Anchor For The Storms

“The LORD redeems the soul of His servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” – Ps 34:22

It is so uplifting and such a blessing to know that we have a God Who will never leave any of His own children desolate in the midst of the storm or in the times of hardship or adversity. Desolate, in the sense that one feels abandoned and devoid of help, hope and comfort. He always steps in to rescue us.

My experience during the month of October proved this to me beyond imagination, and it also confirmed to me that God always prepares an anchor ready to hold us fast to Himself so that we are not swept away by the fury of the storms of life. He reveals these anchors as we dwell close to Him and in His presence.

Every year during my birth-month—October, I commit myself to doing something different to deepen fellowship with God and develop a more intimate relationship with Him. As September came to an end, I began to seek God’s face concerning my fellowship with Him in October. I wanted to know what new dimension He wanted to bring into my fellowship with Him. It was on the last day of the September that a verse in the Bible caught fire in my spirit. It was in 1Timothy 2:1. The God’s Word translation encouraged us to make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and prayers of thanks for all people. The Message translation magnified the text urging us to pray in every way we know how, for everyone we know.

A light-bulb flicked on in my spirit—I knew what God wanted me to do throughout the month of October. And I set about doing so—to pray for everyone I know, past and present, in every way I know how to pray.

It was during the first week that I had the foreboding of a storm as I prayed for everyone I know. But in the process of praying for some specific persons, I felt in my heart that it was in the dimension of fighting spiritual warfare—battling the enemy for the souls of these loved one. I knew God had always provided an anchor for me to fasten my faith and hope during storms in the past. And He would surely do so again.

We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Stedfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.

God’s word is timeless. It is eternal. It stands firm no matter how fierce the storm may be. David declared that God’s Word and truth are dependable (Ps 119:89-93). “If Your revelation, law and instructions had not delighted and sustained me, I would have given up when hard times came or in my afflictions. This verse jumped at me as I studied my Bible on Monday 12^th.

Sometimes, when storms come, they come with fury, intense fierceness and with high waves that threaten to capsize the boat, such as was recorded in Mark 4. I was elated and filled with joy when I read of how Jesus rebuked the storm and commanded it to be still, and how the storm immediately 

obeyed and became calm.

This word became a lifeline and a sure anchor for me a few hours later when the storm hit. It came in the form of excruciating pain in my lower back. I had my sista-friend, Bidemi visiting me with her husband. We had planned an outing for the day. I refused to allow the pain to cancel our plans. Every step was in pain. Each time the pain seared through my back, the word, “Peace, be still!” echoed in my spirit. So it continued throughout the day. That night, all I could do was cry out, “I rebuke you, storm of pain in the name of Jesus. At the name of Jesus, be still.” At past 2:00 am, the storm obeyed the word of God, and it became calm. And I dozed off to sleep. I could not but give praise to God when I woke up in the morning. I praised Him for giving me that word and bring it to my remembrance before the storm struck. It provided an anchor for me as I was tossed about by the strong stormy winds.

Two weeks later, just before the next storm came, I had a strong leading in my spirit to study about the victory that Jesus died to purchase for us on the cross at Calvary. As I learnt more about the victory that God gave us through our Lord Jesus Christ in 1 Corinthians 15:57, I came to understand that God desires for both you and me to walk in complete and full victory in EVERY situation and every sphere of our lives. We truly have no excuse for not walking in full victory because God has removed every obstacle out of our way because it is His will for us to learn to know the full benefits provided for us in Christ. God always cause us to triumph in Christ Jesus.

I knew I had to add this dimension to praying for everyone that I know so that they may also learn to appropriate the full victory and the full benefits of the cross in every sphere of their lives. God teaches us the secrets of keeping His victory flowing in our heart as we walk close with Him. That was what I wanted for every member of my family and all my friends, and that was what I prayed for them.

When the storm came in the form of an unexplained generalized allergy that caused severe itching all over my body, I held fast to the word of truth that Jesus died to give me victory over the affliction. The pain and the irritation kept my body restless, but my heart rested on the word that anchored me firm with hope.

