And All Other Things

I never intended for yesterday’s post to be selfish and insensitive. I hope you did not construe it as such. And if you did, I apologize.

Nigeria. A country of battles. When people think of devastation by humans in the continent of Africa, they think of Darfur or the Sudan. But everybody tends to forget Nigeria. The country for which Doctors Without Borders was created — in the darkness of The Biafran War.

When faced with the news of the most recent horrible evil in the country, I was struck by three things:

1. One reason that explains this fighting.

2. How blessed we all are.

3. How powerful God is in the country.

1. Simply, the name should show one the arbitrariness of the country. Niger-ia = Niger Area. A name chosen by the Europeans after drawing arbitrary lines, pushing a whole bunch of people into it – regardless of ethnicity, religion and language – and labeling it a country. This is not to say that before colonization, there was no fighting, but the different tribes, people groups, language groups, etc., knew where they were, what they owned, which land was theirs and what they are fighting for. Throwing a bunch of people together and calling them a country, because they happen to look alike, does not make it so. And these years of unrest throughout the entire continent has proven this.

But, this is not to say that the people should not rise above it. And I’m praying every day that the new generation of Africans as a whole can change. Both those living at home and abroad. Because the whole continent (and yes, I am going to generalize) is destroying itself. Fighting themselves today, instead of finding a way to work together to become what they can tomorrow – one of the greatest, richest, most powerful countries in the world. Yes, in the world! We have so much in natural resources alone. It is disheartening.

2. We in this North America can complain about anything we want, but to see how blessed we all are, we must look to what is happening in the other parts of the world. If we compare ourselves… well, we really cannot. Period. I work with parents, teens, children. I am a sister to foster siblings. I have known so many capable people that are limit themselves by blaming others, finding excuses, never taking responsibility for their own lives. I will never disregard a person’s past. Yes, things that happen have an effect of people. Obviously. But when an individual is surrounded by people who are trying to help them, when they have so many resources to choose from, when they are given many opportunities and instead of utilizing it, they sit back and say, “life is not fair” “you don’t know what I’ve gone through” “It’s my dad’s fault” “It’s my mom’s fault” — I can’t stand it.

Yes, I will give you time and help you with your healing. It may not be easy. But, as a person and as a counsellor, I look for someone who will help themselves. Because like I said before, we are blessed. Life is NOT fair, but at least we’re alive.

Comparing yourself to others should do two things: show you what you can achieve and show you how blessed you are.

(The preceding was basically a rant. Perhaps it didn’t make a whole lotta sense, but you know what I mean).

3. Where God is the most present, Satan will insert himself. Where God is the most powerful, Satan comes to destroy. Nigeria is a country that loves God. I think Nigerians are born prayer warriors. That’s a big reason there is so much devastation. Satan does not appreciate the love for God. Basically, if one is a true Christian and is living the way a true Christian should live, there is one thing for sure: Satan will attack. Because it’s not only a physical war, it’s a spiritual war. What is our job as Christians inside of and outside of Nigeria? To remain strong. How? Put on the whole armour of God. Ephesians 6:10-18.

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Let us all continue to pray.

I discovered the Mars Hill Church iPhone app through this beautiful lady’s tweet. I downloaded it and so far love it. I had heard of the church before, but this was the first time I got to hear the teaching/preaching.

I started with the series on Luke, entitled “Luke’s Gospel: Investigating the Man Who Is God.” I loved, loved, LOVED the first episode, but at the end of it, I just so happened to scroll down and saw a series called, “Redeeming Ruth.” Of course, I then started listening to that one, me being Ruth and all (don’t worry, I’ll will definitely go back to the Luke series and you should too).

One part that struck me in the episode was the descriptions of Ruth and Orpah, Naomi’s daughters in law. Both were ready to leave their native Moab and travel back to Bethleham with Naomi. Leaving their families and all that was familiar to them. But after just a little bit of prodding, one decided to turn back and return to her homeland. Orpah.

