This is so true! Oh my gosh! Only If!
xoxo
Sunday, 31 May 2015
Doing The Best I Can
I may not ALWAYS get it right ALL the time but as long as I know that I am doing the best that I can, then I'm cool with that.
Doesn't really matter what anyone says really. I love me, just the way I am, flaws and all! My kids also think I am the best mum ever! So their opinion and my opinion is all that counts!
Be Inspired
xoxo
Running Is Me
I have this recurring dream where I find myself running. Whatever led to me moving my feet is inconsequential. It starts as a jog, and then I'm running. I keep running and before I know it, I am running in the air. In the air I don't float, fly or glide. I am not an aeroplane. I just keep running in the sky. That feels like me here on earth. I am so happy I have three kids that keep me very grounded.
From a young age I have always moved and I have always been unsettled. It was a hard fact to accept about myself but now I have addressed it, I can comfortably accept it and work on it. There are so many things that has contributed to my need to always be somewhere else and not being totally happy exactly where I am. I moved a lot as a child growing up and that is definately a contributing factor as to why I am the way I am now as an adult. I have always had to adapt to a new environment, be it a new home or a new school or a new country (whether I liked it or not). In a way, it has helped me think of life so differently. All things have worked together for my good. Now I'm still on the move but rather than see it as something negative, I am actually quite happy with my drive to keep moving forward and looking towards the future. I hate feeling stagnant and boxed up. It has partly shaped the woman I am. Now I have embraced that aspect of my life, I have taken a more positive approach to it. While striving for perfection and daydreaming about tomorrow, it's a pretty good idea to enjoy the right now. The moments which make up today. I am grateful that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Running is me. And I'm loving this race.
Be Inspired
xoxo
A Letter To My Girls
This letter was written by my mum to my sister and I when we were very very young!
Enjoy......
A Letter To My Girls
This is my letter to you, my girls
From the warmth of my heart
And the depths of my soul,
To reach out to you
In love and in comfort
In knowledge that our Creatir,
Unseen but seeing
Guiding and protecting
Our paths along the steep winding roads
Will lead us to or hidden goals.
The roads one must travel
Are treacherous and long
Clouded by mystery and intrigue.
The unexpected as well as the expected
The clear joys of love and friendship
The bonding of years and experience
To the sorrows of loss and disappointments.
Paths full of blunt and sharp stones,
Opened crevices that cause one to stumble,
Temptations too many to lie the unaware.
For you, my girls, I pray to Our Lord
To guide and to give you strength,
To make your direction clear,
To remove all obstacles along your routes,
To grant you success in your endeavours,
And to provide all your fault needs and more.
In return, my girls, I ask,
That to Our Lord you will turn in prayer and guidance,
That you seek counsel when faced with the unknown,
And with modesty and steadfastness you seek your goals.
Remember with pride your culture and heritage
Do not forget your personal achievements,
Your own unique skills and performances. Make comfort in your own abilities,
In times of adversity, draw strength from your souls
And remember the gifts of Our Creator bestowed upon you.
Equally as important, draw strength from each other
In love and kinship, be each others protector and defender
Each to the other, a second pair of eyes, a second pair of ears
And seal ones mouth and preserve ones thoughts for the other.
Little girls grow, as you very well know
Into young women of various attributes and grace
Hold your head up high, reach with ease for the sky
And choose the class to which you will feel more at peace.
Never look below you, only above.
The higher you seek, the more assuredly you'll find
But the lower you stoop, to the bottom you are most likely to go.
Do not be afraid to set the trend to which others will follow.
Dance to the pipers tune, and you'll always be led,
But most importantly, don't forget to glow your head.
One day you will give your heart and this may be broken
But time is true best healer, and the hurt will be forgotten,
Until the next time, and the next, if it is destined to be.
In turn you too will break hearts, not one but quite a few
Because this is part of life, which to our ancestors is not new.
And then one day, when you least expect
The miracle of love and endless joy,
When one truly finds the perfect companion, when a union blest
Rides on on a chariot of flames, emp assigned and ablaze.
Don't take love for granted,
Keep the candles alight and the fires burning
For the heartache of dying embers can be tlk much to bear.
Above all my girls, follow your dreams
When the walls around you appear to be crumbling,
When friends you knew seem to disappear and strangers become,
When the bottom appears so near, don't ever despair.
