MISSION POSSIBLE!

It’s quite a happy month! I like!

Hello everyone, happy second half of the year and 4th of July to my American people! It has been quite a season for me, very quiet, turbulent and somewhat lonely but I have a great feeling it would soon be over :). Anyway, on the last day of June, a friend said she was embarking on a 30 day challenge in the month of July and asked people to join if they were interested. The challenge? 30 days of in her words, no meat and its siblings (chicken and turkey); so you eat normally but the animal on top must be fish, sea food or egg and you get to drink only water, loads of it (no beverage, soda, juice except fresh fruits). So I thought to myself, why not!

Water – detoxifying since the garden of Eden!

It has been four days well three as day one was a rehearsal and it has been one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. First, I never knew drinking water was so difficult! I can comfortably have two meals without drinking water. Second, I used to pee once a day and credit it to efficient bladder (I could hold my pee for hours); however, since the challenge, I pee more frequently than a pregnant woman in her last trimester and I’m not joking! Third, I’m beginning to enjoy drinking water :), I now drink an average of five 75cl bottles daily. Fourth, we created a BBM group and in four days I have met the most amazing of God’s children! Absolutely wonderful and passionate people, I think some of the friendships I have made on the group will be lifelong. Fifth, I have to fall in love with fish and I especially like this one, lol! Sixth, my tummy is flatter; it will be as flat as an ironing board by the end of July! Yay!!!!

Lastly, I am in this challenge in spite of. I am in the midst of a 21st century immaculate conception kind of experience in more than one area of my life. No, I’m not Mary, Jesus has already come and there’s only one Jesus; I’m not pregnant either, I’m just in situations where God is my only option, no plan B – so it’s God you have to save me or you have to save me. I’m fighting battles but I’m confident the war is won so I just ride on God’s grace knowing it really isn’t by my strength and works, it never has been. I choose not to worry, isn’t that what trust is about? Trust is letting go COMPLETELY and it is difficult for our human mind to comprehend. It is choosing to allow another will even though yours is intact. It is relinquishing power no matter the consequence.

Can you?

A dark tunnel is never an excuse to stop in your journey else you would never see the proverbial light at the end. Your journey is like a movie, so many characters but you are the lead, it’s your story so make sure it’s great! Don’t be so focused on your pain, that you miss the opportunity to be someone else’s gain. Know that life is not a hierarchy, it is a circle of relationships meaning we are all connected and need one another. Keep your circle intact; keep moving, some people will only rise because you made it so make it and I don’t mean just financially but in your journey as a parent, writer, teacher, dancer, CEO, scientist, politician, pastor, whatever God has called you to be. To make it you must TRUST God. I’m in this challenge because I trust God.

My father and I

This one is for Laiza, Ursula, Ukay, Boomie, Ugo, Miriam, Seun, Presh, Nedu, Jephthah, Kemi, Sheila, Becca and Anwuli – the challengers. Here’s to friendship! Thirty years of it perhaps?

With sardine bread and sea food okro soup!

p.s you can join the challenge too and if you have / are doing something similar, please share!

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DO YOU MIND?

To strength in waiting…

This is one question that took me a while to accept the meaning of either of its responses. I mean someone asks:

‘Do you mind a sandwich?’ (Meaning – do you want a sandwich?). Your answer is YES, so you say:

‘I don’t mind’ (meaning – I want a sandwich). Someone else asks:

‘Do you mind pepper soup?’ (Meaning – do you want pepper soup?). Like me who likes good food, you are about to say yes when you remember you started to stool that morning and respectfully decline by saying a polite NO, which translates as:

‘I mind’ (meaning – I don’t want pepper soup though you curse under your breath wondering what luck you have to have chosen that morning to lose control of your bowels).

Anyway, it never did make any sense to me – why I have to say NO when I mean YES, and vice versa. Well na so oyibo want am and I learnt the hard way. Imagine this scenario:

 

I’m screaming on my inside “NOOOOOO, come back hereeee”, as the waiter walks away.

At a party with some friends…

Waiter: Do you mind Chapman? (Which is the only non-alcoholic drink, I do not take alcohol and I am very thirsty)

Me: yes please

So, waiter turns around and walks away while I almost die of thirst as shame won’t let me admit I made a mistake in spoken English!

What foolishness you say? Yes, I know, that was over a decade ago; I am wiser now, not as wise as Solomon but wise enough to say with a smile ‘excuse me, I changed my mind, I’ll have the Chapman’. Back then, the way I thought was ‘I’d rather die of thirst than be humiliated for 2minutes’ – my reputation (my nickname was professor as I read the dictionary like it was a novel) was more important than my health, with all the words I learnt, I guess I never came across the word dehydration!

