I JUST COULD NOT WRITE IN JUNE!

Hello! Let me greet you the way Nigerians would greet someone they have not seen in a long time:
"Long time no see!"
Yourbas will say: "Eku atijo!"
Igbos will say: "Anya gi!"
And you are supposed to say: "Anya na ibe ya!" in response.
I will leave you to decipher what those words mean...lol!

June was an intriguing month for me. So many ups and downs in my quest to add author to my roles. At some point all my deadlines and timelines had to be re-adjusted. So readjusted were they that I could not even tell when they were to be anymore. I just knew that they were not happening yet!

How did I feel:? Initially a bit frustrated.

Later on, I remembered that my times are in God's hands. So, I put everything on His plate (which must be massive to cater for the needs of us all!) and just let it go. Slowly but surely, things gradually fell into place.

They fell into place so much that I could only say God I thank you!...I felt loved by God. It was only God that could have worked things out the way He did. I had reached the end of my road. Ever been there? Ever done all you knew you to do and it just wasn't working? I got there and then I chose to be STILL. I chose to rest and trust HIM. There was really nothing else I could do anymore!

I am humbled and grateful! My books finally arrived! God truly does love me.

Living an Addiction Free Life

LIVING AN ADDICTION FREE LIFE

Everybody values personal freedom and independence. One can never fully appreciate this basic, essential right in life until one loses it to incarceration, debilitating illness, disability or addiction. I am sure when you read the word ‘addiction’ your mind goes straight to drug addiction. But then there are so many others things we get subtly addicted to and do not view as a problem. So what is an addiction?

Aftermaths of Xenophobia - I worry about humanity!

You don’t start living until you rise above individual concerns to humanity concerns.

- Dr Martin Luther King Jr.


You start dying when individual concerns rise above humanity concerns.

- Chigozie  Anuli Mbadugha (Camba)


Humanity is dying! I know this for certain. I used to hear the saying that companies have a human face (if they were big on family, philanthropy and social issues) or that someone should have a human heart. Today it is becoming increasingly easier for people to ignore the needs and pains of people in our communities. Xenophobia makes me wonder if there are hearts in some humans. There is definitely an organ pumping blood somewhere, but the organ is bereft of emotions!

How would your community react if you answered a spiritual call today?

Nigerians and Africans in general do not like to think about death. I don’t either, but sometimes events make me wonder about it. The recent loss of my cousin’s son Miracle Godson in Wigan UK (see previous post) has got me thinking about the issues of life.

 Miracle Godson may have spent only thirteen years on earth but he affected his community immensely. His death reverberated across Wigan, UK. Schools in the community were closed in his honour on the day of his funeral. Flowers, gifts and tributes were endless. People attending the funeral that boarded taxis were given free rides to the house by taxi drivers pained by such a tragic end to a promising life. Rugby teams paid tribute to a talent cut short in its prime. See some tributes and posts in the link below
Mourners at Miracle Godson's funeral

Our Miracle left us!

I got a phone call at about 8 a.m on April 11th 2015. It was sad news. I have had so many over the years that I can almost tell you how to suspect that something is amiss. I will leave those details for another post. May you not receive bad news in Jesus’ name. Amen!

The news I got was the worst I had heard in recent times. Our Miracle Godson was gone. He went out with friends but never came home alive. He drowned in a quarry near Appley Bridge in Wigan, UK and left a hiatus no one can fill and a pain that gnaws and throbs in our hearts. He was a promising child, a budding rugby player; he was just thirteen years old. I remember my last interaction with him some years ago when he visited my home. He was hyperactive, full of energy and wore me out within an hour. Click on the link below for details.
 Miracle Godson

Following God's leading 2

Hi  there!
I am sure you are wondering what I have been up to. It has taken me over three weeks to share my thoughts and I  have been getting 'leadings' to put pen to paper all this while! Suffice it to say that I am still a work in progress in this obedience business. May God give  all of us grace to obey His directions. Amen o!

I have been STRESSED lately. Sometimes, even too stressed to  sleep! Do you think one can be too stressed to sleep? Or too tired to sleep? Let me  know what you think!  But the good news is that I have been working on a book project which  I want to believe I commenced in obedience to a leading. (As in, you know, It's like...lol!)

My book 'Beyond the Trial' is an inspirational collection of three African based stories that highlights strategies for coping with rejection, betrayal, abuse, injustice....and encourages us to turn our trials into testimonies, setbacks into stepping stones and insults into results. If there is ONE book you should read this year, it is BEYOND THE TRIAL. It is a must read for the entire family! You won't be able to put it down!

It celebrates the challenges and struggles of African women living in a largely patriarchal society who put the love of children and family above themselves. It  highlights the force and ability of determination to rewrite destiny after monumental mistakes! Let's rewrite destiny this year. Let's inspire one another for  greatness!

Hang in there! You were sent to the world at such a time as this to affect your generation  positively! See you in the Hall of fame!

BEYOND  THE TRIAL- emerges a stronger YOU!

Available from:

AuthorHouse Bookstore

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble.com

5 Reasons why it is good to obey God's leading.

Have you ever gotten into trouble and felt like you walked into a trap? I have. Even more painfully, I have had experiences where I had felt "Something" telling me that this would happen and it did! I don't know what you call it...intuition, sixth sense, a still small voice, your subconscious? I call it God's leading.

Last night, I was "led" to safely put away a new set of gate keys. By safely, I mean out of the reach of some little hands that belong to my "Oga" and my "Madam." I got caught up in following up recent Naija headlines. I did not.

You can imagine my shock and regret when I woke up bright and early at 5am the next day to discover the keys were gone from the last place I sighted them.

Instantly, I started praying.
"God, I am sorry. You had warned me about this. Help me. Please!"

Bearing in mind that we needed to make an early start for school, I ran to rouse the entire household. We had barely an hour and a half to find the keys or else, nobody would be able to leave the compound.

As I passed my children's "yellow jeep" parked in its spot, a glint of shiny metal caught my eye. Alas! It was the missing set of keys. Apparently they had tried to use it to start their "car"!

I was saved from the embarrassment of having to turn the house upside down and asking groggy toddlers where they had kept my keys.

Ah! I forgot one important detail: Hubby had handed the keys over to me and asked me to share them into "relevant" key holders (as Odoziaku concerned!). Hmm!

There are at least five reasons why it is wiser to obey God's leading:

• It leads you away from temptation (not into it).
• It delivers you from evil.
• It is based on wisdom.
• It brings you peace.
• It can bring increase.

Have you ever faced an embarrassing situation despite some forewarning?

How can we ensure we obey these directions more often and stay out of trouble? Please share your experiences as feedback.

Till next post, please stay in boundaries where God's love can reach you and richly bless you!

Image courtesy of sage garden care center.