But for His Mercy!

It was July 2010. Owerri to Abuja. My whole bunch and I, they were coming over for the holidays. President and Diamond were flying for the very first time so they sat beside me and Baron sat in front of us with 2 adult men.

About 30 minutes to landing there was a problem and for almost 15 minutes the pilot was struggling with the airplane. It will ascend with such speed and then drop! This happened like 5 times. People were screaming, everyone.

My daughter had severe pains in her ears because of the pressure, as the pilot explained. My boys were scared. Even Baron, the tough guy. Their eyes were red with fright. For some reason I couldn't explain then, I wasn't scared. maybe becos of my children. I told them not to fear that NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. I told them to hold each other's hand and repeat "Thank You Jesus" [Baron reached back and held President] while I kept singing a worship song I had just learnt "Awesome God, how great Thou art, You are God, Mighty are Your miracles..." I still can't tell where that boldness came from cos am shaking from the memory as I type this.

Then as the plane ascended again the face masks fell from above us! People screamed! I reached for mine, wore it and helped Diamond with hers, then President. And I realized the adult men sitting with my son in front didn't even try to help the little boy by their side [everyman on his own I guess] So I reached out and helped him wear his own mask and told them to keep repeating "Thank You Jesus". Then I heard the pilot announce 3 times "Emergency Exit! Emergency Exit!"

The cabin crew [very brave men and women] were moving up and down the aisle, trying to calm people. Offering water to parents of the children who were in pain [like my Diamond] and about two of them were holding fire extinguishers[!!!]. Then at a point the pilot started speaking intermittently and calming everyone and explaining [or trying to] that everything will be alright.

Then everything became calm. We were told to remove the masks. he announced that we would soon land in Abuja. the pain in my daughter's ears ceased. but I didn't stop singing. I couldn't stop singing. I held onto my precious children.

Then we landed Abuja airport and everyone started clapping. We made it! God saved us! Thank You Jesus!

Now you understand why Sunday's tragedy hit me so hard.

But in all these, OUR GOD BE PRAISED! He is indeed a faithful GOD no matter what! He's still sovereign and Almighty! Receive all glory Father! our lives belong to You

On Assignment

Something’s been disturbing me for ages and before we continue the catching up series I'd like to address it. That’s what I want to share with us and I hope my writing will make any impact. I really hope it will. I desire for my generation to understand that the Lord has put us here on purpose and for a purpose. You’re on assignment, and the earlier you catch this revelation the better for your world and your generations yet unborn.

I express myself better using personal examples maybe because a lot of times I am used as God’s guinea pig and I really enjoy it [definitely not while the process is on], so I’m gonna tell you stories from my life [I just hope I don’t bore you sha!].

As at the time I’m writing I’ve been in Abuja for just 7 years and the job I’m on now is my 6th. You might be thinking now “whoa! What an unstable babe, jumping from one job to the other yea?” Well, I thought so of myself when I was in my 3rd job. This was because I could just easily find people around me who had worked one job for like 5 to 15 years, so why can’t I be in that one that’s mine and stay?! Then the Lord revealed to me that we are all different and do have different assignments therefore our experiences do differ. Our purposes and assignments refer to those things He wants us to do at a particular time in a particular place.

Lemme explain.

In between some of these jobs were a 4 weeks, a 6 weeks and a 3 months of staying at home, jobless. Those were weeks of crying, hoping, searching Tuesday and Thursday Guardian Newspapers and also of reading books too. The crying part was what characterized the first 4 weeks and also begging for jobs. The second time I was home was for 6 weeks and this time around, I spent it reading so many books written by Papa Oyedepo. I must have read about 10 or more of his books within those 6 weeks! I also enrolled for French lessons because I made up my mind that I wasn’t gonna sit home, crying and making the devil happy. No way! And that decision was good for me because during those days God prepared me for what He prepared for me. The 3rd time I stayed home was for 3 months and within this time I read books, went through a Bible School and had several times of personal retreat and alone time with my children. During the 2nd and 3rd time God built my capacity, I learnt so many very important things that were lasting and I want to share with us because I have practiced and tested them and have found them proven and true. I believe you’ll say same when you practice them.

