Life Diary

US visa application in Nigeria: Getting my student visa to Washington DC

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How I decided on an LLM program at Georgetown Law

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Dear Mentee 11 Comments

DEAR MENTEE || Video hack

So I have this leading to start a segment where I write what’s desperately on my heart. Obviously, that’s what the entire blog is for, but this is different. On the blog, I’m addressing myself, addressing my future children and grandchildren, addressing you and your uncles and neighbours. This segment though is addressing my mentees or proteges, if you’ll like. The things that I desperately want to pass on to the younger ones (not only age wise) that’s what I’ll write here. They are some of the life tips I’ll tell my younger ones who come to sit beside me at night and say “advise me. Tutor me”. Its a broad range of advice.

 

The idea of this ‘dear mentee’ segment is really to reveal some tips and hacks about my life. Little structures that give me the result I get, that make me who I am, which I think you may want to learn from.

I wrote a blog post on how I use my gratitude journal here. I hope you read that and you’ve been abiding by it. Beyond that, I have a culture of recording short videos of and for myself. I have a number of them. Nothing specifically aesthetic, nothing intended for the gram or any social media. Simply for keepsake. It does nothing but help me worship God later on. Yoruba people say, the person that does not think deeply, cannot give thanks. Thanksgiving is not a function of what God has done for you, but what you remember and what you choose to do with what you remember.

The starting point is remembering, and don’t trust your mind to do that for you, it’s easily distracted and the little things which make up the big things.

This morning, I have spent time worshiping God for the process I’ve had this year. Right now, a video recording I once did of my morning devotions while in UI is playing on my laptop. I wish I could share the videos I have with you, but I’m not sure about the wisdom of that – being different personal videos, it’s not the safest thing I can do. I however think you should inculcate that attitude. Take short clips at wedding events with your friends, record your little sister having a fun game with you, record yourself narrating that instance that has stressed you out, record yourself returning from your first NLS CLASFON fellowship and what you thought about it, record yourself talking about your last week in UI, record yourself on your last day of your law school externship, record yourself when you feel depressed, when you feel ecstatic. At the end of the year, you won’t be able to say God hasn’t done anything for you. Your recordings will keep you in awe.

This video clip by Pastor Sarah Omakwu is a wonderful one analyzing why David could not keep quiet or dance sanely when he remembered so many things. If you trust yourself to remember enough to always give thanks, discard this video idea. If you don’t, knock yourself out with it.

I hope you get introspective enough to truly worship God all the days of your life. I hope you value each moment and see HIS hand behind it.

It was bishop David Oyedepo who said (emphasized) “the Lord answers prayers, but HE inhabits the praises of his people”. He lives in it.

 

I hope this has helped. Much love from this end of the hub,

I remain your sister, Debby

Life Diary 2 Comments

2019 Life Update (3)

It was last week I last published a post here. Wednesday night. I did essentially no publicity for it, just put it on the blog.

It was something I had written on my way back from work.

Guess who’s writing another post on a Wednesday night back from work.

I’m pretty tired. Pretty, being that I’m too tired to describe how tired I am. I’m physically tired. Yesterday, I was very strong. I got home feeling like I could conquer the world, it was surprising.

Today, I had to run around a bit in my law firm. I have lots of pending tasks. And what bugs me… What really bugs me right now is that I’m unable to properly read my emails.

Guys, I read my emails. I unclogged recently, unsubscribing from newsletters I do not need. So virtually every email I get now needs to be read, but I do not read them. I have so many important links I’m not clicking, so many good newsletters I’m not reading. It bugs me.

I cannot even bring myself to click them this week, because of the huge amount of things I need to read this week in order for life to be balanced again.

What of next week? I’ve got a lot to fill in my law school log book. This week, meaning tomorrow and Friday, I have to find a way to register my business name at CAC because I’m leaving Lagos this weekend and the extra 28 days for me to forfeit my payment and the processes so far are already counting.

I’m still reading for law school despite everything.

Nevertheless, guess what I just saw: My Gratitude journal affirmation:

 

With Love,

Present day Debby to Future Debby.

The Christian Faith

Age-enduring love and Kindness

Oh guys, I’m left to ask “what do you come to the blog to see?”

“… the messengers of John having departed, He began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What have you gone out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what have you gone out to see? A man arrayed in fine clothing? Behold, those in splendid clothing and living in luxury are in palaces.

