It is on a mission to stop you from engaging with God because it knows that your life will be permanently altered when you encounter God.

The devil employ tools like discouragement, hunger, tiredness, unmet requests, and offences to force you to abort what God is doing in your life. And this may happen at the brink of your breakthrough.

Have you noticed that whenever you decide to become more consistent with your fellowship with God, a day will come when there will be this wave of tiredness and hunger that will engulf you? You will be tempted to reduce your tempo.

But the moment you decide to ditch the tiredness, and just begin anyhow, before you know it, strength will start filling you, and you will not want to leave God's presence again.

So here's the way forward:

Keep pushing.

Keep stretching.

Keep showing up.

Choose consistency over intensity.

Choose consistency over intensity.

Choose consistency over intensity.

Keep the fire burning on the Altar continuously. It must not go out—Leviticus 6:13.

Everything will add up in the coming days.

And if you have missed some days, don't worry; just pick up from where you left off and continue moving.

Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option—2 Corinthians 4:8.

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint—Isaiah 40:29-31.

Don't keep your Father [God] waiting for too long.

Now get up and go have a swell time of fellowship with Him.

Blessings.

He had said it several times before, but I never truly paid attention to it until one morning.

I was rushing to get them ready for school while trying to prepare for work at the same time when his words suddenly struck me in a way they never had before.

As one of the boys said,

“Aunty Chinma, stop rushing. Every time you're rushing. You're rushing too much.”

I paused for a moment because this time, his words pierced deep into my soul.

I have discovered that when you're always in a hurry, you don't treat people with love because love is time-consuming. You tend to yell, threaten, misunderstand, and punish people unnecessarily.

I know this from the way I bathe, dress, and feed them within split seconds, including the way I raise my voice and even beat them at times when they waste my time. After careful observation, they had to advise me. 😅

But we have to hurry up so we don't go late na. 🤦🏽‍♀️ And please don't tell me to be waking up early because you don't just get. 😂

It's not like I am rushy-rushy, though. I have time limits, and if I don't finish everything within a stipulated time, we are sure going to be late. Every minute counts.

But children will make you question whether you're born again.😭

Anyways, I caught the message.

So dear mummies, daddies, aunties, and uncles, learn from my nephews today; stop rushing.

Slow down.

And this is not about preparing your children for school alone; it's about slowing down and simplifying our lives around what really matters.

The problem isn’t when you have a lot to do; it’s when you have too much to do and the only way to keep the quota up is to hurry.

May our lives be unhurried, yet purposeful.🙏🏽

Blessings!

Wait! Don't go yet. 🥰

I sincerely want to thank you for subscribing, following, liking, commenting, restacking, and sharing my Substack. This shows you value what I do here. Your feedback encourages me to do more and I do not take it for granted at all.

I love you 💕

After my experience in 2024, I told myself never to talk about the gym again. I nearly disappeared from my body. Hahaha.

My workout routine was very rigorous, yet I wasn’t eating enough. The gym instructor encouraged me to eat about 8–10 times daily to match the intensity of my training. My goal was to gain weight and stay fit.

Many people kept asking why I was working out when it was obvious I wasn't fat or overweight.

But the purpose of going to the gym isn’t to lose weight only—it’s also to stay healthy and fit.

Exercise strengthens your bones and muscles. If you often feel weak and tired, you likely need more physical activity to help you feel energized throughout the day.

When I compare those days with now, I realize I’m no longer as agile and flexible as I used to be.

Well, isn’t this similar to our spiritual lives?

When we fail to exercise our spirit consistently through prayer, studying God’s Word, and engaging in things that edify us, we begin to experience spiritual weakness. Our spiritual muscles become lean and porous.

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost—Jude 1:20.

Just as going to the gym—whether to lose weight or stay fit—requires discipline and consistency to produce results, our spiritual lives also demand the same commitment if we desire growth and transformation.

If an athlete who is running in a race just to win a temporal prize subject themself to thorough discipline, mastery, and self control, how much more believers who are running to receive an eternal prize?

Let us remember the goal:

Not to be so robust outwardly that our spirit man becomes malnourished, weak, and neglected. And not to be so spiritually strong that our bodies are left unhealthy.

Take care of your body.

Take care of your soul.

Blessings 💕

But grow in grace (undeserved favor, spiritual strength) and recognition and knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 2 Peter 3:18a AMPC.

The reason for the blessing of God upon us is for us to also be a blessing to others. Jesus made it clear: all power has been given to us in heaven and on earth, and with that authority came a command—TO GO, to teach all nations, and to baptize them in the power of the Holy Spirit.

We have freely received, and therefore we must freely give.

The Scripture shows us a sobering truth: when a branch bears no fruit, it is cut off; when it bears fruit, it is pruned so it can bear even more fruit. Fruitfulness is not optional—it is the evidence of life.

When the early believers received the Holy Ghost, they didn’t retreat into comfort or private devotion alone.