Remember in hope, faith and charity
Reach out for your dreams
Hold strong in your faith and convictions that be,
Lest you become discouraged unnecessarily.
And when ever chance appears, give thanks to Our Creator
And pray for strength, patience and wisdom in adversity.
And remember, my girls, my soul is always near.
Your Mum
Be Inspired
xoxo
Friday, 29 May 2015
The Pregnant Deer
Inspirational story!
In a forest, a pregnant deer was about to give birth.
She found a remote grass field near a strong-flowing river.
This seemed a safe place.
Suddenly labour pains began.
At the same moment, dark clouds gather around above and lightening started a forest fire.
She looked to her left and saw a hunter with his bow extended, pointing at her. To her right, she spotted a hungry lion approaching her.
What can the pregnant deer do?
She is in labour!
What will happen?
Will the deer survive?
Will she give birth to a fawn?
Will the fawn survive?
Or will everything be burnt by the forest fire?
Will she perish to the hunters' arrow?
Will she die a horrible death at the hands of the hungry lion approaching her?
She was constrained by the fire on the one side and the flowing river on the other and boxed in by her natural predators. What did she do?
She focused on giving birth to a new life.
The sequence of events that followed are:
- Lightening strucked and blinded the hunter.
- He released the arrow which zipped pass the deer and struck the hungry lion.
- It started raining heavily, and the forest fire was slowly doused by the rain. - The deer gave birth to a healthy fawn.
In our lives too, there are moments of choice when we are confronted on αll sides with negative thoughts and possibilities.
Some thoughts are so powerful that they overcome and overwhelm us.
Maybe we can learn from the deer. The priority of the deer, in that given moment, was simply to give birth to a baby.
The rest was not in her hands and any action or reaction that changed her focus would have likely resulted in death or disaster.
Ask yourself,
Where is your focus?
Where is your faith and hope?
In the midst of any storm, do you keep faith in your Creator, always? HE will never ever dissapoint you. NEVER.
Remember, HE neither sleeps nor slumbers!! Strong people know how to keep their lives in order. Even with tears in their eyes they still manage to say 'I'm Ok' with a smile.
Be Inspired
xoxo
Be Thankful
 Today’s Scripture | ||||||
| “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15, NIV)
|
All Eyes On Nigeria Today As We Welcome Our New President #ChangeIsHere
Today is the day. Proud of my country Nigeria! There is an excitement in my spirit. Nigeria can only get better. God Bless Nigeria!
BBC NEWS
The winner of Nigeria's presidential election in March, Muhammadu Buhari, has been sworn in as leader of Africa's most populous country.
Mr Buhari is the first opposition figure to win a presidential election in Nigeria since independence in 1960.
He has taken over from Goodluck Jonathan, who urged his successor to unite the country in the face of the threat from Boko Haram militants.
Mr Buhari, a former military ruler, says he is a convert to democracy.
He defeated Mr Jonathan - who had been in office since 2010 - by 15.4 million votes to 12.9 million.
The BBC's Will Ross in the capital, Abuja, says heads of state and senior government officials have come from across the world to witness this truly historic moment for Nigeria.
In a country with a chequered history when it comes to power changing hands, this is a chance to celebrate deepening democracy, he says.
At the inauguration ceremony at Abuja's Eagle Square - Mr Jonathan handed over the constitution and national flags before Mr Buhari took his oath of office.
"I will discharge my duties to the best of my ability, faithfully and in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the law," he said to cheering crowds.
The announcer declared to the audience afterwards: "Change has come to Nigeria."
Among the guests at the ceremony is US Secretary of State John Kerry and African leaders including Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe.
Mr Buhari comes into power as Nigeria faces significant economic as well as security challenges with an Islamist insurgency having devastated towns and villages in the north-east.
Besides tackling the Boko Haram militants, Mr Buhari has promised to stamp out corruption.
Be Inspired
xoxo
Lord, Help Me To Be Content
Article Written by Heather Lindsey.
Gosh, what a dangerous prayer to pray.
And it seems like if you don't renew your mind in this area of being content with your season then it creeps back up around and you will look up and not even realize that.. you're discontent.
