**Fragile, we are**

Emotion...
A human expression
That can't be resisted
Almost always is requested
By forces that can't be explained

Tears...
An expression of emotion
Can't be forbidden
Must be unladen
A part of our anatomy

Heart beat...
An expression of life
Can't be suppressed
Unless in death
A part of our being

How fragile we are! One day we're strong, the next we're weak. One day we're whole, the next we're in pieces. One day we're laughing, the next we're crying. One day we're in the wilderness, the next we're in paradise. How fragile we are.

I have been looking for a way to express how I can be transported from one emotion to another in a split second, and also a way to write about this. I still cannot fully describe the feeling I get during transitions of emotions, but listening to Fragile by Jason Castro reminded me of just how fragile I was (original song is by Sting). Life is indeed turbulent...one day you could be somewhere and another day you could be in another man's land. No one owns tomorrow, except the God that I worship. He's the One that gives me stability in my instabilities, the One that can command the winds to stop moving in the middle of a storm, and the One that can command the waves of the oceans to come only to a certain point on land, and then recoil back to their original position.

If you know this God, then you won't be transported by the waves of life, but you will become the transporter. You won't be carried by the breeze, but you will be a breeze-carrier. Your emotions won't rule you, but rather you will become the ruler of your emotions. If I were to point at someone who I knew to be really emotional, I would point at myself first...I have the potential to cry and wallow in self-pity. But somehow, I have seen myself become a warrior and a fighter, and it seems like I'm insane. On-lookers who call me a fighter don't even understand that it wasn't really me fighting. If only they can see that it was the Rider on the white horse, the One who was described in the book of Revelation, that was there beside me, while I fought my battles...they would understand. I feel like David, who ran to the giant and said, "who is this who defiles the army of the living God?" Lol. He didn't run to him with a sword or an armor, but the little stones and his little sling. He knew he didn't have the power, but because all power belongs to God He was safe.

He makes me smile just thinking about him...because I think I'm getting to be more and more like him each day.

Nobody said you weren't fragile. Fragile, we are. But remember that it won't be your power that will fight your battles. You're fragile, but God isn't fragile.

See what God told Joshua:

.

"No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage...Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go..."Joshua 1:5-6/9

Enjoy Jason Castro...

*Ignorance is not bliss*

Ignorance (i.e Lack of Knowledge):
.

Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, And he sins who hastens with his feet. The foolishness of a man twists his way, And his heart frets against the LORD. Proverbs 19: 2-3

.

Here, we are warned not to be ignorant...ignorance can kill you, what you don't know will KILL you...God loves knowledge seekers...if you read the book of Kings, Solomon asked God for"understanding," but God did not just give understanding, but He also gave WISDOM...which is the foundation of all understanding.
.
Without knowledge, you can't know about salvation, if you don't want to know, then you really won't know, you will be adamant not to do any research, you would be so determined not to study the word of God, and so determined not to know what God wants for your life...and of course everything you would ever do would be OPPOSITE to what God wants you to do (because you think what you don't know won't kill you), but noooo...you would be heading towards a dangerous destiny...a destiny without salvation.
.
So take time out to open up the dusty book of knowledge in your dresser at least once a day. Take time out to read at least a verse (which is about two lines) from the wise book of God, Take time out on Sunday, or any other day of the week, to listen to a wise teacher, pastor or anyone ordained by God. OH BLESS THE DAYS OF LITTLE BEGINNINGS...because everyone begins somewhere...and then you start climbing up the ladder of knowledge and wisdom, step by step...but you have to start from somewhere... DON'T REMAIN IGNORANT...GONE ARE THE DAYS OF IGNORANCE...
.

I wrote this a very long time ago, after reading Proverbs 19 (found it while going through my old emails today and decided to post it up on this blog). Gone are the days of ignorance...are you seeking more knowledge today? Or do you still NOT want to know?

**Tired of Saying Sorry**

How many chances in a lifetime could one get? I can't take this anymore. She screamed at the top of her lungs and threw all the items on the desktop, and they came crashing down to the floor. She was filled up with so much rage. "How many times will I say I'm sorry? I really didn't mean to do it. I didn't. I wish I could have stopped. I really do." She sat down on the couch, sinking low in defeat. She had promised. She said she won't. But she did it again. How many times would she say she was sorry? How many more chances did she have left? Life wasn't fair. Some had no chances, but she had been given more than a thrillion. Each morning she woke up, she had a brand new chance...a chance to make it right. But how many more chances did she have left?

****************************************************

The reason for Easter is to emphasize the significance of new chances. He walked with His eyes focused, to the place of sacrifices, to lose His life to give us one more chance. To eradicate the rule of judgement and to give us a new hope. To tell the adulterous woman, "go and sin no more, " and the one who has faith that, "your faith has set you free."

