Wednesday 27 February 2013

A New Beginning Everyday

He noticed some people snigger as he climbed up the alter to share his testimony....but he didn't blame them. He would have sniggered himself if he were in their shoes. How many times had he come to this same place to say he was done with alcohol only to find himself right back where he started. Everyone knew his struggle with alcohol abuse. How many times had his marriage been on the verge of collapse because of his countless drunken stupor. But today he was really tired. Alcohol was rubbing him off the chance of living a good life with a happy home. He knew better than everyone else how many times he'd been in that position of brokenness but he'd rather be here than anywhere else. Finally, He'd recognise that he couldn't get rid of his destructive habit on his own. He needed a superior power to break this vicious circle lest he finds himself right where he most dreaded. Finally, he'd found it in the holy spirit and a support network of true friends who don't judge him by his mistakes but were in his life to help him....that's why he didn't mind the sniggers because this time it was different. He was truly having a fresh start. For many years I was in that very same position. It seemed shame and failure had a stronghold on me. I would complain and cry every day. I could not truly share my challenges for fear of being judged weak. My life was stuck in the past and I could not see beyond it. I was in a very dark place until I realised it was possible to have a new beginning. Imagine my delight when I realised the past could not hold me captive or prevent me from enjoying life. Mind you, it was an uphill task and several times I slipped and fell back into depression but I managed to find my feet yet again. It doesn't matter how far gone you are in a negative circumstances or destructive behaviour, you can have a new beginning and this offer is not seasonal but an everyday experience. You may find yourself repeating those mistakes despite your better intentions, I want you to know good intentions can't help much but faith in Jesus and the Holy Spirit would break every sinful cycle in your life. HE IS STRONGER. God does not desire Sin to have dominion over us. YOU CAN OVERCOME. The joy of a new day is the light it offers no matter how dark the night was. Are you ready for that fresh start today? God's love is like fresh bread straight from a baker's oven simmering with healthy goodness and ready to serve(now I want to eat bread....Agege bread to be precise. it’s a special kind of bread made in Nigeria. You can’t duplicate it serious...lol. If it aint Agege bread then it’s not Agege bread!). If a new beginning was not possible, God would not have sent his son to die for us. Lamentations 3:22-23 "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" So let's give that filthy feeling of failure a big kick in the butt and enjoy A NEW BEGINNING THAT WE DESERVE.

Tuesday 19 February 2013

PRAISE PEP

I'm not a fan of energy drinks. Not that I have anything against them but I'm already hyper without need for extra help. I remember back in the days a good friend's brother would call me "Igbo"-weed-because of my loko attitude. Now imagine somebody already thought to be on weed now taking energy drinks that are purported to contain stimulants...I leave the answer to your imagination. Energy drinks as the name implies are beverages that give extra burst of energy and act as physical or mental stimulants. It contains chiefly caffeine found in tea/coffee and sugar. The purpose of energy drink is to give that extra punch when one is physically and mentally depleted or exhausted. I read a study recently that said some people mix energy drinks with alcohol to make a high energy cocktail. The study revealed that people that consumed this mixture felt alert and sober though they were drunk. So the theory is when you are low and in need of something to stimulate and enhance performance, a can of energy drink would do the trick. However this not without ensuing health risk because of its contents if over consumed. The truth is any energy drink like alcohol only disguises the problem without solving it. Sometimes what the body need is rest and not a mixture of cocktails. These beverages can only go so far. If the body is stimulated briefly and the person achieves his or her immediate goals of performing herculean tasks, what happens when the next round of tasks come along and the root issue not tackled? It becomes a vicious cycle that may if not properly checked destroy the body. There are a lot of people that are drunk in pain and challenges but walking around with sober faces because they've learnt to disguise their problems with a cocktail of beverages-figuratively speaking. That they appear sober does not change the fact that they are drunk. A cock tail of energy drink and alcohol is a temporal measure; it doesn't last and would soon fade away. It’s just a façade that will crumble with time and under pressure. STOP HIDING! STOP THE PRETENSE! I have embraced what a sister blogger describes as PRAISE PEP. When faced with challenges that seem insurmountable I simply praise myself out of the pit. In the past few weeks, I've had reports that almost dragged me into a pit of despair but I refused to go down that route. There is nothing glamorous about the pit so why should I go there? A friend called me recently crying and bemoaning her situation. The more she complained, the more situation felt omnious. HOLD IT RIGHT THERE! it’s ok to cry but don't drag yourself into the pit of depression. Instead of lamenting, praise God in the midst of your challenges and that would change how you see things. The author of Psalm 77 found himself in a difficult positition. He was weak and in need of help but he recalled the faithfulness of JEHOVAH and his spirit was lifted. Donald Lawrence,the gospel artist sang "sometimes you've got encourage yourself in the lord". Praise is not denying the situation but acknowledging the power of God to help you overcome. Praising God changes your perspective, releases vitality and reveals the lion in you....not a scrawny cat that scrambles at every trial. Who needs energy drink when PRAISE IS ALL YOU NEED!.

