BEYOND THE MESS

The first time I saw the house on Gumani Road in April 2001, it was a dilapidated, “things fall apart” and bats-infested wreck of a bungalow. But the three-bedroom with two bathrooms bungalow had two appeals; its proximity to my new office in Tamale, sharing a common side fence, and the big expanse of grounds—a definite deal for my two young sons.

I had to look beyond its state at that time and created in my mind a vision of what it could be. So, I fixed my gaze on this picture of what I imagined it could become as I began to negotiate with the shrewd landlord. Shared with him my vision for the bungalow. Told him I will pay for the renovations on the conditions that he keeps my rent the same throughout my stay in Tamale and when I was ready to leave, he will pay me back for the major fixtures. Shrewd met strong negotiating skills.

I had been told that the man likes money and doesn’t like to spend on his houses. Told him that by the time the house is renovated to my taste, he would not recognize it and after I leave, he would be able to give it to the highest bidder and recoup whatever he would have to refund to me. It is a win-win. I get what I want, and he eventually gets what he likes most.  After much debate, we agreed.

The renovation work began in earnest, and in less than two months we had transformed the building into my dream and vision. We fitted the bathrooms with bathtubs. And tiled the walls and floors with elegant and bright tiles. We did the same for the kitchen. We fixed the wardrobes in the three bedrooms. The living area was divided to provide me with a study and storage space. We created a covered portico in front of the bungalow. We had a few trees removed from around the house. I could do without bats and reptiles around the house. I had the whole house and the fence surrounding the house repainted. By the time, we finished, the house stood out on the street.

I had cane furniture brought in from Accra. Made curtains and cushions with the Nigerian Tie and Dye fabric; proudly Nigerian. I had air-conditioners fitted in all the rooms. Tamale is incredibly hot. Children cannot play outdoors until the sun goes down and they are back home from school by 12:30 pm because of the heat.

We moved in. The boys had a great time playing and riding their bicycles on the grounds of the compound. I had the pleasure of hosting guests for dinners especially those coming from out of town for meetings in the office. I hosted my new church family in Tamale for times of fellowship and counseling.

It was a joy to see the house become what I envisioned it could be. So, I was pretty sad when I had to leave after just a little over two years in the house. The house will continue to hold incredible memories for me.

I was glad to see the house again on November 20^th, 2017 during my Tamale Homecoming. It was taken over by an International Agency working in the Northern Region of Ghana. I was right when I said the house would eventually go to the highest bidder—it became the office of the Agency. With a dear friend working as a staff in the office, I had the opportunity of entering the building and the rooms again and was astonished at the continued transformation of the building.

Sometimes, what we see before us is a mess; the consequences of bad decisions, neglect, and failures. When we look beyond the mess, and we see with God’s eyes, we can envision what the mess can become with the redeeming and transforming love of God. With great determination and concerted efforts, we transformed a dilapidated building into a comfortable home and later into an office.

 

I want to encourage you not to give up on whatever is looking like a real mess before you today. Trust God to open your eyes to see what it can truly become. Trust God to give you His vision for that mess. You will be amazed if you stay focused on that vision and work with God to get there.

What we behold take hold of us. What are you beholding?

The mess or the miracle in the making?

Share with us something that was once a mess in your life that God has turned into a miracle. Let’s inspire and encourage one another.

What Next?

I have not blogged in a very long while. I have watched months fly past without turning the dream of writing consistently into action. If it were possible for thoughts to transcribe into words without a determined action on my part, I would have automated my writing. But that is not possible, at least not yet.

2017 has been a busy year beyond my imagination. I have juggled many balls in the air. I managed to keep some afloat. I dropped quite a few. Blogging, unfortunately, is one of the balls that I dropped against my best intentions, despite having three platforms that provides me with the opportunities to blog and share to inspire hope and enrich lives.

Having acknowledged my shortcomings and trusting you to forgive me for not connecting with you as promised, let me count my blessings in 2017 and be grateful for the many balls I have been able to keep afloat by the grace of God.

The Book, Grace In The Storms, is going to places beyond my imagination. I know that at least 1000 printed copies are out there. I am super grateful to God for His faithfulness, and for the lives, He is using the Book to touch. The feedback received has truly touched my heart and humbled me.

We held several Grace In The Storms Events and had many opportunities to share the story in Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States and Nigeria. These were avenues to share the testimony of God’s sustaining grace and to present the Book to a wider audience. I am simply awed at what God is doing with the story He has scripted of my life and the many doors He is using the story to open to me.

My instruction was to go and share the story at every place He will open the doors to me. He had not ceased to amaze me with the way He is fulfilling His part of the bargain. The Feet of Grace is taking me to places my natural feet could not have taken me.

The Feet of Grace Foundation has almost fully engaged my attention and occupied my time. We set out to make the ONE DREAM of living life without limits come true for TEN AMPUTEES in 2017. It has not been a mean feat. There have been several times that I had to pause, and I wondered how this would come to pass; “how would it be?” The support did not come from the places that I had envisaged and expected. Support and help came through many unexpected channels I could never have dreamt of.

My heart rejoices with praise as I am overwhelmed at the goodness of God. He simply pushed me to keep my focus on Him. He keeps reminding me that when He gives an assignment, He makes provision for it. The Annual Charity Walk took place in more locations in 2017 to include Kenya and Uganda in addition to the earlier locations we had in Nigeria, United Kingdom, United States and Switzerland. So far, support has been provided to procure prosthetic limbs for Seven amputees in 2017. Seven almost done, three to go. Together we can make this one dream come true for all the ten amputees.

In addition to the above, I now have a Live Video session of Inspiring Hope on My Facebook Page every Friday evening. I share messages of Grace and Hope to inspire others in their journeys especially those facing adversities and life-challenges.

The work has been intense. The grace has been generous.

But amid these, one question keeps gnawing my spirit—What Next?

What next as a wife after 25 years of marriage?
My husband and I celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary last April with praise and thanksgiving to God, and with many testimonies. It can only get better. Where do I need to make improvements? What can I do better to keep my marriage fresh, vibrant and exciting for both my husband and me? How are we doing with pursuing and fulfilling the purpose for which God brought us together as husband and wife? I don’t want my marriage to settle into the rut of routines. I do not want us to settle on the sofa of staleness. I am taking time to reflect our shared interests and common goal and vision for our marriage.