THEY MOVED.

They preached, healed the sick, and impacted others with the Holy Ghost. They released what they had received. They weren't sitting down and admiring the grace of God in their lives, they quickly put it into action. And the Scripture recorded them as men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The true measure of spiritual growth is not how much we know, but how much of Christ is revealed through us to others.

Blessings.

The platform, the stretch, the process, and the pressure are all instruments in His hands. They're all tools for refining your character, deepening your faith, and aligning your life with His plans and purposes.

This is the bigger picture God is looking at.

So when you're given an assignment, don't run away because you feel inadequate. Running away may cost you more than a role; it may cost you the experience and transformation that God embedded in that assignment.

Let obedience be your defining posture this year. You have no idea all that is happening within you and around you simply because you chose to obey God regardless of how uncomfortable it is.

Blessings.

It's me again.

I hope you have been good.

Let's talk.

***

On days when you experience total burnout, nothing seems to be going as planned, and you're getting little or no results.

What do you do? Cry? Play the blame game? Or quit entirely?

Before you do any of this, have you considered taking time to wait? What if God is the One calling you to take out time and wait on Him so you can understand the next step to take in that venture?

What if you need to refuel so you can become more productive?

Sometimes, burnouts happen so you realise you are not all-sufficient and so you can turn to the all-sufficient One.

Do you know there's strength and wisdom in waiting?

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind — Isaiah 40:31 MSG.

Maybe the real reason you're always feeling this strange hunger and deep dissatisfaction within is because your soul wants to be with the Lord.

A runway might appear like it's leading to nowhere, but at the end of the same runway is where flight begins.

When you have gotten to the end of yourself and you're tired and worn out, that is not the time to quit. It's time to refuel and refresh in Jesus. It is the time to fix your gaze on Jesus because that is where your help will come from.

Remember, our Father is deeply touched with the feelings of your infirmities. So go to Him because He understands your frame and frailty. He can completely relate to your challenges.

Talk to you soon.

Blessings 💕

So instead of going for cheap means like partying, drinking, masturbating, seeing movies, or raising the volume of your headset in order to shut the negative thoughts raging in your mind, why don't you employ the Scriptures?

Let me tell you this truth about the Scripture: it is a powerful tool for waging war against lies from the enemy. It is what you use to effectively dismantle negative thoughts.

Even drug manufacturers usually advise that if your condition does not improve after a stipulated period, you should consult a physician. So go for what will permanently cure your condition—God! The Word!

Then Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread that gives life to people. Anyone who comes to Me will never be hungry. Anyone who believes in Me will never be thirsty— John 6:35 EASY

I assure you that reading the Scripture and confessing it will give you a permanent breakthrough!

The enemy understands the weight of transformation that will occur in your mind when it is renewed with the knowledge of God's Word.

So he will try to keep you away from it so he can continue controlling your mind and feeding you with lies.

Don't allow the devil to distract you from studying the Scriptures. He enjoys dealing with ignorant Christians.

Take captive now those thoughts pushing you to commit suicide or telling you that your life is miserable and that you can't amount to anything substantial in life.

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ—2 Corinthians 10:4–5.

I hope and pray that you learn to love God’s Word with a ferocious passion. And finally, that it will truly become a lamp to your feet and a light to your path.

With every Blessing 💕

Hello my friend,

I hope you're doing well today.

I have a word for you, and I hope it blesses your heart.

•••

First,

My answer is YES to that question.

God is faithful!

We are the ones who worry about the slightest challenge because we don't trust Him sufficiently.

What God requires from us is to carry everything to Him in prayer and possess our peace.

There are times He will respond even down to the thoughts of my heart before I think of voicing them. This is how much He delights in meeting our needs and challenges.

If our earthly father is unhappy when we don't share our needs and challenges with Him, how much more our heavenly Father?

God is never tired or bored of hearing our prayers. He wants to hear everything going on with us, and He delights in those who factor Him into their day-to-day life.

When you leave your life in the hands of God, rest assured He won't mismanage it.

Be encouraged, dear friend.

GOD IS FAITHFUL.

Don't let anyone talk you out of this timeless truth.

Blessings 💕

The confidence of my calling enables me to overcome every difficulty without shame, for I have an intimate revelation of this God. And my faith in Him convinces me that He is more than able to keep all that I’ve placed in His hands safe and secure until the fullness of His appearing — 2 Timothy 1:12 TPT.

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I trust you're well.

So here's what I have for you today.

***

When God is trying to save you from making a lifelong mistake by canceling that job, relationship, travel plans, etc., you may not understand it yet.

Will it be painful and frustrating? Of course! You may even shed uncontrollable tears. But when your tears are dried and your head is clear, you will be grateful that you never continued on the wrong path.

And even if you start feeling bad again about everything you've lost, you will see 1001 reasons why God needed to stop you, and why you shouldn't even go back in the first place.