But what have you gone out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one more excellent than a prophet. This is he concerning whom it has been written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger before your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’

I say to you, no one among those born of women is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

This blog here, is what I’m led to write each moment. Check my ‘about page’

Today, here’s the content of the blog post I want you to carefully digest. Not traditional but needed. Much love from this side of the hub.

Here:

1SING, O barren one, you who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who did not travail with child! For the [spiritual] children of the desolate one will be more than the children of the married wife, says the Lord.

 

2Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; spare not; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes,

 

3For you will spread abroad to the right hand and to the left; and your offspring will possess the nations and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

 

4Fear not, for you shall not be ashamed; neither be confounded and depressed, for you shall not be put to shame. For you shall forget the shame of your youth, and you shall not [seriously] remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.

 

5For your Maker is your Husband–the Lord of hosts is His name–and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; the God of the whole earth He is called.

 

6For the Lord has called you like a woman forsaken, grieved in spirit, and heartsore–even a wife [wooed and won] in youth, when she is [later] refused and scorned, says your God.

 

7For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion and mercy I will gather you [to Me] again.

 

8In a little burst of wrath I hid My face from you for a moment, but with age-enduring love and kindness I will have compassion and mercy on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer.

 

9For this is like the days of Noah to Me; as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you.

 

10For though the mountains should depart and the hills be shaken or removed, yet My love and kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace and completeness be removed, says the Lord, Who has compassion on you.

 

11O you afflicted [city], storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in fair colors [in antimony to enhance their brilliance] and lay your foundations with sapphires.

 

12And I will make your windows and pinnacles of [sparkling] agates or rubies, and your gates of [shining] carbuncles, and all your walls [of your enclosures] of precious stones.(B)

 

13And all your [spiritual]children shall be disciples [taught by the Lord and obedient to His will], and great shall be the peace and undisturbed composure of your children.

 

14You shall establish yourself in righteousness (rightness, in conformity with God’s will and order): you shall be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

 

15Behold, they may gather together and stir up strife, but it is not from Me. Whoever stirs up strife against you shall fall and surrender to you.

 

16Behold, I have created the smith who blows on the fire of coals and who produces a weapon for its purpose; and I have created the devastator to destroy.

 

17But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.

Thank you for the love shown me on my birthday, two days ago. I’m honoured.

Educative 7 Comments

Ask me what I’m doing for Nigeria

Hii guys. I wrote this a year ago and I still believe in the message the post preaches. Do you think you were given your nationality as a punishment? Do you think you’re in Nigeria for such a time as this? Tell me what you think!

I’m a Nigerian.

In a day I see maybe five people talking about Nigeria on social media and … all of them are negative.

Surely God doesn’t give us Nationalities to punish us. Surely.
I’m scrolling through my Whatsapp updates and I see that everyone is lamenting the recent shootings in Jos.
Then immediately after, I get a news notification; Nigeria has overtaken India as the largest number of people living in poverty.

A motivational speaker and leadership expert, Fela Durotoye put it like this when I listened to him speak at the Platform Nigeria:

“Soon, it won’t lie in us to blame our parents’ generation for what’s gone wrong in Nigeria anymore.

One day, your children would look at you and ask what you did to make Nigeria what it is today”

This haunts me. A lot.

I’m right in that place where my actions begin to become relevant for what happens in Nigeria. Right now, I’m simply still working on attaining my LL.B* and enlightening one person at a time through my blog posts. Right now, I’m keeping used water sachets and wrappers in my bag when there’s no waste bin around, rather than throw it on the sidewalk. Right now, I’m just telling the truth in my class and small groups rather than telling nothing. Right now, I insist on my subconscious and conscious mind believing in Nigeria’s greatness.

Right now, I’m practicing what it takes to treat Nigeria right. To make her great.

Right now, what are you doing?

To be honest, you have to be doing something. Ask yourself “what am I doing right for Nigeria?”

This brief post is really to say It won’t lie in us to blame anyone anymore. If we do nothing, oh, we’re getting the blame.

Love and Light,

Your Nigerian Ambassador (Debby).

*As you know your girl now has her LL.B.

Go ahead and give your comments.

Life Diary Uncategorized 2 Comments

2019 Life Update (2)

There are days when I remind myself that calmness is the way.

There are days I remind myself that poetry is my language, and that I can never, even if I try, escape solitude.

Living outside of home in the busy city of Lagos and hitching bus rides from the mainland to the island daily has left little to imagine, literary-wise.