One cannot really blame her. Although she married a Jewish man, she was living in her hometown, where she felt safe and secure. Essentially, where everybody knew her name. She probably proclaimed her love for God with her lips, but at the first sign of “freedom” she took it, abandoning Him and her new family and fleeing back home to what she knew. Fleeing back to her gods. She was a pagan pretending to be a Christian (well, before Christ), but abandoning Him when things got difficult.

I don’t judge. Is it not easier to remain where you are comfortable than to step into discomfort? Or what is known as earthly discomfort? What she did is what most of us would do. Right? She is only human.

And then there was Ruth. She obviously took her vow to God very seriously. She abandoned all that was familiar to her, to accompany her mother in law – not her birth mother, but her mother by marriage – to her hometown. She would know nobody. She would be alone with this older woman with no other people to call friends. And if that wasn’t enough, she vowed to Naomi, that she would take her people as her own and take her God as her own. That is amazing. Unlike Abraham, God never spoke directly to Ruth (thanks Pastor Mark) so she was ready to accept God by pure faith. Which one of us can say that we would do that?

The bible says that we are to drop everything and follow Jesus. But how many times do we make excuses for not following Him wholeheartedly? Without reservation. It’s our human nature.

And I know I will stumble. Many more times in my life. But God is there to help me stand and the Bible is there to support my walk.

I strive to be more like Ruth.

In more than name.

I’m not going to lie. It’s gonna be tough.

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you

or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,

and where you stay I will stay. Your people

will be my people and your God my God.

ruth 1:16

You know the drill. Especially in the movies. Someone wants something. Or wants to know something. And they will ask God to give them a sign. A sign that they are doing the right thing, making the right decision, or even a sign that He, God, exists.

I am getting baptized this Sunday (January 24). People are quite surprised that I have not been baptized yet. I have no real good excuse, but the one thing that stopped me in my teen years, especially, was the feeling that I had to be perfect before I did it. And I know (and knew) that perfection is not possible and only Jesus is perfect. But my human brain cringed at the thought of being baptized and then disappointing people and God when I did something wrong. I grew out of that phase though. God says come as you are… well not in those exact words, but He did say that He came for the sick and the sinners; not the heathly and the righteous. He told Levi/Matthew, the tax collect to follow Him. He didn’t say, “Yeah, I want you to follow me. But please get better before you do.” And I am grateful for that. That God accepts me as I am because God knows that I am…imperfect.

I have been a Christian my whole life, but my faith is not always the strongest. I would be lying if I said it was. But, I can say that it is hard for me to deny God if only for the signs He has shown me in my lifetime. Many times, and one time very recently, I have been discussing with a friend and he or she will ask me about my faith. They ask me how I know that Jesus exists. How can I be certain? I say because He has made it very hard for me not to see Him. He’s kinda like a kid, sitting behind you kicking your chair. If you don’t turn around, you don’t see him, but you know he’s there. There have been so many – yes I will use the word again – signs. And I’m not talking about the sheer perfection of creation – you know like the grass and animals and flowers and stuff – which is cool in itself. About about blatant punching me in the face with His awesomeness.

My parents survival in the country is riddled with God signs.

The fact that my first brother is alive and not mentally or physically disabled is a God sign.

The fact that I’m alive and not dead due to cult sacrifice is definitely a God sign (yep you read correctly. Wanna hear about this story?)

Jesus has shown Himself to me many times and in many ways. And although I have always followed Him, it’s high time to take the step and join the Body as He so commanded.

¹³Once again Jesus went out beside

the lake. A large crowd came to him,

and he began to teach them. ¹

⁴As he walked along, he saw Levi son

of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s

booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him,

and Levi got up and followed him.

¹⁵While Jesus was having dinner at

Levi’s house, many tax collectors and

“sinners” were eating with him and

his disciples, for there were many who

followed him. ¹⁶When the teachers of

the law who were Pharisees saw

him eating with the “sinners” and tax

collectors, they asked his disciples:

“Why does he eat with tax collectors

and ’sinners’?” ¹⁷On hearing this, Jesus

said to them, “It is not the healthy

who need a doctor, but the sick.