Dear Friend,

Trust God's intervention.

It is better that God stops you now so that you can cry all the tears now than to realize after you have settled that you're in the wrong place and it's already too late to get out.

He sees the end from the beginning.

He saw what you did not see, and He's trying to save you from a lifetime of tears and regrets.

Many are the devices in a man's heart, but the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand!

Blessings 💕

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But God understood where Elijah was coming from and why he did what he did. So, instead of God granting his death request, He sent an Angel that provided him with what he needed at that time—strength and encouragement!

Dear Child of God,

Your Father knows every discouragement, despair, persecution, and threat you're facing because you stood for Him.

He knows just what you need, even more than you do. And He will send a Word.

We have a High Priest who is deeply touched with the feelings of our infirmities, and there is absolutely nothing you're going through that He cannot completely relate to.

Have a Blessed Week!

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Telling God about how your day went, the struggles you faced, and the areas you need His Wisdom for the day is part of building friendship with God.

If you love someone and want to build a connection with the person, you will always love to gist about what is going on with you, right? That's also how you build friendship with God. It's not rocket science.

I love the constant reminder about fellowship with God that the App provides.

So as you journey through the week, I hope you spend quality time with God through prayers and the Word. I hope you strike a conversation with God as you go about your business of the day because you don't need to only be in an atmosphere of prayer or in church before you can commune with God.

Every corner can be HOLY GROUND.

Welcome to a New Week!

Blessings 💕

The single lady and her dreams is one book on spiritual and personal development that has blessed my life in no small way. Though not much, it took me more than a month to finish. This is not because I can’t finish it in less than a week if I wanted to.

The deep insights contained in the book demanded I pause and reflect at intervals, sometimes days. I didn’t want to rush the book without digesting the contents well.

Written by a single lady like me, it gives practical ideas and principles in developing a sound and well balanced life as a Christian. It stirs you up to become all that God wants you to be. And this is all from a Biblical standpoint.

I want to share with you some of the vital lessons I got from the book.

1. Dare to Take a Step- Most times we like to see the whole staircase before we can take a step. When God is the one leading you, rest assured He has it all figured out. You just step out in obedience by faith trusting the process. Until you take a step, you won’t see the help God is putting before you.

2. Follow God’s Timing for your Life- God is a patient God and He works with timings. He will not overwhelm you with carrying out all the instructions He’s laying in your heart all at once. He has a perfect timing for every task. Calm down and follow Him. Perhaps the reason why you are feeling overwhelmed is because you want to finish all at once and within a stipulated time you have set for yourself.

3. That moment your heart is been drawn to a particular preacher's messages, or to books, articles, videos, blogs maybe God trying to channel you to resources that will help you navigate a certain season of your life. It could be that the answers to the questions you have been waiting on the Lord for is contained in those resources.

4. Observation is a Powerful Investment Strategy- If you want to succeed in life, those people modeling the life you want and are walking in similar path as yours that you admire their life, start doing what they are doing. Observe carefully how they live their life and pattern your life like that.

5. Direction is Better than Speed- If you don’t have direction for your life, if you like get all the certificates you can get, you’d still be confused. Invest more in your relationship with God, He will direct your life on the way it should go.

6. Invest in your Personal Development- Don’t ever lose the growth mindset, be open to learning, it never ends.

7. Spirituality Does not Cancel Intellectual Knowledge- Some people think that once God commits an assignment into their hands, it will flow smoothly because they will be carried on the wings of the Spirit, this is not to undermine the supernatural. Still, the fact that you run a ministry shouldn’t make you overlook personal development, you still need to learn productivity principles, managerial and leadership skills. Read books to broaden your horizon and take relevant online courses. God is an excellent God and as His children, we also are to give Him our best!

8. True Satisfaction Comes from Christ- The kind of joy and satisfaction that is lasting and which we must seek to possess is the one that comes from Christ. When your happiness is dependent upon people and circumstances, you can never be satisfied. Don’t ever give the devil a chance to be in control of your happiness. Whenever he tries to bring negative thoughts, kick them out with prayers and the Word with positive confessions.

9. When you constantly commune with God, your spiritual senses and your ability to know becomes activated and stronger. You will know the mind of God concerning any situation. You just can’t deny it when you get a ‘No’ or a ‘Yes’ from God unless you choose to disobey of your own volition.

10. Prompt Obedience Unlocks Understanding- If you are always questioning or trying to understand every instruction given by God before you obey, you may miss those instructions and what God is doing. God may not always explain what He’s doing, our duty is to trust the process He’s taking us through and act accordingly. Sometimes, when we step out in obedience, we discover that the answers we have been seeking for was embedded in those instructions He has given.

11. Stop the Comparison- When you begin to compare yourself with people who are already doing well in your area of interest, envy and jealousy may set in. This can even blind your eye that you won’t see you are improving also. There is enough space for everyone to fulfil their calling. Admire the progress of others, learn from them but never envy them. Intentionally celebrate people’s success. Invest in materials that will boost your confidence and challenge you to be better.

