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While I love that for him, I cannot help but wonder if we as people revere God as much as we do celebrities. Lemme ask in another way: do we as Christians revere God as much as we do our pastors and the people we like? Do we feel this much excitement about God? 

Here is a man going all crazy with excitement because a celebrity mentioned his name, but what about the Creator of the Universe, who, according to Isaiah 43 verse 1, knows your name personally, formed you in your mother's womb, and has called you His own?

We go wild and go crazy with excitement when a celebrity notices us or when they repost our pictures or mention us, even in the comments. However, how often do we rejoice over the fact that the King of Kings knows us, loves us, and daily loads us with benefits? For me personally, I giggle with excitement every time I comment under someone's (mostly a celebrity's) post, and I see the comment having over 300 to 500 likes and comments. But that moment made me pause and think, I celebrate when I get noticed online, but am I celebrating the One who never takes His eyes off me?

Imagine God, not Davido, not any earthly star, holding your hand and presenting you before multitudes, saying, “This one is mine.” Would that not be the greatest honor of all?  I think it is so easy to get caught up in the noise of fame and attention. But let’s pause for a moment and ask ourselves:

• Does God know my name?

• Am I walking closely enough with Him that Heaven recognizes me?

• Do I boast about my relationship with Jesus as freely as people boast about meeting celebrities?

If we can carry celebrities on our heads, how much more should we carry the name of Jesus in our hearts and on our lips?

The truth is, every earthly shout fades. The spotlight goes off. The applause stops. But the honor of being known and loved by God lasts forever. So today, if you don't take away anything from this post, I want to challenge you to rejoice not because a celebrity knows your name, but because your name is written in Heaven. As Jesus said in Luke 10:20, “Don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” And if you know your name is not written in heaven yet, maybe my challenge for you after reading this is to surrender your life to Him and ask Him to come into your life and be the Lord over your life. 

Thank you for reading through, and may God continually bless you!
#shallom
#Godsdelight
#lightbearer

I watched a series on Netflix recently titled The Good Place. When I started it, I really didn't like the portrayal of the utopian heaven-like paradise, but I don't quit on movies or series, so I kept on watching. 

One aspect of the series that really stood out to me was when they found out no one had been to heaven in over 500 years because the system rewards people based on their actions, and with civilization and globalization, that system couldn't accurately account for human behavior. Thus, everyone ended up in the bad place - hell.

That part of the series really stood out to me because, in reality, we are not made righteous because of our actions or inactions. We are not going to heaven because of our actions, but because of Christ's actions. 

In the series, one of the characters, Eleanor, realizes she hadn't lived a good life while she was on earth, so she gets another character, Uche, to teach her "ethics" so she can get to the good place (heaven). In the same way, some of us do our best to "earn" our way to righteousness or heaven through our actions, thinking that our good deeds and moral behavior will be good enough, but the truth is that no amount of good deeds will be enough. None of us can measure up on our own.

Honestly, this is the beauty of the gospel! We get to spend eternity with God, not because of what we have done or because of who we are, but because of Jesus Christ. His life, death, and resurrection are what guarantee us a place in heaven, and His actions are what justify us and make us righteous before God.

Also, we don't have to earn or work to attain His love and righteousness. He loved us and died for us while we were yet sinners. We are called into sonship and not servantship. 

P.S.- The series is not a Christian series, and these are just my interpretations.

Anyway, whether it’s a cringey reel or a thought-provoking series, I’m reminded that God can use anything, even the most unlikely things, to point us back to His truth.

At the end of the day, it’s not about how well we perform or how many "good place" points we rack up. It’s about receiving the gift of grace that Jesus already paid for in full.

Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 

If you're reading this and you’ve ever felt like you had to earn God’s love or prove your worth, I hope this reminds you that you're already deeply loved, right now, right where you are.

Feel free to drop a comment below: What's the weirdest thing God has used to teach you something deep? I’d love to hear it. 😊

After a few hours, my friend did come with jumper cables and a working vehicle that didn’t have a dead battery 😅, and confirmed it was a dead battery. At first, the jumper cables couldn't reach my car as there were other cars parked in between. I went around the apartment complex, knocking on every door and asking if anyone owned the car blocking mine. Unfortunately, all of that effort was fruitless, as we could not find the owner. We decided to park my friend's car behind mine and hope the jumper cables would reach.

This time, it worked; the jumper cables did reach my dead battery. The red clamps were connected to the positive terminal of my dead battery, and the black clamps were connected to the negative terminal of my dead battery. After a few minutes of letting the working car charge the dead battery, we attempted to start my car, and this time it did start. My friend suggested that we let my car charge or run on its own for about 30 minutes to recharge the battery, and we did just that.

At this juncture, I am sure you are wondering why I am boring you with the story of my dead battery 😅. I had time to think about the whole situation yesterday, and I personally think it mirrors spirituality. There are times in life when your spiritual battery is dead. This can mean a state of spiritual dryness, that place when you don't even have the energy to pray or study His word, or studying or praying seems so difficult. It could be a state of being empty or drained, far from God or lacking the motivation to engage in spiritual practices.

I am here to remind you and myself that just like a dead battery hinders the car from starting, a dead spiritual life hinders growth or movement (spiritually). A dead spiritual battery makes discerning God's will and enjoying the joy of salvation harder.

I am also here to remind you and me that just like my car's battery needed to be charged, it's okay for our spiritual lives to need charging too.

One aspect of jumpstarting a car that I found intriguing is the need for a working battery to revive the dead one. Little wonder the Bible says in Proverbs 27:17 that iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Having spiritual friends can recharge our faith. When we are spiritually low, having godly friends who can pray for us, encourage us, and remind us of God's truth and love is important. Therefore, surround yourself with spiritual friends who can charge you up or jumpstart you when your spiritual battery is dead 😅.