Through my experience over the years, I’ve learnt that wherever I found myself working at any particular point in time was my place of assignment. That understanding made me settle in my heart that no matter the experience I had on the job I would ask for grace to go through and I was sure I would receive adequate and sufficient grace because it was my place of assignment and the One Who placed me there would have made available everything I needed to handle things there. He promised that He would not put more on us than we can bear [1 Cor. 10:13], so if that experience comes on me while I’m working hard, putting my best in the job, then I’ll know for sure that He allowed it for a reason. There are different reasons why He allowed some of the experiences I’ve had on the job till date; either He wanted me to learn something for the present and the future, or He was using me to build character in someone or vice versa or it could be that He was using the experience to expose something or someone.

My 4th job was in a 5-star Hotel for 2 years as the Personal Assistant to the General Manager. When I got on the job I started sending encouraging and inspiring emails to my colleagues. I remember sending a mail during my second month on the job, I told them I was on assignment in that hotel and that the moment my assignment was over, I would leave. It could be one week or one month or one year, bottom line was that I was on assignment and must carry it out. Because of this understanding I had of my assignment, I had some very bad experiences on that particular job but I refused to be utterly shaken [I did get shaken some, in fact, I did try to leave at some point but obviously it wasn’t time so my Boss (the Lord) wouldn’t let me]. I just kept on believing that my God, Who gave me that assignment was able to move me when my assignment was over. And truly, when that assignment was over He moved me out and up swiftly! Does that mean that others who are still there are meant to be in bad situations? No way! They are still on their own assignments, and whenever it’s over, they’ll be moved too. It all depends on your understanding of Divine Positioning and His plans for you.

All I’m trying to say is that if you are at home presently with no job, use the time to develop yourself. Read, learn, and keep searching for a job but not in desperation, not in frustration, understanding that God knows exactly where you are and has a purpose for you for that particular place. When you’re going for an interview, have the consciousness that God is with you, if that particular job is the one He has appointed for you, you’ll surely get it, but if it’s not, then He must have something far better for you. You need to also volunteer wherever your services are needed, pray, listen to your Master speak to you. I tell you, when the doors open [mark it I said ‘when’ not ‘if’ because the doors will surely open], it will be thrown wide open.

Please note that the door being open could mean getting a paid employment or it could mean being an employer of labor. So listen to Him and look inside of you. Stay very sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

On the other hand, if you’re working at the moment and you need a change or a step up [don’t we all? Even me!], keep talking to your Father about it and ask Him to show you the reason why you’re where you are at this point in time, ask Him to work out His particular purpose through you, even if you don’t get to find out why you’re there just believe it is for a reason and yield yourself to God to use you and work out His will. Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about His will and purpose being done on earth. Also remember that if you love Him and are called according to His purpose, He’ll work everything out for your good [Rom. 8:28]. So trust in His love, His mercy, His grace, His ability and His willingness to come through for you and bring you to your expected end which is the fulfillment of your assignment at each point in time.

A word of advice: if you’re job-hunting [whether while you’re in a job or at home], do it prayerfully please and whenever something comes up and you’re called for an interview, go believing that you will receive it but also settle it in your heart that if it happened that you did not get offered the job then there was something far better suited for you ahead. Please do not go blaming God for leaving you in this mess of a job and not caring about all you’re going through. That won’t help your sense of purpose in any way. I have been in a few interviews that ended up going to someone else, my understanding now is that probably the person who got it needed the job more than I did, or I would never have fit into that work environment or better still, my present office still needs me [i.e. my assignment here isn’t over yet] and because I have allowed the Lord to lead me in my career I have peace, even in the midst of storms. I have gone for job interviews and left there making new friends among my fellow candidates. By God’s grace I had even helped one of my fellow interviewees get a job while I was still waiting to get one [none of us got the job we had been interviewed for the day we met].

This is the heart of my note:

1. Focus: the time at home or in a ‘bad’ or an ‘under-paid/qualified’ job is a time of processing. Even if your mistakes made you lose your job [all things work together for your good… remember?], give the Ultimate Boss the chance to process you because He’s taking you somewhere.