What next as a mother of two adult sons who no longer need me to parent them daily?
My first son is now an Engineering graduate, carving out his life and making life decisions. My second son is a junior in the university. Both are living between 6700km to 9450km from home. Parenting them is redefined. My role is becoming more of a counselor and adviser on a faraway stage, and a prayer warrior behind the scenes. As much as I want to be a part of their daily life, they seem to be getting on just fine without me mothering them.

What next as an entrepreneur?
My desire to be a contributing partner to my family finances has not waned despite the years of inability to earn a regular income on health grounds. The vats of needs are huge. The desire to be an inexhaustible conduit of God’s blessing is compelling. What I see in the pipeline cannot meet the needs. I am again and again learning to trust God for His provision. He brought us this far. He has been our sufficiency. I am asking God and myself, what can I do differently to generate the much-needed income. How can I be a more faithful steward of the resources available to me? How can I best position and manage my business so that it can generate consistent income? How do I carve out the time to production in my already crowded agenda? Which of my skills can I monetize to generate income? The questions seem endless.

What next as a Writer?
The books longing to be written and the manuscripts waiting to be completed have refused to let go of their hold on my heart. I cannot miss the unusual ways God is reminding me that I have several uncompleted writing assignments. Wishing will not write the Books. They will only get written when I make time to sit and write. My starting point is writing this blog with renewed commitment.

What next as an Inspirational Speaker?
Knowing where God wants me to be at each point in time is an imperative. I cannot afford to miss the opportunity that God opens to me neither can I afford to go where He has not sent me.

What next as God’s handmaiden positioned at this place and at this time for an only-me-can-fulfill purpose in God’s Kingdom agenda?

Truly, I am in the “What Next?” phase of life. Knowing and understanding the will of God for my life at this phase is critical. Clarifying my God-given vision and the steps needed to accomplish is an imperative I cannot afford to overlook.

I am taking time to seek God’s face. I am listening for His instructions. I am willing to submit to His leading, to trust Him and to obey Him. At the beginning of 2017, my watchword was “Listen, Trust and Obey.” It is obvious that God is not done with teaching me to listen for His instructions, to trust in His ability to take me to where He wants me to be, and to simply obey Him.

Perhaps, you are also in that phase where you strongly desire to know which direction God wants you to go. Then, you are in the right place to pull the plug on yourself and retreat into God’s presence. Silence the noise of the world around you, tune your ears to listen and hear God’s voice. Wait in His presence for instructions. You are in the waiting room—the place where God is preparing you for your next season.

That is where I am now—clarifying God’s calling on my life and His purpose and directions for my next season. I am confident that there is grace available for this phase—the grace that keeps me through the tests needed to refine and prepare me for the next season. I am tapping into the super-abundant grace. I encourage you to do so. That grace enables you to do what you cannot do in your human capacity. It is grace that will keep you sitting still to listen when your instinct is to engage and get even busier.

Receive today, the grace to retreat to recalibrate, renew, refocus and refresh in preparation for your next season.

The Joy Of A Dream Come True

The joy of a dream come true is beyond description. My heart overflowed with praise and tears even rolled down my cheeks. It was pure joy. A long drawn out dream finally came to pass.

It has been a very long time since I posted a blog here. For those who have been long with me, you know already that I wanted to transition this Blog to the Feet of Grace Foundation website so that it would be easier to manage all the blog posts from one website. But the time I have spent here and the connections made hold a special place in my heart. You will also know that I had an assignment, which was pending for a very long time. Indeed, it has been my earnest desire and dream to finishing writing my story into a Book. 

I am greatly delighted to announce that Grace In The Storm – A Living Proof is now published.  The journey has been long and tortuous, just like the story behind the Book. Both the story behind the Book and the writing of the Book are testimonials of God amazing grace and faithfulness. My heart is full of thanks and praise to God for His awesome goodness for bringing this dream to pass.

The writing of Grace In The Storms took thirteen years. For several years, I didn’t even know how to present the story or how to end it. I wanted to the story to speak of the victory that God brings to bear in the lives of His people. I wanted the story to present a testimony that requires no explanation. I wanted those who knew me in the years of the storms to see a change that will cause them to acknowledge the goodness and faithfulness of God in my life; “they were amazed and astonished at the greatness of God.” And all the people who see me will give praise to God and glorify His name. God brought that change about in 2013 with yet another twist to it. That twist resulted in the establishment of the Feet of Grace Foundation.

The Book is selling via several outlets in Nigeria and Switzerland. It is available on Amazon in Paperback and Kindle edition. 

There will be a promotional campaign on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk from April 9th to 11th, 2017 during which the Kindle Version will be available at a reduced price.

Please find the Amazon link below:

Grace In The Storms...A Living Proof - Paperback

Grace In The Storms...A Living Proof - Kindle Edition

Not only is the Book now on sales, I am also pleased to announce to you that my personal website is also up and running. I invite you to check out Irene T. Olumese website where I speak and write to inspire hope for those going through life's challenging situations in whatever form.

My life story may have several chapters of pain, misery and distress but it is not a tragedy. It has been come an opportunity to inspire hope and encourage those going through difficult and challenging situations. I believe there is at least one person waiting at the end of our dark tunnel to light their candles from ours. That is why we must keep hope alive while we go through the storms. 

The good news is that God's grace is abundantly available to enable, energize and empower us, and finally bring us out on the other side to the place where victory is made manifest. My word of encouragement to you today is this; persevere in hope until you see the desires of your heart manifested. Don’t give up on hope. Don’t give yourself the permission to quit when the journey becomes tough and  is full of twists, turns and bends. Stay focused on the goal. Keep an relentless and unyielding grip on the hope of seeing your dream come true. I don’t know how long it will take but I can assure you that if this is in line with the will of God for you, He will bring it to pass, come what may.

Ultimately, God gets all the glory and honour and adoration. That is the whole purpose of our existence; to bring glory to God when we fulfill His calling on our lives.

Favored Leg In Motion

“What name are you going to give your new leg?”

He was quiet for a minute. A couple of fleeting furrows creased his brows.

Then he answered, nodding with assured confidence, “Favored Leg.”

It was apt.