You may cry out to God and say.. "LORD! But... I thought I passed this test of contentment" and in all honesty, you did pass it at one point. But now you're experiencing tests, trials & different situations and you may find yourself simply complaining. Guess what, you passing those previous tests was wonderful, but now you're maturing and growing in Christ. There's a new level of contentment that you have to pass!
This blog was birthed from my OWN recent struggle. I'm 31 weeks pregnant (about 8 months) and I'm in the middle of finishing off the final edit of my new book coming out in less than a month, I'm planning our 2015 Pinky Promise Conference is next month & negotiating a contract for 2016, then, our statewide baby shower in September, marriage & single retreats, still running our Pinky Promise non-profit, I'm still trying to be a great wife, mother, friend, prepare for a new child and then the list goes on and on! On top of all of that, I started to get a few third trimester pains that really started to slow me down. I started to complain, I thought, "Gosh, Lord- must you pile all of this on me during the busiest time of my life?"
So, as I sat before the Lord in my quiet time yesterday, I started to complain and fuss as I prayed. Sounds crazy, right? Then, the Holy Spirit took me to Philippians 4:4 and I saw Paul write.. "always be full of the joy of the Lord." Of course, Lord-- you would take me to that scripture. But I couldn't stop reading that same line over and over again. It struck me like a ton of bricks.
First, let's break down the word always:
al·ways
adverb
1. at all times; on all occasions.
Wait, so at all times, on all occasions, be full of the joy of the Lord?
Does that also include being 8 months pregnant and trying to do a bunch of things? Does that also include when tests and trials hit your life? Does that also include when you feel rejected, hurt, mad, frustrated, lonely, lost? Does that include when you lose your job? Does that include when your boyfriend leaves you and you had plans for marriage? Does that include when a loved one passes away? Does that include when you hate your job? Does that include when you feel ugly? Does that include when you get hurt by a friend or a family member?
Yes. At all times, on all occasions, be full of the joy of the Lord.
Talk about CONVICTION!
And to add to that fun conviction, Paul is in PRISON telling the church to be CONTENT and to find JOY in the midst of their situation. He's in prison. In a tiny little cell that I'm sure is dirty, with tons of insects, it smells, other prisoners are yelling, screaming and let's not even talk about the food. He may or may not have had a small window to look outside. He sat in the prison cell, day in and day out. Not even know when he was leaving. And, he's telling your comfortable self to be content. I cannot imagine what prison is like back in those times. Paul, like the other Apostles, were hated by most of the Jews because they openly and publicly taught that Jesus was the Son of God. The Jews thought this was blasphemy against God and were more than willing to throw someone in jail over the issue. Paul was in jail for about 5 1/2-6 years in total during the time he was on this earth-- all over sharing Christ! Paul was shipwrecked, snakebitten, stoned and eventually beheaded all for the gospel of Jesus! And THIS man is telling US to be content and AT all times, on ALL occasions, be FULL of the joy of the Lord!
This slapped me in the face and seriously challenged my heart. Paul detached from earthly things because the only thing that mattered what "CHRIST BEING WITH HIM." His mindset wasn't on getting a job promotion, on that next TV show that is debuting, or that concert. It wasn't on "when he was gonna find a wife (even though he had the gift of singleness, his focus was what mattered), it wasn't on some fleshly desire. It was on Christ. He knew that he could REALLY do "All things who Christ who strengthens Him" in Philippians 4:13 because Paul was focused not on what he "thought" he should have but on the task that Jesus gave him. Most people totally use that scripture out of context! They scream verse 13 while totally ignoring the scriptures before hand while they operate in their own strength, hoping God will fund their (not His) ideas.
Are you focused on the task that Jesus gave you or are you distracted by what you think you should have?
- Lord, when is it my time for a husband? I'm tired of being single.
- Lord, when is it my time for a job promotion? I hate this stupid job that I prayed for and I want more money for doing what I do. They don't appreciate my hard word and I have EARNED it Lord!
- Lord, when is it my time to be debt free? I've been claiming debt freedom for 15 years and I'm still in debt and broke! (Honey, the same way you get outta debt is the way you got in it. Stop spending)
- Lord, when is it my time to shine?! I want a stage! I want to see my purpose come to pass! My question to you is for what? For you or for Him?
I'm sure there was a lot of things that Paul "thought" he should have but He made a decision to shut up andencourage others in the Lord. And it wasn't positive thinking. His foundation was actually really trusting in the Lord and allowing for the Holy Spirit to fill His voids.