I refused to give up praying for everyone I know in every way I know. I stood on the premise that Jesus came to set the lawful captives free and to deliver the prey of the mighty. I refused to be distracted by the harassment of the enemy knowing fully well that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. And in all these things, WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS.

God restored me to full health and strength again. Indeed, He restored me to even greater honour, and He comforted me. The trials and afflictions of my soul helped me to develop endurance and strength of character. October has been a victorious month. It has set the tone for the next eleven months of my life. I will walk in victory in every sphere of my life until I arrive at October 2016.

May your souls find rest in Jesus as you remained anchored by His word of in every storm of your lives. May God’s word sustain you with joy and quicken so that you are enabled to stand strong and overcome the storms.

Beyond The Pain To Life Beyond Imagination

We will remember, we will remember
We will remember the works of Your hands
We will stop and give you praise
For great is Thy faithfulness

– Tommy Walker

It was a Sunday morning. We were getting ready for church. I picked up the huge box of cookies my cousin gave me and said to my husband, “I’m taking this to share with the children in church. I dare not eat this alone.”

He laughed and looked up to heaven.

You're our creator, our life sustainer
Deliverer, our comfort, our joy
Throughout the ages You've been our shelter
Our peace in the midst of the storm

“Blessed be God. Do you remember once upon a time, you had to drink Resource Protein and Energy supplements and eat high-energy cookies?”

How can I forget? For many years, I lost weight so rapidly that my doctors placed me on these not-nice-tasting supplements. I was compelled to drink a bottle twice a day. I remembered how often my husband searched the shops for tasty high-protein high-energy snacks. I remembered how difficult it was for me to eat or hold down what I had eaten. I remembered the awful pain in my tummy after eating, which often left me groaning and rolling in pain.

When we walk through life's darkest valleys
We will look back at all You have done
And we will shout, our God is good
And He is the faithful One

I spent time over the past days reflecting on that season in life’s darkest and lonely valley. I remembered how God has been our peace in the midst of the storm. I remembered how God has been turning it all around. In the past fifteen months, I can eat without the fear of pain. I can eat and hold down my food. I have moved from under 50kg to 63kg. I no longer have to use pins to hold my skirts and trousers at the waist. 

Yes, indeed I do remember the work of God’s hands.

It is apt at this turning point in my life to look back into this decade of my life and consider the goodness and mercies God showered on me. Indeed, I see God’s hands turning ashes to beauty. The haggard and strained visage is gone. I am blossoming again in every sphere of my life. God’s mighty hands brought me out of my long winter season and caused my life and strength to spring to life again. It is a brand new season. God is doing a new thing, and it shall yet break forth. In the month of September alone, I stood and shared my story at many places I could not have imagined just a year ago.

As the old year fades away tonight and  new beginning dawns for me on October 1^st, I wish I have a thousand tongues to sing the praises of my Lord and King. How I wish I could employ the host of heaven to join me in adoring my Father and God. He is a good Father to me. He is the epitome and definition of a good Father.

O for a thousand tongues to sing
my dear Redeemer's praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad
the honors of thy name.

Composed by Charles Wesley (1739)

Go Beyond The Pain:

Joseph could have become bitter and remained angry after going through the pain of rejection in the pit, the distress of false accusation in Potiphar's house and the despair of abandonment in the prison. But he looked beyond the pain and considered that all the adversity he endured was God sending him ahead to prepare a posterity for his family (Gen. 45: 7-8).

My life story has several chapters of misery, pain, discomfort, and distress, but it is not a tragedy. God’s grace richly abounding to me empowered me to channel my season of pain and adversity to bring about good in the lives of others. If my story can become a means of inspiring hope and pointing others going through adversity to the Supreme Source of hope, then it is not a story of tragedy but a story of victory. My pain is not in vain. My pain is not purposeless.