He could not have chosen a better name for his new prosthetic limb. He is Chidiebere. He is ten years. He is the fifth of five children. His father died when he was three months old. His mother who is a petty trader takes care of him. Chidiebere lost his leg following an accident when the bathroom wall fell on him at the age of 5 years. It was a full leg, transfemoral amputation with an extremely short stump.

His disability notwithstanding, Chidiebere is hard working. He had just completed his Primary 4 School examinations. He helps his mother with household chores—cooking, sweeping, and running errands. He does this hopping on one leg with his crutches. He had overgrown his first prosthetic limb. He desperately needed a new one. That was how the Feet Of Grace Foundation got connected to Chidiebere by the Irede Foundation.

He was one of the beneficiaries of the funds raised during and after the Feet of Grace 5k Charity Walk; “Hit The Street For Their Feet.” The fundraising event brought us in contact with Center for Integrated Health Program at the recommendation of my husband’s old school mate—an evidence of favor. The Center donated the entire funds for Chidiebere’s prosthetic limb.

But favor did not stop there, the Center proposed to support Chidiebere beyond the provision of a prosthetic leg. So they requested to meet with his family. That was part of my mission to Nigeria in July. I met his mother in Lagos on Tuesday, July 14^th, 2015 at a meeting organized by The Irede Foundation, the sponsors of the first prosthetic leg. She was full of gratitude to everyone who contributed towards Chidiebere getting a new prosthetic leg.

It was while watching the video made following the fitting of the first prosthetic limb that I heard Chidiebere saying that he wanted to finish his education and become a doctor— dream beyond his current circumstances.

I was eager to meet with the young lad. I wanted to hear him tell me his dreams and aspiration. I wanted to see this young boy who is not allowing his challenges and difficult circumstances to kill his dream.

I traveled to Enugu in the eastern part of Nigeria on Monday, July 21^st, 2015. It was an hour flight from Lagos. I traveled with another amazing young girl, who is living life to the full despite being an amputee—Beulah is just six years old. She is such a sweet girl. She is another proof that disability is a thing of the mind. She is the daughter of the founder of the Irede Foundation.

Chidiebere was learning how to use his new prosthetic leg during a post-fitting session when I got to the clinic—Othofit. He stood tall on his new leg, still uncovered to allow for necessary adjustments as the technicians ensure proper alignment and equilibrium.

We talked. We walked together. I introduced him to my Feet of Grace, “You are not alone in this” I told him. He was amused that I gave my prosthetic legs a name. Then I asked him what he would like to call his.

His answer indicated the depth of his understanding of the immensity of the favor and grace shown to him. Everything is turning around in his favor especially with the prospect of having his path towards fulfilling his dream supported by strangers.

We visited his home and his school. We spoke with his sisters and teachers. Both sites depicted the abject poverty and the harsh realities of the environment Chidiebere is living in. It was certainly not friendly for the disabled. For Chidiebere, there is a glimmer of hope shimmering like silver lining around the dark clouds—this is the manifestation of favor.

I left Chidiebere with words of my husband ringing in my ears, “Perhaps, Chidiebere may not have had the opportunity to walk again and dream of a bright future if you did not lose your legs.”

One was definitely sure, I would not be campaigning for the cause of amputees living in poor communities today if I am not an amputee myself. I certainly would not have had such an honor of meeting champions like Chidiebere and Beulah, who have refused to let their disability define them or limit them from dreaming of a bright future. These kids are a great inspiration to me.

The visit highlighted critical gaps in the area of post-fitting physiotherapy care and support for the amputees, their immediate family, and caregivers. This is an area Feet of Grace Foundation will be seeking to strengthen shortly with the support of our friends.

I was unable to visit Olivet Amadi, the second beneficiary of the support for the provision of a prosthetic limb through the donations from the Friends of the Feet of Grace. She lives further up north in Jos. I watched the video of the fitting of the new prosthetic leg. She is currently undergoing post-fitting alignment and gait training to ensure that she can use the limb without pain.

Chidiebere and Olivet are beneficiaries of the act of kindness of the Friends of Feet Of Grace Foundation, who have been donating generously to the Charity Funds since we flagged off the fundraising efforts in April 2015. The favor you have shown towards these amputees is making a remarkable difference in their lives. On their behalf, I would like to express my gratitude for your support and donations. Together, we are changing lives for better and touching lives for good.

This is just the beginning. I had the opportunity to meet with four female amputees. Three of them are married, with children to take care of; one is a widow and the fourth is a 25 years old lady. Each  with her unique story living with missing limbs, yet defiant, refusing the loss of their limbs to be a full stop to their lives but a mere comma!

We shared stories of our struggles living as amputees in an environment that is yet to become handicap friendly—an environment with limited opportunities to access affordable prosthetic limbs. These ladies are either overdue for a change their prosthetic or still patiently awaiting support for limbs.

I ended my trip with a greater appreciation of the need to educate the general public that while people with disabilities or missing limbs may need support and assistance, they certainly do not need pity.

You and I, in our diverse spheres of influence, can be a conduit of God’s favor and a source of encouragement to persons with disability. You can make a difference by advocating for more handicap friendly environments.

One step at a time, one amputee at a time, we are making an impact that will resonate long after us. Join us at the Feet Of Grace Foundation to make life a little better for people living with missing limbs especially in poor communities.

Together, we can.

A Unique Pathway For A Unique Purpose

Subconsciously, my mind chose to focus on the process by which pearls are formed this morning. I was still in bed, musing on the events of my life in the past years and especially in the last few weeks. The several discussions I had with my Sistas, Bidemi and Audrey, while we were in London for the Sistapower Gathering in UK floated back into my mind. 

Purpose....
             Process....
                          Pain.....

These three words are so intricately woven together that they are inseparable. I had a light bulb moment as I pondered on how these tightly woven words have played out in my life story. That was when I remembered that I had written a blog post on pearls some years ago. I sought for it and found it.

I posted The Pearl Necklace on Wednesday, March 21, 2012. I still cannot remember what inspired that story. My jaws dropped as I read the blog post over again today. It was prophetic on many levels.

At the time of writing The Pearl Necklace, I had no indication that I would at some point in my life own a beading business. It was not even on my list of dreams and goals. But eighteen months later, I made my first bead jewelry set and my beading business was launched six months after that first set was made. 

Process and pain marked the path between March 2012 and June 2013 when purpose began to be revealed. I am overwhelmed at what God has been doing with Hands of Grace Creations; the doors this business has opened to me to share my testimony and the provision when most needed. 