Another aspect of jumpstarting a car that stood out to me was that we needed to let my car run for about 30 minutes, allowing the battery to recharge independently. This just reminds us that inasmuch as having spiritual friendships and communities is extremely important, we still need to maintain our spiritual health and battery personally. There is a need to recharge ourselves by spending time alone with God in worship, His word, and prayers. For instance, it's okay to jumpstart by joining NLP, NSPPD, and other important group prayers and meetings, but it is consistent personal devotion that sustains us. We still need to recharge ourselves alone with God without the jumpstarting cables and a working car. We have to recharge ourselves, and hopefully, over time, we become the "working cars" that can jumpstart other cars (lives) with dead spiritual batteries.

So, remember that it's okay to seek support if you are feeling spiritually drained. Allow godly friends to encourage you and take time to recharge with God. 

Thank you for reading. Stay encouraged, stay connected, and may your spiritual battery always stay recharged. God bless! #Godsdelight #Hephzibah #lightbearer

I did pray about it, but day in and day out, I kept being consumed by guilt, and my conscience would not let me rest. But do you know the worst thing about telling a lie? being caught in a lie, and yes, I was caught in the lie. I felt so bad; I cried for days and didn't eat for days. I felt like disappearing; I wish I could rewind time and make it all better. I felt very unworthy of my friends, people who look up to me, and even of you reading this blog. I overthink a lot, and at some point, I did feel like maybe if I just fell ill, disappeared, or died, it would be better. Yes, it was that bad. 

In the end, I did talk to my sister and a friend about how I was feeling, and I was reminded that I am a human who is not above mistakes and that it's what I do afterward that matters. I was advised not to stay in the negative, to retrace my steps, and to keep shining my light. I did end up clarifying the lie to the parties involved and providing a heartfelt apology.

In moments like these, when shame and guilt seem overwhelming, it’s easy to feel unworthy and lost. But I have come to realize that our mistakes don’t define us; it is how we respond to them that does. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being honest with ourselves, with others, and most importantly, with God.

Through this experience, I’ve learned the beauty of humility and the power of God’s grace. The Bible reminds us:

• “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”(1 John 1:9)

• And again: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."(Psalm 34:18)

These verses made me feel comfort in knowing that God doesn’t demand perfection from us; He simply asks us to turn to Him. His grace is sufficient, even in our weakest moments.

I’ve made peace with my past and chosen to walk in the light of truth moving forward. If you’re reading this and feeling burdened by guilt or shame, know this: there is no mistake too big for God’s mercy. Take it to Him in prayer, seek forgiveness, and let His love renew you.

Thank you for journeying with me through my imperfections. I am grateful for this space to share, reflect, and grow. I pray this serves as a reminder that even in our brokenness, we can still be vessels of light.

Until next time, keep shining and walking in His grace. ❤️

Thank you for reading through, and may God continually bless you!
#shallom
#Godsdelight
#lightbearer

Today's gist is about my car again (Apologies 😅). By the way, I have been driving for over a year now 🤯 Please make sure you tell me congratulations and drop encouraging words for me in the comment 😂 (Ko easy).

Anyway, recently I noticed that my car drives way too slow. Whenever I'm driving, it feels like I'm crawling, like the car is not moving as it should. At first, I genuinely thought something was wrong with the speedometer so I had a mechanic check it and everything. But I was told everything was fine. A few weeks ago, I compared the car's speedometer to the radar speed signs and I found it was accurate and nothing was wrong with the car.

I reexamined myself and basically, the major reason why I have been feeling like my car drives slow is because whenever I drive, I get left behind 😂 Other cars just fly by and this makes me feel like something is wrong when in reality nothing is wrong. No one follows the speed limit in this city and it's almost like you are doing something wrong for driving just a little above the speed limit. If the speed limit says 45mph, the people here are on 70-80mph; it's wild. And this generally makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong and I should speed up as well.

And I think life can be like that sometimes. You'd think something is wrong with you because you are not moving like others are. You'd think something is wrong with your life because you are not making the same progress in life as some other people. This is your reminder to stop comparing your life to other people's. Don't allow comparison to make you blind to the progress that you are actually making. You are your biggest competitor; so avoid measuring the success and progress of your life with other people's lives. Don't make other people the standard of your life.

I read 2 Corinthians 10 verse 12 today and it says "We do not dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise" So, I will rephrase, don't be unwise by engaging in comparison. Comparison is a testament that you are foolish; don't be foolish.

Another takeaway is that just like sticking to the speed limit might seem like it's a crime but it's not, there are times in life when doing the right thing might make you feel like you are in the wrong. However, because everyone is doing it, does not mean that it's right. Because everyone behaves in a certain way or because people are so comfortable doing what is wrong is not a license for you to do the same. Don't be pressured into doing things that are not right. Avoid doing things because of the perception of other people or because of how other people are living their lives. People are not the standard; God is.

To what end if I get a speeding ticket because I want to belong and I do not want to feel out of place. Would the people I am trying to be like pay for my speeding ticket? Of course not! In the same vein, if I sin or do what is not right because  I want to belong, who will bear the consequences for me? Remember 1 Corinthians 6 verse 12, you are allowed to do all things, all things are lawful but not all things are expedient. 

Thank you for reading through, and may God continually bless you!
#shallom
#Godsdelight
#lightbearer

I condemned them for all they did, for always disobeying, complaining, and grumbling, I condemned them for being so faint-hearted and not obeying God. I always asked myself questions like how could they be ungrateful despite everything God did for them🙄. Like, did they forget all the plagues God inflicted upon the Egyptians on their behalf? did they forget how God fought Pharaoh and his army on their behalf, did they forget how God made the pillar of clouds by day and the pillar of fire by night for their guidance and protection? did they forget that they walked in the middle of the Red Sea with the sea as their walls on their right and left? "They had such a flex so how can they be that forgetful?", I would always say.