Now, this is not a note on grammar rather it’s one on the ‘confused’ state of believers; how we say YES but actually mean No and vice versa.

Let’s take Abraham and Sarah for example Gen 17:15-19 & Gen 18:9-15, today they would be one of the world’s ‘sexiest’ couples! They were beautiful, rich, powerful, influential but childless. As believers, they waited on the Lord from their 20’s right up to when Abraham was 85! Then Sarah said, ‘enough is enough! Every fertility treatment has failed; even God has sealed my fate. I am 75 now and way past menopause. Take my maid Hagar, she has been with us since she was a girl and is part of the family; lay with her and have a son to inherit all that is ours’. Months after, Ishmael was born. Thirteen years later, Abraham has forgotten all about God’s covenant with him and Sarah is definitely not praying for a child at 89 but God shows up all the same to fulfill His covenant and promise. Guess what? Abraham and Sarah are not excited, instead, they laughed! Isn’t that ridicule? Over the years of waiting they have ‘adjusted’ their faith and embraced their circumstance, actually, believed it was God’s will and promise. God was merciful and fulfilled His word Gen 21:1-7.

How about Gideon Judges 6:11-7:18? The Israelites had been praying for deliverance yet when God sent deliverance, Gideon chickened. In the years of waiting, they had accepted oppression as normal so much so that Gideon was beating wheat in a winepress. God was merciful and still delivered Israel even though He had to convince Gideon over and over again.

Even the Shunammite woman, as sensitive as she was in meeting the needs of a prophet 2nd Kings 4:8-17, she too had conformed to her circumstance and could not understand nor accept her blessing.

Zechariah Luke 1:5-24 unlike others was not so fortunate, I guess at this time heaven was exasperated at our ‘unbelief’ and mind imprisonment or maybe it was because Zechariah was a serving priest of God and Angel Gabriel expected more belief from him. Whatever the reason, Zechariah was punished for his unbelief though his prayer was still answered – God is still merciful.

Nahhhh, this is not your story; God is always on time – relax!

True, waiting is hard especially when there are no signs of the expected as you wait. It’s easy for us to judge the saints of old and preach a sermon on their unbelief but are we any different? Our generation is referred to as the microwave generation meaning patience is not one of our virtues.  Like Abraham and Sarah, haven’t we all helped God with answers to our prayers when it seems like He is too slow? And when we do decide wait, the reality is that we do not wait at all because when God comes along He does not find us in position, we have drifted with the tides of our problems. Just as it is when one stands at the bank of a beach, the waves come and wash up your feet on the sand. As they recede back to the ocean, we glide along with the sand and unassumingly, unknowingly, slowly but surely, we are knee deep in the ocean and are soon carried away if we do not realize on time to run or cry out!

It is not like some of us do not wait but we drift because we are idle while waiting. In reality, when we do nothing in waiting, we are only waiting for the waves to come pick us up from the shore. Waiting is a process and like most processes, is an essential ingredient for the product without which the product cannot be formed. It is not like God desires to withhold our desires; it is just that to become the product, we require essential ingredients in the process of waiting. So in waiting, do not be idle. Learning is a requirement so learn all you can in the period of waiting and if you learn nothing at all, learn patience. While you wait, form a character. Be like Hannah 1st Sam 1:1-20, she didn’t focus on her problems (her barrenness or her rival – Peninnah, some of us would have beat Peninnah silly!) instead she focused on the solution – God, and she was ready when He was. As difficult as it may seem, see yourself in your desire and rejoice! Meditate on God’s word, remind yourself of His promises, move with the right association, keep yourself in perspective!

God is tired of not finding us in position, He’s broken when we are bewildered that He blesses and delivers us. So as we pray for God to deliver Nigeria, God is asking ‘do you mind being Nigeria’s deliverance?’ Eight years after graduation, a bus driver barely surviving; God is asking ‘do you mind being a billionaire?’ Childless and vexed; God is asking ‘do you mind being a first mother?’ Successful and distressed; God is asking ‘do you mind having peace?’ Young, beautiful and confused; God is asking ‘do you mind wisdom?’

At the beginning of 2014, you rejoiced at a new year, a fresh start, new opportunities! You made your heart believe and expect again; now almost three months gone you struggle to hold on to the threads of your expectations –  hold on! Whatever your prayers and desires, God is asking ‘do you mind answers?’, ‘will I find you in position?’

Like a soldier; always in position, battle ready, eye on the prize!

Eyes Wide Open!