12. Build Consistency- There are times you may not be seeing much results yet, this is not the time to relapse and get discouraged. Don’t despise the days of small beginnings and don’t try to jump the pruning process God is taking you through. Continue pushing because it’s in consistency that you gain mastery.

13. Have an Instructional Journal- When divine instructions or ideas come, what do you do with them? Play away with them or write them down in your journal? The human brain has limited capacity to remember all that goes into it and if you don’t write the instructions you have received, you may forget them thereby missing out on what God wants you to do. Personally, I have gained clarity in certain areas of my life through journaling. You are missing a lot when you don’t Journal, it has lots of benefits. That’s a story for another day.

14. Have an Accountability Partner- In the pursuit of your goals and visions, you need someone to stay accountable to that can help you keep track of your progress.

An accountability partner may not necessarily be someone bigger than you or someone who has gone ahead of you. Your friends can be your accountability partner provided they share same interest with you. Get someone who is passionate and serious about growth and personal development, someone who will not hide the truth from you, someone who can encourage you and not demoralize you when you don’t meet up with your goals and someone who can push you to be the best.

Some of the significant progress I have made in certain areas of my life was with my accountability partner.

This is a book I’ll recommend to every single lady out there who wants to make a difference in their world. You should have it in your library.

Cheers to your continuous growth!

Blessings 💕

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Hello my friend.

How are you?

Trust you're well.

Today, I am led to share with you a lesson that remains evergreen in my heart.

And I hope it blesses you.

***

There are different ways to tell if a banknote is real or counterfeit, but one unique method I know is the use of UV light. This method involves holding the note up to a light.

For believers, this light can represent the Holy Spirit in our lives. We can't afford to walk through life confused and in doubt always. We cannot afford to be getting hurt because we're attracting only counterfeits in our lives.

Counterfeit people.

Counterfeit jobs.

Counterfeit money.

Counterfeit relationships.

The Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of Truth can help you shine light on the dark areas of your life. He can help you detect counterfeit friends, relationships, Jobs, partnerships, associations, business partners, preachers, etc.

All you need to do is to hold up any thing you're confused and unsure about to the Light—Holy Spirit.

Just like your car GPS assists you in navigating through an unfamiliar path, so also the Holy Spirit is your Internal GPS, helping you navigate along the best pathway for your life.

Resolve not to know people after the flesh anymore so you can judge correctly.

It is possible for everybody to claim that someone is a witch/wizard, but you go to God and God says ‘not true,’ but a person can appear all sincere and sober, and you go to God and God says his or her heart is not right!

It is true.

You don't have to rely on the world's guesses and opinions anymore.

Jesus says I am The Light of the world. This is what Jesus came to do—to dispel every darkness!

The Holy Spirit is one of our greatest advantage as believers.

Always leverage on this Precious Gift by God to you as a believer, for guidance.

Blessings💕

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”—John 8:12 NLT.

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path—Psalms 119:105 NLT.

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When God heals you from the pain of the past, it doesn't mean you will forget the experience, but His healing will happen in such a way that you will no longer view that moment in your life with tears and regrets.

This year will make it two years my beloved Aunty died of cancer. She was one of the most kindest of humans to have ever walked the face of the earth.

When she died, it was as if she took a part of me and went away with it forever. The pain that I couldn't do anything to save her life wrapped me like a piece of clothing.

My aunt had entered stage 4 cancer before we understood what was happening. How on earth did we not see this coming?

We cried all the tears we knew how to cry and prayed all the prayers we knew how to pray, but God took her.

She was like our second mother—lived with us way before my mum gave birth to me. My parents were in ministry then and often traveled for programmes, so they usually leave me and my siblings in her care.

She practically took care of us like our own mother, and we grew up to become so fond of her, so letting go was hard.

The Balm in Gilead.

I remember that the week she passed, I wasn't planning to go to church the next Sunday, but God asked me to go to church. I went and He met me there and spoke to me. That Sunday was like a breathe of fresh air for me.

However, I continued grieving afterwards. Then some months later, there was this feeling of guilt that engulfed me. Something was already telling me I was grieving too much. I felt God was so pissed with me because I refused to be comforted.

I got an encouraging response when I opened up to a friend. If it wasn't God that spoke through her, then tell me, who did? Bless her.

I learned from her that it's okay to talk to God about how I feel and not cover it up and pretend like my pain is all gone and I'm okay. She also shared a helpful resource with me.

At that point, it didn't matter again that it was over a year, I saw that God was still willing to hear me talk about how I felt.

But thanks be to God, I am healed completely. I visited her husband and children last year in the same house she lived and died which I was avoiding, but as I stayed with them, I was really encouraged. That was the last time I ever shed a tear. My tears dried up and my broken heart was healed.