However, recently, whenever I read about them, I wonder if I am not exactly like what I am condemning. Now, before I castigate or condemn the Israelites I look at my life first because sometimes, I am also in complete disbelief about how I act, worry, and become paranoid in adverse situations. What about you?

Lemme rewind - The Israelites spent about 430 years in slavery, serving the Egyptians. At this point, most of them have probably forgotten the promises God made to their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then Moses came and they left Egypt. They were probably still very shocked, confused, scared, and traumatized from all of the events that had happened, they didn't know where they were going or which direction to take but they knew they were following Moses (who was probably very confused, angry and frustrated on some days as well), they had been going through this continuous cycle of being in suffering and then getting saved all over and at some point, they traveled days (3 days) in the desert without food or water. Honestly, I would say they really did go through a lot and I probably would have complained also if I were there.

This post however is not to praise the Israelites but to communicate what I have learned from them and their stories. Just like the Israelites, do you and I not complain and grumble to God whenever things do not work out how I want them to? Don't we not reek of ingratitude to God on some days despite all that He has done and is doing for us? But do not be like the Israelites - always complaining, grumbling, rebellious and disobedient. Instead;

1. Remember that life can be like that wilderness (the one the Israelites were in) and things can seem and be very difficult at times. But that's okay because this is not our final bus stop; this is not our destination and God is still in the business of making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isiah 43:19).

In life, you pass one test or one hurdle and you think you are good but before you know it, the next one comes. You never 'truly arrive' in life; focus on the destination even as you journey in life. 

2. Constantly cast your eyes and hands towards God. I remember reading about the battle of the Israelites and the Amalekites in the wilderness. How can the Israelites defeat them? did they have any fighting skills? no, but once Moses' hands and eyes were cast towards heaven, they succeeded in battle. On the hard and difficult days, where are your eyes cast towards? Who do you look to for help? Keep your eyes on Him unmoved (Hebrews 12:2 and Psalms 16:8).

3. Avoid calling on God only when you need him to fight your battle or when you are in trouble.  I once read that if you only call on God when you are in trouble, then you are in trouble. Call on Him daily. Let talking to God about everything and anything be a lifestyle.

4. Never forget the past goodness of God. If God did it before, He will do it again. (Psalms 103:1-5) Bless the Lord oh my soul and forget not all his benefit. Never forget what He had done! Not forgetting can fuel your faith for what is to come.

5. Avoid murmuring or complaining, instead, praise! If you feel like complaining, talk to God instead! (Philippians 2:14-16).

6. Life is already hard as it is; don't do life without God. I cannot imagine how frustrated Moses would have been if God wasn't speaking to him on a steady. Even though God was speaking to him, the Israelites were still frustrating him; what if God wasn't?

Our lives are completely meaningless without God; do life with God.

7. They were promised the Promised Land but it didn’t appear magically. God could have taken them via the easier route but He needed them to build character and be ready. Maybe there are promises or words that God has spoken to you but they haven't come to pass yet, spend this time building character for those promises. Sometimes the strength of a person's character is best revealed amid adversity (Pro. 24:10). Your waiting should not be in vain. Use your waiting season wisely. Don't be like the Israelites who turned to golden calves in the face of delay, wait on Him faithfully. It may seem late but God is never late; He is always on time. In your waiting, start making room for that promise or answered prayers cause it's on the way. He makes all things beautiful in His time and all things work together for good for them that love the Lord (Eccl. 3:11, Rom. 8:28, Psalm 27:14).

After going through the story of the Israelites again, one thing I am super grateful for is the gift of Jesus Christ. Seeing how the Israelites could not talk to God made me so appreciate the privilege we have to call Him our Father and have a relationship with Him and my hope, desire, and prayer is that we make good use of this access and privilege that we have.

Thank you for reading through. If you have read through the story of the Israelites, feel free to drop your lessons in the comment as well. God bless you!
#shallom
#Godsdelight
#lightbearer

However, as much as I love that album, there is a song on that album that I haven't had the boldness to sing out aloud until recently. Now I can sing it after a lot of talking to myself, examining the state of my heart, meditating about it, and of course, praying about it.

The song is titled "The Worshipper's Song", and the lyrics I had been struggling to sing is,       

"Thank you for the things You do
For the miracles You give
But I still, prefer Your presence, over everything
I still choose being with You, over these things"

This might probably not be a big deal to you. But then, I started asking myself "Do I really prefer His presence over everything He does?" "Am I not really just with Him because of what He does and not because of who He is?" If I really prefer His presence why isn't it that evident? Why don't I spend more time in the presence of the One I claim to prefer over everything?

Ask yourself - " If God does not grant your desires or do the miraculous and wonderous things He does in your life, would you still love Him?" (I remember one time He didn't do what I wanted 😊). "Do you serve or worship Him because you know that last last, He will take care of all that concerns you?"

This is what I have discovered - It's all about love!

If you love a girl or a boy, you'd want to talk to them all the time, you'd enjoy their presence far beyond the presence of other people, and you'd just want to be around them and spend quality time with them. All they do and say mean so much to you and even their silence is meaningful to you.

It's the same with God. if you love Him, you'd enjoy His presence, you'd wanna be with Him at all times, and you won't take any steps or decisions without telling Him. Your entire world will revolve around Him.

If we really love God, far beyond the amazing things He does, His presence will mean so much more to us. 

And this is my challenge to you today;

• Love God (Mark 12:30).