I am persuaded that our story of pain and affliction can become a source of encouragement to others if we tap into the grace of God that is abundantly available to us. I believe that our season of affliction and adversity can become a unique opportunity to reach out and touch the lives of people in our community for good. I believe there’s someone waiting at the end of our dark tunnel who can derive comfort from our experience if we refuse to give up on hope, and if we refuse to give in to despair but push through to the end.

I have many friends who have suffered the pain and grief of losing a precious loved one. But they have turned the pain to an opportunity to reach out and bring hope to others going through similar experience or ensure that others do not suffer from the same experience. Someone else can derive comfort and be blessed because of what you have gone through this challenging experience, and you have endured through the keeping grace of God.

Dear Friends, there is absolutely nothing you have gone through or still going through that can go to waste. God is using it all to shape you, mould you, and prepare you for the purpose He ordained for your life. I encourage you to look beyond the pain, and you will see how God is working it together for good. You will see God turning it around not only for your good but for the good of many others waiting at the end of your dark tunnel.

There is a grace that is sufficient for every situation that we may find ourselves. Grace is God stooping down to reach out to us at our point of need. He is the God of all grace. After we have suffered for a little while, He will Himself restore us, making us strong, steadfast and firm (1Pet. 5:10). Grace empowers us for victory. We begin to appreciate the import of grace when we are in a dire need of the supernatural ability to live beyond the circumstances and challenges besetting us. It is only the grace of God that can empower us to go beyond the pain of the moment and expectantly look forward to living life beyond imagination.

"Grace abounds like an ever-flowing stream in the valley of adversity."

I have tasted of this GRACE. I can testify of its sufficiency. That is why I can say with confidence and gratitude to God; I am living life to the full again. I am living my dream. I am traveling and talking. My story of over twenty years of being tried in the crucible of affliction has become a testimony touching lives for good. It has become a ministry inspiring hope beyond what I could ever have imagined. It has become an opportunity to enrich lives and galvanize action for amputees and physically challenged persons who do not have access to services that can make life bearable. It is beyond my wildest imagination.

Join me to celebrate life and God's goodness during October (my birth month), by encouraging people around us to GO BEYOND THE PAIN.

Share your story of a season of pain, adversity and challenges, and how God has turned it around for good. Tell us how a difficult season in your life has become an opportunity to reach out and touch the lives of other people for good. Share here on the blog, by email, on the Facebook or twitter.

Please add @Irene Olumese and #GoBeyondThePain to your story when you share on the Facebook or Twitter. That way others can be blessed and encouraged by this one month of #GoBeyondThePain event. 

This blog post includes excerpts from the sermon I preached at HOTRIC, London – Beyond The Pain on Sunday, Sept. 20^th and the talk I gave at the Q Commons Talk – Beyond Imagination on Friday, Sept. 25^th, 2015. 

Choices At The Point Of Change

The temperature in Geneva reached a high of over 40 degrees this week. The highest temperature recorded since 2003. The unbearable furnace-like heat reminded me of my days in Tamale, Ghana and Cairo, Egypt. It was during my sojourn in these places that I experienced such high temperatures. We talked much about those times during the past week.

I paused and pondered.

So much change has taken place in my life since I left Tamale in 2003 and Cairo in 2007.

Change I did not expect
Change I did not engineer
Change I did endure

Change came. It altered the course of my life. It took me to a different altitude.

Since we took off from Geneva, I watched the altitude rising on the monitor, waiting to see when the plane would get to its cruising altitude. It did. 35 minutes into the flight over Luxembourg at 12,195 meters (40,000 feet).

If we hit a storm, the pilot will have to make a choice of possible actions, which may alter the flight path. And we may not arrive at our planned destination, at least not at the scheduled time.

I love flying. That was one of the things I enjoyed working with UNICEF for 15 years—I did a lot of traveling. I love visiting new places. I loved the thrill. I loved adventure.

Change came. It took that from me for a season. But God is turning it around for my good and in my favor.