What do you do when you are having a rough day? Do you run to an ex, food, porn, a friend or do you run to Christ? I get it, I get it, we all need outlets and times where we pull away but you better make sure that the Holy Spirit is giving you the ok to do what you're doing. Emotional eating, shopping, rushing back to your past or watching pornography will never satisfy you. It will only produce a greater lust in your heart to continue to use those things to temporarily put a bandaid on the issue.
Ok, so if this scripture says that the Lord will guide and continually satisfy you, it tells me that most of are aren't giving Him a chance to satisfy our desires. We are too busy using our discontentment as an excuse to continue in our sin. And lets be honest and call it like it is, you just don't trust God to satisfy you. Trusting Him takes way too long and if Jesus ain't moving fast enough, then you need to help Him out. I have learned that as the Lord guides us continually and leads us that our desires truly become HIS desires. I always say this and I will say it again, it's not that there's a shortage of good men, jobs, whatever else, there's just a storage of patient women that are willing to be developed by the Lord to actually go through the process of trusting Him.
This also goes for your marriage. Some of you are in your marriage and you are not content. You're sitting there dumbfounded because you thought that marriage would cure those feelings that you have but nothing your spouse does is good enough for you. You're just not content with him. Honestly, if you aren't content with him, you're not content with you. You are one flesh and you have brought the spirit of discontentment into your marriage. Instead of bashing him for what he's not doing, why don't you start appreciating him and thanking him for what he IS doing. Maybe he doesn't always take out the trash or clean up after himself. But, he goes to work, loves you, is faithful and he at least tries. Maybe, if he sees you taking out the trash, he will feel convicted and help you. For some reason, we have a hard time with 1 Peter 3:4 and that says that "we should win our husbands over with our quiet and gentle spirits." Let me translate in Heather terms: Shut up and stop nagging him for 10 minutes so the Holy Spirit can speak to him. Your husbands job is not to make you happy. Marriage is ministry and marriage is about serving one another and it's his job to love you like Christ loved the church. Jesus could care less about your happiness because your happiness is relative. It could make you happy to cheat on your spouse. It could make you happy to overeat. Jesus is much more concerned about your eternal salvation than you being led by your happy flesh feelings on this earth. So, it was on my heart in the midst of this blog to just say, "give your husband a break from all of that complaining." Build him up and pray for him like crazy. Speak up as the Holy Spirit leads you and be gracious in your tone.
So, how can one be content?
1. It's time to refocus, spend time with the Lord and really renew our minds concerning the things that are important to us. Search the scriptures on contentment and see what the bible says about it and ask yourself questions like, "have I ever been content? What does contentment mean to me?"
2. Identify open doors. If your void filler is shopping, maybe you need to delete the app that pops up every time there's a sale. If your void filler is that ex, you need to erase and block his number so you aren't tempted to reach out. If it's overworking, you need to set boundaries and go home at a certain time to make sure that Christ is truly in the center of your life.
3. Admit it. It's time to be totally honest with ourselves and say, "I'm not content with my life and I compare myself to others, Lord help me." Don't push it under the rug & say, "no, that's not me, I'm good. I'm content." But deep down, you desire this things in the pit of your stomach and you constantly question God about those things. Contentment says, in all season, at all time, on all occasions, I will trust in you Lord.
4. Recognize your problem areas. This goes back to #2. If you know that after a huge test, you want to "go to a bar, drink and get drunk", then you have to avoid those tempting situations. Don't just go and tell yourself that you're getting a "Cranberry drink." If your issue is sex, it's not the best idea to go up to his house or apartment if you know what happens when you do so.
5. Communicate daily to the Holy Spirit. Talk to Him throughout the day. Tell Him that you're not happy, vent, take moments where you just ask Him how He's doing. He's real! He's active and He's more real than the person sitting next to you.
Bonus: PRACTICE this contentment and remind yourself that God provides for you and that you have what you need. It's not going to happen overnight, especially if you have 15 years of discontentment.
You're NOT alone in this walk and satan is after your mindset concerning contentment! He wants you to think that God has forgotten about you and isn't for you. Instead, recognize that on this earth, we WILL experience tests and trials and these tests will develop things OUT of us that aren't like Him.