• Be expressive in your love towards Him.

• Avoid treating like your ATM who you only talk to when you need something.

• Be intentional about loving HIM.

• You cannot love someone you don't know. So, spend time in his presence.

• Spend time studying His word and conversing with HIM (praying).

• Pray that He helps you to love Him more.

You know the beautiful thing about God, He is able to do his part and still help you to do yours. The Bible says (Romans 5:5) that His love is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. And I pray that His love will continually be shared abroad in our hearts.

Thank you for reading and I look forward to hearing from you ❤️ 

#Hephzibahsdiary

#Godsdelight

#loveGod

I was listening to the radio while driving back home that same Sunday,  and the radio host shared a similar experience. (It felt like she saw me). She was driving way over the speed limit, spotted a police car, and immediately started to slow down as well. Her son asked her why she did that and she mentioned that she slowed down because she saw the police car. Then her son said, "Why can't you just drive every day like the police are watching" - that word stayed with me. She also emphasized the need for good character just as Romans 5: 4 mentions -  that perseverance produces character which in turn produces hope. 

As Christians, we should be people of good character and integrity. We should behave with integrity not just because of the police but because we are Christians. Believe me, if everyone on the streets drove like the police were watching, there would be better drivers on the streets today. 

In the same vein, if you and I lived our lives like God is watching, we would definitely live better lives. Therefore, I put it to you today to constantly live in the consciousness that God sees you and He is watching.

People tend to drive properly or as they should when a police car is spotted; this shows that they definitely do not lack driver's education or training but choose to drive however they please because nobody (in this case, the police) is there to call them to order. In that same light, some of us live our lives however we want not because we necessarily do not know what is right but because we feel like no one is seeing us at that point. However, God is watching you; He sees you and sees all that you do. So, live like someone who understands that. 

Do not live your life like you are not accountable to God for that life. Everything you do matters to God so live right.

Now, I get why Apostle Paul admonished in Philippians 2: 12-13 that they should continually work out their salvation with fear and trembling not just in his presence but also in his absence. We naturally tend to do the "right thing" when others are watching, however, it is important that we develop the consciousness that God is watching whatever we do as this will be a reminder for us to live a holy, righteous, and godly life.

Thanks for reading and happy new month in advance #hephzibah #lightbearer #Godsdelight

"When you lose an emotional attachment to someone, you realize how ordinary they are. It's your love and your energy that makes people seem so special"

This quote gathered a lot of comments like "A hundred percent ", "I agree", and "So true". It also led to different discussions and instances where it had happened with people. Majorly, the discussions revolved around the different scenarios of how you thought your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend was the best thing (since sliced bread 😂) in life and now that you are probably no longer in love, they seem ordinary and like everyday people. This further supports the above quote that it's the love and energy that you give to people that make them so special.

Last week, I was having a discussion with my friend, Yvonne, and we talked about this quote again. This time she said something different and it was "It's the same with God". I loved that and I thought I should share that with you all today.

It is the love of God, the energy of god, the goodness of God, His grace, and His mercies that make us so special than we truly are. God doesn't love us because we are special or we are amazing; it is His love that makes us so special. The Bible says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). While we were yet not special, while we were wallowing in sin and death, He loved us and died for us. 

And you know the beautiful thing about God? His love isn't as fickle as a man's love. His love would not be hot today and cold tomorrow (like your ex-boyfriend or girlfriend 😅) His love endures forever. So you will never not be continually loved by Him and you will always be special according to Him because of His love. His love is rich and pure, measureless and strong, and endures forever! 

His love is such leverage! You know, I have been reading about the Israelites, about David, and some other characters in the Old Testament. And really, they are just as messed up. but you know what makes them special? God's love. The fact that God chose them. The fact that God calls them His own. The good news is that God also loves you. God is also calling you His own and by His Spirit, you have now received the Spirit of adoption by which you can cry "Abba Father" (Romans 8:15) What a flex is it to be loved by God!

Now that easter is upon us, remember not to be carried away by the activities that surround the easter celebration. But instead, remember that for God so loved you and I, that He gave His only begotten son and that we may believe in Him, not perish, and have eternal life. He went to the depths of hell for you and conquered death for you. Now, ensure that you are living like someone who is loved by Him; because you indeed are. Never forget that God loves you beyond measure. You were made by Him to love Him and to show His love to everyone around you.

Happy Easter!

Thank you for reading!!

#hephzibahsdiary #lightbearer #Godsdelight

So my friends had been disturbing me to watch The Chosen since last year. However, I finally did watch season one recently, and one aspect that kept coming to my mind was the Pharisees. If you do not know, The Chosen is a multi-season television program that delves into the life of Jesus. The show essentially tries to portray the life of Jesus as accurately as they can. I think they are about to release Season Four at the moment (I still have to watch two and three 😅).

Anyway, stay with me. For Season One which I have just completed, my mind kept going back to the Pharisees. Watching that series made me think a lot about the Pharisees back then and I wondered about the Pharisees in this age and time. Some of the Pharisees were not bad people, they loved God and were doing what they thought was best. Like, they were the most revered scholars and they had an influence on politics and religious standards. For instance, when Nicodemus came to Jerusalem, we saw how he was respected and valued as a great scholar, teacher of the law as well as a great leader. The Pharisees wanted to please God; they spent time in the temple trying to understand and interpret the Torah. 

To be sincere, the teachings of the Pharisees and that of Jesus were similar except that the Pharisees were prideful and hypocritical, and they misinterpreted some of the biblical principles and teachings. One of the areas that the Pharisees and Jesus disagreed (in the series and in the Bible) was that while Jesus associated with sinners, tax collectors, and many others that had been rejected by the society, the Pharisees did not and they conflicted with Jesus on this. This is an aspect I have seen play out in today's society. When some standards do not align with popular Christian standards then it causes conflict in Christianity.

