“I MUST NOT ENDURE THE PAINS IN NIGERIA AND GO TO HELL”

                                 “I MUST NOT ENDURE THE PAINS IN NIGERIA AND GO TO HELL”

                     I love Nigeria as a country, diverse in tribes, cultures and languages yet we are still together. Meaningful and melodious national anthem, lovely national colour, great weather and climatic condition in general. A GREAT PLACE TO BE (IF ALLOWED TO BE AS GOD WANTED IT).Our level of endurance is more than words can express. Less than what we are experiencing here in our fatherland happened in other countries and they almost annihilate themselves through civil wars and general unrest. Liberia, Rwanda, Sudan, Libya, Uganda (all in Africa) etc tells the story.

                      Boko Haram attack has become a familiar thing; kidnapping is now acceptable in some quarters as a means of making ends meet. Ritualists are not left behind and cannibalism too is now trending in some areas. Bribery and Corruption is seen as the norm, there is no single aspect of live in Nigeria that is free from negativity. Even religion has a fair share in the monstrosity called evil that permeates all areas of society.

                    Right from birth to the day the last breath is drawn, you struggle on a daily basis to be a success. Going to school is an ordeal, right from the elementary level to the tertiary level. Being brilliant and studious is not a guarantee of success. There is a popular saying that he who passes an exam is regarded as the brilliant one. Most tertiary institutions are operating the policy of “no money no good grades” the least person in the class may become the first to get a great job “no be who u sabi?” Nigeria, a country where the end justifies the means!!!

                   The house of God has been turn to a society gathering, the more u contribute the more u are recognized. It doesn’t matter whether God recognizes u in heaven as a child as long as the pastor/reverend/Bishop recognizes you. Being a worker in church is now seen as an evidence of been born again. Some people can go to church every day for ten years but cannot pay the school fee of an orphan for one term though they can afford to give a pastor part of their salary monthly. Mind you I am not saying it’s wrong to work in the house of God or give to His servant, but are you doing the right thing for the right purpose? Fraudulent activities and corruption can now be explained away as long as you pay the tithe. Hmmmmn God is watching in high definition (3HD).

                       Sexual immoralities are seen as the ‘in’ thing, if you are not having sex outside marriage, u are regarded as dull or not “tap’.  Nudity and pornography is acceptable to most people, easy access to the internet has become a tool for Nigerians both old and young to do perverse things, social networks is now an opportunity to cheat on partners (both emotionally and physically). The anonymity some social networks afford encourages perverse desires and fantasies to play out. 

                      But a question we need to ask ourselves now is that, after all the struggles, unfairness, losses, disappointments, setbacks and failures, would it not be a shamed to end up in hell?

LIVE RIGHT TODAY, DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND TOUCH A LIVE POSITIVELY, HOWEVER YOU CAN. Shalom.

Its well with our soul

                                   IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

         I love hymns so much, not because I was born in the Anglican Church or that my grandfather was a Reverend but because hymns are melodious, deep and inspiring. It gives u a kind of a preview to what it’s like in heaven. My best worship and praise songs are hymns, no wonder I have hymn books both in English and Yoruba. We sing these songs without knowing the story or inspiration behind the compositions.

         One of the most emotional and soul lifting hymn of all times is the hymn ALL WILL BE WELL, composed by Horatio Spafford (Oct 20 1820-Oct 16 1888). He was a prominent lawyer in Chicago; he composed this song after a great tragedy in which he lost four of his daughters. Can you imagine such a man still having a great hope and trust in God?

         Horatio spafford married Hannah spafford on sept 5 1861 in Chicago. The Spaffords began their tragic experiences with the death of their only son from scarlet fever at the age of four in 1870; they lost all of their investment in real estate to the great Chicago fire of 1871. Then the biggest trial! In 1873, Spafford decided that his family should go to England for a holiday; he couldn’t go with them due to some business engagements so he sent his wife and four daughters ahead with the plan to join them later.  11 year old Anna,

9yr old Margaret Lee, 5yr old Elizabeth, 2yr old Tanetta all perished in the tragedy.

        “On November 22, 1873, while crossing the Atlantic on the steamship Ville du Havre, their ship was struck by an iron sailing vessel and 226 people lost their lives including all four of spafford’s daughters. Hanna Spafford survived the tragedy” Wikipedia     

        Horatio wrote the song on his way to England to meet the wife after receiving a telegram from her. “Survived alone”. The couple later gave birth to three more children.

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot thou has thought me to say

Its well it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:

It is well (it is well)

With my soul (with my soul)

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though satan buffet,

Though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my

Helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious

Thought!

My sin not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the lord, praise the lord, o

My soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ

Hence to live

If Jordan above me shall roll

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,

Thou wilt whisper thy peace to my soul.

But Lord ‘tis for thee, for thy

Coming we wait

The sky not the grave, is our goal

Oh trump of the angel! Oh, voice

Of the Lord!

Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul

And Lord, haste the day when my

Faith shall be sight,

 The clouds be rolled back as a scroll

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it’s well with my soul.

 

                 So people of God, even in this dark time in our country and some individual lives, let’s have faith in God that all is well. What other choice do we have anyway. May God almighty give us the strenght and enablement to trust in Him at all times. Shalom.

EXPECTATIONS- UNCERTAINTIES

              This life as we all know is full of ups and downs, uncertainties are order of the day and change is inevitable. For some, life (living) is easier, smoother while some finds it more difficult. Motivational speakers are everywhere giving tips and steps to be what we desire to be but the truth is that there is no one solution to similar problems because no two situations are exactly alike.

             There are so many proverbs, idioms and wise sayings pointing to the fact that there is no self help anywhere in the world. The saying goes that “he who fail to plan, plan to fail” but then, what happens to the plans that failed?, another one says  “a man dies the day he stops dreaming” but then what happens to those dreams that never come to reality?

           The bible says that the race is neither to the swift nor the strong…. Ecc 9:11, that means no matter how much we plan or dream etc we still have no power over our lives, the final say rest with God. So, the question is, why plan when u may fail? Why dream when it may not come to pass? What can you do when: The level of work you put in to something does not determine the level of result, When less may mean more and more may mean less. It seems the righteous are suffering and the wicked are having a good life. When sorrow and pains are like shadows, happiness and joy are so flitting and fragile because it may not last and can be shattered at the blink of an eye.

                Life itself is so unfair and scary, no wonder a pastor of mine said years ago that THE REWARD SYSTEM IN HEAVEN IS A MYSTERY. We really do not have an idea if the good seed planted will grow as at when needed if it grows at all. NO ONE KNOWS TOMORROW.

              In view of all the difficulties, pains, uncertainties, helplessness and fear we encounter in our sojourn on this earth what should we do? Should we sit down and play possum while we allow life to kick us in the butt? NO!

             The answer is NO! We must keep on “keeping on”.  We must keep pushing (praying until something good happen), we keep dreaming, planning and hoping for the best. Even when we fail, we get over it (any positive way we can) and keep moving forward. When we fall, we rise again. When we lose, we risk again.

            It is the blessing of God alone that makes rich and adds no sorrow…… prov 10:22. It’s only what God does that is permanent; nothing can be added to it or anything taken from it…. Ecc 3:14.

             So, even in the darkest of night, the deepest of fear, the greatest of pain and the most of disappointment, NEVER give up! Look unto God and hope that MERCY speaks for us all as we approach the throne of grace. Shalom!

God speaks to us in diverse ways but it takes a spiritually sensitive person and a discerning spirit to hear. Sometimes though, the holy spirit impresses on our mind things which we may other wise have overlooked. I had such an experience during the weekend, and i believe it will touch someone too. I wanted to prepare a small stew so i decided to buy pepper and tomato nearby. On my way, i saw a boy hawking the very ingredients that i needed but i said the quantity will be small and decided to continue to the neighbourhod pepper seller (thinking i will get better ones and opportunity of getting "jara" too) but alas! The first place i got to, they dont have, in the second place the tomato was irritating, then i thought of the hawker who by now had gone far. I moved on to another seller who only had just two(2) sets of Tomato left and they are not as fresh as the one that was being hawked. SUCH IS LIFE, those were my exact words on that day and up till now i couldnt get it out of my mind. While in search of the "better" we allow the "just fair" to go by, and sometimes, just like the tomato, WE MAY NOT GET AT THE NEXT STOP OR WE MAY GET THE ONE THAT IS NOT EVEN MANAGEABLE OR (thats if we are even lucky) WE MAY END UP WITH "JUST FAIR" that we thought was what we saw initially. In the mean time we waste time, walk longer distance and possibly in the hot sun(it was scorching that day), yet we still wouldnt get up to what we desired not to talk of the hope of the better that we envisioned. Think back on those admission opportunity (ies) you lost because of various reasons and you ended up settling for "any course" at last. Think back on those employment opportunity (ies) that passed by because you thought you deserve better and eventually you had to settle for less. Think back on those relationship(s), the man/ woman you let go because you think the next one will be better, and it NEVER was or you end up with less. Hmmmmn, give it a thought, reach ur own conclusion. Shalom.

The best comes to those who wait!!! Tubaba nd Annie Macauly

Welcome to my world

I feel like am two in one, the loner and d friendly bimbethy. The outspoken and d one that need to be alone. The 'sharp' and the introvert. Which ever side of me you meet, i love to express my self. In words(written or spoken) and in actions(directly or indirectly). Even when silent, it is a form of expression.
It is a voyage of self discovery, documentation and actualisation of a dream of being a writter. So, come with me on this journey.
Welcome to my world, my expressions. My opinions, my thoughts, share with me, walk with me, be part of living in this generation of information technology.
Grace found me, thank God for being my saving grace. Shalom.