Dear Friends, through it all, I learnt the following lessons:
- there is purpose in the process
- there is purpose in the pain
- my process is unique for my calling.

Your pathway to fulfilling your God-ordained purpose is unique for you. Be assured that God's grace can sustain you through whatever lies along the way

Read below The Pearl Necklace:

An unusual wandering in the “muse-land” took me to Chinatown. I walked along the street lined with jewelry shops and an array of beautiful necklaces displayed on the window of one of them drew my attention.

Through the window, I saw an old man sitting in front of a table laden with many bowls; his eyes beckoned me to come in. Unable to resist if I wished, I went in, with a swift sweep of his hands he directed me to sit across him. I did.

He picked a measured length of silk thread and threaded it through a needle. With a long deliberate pause, his eyes swept over the array of pearls in a wide range of sizes, shapes and colors in individual bowls on the tray in front of him, dazzling in their rich and vibrant luster.

He stretched his callous hands to the farthest bowl on the tray with tiny round pearls looking like caviar, picked one of them,  and passed the needle through it along with several others. He placed a knot after each one, gradually increasing the sizes until the midpoint.

Then he picked a shimmering drop-shaped pearl with the colors of a peacock, lifted it up to the rays of sun streaming into the room and turned it around on the tips of his gaunt fingers—it sparkled in sunlight.

“Precious,” he declared.

He strung it and continued with the round ones decreasing the sizes. It was a beautiful well-matched symmetric strand. I thought he would fix the clasp and finish it but he laid it down on another tray, picked up another strand of measured silk thread, and began the same process, this time the pearls were irregular in shape and size.

http://www.dreamstime.com/

“Each unique.”

I imagined so, since each pearl will bear the unique “signature” of the mother oyster that produced it.

Again at the midpoint he placed another shimmering peacock-colored pearl larger than the first one and finished up the strand as before. He laid the second strand below the first.

I was intrigued, but I glanced at my watch and shifted in the chair: “Where is he going with this?”

He must have read my mind, he smiled and said, “Wait, be patient.”

He picked the third strand of silk thread. This time after the first few small round pearls, the sizes increased dramatically until about the midpoint, and he placed smaller shimmering round pearls here and continued symmetrically to the end. He placed the third strand on the tray below the second.

Then he pulled one side of the three strands together, knotted them and worked the threads through one end of a gold clasp. He did the same for the other end. An exquisite picture emerged as he pulled the strands together, the midpoint pearls fitted on top of each other shimmering with the colors of a peacock. The irregular shaped dark green center strand was sandwiched between a thin rounded glittering black top strand and a thicker bottom strand in the same color. It was a perfect fit.

“Beautiful, eh?”

Admiring what he created, he said, “Each piece, part of the story. Without one, necklace not same.”

I agreed with him. The product of the painstaking process was indeed beautiful. Each pearl, irrespective of the size or shape, had to be in a defined location for the strung pearls to come together in a perfect fit. Each strand could have stood alone, but together they formed a beautifully created elegant necklace.

http://www.dreamstime.com/

It is reassuring to know we are precious, unique, and beautiful in the sight of God—fearfully and wonderfully created by Him. He meticulously strings together every divinely designed event in our lives, and fit them together for our good and to fulfill His ultimate purpose for us.

The pit, Potiphar’s house, and the prison—all are fitted together to prepare the perfect path to the palace for Joseph. Each experience was a unique event, which took Joseph closer to the fulfillment of his dreams. It was from the pit he was sold to the Medianites who brought him into Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, a Pharaoh’s officer. It was from Potiphar’s house he was sent to the prison. The prison brought him in contact with the Pharaoh’s Chief Butler, who at the appointed time provoked a recommendation on his behalf.   

Every event in our lives is allowed for a purpose and has a part to fulfill in the ultimate story. I got impatient because I did not know the design the old man had in mind for the pearls.

We also we get impatient and fidgety during the hard and difficult times when we seem to have more questions than answers. But this is the time to wait patiently with expectation trusting God Who knows the end from the beginning to work it all together for our good.

Do you know you are precious to God, and He has a good plan for you?

Do you know that God's good plan for you will require a painstaking process?

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jer. 29:11

Pause, Listen, Balance, And Stay Focused.

Once upon a time, my agenda was snow-white. The occasional specks of ink on my agenda were mainly activities relating to keeping me alive—hospital appointments, physiotherapy and home care. That is now history of past events. It is no longer breaking news that Irene’s plate is always fully loaded these days. Hence my absence from the blogosphere over the past three weeks.

The run-up to the Hit The Street For Their Feet Charity Walk on April 25^th was hectic. It left me breathless. I have not had time to catch my breath since then. All the donations coming from across three continents had to be acknowledged and receipted irrespective of the amount because each of them made a difference and added value taking us to our set goal. I am so grateful to God that I have much to acknowledge. The administrative part of the Charity is still ongoing.

It was in the midst of that that I realized that I had only thirty days (now seventeen) left to the wedding of the dear daughter of Zion who God used to support me during the year post my amputation. She cared for me and attended to my needs during those early days while I learnt to regain my autonomy and to get accustomed to my new definition of normal as an amputee. She has been a blessing to me. I had committed to help translate her dream to reality and time was fast running out. I was in overdrive now.

Alongside came the preparations for the Annual Conference, which took place in my church last weekend. While we were getting ready, I had to go for a surgery to correct what the doctors termed “a rare form of adhesion” which got my tracheotomy scar stuck to my trachea. It was a day surgery. I was back in my kitchen barely 3 hours after the surgery. But it was a restless and rather painful night afterward and has required a twice a week trip to the hospital to keep an eye on it.

In the midst of all these, my accountability partners and very concerned friends were keeping a tab on me. They wanted to know where I was, regarding my pending assignments—completion of my book and getting the Feet Of Grace website running to name a few. And the pressure mounted.

That was when I had to pause. I needed to take a deep breath. I was feeling overwhelmed and overcharged. I have a passionate aversion to idleness with a relentless drive for purpose, perfection and making a difference. It appears that this combination has pushed me to the other side of the spectrum.

The outlook for the next four months seems even more charged with several planned travels, ministry project and pending Ministry training assignments. It was the time for me to pause and listen.

I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens, empowers and infuses me with strength from His limitless stores. But I am not called to do everything.