At the beginning of the month I got an invitation to cover the Elysee Summit on Peace and Security in Africa which held in the romance capital, Paris. Exciting right? However, I was not so excited about it. As is the norm at such events, you don’t really cover much, only what you are “fed”. Most of the meetings of course are closed door so the thought of flying thousands of miles to a temperature exactly opposite mine for a week just to take pictures of Presidents arriving the Elysee Palace did not quite appeal to me. Did I also mention hanging around for hours in nice press rooms, waiting for these meetings to end? However, my friend Doki would hear none of it. Doki is a medical doctor fascinated with politics. He unashamedly says he did not become a medical doctor to save lives but longs to save lives in politics by stopping wars! I will let you all know when Doki decides to run for President, I go be Chief of Staff be that *big grin*.

See Paris and die, they say. Na lie! See Paris and wake up! Be inspired to create!

Anyway, Doki would not hear any of my reasons. “Anwuli, what are you talking about? This is Paris! The city of romance! You are the only one I know who would be asked to come to Paris for free and would be concerned about being in the meeting rooms with the Presidents!”. Eventually Doki “convinced” me (Did I mention Doki specializes in messing with people’s minds, Psychiatry?), truth is Doki was attending and did not want to go alone. So few days later, I was seated in Economy class and no Doki was not sitting beside me, he was sipping champagne in Business class! See friendship o, at least you won’t be surprised that Doki lodged with all the dignitaries at Paris Le Grand (Lekki, Ikoyi equivalent) and I was at Cambronne (Agege, Abule egba environs), anyway God dey.

After the summit, I planned to go shopping at an affordable commercial centre in my district – Rue de Commerce, but first Doki and I decided to take a tour bus round Paris. The tour bus took us through popular landmarks in Paris, Paris le Grand, but did not even smell my area! Doki and I joked that Cambronne was not Paris; so the next time someone says “I vacationed in Paris”, be sure to ask them where, lol! Paris Le Grand (Doki’s area) is indeed a beautiful city! I can’t explain it but it is just gorgeous, I mean they even wash the streets! Most of the restaurants there are pretty high end and sell mostly beautifully designed and decorated finger food; and the presentation is just out of this world! I mean you see it and are more than happy to spend your euro, lol, unlike my hood where you can get two bowls of pasta bolognese and orange juice all for 20 euros and you would still raise an eyebrow. Anytime I insisted we ate in Cambronne (which Doki resisted alot), Doki would tease me saying “Lagos girl, wey come Paris dey find rice and stew”, lol, like I care!

Not this year Doki, can’t rule out next year though! *big grin*

Tour over, it was now time for some shopping, yay! Doki suggested we shop in his area but who born me? I had a budget and a list and there was no way I was spending all my money on one item in a Louis Vuitton shop for example. We decided to go to Rue de Commerce as originally planned and the most amazing thing happened. After spending time in Paris Le Grand, I couldn’t recognize Rue de Commerce! The same place I had been to twice to window shop now looked so ordinary, ugly, the whole street changed in an instant! I walked back and forth looking for the nice, classy shops I had seen a day before and they had disappeared or rather, I saw them differently. It was like scales had fallen off my eyes,I just couldn’t believe it. In the end, I did my shopping but with less excitement and enthusiasm as I had before the tour. Later that evening, Doki and I went window shopping in his area and guess what? The prices were the same as my area, only slightly higher in some instances and there were more options obviously!

You know, that’s exactly what wisdom, insight, revelation does – it opens your eyes to really see and when you do, life is so much easier. When Thomas Gray coined the phrase ‘Ignorance is bliss’, perhaps he was truly ignorant at the time. Ignorance is anything but blissful, the bible says my people perish for lack of knowledge and guess what, ignorance is not an excuse for living a life lesser than what God wants for you. Ignorance is darkness, wisdom is light! Your prosperity can be progressive, your walk with God can be on auto cruise, your life can genuinely move forward on every level if you will only seek the wisdom of God and who better to reveal God’s wisdom than His word and Spirit!

In 2014, let your steps be deliberate; be guided by the wisdom of God; fall in love with the Holy Spirit all over again. Speak less and listen to God more. Be spiritual, God is a spirit and those that worship him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Being Spiritual means listening to God and obeying what He says to you. Be honest, just do whatever He tells you. Go to that driving school, learn the excel, pray when you get that nudge, register that company, build that ark even when there’s no rain, wait even though you are itching to make that call, just do whatever He says. You may feel your dreams slipping through your fingers or perhaps you can’t even remember them anymore but can you trust God this new year, doing things His way this time? And if every of your dream is now a reality, God is still not done with you; stay connected and let the creator give you a 1st Cor2:9-10 experience!

Your life can be this colourful!

Compliments of the season, may the new year be a promise fulfilled. Have a grand year!