Looking back now, it is safe to say that God was waiting for me all the while to come there because visiting her family became my final bus stop to receiving healing.

What I thought would be a travel gone bad became a beautiful and strengthening experience—another breathe of fresh air for me.

In my journey of healing, God placed people, scenarios, places, and resources at different points to bring me closure and assure me that He sees me. We were also assured beyond doubts that she is in a better place!

I never knew a time would come when I'll remember my aunt's demise and not be lost in thought or shed some hot tears. I could literally almost touch the wound her passing away created in my heart.

I still remember my beloved aunt, but in a different way now. I no longer cry secretly about her demise and I don't feel pain or guilt in my heart anymore.

And to you, my dear friend, who is hurting and probably angry at God for allowing a loved one and a precious soul at that, to be taking away; there is nothing you're going through that Christ cannot completely relate to. For we have not an High Priest Who is not touched with the feeling of our infirmities.

Yours may not even be about the loss of a precious one. You might be grieving about an entirely different experience.

But in your best and worst seasons, please go to God, for all of your help comes from the Lord. You can talk to God about virtually everything you can think of and He won't see you as disturbing too much.

He is Father God for a reason.

If you haven't gotten closure for your pain, then it would be like wrapping a bandage around an open wound without treatment, and you can't get healing that way. The wound may start to eat deep, cause you more pain, and lead to further complications.

But when you open it up, you get the help you need, so that you heal from the inside.

Indeed, I know of a truth that there is a balm in Gilead and the Holy Spirit still remains the Best Comforter.

Either you're mourning the loss of a loved one or you're going through seasons of adversity, this is me sending you plenty virtual hugs.

Learn to process your pain with God and give Him your hand so you can walk through the phase together.

God gat you, my friend.

Blessings💝

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In a time when bad news is screaming almost daily on our screens; permit me to share this good news with you.

Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ left His glory in heaven and came to earth in human flesh; born of a virgin, in a manger.

The child Jesus grew and waxed strong in Spirit and was subject to His earthly parents.

When the time came for Him to begin His ministry, He prayed and fasted, then chose His disciples, about 12 of them.

He served, taught, healed, delivered, and preached only one message—the Kingdom of God. Many believed in Him while some didn't; others said He was speaking blasphemy—their ears couldn't carry the weight of the authority and wisdom with which He spoke.

He wasn't perturbed nor was He distracted because He had a goal to fulfill—to do the will of the Father.

One day, out of love of money, one of His closest disciples betrayed Him into the hands of the Jews for 30 pieces of silver.

Before this time, they had been wanting to kill Jesus by all means but because it was not yet time, all their efforts proved futile as He always slipped out of their midst.

The appointed time had come that the scripture must be fulfilled and as His manner was, He had gone to pray. His heart was heavy knowing His time was at hand and it was going to be a brutal one.

While praying, He groaned until the sweat coming out of His body was as thick as blood.

He requested His Father, if He's willing, to allow the cup of suffering to pass by Him, but His Father's will was that He drinks from the cup so He settled for it.

After about some hours of prayer, multitudes including Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him came to arrest Him.

Judas had pre-informed the multitude that whoever He saluted with a kiss is the Master and they should seize Him immediately.

Finally, they captured Him and led Him away to the house of the high priest.

***

It was the time of Passover and as the Jewish custom was, notorious criminals were released to them for crucifixion as the penalty for their actions. This time was no different as a criminal named Barabbas was brought forth.

However, the chief priests and elders demanded his release and Jesus be crucified.

Pontius Pilate who was in charge of the order was unwilling to hand Jesus over; he knew beyond a reasonable doubt that Jesus was innocent but he wanted to please the people who were already crying Crucify Him! Crucify Him!

Nevertheless, he granted their wish after scourging Jesus and the soldiers led Him away into the hall called the praetorium.

They clothed Him with a purple robe and placed a crown made with thorns on His head. Oh! It must have pierced into His brain, gushing out blood and some cerebrospinal fluid.

He was spitted on, smote, blasphemed, and mocked. The purple robe was removed and His clothes were placed on Him after which they took Him to Golgotha where He would be crucified.

After His crucifixion, they parted His garment and cast lots with it. Jesus was never concerned about what hanging stark naked between two thieves could do to His reputation.

The love He had for you and me was greater.

He could have summoned ten thousand Angels and in a twinkling of an eye, They would come to His rescue!

He could have come down from the cross; after all, He had the power to, yet He chose to remain there!

He could have chosen not to drink from the Cup of suffering for a sin He didn't commit and allow us all to perish.

But because His heart was focused on the Joy of knowing that you and I would be His, Jesus endured the shame and agony of the cross.

Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ showed us that beyond the betrayal, humiliation, cruelty, nakedness, beatings, piercings, nailing, crucifixion, becoming a curse, and death, there was something on the other side of it.