Having a clear guidance and direction from God as to what He wants me to do, when, where and how He wants me to do the things He has called me to do has become an imperative. I must pause and listen. If I am not quiet, I cannot hear Him speaking to me. It is only when I am getting instructions from Him that I can balance all the many balls that I have to juggle in the air. It is only by His grace that I can do the things He has called me to do. I need to pause, listen and balance.

I know God also has a deep aversion to idleness. Several passages in the Bible points in that direction.

"And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day long?'” – Matthew 20:6

“"The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat." – 2Thess. 3:10

“You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,” – 1Thess 4:11

I also know that God does not want me to burn out or run on my own steam, I cannot be useful to Him that way. Therefore, I must insert precious times of rest into the equation.

Several key points shone brightly like a lighthouse on a dark night as I processed all the above.  I will share some of them with you.

1.       I have to learn to say NO:

If I am going to stay focused on the goal and accomplish the tasks God laid on my heart for this year, I have to give myself the permission to say No. First to myself and then to others. A young man challenged me recently to master the art of No in an excellent article he posted on his blog - The Art of No. It is not just about saying No but how to manage a No response. What do I mean by saying no to myself? I mean I cannot do everything that comes to my mind even if it sounds great and will benefit someone.

2.        I need to prioritize:

Some tasks are important, but they are not urgent. Some things that God calls us to do are urgent and important because someone is waiting at the other side to receive of it. I cannot afford to be lackadaisical about the things that are important in God’s kingdom agenda. The fact that He has not issued a deadline the way my bosses at work would do does not mean that I can do my God-ordained assignments at my convenience.

3.       Ultimately, my accountability is to God:

God has called me to be a good steward of the resources He has assigned to me to manage. These include the talents, gifts and abilities with which He endowed me. As a steward of God’s resources, there will come a time I much give an account of what I have done with these resources. As well as how I have fared with the responsibilities and tasks He assigned to me. Doing His will and fulfilling His call upon my life requires my utmost attention and dedication.

God’s all-sufficient grace is available and richly abounding to each of us so that we having all sufficiency in all things and at all times may abound to every good work. I want to abound in good works. My earnest desire is to impact lives for good, make a difference and leave a lasting legacy. I must, therefore, run the race set before me tapping into the rich grace available to me and with my gaze focused on the ultimate goal.

Over the coming months, I will do my best to keep this space we share together to enrich and encourage one another active while I strive to maintain a balance in my responsibilities and commitments. There will be guest posts here, and I hope to see the blog relocate to the Feet Of Grace website as soon as it is up. In the interim, I ask you to uphold me in prayers; that I may have strength to do what I am called can do, courage to accept those that I cannot do and the wisdom to know the difference. Pray also that God will send me help fitted for this assignment.

I pray that each of you will flourish in the place where God has assigned you.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed with so many things to do? Share and let's encourage one another.

Shared Lives. Shared Dreams. Shared Goals – Part 2

For over a week, I played a “you can’t catch me” game with the flu bug. It has been a roller coaster ride, feeling great one day and off-colour the next.  It has also been a battle of will to get this blog post completed. I started writing the second part of the Shared Lives post ten days ago. The feedback I got after I posted the first part and the inspiration from further reading on the subject, fired my determination to complete the post today despite the watery eyes, heavy head and sneezing a thousand per minute. I am persuaded that I have the victory over the flu bug.

Unique and Significant:

My marriage is unique and significant in God’s Kingdom agenda. God has a unique purpose for my husband and me to fulfil. So our marriage is not just about us; it is also about the impact God desires for our marriage to make in the world about us. This principle is true for every couple. It is imperative that we keep this notion in the forefront and as a primary vision for our marriages.

Because God has a sovereign and eternal plan for our lives, we know that every detail of our lives are small pieces of the larger picture God has in mind of our lives. Therefore, our marriage is a significant piece of God’s larger picture and eternal plan our lives.

Therefore, we need to understand that each marriage is unique, and God’s plans and purpose for your marriage is unique. This knowledge prevents me from comparing my marriage with another marriage. My husband and I have our unique individual gifts, strengths, skills, talents, calling, weaknesses, and failings, which combined in our shared lives have given our marriage its unique identity—same is true for you and your spouse too.

Shared Vision:

The Bible says that the people perish without a vision. Without a vision, a couple in marriage will have no target to aim for to keep their passion stirring. We need a vision in order to move with intensity towards a goal.

“…I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.” – Philippians 1: 27b.

The scripture above gives us another impetus for the sacredness of our shared lives as a couple and an insight into God’s eternal vision for us. We are called to stand together as a couple with one spirit and one purpose—united in spirit and united in purpose. Then we can fight together for the faith. Unity in the spirit and purpose is essential for a couple to fulfil God’s plans for their marriage. We need to remind ourselves constantly that we are in this together for the long haul—as long as we both shall live.

An understanding of the eternal essence of our shared vision will give each of us in our marriage a different perspective in dealing with the issues we face as we go on the journey of our shared lives. It will also encourage us to stay true to the course no matter how rough the journey may be.

If a couple has different life goals and values, this will result in several opportunities for conflicts as both will be going in different directions. You can’t be united in purpose and focussed on the same vision or goal if you have divergent values and you are unwilling to change. Hence, it is important at the onset of a relationship, during the discovery stage, to focus on knowing the values you both hold to strongly.

Ask a thousand questions when you are courting. That is your fact-finding season.

Enhancing Oneness:                                                        

In order for each couple to fulfil their unique purpose, they need to grow together as one and be united in purpose.

Sharing lives together is therefore much more than sharing space. It is not enough to be together in the same room; it is important that you give focussed attention to each other. If you are focussing on other things when you are together or when your spouse is talking to you, then you are not giving quality attention to your spouse. It is only when we pay attention to one another that we can find out what is uppermost in the mind of our spouse. You can’t assume that you know your spouse so well that you don’t need to ask them what they want, what they need and what their opinion is. This will amount to taking your spouse for granted. Your spouse’s opinion matters.

Also, the time spent together in a common pursuit enhances your intimacy and oneness. It also communicates that you care about each other’s interests, and you enjoy being with each other.

Communication is vital in a marriage.

Learning effective communication skills can be a marriage saver.

It is also important to be supportive of each other's dreams. But you can only support what you know about. So if you are not sharing your dreams with your spouse, you are limiting the opportunities and your spouse’s ability to support you.