DEAD MAN WALKING!

“It’s so easy to commit suicide”, these were the words Timi heard as he answered Bidemi’s call. “Hello, Bidemi hello” but the line goes dead. A frantic Timi dashes out of the office to find Bidemi, his mind racing and praying earnestly that there is an explanation for the seeming obvious.  Poor Timi to receive such an unsettling call, the psychological trauma is best imagined. And Bidemi, what in the world would make a young woman willing to end her own life? What? Nigerians don’t commit suicide? Truth is, it is easy to commit suicide and a lot of us are dead already, even you.

We die when we fall for the temptation to give up – on God, life, love, hope, people. We refuse to fight and assume a posture of indifference. We think it’s safer not to get involved, to sit on the fence so we are not hurt. At first, we give the barest minimum because we want convenience, never stretching ourselves but after a while we become grey and numb, we cease to live and just exist so life spits us out. That’s the rule my dear, even God wants you to take a stand, either hot or cold but lukewarm is unacceptable – dead man walking!

Scary right? This is what the Satan sells to us!

We die when we fall for the temptation to be angry at God. So life has beaten you black and blue from the moment you took your first breath and God has never heard any prayer you made. You have been the victim and are angry and rightly so too! But seriously, be mad at God? You think Christ being nailed to the cross was wickedness? No, it was the purest form of Love. Do you realize that no matter what you go through, unless God okays it or you ask Him to leave you alone, Satan can’t touch your life? Ask Job. Someone said, if you think it’s your alarm that wakes you every morning, try placing it beside a corpse. I thought trials were meant to make you stronger and most importantly wiser yet you do the most foolish thing – be angry at God! Dead man walking!

We die when we fall into the temptation to believe we do not deserved to be cared for. We accept the lie that we are to live for others only and not ourselves. Boy meets girl, boy somehow doesn’t treat girl with much respect and value but sparks are flying all over the place so they get married and start a family. Somewhere along the way woman believes her sole purpose is to make hubby and children happy. Twenty – five years after with the most adorable family portrait; hubby is an accomplished man, a successful icon; children are stable with promising futures and mum? Dead and bitter woman walking!

We die when we fall into the temptation to compromise. You know that awkward feeling where you are the odd one out and obviously so, no one really wants to be in that position. So gradually we loosen up, lower the standard, tell ourselves that nearly is ‘close’ to the real deal and finally, we settle for too little. Good bye excellence, hello mediocre. We won’t stand for anything so we will fall for everything – dead people walking!

We die when we fall into the temptation to make excuses, to blame everyone and everything other than ourselves. It wasn’t me, the government didn’t do this, my father did that, it’s because I’m not American, more blame and excuses till we wake up and can’t account for 40 years of our lives! We suddenly realize we never got that degree, sweetheart moved on when we refused to ditch the nappy, our neighbour’s toddler is now running for governor and our classmates are enjoying retirement – dead and old man walking!

We die when we fall into the temptation to not number our days so we just live life as it comes, with no vision or plan. The bible says write the vision down and make it plain that he might run that reads it. A life without vision lacks passion, flavour, is typically bland. We even back it up with scripture sometimes “give us this day our daily bread”, “do not worry about tomorrow, tomorrow will take care of itself”, not in this context o! Everyone is born with a purpose so find purpose! Live for something else 15years as a receptionist, no salary increase, no promotion, no bonuses and definitely no retirement plan may just be around the corner after all, let tomorrow take care of itself – dead man walking!

Life or death? Choose Life!

The difference between us and Bidemi is that her body is on it’s way to 6 feet under where there is probably no redemption. We fall for the temptation to choose death over life because Satan hides from us what is really at stake so we think it is worth it. Death before our purpose is accomplished is NOT worth it! If only we could see through the eyes of Jehovah to see how special we are, important we are, incomplete the world is without us especially when we do not fulfill purpose. As 2012 wraps up, you might realize that you have been dead. Will you stay dead or will you rise and take another shot at living?

THE EXCHANGE!

It’s been three months since my last post, wow! How time flies! I apologise for the break in blogging, I have been busy with school and some other personal stuff – don’t ask, but I’ll gist you about school. I am an architect by training but my passion is telling stories through picture, film, magazine show, documentary, writing and speaking. Bottom line is I love the media and want to be a professional. One thing you learn as an architect is planning – detailed planning so naturally, I had a plan to achieve my dream of becoming a one-of-a-kind-sought-after media professional. My first stop was the FRCN

The prestigious FRCN Training School logo

Training School but first, let’s play a game! What is FRCN? Please tell me you got it right! Why? You would be amazed at the number of people that do not know (including you, maybe *eyes rolling*). When I announced to family and friends my plan to enrol at the FRCN training school, I got shocking responses – “You want to work with the RAILWAY CORPORATION?” , “You want to be a ROAD SAFETY OFFICIAL?”  Huh? I have never been on a train before and road safety official (na dis one pain me pass and I had vowed to impound their vehicles if I ever became an official)? That’s one of the hardest and harshest jobs ever because you are right in the elements, I really commend the workers. Anyway, I put all this unawareness behind me and enrolled at the training school!

