require for life I have given you sweetheart… you walk in power, you walk in favor, you walk in miracles. My love never fails, never gives up and would never run out on you.

I am jealous for you … O how I love you! My love for you has no end. You’re the apple of my eyes… You’re perfect in my sight. You’re my treasure. You’re worth dying for. I gave my life for you because you are beautiful and you have my heart. I have so much faith in you.

O, I’m your Father and all that I have is yours.

I love you sweet child. Rest in my love… be at peace. I gave up my best for you; all that I have is yours. I am your miracle worker; nothing is too hard for me to do for you. And everything I have done for you.

This love breaks every chain... this love sets you to reign in the midst of your enemies. This love is undeniable, unquestionable... more real that your skin. I love you my precious one."

Isn’t this glorious? The words of love He showers down on us. Drenching us in His glory. How can’t you know just how loved you are? Why can’t you understand just how special and precious you are to Him? Even if you just sinned… He loves you!!!

‘…. God told them, "I've never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!’ Jer 31:3(MSG)

Expect love love love all the way.

Now think about the worse thing you’ve ever done? It’s that terrible right? Now… just picture this, God isn’t mad at you. He loves you fiercely just as much as He loves Jesus even in your sin. He's forgiven you even before you've asked. Accept His forgiveness and bask in this love.
"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Romans 5:8 

It’s hard to imagine a love so pure and real and true… it’s hard to imagine that He loves the robbers and murderers the same, and would embrace them with the same love He showers on the pope/saints/pastors out there… sometimes it’s almost annoying because we think they don’t deserve this grace. Well look at you, do you deserve grace? That's the beauty of His love, it's all inclusive.

The story of the prodigal son is the story of a loving Father.(Luke 15:11-32) Lets not focus on the sin of the boy, but on the love of the Father. A love he kept alive and hopeful even when the son left His presence. He still spoke words of love in his hope for the sons return even if the son couldn’t hear. But look, just the steps back home, in repentance sent the Father on a love frenzy… he didn’t give his son the chance to walk with his head down, He ran off and welcomed him with royal robes and such an outpouring of love, that he had no choice but to take his stand as a son immediately, not a rebel placed with the servants.

Don’t beat yourself down for the mistakes you’ve made. God’s forgiven you and He’s singing over you songs of love. Now run to your Fathers arms and bask in the love feast He’s throwing for you.

O, yes, your older brothers and I may condemn you for what you’ve done and try to put a dent on your love feast, but pay them no mind! Know that Daddy’s so glad you’ve been found.

One of my favorite songs of the moment... It's all about this love!

Hide The Money, DIsplay The Treasure....

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I worked on Adeyemo Alakija street in V/I. One day I had to carry out a transaction at the bank. I had five million naira cash in my possession; it wasn’t an official transaction thus I couldn’t interfere with the company’s drivers schedule for a bank run. The bank I needed to pay in the money to was about five blocks before my office, only problem was it was a one way street and I would have to drive round the block in traffic for another 30minutes or so to get to a destination that was about a five minute walk, I wasn’t ready to do that or deal with finding parking around the bank.

So I picked up the Louis Vuitton carrier bag with stacks of one thousand naira notes, and headed out to the bank. As scared as I was, I was quite confident that no one would approach me because they had no idea what I carried although I was quite creeped out when okadas drove by me. No one expects the nice looking lady to be holding five million naira cash on a busy road, that’s what gave me guts to keep going. I can’t say how relieved I was when I eventually stepped into the gates of the bank.

See, we’ve all got treasures hidden in us, and we walk the streets of the world and no one knows what we carry because we’ve got it hidden in a nice carrier bag. We have nice jobs, or not so nice jobs that feel empty, but we do them anyway while the treasure just sits dormant in these bags. If people had an idea what I carried that afternoon, the thieves would try to steal it, and the sensible ones would try to beg me, because what I’ve got is an answer to their problems.

If you don’t show what you’ve got, no one would have need for you, because they have no idea what you've got.

Sing if you can sing, dance if you can dance, make hair if you can do that. Don’t roam this world with your treasure hidden, even in the nice job that makes you feel empty, find a way to display your talents.