Are we not behaving like the Pharisees today? The attitudes of some Christians today resemble that of the Pharisees and not of Jesus. For instance, several Christians today are not in support of the Afro-gospel because according to them "it does not sound like a Christian song" or "because of the beat". And I wonder if our standard should be the beats or if its lyrical content aligns with the standards of the Bible. Also, a lot of Christians will raise an eyebrow if they see a minister or a pastor relate to celebrities or some people that they have tagged as "sinners" because according to them "He or she is a pastor". However, we see Jesus relating with sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors, the sick as well as the rejects. I wonder who Jesus would relate with if He came in this generation. Read Matthew 9:10-13.

What is my point with this diary entry today? Do not be a Pharisee!

I once read that a Pharisee today is someone who goes along with the urge to be seen as righteous by obeying the laws and principles while forgetting the more important matters of the heart. Don't be a Pharisee. Instead, hate the sin and not the sinner. Remember that “It is not the healthy who needs a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31).

If you read till this point, thank you. I really do want to know what you think about this loud thought of mine. So, I hope you drop a comment. Regardless, see you in my next diary entry. Stay blessed!

#hephzibahsdiary

#lightbearer

#Godsdelight

Currently, I have read the Bible from the beginning to the end several times. However, I have noticed that for the past two years, I have struggled to read my Bible or follow a Bible plan as much as I would have liked or as much as I did in the past. This new year, I have been wondering why I have not been able to read my Bible from Genesis to Revelation yearly or follow a Bible plan, and I wondered if it's because I have done it a couple of times and I now take it from granted or if it's because subconsciously I have become prideful and I believe that I know all there is to know and don't want to read the entirety of the Bible again.

Yesterday, I started reading Open Heavens (a daily devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye) and I also decided to partake in the Bible reading plan for the year. I read Genesis chapters 1 to 4 (a book I have read over and over again) and believe me, I saw and learned something new. I was blessed anew just by reading the creation story and that's why I am sharing this (If you want to know what I learned, do let me know 😅). I am also sharing this so you can be my accountability partner that ensures I follow my bible plan all through 2024.

If you are like me and you have read the Bible several times, don't fall into the trap of losing the wonders and beauty of the word of God. If you let yourself go and let God in, you will be amazed at the new things that will provide more insights to you. Also, don't fall into the trap of just reading your Bible to fulfill all righteousness or to get it over with, without getting the word, instruction, correction, encouragement, or rebuke for your life. Believe me, every time you read it, you will definitely see something you had never seen before; it is the living and active word of God. 

And if you are not like me and you do not read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation yearly, this is your sign to start. If you do not know where to start, I'd recommend using Youversion Bible (a Bible app); there are numerous Bible plans that you can follow.

The word of God is new every morning and with His word, you can see and understand the mind of God for you, you can learn more about the character of God, build your faith and spirit man, and get direction for your life and the lives of others, among other things. Don't do 2024 without God and a way to ensure that is to spend time in His word. Remember not to allow the Bible to depart from your mouth this year but meditate on it day and night and observe to do all that is written in it (Joshua 1:8). Read your Bible in this new year!!!

If you read to this point, thank you. If you have any questions about starting a Bible plan,  feel free to ask me below

#bibleplan #hephizahsdiary #lightbearer

My elder sister also said if my baby sister enters her (elder sister) room and she asks her to leave because she's disturbing, she would always be like she's not leaving cause it's her father's house and she can be in the room 😅

We just laughed about it and I commented on how I love the confidence and the fact that she knows her right, what belongs to her, and cannot be cheated.

In that same vein, I said to my elder sister;  "how sweet would it be if we as children of God also understand that what belongs to our Father is ours". How sweet would it be if we knew our rights as children of God? How sweet would it be if we had that childlike confidence and exercised our rights as children of God? How sweet will be be if we cannot be cheated because of our ignorance or the lies from the evil one.

It's not uncommon to see children of God suffer because they are not exercising their rights. As a child of God, and as a citizen of God's kingdom, you have a right to everything in the Kingdom. You have the right to be free from sins, guilt, shame, and rebukes from the devil (See Romans 8:1-4). There is no condemnation for you because you belong to Christ Jesus and you have been saved from the power of sin and death. So you have a right to freedom in Christ Jesus. You have a right to call Him "Abba Father", you have a right to boldness because Romans 8:15 says you have not received a Spirit of fear but of adoption to sonship (See Galatians 4:5-7). You have a right to good health; your health is important to God as your bodies are the temple to the living God and by His stripes, you were healed. So, as children of God, you have a right to good health. You have a right and the authority to use the name of Jesus. John 16: 24 says "Ask, using my name, and you will receive..."

I have seen people that have a good and healthy relationship with their earthly fathers and it is so beautiful. How much more God? Your earthly father won't give you a stone when you ask for bread or snake when you ask for fish (Matt. 7; 9-11) so how much will God our heavenly Father do? He is capable of giving you good gifts whenever you ask.

As the year is going to an end, don't allow the devil to deceive or rub you off your right in Christ Jesus. Your faith becomes activated when you acknowledge all that you have in Christ Jesus. Don't allow lies, guilt, and shame to rub you of your rights as children of God. Nothing you did or did not do made you a worthy child because while you were yet a sinner, Christ died for you. Therefore, exercise your rights! 

And this experience made me notice something. And that is the runway time that the airplane has. In one of the flights, specifically, the flight from New York to Mexico City, the airplanes started running at 8:46am and did not fly until 9:22am. I kept wondering what was happening and why the plane took so much time to run instead of flying. After the trip, I started reading about airplanes, the runway, and all of that. 

