He came back

He'd missed him! Jesus came back and Thomas had missed him. All the disciples were agog with the news of the master's return and he'd missed Him. He couldn't understand what the fuss was all about anyway because he won’t believe them until he saw "his nail pierced hands and sides- better still not until he'd put his fingers through them. There was no convincing Thomas despite the excitement amongst the disciples. As far as Thomas was concerned Jesus was dead and buried, his tomb stood as evidence of his demise. "Maybe the disciples were hallucinating", he thought. "It must be the pressure from hiding. Fear has a way of messing up with the senses you know. Try hiding from those blood thirsty Pharisees, you'll start seeing things I bet you". He mused within himself. The other disciples must have felt sorry for him. He'd missed the greatest event of his life. What a mighty loss! I would have felt sorry for Thomas too if I'd witnessed such a mind blowing occurrence. They'd seen the master beaten and crucified. In fact they'd taken his body for burial and that massive tomb stood as a constant reminder of the hurtful past few days. Now, He’s risen and Thomas missed it! How sad! Poor Thomas! Fortunately, that's not the end of the story. The bible records in John 20:26 that a week later whiles the disciple were together in the house again, this time Thomas was with them, guess who showed up? JESUS. I'm sure Thomas was shocked. He probably thought he'd never withness what the other disciple did and may have to live with the guilt for the rest of his life. Thomas had missed out at His first appearance to the other disciples but Jesus was not going to let him miss out on the resurrection story. It was not enough to have second hand information about the risen lord but Jesus was going to give Thomas a personal visitation. Many times, I've found myself missing out or falling short of everybody's expectations including mine. That point that you wonder if you'll ever do right by any standard- A SEALED TOMB MOMEMT-and suddenly a ray of light shows. It’s no longer a sealed tomb moment but A JESUS MOMENT. Thomas may have stepped out briefly for a breath of fresh air but he missed Jesus. He'd been a faithful follower but he still missed it. Jesus did not judge him but came back for him because Thomas was important and SO ARE YOU. We all miss it sometimes but don't despair Jesus is ready to meet you just where you are. Maybe you'r battling a drug addiction, alchohol, anger or even fornication it does not matter. DON'T GIVE UP ON YOU BECAUSE GOD DIDN'T EITHER. Like the parable of the lost coin in Luke 55, Jesus is meticulous and tenacious in His search FOR LOST SOULS. You are part of a family-a very important one at that. Jesus came back for Thomas; He came back for me, HE IS COMING FOR YOU.

slowly but SURELY

Hurray! I have lost a whopping 6kg in a month!!!!. I'm so excited and very pleased with myself. I was shopping yesterday and decided to stop by at a pharmacy to check my weight. imagine my surprise when the result came out...almost screamed the shop down(apologies to the attendant that I hugged and the poor shoppers that thought the pharmacy was under attack when they heard this crazy black lady dancing and screaming at the same time.... poor joshua must have been very embarrassed. The things I put him through!) My excitement stemmed from the fact that my weight loss program was actually working. I'd made some serious dietary and life style changes but nothing prepares you for the outcomes of some actions don't you think? I don't particularly have a laid down regime but I do take lots of green tea and that boosts my energy levels. Infact, I'm addicted to green tea. I've practically stopped taking regular tea-no more sugar and milk for this lady. Losing this extra lard of fat is a very big feat for me since I've been desperate to be slim and healthy for a long time. Right now, I'm motivated to push the envelop further. Cant wait to show off a slimmer and healthier me in the summer. Already, I can visualise my now delectable self in a tribal bodycon dress with no bulge in sight and no constricting girdle as well.....lol . In january, I made a decision not to buy any new outfit till I reach my target weight. it'll make the idea of shopping for the unveiled new me more exciting. In the words of Joan Rivers, "my body is a temple and this temple need redecorating"...lol Hard work sure pays and I'm determined to win this battle of the bulge. ISIOMA WATCH THIS SPACE!!

Queen of the road

For many reasons, I dreaded driving on any motorway.The road seems long and endless. Moreso, all those cars dashing past at 120 kilometres per hour scared me especially the noise and the rushing wind that made my tiny car rattle. Some times, I thought my good old banger would be blown off course but it was all in my imagination....that didn’t stop my knees from trembling anyway. I wished I could increase my snail pace driving but I was just too scared to try. I'd read the book on road traffic rules but just could not see myself putting my foot on the pedal and increasing my speed. How sad! I had the car and read the manual but application of knowledge was difficult. Part of my fears included the different traffic laws that applied in driving on Irish roads. It was a huge departure from my Nigerian experience. Back in Nigeria- at least when I lived there- anyone could drive on the roads as laws were not enforced. (What laws? there were no rules!) I drove a car for a year without knowing how to reverse! I never envisaged any danger to myself or any other road user at that...lol (I MISS MY COUNTRY!!!) Driving on the Motorway is not for the faint hearted. There are even signs warning inexperienced drivers to stay off. It was a road traversed by the brave and I was not that yet. I envied my friends who at the slightest inclinations would pick up their keys and zoom off in their cars motor way or not. I had to always pray myself up, days before embarking on any long journey. Seriously, I'd rather drive on the smaller convenient local roads with convenient speed limits than brave the express routes. In as much as I could, I avoided the motorways but to my dismay realised there are some places that you just have to use the motor way to access. Motorways allowed quicker access to distant places and most have tolls applied! Most times I'd use the public transports just in a bid to avoid driving these routes but it wasn't always convenient especially with a kid in tow. *sigh* But things are different now, HALLELUJAH!! After a while I've become queen of the road. I learnt that drivers that ply the motorway did not do so overnight....time and constant use built their confidence just like FAITH. It was not an overnight experience or wishful thinking. It took determination not to be limited to smaller driving experiences. "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil". Hebrews 5:12-15 Faith is simply confidence in the word of God. Believe you are what the word says. Have what the word says you have and can do what the word says you can. Ironically many are still living in fear? Like my driving experience, you've got the car, learnt the traffic rules but are afraid to put your foot to the pedal? Maybe it’s the speed limit that's scary or the rushing wind caused by other cars dashing past? Don't be! Remember, there are some places that only the Motorway can get you to. Most times it’s the only option else you'll be stuck in your tiny world. These confidence only comes with constant immersion and trust in the word of God. “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.” Mathew 21:21 Don't let fear hold you captive and deter you from enjoying and arriving at your future in style. Sometimes arriving on a bus is not as glam compared with driving your own car. In a public bus you don't call the shots. Develop your own faith! You can only go so far riding on another person's experience. I no longer dread the Motorway; in fact I enjoy driving on any motorway. It's not so long and endless as it initially seemed. However to do that, I had to let go of fear and develop more confidence on what I've learnt from the road user’s manual and my experience from driving on smaller roads. infact, i speak confidence to myself! YOU CAN DO IT TO. P.S I still don't like paying tolls! But tolls are used to maintain the highways like faith tests are necessary to grow you. SO ENJOY