At the beginning of 2015, I set my watchword for the year—be consistent, complete and stay focussed. Six months gone already, we are in the second half of the year. It is time to take stock and do a midterm review. There's no better place for me to do that than at this altitude—12,000meters above sea level floating on soft white clouds. That's where I am writing this post on my way to Lagos via Amsterdam.

As I pondered on the first half of 2015, I was overwhelmed by how much God has used the change that altered the course of my life to impact lives. It is simply beyond words. This has been a very busy year but who would have thought two years ago that it will turn out this way. I had several opportunities to share my story. The story of God's grace that sustained me through the storm.

Grace kept through the stormy change. Grace is giving purpose to the change. I could not give up on hope during the storm because I have experienced God as a faithful and loving Father. In the face of unexpected change, I learnt that the choices I make will determine whether or not I will fulfil God's purpose for me in the situation and beyond.

I chose never to give up on hope, come what may.

Change is a constant. It is inevitable. It is unavoidable. It is will come to each of us at one point in time or the other and in one form or the other. Some change is for good. Some, not so good.

What do we do when change comes on us unannounced?

The choices you make when you are faced with change will determine your destination—where you end up.

The month of June was profound in many ways. I spent three weeks with my Sista and fellow dream-chaser, Bidemi Mark-Mordi. We encouraged and built each other up as iron sharpens iron. More importantly, from London to Zurich to Geneva, we saw God moving beyond our wildest imagination during the Sistapower Gathering and Women Conferences we attended. He used the stories He has written of our lives to inspire and encourage women from diverse backgrounds to be who God created and called them to be, irrespective of the change that has visited their lives.

We saw God using a willing vessel in London. We saw the dividend of time invested in prayers in Zurich. We saw how God burdened our hearts with the revelation to bring about redemption and heal the broken in Geneva. And plenty tears did flow.

I had many lightbulb moments during the Geneva meeting. God confirmed again that He is too wonderful for comprehension. If you ever think you know God's word so much that you can take it for granted, you need a rethink. The stories of the change that came upon the two Tamars in the Bible came alive for me in a brand new way as Bidemi Mark-Mordi expounded "The Tales Of Two Tamars."

Change came upon these women in the Bible.
It was unexpected.
They did not ask for it.
They did nothing to bring it on themselves.
In fact, they did not deserve it.
Yet change came. And it was cruel.

The two women were broken by those who should have done right by them. They were broken in pieces inside. They suffered the pain they did not solicit.

Does that sound familiar to you?

One was condemned to the broken life of childless widowhood in her father's house. The other was condemned to the broken life of a shamed, defiled and undefended woman.

But that was as far as the similarities went.
Their responses to the change were different.
The choices they made in the face of unspeakable change were different.
The outcome was also different.

What was the difference?

One Tamar stayed in the place of brokenness—the place where she was broken by man, life, and circumstances. She remained desolate in her brother's house for the rest of her life (2Samuel 13).

The other Tamar opted to get up from the place she was broken by three different men. She seized the opportunity and did something about her brokenness. She turned it around. She became the mother of Perez, the great great grandfather of Boaz. Boaz was the grandfather of David (Genesis 38, Ruth 4:16-22).

Life can be unfair. Bringing cruel, painful and often irreparable change. But at what point do you get up and step on the pain? At what point do you jump on the springboard of change and let it catapult you to your next level.

When life visits us and change come upon us, we need to know what does not change; God does not change. His undying love for you does not change. His plan and purpose for your life does not change. Let me assure you that God is working through the change to bring His purpose for your life into full manifestation.

1. What would you do you do when no one can put you together?
Quite honestly no one can put you together when you have been broken. But if you draw strength from above and look up to God, He can put the smithereens back together again.

2. What would you allow to break you that you will refuse to stand again?

When Bidemi asked these two questions, I understood again that God has given us the will to choose. He also made His grace abundantly available if we choose to get up from the places where we have been broken.

My dear friends, what would you do?

Would you choose to stand firm in faith and hope, come what may?
Would you choose not to give up on hope?
The choices you make in the face of change can make or mar your destiny.