The structure of the school was decaying and the Director kept begging the issue during our orientation like it was not ‘obviously’ obvious while assuring us of the quality of learning we would receive.

During orientation, no classroom could accomodate all the students.

I doubt anyone really minded because we had studied in worse conditions, atleast I have. The duration of the program was 8 weeks though lectures was for 5 weeks. In 5 weeks, I saw people transform from – “I am hilarious to be elected as …”, “My extinct director, fellow students …”, “This shoe is nice and everlasting”  to speaking proper English language phonetically and grammatically. I saw amazing Nigerian teachers who held a class of over 180 Nigerian students for 4 hours without anyone leaving the class from boredom. I saw a Nigerian class that was not ‘copy and paste’, where everyone participated and contributed freely. I saw a Nigerian class where the eargerness to learn was quite unbelievable yet true. I saw a Nigerian school where lateness, littering and cheating was not condoned. I saw a Nigerian class where friendships that were made would last a lifetime. I saw that not all young people were yahoo boys or prostitutes. I saw that not everyone depended on JAMB to get an education and degree holders, even authors wanted more knowledge. I saw that Nigerians were willing to take leave from work, travel far from home to add value to themselves. At the training school, I saw hope for Nigeria, I saw a candlelight.

At 52, we are still living and where there is life, there is hope. God was willing to spare Sodom if He found 10 righteous men in their entire population. They had lost all their virtue and their sin was begging for punishment but God still asked what they had left – 10 righteous men. When God met Moses at the burning bush, Moses was an 80 year old fugitive but God asked Him what he had in his hand – a rod, God worked with that rod, changing Moses’ life and delivering Isreal. The widow who came to Elisha for help thought she had lost everything and was about to lose her sons but Elisha asked what she had left – a jar of oil. That was enough for God to work with, that jar of oil paid her debts and sustained her and her sons. Point is the world judges us by what we have lost, what we do not have and God is also aware of these things but He is asking “what do you have left?”. As long as there is still breath in you, you still have something and what you have is more than enough for God to work with if you will lay it at His feet. As a country, our faults, losses, sin, are rising up to heaven for judgement but God is asking “what do you have left Nigeria, is there nothing you can present to me?” I think not because I see hope and I am laying it at God’s feet. That is 1 righteous man, where are the remaining 9?

Hope – one of our righteous men. See how powerful he is? Imagine the impact when the remaining 9 show up!

Enough of the complaining, cursing, bickering and regrets! It is time to find our righteous men and present them to God. There is still good in this land, there is something to be grateful for. Something good that we are known for, something good that no one can take from us. We must find our righteous men for we still have breath in us. We must find them and lay them at God’s feet! We must take responsibility for the inevitable day of confrontation comes along with the consequence of our actions.

May our action lead to an exchange.

What will that consequence be – an exchange or destruction? God bless Nigeria.

p.s FRCN is Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria.

 

 

SMOKY EYES, PORCELAIN HEARTS

Beautiful but pretty hard for a heart!

Smoky eyes, porcelain hearts, you are unable to see others clearly through your hazy vision yet your heart is too resistant to acknowledge that you could be wrong, too hard to see redemption. So like the Pharisees, you load others with rules and regulations, nearly breaking their backs but never lifting even a finger to help – you must not, you cannot, this is a sin, that is evil; how then do they climb up to your standard? Indeed you have the key of knowledge but instead of unlocking doors, you lock them. You won’t let anyone go in and guess what? You refuse to go in yourself! You know the way to freedom but you lead to condemnation and so you are also condemned because in this kingdom to receive, you must give and to lead, you must serve.

This is definitely not the end of the road…

Smoky eyes, porcelain hearts, you are religion champions and relationship amateurs. You have memorized the rules of your God yet are clueless to who your God is – how then can you know who you are? You look in the mirror and yearn to see anything the world has sold to your hearts, something familiar; not God, He is not familiar – how do you look for something you have not lost? So you live your life totally unaware of who you are, who you are capable of becoming. You only exist; the world never experiences you – what a waste, what a shame! You come to this world loaded with gifts, treasures, blessings but you leave without releasing any even to yourself – what ignorance! You are able to tell the change in weather and seasons yet unable to discern the God-season we are in right now – what foolishness!