I haven’t been motivated to document, I haven’t been inclined to create.
But I did travel home for a short while, and I enjoyed the familiarity of my family’s language, the shared laughter, the exquisite family altar.

Reading good poetry and writing in the space of my travel home, I was conscious of the fact that I’m slowly finding my way back to the heart of literature.
My love for law is unquestionable, but you can well question my love for a hectic and pensive life.

While I’ll love to practice, I would also love to dictate my hours. To study my bible, comparing translations with translations and journalling my findings. In the midst of which I’ll like to roll on the ground in worship. And no, Saturdays only won’t cut it.

While I’ll love to exercise my legal skills and contribute to the world of finance, I can tell you without a fee that I’ll like to read Wole Soyinka and Tiwalade and follow Rudy Francisco again. I’ll love to hold the pages of a book with a child and read to them, unrushed. I’ll love to imagine, and to create.

Law, literature. Where do you intersect? Where do you come alive?

But erhm…the part of that intense literature appears to suit the year 2020 better, or what do fellow students of the Nigerian law school say?

What do you think?

Love from this end,

Debby

Life Diary 10 Comments

Baby Blogger Steps; Taking new strides after a crisis

Hey guys. Greetings from this end. I agree its been a while. Regards, and feel free to chat me up using my Contact page. You can also reply newsletters when I send them. ?

There are fail-days. I go through them. I got extremely tired and had no desire to touch my blog this past weekend.

I had had a draft post I was to edit and put up on Saturday. It had also been a couple of busy days leading up to that moment, so I didn’t get to check up on the post.

Saturday morning; I got a devastating email from Mailchimp – my newsletter service provider. Very very devastating news. My account was suspended as soon I clicked “send newsletter”. My very first newsletter!

An account I constantly created for over a month – through the poor network, lack of professional skill, mega data expenditure, and so much time! My entire account was suspended just like that, and without using it once after set-up.
Boy, was I frustrated. I tried pushing that aside. I thought ‘let me atleast edit the blog post for today’. It was then that I found out the post was still too raw and I was in no mood to create a masterpiece. I just shut it all down.
I thought to myself that I may as well space out this blogging thing for a while.

But, I’ve since had time to get my energy back particularly since I got a personal message from a blog reader today thanking me for my consistency and how my last post blessed his life. Ah well. I’m back to this place. We will work the newsletter again, amen?

Like a person who had an accident, I’m here planning to take baby steps again after my blogging crises. Baby blogging steps today means simply writing as I want to – reminding myself that I do not need to be pressured on any front. I am growing and being. I am simply content being here this Sunday evening, 18:29pm in front of my laptop while a message plays aloud on my phone and birds tweet outside my window.
Today, I just want to put up some pictures on my blog and have fun while doing it. Its delightful being a baby blogger, yeah?

While I’m baby-blogging, I want to encourage you to “baby-do” whatever big thing is crashing right in front of you. Just take the baby steps at it, do the basics. Sometimes its enough.

Not everyday a masterpiece, sometimes just paint, write, be.

A/N: So this post is coming up many months after the crisis. Said crisis occurred at the end of January this year. I think I’m sharing this today because you need to baby-do whatever big thing is crashing right in front of you. But do not stop.

Being an adult requires doing lots of things, and sometimes doing them alone. It can be wearying, and while its not wearying to me right now, I want to tell whoever its wearying to right now, “take baby-steps”.

A baby doesn’t stop walking because he falls. Interestingly, the parents are amused with the baby’s bounce and fall, as its a harbinger of good news, our child is developing.

Sweet child, your father says your occasional fall shows you’re developing. Relax, and live in stride.

Your fellow baby sister,

Debby.

Educative Life Diary 18 Comments

How I Use My Gratitude Journal

Hello people. I had this post written a few months ago, and I’m finally glad to publish it.

I believe I’ll be doing something good for someone by teaching them how to really see the benefits in everything that comes their way.

You need a gratitude journal.

You can have this in any form but I do have a sustainable system (after other failed attempts over the years).

My foolproof system comes in form of a phone application. Its available on for download on every phone store. Gratitude App.

My entries each day range from little things like being grateful for the succulent chicken I ate, the scent coming from my air freshener, to great things like friends who help reset my brain.

I think I’d be adding a little flavour to this post by pasting some of my gratitude entries here. Some are very personal so I willingly skipped out on them, while randomly picking others.