Be Inspired
xoxo
Thursday, 28 May 2015
Superman Has Nowhere To Change
I just can't! I actually find this so hilarious I can't stop laughing!
xoxo
How To Raise Godly Children
How to Raise Godly Children
1. Understand Your Place In God.
In order to effectively raise Godly seeds, you must first of all understand God’s purpose for the family unit and your unique role as a Christian wife and mother.
Things You Need To Know:
a. It is God’s Plan to have a Godly Seed ThroughYou.
Malachi 2:15 (NLT) Didn't the LORD make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth.
b. Your Home Is Sanctified Because Of You.
1 Corinthians 7:14 (NLT) For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband brings holiness to his marriage…
c. Your Children ARE Holy.
1 Corinthians 7:14 (NLT) For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy.
2. Love them unconditionally. Forgive their mistakes promptly. Don’t nag or criticise. Speak positively about your children. Speak the Word over their lives.
1 Peter 4:8 (RSV) Above all, hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.
1 Corinthians 13:4 (Phillips) Love . . . looks for a way of being constructive.
Ephesians 4:29 (NLT) Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
Philippians 2:14 (NLT) Do everything without complaining and arguing
3. Lavish them with Praise
Our praise is powerful, and the more we can focus on the good things in our children, the more of those good things we will ultimately see. Try telling your child ‘I love you’, ‘you are so special to me’, ‘God made you perfect just the way you are’.
Psalm 139:14 (NIV) I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
4. Teach them the word.
Your son/daughter is your first soul, and likewise, you are their first mentor. It is therefore important to ensure they are grounded in the word of God. And it is your responsibility to show them.
Deuteronomy 4:9: Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons.
2 Timothy 3:15 (NLT)You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.
5. Labour effectively in prayer: Pray FOR your kids, and pray WITH your kids.
Galatians 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV) Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
6. Don’t shy away from discipline. Discipline is an act of love.
Proverbs 19:18 (NLT) says: Discipline your children while there is hope. Otherwise you will ruin their lives.
Proverbs 29:17 (NIV): Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.
Proverbs 23:13 (NLT): Don't fail to discipline your children. They won't die if you spank them.
Proverbs 13:24 (AMP): He who spares his rod of discipline hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines diligently and punishes him early.
7. Be their first example and role model
! Timothy 6:11 (NASB) But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.
1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV) Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
1Peter 5:3 (NLT) Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.
Titus 2:7 (NLT) And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.
2 Timothy 1:5 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.
8. Determine the company your child keeps.
Proverbs 13:20 (NLT) Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV) Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character.”
Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
HOW TO COMBINE MINISTRY AND MOTHERHOOD EFFECTIVELY
Titus 2:4-5 says Teach the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be wise, good, pure and submissive, and to manage their homes well.
1. Put God first in all things.
Luke 10:38-42 (NLT) As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Philippians 1:10 (NLT) For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return.
2. Take advantage of grace.
Hebrews 13:5 God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Philippians 1:6 (NLT) And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
3. Learn to delegate.
As a Working Mum in Ministry, the ability to delegate is critical to your overall effectiveness so you don’t wear yourself out with too much work. Lighter responsibilities can be delegated to older children, you may decide to hire a nanny/housekeeper, or you can choose to take the kids to nursery. What’s important is that you find what works best for you so no area of your life and ministry is at a disadvantage.
Acts 6:3 (NLT) And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.
4. Be an effective manager of your time.
A mum is a manager, so your ability to effectively manage every aspect of your life, including your time, is critical to your success at motherhood. In order to effectively manage your time, you must:
a. Define your priorities: What are the things that matter the most to you. Put these at the top of your priority list. For example: Time spent studying the Word, Time spent praying, Time spent together as a family, Time spent winning souls, Time spent doing homework, etc.
b. Set yourself a reminder for each of these activities until they are ingrained into your character and become a part of you.
c. Evaluate yourself from time to time. Does the way you spend your time reflect the importance of your top priorities?
d. Have a Short-term and Long-term future goal, constantly remind yourself of it, and let your priorities reflect your goals.
5. Surround yourself with people of like mind.
Proverbs 13:20 (NLT) Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
Psalm 119:63 (NIV) I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts.
Proverbs 27:17 (NIV) As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me as I imitate Christ.