I can understand waking up each morning with tears in your eyes because you did something you very well know you shouldn't have done, because I've been there before, and it's not even a very long time ago from this post. But you know what? His mercies are new every morning, and that's why He died on a cross that wasn't His to carry. This message is one of forgiveness, but it doesn't just end there. It is about forgiveness and then transformation. You can't just have forgiveness, you have to 'change.' And yes, you can change. Yes, you can. And you can't do it by yourself. But from today, your eyes can be open to see the doors of escape from that cycle of sin you've been entrapped in. You have another chance today. Every morning you wake up is another chance.

*Don't give up. Don't be tired of saying sorry*

Let your easter be happy, let it show you that you have the God of second chances,

and third, fourth, fifth, unto...infinity.

To the LEFT or to the RIGHT: Crossroads!!!

Today they both decided to take a risk.

They were going on a road-trip, their destination was a place called Ile Ayo*. They were going cruising in the red convertible, far far away to the outskirts of town. They took a map and a compass...along with their intuition and freelance adventurous spirits. They dressed up in slacks and t-shirts, not ready to be uncomfortable during the long trip. She'd been craving his attention all month, and he'd been too busy working from the wee hours of the morning to very late hours of the night. They'd had no time for loving. Well, this was an opportunity...an opportunity to be all by themselves. So they loaded their car with edibles and games, and got into the two front seats. He cracked a joke and she giggled...and the car caught up with the furious wind. After four hours of talking, laughing, and staring at the map, they got to a crossroad. They looked at the map again, but there was no record of this intersection nor was there a symbol or diagram. They concluded that the map was probably old. This was a major crossroad and they had to use their intuition...

*******************************************************************************

A crossroad is a place in-between the past, future and present. It's like the center of a maze where you must pass after you start at the beginning and before you stop at the end. It is a point where everyone gets to in their own journey. It's a point where heavy decisions are made and where authorities choose to connive or concede. A crossroad is the "gate" mentioned in the book of Proverbs where important men went to make the decisions of the land. What should we do when we hit a crossroad?

I've been faced with crossroads before...where I didn't know what the future would hold for me. Where I thought I was in the right direction, but lo and behold as I chose to move forward it became the wrong direction (wrong place and wrong timing). And so I stopped and made a 180 degrees turn. I wondered whether to look up or to look down, or whether to look right or to look left. I asked questions and got no significant responses. I questioned God and He became silent. How did I survive to tell the story? I am a survivor because I just remained in His presence. In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). Somehow, after remaining in His presence for a while (long or short, depending on what exactly your crossroad is), you'll get catapulted to where your destination is. I promise you...
.

His presence...what is this presence? His presence is a place where you feel peace. A place at the middle of the storm where Jesus is in your boat and so your boat stays calm, rocking gently like a cradle. His presence is waking up early in the morning with a smile and a yawn. His presence is found in worship...rendering songs that come from your soul. His presence surrounds you when your light shines in the midst of darkness. His presence is being surrounded by His word, which He watches over like a hen watches her chicks. His presence is like traveling to the security of a warm summer resort in the midst of winter.
.
His presence nullifies the intensity of the crossroad. You close your eyes and open them again, and you would have run far, past your crossroad. You look back at your past, and it's all behind you. You look at your present and you're still on the road trip. You look at your future, and there you are standing at your destination.
.

It's not the easiest thing to make a heavy decision at a crossroad, but don't be in haste, don't rush your decision...just remain in His presence and see where He takes you...do you want to experience this presence? Even at ur crossroad, remain in His presence...
.

*Ile Ayo*: A place called Joy.

The Chapters of Our Lives...

She was first a child, brewing with all the intricacies of innocence. As a paint brush splashes a mixture of colors on a palate, so was she streaked with the colors of ideals, momentums, and dreams. She gradually grew up into a young boisterous teen, with a fiery furnace burning inside her, telling others that she knew exactly what she was doing, even though she knew not what she boasted about. She had the indignant "no-return" policy of a wild teenager. Then one day she finally became a woman...burning with passion for the love of a man. Making a list that was past three pages, of prerequisites and requisites, all she ever wanted in a man and a career. She gave her life to Christ at 21, got persecuted at 22, became angry at God at 23, and turned back to him at 24. At this time, her long list had narrowed down to the genuine number of 5. Just four key identifiable things she wanted in her other half, and one in her future career. She passed through the wilderness, ran through valleys, and finally climbed her first mountain at 29...getting married and finalizing her career options. She pushed a handsome and fair male out of her womb at 31, her first child...the one she called "Zion," for Micah 4:10 said, "Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, Like a woman in birth pangs. For now you shall go forth from the city, You shall dwell in the field, And to Babylon you shall go. There you shall be delivered; There the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies."
.
But where was God when she was pushing? Where was He when she lost a lot of blood, or when they had to bring her back to life with an oxygen mask after she stopped breathing? He definitely was not there. But she regained her sanity at 33. At 40, she looked back at her life...at her accomplishments and how she came to be where she was now. It was never easy, but she had built her character. She was the woman she was because of those times in the wilderness. The chapters of her life came and went, and she had some more chapters yet still ahead of her...