Lets take the above as an example. The day before had been a great day for gratitude, but that following afternoon, after waking up from my vigil rest, I was sore and averagely without gratitude entries. But like David (1Samuel 30:6), Debby encouraged herself in the lord. Sometimes, its sufficient to thank God for the good days that make you contrast the bad days as bad. Its sufficient to thank God for the joy of the previous day leading to the current day’s weariness. That’s what I did above.

February 11

Today’s an interesting holiday, yeah?
After spending some 6hours straight up working on my project and feeling afloat, I had a shower, drank Milo drink while I ate my jollof spaghetti and settled don’t to watch ‘Princess Switch’. Of course it was the best comedy for the occasion.
Such an holiday!

And today’s my mum’s birthday! And Naija’s presidential election. Sure grateful for these little benefits.

February 24

I’m grateful for the weather. It has finally drizzled here in IB. Oh the joy. Just the pleasure of working on my laptop on my bed near this window!

I’m also grateful for a new Sunday in IVCU.

February 28

What am I grateful for? The joy of blogging and reading blogs. I love my community.

One of my greatest joys in blogging is reaching people all over the world:
New Zealand, Thailand, Philippines, Madagascar, Belarus, Chile, UAE, Serbia, Vietnam, Italy, Nicaragua.
I imagine what rich lives they have in the ends of the earth yet reading this blog. Wawu!

March 12

I’m grateful that my exams are well spaced even though I consider them too well spaced for me to be serious.
I’m grateful for the serenity that is Imoran’s courtyard.
I am grateful that I do have a blog.
I’m also grateful and scared that it appears Qservers is working and I may move my site!

On the day above, I had spent my day studying so when it was time to enter in my journal, I didn’t have spectacular events to enter in. That’s what this journal does: it forces me to take stock and give thanks. I look around me and appreciate something. The courtyard of the library where I used to read was very beautiful so I noted that down.

My exams were well-spaced and afforded me luxury – couldn’t take that for granted. I discovered a new hosting platform for my blog too.

Random but good things.

March 14

I’m grateful that I have in abundance. I am grateful just for my clothes, for my wardrobe that is full of beautiful colours and designers. Thank you Jesus! Thank you for blessing me materially.

See this? How many times have you taken time out ‘mid-life’ to just thank God you have colourful clothes? Without them, you’d still be indebted to God, right? So what extra privilege you have to possess them. My gratitude journal helps me pick out things I daily see and just reflect on how I’m blessed to have them.

March 26

Praise the lord! Praise the lord! Praise praise praise praise praise the lorddddd! Halleluyah.
‘Eyin oluwa logo, Ogo’!

Why so happy you may ask. Simple answer – its the joy of the lord. I’ve been in worship mood o, Yoruba worship mood.
In remembering the little things, I thank God for his way of quickening my spirit to learn to obey when he speaks, my laptop did ‘erekere’ but God took control and I got my assignment out. Also my blog is working!

April 01

I am grateful for the opportunity to play the guitar not minding how tiring it was, ugh!! My fingers.

April 02

I thank God for time well spent with a darling friend, X.
I thank God for coldstone icecream
I’m grateful for a beautiful face.

April 10

I am grateful for my blog – the work it gives me and the love I have for it.
I am grateful for other christian bloggers who are sticking it out there.

April 05

Its like I totally stopped giving thanks. I’m grateful for the dinner rehearsal we had this evening. I’m grateful for the opportunity to pitch in to help.

Precious people, this entry above for example wouldn’t have been an item of gratitude but for the fact that I’ve learnt to examine my days for them. So rather than look at how some people neglected the express instruction given them and made things two times tougher, I looked at the good side of being granted an opportunity by God to pitch in. I could as well have had nothing to do with the task, but I did, and that’s worthy of gratitude.

April 16

I’m grateful for the beautiful light bulb in the dinning area. It delights me.

Yep. We thank God for light bulbs in this part of my world.

April 17

I thank God blood was not drawn from my arteries today

This is an interesting but embarrassing story so I will not share it.

But its worth thanking God for. Imagine if it had been the contrary. See? this thanksgiving journal helps insert humour at the end of my day, before sleep.

April 20

I am happy that I found Emmanuelpresents (Onimisi) blog.
I am grateful for a beautiful family and the joy of a quiet Saturday.

Thank God for discoveries. Thank him for the people around you.

April 21

Grateful for a place to call my church.
Grateful that Christ died for me and the world and we can celebrate him today.
Grateful that God is on the throne.