In the world our physical treasures need to be hidden to be safe, but the treasures within us, the one that is worth more than material things are not given to be kept away safely. They are given to be displayed on the streets of the world, they are given so people can come and draw from them, get blessed by them.  Yes, some people would try to take advantage of you, like thieves would have tried to rob me if they knew what I carried. But let them try, that’s no excuse to hide out. There will always be people ready to undermine what you do, steal your ideas, use you for their gains… but don’t let that stop you. Take the risk.

There are people who are up there with their talent, but don’t let that stop you. i.e Beyonce is way up there with her talent, and there you are with more treasure than she’s got and you’re still so far from where she is. Listen, the only difference is that the streets she displayed her treasure on had more people or the right people. It doesn’t make you less talented, you still sing better, display it on your street and someone from the right street would see and desire to draw from you. If its only about blowing, then you don’t know what you have.

Stop hiding your treasures. You love to clean house, then clean house that’s a gift that can’t be underestimated. You love to talk, then talk your way into hosting events, and talk shows etc Just do it, express yourself, show off the beautiful treasure God’s put within you. He knows why He gave you of all people the love for dance/cleaning and not me… He knows what you can do with it, the life you would affect, even it if’s just open person… 

In Luke 19:20 The third servant made no returns from the treasure given him, he said “I hid your money and kept it safe” God doesn’t want you to hide your treasure, to play safe with it.

“Yes,’ the king replied. ‘and those who use well what they are given even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even that little they haave will be taken away.” Luke 19:26

Put your treasure to good use… and even more will be given. New ideas to be the best at what you do, unique in your field.

Beauty In The Ugly....

I was driving the other day when suddenly the weather changed! The clouds went dark and it was so windy. It got me upset; I had to drive back home. There was no question of making any more stops.
In the midst of my grumbling, I noticed how beautiful the dark clouds that came to ruin my day looked. 

I was driving the other day when suddenly the weather changed! The clouds went dark and it was so windy. It got me upset, i had to drive back home. There was no question of making any more stops.  In the midst of my grumbling, i noticed how beautiful the dark clouds that came to ruin my day looked. God is truly beautiful in all His ways. Even in the midst of the storms life throws at you, there's the beauty of God's love shinning through. When you take your eyes off the frustrations, the fear, the worry and focus on the love of God.... You'll find yourself joyful in the midst of the storm. When your eyes are fixed on the beauty of Jesus and the sweetness of His love, you'll walk on water! For real. All things work together for your good. In other words, #chillbabychill God's got you. He's beautiful for your situation.

A video posted by Joy Akut (@inyamu_fq) on Oct 13, 2015 at 11:30am PDT

 

God is beautiful in all His ways. Even in the midst of a storm, when the storm is rising up, if you take your eyes off fear, off the blistering winds and look beyond the dark clouds forming, You will see the beauty of God in it. When you can see it, that in the midst of all these, God is there, still God and still beautiful in all His ways, then you’ll believe that all things work together for your good because God loves you.

“We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.” (Romans 8:28 AMP)

In every ugly situation in our lives… lets try to take our eyes off how horrible it is, or how hurt we are, and focus on God and how much He loves us, in doing that we’ll see His beauty right in the midst of it. O, we’ll still be in the storm, but we’re able to handle it better, to persevere because we know it can only work for our good.

No plan of the enemy, no destruction of his can dispute the fact that our God is a good God who loves us. Take your eyes off the storm like Peter, focus on the beautiful face of a loving God and you’ll find yourself walking on water right in the midst of the storm.

"Stop being mad! This battle was not personal but purposeful. If you humble yourself and trust God, you will never forget these lessons, and hell will NEVER forget this loss." Tera Carrisa Hodges
In ALL things, give thanks. What the enemy means for evil, God turns it for your good. God is too smart and too good to let the devil win in your life; He's won already (remember the cross?) So even when the enemy wages war against you, he's only creating a path for a greater good to come for you, he's working for you although in his 'wisdom' he feels like he's working against you! Look how He killed off Jesus in his wisdom, clueless that in the ugliness of the cross was the beauty of salvation. God used that for our good. “But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.”1  Corinthians 2:8(NLT)

I see beauty everywhere. I see beauty in every season, even when it hurts, even when my heart pounds with fear… there’s a still voice within me reminding me of who I am and whose I am… reminding me that things can only get better, because God’s turning it for my good. Nudging me to look beyond my pain and see the bigger picture of the beauty bursting forth from it all.