6. Refuse to be stressed.
Philippians 4:13 (NIV) For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Philippians 4:6 (NLT) Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
7. Be health-conscious.
3 John 1:2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
Proverbs 23:2 (NLT) If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat.
1 Corinthians 6:12 (ESV) “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.
In conclusion, the role of a mother is a good one. Your child is a gift from God to you. A gift ought to be valued, appreciated, loved, maintained and prized. So we must treat our children with value, appreciate their uniqueness and worth, love them unconditionally without comparing them to others,maintain a godly character in them through effective discipline, and cherish them as a prized possession.
Article written so eloquently by Esther Ojikutu.
Be Inspired
xoxo
Wednesday, 27 May 2015
Give Your Children God's Vision
The below is from my "Marriage and Family Life" Bible reading plan. You may have read it already, but I thought the words pertinent enough to share here.
Our assignment as parents is not only to impart to our kids our knowledge of God, but also to give them a vision for their world. That’s what Joshua did, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
You do this just as Joshua did it. Pray for your children, that God’s plan for their lives will be fulfilled. Also, give them a vision for the world. How? When you come home from work, tell them stories about how God showed up and is changing lives at your place of employment.
When you go on family vacations, look for ways on the road to get them involved in God’s kingdom work.
You and I are a part of a generational relay race in which we must make a good handoff to the next generation. Remember, your marriage and family are the headwaters of your legacy. What occurs downstream in history with your kids will flow only as strong as the source at home.
Be Inspired
xoxo
Tuesday, 26 May 2015
One Elated Princess: Mission Accomplished
I can't believe I'm a mummy .......to an 8year old now. I always get emotional around her birthday because since the moment she was born, my whole life and outlook on life has totally changed. My baby is now 8, and I really thank God for the air she breathes!
As God will have it, every year since she was born, we have always done something special for her. Birthdays are a pretty big deal in our house, because it's the only day in the whole year that is solely dedicated to them and making them happy. This year, we overcompensated. Oh yeah, unexpectedly, it just happened....
We are now so done with throwing big parties for her until she is 18 years old! So each year we ask her what she would like for her birthday and how she would like it. It's good because it takes the pressure away from us to give her a surprise! She organises everything from her what she would like for her presents to her guests to her venue. Last year she wanted a pizza-making party, so we got a bunch of her friends, went to pizza express, they made pizzas, ate their pizzas and then everyone sang to her and she cute her cake. It was so fuss free.
We are now so done with throwing big parties for her until she is 18 years old! So each year we ask her what she would like for her birthday and how she would like it. It's good because it takes the pressure away from us to give her a surprise! She organises everything from her what she would like for her presents to her guests to her venue. Last year she wanted a pizza-making party, so we got a bunch of her friends, went to pizza express, they made pizzas, ate their pizzas and then everyone sang to her and she cute her cake. It was so fuss free.
We were on a mission. Not necessarily to top every birthday she has had, butt to give her an awesome day. A day she will not forget and she can look back on her birthday and say, wow, I was really celebrated. My daughter stayed up till midnight just so she could see her birthday in with a bang. We prayed for her for an hour until she fell asleep...
This year she wanted a swimming pool party, so again, we went to church, everyone prayed and sang for her, she cut her cake, gave away a few snacks and we headed to the swimming pool. We got there African time of course, and all her friends were already there. After their fun time at swimming, we took them all to Nandos for dinner. And then, on our way home, we popped by her friend's house as they share the same birthday, to surprise her and wish her a happy birthday too. The day was so long but it was worth every minute.
Just one more thing I wanted to say to you G1! Happy Birthday again my princess. You are so loved and cherished by all of us. You are blessed! Kings shall come to the brightness of your rising. You are excellent in all you do. You shall heal the sick, raise the dead, give hope to men and women all around the world. Your lips shall continue to sing praises to our Lord God. You will testify to the goodness of God upon your life. Our God is blessing you with wisdom, knowledge and understanding. You have joy unspeakable, peace immeasurable and happiness unlimited. You will have academic excellence. You are the light of your world. Your light is shining brighter and brighter. No evil will come near you Everything that you touch will be blessed. You will grow to love the Lord with all your heart and dedicate your life to the work of God. Many will come to Christ because of the words of wisdom from your mouth. They will hear the word and be automatically inspired to know who God is. My darling daughter, oh my, when I say I am overwhelmed with emotion, I understate it. My Lord knows how full my heart is. I am so fulfilled and I am blessed to have you. I love you so much baby girl. I thank God for a child like you. God bless you!