Your shared dreams as a couple have to be strong and vital. It must engage both of you to get you stirred up and motivated. Dreaming together as a couple and planning towards attaining your dreams together is powerful in making your marriage strong and deepen your intimacy. Thus enhancing your oneness.

Since God did not give you or your spouse psychic abilities to read each other’s mind, talking to each other and listening to one another is vital is essential for your shared lives to thrive and remain vibrant. It should be in a language that is clearly understood and without ambiguity.

Be Kind To Each Other:

Are you as kind to your spouse as you are with others outside your marriage? Are showing the same grace to your spouse as you extend to others?

There are many who are very tolerant and accommodating of the shortcomings of those outside their marriage who do not extend the same mercy to their spouses. As noted in the blog post last week, the main purpose of marriage is that through your marriage, you become more conformed to the image of God by showing unconditional love, mercy and grace. It is in marriage you learn to pour yourself lavishly on someone who doesn't deserve it or respond appropriately.

I am a strong believer that a couple should be each other’s best friend, acting in the best interest of each other and giving their best to each other. After all, you are sharing lives together with each other in a way you can’t share with another person, and you are bound together by a covenant. Your marriage is a covenant relationship. This also means that right from the onset, the relationship is founded on a solid friendship.

“Your marriage is a living example of what it is like to be in close relationship with you.”

Micheal Hyatt – How To Be Your Spouse’s Best Friend

The following are some of the elements of a strong marriage founded on shared lives;

1. Staying strong and vibrant is important to both of you—a shared goal and dream.
2. You are both willing to work together to stay strong.
3. Being focussed and unified in purpose.

The pursuit of shared goals will promote unity in the marriage and align efforts so that the couple are working together in the same direction. Lack of unity results in decreased marital satisfaction, increased stress and a waste of time, energy and resources. Unity is achieved when you align your values, vision, goals and plans.

Working together to achieve your shared dreams and shared goals requires vital and frequent consultations during which you learn and understand each other's strength, weaknesses and preferences. This information can be used for the mutual benefit of the relationship to avoid conflicts.

When you understand who does what best in your relationship, then you can allow each other to focus on what you do best. You learn to use your differences to complement each other as a thriving team.

Marriage is a test of perseverance:

Good marriages are marked with several milestones of perseverance. God wants us to keep pressing forward in our marriage together, overcoming challenges, obstacles and difficulties as we share lives as one. It is in persevering that we have victory that brings glory to God in our marriages.

Let us not become weary in doing good,  for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. – Galatian 6:9

It is by pressing on that we attain God’s best for our marriage. There will be times when you will feel like you are pressing on for deeper intimacy and oneness in your marriage alone. Don’t be weary and don’t give up. Be assured that God is working on your spouse just as much as He is working on you. 

So you just do your part in absolute reliance on God. He has a stake in the success of your marriage because He designed your marriage to succeed.

I pray that you and your spouse will press forward together in your shared lives with determination until you attain God’s eternal purpose for your marriage. Grace to you.

Shared Lives. Shared Goals. Shared Dreams.

Valentine’s Day provides us with a great opportunity to reaffirm our love to those we are in a relationship with. This reaffirmation cannot be a once-a-year event but one that we need to do each day of the year especially those who are married or preparing for marriage. It has to be consistent if we are going to keep our marriage vibrant, fresh and thriving.

It takes wisdom to build a house, and understanding to set it on a firm foundation; it takes knowledge to furnish its rooms with fine furniture and beautiful draperies.”

– Proverbs 24:3-4 (The Message Bible).

My take away from these verses is that it takes wisdom, understanding and knowledge to build a strong, vibrant and thriving marriage that will last for a life term. It is important for us to know and understand that in building a long-term and lasting relationship, we must understand that it is about sharing our lives together. It is a journey that we embark on for the long term and the long-haul. Simply put, we are doing life TOGETHER. Marriage is designed by God to be a life-long relationship. It is primordial that we jointly as a couple do the work of making it work.

“Marriage is a joint quest for the good, the beautiful and the divine.”

– James E. Faust.

I read recently, in a devotional devoted to encouraging a view marriage as a life-long journey, that the main purpose of marriage is that through your marriage you become confirmed to the image of Jesus Christ. We conform to the image of Christ by learning to exhibit unconditional love, mercy and grace to our spouse in marriage. In marriage, you learn to pour yourself lavishly out on a person who may not respond appropriately. This is what grace is all about.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will share on this blog how we can deepen intimacy in our marriages by focusing on the concept of sharing lives together as a couple. I will look at some of the elements that will enhance our appreciation of our shared lives.

How much do you enjoy being with each other and sharing life with your spouse?

There is the need for couples to share a common vision or ministry otherwise we will begin to grow apart. Talking about the possibilities of what your lives together hold in the present and in the future is a starting point for having shared vision.

You build intimacy in a relationship through communication, commitment and clear shared goals. Making decisions together will enrich your relationship and deepen your intimacy.

Emotional connection begins to wane when communication is strained and limited. Good communication is important for a healthy and thriving relationship. Improving communication requires multiple and sustained efforts. The more time we spend together as couples, the more we will long for that deep connection. Shared goals create opportunities for an intimate connection between the couple.

Sharing our lives together requires us to have shared goals. Shared goals are things two people in a relationship strongly desire and are committed to accomplishing together.

Three elements of this definition require further attention;

1. Strongly desire: there has to be a mutual desire shared by the two in a relationship. It has to be something you both want with all your heart. You both agree to have it. If you both have deep and strong desires for your marriage, it will keep you focussed working towards that dream when things get tough.
2. Committed: shared goals have to be something both of you are willing to commit yourselves, including your energy and efforts, to accomplishing. In a sense, there should be a joint commitment to this cause.
3. Together: it is something you want to do together, something you are both willing to work towards as a team.

Shared goals and dreams provide the glue that will keep you and your spouse working together in marriage. It provides you a defined purpose for your daily activities. These shared goals will determine which path you both choose to follow. There is the tendency to walk on different paths if you don’t have shared goals as a couple. It enables you to have greater communication as you discuss what you are doing and where you both are in the journey towards accomplishing your shared goals. It encourages greater collaboration and brings about unity.