Sunday 17 February 2013

bag that shoe peeps!

Hurray! My good friend and loko sister has joined the blogosphere and I'm so excited. Her blog is about everything shoes, bags and fashion. I'm not a fashionista but I love my shoes especially my heels....I'M MAD ABOUT HEELS. There's something about a lady in heels. It adds an extra sexiness to her wardrobe and look. Like every woman, I'm a loose cannon in any shopping mall. I dart from shop to shop with absolutely no idea what I want but my eyes seems to zing to the perfect shoes. I'd choose a perfect shoe over clothes anytime. I've got shoes in both rooms in my house since I no longer have space to keep them in my room; poor Josh has mummy's shoes hidden under his bed(note to self...get proper storage for your shoes and mind your room woman!). I love that I LOVE FASHION but there was a time I didn't care what I looked like or even what people thought about me. I was very sad battling post natal depression so looking good was the last thing on my mind. However when God began His healing work in my life, it started reflecting on the outside. The truth is God is interested in both the content and the container.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;your works are wonderful,I know that full well " psalm 139:14. What better way to adorn this wonderfull work of art(your body) than to make it look fab albeit decently and within your means!!likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control" 1Timothy 2:9 This year, I had to deliberately discipline myself from buying shoes at the spur of the moment as I've got more shoes than I need and even more that I've not worn(time to sort those unwanted shoes babe) I have no problem getting the perfect shoes but not every woman is that lucky. I realise some women struggle to get the right shoes for the perfect outfit. It’s not unusual seeing a beautifully dressed woman wearing very ugly shoes and that my friend is every fashionistas nightmare. So that's why “bagthatshoe” comes in handy. It’s a helpful guide to helping every fashionista bag those special shoes and accessories to glam up any look. The blog is also a creative outlet for my dear friend, Omo as she’s a nutter for fashion. One beautiful benefit of the blogosphere is it enables everybody to put their creative ability and talent to good use. For majority of people, the internet with its ensuing challenges has been a blessing in disguise. It has given everyone a platform for expression which was otherwise unavailable or limited via traditional media platforms. You have uncountable people who’ve broken through the World Wide Web via the blogosphere. I’m thankful for the internet as it’s a means of sharing the gospel and the enriching work of salvation with others. For my friend it’s an opportunity to promote her skills and help you bag that purrrrrfect shoe. C’mon, check out www.bagthatshoe.com. You’ll love it

Thursday 14 February 2013

Transformed by LOVE.