You need that the remedy for the bitter pools in your life has been prepared in advance before you get to Marah (Exodus 15: 22-26).

The change your life experiences bring can become assets for your ministry or launching pad to fulfilling purpose. Yes, your pain, your physical/emotional trauma, etc., are assets that can allow you to reach other people who may be going through the similar experience.

I would never have appreciated the depth of pain that goes with losing a child if I have never felt it.
I would never have understood the agony and anxiety of waiting for a child if I didn't suffer a waiting, howbeit short.
I would definitely not have known the challenges, distress and frustrations of living with chronic, long-term diseases but for the twenty years I spent in the valley of affliction.
I would not have given an amputee more than a cursory look until I experienced first-hand the challenges of being an amputee. Now I understand how handicap unfriendly many of our facilities. Many times, I go into the shops, I can't find a place to sit, rest and take the weight off my limbs.

My painful changes and life experiences are taking me to a higher altitude in my walk with God, and in fulfilling God's kingdom agenda.

Yours can too!

What are your painful change experiences? How can it help you become a solution to those around you? Ponder on these questions and do feel free to share. Let's encourage one another.

Ministering Gratitude in Difficult Times

Sometimes, life happens. And it happens in a way that we least anticipated. It happens and threatens with such ferocity that can rip a house off its foundation. It feels like a tornado just touched down at our doorsteps.

Yes, I am talking about those seasons in our lives, when everything appears to be as dry and empty as in a desert, and we feel isolated. Those seasons when things appear to be all jumbled and tangled together as in a wilderness. It is a mess, one problem after the other, one dead end after the other, and we feel lost. We cannot see a way out.

Even in the driest desert, if we look close enough, we will see a form of life thriving—junipers and cactus, for example. On a dry patchy land we see budding plant. There is also God’s promise that He will cause rivers to flow in the desert. In the wilderness where tree branches are twisted and tangled together, there is the promise of God that He will make a way.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1Thess 5:18 (NLT).

We are called to give thanks and minister gratitude to God in ALL situations. Definitely not FOR all situations. This tells me that in those difficult and challenging situations, I can give thanks simply because God is God and because that is the will of God for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And I belong to Jesus. I can also give thanks in that situation because I have the assurance of God’s presence. He promised, He will NEVER leave us, forsake us or abandon us. He is ever-present with us even when it seems imperceptible or difficult to believe.

The sweet deal is that whatever kind of storm is whirling and roaring around us, that storm did not catch God unawares. NOTHING, I mean absolutely NOTHING, catches God unawares. He knew about it before it came and it is already in His hands. If He allows it, then there is a reason and a purpose for that storm—that difficult and challenging situation facing you like a looming mountain.

It is at such times that I love to sing this lovely chorus:

My God is bigger than all my problems

Bigger than all my cares

God is bigger than any mountain

I can or cannot see

This is very true. God is bigger than any mountain. He is bigger than any challenge we may be faced with. He is bigger than any issue we may have to deal with. He is bigger than the fiercest storm whirling around us.

The Psalmist said, “I will bless the Lord AT ALL TIMES, and His praises SHALL continually be in my mouth” (Ps 34:1). He declared that he will speak constantly of God’s praise. Believe me, this was at a time when he was pretending to be insane so that he could escape from Abimelech. Through he was threatened with death, yet he purposed in his mind to put the praises of God upon his lips.

‘I WILL’ is a determined decision, so is ‘I SHALL.’ Therefore, it means that irrespective of what that TIME of life or season of life David was faced with, he made a determined and conscious decision that he WILL bless the Lord and he WILL ensure that God’s praises are in his mouth. Not complaints, not grumbling and not curses but praises.