As couples work together towards accomplishing their shared goals, each person’s role becomes clarified with each one knowing the value and importance of his/her contribution. You cannot accomplish this without communicating. The more you communicate, the more you are better able to clarify your goals and understand the value of our contribution. This will strengthen the bond between you and your spouse and also deepen your intimacy. Shared goals bring both of you a sense of joy and fulfilment when it is accomplished.

Our deepest and strongest desire, when my husband and I got married, was that our home would be a haven of peace, a place where others will come and find succour and counsel. That was what we wanted, and this strong desire still guides us till date. There have been many times we lost track of that vision. I bless God Who in His infinite mercy and grace has always refocused our attention back to it.  

I am grateful that this desire was top on the list of our prayer points when we got married. As I look back over the years we have shared our lives together, I see how God has processed, pruned and refined us so that our home can be a place of succour and peace that we desired it to be. So as we reaffirm our love for each other today, I focus my attention again on our shared vision and ask God to keep us align to it every day we share together as a couple.

I will continue this post next week. In the interim, I encourage you, my married friends, to take time today and in the coming days to review what your shared goals and vision are as a couple. Are you sharing yourself with your spouse as you both work towards your shared goals?

Please feel free to share with us in the comment box how we can do better in sharing our lives together as couples, 

Grace and blessings of God abound to you and your spouse as you grow in the knowledge of God’s purpose for your lives.

Complete. Focus. Consistent.

In December 2014, a dear Sista of mine asked us which word will guide our actions in 2015. I didn't have to think deeply about it. The word jumped right out of my heart. As the month went on, several events occurred that enabled me to concretize the word that became my watchword for 2015. During the last week of December at our family devotion, my second son asked each of us to get ONE WORD that will define 2015 for each of us. My husband clarified this by asking us to meditate on where we believe God wants us to be by December 31^st, and what we know the Holy Spirit wants to work out in our lives. He noted that this will help us to define our goals for the year.

I knew that we needed to have a vision in order to move with intensity towards achieving a goal. Without a vision to engage our attention we are likely to vacillate, dissipating precious resources. It is the target we move towards that keeps our passion stirring. So the question for me was, what does God want to accomplish through me and what He want me to accomplish for Him?

I knew without any doubt that the key goal God wants me to fix my gaze on. And it is;

COMPLETE

The word jumped right in front of my sight and fixed itself relentlessly in my line of vision. And I knew why.

I looked through my bookshelf and my e-book reader, there were many books I started to read that I did not finish. When I did the same exercise with my beading, I found a number of pieces, I designed and started to work on, but to-date they remained uncompleted. I did not need to search further; I have a major God-ordained assignment that I have yet to complete. I did not need a handwriting on the wall to tell me that God wants all these unfinished projects completed. I knew that I had to engrave COMPLETE on the palm of my hands so that it is constantly before me.

In order for me to accomplish the goal of COMPLETE, I would need to give attention to two important attributes; these are FOCUS and CONSISTENT.

Why is it important to COMPLETE?

It is only those who finish the race that gets the prize. It is not sufficient just to start the race. Paul admonished us in 1Cor 9:24 to run with the intention of winning the race. You cannot win a race that you didn't complete. I once watched a race in which one of the athletes fell down. She didn't stay down on the ground, but she picked herself up, resumed the race, completed and won the race overtaking all the athletes who passed her while she was on the ground.

There are times when you don’t even have to win the gold prize, but the joy of completing the race and having your personal best record is sufficient.

We will not realize or achieve the purpose of an assignment if the assignment is not completed. That is why it is important that we complete every task we set our hands upon to do. The works God wants to do in me and through me cannot be achieved if I don’t complete the tasks He assigned to me.

I cannot but run each of my race to its logical conclusion. I have to press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. I have to apprehend the purpose for which Christ has apprehended me.

Be Focussed:

Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; (Proverbs 4:25-27 NLT)

“…but I focus on one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” – Philippians 3: 13b – 14.

I learned that I needed to keep my eyes focussed on the goal if I am to attain to everything that God has called me to do.

Nehemiah refused to be distracted from his assignment—the task at hand. He was engaged in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. It was a great and important work, Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem and the rest of his enemies called him away from the work several times, but he refused to go to them. “I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come to you. Why should I stop working to come and meet you?” (Neh. 6:3-4).

From the above we see how we must respond to every distraction, discouragement or intimidation that seeks to take our attention away from what God has called us to do. Rather, we must work with greater determination in the face of distraction.

I need to keep my eyes fixed on the goal by staying focussed; Refusing to be sidetracked if I am going to COMPLETE my tasks and assignment in a timely fashion. This calls for discipline, determination, and commitment.

The Bible says that whatever your hand finds to do, do it well and with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in grave (Ecclesiastes 9:10), and do it as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23).  Doing half-measures or mediocre jobs cannot bring honor and glory to God.

“Heroes are the women and men, who each day, pursue a silent personal victory. A victory over average. A win against mediocrity. And a success above defeat.” – Robin Sharma

Be Consistent:

Since I get easily distracted by the television and I work at home, I resolved several years ago not to put the TV on during the day. But on this particular Saturday last December, my husband left the TV on as he went out, and I didn't bother to switch it off. It was on a sports channel that I felt could not distract my attention from the beading work I was doing. There were a number of championships going on. One of them caught my interest. It was the 2014 World Artistic Gymnastic Championship in Nanning, China.  Oleg Vernyayev, an Ukranian male gymnast, won the gold medal.

The commentators as they discussed Oleg’s performance stated, “You can learn a lot being around World Champions.” They discussed at length one characteristic of Champions; they are consistent. This fact was repeated in several other games shown.

According to Robin Sharma, “World-class performance is less a natural gift and more a daily decision. The best just practice more.”

Consistency is achieved when ability is married long enough to hard work. It is derived from perseverance. Our intention will not get us to accomplish the task assigned to us. We have to go beyond intention and day-dream, to apply hard work with patience on our ability long enough to get the job done.

"What we often call brilliant is the fruit of long, patient and consistent hard work"

However, in fulfilling my God-ordained assignment I need the strength only God brings as I seek Him and rely on Him. We cannot depend on our ability alone. We need the grace and endurance from God to fulfill God’s call on our lives and to complete the tasks He has assigned to us.

Keeping my gaze fixed on the goal; COMPLETE, has enabled me to prioritize my activities and focus my attention on the activities that are essential to take me towards accomplishing my assignments and my dreams. It has limited my options. It has also helped me to cut my tasks into manageable chunks that I can consistently work on each day.