I loved horror movies!!! The gorier the better! I remember laughing through The Blair witch project when it was released. My friends on the other hand were scared shitless and screamed all through the movie. It was simply hilarious! Can't remember which was funnier? My friends or the movie that was tagged the scariest at the time. It was just a movie not reality....silly! I was never really a fan of the action movies so could never sit through a film by Rambo, Steven Seagal or all other macho type men but bring on Zombie the flesh eater, evil dead 1&2 etc. These were my favourites for some unfathomable reasons not some silly romantic films. I despised girl flicks. They were pointless and plain unbelievable. Who writes or believes this crap? Love was a MYTH. My disdain for love stemmed from a childhood that was starved off love. I never experienced the hugs, kisses, or gentle words that are some of the expressions of love. My parents weren’t overt love people, they weren't built that way. I recall with laughter the first time, I gave my father a christmas card; he brushed it off with a shrug and a gruff thank you. I knew my gesture embarrassed him....outward expression of love still embarrasses him. So I conditioned myself not to FEEL. More so, I transferred my warped childhood experience of love into my relationship with God and men-expecting nothing but rebuffs, criticism and judgement. But somewhere deep inside, the little girl in me loved Mills& Boons-romantic novels that celebrated happily ever after. It was a deep set hunger that my subconscious desired to be with filled but never found. I envied friends whose family basked in display of affections. So watching horror movies and showing indifferece was a facade I built to deceive the outside world and unfortunately myself. Over time, I became conditioned by events and circumstances until JOSHUA CAME ALONG. I must confess nothing prepared me for motherhood- not the ante-natal classes or the nine long months of waiting for the delivery my son. I never experienced the sudden rush of love that every mother talks about when handed their new babies. Ours was a relationship and bond that grew with time. With Joshua I have learnt to love and be loved in return. Love can be spontaneous but the spark can be quenched if not kindled daily. It requires daily commitment to remain in love no matter the circumstances. Who knew a special little boy could break the reserves of my lacklustre heart and turn this horror movie loving woman into a mushy little girl. Dearest Josh, in the six years you've come into my life, I've learnt what it means to forgive and be forgiven. I'm not ashamed or afraid to publicly display my affection for you with a hug and a kiss. Only you could teach me that love is not a feeling but commitment and It is hard work albeit an enjoyable one. I have learnt to be protective, selfless, share, patient, tolerant and humble enough to say sorry when I’m wrong though I’m older and could always claim to be right. Through you, God has transformed this cold heart of stone into a warm heart of flesh. Now I know how the Disney character in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was transformed by love into a dashing prince through the power of LOVE. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Above all, I have learnt to experience God in a new way through the eyes of another human. When you look at me, you don't see imperfections but LOVE wrapped in the finished work of grace and I've come to see myself that way too. Finally, I can no longer stand horror movies. I tried watching "The hills have eyes" the other day but could not look beyond the trailer. Thanks for helping me grow into a better person. P.S. To celebrate Valentine's day, I'm not cooking dinner but would order Chinese take-away. I'm not in the mood for any culinary adventure after my disastrous stint in the kitchen trying to make pancakes. however will be trying out that recipe I found on spicebaby.com for SPINACH IN AN OMELETTE...YUMMY. http://www.spicebaby.com/combos/spinach-in-an-omelette-mix-up-your-egg-recipe.html#&panel1-1

Tuesday 12 February 2013

My pancake disaster

Its Pancake Tuesday and I'm so excited. Actually anything that has to do with food excites me how much more a day that CELEBRATES FOOD! Pancake tuesday heralds the begining of lent, a prelude to Easter. In the christian calender,Lent is a time of abstinence. So Pancake tuesday traditionally celebrated in the Uk and Ireland is the last chance to indulge oneself...What better way to indulge than to swaddle one's stomach with suger ladden food! To mark this memorable day, I chose to make pancakes myself instead of buying ready made ones. But the problem was, I've never made pancakes before. I'm best at eating than cooking or anything else for that matter. Fortunately for me, I'm blessed with friends who are fantastic cooks and delight in cooking for me so I barely slave it out in the kitchen( don't be jealous, its the annointing I carry...lol). Maybe its the ecstatic look on my face when I eat, the way I savour food on my lips that make people enjoy seeing me eat and out do themselves in sending mouth watering delicasies my way..haaaaaa! So off to Youtube I went to learn the art of pancake making. The recipe and 5 minuute process seemed simple enough. However 30 minutes later, my efforts in the kitchen was a classic disaster! A non-stick frypan got burnt, the kitchen became smoke fiiled and I had to open the windows. Graagh! how can a simple task of making pancakes be so hard.
I did make Nkwobi on friday and it was delish! Finally, I came up with something that tasted and looked like pancakes though it took me 5 painful and very shameful attempts to arrive at the final results.
I duff my hat in respect to every good cook out there, I'll never complain about other people's cooking AGAIN. If Pancakes be the food for love, I'll be single for a very very very long time..lol.