April 23

I’m grateful to the people who though, don’t like it so much, make out time and effort to work in teaching hospitals. Its way soo much work.

As a general rule, I dislike hospitals. I even always prayed that I wouldn’t marry a medical doctor (yep, big secret). My default attitude towards hospitals was to squeeze my face. But in reflecting on April 23, this year, I truly discovered that some of the people working there may really not like the smell either, they may not like being around sick and depressed people, but they’re doing it for good, nothing personal. Wow. (Now medical doctors are attractive. Such good heart! Okay, this is a joke). The point is that I got to make a new discovery, change my pattern of thinking and give thanks.

April 26

Grateful for the opportunity to buy what I need for law school.
Grateful for the opportunity to be a daughter to a powerful minister and be able to follow him on ministrations.

December 18, 2018

I am grateful for the ‘adimole’ I made today. It brings out my ‘Abike’ face.

Novmber 29, 2018

Ah. Today has been a precious day. I’ve smiled and frowned. I frowned at the realization that I’ve lost so much on my laptop with the spoilt hard disk.

I’ve smiled at the realization that God mercifully helped me save some work. It could’ve been worse. I’ve smiled at the realization that I’ve got God on my side. I am blessed.

I finally decided on writing this blog post the day I got a different type of compliment from a friend.

A strong love language for me is words of affirmation and I’m learning I have to give it to myself by myself too.

I have struggled in the past year and a half with varying thoughts about myself. Nothing too drastic but I didn’t always believe in myself or appreciate myself so much. I felt I was failing at some things and was quite average overall.

But with my gratitude journal, today, I do get to thank God for a long list of things that I believe about myself. Things that I actually do recognize substantially in myself, so I remind myself. And if for nothing else but this, this gratitude journal is fulfilling. (P.S: This is a proven way to battle Impostor syndrome which I wrote on here).

But then, there are more reasons why this gratitude journal has been good.

One of my pastimes is to scroll through previous entries and just laugh in contentment at funny entries, while my heart soars in gratitude to God for the people I meet and the things I see around.

You can also send a few people gratitude entries which pertains to them. E.g Grateful for a peaceful walk with XX. Grateful for my friendship with YY which brings a smile to my face. Thankful for the time of prayer which I had with GG after that insightful conversation. I smiled today because of the impact I get to have in OO’s life. Forward it to XX, YY, GG and OO.

This app has a backup feature so entries are saved to your google drive. It also has the provision for setting three reminders during the day for you to write. I hope you have fun using it, and you sharpen your gratitude culture. Have a blast reading some of my entries:

I really hope you get round to leveraging the benefits of daily gratitude. It makes your prayers richer.

Comments on any of my featured entries? Do you have other gratitude structures? Pray tell.

As always, your favourite girl,

Debby.

Educative Life Diary 8 Comments

My Playing Small Does Not Serve The World || + NLS Dinner Pictures

I hope to share more stories about myself. I hope to make you read relatable entries about my weaknesses and strengths. While I wait for the presence of mind and resources to write on these as well as I’ll love to, I try to chip in bits and pieces.

Tonight, when I type this, is June 18, 2019. I had my first term dinner tonight at the Nigerian Law school, Bwari campus, Abuja this evening. I decided to fill in my gratitude journal (which I’ll share all about in another blog post). After doing so, I started to read some old entries. Then I stumbled across this saved write-up which I was grateful for some weeks back, and which I’m still grateful for today. I heard it first in the movie, Akeelah and the bee. I must’ve seen that movie for the first time at around age 13. Here’s the quote written by Marianne Williamson which I’ll love to share with you:

“OUR DEEPEST FEAR IS NOT THAT WE ARE INADEQUATE. OUR DEEPEST FEAR IS THAT WE ARE POWERFUL BEYOND MEASURE. IT IS OUR LIGHT, NOT OUR DARKNESS THAT MOST FRIGHTENS US. WE ASK OURSELVES, WHO AM I TO BE BRILLIANT, GORGEOUS, TALENTED, FABULOUS? ACTUALLY, WHO ARE YOU NOT TO BE? YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD. YOUR PLAYING SMALL DOES NOT SERVE THE WORLD. THERE IS NOTHING ENLIGHTENED ABOUT SHRINKING SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE WON’T FEEL INSECURE AROUND YOU. WE ARE ALL MEANT TO SHINE, AS CHILDREN DO. WE WERE BORN TO MAKE MANIFEST THE GLORY OF GOD THAT IS WITHIN US. IT’S NOT JUST IN SOME OF US; IT’S IN EVERYONE. AND AS WE LET OUR OWN LIGHT SHINE, WE UNCONSCIOUSLY GIVE OTHER PEOPLE PERMISSION TO DO THE SAME. AS WE ARE LIBERATED FROM OUR OWN FEAR, OUR PRESENCE AUTOMATICALLY LIBERATES OTHERS.”