Traffic Light... "Stop!' says the Red light, "Go!' says the Green.

While travelling to Abuja, we got to a traffic light in Lafia that was on red but the cars ahead just kept moving, and my friend who was driving went right on with the other cars. I was shocked that he did that, not because I hold a higher standard (cause I may have done the same thing in that situation) but because he isn’t someone to jump a light or even if he was, his dad was travelling with us, so maybe he would have pretended to be that person who wouldn’t jump the light. Thus I took the holier than thou stance and asked him why he moved while the light was on red. He went “really? I didn’t notice it was red, I just followed the cars.”

And of course, my wisdom cap came on when he made that statement. Most times we just go right on and follow people to do things when it’s clearly not right for us. We start the poultry business because A’s successful at it. We get married because we’re turning a certain age and our mates are long gone in the marriage game, we strive to travel for summer vacations because neighbors are doing it even when we can't afford it, we go natural because everyone seems to be doing it, we start a church because those we served with have moved on to have their churches, no personal revelation, and so we just go right ahead, and half way through, we crash, because we weren’t ready, the light was on red, but the cars ahead were moving and so we just moved along. I know a lady who's dipped her hands in different businesses she has no business being in, that the one thing she's perfect at has been pushed to the side. And no, those businesses aren't doing great, she's suffered loss from them. She just followed the bandwagon!

We follow other people’s paths, we don’t follow Gods timing or instructions. There’s nothing wrong with waiting, when you’re waiting on instruction, when the light is red, but there’s something terribly wrong when we stay still when the lights green. Know the difference.

When He says wait we just move on, why wait when you can move? Look other people are going. When you see people do things, hear for yourself; get your personal revelation before plunging right in.

You would do wrong when your eyes are not on God, His word and direction but rather on the cars ahead, you could crash jumping traffic, running on a traffic that isn’t God.

Peter toiled all night for fish and caught nothing! Jesus came to His boat asked him to launch into the deep again, and there was a big catch, an overflow. Now if you were a fisher man and you saw Peter and his friends coming in with his spoils that early morning, you would get in your boat and head out in that direction to fish, and toil and sweat, and waste time without getting anything. Why? Jesus asked Peter to move and he got a supernatural catch where there was previously nothing after toiling all night. Jesus was involved in his success, he launched out because Jesus gave the word, that’s why he was successful that morning, there was a personal revelation.(Luke 5)

I was on instagram and saw a former school mates post… she made herself some  cabin flakes. I got all nostalgic; I wanted it! If you didn’t do boarding school in Nigeria, you’ll find this hard to understand, and I’ll find it impossible to explain just how this ridiculous meal was a treat to us. So, because I saw her having it, not because I craved it, I went down to the shop and bought myself a packet of cabin biscuit (little rant… after all these years the pack still looks horrible, like seriously?) I put in the milk and sugar and a little water, just like we made it back in the day, but I couldn’t even take a spoonful of it. It was disgusting… what were we thinking? I couldn’t stand it. You see I made that out of someone’s own revelation, not mine. It’s something I would never have thought of doing again, I just followed her. When you follow blindly, you don’t get the same satisfaction.

Why are you doing what you do? Are you following or you’re convicted? Remember, life’s simpler and you may run into less hassles or confusions if you’re doing it for you, answering your own call, and not their call, not about who’s doing what and not.

When you’re called to a thing, hear for yourself.

Bishop Jakes said, “The right thing done at the wrong time breaks the rhythm.” Moving forward is the right thing, but if you do that when the light is red, you run the risk of crashing, right thing, wrong time... broken rhythm.

October 1st

I love Nigeria!

I’m proud to be a Nigerian…

Happy Independence Day! 

God bless Nigeria.