Saturday 9 February 2013

Disturb Us, Lord

I just had to share this poem. Its an excerpt from a book I'm reading titled YOUR KINGDOM COME,written by Daniel Kolenda. The book emphasises the importance of prayers in a believer's life and exposes the dangers of complancency in the place of Prayer. I'm just on page seventeen and already excited about what other pages have to offer. There is so much treasure to be unveiled in this book and I'm blessed to be reading it. Would do a much insightful review later in the week. Of a fact, power is released when a beliver prays. I pray that we'll be alert to the benefits of prayers more often. I hope you enjoy and are challenged by this brilliantly written truth as much as I was. Disturb us, Lord When we are too pleased with ourselves, When our dreams have come true, Beacause we dream too little, When we arrived safely, Because we sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us oh lord, When with the abundance of things we posses, We have lost our thirst for the waters of life, We have ceased to dream of eternity, And in our effort to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of new heaven to dim WRITTEN BY SIR FRANCIS DRAKE, 1577

Thursday 7 February 2013

Time to be brave.

I read an interesting post on UCB devotionals and it really inspired me. It’s about living fearlessly. The concept of struggles is not a strange phenomenon to the human existence. Since sin entered man, there has been the constant struggle between good and evil but with Jesus came victory. Sometimes man in his frailties can be overwhelmed by struggles and fears constantly. Have you ever watched a movie that shows a drowning man being rescued? In his fear, the drowning man struggles and flaps his arms but most of his self-efforts mostly drain him of energy. However, as any life saver knows, you cannot save a drowning man unless he stops struggling. It takes bravery to be calm in crisis. It takes bravery to lean on the arm of an unseen saviour and trusting He is able to rescue by FAITH. Fears cripples and rubs a person off the ability to live a full life. It has the possibility to kill before an unlikely or envisaged negative circumstance does. The Irish government has made plans to reduce the number of police men and close stations to curb public sector spending’s. This announcement has left people fearful about security of lives and properties on the back of a waning economic situation. The day I heard the news, I simply prayed and handed my worries to God. Of course fear almost crept into my heart but I refused it access into my heart and home. In past years, I would have had a panic attack and crumbled under the negative news but I realised it was time to be brave and not fearful. My new mind-set did not happen over by night, it was a gradual process and a conscious choice to be brave in times of adversity. In the words of Playwright David Mamet, We all die in the end, but there’s no reason to die in the middle. Sometimes a medical diagnosis has the potential to kill than an actual illness. I did an HIV/AIDS test in 2004 and before the result came I contemplated jumping from the first floor of the hospital laboratory if the report was negative. I almost had a heart attack when the doctor came with an ominous look on his face only to tell me I needed to come back for the results which turned out to be negative. Phew!! I have learnt to exchange every lie with the truth of God’s words and in that I have peace. So can you. It is time to grab the bull by the horn and live the abundant life that is in Christ Jesus. It is time to be brave and that includes the mountain of dirty dishes in my kitchen sink!! "For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment" 2 Timothy 1:7

Wednesday 6 February 2013

Battlefield of the Mind

I use to think God had forgotten me or maybe I wasn't even on His to do list. I would look at certain situations I'd gone through and question if God was fair. Challenges does that you know. The mind gets so messed up that a positive outlook seems like an over stretched ideal. I read a story on UCB devotional on how elephants are trained "They did it by controlling the animal’s thinking. When a baby elephant was being trained, a rope was put around its leg and then tied to a wooden post secured in the ground. The elephant, which was not yet very strong, pulled at the rope but was unable to break it or to pull up the post. Eventually it gave up. From that point forward when the elephant’s leg was secured it believed it couldn’t get away—even though it was fully capable of escaping, and had been for a long time. It remembered its struggle". The rope tied to the elephant's feet over time conditioned its mind that it would forever be in bondage. A person that has suffered abuse and rejection in life comes to expect these in life. Infact most women that experience abuse, almost always go into destructive relationships that depletes them; until they get the intervention they need. The first place that failure hits is a person's self worth. You feel useless and unworthy of love. The person starts to feel they deserve to be hurt and sometimes unconsciouly seek out pain. They even reject love when it comes knocking. After experiencing pain for so long, I became suspicious of love and feared rejection. I allowed my past experiences to condition my present so much that I was only existing not living. I basked in fear always afraid to launch out or even take a risk. Until I broke free. You see God created us to live and not merely exist irrespective of what we've been through. Fear of failure robs a person off the opportunity to live a life of DOMINION. We are meant to kick life in the butt and determine to LIVE THE GOOD LIFE. This can only happen if we decide to enjoy everyday no matter what may come our way. Moreover, troubles don't last always "For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!" "Corinthians 4:17.. In everybattle the enemy first seeks to bully the opponent into submission. This is the strategy Goliath used in intimidating the israelites before David came on the scene in 1 Samuel 17. The elephant like you and I can break free of captivity of the mind because with God all things are possible "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" 1 John 4:4. until a person avails of the weapons of warfare in the Word of God, he or she is destined to perpetual defeat. The beauty of it all is we are fighting from the winning side. isn't that amazing!!