Summarily, I learned that airplanes need to run before flying to build capacity and build momentum for flying. In other words, most planes run to get enough speed needed for the plane to actually fly; they need the speed, the race in other to produce the lift.

And then it struck me that that is how some of us are. We know we are made to fly but right now we are running and that can feel frustrating. In the same way, I was complaining about the planes' runtime is the way some of us are complaining about our lives, and forgetting that we need to run in order to fly.

I am writing this today to challenge you -  Instead of constantly complaining about why you are not flying in the big leagues yet, run. Run and build momentum for your upcoming flight. Run and build capacity for the exploits your life is made for.

Don't beat up yourself because you aren't flying yet or because you have not reached your goals, don't look at other peoples' lives (especially those already flying) and become frustrated with yours. Rather, keep investing in you. Keep running. The road may not be easy but keep running as you would fly soon.

I heard about someone who had been running, preparing, and building momentum for five years to attempt a Guinness World Record in four days. Most people that are into sports, give themselves to training and rehearsals so much that if they can perform well at rehearsals, there's a big probability that they would perform well at the big game. Build capacity in this small job for that better job coming your way. Build capacity in reading your Bible, praying, and spending time with God for that ministry. Build capacity in that small thing you are doing for the big thing. Run and build capacity for your flying season is close by.

What do you think Jesus was doing thirty years before His ministry started? He was running so He could fly. He was preparing himself for His ministry and His crucifixion. He endured the cross and now He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

This could be for your career, your ministry, or any aspect of your life - Make sure you are running and building capacity for your flight. Don't forget Hebrews 12:1-2 but ensure that you run with endurance the race that is set before you while looking at Jesus, the author, and finisher of our faith as He also did the same; for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.

Run, and build capacity for your flight!

Thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing from you in the comments
#hephzibahsdiary
#Godsdelight
#Lightbearer                     

She said that as she was returning, she saw a man who looked like an "agbero" smoking. He was dressed like all these "area boys". She greeted him and just walked past. To her surprise, he responded with "correct English". I mean, he spoke sophisticatedly, he spoke like an educated person. That made her pause and look at him again. When he saw that, he questioned her, asking her if she thought he wouldn't know how to speak English or something. In defense, she said she only liked the way he spoke. And they exchange pleasantries and went their different ways.
When she told us about it, we just discussed it randomly and blamed the Nigerian government for not creating a good system for graduates as this forces them into doing all sorts of rubbish like becoming thugs for politicians among others. We laughed when she mentioned how her expression was when she heard the guy speak good English.

While thinking about it again, I discovered that because he looked like a thug, a picture was already created in our minds regarding how he should speak. We "kinda" gave a standard already of what his words should be like because of his looks. In a way, I can say his looks confused us, his looks gave him away, and his looks made us think of him in a particular way. 

Little wonder they say dress the way you want to be addressed. I rephrase, dress the way you want to be perceived. In this same light, so many "Christians" are confusing people.

People see you and already create an impression about you. It is until you start talking they are like "Oh, you are a Christian? I didn't know" or "Wow, I would have never thought you were a Christian". (To me, those words are not a compliment; it sounds more like an insult).

I am aware that some schools of thought do say that dressing doesn't matter and all but really, it does. As children, servants, sons, and even ministers of God, there are principles to be followed. There are standards already set for us. 1 Timothy 2:9-10 mentions this. Also, remember 1 Corinthians 10:23, all things are lawful for us but not all things are expedient; all things are lawful but not all things edify. Does your dressing edify?

It is an error if our dressing does not preach Christ. It is not enough that only our mouths do that. Everything about us should do that not excluding our dress.

Enough of us confusing people. Enough of us making people question or doubt our faith. Let us dress right. Let our dressing glorify God. Let our dressing preach the gospel.

The cloth we put, on to some extent, shows our profession. A footballer cannot wear an 'agbada' and be on the pitch to play ball. Neither would you see a banker wear sport wears to work. 

Don't put on what entangles you! Don't put on what entangles others! Don't put on what would mislead others or make them confused. Let us dress right. Let us put an end to this confusion. God bless us as we dress right.

Thank you for reading. I look forward to hearing from you in the comment section 😉
#dressright
#modesty
#myruralexperience
#Hephzibah
#lightbearer

One of the lessons I have learned is never to equate my rejections or failures with my identity. Hey, you are not your failures. It's a rejection email but you are not a failure. The beautiful thing about being a Christian is that our identity is not tied to our successes or failures. Our identity is and can only be tied to Jesus Christ. So, because you received a rejection for that admission or that job does not make you a failure. Because things are not working out the way you wanted or envisioned does not make you a failure. You are priceless, you are enough, you are valuable, you are God's own baby, He created you in His own image, and your identity is in Him. Doubts would come, condemnation would come, insecurities would show face, darkness would try to steal your light, and sorrow would try to steal your joy but remember Romans 8:31-39 and tell them that God is for you. Tell them that you are more than a conqueror through Christ. Tell them that nothing, not even rejections, and failures can separate you from the love of Christ. Give no room to entertain doubts, fears, insecurities, and sorrows. Remind yourself that God is God in the good and bad times. 

Also, surround yourself with trusted, godly, and good friends. Shoutout to all of my friends. Y'all are the real MVPs. Having friends that speak God's words to you, and remind you of your identity,  pray with and for you is such a big flex. I remember telling my friend that I got a rejection at a place where I was one hundred percent sure I was going to get acceptance and she was just like "it's their loss", "were you not just wanting to manage them?", "God is bringing something greater your way" and she proceeded to encourage and pray with me. If you know me, you would know that I like to figure out life on my own and by myself. If things are not working out the way I want, I can just shut out my friends, figure life out on my own and come back to my friends when I have it all figured out. But in this season, I have learned to be vulnerable with my friends. I have learned to talk to my friends about my feelings and that has been very helpful. 