There was forgiveness, freedom, healing, peace, joy, redemption, hope, light, intimacy, life, etc and the impact of that one-time vicarious death continues even now.

As we rejoice and celebrate the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus paid to redeem us from sin, I hope you take the time to pause and reflect on what Christ has done for you, and ensure that His death on the cross for you was never in vain.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a Man lay down His life for His friends — John 15:13 KJV.

This is the Good News!

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Have you ever been in a situation where you would look foolish explaining to people that this is what Jesus would have you do?

Haha. I have been there.

The demands of consecration are real!

One would think that the moment they've accepted Christ into their lives, automatically everything becomes rosy.

Nothing prepared us for the phase where God will strip you of every self and ego.

Slow you down when you feel you should be running.

Make you stay with a difficult roommate so you'll learn the virtue called love.

Ask you to cover and keep a mouthwatering meal you just served yourself and get into an unplanned fasting and prayer.

Request that you say sorry, forgive, and make peace with someone who clearly offended you first.

Demand that you keep quiet and not fight back when you should defend yourself.

And make you wait (for God knows how long) when opportunities are staring at you.

Maybe the only side of God you're familiar with is the side that always met your needs at the snap of a finger. You know that side that sends someone knocking at your door with chicken pizza and Greek yogurt because you were craving it? Yours may not be yogurt and pizza, though.

Haha.

Well, that phase is over now. You're in for some real business with God. Now is the time to take up your cross!

After receiving the life of Christ, you must desire to grow as a disciple, and becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ is going to cost you.

You will have to give up on some things. It could be your convenience, leisure, habits, interests, appetites, friendships, goals, finances, hobbies, etc.

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead — 2 Corinthians 5:14 KJV.

And the truth is, some of these things may not be bad or sinful, but the demands of consecration will require that you surrender them.

In my walk with God, I have had restrictions on some things that never really looked bad—in fact, things that other believers were comfortable doing, but because God didn't want me to do it, I obeyed.

There were times I cried and complained because some instructions came at the most inconvenient time.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow Me” – Matthew 16:24 NLT.

Anything that will stand in the way of your relationship with God and your obedience to Him will have to die. Your main priority as a disciple is to live for Jesus, not for yourself anymore.

Living as a disciple of Christ also means leaving open the door to every room in your life so that God can walk around freely and unrestricted.

But is it worth it?

Oh, absolutely!

Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for my redemption, although I never merited it. It won't be a big deal to surrender everything I am and have to Him. He deserves to have my soul, my life, and my all.

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God"—Luke 9:62 KJV.

And I'm not worried about missing out because I know that when I seek first the Kingdom of God, everything else I need will be given to me.

I am Forever Powered by ZOE!

Thank You, Jesus!

Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' – Matthew 22:37 NKJV.

Blessings! 💕

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We had to declutter our home space some days ago. While I was arranging my belongings, I saw pieces of paper I used to scribble my thoughts on some years ago flying around.

I wasn't keeping a proper journal at the time. Any piece of paper, as long as there was a space to write, was my go-to. But I made sure I kept them well.

Journaling has changed my life in no small way.

Who remembers the 2020 lockdown?

How can I ever forget?

2020 was a game changer for me because I became more intentional with keeping journals after listening to a podcast.

And since then, I have consistently kept different journals.

I've also discovered that I find e-journals more handy than hard-copy journals. I still have hardcopy journals, though. However, it's not every time I carry them around. Inspiration can drop anytime and anywhere too, and my phone has always come in handy.

So to you, my friend, In all your getting this year, get a journal. It's not too late to start.

I began journaling towards the end of 2020.

You can get the hard copy or download the app from play store. Both are preferable, so when you don't have access to one immediately, you can use the other.

How to Make Good Use of Your Journal

Write about the inspirations, lessons, and instructions you receive in the place of prayer, study of the Word, and meditation.

Write the things God is saying or revealing to you.

Don't joke with this!

Journal about your dreams and experiences.

Journal about the insights you get from the books you read and from seminars and conferences you attend.

Don't discard ideas that flow into your thoughts, whether you think they make sense at the moment or not; put them down in your journal.

And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it — Habakkuk 2:2.

There were ideas I wrote in my journal that didn't make sense to me until after some months or even years.

Journaling can help you gain clarity in certain areas of your life. It can also help to confirm certain things God is speaking to you about.

My journal is like my confirmation book. It's just mind-blowing!)

There are times I will be checking through my journal, and I will discover that some of the things God was highlighting to me in a season have already been mentioned earlier, which I documented.

Sometimes I am completely unaware I have written something related to that before until I see it sitting pretty in my journal.

If you're good at documenting what God did for you, said to you, or the promises He's made to you, you can easily kick out doubts, discouragements, and self-pity because you will have many reasons to be grateful that God hasn't left you.

Don't make the mistake of saying you will remember it. Spiritual things are very slippery. Journaling/taking notes will shock you at how many things you don't even remember.