Tuesday 5 February 2013

Celebrating GOD in an usual GEM

Its amazing how situations sometimes turn out isn't? When the most unlikely circumstance ends up producing the most unusual results. Its times like these that I marvel at how God works. How He makes something beautiful from improbable sources. You just can't fully fathom the mind of God, He's simply mind boggling. With God it doesn't matter your background or your lineage or how seemingly unqualified you are.. He just wants a yielded, hungry and trusting heart. This post is inspired by a sister and a friend.
Comfort and I met in secondary and a bond was instantly struck between us. we shared a lot of interests and had the same crazy sense of humour. I was the giant beside her small frame and we somehow always got into trouble TOGETHER...more like trouble always found us and we basked in mischiefs.*sigh* those were the days. One striking feature about my darling friend was her amazing and infectous laughter. Comfort could laugh at everything and anything. Her brown eyes were always lit up with a hint of a smile waiting to burst forth into laughter-most times out of control. But beneath that happy go lucky attitude, comffy as she's still fondly called had a secret that she never shared with anybody not even with her buddy. I found out over a bowl of garri(food ofcourse....the FBI should take hint) that it wasn't all rosy in paradise. Her bubbly character hid the trauma of a painful childhood without a father and a single mother struggling to provide for her children. This is not unlike how a lot of kids from less priviledged homes suffered but my friend's experience and ensuing attitute was different. Comfort would never let out whether she'd eaten before coming to school or even if she had the requisite money for lunch. it wasn' pride just a positive attitude that God blessed her with. The day she shared her challenges with me with tears in her eyes, my first reaction was that of shock. I couldn't believe that she could hide her struggles from me her best buddy!! Then my shock changed to respect. I respected her positive attitude even at that age....we were less than 15!!!. I on the other hand was never good at handling uncomfortable situations but thank God for second chances. My friend did not allow the challenges of her childhood deter her from enjoying and filling her days with laughter. With Comfort, I have come to learn NEVER to allow circumstances drive the narration of my life. Human existence is prone to challenges but we have a choice to either let the prevailing circumstances make or break us. Comfort chose to allow her childhood drive her to God and success. If you've experienced pain and poverty, you wouldn't want any relationship with them, serious! She never became bitter or was embittered by her parents poor choices. I was in Nigeria on holiday last year and had a reunion with my dear friend. I was sincerely amazed at how far she'd come. Sitting opposite me was a beautiful woman with no trace of the trauma of her childhood; all gone, transformed and helped with the grace of a loving God with children of her own. Comfort is a success in all sphere with a career, a loving family and an unquenchable fire for God. I celebrate you comffy as you mark another birthday and I'm so proud of you. Your life inspires me on how God can make something out of nothing. If only we believe and let Him more often than we do. God does make something beautiful from the dust and COMFORT IS A LIVING TESTIMONY. .....and yes even after all these years, she still laughs crazy. Thanks for letting me share your story.