Another thing that has helped me is worshiping in the midst of failures and rejections. I remember opening my email one day and seeing 5 rejections from different organizations at the same time. It was as if they all planned to deal with me. As I opened them, all I kept saying was "thank you, Jesus" amidst tears. I was crying and genuinely thanking God, I was singing to God, crying and saying "thank you, Lord". And afterward, I just felt so relieved and great. Worship works wonders. So, I'm telling you, worship God in the midst of your failures and rejections. Don't worship God only when all things go fine, worship in the bad times too. Also, rejection is painful so, it's okay not to be okay. It's okay to allow yourself to feel the pain. Acknowledge your hurt and process your feelings. Don't suppress your emotions; cry if you must. Feel the pain and hurt but don't get lost in it. 

Lastly, don't stop trying. Don't stop putting in the work. Don't give up. See what you can do to improve and keep getting better. I remember trying to face my fears after a rejection. So, I emailed an organization about the reasons why I was rejected. Ultimately, it resulted in the organization recruiting me. I ended up rejecting the organization (that's a story for another day). My point is that rejection has a way of making you complacent and looking back but keep looking forward. Encourage yourself in the Lord, and trust Him for his timing and provision while putting in the work. Face your fears, face your rejections, and try again. I love the end of 1 Samuel 30: 6 that says that "...and David encouraged himself in the Lord". Encourage yourself, and don't allow your rejection to make you afraid of trying again. Put yourself out there again. Apply for that job again, apply to that school again, apply for that grant again, apply for that contract again. Don't stop trying. 

Here are some other Bible references that were useful for me. I hope you would find them useful too. 
Jeremiah 29:11- God's plans for me are for good not evil and he plans to give me a future and hope.
Romans 8:31 - God is for me. No one or nothing can be against me
Isaiah 41:10 - I am not afraid, I am not discouraged for God is with me, He would help me, He would strengthen me and hold me up with His victorious right hand
John 14:21 - He has given me peace that the world can't give me. So I won't be troubled or afraid. 
Psalm 30:5 - Although sorrow may last for the night. Joy comes in the morning. 

Have you ever dealt with rejection? Feel free to comment below on how you dealt with it. 

#hephzibahsdiary
#lightbearer
#Godsdelight

For the period of my NYSC, I was able to attend only one rural rugged and while going for the rural rugged, we (the group of people I was going with) took off from Ibadan and got to Iseyin in less than 2 hours. We were glad that we moved so fast. We were however not stopping at Iseyin. We were going to a village called Joloko in Okeho zone.

Unfortunately or fortunately for us, our driver didn't know the way to the village. We kept moving around in circles, we kept making U-turns, we kept calling people that had gone before us, and the driver kept complaining about the limited fuel in the bus and how the bus would soon stop moving. People on the bus became restless. Some even started saying things like "all these troubles all in the name of evangelism?".
We kept asking people and they kept directing us. Some directed us rightly, some wrongly, and others didn't even know. At some point, our phone network was too terrible to keep the communication gap open. We were lost!

But we kept going. At the end of the day, we got to our destination after 4 hours of being lost. It was one interesting day.

A throwback with my friends at Rural Rugged

Now, why am I sharing this?

One of the reasons we kept "merry-go-rounding", felt lost and actually became lost, was because our driver didn't know the way. Because he didn't know the exact place we were going, we were lost. He probably had an idea of the local government but he didn't know the EXACT PLACE.
This is exactly how some of us lives are; lost!

We have handed our lives over to a driver that doesn't know the way. Some of us are even driving our lives by ourselves (in ignorance) because we have an idea of what our society looks like.

God created us, He has the manual of our lives. He has the blueprint. He is the only driver that knows the EXACT PLACE.

All we need to do is let go and let God. I wish we all would really just let Jesus take the wheel of our lives.

The moment we allow the wrong driver to drive our lives, we become lost, we begin to waste time at one particular spot, and as such, get to our destination very late or not get there at all.

In my story, one of the reasons why we were able to find our way was because we kept the communication line open. The NCCF leaders that were on our bus kept calling those that have gone ahead of us for direction. For this inference, I see the need to always communicate with God and with those that are still strong in faith so that even when we go astray or miss our way, they can easily call us back and put us in order. I see the need to always talk, to always open up to others, and keep the communication line open. (Get destiny friends. Friends that would spur you to do more, that would spur you to be better and bring out the best in you. Friends that won't be afraid to tell you the truth and the wrong things you do.)

Above all, let God direct your life. Yield your life to Him. We are nothing but pencils in His hand. We are the clay and He is the potter. He is the vine, we are nothing but branches.

Enough of us living a 'directionless' life. Enough of us doing things only with head knowledge. Involve God in all your plans. He knows it all, He created all, let Him direct you.

Trust in God with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, and in all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. He would even make you get to the right destination and get there on time.

I have heard stories of different people having the wrong career, and living the wrong kind of life for a very long time before getting it right. Such people would be like "If I had known, I would have done this and that earlier"

If they had known, they would have involved God and He definitely would have placed them in the right places and at the right time. But they wasted so many years doing the wrong things.

"When you let God in early, He builds your life but when you let Him late, He repairs your life".

A life without God is a life with no direction.
Let us not waste away.
Let us put an end to a life with no direction.
Let go and let God.

#Hephzibah
#Lightbearer
#myruralruggedstory

Anyway, I have but this blog is not really about the movie.