There are many benefits to explore too.

Try it. It works!

And if you're confused on what to do with your life at the moment, here are 3 key areas you can begin with to unlock clarity.

1. Spiritual Goals—prayer, Bible study, book reading (Christian books), sermons, etc.

2. Personal Development Goals—book reading (on personal development), podcasts, courses, articles, conferences, etc.

3. Journaling.

Don't forget to review your journal from time to time. Sometimes the clarity you seek can come from there.

I appreciate that you stopped by. Thank you!

Blessings. 💕

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How have you been?

I trust you're keeping well.

Let me share something with you.

You know about the popular Hallelujah Challenge by Pastor Nathaniel Bassey, right?

Well, if you don't know, I'll explain it to you.

The Hallelujah Challenge is a praise festival organised by a pastor and music minister named Nathaniel Bassey. The program is held daily during designated periods every year. It features sessions of intense praise, prayers, and declarations.

So, here's the thing. I don't follow the Hallelujah Challenge, but yesterday, I was awake at midnight when the live video popped up on my screen. I clicked on it casually just to see what this Hallelujah Challenge I've been seeing everywhere looked like.

My friend, that was how I got hooked. I knew the program was ongoing, but I didn't know that yesterday was the grand finale. When Pastor Nath said something like, "You might just be joining us for the first time today, but it's not by accident." I knew he was talking to me. Smiles.

And boyyy, I was blessed!

However, my focus was when he called on his mentee, a Gen Z, to lead in prayers over her generation; I was gobsmacked. What? How can this young girl be on such fire for God? Anyway, Pastor Nath already told us she was on fire even before she started leading in prayers. But I am sure we didn't see that kind of deep prayers coming. Girl was drawing from a reservoir.

May God continue to keep her.

After watching the Hallelujah Challenge grand finale, and especially our Gen Z girl, I came to the realisation—not like I was not aware before—but it further strengthened my conviction that a time is coming when it will be so odd and outdated not to know this God.

I read several comments from people who were also challenged by the young girl. I saw parents began to pray for their kids and making resolve that their seed will serve the Lord.

As we did not see this Gen Z girl coming, there are several other young people who are rising and beginning to hunger and thirst after this God.

My friend, I want to also challenge you today. If you're not actively pursuing God at this time, I honestly don't know how you're coping.

Honor and enjoy your Creator while you’re still young, Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes, Before your vision dims and the world blurs And the winter years keep you close to the fire — Ecclesiastes 12:1 MSG.

You still have the time. As a young person, you have the time to course-correct your life now by saying YES to Jesus and no turning back.

I am saying with all boldness that there is nothing to lose in chasing after God passionately as a youth.

I have never once regretted my decision.

I gave my life to Christ at a tender age. I started pursuing God and walking in purity as a youth. Right from a young age, God has always given me wisdom to navigate temptations.

Everything I am today is all by God's mercies and grace.

You will avoid a lot of mistakes if you become a God chaser early. Many of the unnecessary battles that some people face will become alien to you.

You know why? Because you will be preserved from this perverse generation. You will experience what it means for the hand of the Lord to be on an individual.

And if you have made some mistakes or you didn't start out early, there is still grace and pardon available for you if you can come to today.

You can come to Jesus Christ as you are, with all your broken pieces and shameful scars. The pains you have held in your heart, just bring everything to Jesus, and He will heal your soul and give you a fresh beginning.

I am not a Gen Z anymore, but I feel this excitement when I see Gen Zs that unapologetically love the Lord.

This is the generation of those that diligently seek the face of God.

Smiles. I was 17 years old when I took that picture.

Speak to you soon, my friend.

And oh, Happy New Month to you. Welcome to March!

Blessings. 💕

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I will never forget it.

It was a lesson that has remained with me to this day.

Let me share with you.

I often visited my school's lawn tennis court at night to pray. God, being a generous God and very rich in mercy, always intervened.

Then one day He said to me,

"You don't spend much time giving thanks to Me as much as you spend on making requests."

That was when I knew that as much as God wants me to make my requests known to Him, He also enjoys it when I thank Him.

From that day on, anytime God answered my prayer, I made sure to go back to that tennis court and spend time singing praises and thanking Him.

When I started doing this, I discovered that I kept on returning there because there were more reasons to thank God.

The truth is, we spend a generous amount of time fasting and praying, and when God answers our prayers, we just do one crash thanksgiving, and that's all. Why don't you spend time praising God for answers to prayers as much as you spend time making requests?

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His faithful love endures forever — Psalms 107:1 NLT.

Count Your Blessings One by One

This experience also moved me to start keeping a gratitude journal every year.

My gratitude journal is so detailed! Maybe I should name it "my gratitude conversation journal.”

(Haha).

See why.

We are always very careful in mentioning our needs to God one by one, but when it comes to thanksgiving, we do it like a hit-and-run driver.