I have to purpose in my heart that I will rejoice in the Lord when I am hurting, when things are not going the right way, and when I have no answers to the numerous questions pounding my brain until I feel the vein pulsating hard on my temple.  My heart will sing praise to God even when only groaning escape from my lips. When pain sears through the core of my being like a hot iron, even then, I will praise Him. Because, I know He is with me. Because I know He is a God of all-knowing and He knows where I am. Because my High Priest, Jesus Christ, is not unmoved by my feeling of infirmity. He hears the silent and unvoiced cry from the deep recesses of my soul. God has to find praise in my heart when my body is contorted in pain and my soul is troubled within me.

Ponder on these questions:

What are we seeing in the midst of the storm? What are we focusing our attention on in the desert of  difficulties ? Whose voice are we hearing in the valley of the shadow of death?

On Wednesday, June 5^th, 2013, barely a week after the amputation of my legs, I was wheeled out of the intensive care unit. I was taken to the regular ward on the 8^th floor—an internal medicine ward—the place where I had many frequent stays for over ten years managing the chronic respiratory disease I suffered from. The nurses knew me very well and I had become quite close to some of them. Tears welled up in their eyes as they received me. “Why this on top of everything she had been through? What has amputation got to do with the lungs?” These and more were the questions I overheard them asking among themselves.

Shortly afterwards, doctors came to evaluate my mental state. They told me it was ok to be angry or to cry if I felt like doing so. They wanted me to be willing to talk about how I was feeling about the situation—a case of being dealt with a bad hand, anyone would say. After all, I had many reasons to be angry, after twenty years of living with a chronic and debilitating respiratory disease, with my life literally hanging on a thread spun with spider webs during the later seven years, why should I have to go through another calamity when I just got a miraculous victory over the respiratory problem? I certainly had every right to throw mega fits of anger. But I did not.

They thought I was in denial. They thought I was depressed because I did not want to talk to them about my emotions and they recommended anti-depressants. It was not that I wasn't in deep pain in my heart over the loss of my legs. It was not that I wasn't even angry at some time. But it did not serve any useful purpose to discuss my emotions with those would not understand the position I had chosen to take or help me. I made up my mind a long time ago that I will not be a subject of pity. I refused to be a victim.

I had to tell my longest serving nurse, who was very upset that I could not confide in her that I had decided a long time ago never to give up on hope.

“J'ai décidé longtemps que je ne jamais renouncé l’espoir.”

I am not without hope. Because of all I had been through over the past years, I knew that to be alive at that point in time and breathing without any support or effort in itself is a miracle and a precious gift. Grace kept directing and leading me to focus on that miracle. That became the focus of my attention. It became my raison d'etre to give thanks and praise to God in the midst of the continuing storm. Grace enabled me to latch on the word of assurance God gave me a few days before the amputation—He has given me the Feet of Grace.

The grace of God is always abundantly available and sufficient for every storm, for every difficult situation and every challenging circumstance that we go through in life. But we have to choose to lay hold of it as if our next breath depends on it.

I've had many tears and sorrows,
I've had questions for tomorrow,
there's been times I didn't know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consolation,
that my trials come to only make me strong.

I thank God for the mountains,
and I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I'd never had a problem,
I wouldn't know God could solve them,
I'd never know what faith in God could do

-          Through It All by Andrea Crouch.

Dear Friends, when we know God is Who He says He is and we keep our focus on that, we are able sing praise and minister gratitude to Him in the difficult times. You can be assured that He is there in it with you.

I pray that these songs will inspire an outburst of praise where you may be right now.

For Every Mountain by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

Through It All by Andrea Crouch and Cece Winans

Let These Parents’ Worst Nightmare Ignite the Flame of Revival

I am a mother. I have two sons. The standing rule in my family is that the boys call home anytime they move from point A to point B. I expect them to call in as soon as school is over before they begin their after-school activities. If I don’t get a call from the boys as at due, I would wait a while and call them. If I don’t get a response after making several calls, I'll send a prayer to heaven. I know God is keeping watch over them but they will surely have some explaining to do as to why they could not be reached. Why? You might wonder. Because like all parents, we want an assurance that our children are safe and fine.