Its a most beautiful quote. Today, I’m grateful that I am liberated to shine, unhindered. Unbothered by popular opinion, I can stand up to my own beliefs and smile for the camera.


Today, I do not ask myself who am I to be brilliant, talented, gorgeous and fabulous. Actually, who am I not to be? I am brilliant, talented, gorgeous and fabulous. I’ll even add that I am an embodiment of uncommon class. And more importantly, I radiate the glory of God.

But this wasn’t always so. I once asked myself all these questions. Sometimes, I still act in ways that show that these questions are still under the surface. Not withstanding, its all getting better. I’m getting better.

In this spirit of joy, here are few pictures from my first term dinner at the Nigerian law school.

A recurring thought to me from this dinner is the issue of fitting in. I believe a part of refusing to play small is refusing to struggle to be seen or to make a point. In your extreme quietness, you’re making enough point. And in your extreme fireworks state, you’re making enough point. Do not tilt to any side to gain the approval of men. Rather, tilt upwards to better yourself.

And I leave you with another quote, however by an unknown writer:

I AM A PERSON. I AM NOT A MACHINE, SPREADSHEET, AGENDA OR RÉSUMÉ. I HAVE A HEARTBEAT, SKIN, SCARS AND A SOUL. MY WORTH ISN’T CALCULATED IN EFFICIENCIES, RESULTS OR LADDERS CLIMBED. I AM NOT THE SUM OF MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS — OR THE SUM OF MY MISTAKES. I AM NOT MY AMBITION, ENERGY LEVEL, APPROVAL RATING, MASS APPEAL OR WORTH TO THE COMPANY STORE. I AM NOT AN A-PLUS OR D-MINUS. I AM NOT A MESS OR A MISCALCULATION. I AM NOT A MISTAKE. RATHER, I AM A MIRACLE. AND SO ARE YOU. BECAUSE I AM A PERSON, MADE OF LOVE IN THE HANDS OF GOD. I WILL BE A PERSON TODAY. I WILL BE ME. I WILL RESIST THE URGE TO BELIEVE I’VE GOT TO FIGHT FOR MY PIECE; GOD SAYS THERE’S MORE THAN ENOUGH TO GO AROUND. I WILL SEE THE BEST IN OTHERS AND RECOGNIZE THE BEST IN MYSELF. I WILL REACH FOR VIRTUE MORE THAN TROPHIES, DIGNITY MORE THAN STARDOM. I WILL CHOOSE ENCOURAGEMENT OVER ENVY. I WILL REJOICE WITH THOSE WHO REJOICE. I WILL STAND TALL ON THE INSIDE, EVEN IF I’M FEELING WEAK ON THE OUTSIDE. I AM A PERSON, A CITIZEN OF THE KINGDOM, WHERE THERE IS UNENDING GRACE FOR ME. BECAUSE I AM A PERSON, AND I BELONG TO JESUS

I hope as I let my light shine continually on this blog, I’m freeing you up to do the same. I hope I give you permission to live your truth today and always.

THERE IS NOTHING ENLIGHTENED ABOUT SHRINKING SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE WON’T FEEL INSECURE AROUND YOU. WE ARE ALL MEANT TO SHINE, AS CHILDREN DO. WE WERE BORN TO MAKE MANIFEST THE GLORY OF GOD THAT IS WITHIN US…

AND AS WE LET OUR OWN LIGHT SHINE, WE UNCONSCIOUSLY GIVE OTHER PEOPLE PERMISSION TO DO THE SAME

If you need to be liberated from any of these questions too, go on ahead and while you’re in the process, celebrate yourself.

Shining as always, Debby.

The Christian Faith 5 Comments

The error in having Handpicked, Politically Correct Messages in Church

I want to start this post by typing “In a world where righteousness has fallen away from many churches” but then I am unsure if I ought to start that way. These things have always been. I am the one stepping out into that world and experiencing these things firsthand.