A songwriter challenged us to count our blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise us what the Lord has done.

Have you tried moving from;

- Thank You, Lord, for Your provisions, protection, and healing.

To be more specific, by saying

- Thank You, Lord, for January. You miraculously healed me from ... I am grateful, Lord.

- Thank You, for providing my school fees. I had lost hope of writing exams, and You miraculously provided money for me a day before the exam. Thank You, Lord.

- Thank You, for August. I travelled from ... to ... There was no emergency on the road. Thank You, Lord.

- How can I forget how I enjoyed divine favour from ... and ...? I least expected the support I got from them. This can only be Your doing. Thank You, Lord.

- My son, SJ passed his high school entry exam after 3 attempts. Wow! We are grateful, Lord!

Now tell me, how does this sound? Better, right? I know!

Counting your blessings is a call to rise above doubt, discouragement, and envy, and to start to live a life of appreciation to God.

It's a call to always maintain a posture of gratitude.

Try this, and you will see how blessed you have been!

Enter with the password: “Thank You!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank Him. Worship Him — Psalms 100:4 MSG.

As you write your prayer requests, never forget to also keep a gratitude journal.

You feel God hasn't done anything substantial for you because you have not taken time to think well.

God is so good, and as someone rightly said, "If you can think well, you will thank well."

Till I write to you again, my friend.

Blessings! 💕

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And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus — 1 Thessalonians 5:18 TPT.

As a teenager, I hated myself. I wished God created me just the way He created some girls whom I admired for their looks.

I envied them because I felt they were more beautiful and more outspoken than me. I even tried to copy the way they walked, sat, talked, and behaved. I never saw anything good in how God created me.

There were times I shed tears, complained, and questioned God in my heart.

This continued until one day, someone who understood what I was going through said to me, "Remove your eyes from how you look and focus on God. Begin to seek to know God; get close to Him. Let God shine His glory on you; that one is the best, not this one you are after. Let God beautify you from the inside; it will radiate on the outside."

I knew that was God speaking through this person. It was like a wake-up call to come up higher. The words were divine! From that moment, I made a resolve to intentionally take my eyes off me and place them on God. I began to seek more of God. I also began to furnish my mind with the Word of God, including Scriptures about my identity in Christ. There were some resources I was drawn to that also helped me.

My life and mindset became renewed. I began to see myself through God's lens, and it changed my whole perspective. I stopped wishing and praying to be like every other person and started seeking to become the best version of myself—who God created me to be and that unique being that I am. Because there is something in me that no other person in the whole wide world has. There is a unique thing that God has put in me that no other person has.

I started interacting with my unique self. I went on a journey of self-discovery, and I'm still on that journey. I saw that I had attributes, gifts, and special features that made me unique and very distinguished. I began to appreciate the person I am.

Dear friend, until you begin to see yourself the way God sees you and appreciate Him for the way He created you, you will never know how beautiful you are. Stop allowing anything you don't have control over to weigh you down. When you change, you begin to see things differently.

There are times I will just look at myself and be like, what was even wrong with you those times? I mean, you're beautiful, girl (smiles). But you see, those times I was blinded by the lies from the enemy that I am not good enough. I am ugly. God was not being fair with the way He created me. But when I began to see myself from God's lens, it was as if scales fell off from my eyes. I began to see clearly. Now, all these transformations didn't happen in one day; it took years.

It is time for you to start seeing you as God sees you. When you see you as God sees you, you don't feel this external pressure to try to become who you were not originally created to be.

Here's the truth: if you do not have a solid identity of who and Whose you are, the world is going to give you an inaccurate identity. And because you don't even have one in the first place, you will easily embrace whatever the world throws at you.

For example, the Scripture says, You are fearfully and wonderfully made. So whose report do you believe? God, who created you in His likeness and called you "good," or the devil, who is the father of lies?

Someone said that lies and manipulation can be effective strategies for the enemy, but they're only as powerful as the credit you give them. So instead of you to keep brooding on the lies of the enemy and allow it to grow roots in your heart, this is the best time to delve deeper into the study of God’s Word. What has God said about you? Be consciously aware of it, believe it, and write it out in your journal.

Get a confession journal and write out Scriptures about your identity in Christ. Then confess it audibly to the devil’s hearing!

I'll conclude with this. Who God sees you as is everything! You do not need the world's approval to be who God says you are. You do not need to struggle to prove your worth to the world. You know why? Because Jesus has already done that for you on the Cross. Let this truth change your life!

Let me also add that looking back now, I believe I wasn't seeking after God from a place of what I'm going to get out of it. Because if I was only thinking of my own immediate interest, which was to change my looks, I would have stopped following God a long time ago because I would have gotten worn out. But I just knew out of nowhere that God used that avenue to draw me close to Himself.

I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well—Psalms 139:14 AMP.

With every blessing!

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