Never ever – it’s the key.

Smoky eyes, porcelain hearts, you live in difficult times and to survive you need a strong heart; a strength powered by Love. This love you cannot give until you first receive it. Stop trying so hard to love a God you know nothing about; embrace instead His love for you and in accepting his love, you learn to love Him and His children in return. You open the door of knowledge for yourself and the ignorant with love for everything God created is good and love marches to its heartbeat. Let your heart beat with love and the lost will come marching; they will obey the will of the Father not out of fear as in the law but out of love as in grace. Through love, you are able to die to self, live a generous life and store up treasures in heaven. Smoky eyes, porcelain hearts; with love, your eyes don’t just look but really see; your ears don’t just hear but really listen; your heart does not just perceive but really discerns. With love, you can be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

My Birthday Wish list!

Count down – 9 days! Hurray!!!

My birthday is in 9 days, yep on the 14^th! It’s a public holiday in heaven you know (What do you expect? I’m Jesus’ Siamese – my twin is seated at the right hand of God).

Anyways, I haven’t been my brightest since Democracy day and the recent events in the country haven’t helped either. At this rate, one might just slip into depression. So I judge God faithful in all that have happened and find courage to keep moving!

June is a month of Joy! A month to rejoice, reconnect with God and rekindle your faith. It is a month to love God and be loved in return. Personally, June is my new year – a fresh start, transformation, new energy, renewed hope! It is the month where I am a child again and can believe anything. It is the month where I try to have on something new from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet at least on my birthday. It is the month that I make a wish list year after year even if nothing on the list gets ticked off.

This year WILL be no exception! My list is usually in my head but I choose to make this year’s public, not because I am vain or insensitive – NO. This is me clinging to hope, renewing my faith that there is a great awakening in the land; being assured that God will restore unto us a greater glory, rejoicing for I know He raises a new army of people after His heart whose DNA’s are encoded in excellence!

Our light will shine – brightly!

Yes we mourn but God promises restoration! We are sick but He promises health and healing! We are poor but God says He will reveal an abundance of prosperity and security! We are buried in sin but God says He will cleanse us from all the guilt of our sin and forgive all our rebellion against Him! God says NIGERIA shall be to Him a name of Joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of the good He will do for us.

Difficult as it seems, let us give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Refuse to be strangled by the choking fingers of death and misfortune all around, for our darkness gives way to exceeding light! Do not succumb to the defeat of hopelessness, spiritual death, and curses from our mouths – NO! Our victory is in our praise, the word of God on our lips, a positive attitude!

Are you ready?

My list is me being positive and even if nothing get ticked off as they are usually expensive; my new year WILL begin on the 14^th by His grace and I fulfill His purpose for my life step by step and day by day! So here goes:

A new laptop (a mac book or any other brand with a unique design)

A new phone (blackberry at least curve 4 or an iphone)

Modem for browsing

A professional camera (Canon – don’t know any model but heard the cheapest is about N250k)

A new car or school fees

Money (at least 6 digits)

Hey do not be discouraged by this list o, this is meant to be an inspirational piece abeg! So perfumes, bags, shoes, make up, accessories, clothes, wrist watches, gift coupons, spa bookings, novels (Ted Dekker preferably), recharge cards (mtn or glo, at least N500 – it’s my birthday  na), anything from your heart especially your prayers are most welcome!

May the peace of God be with us all!

The Domino Effect!

For Tochi Eze

Thursday afternoon, meeting at the office

Voice 1: When did you schedule the location recce?

Voice 2: Saturday, if everyone is available

Voice 1: Saturday is fine, what time? Anwuli, please call to schedule a time.

Me: Yes sir, am I part of the team? Emm…my Saturday is booked….

I don’t envy that last guy…

Voice 1: You will be there on Saturday, please schedule a time (end of discussion)!

Me: thinking to myself, “these people can spoil runs! Saturday is booked for a friend’s book launch (1 hour max) the bulk of the day with bobo (it’s been a while na) and the evening, carrying out my decoration duties in church” as I give Voice 2 an icy glare for fixing Saturday!

Anyway, Saturday came and well… location recce – check! Friend’s book launch- check! Church décor – check! Time out with bobo – no show! But I do not regret the day one bit!

Though I planned to spend 1hour at my friend’s book launch, I almost did not attend. I do not like attending events alone, my plan for the day changed with the inclusion of work and to make matters worse, it rained! But I really wanted to support her as I also hope to write a book (s) in future so I did an out of body experience and just moved my feet till I was seated in the hall. I listened to two fantastic speakers and then it was time for the book launch. This was my first book launch and it was nice to finally see how a book reading was done, I have always wondered what it was like. It was a great program and I was thoroughly blessed spiritually and physically (we were served refreshments! Was not expecting any *big smile*) but I was blessed mostly by the eyes of Tochi’s family.