Or maybe it has become so widespread to meet each of us right at our doorsteps.

God! Where are the churches still teaching holiness and righteousness? I just searched on YouTube to download a certain message by brother Gbile Akanni, “Ordinary men who burn for God”, I typed that in and I saw a good number of messages by Gbile Akanni, and the strikingly familiar thing was the topics of these messages, which breed honest and pure desire for God.

Other topics: Burning perpetually for God, Ever-burning fire on our sacrifice, Plucked to burn for God, The blood provision for our deliverance, Preparing to become a pillar in God’s hand, Silent chapters that derail a man, Fields to burn, What postpones God’s rising on a man, Men who set the pace, Taking God by his word, God’s concentration on lives he intends to use, and many more.

The message I made reference to searching on Youtube, “Ordinary men who burn for God”, I had it on my laptop some years ago and its one of my all-time favourites, a strong blessing to my life. I recommend you listen to it. I remember days alone in my room while in 200 level, I would climb on my top bunk, and have beautiful communion with God through many of these messages.

I also remember the strict sermons in my home church, the instructions from my mission secondary school, The training from my immediate family and The Kingdom Project. These things have led me to have a personal encounter with God and I cannot do some things. Cannot. I cannot worship in some places that violate the sacred principles of the word of God. How many churches today do you still find topics like the ones I listed above?

It is beautifully powerful to teach on other relevant principles in the word of GOD including knowing who you are in Christ, understanding God’s provision for you in health and wealth etc. I teach these too. But, detailed and wholesome teaching of the word of God ought to combine everything. By the time we’re through teaching, we ought to realize everything is covered in good proportion for wholesome Christian living.

I read sometime two months ago on the trouble of topical sermons and I think this is prevalent in many churches today. I quote it below from www.relearnchurch.org :

“…topical teaching isn’t inherently bad. But since the bible has become more offensive to the culture, many pastors have opted for topical sermons to avoid unpopular or politically charged topics.

In contrast, the goal of an expository teacher is not to hear, “what an entertaining speaker” or “what an uplifting message” but to hear “thank you. Now I know what that passage means”.

Friend, if the church will hand pick topical sermons and teach you only appealing aspects of the scriptures, you better save yourself. Carry the bible and read. Open from Genesis and read through till Revelations. Do it again and again. Get a wholesome understanding of the word that can sustain you.

The query I have today is what have you fed on? What are you feeding on? What will sustain you for the days ahead? You need sound teaching of the word of God that makes you love God as he is and not look for a ‘God’ who will give you license to live like the world and still quote scriptures. Believe me, you don’t want that kind of God.

Acts 20:26, 27 “therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God”

Whats your take, friend?

As always, in truth and love,

Debby.

Dear Mentee Educative 4 Comments

Dear Mentee || What you should know about the word think-tank

…and other English words.

So I have this leading to start a segment where I write what’s desperately on my heart. Obviously, that’s what the entire blog is for, but this is different. On the blog, I’m addressing myself, addressing my future children and grandchildren, addressing you and your uncles and neighbours. This segment though is addressing my mentees or proteges, if you’ll like. The things that I desperately want to pass on to the younger ones (not only age wise) that’s what I’ll write here. They are some of the life tips I’ll tell my younger ones who come to sit beside me at night and say “advise me. Tutor me”. Its a broad range of advice too.

This post has nothing major to do with the word think-tank, but it has everything to do with my attitude to the word.
I was reading someone’s profile on LinkedIn just now and I saw a reference made to a think-tank that she set up. I would’ve skipped over it since I had the basic understanding that it meant an initiative – an intellectual initiative. But I didn’t skip over it. I barely ever do. Words that I manage to question a bit in my head, I head over to my phone’s dictionary and do a crosscheck. I strongly believe this is a proper attitude to learning.

Make a habit of this and you’ll become so familiar with the words you already know including their context. What’s more? You’ll also become perceptive of the meaning of mere expressions of words you’ve never even heard of.
You’re welcome.

By the way, Think-Tank:

“(idiomatic) A group of people who collectively perform research and develop reports and recommendations on topics relating to strategic planning or public policy, and which is usually funded by corporate, government, or special interests.”

Notice how I largely fell short of the meaning earlier and the disadvantage of brushing over it.
Okay, Mentee, that’ll be it for today.

P.s: If you have recommendations of some great dictionaries for android, please let me know.

Till next time,
Debby.