I have not come to call the righteous,

but sinners.”

mark 2:13-17

Here is the update from my friend in regards to this prayer request:

First, can I start this email with two comments:

I love the body of Christ!  Thank you to you all who have prayed for our friend and her boyfriend. (one request and people right away step up to the plate…your prayers have made such a difference in L’s life)

Sorry for filling your inbox!  But thanks for your patience…

L & her boyfriend, Z, were able to come to church this morning. They plan on coming again at some point! Which is good news! Also, later today they are planning on going back to L’s previous house and picking up some of her clothes. Please pray for them as they will be entering this home again. Pray the “presence of heaviness” will be lifted away from them as they enter the home.

Also, L is so grateful for your prayers. Those who have emailed me her prayers I forwarded them to her. She was telling me how she could not look in the mirror because she would be seeing the devil, however over this past week, when she looks in the mirror she sees “the light of Christ”!  Also, she is seeking counsel from another friends’ mom who has undergone something similar! J they are working on the same passage of Luke which you forwarded!

Thank you, thank you, thank you….I am so grateful to all for calling on our Faithful and Powerful God on L and Z’s behalf.

Let’s continue to pray for the Lord’s presence. The devil will flee!

My friends (who are a married couple) sent the following request and I am sending it out to everybody, because “…[t]he prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). How much more of those of a whole bunch of men and woman!!

(Persons are referred to by initials for privacy)

Good Morning Everyone

Could you please at some point today do A and I a small yet important favor!  We have a prayer request for a friend of ours!  Her name is L. Recently A discovered that within this last couple of months a new roommate had moved into L’s home. The new roommate practices witchcraft and long story short, the devil has been quite active in this home (For example, the roommate’s son hung himself…). L has moved out and began going to church but as we know the devil is quite persistent! While living in the home and since moving out the devil continues to call on her. Within the past couple days A and L have made contact again  (On Monday, D called L and she told him “everyone who loves Jesus is calling me today” it was then she informed him about her situation). She knows she is protected by Christ however the devil continues to call out to her!

Please pray for our friend!  Even if you are able to send a quick prayer via email we will ensure she gets it.  Also, if you could pass on this request to any of the prayer warriors in your life, this also would be greatly appreciated!

Lastly, this Sunday if everything works out, she and her boyfriend will be coming to church with us!  (we might have to miss Sunday school…)

Thank you so much our brothers and sisters in Christ!

Grateful we serve the Almighty God where nothing is toooo big for Him.

Let us pray for her so that she may live James 4:7:

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Prayer is powerful!

God is Powerful!!

Thank you in advance!

It is 4:17am and I am up because my foster brother woke me up. He had a nightmare and was scared and went walking around the house. At first I didn’t know what he was doing, but he was looking for my dad. So, as he was knocking on my parent’s door, I asked him what was wrong. He said he had a bad dream about killing and dying. So instead of waking up my dad, I asked my foster brother if he wanted to pray. He said yes.

I totally got that from my parents. Anytime my siblings or I had a bad dream, we would do as my foster brother did. Seek them out. They would return us to bed and pray with us there. And I can say that I did the same for my foster brother because I had such awesome examples. As soon as I said “Amen,” my foster brother said thank you, rolled over and went to sleep.

Two thoughts went through my head: (1) Thank you Jesus for such fantastic parents. (2) I can’t wait until I am a parent.

What awesome things do you thank your parents for?

If Jesus came back today, I would be happy.

If Jesus came back tomorrow, I would be happy.

Sometimes one thinks, “Hmmm…what would I be missing if Jesus came now?”

Oh I know! Breakfast!

…of my birth.

27th to be exact.

Man, I’m old.

And God is good!

No matter how many rants I have, God has been so good to me. He has blessed me beyond belief and I am so fortunate to know Him.

Jesus rocks man!

And I cannot wait to see what is in store for me for this coming year.

Happy birthday to me.

***Yes, I know. Not a baby picture. But the closest I could find at this time. ***