So, after watching the movie, I saw video clips of Kunle Afolayan (The director and producer of the movie) and Eyiyemi Afolayan (that played Omowunmi in the movie), with Kunle Afolayan saying things like "that's my daughter", "I'm so proud of her" etc. 

My roommate and I also watched an interview where he (Kunle Afolayan) was talking about how that role was his daughter's first movie role, how well she delivered, and how proud he is of her. We could literally feel the joy in his eyes, the pride, and fulfillment that he feels. We kept on talking about how it is so nice to see your child or children walk in your footprint and continue your legacy.

This also made me remember a video where Bishop T. D Jakes passed the WTAL touch to his daughter, Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts and it was just amazing to see the joy, the pride, and the happiness.

Recently, my pastor introduced one of his daughters to me, and almost immediately, he added, "She has a Youtube channel" where she posts this and this. You could tell that he sure was proud of her.

And all of this made me think about how proud our heavenly father is of us when we also follow in His footsteps like these daughters I referenced above are doing by following in their fathers' footsteps.

It made me wonder if the joy I saw in their eyes, the pride and fulfillment that their fathers felt is also what God is feeling when He sees you and me walking the right paths.

It made me wonder how God must be seeing us be ambassadors and light bearers and if we are even walking in His footsteps.

Remember in Job 1 when God was bragging about his servant Job? I wonder if God is bragging about me. I wonder if my life is something worthy enough for God to brag about. Can God brag on you? Are you living a life that God is proud of?

It's a new year, make God proud of you. Walk in His footsteps this year. Be an ambassador of Christ this 2023. Let heaven rejoice over you and let God brag about you.

2 Corinthians 5 vs 20 says "We are therefore God's ambassadors as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: be reconciled to God". This 2023, be reconciled to God. This 2023, be ambassadors of God. It doesn't matter if your walk with God in 2022 was not great, it doesn't matter if you did not follow His footsteps in 2022, you have been given a new slate. Follow through with Him this year. Be intentional with God this year and I pray that God would look at our lives and be proud.

Welcome to 2023!

#hephzibahsdiary #lightbearer #Godsdelight 

On this particular day, during the session to pray for one another, I felt led to pray for someone that was beside me but I did not have the courage to. I kept thinking: "what if she's not receptive", "what if God was not really leading me to pray for her", "what if my mind was just playing games on me", "what if I don't even find the right words to pray with", and what not. At the end of the day, I did not pray for her and while I concluded not to pray for her, someone else walked up to us, asked if she could pray for her, prayed for her and I really felt God move in their prayer but ultimately, I felt bad. I felt bad because it felt like God replaced me. I felt bad because I know I should have heeded God and prayed for her but I did not.

Recently, a friend Abisola Odewale reminded me that any idea, talent, or skill that God has given you is useless unless it is used. She shared a story of when she had an idea for work, wrote it down but did nothing about it because she kept thinking "maybe it's not time yet", "maybe it needs more work" and all of that. After a while, in a meeting at work, someone else pitched that same idea and it made her mad.

Why am I sharing these stories?

No one is irreplaceable. So, if you don't use the resources that God has given you, He is going to give them to someone else that would (Take a cue from the parables of the talents). If you don't obey God or go where He sends you, He would send someone else to go.

You can check out what I wrote about not wasting God's investments and not breaking God's heart.

In Bisola's voice, "Pitch that idea! Trying is better than not making attempts at all."

Just as a reminder - If God is sending you out or asking you to do something, He is not going to leave you unequipped. He has equipped you for all assignments and all you need do is obey. I love the latter part of Psalm 81:10 which says, "..Open your mouth wide and I will fill it." So, if He he asking you to pray for someone, open your mouth and He would fill it. If He is asking you to evangelize or preach to someone, open your mouth and He would fill it. Also, if He is putting an idea in your mind, act on it. When God calls you, He also equips you. Avoid feeling insecure or wondering if you fail. God's got you! Let God worry about the success of what He has sent you to do or put in your heart, just do!

And I pray that God helps us all.

Thank you for reading! If you have had a similar experience, feel free to share. I love to hear from you; You can share your opinions in the comment section.

#hephzibahsdiary

#Godsdelight

#lightbearer

Wanted to show off my housemates but the best I could come up with was an old picture😅

I decided to clean the washer. While cleaning the insides, I discovered a lot of soap scum on the edges and the not so easily accessible spots. The dirts were probably caused by excess detergent or fabric softener, or mildew stuck inside the unit. Anyway, I cleaned it while commenting on the dirt and said "The washer that is meant to make clothes clean is dirty". And that statement stuck with me because it reminded me of you and I. It reminded me of how we are the light of the world, lighting everyone's life but our life is dark. It reminded me of how we are washing other lives clean but our lives are dirty.

I don't know if this checks your boxes but I know it checks mine. It reminded me of the times when I have encouraged people not to lie but still end up lying. It reminded of when I have told people not to be angry or keep malice but I became the queen of malice keeping. 

This is a call for you and I to check ourselves. Hope you are not preaching sexual purity but have become sexually impure. Hope you are not preaching to others to live a holy life but you are living an unholy life. Hope you are not pointing others to God but not going to God yourself. Don't be like a signpost that points others to the right location or direction but does not get to the location.

You have been called to be the light of the world but make sure you aren't residing in darkness. You have been called the salt of the earth but make sure you are not living a tasteless life.

While it is easy to point out the errors or sins of others, ensure that you remove the beam is your own eyes before removing the speck in your brother's eye; don't be a hypocrite (Matthew 7 vs 3-5). Don't be like the Pharisees (Read Matthew 23:1-4) that tie up heavy loads on people's shoulders but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

It is not enough to be a speaker of God's word; be a doer (James 1:22-25). May God help us all.

#lightbearer
#hephzibahsdiary
#Godsdelight