2. Trust: that no matter what’s going on in your life and career at the moment, your Father is still in control and will work it all out for your good and for His glory. Trust that there must be a good reason why you didn’t get the job. I remember being interviewed for two dream jobs and not getting them, for the first job I received a mail from the Admin officer after the interview telling me I was not selected, I replied saying it was okay and that he should extend my best wishes to the successful candidate, the guy was surprised! He promised to keep me informed of subsequent openings in his organization! Well I later found out the recruitment process was not all that transparent [I bet it’s happened to a lot of us], I still didn’t feel bad, I told myself that my Father must have seen that I might not be able to function well in such an environment and so in order to protect me, He didn’t let me get in. The second time I prayed, confessed, professed, sowed seed, believed and all, yet I didn’t get the job. So what now?! I know one thing; my God will not withhold it from me if it was meant for me. So armed with that truth, I relaxed and gave Him praise. I am convinced that He has something way better for me ahead so I refused to allow the feeling of disappointment and frustration to get hold of me. I trusted my Father to work out His perfect plan for me and I had peace on that.

3. Be the best in what you’re doing at the moment: give it your best as much as you can, it’s not easy I tell you especially when you have a very difficult boss or a colleague that’s a thorn in your flesh, but it’s absolutely do-able because you have received abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness therefore you reign in life through Christ [Rom 5:17]

4. Stay totally connected to and sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading and direction: He will tell you what line of action to take; either to stay on patiently or to resign and believe for or move on to another job, or He might say go start your own thing, and trust me, His counsel always gives you peace no matter what you’re going through

5. Know what you want: don’t just go for any job that opens just because you don’t want to stay home any longer or you don’t want to stay on this particular job, don’t be hasty, allow the Lord to lead you. When you act hastily, you’ll end up wishing you didn’t move when you did but when He’s leading you, you’ll see He’ll move you just in time because He always wants to protect His own.

He’s always with you; whether you’re at home looking for a job or you’re in a job and the situations are ‘frustrating’ or you are just in need of a career step up, He has plans for you. Let’s just align ourselves to His will and purpose for our lives and let us all allow ourselves to be used to fulfill His purpose on earth.

Catch Up on "Way Forward???"

Guess we have some catching up to do, in fact so many years to catch up on.

So we start with "Way Forward???"

November 2008...

An appointment letter to resume in an International organization on the 1st of November 2008!!! My daughter's 8th birthday. That was how I moved from where I was to where I'd always dreamt to be. Honest truth?! I don't even remember applying for this job. it was just God, He has His ways of showing up for me in ways that really blows my mind!

So I worked with a project of this int'l org for almost two years until the project ended and I was home for like 3 months, worked with an uncle to organize his admin unit for a month and before I knew it God got me back into another agency of the int'l org in a miraculous way.

So what did I do during the 'no-job' months? I did a Bible Course, went on some interviews, spent time with my children [when they came around on holidays], but most of all I spent time on the Word of God and prayer. In the course of that I found two Scriptures that I warred with and i know very well were responsible for the miracles I received [because the Word really works!]

Psalms 104:23 [

Meanwhile, men and women go out to work, busy at their jobs until evening

.Message Bible] and Isaiah 65:22b

my chosen ones will have satisfaction in their work

. Message Bible]

I prayed with these Scriptures daily and in due time the Lord came through for me in His own special way! I remember pacing up & down in my room repeating the words "I will go out to my work and be busy at it till evening, because that's the way God planned it for all men". Then I took it a step further and confessed that "I will have satisfaction in my work because that is the will of God for my life". And I must tell you that right now I have satisfaction in my work. The Word of God sure works!

From them till date I always suggest these Scriptures to my friends to confess it and believe and it has always worked for them.

I'll suggest that you try it today. Are you believing God for a job? Confess and believe in Psalm 104:23. Are you in a dead-end job and in need of job satisfaction? It is your Father's will for you to be satisfied in your work so go to war with Isaiah 65:22b and you will see our Father come through for you.

It keeps getting better! and till date I'm satisfied with my work and it just keeps getting better. Our Father is indeed faithful!