In those eyes I saw joy that could not be expressed with words, tears that accompanied such joy, pride that was not haughty and a love so pure, it brought tears to my eyes – nothing could stand against it. In those eyes I also saw, my God I saw DREAMS THAT HAD COME TRUE and so I thought “all this because she wrote a book? You mean if I write a book, I can give my loved ones this experience?” And He said to me “No, Silly! It’s not because she wrote a book, it is because she pleases me”.

You see, when the bible says “seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and ALL other things will be added unto you”, it meant every word! If you obey this instruction, like Tochi is doing, ALL other things will be added to you. Things that exist and are yet to exist, tangible and intangible things, expensive and priceless things, much more than you can think or imagine, your dreams will come true! Obeying that instruction is the first domino that causes a domino effect which automatically sets off a chain reaction that defies all science including, honouring your father and mother, loving like God loves, grace to carry your cross, experiencing the joy of salvation and a peace that surpasses all understanding, being light and salt to the world, being blessed beyond measure, being who God has called you to be.

Seek God, trust God.

If Saturday was the last day of Tochi’s parents, they would bless her from their inside and die empty and happy. You should have seen how attentive a friend of Tochi’s father was, the old man took notes and even asked a question. His spirit, soul and body were there; he would not have missed it for the world! Few weddings can evoke such sincere emotions as was present at that book launch. Tochi did not just launch her book that day, she was also honoured.

In all, I spent two and a half hours, and every second was a blessing. Thank you Tochi for pleasing God and granting us that unforgettable experience, may your children give you even more. Maybe it’s time to write my own book, hmm…now what would I call it?

Omo wa’se, o r’ise!

We struggle without grace.

Last year, I was working with a fantastic organization and even though I was employed, I had no work to do. It was not like there was no work to do, it was just that management did not trust you enough to let you handle any responsibility unless of course menial errands like turning on the generator when PHCN did what they were paid to do, serving refreshments during board meetings, representing the company in association meetings where issues being discussed happened at least a decade before you were born. Naturally, I became bored, so bored I would spend hours: sleeping (what? Fine, I admit it’s shameful), on the phone with my sister (this I really miss), on Facebook (this one was ordained o) and that’s how I started writing seriously and enjoying writing. So I wrote, Face booked, met amazing people, read life changing notes and wrote some more until I said to myself ‘I’m going to die mentally and spiritually here’. Though I had ample time on my hands doing nothing, I still got paid at the end of the month, but not without management reminding you with screaming and snide remarks how you were being paid for doing nothing. I was frustrated, very bored and I wanted more; so I made up my mind to resign at the end of the year and go back to school.

My plan was simple – start school May/September 2012 and get a job before school starts. I resumed a new job in January as planned and life could not be better. I was happy, I loved my job, the work environment was better and I could proudly say I earned every penny I got! Did I mention I got a black berry as an official phone with monthly subscription and weekly credit? Yea, I know, sticking out my tongue to my brother who promised me one taya! My life was perfect or so I thought until management started…well, managing. Here, management practically hovers around you and everything that is the company’s which you work with to ensure that you work much more than you are paid! Before I knew it, I was heading two departments, attending every meeting, managing three websites, two Facebook pages and three twitter handles! Gone was my idle time; sometimes I’d feel so tired and sleepy, I practically have to hold my eyelids to stay awake! I’d be in meetings from the start of work and the next thing I know, it’s past break time but that’s not all, –  it’s time for another meeting and then it’s 5 O’ clock but hey, it gets even better because my body is now starting to shake due to lack of food when management says “Anwuli, is the document ready?”. Sincerely, in my head, I’m thinking “If I was attending meetings all day, WHEN WOULD I HAVE TIME TO PREPARE THE DOCUMENT??? Without saying, I lost weight with the speed of lightning and writing?  Hmm, that one was got with the wind; I mean this is my second note in five months! Anyway, all that I could cope with. What almost drove me crazy though was when management started making comments like “Anwuli, I think you need to prioritize your duties, you are not meeting up to your deadlines. Your predecessor for example used to stay overnight at the office just so she could meet up with her deadlines and she always did, I’m not saying you should do same but just think about it”, or just after I change my display picture or update my status “I think we need to use this black berry to publicize the company, you know the phone is not just there for nothing”, for everyone: who has complained about never seeing my picture or was hurt because I did not put up their picture on their birthday, now you know why. Me, I am not complaining sha… ok, at least not anymore (big smile on my face). One day, when I used to complain, I went lamenting to a former colleague and he said to me “Omo wa’se, o r’ise!” And that really is my story, and the story of every child of God.