Dear Friends, by the grace of God in 2015, I will complete my assigned tasks. I will stay focussed on the goal. I will be consistent. What about you? What are you committing yourself to accomplish in 2015?

Know Your God_Part Two

In the first part of Know Your God posted last week, I shared why it is important to know God especially at the brink of the unknown and when we face trials and persecutions. I will continue on this subject in this blog post.

According to J.I. Packer, the author of Knowing God;

“The highest science, the loftiest speculation and the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, nature, work, doings and existence of the great God whom he calls Father.”

Therefore, the most fulfilling depth of understanding and height of knowledge that man can ever aim to attain is to know God.

Who is this great God that we need to know and have a personal revelation of?

We know from the scriptures that all the changes and events in our world today have been plainly and perfectly foreseen by God. Nothing catches God unawares. Nothing comes to Him as a surprise, not at the global level, or at the national level or personal level. He is the God of all knowing, Who knows the end from the beginning.

All power belongs to God (Ps 62:11). God is truly powerful. His power is amazing and beyond description. Who can understand the thunder of God's power? Who can count the evidences of His power?

“So inconceivable, so immense, so uncontrollable is the power of Deity (the Godhead) that the fearful convulsions which He works in nature conceal more than they reveal of His infinite might!”

– Arthur. W. Pink (The Power of God in “The Attributes of God”)

Even that which is displayed of His might to the visible creation is beyond what we can comprehend. There is infinitely more power logged in the nature than can be expressed by all His works. His splendour was like the sunrise; rays flashed from His hand, where His power was hidden (Habakkuk 3:4).

“He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind; He makes the winds His messengers, Flaming fire His ministers.…” - Psalm 104:3.

If the wind that is the most impetuous of all the elements, having the ability to move forcefully and with almost inconceivable rapidity and can be tossed into utmost rage, is under God’s feet and beneath His perfect control. Then I am fully persuaded that there is no situation now or in the future that is beyond the power and control of God. Power is the name of God, that is, The Almighty. God and power are inseparable. God’s essence is ALMIGHTY so that it is not limited in regards to action.

“He is Himself the great central source and Originator of all power 

(C. H. Spurgeon).”

“God and power are so inseparable that they are reciprocated. As His essence is immense, not to be confined in place; as it is eternal, not to be measured in time; so it is almighty, not to be limited in regard of action (S. Charnock).”

This is the great and mighty God who wants to reveal Himself to us and who desires for us to know Him intimately. He is also the God that says “Fear not, for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God… (Is 41:10). He is consistently and continually with us. We are never alone.

He is also the God, Who out of nothing, made all things by His Word alone. Man needs tools and materials to work and create something, but God began creating with His Word. Not a single jot of His Word spoken concerning you will ever fall to the ground, but what He has designed, what He has declared, shall infallibly come to pass. WHAT AN AWESOME GOD! This great God is worthy of our implicit confidence and trust.

“But seeing that He is clothed with omnipotence, no prayer is too hard for Him to answer, no need too great for Him to supply, no passion too strong for Him to subdue; no temptation too powerful for Him to deliver from, no misery too deep for Him to relieve,” – Arthur. W. Pink

What does it mean to know God truly?

The only way we can truly know God is first to believe that God exists (Hebrews 11:6) and that He only is God, and there is no other (Deuteronomy 4:35).  We must also come to Him through Jesus Christ Who is the only way to God and a personal knowledge of God. There are no multiple ways to come to the true knowledge of God except through Jesus Christ.

Secondly we must acknowledge that God speaks to man, and the Bible is His word. It is in the Bible that God reveals Himself, His promises, and His will. The more we study the Bible for ourselves, the more of God is revealed to us and the more of Him we know. Know Your God means that you study the scriptures so that you can be certain of the truth and know beyond the shadow of doubt the reliability of everything you were taught. This is what Luke wrote to Theophilus in Luke 1:4.

Knowing God requires a commitment to being willing to accept and to obey His instructions, which we read from His Word. It is insufficient for us to study the Bible, but we must be willing to put what we read into action.

“If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land”

 – Isaiah 1:19

To come into the true knowledge of God, we must be prepared to dwell in His presence. But first we need to come to the realization that God is ever-present, and He is everywhere. This means that we are never alone. He is with us everywhere we are and in every situation we are. When we are praying, we are speaking right into the ears of God.

You can only get to know someone better and intimately when you spend time with the person. You get to know someone deeper and more intimately as you dwell in each other's presence, sharing your heart, your dreams, your hopes and aspirations. We can only do this when we talk with one another, and we give attention to listening to one another. Just as all relationships need to be kept vital and fresh, so is our relationship with God. It requires conscious and active effort. We know God intimately and personally when we carve out the time to dwell in His presence through prayer, studying His word, fellowshipping with Him in praise, worship and adoration. When we truly worship and praise Him, we are dwelling in His presence

The more we know of God, the more we will discover and see His glory on display in our everyday lives. The more we dwell in His presence, the more we will know that God speaks to us. As we dwell in God's presence, He speaks, expresses and reveals Himself to us. It is there that we hear the secrets He wants to make known to us. As you plunge yourself into the deepest sea of knowing God, you will come out refreshed and invigorated.

We are being transformed into the image of God as we contemplate the Lord’s glory when we dwell in His presence. God chose us in advance to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. God wants us to become more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image. Our lives gradually become brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives, and we become like Him.

Insight comes into our lives comes from knowing the Holy God. If we are to become like God in character and if we, by our life of service, are to reveal Him to the world then we need to know Him aright. We must know Him as He reveals Himself.

A knowledge of God is the foundation of all true education and all true service. It is the only real safeguard against temptation. It is this alone that can make us like God in character.

To disregard the study of God is to sentence ourselves to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds us. This is a sure way to waste our lives and lose our soul.

In the days we are living today, Know Your God is not a request.

 It is an instruction.

I sincerely believe that none of us can truly live the life God has called us to live, and fulfil our God-ordained destiny and purpose without knowing God intimately and having a personal revelation of Him. That is why I strongly recommend that we earnestly seek after God and make concerted effort to dwell in His presence without noisy distraction of the world.

Watch out for the concluding part of Know Your God in the next blog post.