Inspired By My Kids
xoxo
I Love Me Some Bubble Wrap!
Give me roll of bubble wrap and you have me occupied for at least an hour. I find it so therapeutic and relaxing! I just love this picture.
xoxo
Saturday, 23 May 2015
Garri Cocktail
On a serious note though, this is one of the best meals in the world! Garri- White or yellow but it's best when it's crunchy (I know how to make this from scratch with cassava), Sugar/Salt, Groundnuts (or coconut dices) and cold water! The cucumber slice is obviously for decoration. Please if you haven't tried it, you are missing out on something amazing.
xoxo
What To Expect When Visiting Nigeria
That being said, here is my top 10 observations of what you can expect when you visit Nigeria.
1. The heat! From the moment you touch down at the airport, you can't help but feel you are about to faint and in desperate need of cool crisp air. Nigeria is so hot and stuffy so always carry a bottle of cold water around with you so as to keep you hydrated always. There is no need topping up your tan. I would advise you desist from this habit because you will burn. Avoid staying long periods in the direct sunlight.
2. Language. Nigeria is such a diverse country and although English is our main language, we have over 300 languages in the country that we are proud of. When you visit, you will hear some of these. At least 3. Don't be bemused.
3. Expect traffic. It's the way of life now. Plan each journey carefully and make allowances to prepare yourself to sit in traffic for at least 3 hours everyday.
4. The good news is... While stuck in traffic, you can treat yourself to a variety of necessities. If you need to buy bread, yam, charger, mobile phone credit, pillows, watches or even some music. They bring the shops/market to you...So Convenient sometimes.
5. Nepa aka electricity supply. The one thing Nigeria has always been consistent with is their "light situation". There is never any! "Nepa can take light" until you are blue in the face. So you will just have to get used to it. Also, like everyone else, you will need a noisy generator (because one just cannot possibly survive without their electricity supply) and an inverter which can carry your basic necessities like a fan (to cool you down) and the television etc.
6. Food. Our food is always being reinvented and made to appeal the eyes as well as the taste buds. Be prepared to enjoy traditional and modern cuisine. I must add though, we love our spices.
7. Mosquitoes, rats, cockroaches, dragonflies, lizards etc. They are everywhere. They can be avoided by simply keeping your house and environment CLEAN. There's no two ways about this one.
8. Everyone to me seems dressed to impress all the time. It's Almost impossible to find someone having a really bad hair day or a dress down day. Everything from their Brazilian hair to their designer nails to their silicone behind to their eyebrows and their handbag. It's exhausting trying to keep up. My advise, ignore it and be you. If that is you, great. If not, it's not that serious. I must add here that the cost of doing your hair/nails etc is a lot cheaper than doing it abroad. This way, you can save money.
9. Fuel scarcity. This is so unpredictable seeing how in Nigeria, fuel and diesel is a household priority in every home. You will need this for almost everything from the running of your car (to take you to work, kids to school), to running yor generator (you need this to cook, to have a warm shower, to see when it's dark etc). So when there is fuel scarcity in the giant of Africa where we have oil in abundance, the country literally grinds to a halt. But as Nigerians are very self sufficient, you will still find the diluted "black market" versions to buy on the street and "manage it".
10. Lastly, I will say, expect the unexpected. Keep safe, pray hard and trust God. It's a wonderful country to be in, but adjusting to the lifestyle change is key to your survival there.
Be Inspired
xoxo
Friday, 22 May 2015
Blessed
🌕 6 LITTLE🌱STORIES
-----:-:-:-:-:----
🌾
{ 1 }
ONCE, All villagers decided to pray for rain, on the day of prayer all the People gathered but only one boy came with an umbrella.
👇
That's
FAITH
-----------------
🌾
{ 2 }
WHEN You throw a baby in the air, she laughs because she knows you will catch her.
👇
That's
TRUST
------------------
🌾
{ 3 }
EVERY Night we go to bed, without any assurance of being alive the next
Morning but still we set the alarms to wake up.
👇
That's
HOPE
-----------------
🌾
{ 4 }
WE Plan big things for tomorrow in spite of zero knowledge of the future.
👇
That's
CONFIDENCE
-------------------
🌾
{ 5 }
WE See the world suffering.