*************************************************

I was singing during Praise & Worship on sunday, this song they call "Alpha & Omega." It hit me that if we can just really stop for one second, and not see things at mere face-value, but instead look at them from God's throne (from above), we would see just how small our problems really are from up there. One problem only occupies one line in one chapter of your book. The way I see it now, God has a lot of bookshelves...and in each book, there is a story of an individual life. Each book is a story of trials, passages, and successes. Each book ends with a success story, but it is still up to the character to make those successful moves, and if they fail to do so, then they will become the opposite of what the book has written about them. Alpha means "The Beginning," and Omega means "The End." God sees the beginning and He sees the end of all things.

God doesn't flinch when things don't go right, because He knows what page that is in your book. Don't just be a spectator, but be a participant in the reader's club. Read the chapters of your life the way God sees it, and you'll be more than just fine at the end of the novel.

Have a blessed week as you become engaged in your life as a book...

Enjoy Jason Castro's Halleluyah. My favorite this week...though I think the winner is already David. God bless you...

"Bye Bye" Mr. Familiarity!!!

He kept on walking closer and closer to his final destination. There were many hallways in this huge building, and he had to find his way to room 500. He looked at the map again to be sure he was on the right path.

Before he made a left turn into the next hallway, he thought of what happened when he woke up this morning. Nwaneka gave him a huge kiss on his lips and said, “What do you want for breakfast honey? Make a special request.” His wife was a mushy-mushy creature. He was so going to miss her warm hugs and kisses for a long time. This morning she wanted him to make a special request, seeing as she wasn’t going to be with him for a really long time. He had asked her to please make him a large-sized pancake and put a lot of whipped cream at the middle, that was what he wanted and that was the breakfast she loved preparing most too, with a cup of steaming hot chocolate on the side. She obliged and got up to go to the kitchen.

Back to reality. He kept walking forward. He made the left turn and saw some soldiers standing in a long file to the left-hand side of the hallway, with their right hands raised to their temples. He halted and raised his right hand to his forehead too, and then kept walking down the hallway. He was walking towards the United States flag. As he walked towards the end of the hallway, he back-tracked to 6.30am that same morning. Nwaneka was still in the kitchen, and by this time the whiffs and sensations of the aroma was coming upstairs to their bedroom. He decided to sneak up on the twins, Taiwo and Kehinde. It was too early for them to get up because it was Saturday and they had no school. But he went inside their bedroom and gave them a kiss, each on their foreheads. Taiwo opened her eyes and said, “Good morning daddy,” and then closed her eyes again. Kehinde didn’t even budge. She was the more playful one and didn’t sleep for two hours after Taiwo had already gone to bed last night, so he already expected that. He snapped back to reality again, he had reached the end of the hallway and saw the big double-doors. He looked back and smiled. Then he proceeded forward.

As he entered the room, all the people who were sitting down got up to give him a standing ovation. He walked forward and joined the other five astronauts who were standing on the NASA platform. He shook hands with them and stood, with his left hand holding tight to his head gear. They kept on clapping for what may have seemed like a lifetime, until the space ship opened its doors. The six of them stood, waving their hands to the crowd, with silent promises of returning with the joy of accomplishing their task in space. They were traveling to the moon to investigate yet another phenomenon. One of them was going to place the United States flag on the moon when they got there. He blew a kiss to Nwaneka and the twins, as they stood waving to him amongst the crowd of people, and he said his final “bye-bye” to familiarity.

I remember one day in primary school in Port-Harcourt, they had just finished building a brand new library for my school. All the primary 4 kids, like me, rushed into the library during our class break to explore all the new books. My eyes settled on one of the encyclopedias, and it was about Space Exploration. That day, I came back home and informed my father that I was going to become an astronaut, and he threw his head back and laughed so hard. Then later when he was calm, he told me that was an excellent aspiration. Even though, now I know that he would protest a little bit if I said I was going to space for three years. I definitely do not want to be an astronaut right now anyways (lol).

.

This story was inspired by the fact that sometimes we get so comfortable in our ‘comfort zones’ that we don’t strike out to explore who we are really meant to become. Your light is for the benefit of the whole world. I light my lamp so you can light yours too. I give, so you can start giving too. I extend my hands, so you can choose to extend yours too. Together, we can break the chains of unfamiliarity and do what we were designed by God to do. You are called for something greater than your little box right now. Have you ever stretched your imagination? Because the bible says that God can go above and beyond all that you can ever ask, think or imagine. Do you even have any imagination about how great you are? Do you think about it sometimes? Do you have secret dreams and visions? Break free! Say "bye bye" to Mr. Familiarity.

Proverbs 28:1 "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion..."