Watch out for "Catch Up on 'Answers...'" soon! You're not gonna believe what has happened to ur girl!

Didn't I say there was no dull moment with me?!

Letter From A Friend

I got this letter below some years ago; I don’t even remember who gave it to me. But I found it recently among my archives and thought it was worthwhile to share it with you. I believe it will bless you immensely

.

I just had to write to tell you how much I love you and care for you. Yesterday, I saw you walking and laughing with your friends; I hoped that soon you would want me to walk along with you, too. So, I painted you a sunset to close your day and whispered a cool breeze to refresh you. I waited --- you never called, I just kept on loving you.

As I watched you fall asleep last night, I wanted so much to touch you. I spilled moonlight onto your face – trickling down your cheeks as so many tears have. You didn’t even think of Me, I wanted so much to comfort you.

Then today I exploded a brilliant sunrise into glorious morning for you. But you woke up late and rushed off to work – you didn’t even notice. My sky became cloudy and tears were the rain.

I love you. Oh, if you’d only listen. I really love you. I try to say it in the quiet of the green meadow and in the blue sky. The wind whispers my love throughout the treetops and spills it into the vibrant colours of all the flowers. I shout it to you in the thunder of the great waterfalls and compose love songs for birds to sing for you. I warm you with the clothing of my warm sunshine and perfume the air with nature’s sweet scent. My love for you is deeper than any ocean and greater than any need in your heart. If you’d only realize how I care.

My Father sends His love. I want you to meet Him – He cares too. Fathers are just that way. So, please call on me soon. No matter how long it takes, I’ll wait – because I LOVE YOU.

Your Friend,

JESUS

RELOADED!

SO this day came! It's been years... and so much to catch up on. I promise am gonna update us on what's been going on with me. Step by Step as I remember them. Back dated account you can call it if you want. This site is coming alive and is

RELOADED!

So much has happened to me since my last post here. So so much. Watch out!

REF: The Way Forward???

I was just reading tru my earlier blogs and discovered that i'd received an answer to the blog as per subject above but havent gotten back to my blogsite with the good news...

the very person that was stifling and frustrating me met frustration when he was frustrated out of d seat he sat on like he was the lord of d universe!

now i've entered rest @ work. m working with someone who believes in me, who lets me be me and has a heart. no more tension @ work. everyone is at peace and u need to see potentials and skills manifesting.

as if that wasnt enuf... last week, the managers all went away for a conference and i was acting in d very position d guy who was frustrating me was before he was routed out... see life? see how the Lord works??? and trust me, i did a good job! [the Lord being on my side!!]

i'm basking in His Glory! He's in charge and I've cast ALL MY CARES upon Him and m rejoicing all the way cos He cares for me. He really cares!!!

I'll keep on trusting Him instead of worrying about stuff!!

Answers...

The answer was number 1...

I didn't get disappointed... ok, maybe just a tiny bit but I expected such a response and it came just as I expected it. He even asked me wat my expectation was and I said I expected one of these three answers and I gave them to him. He asked if I was sad and I said nope, he didnt dig but for real I wasnt. U know I'll say if I was, I hate to lie to myself. I wasnt sad becos I originally set out to be his friend and then my heart tried to get in d way, now things are straightened out and we're still friends, in fact, d friendship is much more clearly defined now. I believe that's d standpoint on which a guy and a girl can be friends and it will last.

Like I said yesterday, I'll be d kind of friend God wants me to be for him. I'll obey God, won't send him away from me. I'll fight d attraction. m a fighter. I'll fight it so as to be who God wants me to be in my friend's life, that's d essence of friendship.

Strange... and funny, for a moment I thot I'd be embarassed and sad and u know... [I confess I was nervous when I was talking to him yesterday and I told him so - I know sey I get big mouth, dats me and I love me that way; 'better out than in' says Shrek]. I don't feel any of that. I'm so at peace... and m glad

yea m glad... i just made me a good friend. today during devotion the LORD said "as u open d door to new relationships..., I will overwhelm u with splendor" I look forward to being bathed in the splendor of my Living Loving Father!

My favourite word is still FRIENDS... I'll not throw away this friendship becos of a heart that can't be so smart attimes! No freaking way!