With grace this is a piece of cake! Well, maybe not as sweet.

We want eternal life and the bonuses attached but we want no cross on our journey to that destination.  Jesus’ destination when He left heaven for earth was not to die on the cross but it was to the place of honour at the right hand of the throne of God, Heb 12: 2. Hun? You mean it was not to die for me?  Friend, it was much more than that! Jesus knew that after salvation comes the cross so he went the extra mile to live a life we could follow to help us attain glory like He did. He endured the shame, the pain, the betrayal, unbelief of His disciples, and death on the cross for the glory He saw.

A cross is not pretty neither is it pleasant, it is that seeming negative in your life though you are a disciple. It cannot be hidden; it is heavy and visible, something shameful that people identify you with for the period which it lastsbecause it aint forever – even if you die carrying it, it ends with your mortal body. It is an experience capable of making you renounce your faith. It is when you can’t see God yet you are asked to believe. It is what makes you question God. It is what makes you abandon the affection of God and embrace the seduction of the devil.

What is your cross and what glory do you see? If you see an invention, your cross might be being misunderstood by the world; If you see ruling a kingdom, your cross might be being hated by the ones you love; If you see ministry, your cross might be being sexually and verbally abused by the ones you trusted; If you see a financially secure future, your cross might be the loss of the source of that security. If you see happily ever after, your cross might be marrying a monster.

The cross is not to be understood, it is to be carried and unless you see and continue seeing a glory, your cross won’t be worth carrying to you. In carrying your cross; Know that God does not waste resources and everything He allows to happen is for a reason.  Know that God’s thoughts towards you are of good and not of evil, Jer 29: 11. Know that He will not give you much more than you can bear 1 Cor 10: 13. If indeed you are carrying your cross and not someone else’s, He will compel a Simon to help you Matt 15: 21. Finally, know also that the cross is discipline; God will not give His glory to unruly children, Heb 12: 7-17

What you see will keep you. What do you see?

No matter your cross, one thing is sure, carrying your cross never leaves you worse than it met you – it always brings you glory and in attaining that glory, you help others do same!

P.s if all I have written makes no sense to you, all this cross talk as your life is and has always been prefect; sweetheart start ‘gyming’ because your cross is on its way and no I don’t mean dumb bells but God’s word, silly!

When I die…

God is indeed wonderful! Breathtaking!

This was inspired by the service of songs for my Pastor’s mum.

When I die…

I want to be celebrated and not mourned because by His grace, my work here will be completed. I would have run the race, fought the good fight of faith and finished strong! I know that I go home to a proud Father who can’t wait to show me off to other saints. Just as I have read about Moses, Elijah, David, Paul, Peter and other saints; my Father will play my lifetime and say proudly, ‘my daughter delivered people from oppression, cared for the motherless, clothed the naked, fed the hungry, mentored people to discovering and fulfilling their passions and purposes, revolutionized the media industry. She lived a balanced life; she was a wife, help meet and best friend of her husband, she loved, cared and raised my children in my ways, was committed to establishing my kingdom on earth’. He would go on and on, then finally say (with the widest grin ever), ‘Welcome home daughter’.

I want to be celebrated and not mourned because every seed I have planted by the enablement of father will bring forth a bountiful harvest and will be sustained. Generations to come will reap of this harvest because these seeds have not been sown on land which can be washed away by floods or stocks which have crashed or on the economy which could experience a meltdown; but on minds which have and can have the mind of Christ, lives which have and can have God’s own spirit. That is the reason my father sent me and all of His children; to glorify Him with the gifts and power He has given us. Gifts are to be given, why should I take them back home?

I want to be celebrated and not mourned because you understand that I am not dead but have just begun living eternal life. My transition will strengthen you to keep running this race and encourage you to finish strong as I have been encouraged by other saints, besides who is going to occupy your mansion if you never come home? I want to be celebrated for the unsaved, by the mercies of my Father, to see that Heaven is home if they will only believe. Imagine the joy in heaven – my welcome party and the salvation of a soul!

I want to be celebrated and not mourned because I am but a foreigner on earth and heaven is my home. No one mourns when a tourist departs for his home land; on the

Certainly more colourful than this!

contrary, a party is thrown on his behalf to ensure he goes home with a memorable experience of his host land. I want to be celebrated because Heaven also celebrates my home coming; so yes, I want a send forth on earth! I want praise, worship, thanksgiving, dance, laughter, jokes and of course, fireworks!

With pearly gates, wings of angels and streets of gold.