But still we get Married.
👇
That's
LOVE.
--------------------
🌾
{6}
On an Old Man's shirt was written a cute sentence
'I Am Not 60 Years Old.., I Am Sweet 16 with 44 years Experience.'
👇
That's
ATTITUDE
Be Inspired
xoxo
Thursday, 21 May 2015
Song Of The Week - Great Are You Lord
Over the weekend, I was privileged to attend our Miracle Faith Seminar 2015! The first of it's kind in our zone.
One song that stood out to me while ministering songs in the choir was the first Sinach song I learnt. Great Are You Lord. Wow! The Title in itself! Now all her songs are signature songs in my household, I can't believe the impact her songs have on my heart. This song is a song that I listened to on repeat for a whole month when I first joined the ministry. I don't know what it is about this song because I can't classify it as inspirational or just touching. The song stirs up this incomparable love I have for Jesus. It's like a prophetic song that shakes up my spirit. Songs like this just make me want to go to heaven today and worship God and just be in awe! This song takes a hold of my soul and I feel myself giving God my all. With this song I free myself of all distractions pertaining to my heart and just focus on how Great our God is. My kids can sing this song in their sleep now and I just want to thank God for being so awesome.
Song: Great Are You Lord
Performed By: Sinach
Enjoy and Be Blessed!
Be Inspired
xoxo
One song that stood out to me while ministering songs in the choir was the first Sinach song I learnt. Great Are You Lord. Wow! The Title in itself! Now all her songs are signature songs in my household, I can't believe the impact her songs have on my heart. This song is a song that I listened to on repeat for a whole month when I first joined the ministry. I don't know what it is about this song because I can't classify it as inspirational or just touching. The song stirs up this incomparable love I have for Jesus. It's like a prophetic song that shakes up my spirit. Songs like this just make me want to go to heaven today and worship God and just be in awe! This song takes a hold of my soul and I feel myself giving God my all. With this song I free myself of all distractions pertaining to my heart and just focus on how Great our God is. My kids can sing this song in their sleep now and I just want to thank God for being so awesome.
Song: Great Are You Lord
Performed By: Sinach
Enjoy and Be Blessed!
Be Inspired
xoxo
Your Words Define Your Life
Your Words Define Your Life .
Thursday, May 21st .
Pastor Chris
Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift (Ephesians 4:29 MSG).
It’s sad when people aren’t careful with their words. Imagine someone who keeps saying, “I just don’t know what’s going on with my life; nothing seems to be working. Worst still, I have a problem controlling my mind, my thoughts, and my emotions.” You shouldn’t talk like that. If that has been your experience, it doesn’t mean your experience should control you. Don’t voice the negatives.
Your speech dictates the circumstances of your life. If you say you have no control, you’ll lose control. If you say you’ve got problems, then you’ll really have them. The life that we received in Christ is an excellent one; it’s glorious and extraordinary; it’s the transcendent life. Your speech should be consistent with that life. The main reason many people have their lives upside down is because they don’t talk right.
Our opening verse says, “Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth….” Sometimes you hear a Christian say, “We were doing well two weeks back, but suddenly things just went down.” Some others, because of their experience, would say, “You know, things can’t just be rosy all through; you win some, you lose some; sometimes up, sometimes down.” A Christian shouldn’t talk like that. You’re born to win always! You’re built for success; it’s part of your makeup. Talk that way!
Refuse to be defeated! Refuse to be weak! Get yourself together and declare, “I’m a success! I was born to reveal the glory of God! My life is upward and forward only!” Control the circumstances of your life with your tongue. Don’t wait; start it now if you’ve not been doing it. Your mouth was given to you to chart your course in life. If your words are disorderly, your life will go in that direction; if your words are excellent, your life will go accordingly as well.
The character of your words is the character of your personality. So, watch your words! No man ever got better than his words; your life is the expression, the manifestation, and the reflection, of your words. Words define your life and your value.
CONFESSION
The Word of God is in my heart and in my mouth! My words are wholesome, and they’re producing life to my body, job, business, ministry, family, and all that concerns me. I’m a success. I win always; I’m above only, and never beneath, because I’m a product of God’s infallible Word! Glory to God!
Further Study: Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. ;
Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
EXTRACT FROM: Rhapsody of Realities
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