Monday 4 February 2013

The truth of the matter

It doesn't matter if nobody believes in you, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. It doesn't matter if some people believe in you, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. It doesn't matter if everybody believes in you, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. People change and emotions are fickle. The people who celebrate you today might be the same ones that will carry pitch forks and attempt to crucify you tomorrow. You are the protagonist of your story. It doesn't matter how slowly the character of your story develops, its not over yet as you are still evolving. Remember, the plot is gently unfolding and so is the character development. You say there is too much drama in the story, yes dearie, it makes the book a better read and the movie a better watch. The twists and themes are necessary to weave a dramatic climax. If there were no suspense in a movie, then its not worth the watch. The characters in a story do not query the author except in George of the the jungle and see what happened to the animals that did(lol...Thank God we have a loving not a vindictive saviour) . Believe in yourself and the judgement of the author. HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING You may not be the gun slinger in an action movie or yours might not even be a comedy but a small low budget classic series...its a story anyway and whatever the role you are created to play, play it well. Moreover every creative genre has its audience so you are relevant. ONLY YOU CAN PLAY YOU IN THIS STORY. I've realised that people that listen to the director of a movie come out shining. The director has a vision in his head and will help the character portray his/her best and not mislead. Stephen was a character in a big budget movie but he had a small role; he was chosen along with six others to oversee the daily distribution of food. He could have complained that the job was degrading given his CV but he understood that his little role was necessary in the bigger picture. From a small audience of widows and motley crew of believers he evolved into speaking before the most learned people in the land and got a standing ovation from Jesus at his death " But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand" Acts 7:55. I've survived some situations that I thought I could never do. Truth be told some left me scared but looking back now, those situation have only been stepping stones for my growth. The scars are just gentle reminders that I AM A SURVIVOR So you see, it doesn't matter how many times you've erred and made wrong choices, God is still in the business of forgiveness and restoration. The truth of the matter is that you matter to God and you have a role in this story. Now let's give it another go. SCENE 75, ACT 12, ACTION!!!

Friday 1 February 2013

Don't give up.

She'd had enough! Who wouldn't? Nana had been married to her husband for 12 years and half of those he'd spent in a drunken stupor. Sometimes he'd be so *wasted* that she'd be called out from work to take him home. These days she feels more like a child minder than a wife. She could barely recollect when they last made love or experienced the intimacy of marriage. How had it all gone wrong? Where did she go wrong? She'd tired of begging him to consider the trauma of his drunkenness on their ten year old son; the effects of his dad being carried in daily like a rag doll as result of alcohol abuse. She was tired of feeding him like a child when he was too drunk to feed himself. She'd had enough of the whispers and snickering’s when she's out shopping. "Pity stares" as her son would call them. Right now, she'd had enough of hiding her head in shame and was calling it quits! The church had prayed but her husband seems to be getting worse than getting better. She believes it’s better to opt out of her sinking ship of a marriage than drown with it. But something keeps telling her to hold on and not give up yet. You see, when her husband was not drunk, he was the sweetest of all men; loving, caring and always eager to help out. Initially, she'd remained in the marriage because of her son but today she'd realised her reasons were deeper than that. She still believed in miracles. She still believed in God and she remembered her marital vows. Nana is not alone in this quagmire. For a brief moment consider how many times you've felt like giving up on people and situations when they fall short of your expectations. A couple of days ago, I stumped up to my room in typical dramatic Gladys style and slumped on my bed vowing not to get up until God came down and gave me some quality face time. Earlier on, I'd been helping my lad with his reading and writing. It was all going well till we hit a brick wall. I didn't throw a tantrum like I would in the past but I wouldn't be Gladys if that moment was devoid of drama hence my melodramatic conversation with God. Overtime, I've realised God takes every moment of our lives seriously. No emotion is too small to bring before Him. He wants your cares, worries, laughter etc. If it matters to you then it MATTERS TO GOD. God did give me quality face time as I requested… lol. Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up". It so easy to give up than pushing for results. But we only reap a good result if we endure and push through. Perseverance is never easy but always worth it if we keep the goal in mind. How many projects have you given up on and wondered what would have happened if only? The bible says in Genesis 1:26 that we are made in God' image and as far as I can recall GOD IS NOT A QUITTER. He never gave up on man hence He sent Jesus to reconcile us back to the father through his death and resurrection. I heard a story once about an athlete that competed in a race. Along the way, he sprained his ankle but continued nevertheless. At the finish line he was asked why he didn't quit when he hurt himself. He told the reporters that his country did not send him to the games to quit. "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace". 2Timothy 4:12 I have purposed not to let little hiccups deter me from my goals. The next day, I was back to my motherly duties with heaven's own seal of assurance that I WOULD REAP A HARVEST IF I DONT GIVE UP! To my amazement, the lessons flew without a glitch and I wondered what my stress was about previously. LESSON LEARNT: God cares about everything that concerns you. DON'T GIVE UP trust Him to work all things together for your good. YOU JUST CHILLAX.
P.S Teaching is not my forte at all..lol but I'm learning patience. "For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing " James 1:3-4