A friend's daughter went “missing” a few years ago. She did not come back home after school and she did not respond to numerous calls on her cell phone. By 7:00pm, we were in their house. The women stayed with the mother while the men were on the street going from one police station to the other in the bid to find her. The waiting period seemed endless. We prayed and we prayed some more. Yet, the anxiety and concern continued to mount as hours went by. Praise be to God, she was found later that night. I still remember those moments of not knowing where she was or what was going on. You can't even begin to imagine the emotional state of the mother.

When David and his men came back to Ziklag, they found that their wives, sons and daughters had been taken captive by the marauding Amalekites. The Bible recorded in 1Samuel 30 that David was greatly distressed. The souls of his men were bitterly grieved to the extent that they talked of stoning David, each man for his sons and daughters.

It is a parent’s worst nightmare, that heart wrenching fear that your child can be taken away from you. How would such parents go to sleep not knowing where their child is or what has happened to that child? The subtle suggestions of the enemy as he paints the picture of worse-case scenario in the mind of the parent is enough to cause fear to grip the hearts of such parents.

On the 15^th of April 2014, over 200 young girls were abducted from their school while taking their examination in Chibok, Northern Nigeria by a group of terrorists. Multiply the number of these girls by two and you will have an idea of the number of parents grieving at this time not knowing where their daughters are. Add the grandparents, aunties, uncles, brothers and sisters to the list. One can imagine that the souls of these people will be bitterly grieved and they will be in great distress at this time.

They know that their daughters are in the hands of men whose hearts are so desperately wicked that they will wantonly shed innocent blood without a thought. They know that their daughters are in the middle of nowhere exposed to many dangers. They know that each of these girls are in constant fear of what may happen to them and whether they will ever see their parents again. These thoughts must indeed add to the nightmare of the parents.

These parents’ worst nightmare is not theirs alone. It is the nightmare of anyone who has a child. It is the nightmare of anyone who has a conscience. It is the nightmare of anyone who cares about the fate of these girls. This is not just a crisis in a small corner of Nigeria, it is a national crisis. Knowing that terrorism doesn't respect borders, this nightmare is possible anywhere. This a reflection of extent of wickedness that man can perpetuate on fellow mankind for any reason.

But more importantly, it is a wake-up call to everyone called by the name of the Lord within Nigeria and beyond. It is a call for spiritual awakening for all the churches in Nigeria and for all those who have been at ease in Zion, feeling comfortable in their cocooned world.

When Peter was arrested by Herod and held captive in the prison, what was the response of the church? Fervent prayers were persistently made to God for him by the church (Acts 12:5). The fervent and persistent intercession of the believers brought about a divine intervention, the Lord sent an angel to deliver him. And when Peter realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, where a large number were gathered together and were praying (Acts 12:12). They prayed without ceasing.

Perhaps, the nightmare of these girls and their parents will cause a stirring up in the hearts of believers in the land, which will result in a movement of prayer that will ignite a spiritual awakening in the churches and a revival, resulting in the move of God’s power across the land like the sweeping force of a Tsunami wave.

This is my earnest and fervent prayer; that the nightmare of these girls and their parents will cause men and women across the globe to fall on their knees, praying without ceasing and with strong purpose that the Lord will move in the affairs of men in our nations.

The revival that took place in Wales in 1904 began with a movement of prayer and was sustained by a movement of prayer. For a revival and spiritual awakening to take place in our nations, there must be someone or some people willing to travail in fervent prayers. Such fervent prayers are effectual because they can impact all the spheres of our national life.

This is the kind of movement of prayer that can be generated as a result of this incidence. So, as the Lord stirs up our hearts, let us gather together in our homes and in our churches, and pray for these girls held captive by these violent wicked workers of iniquity that the Lord will cover them with His feathers and hid them under the shadow of His wings. Let us pray that the Lord Himself will be a wall of fire around them and that we will recover all of them.

Let us pray for their parents that the Lord will garrison and guard their hearts from every agitating fears and anxieties with His peace which passes all human understanding. That they will be encouraged in the Lord and in His faithfulness as David encouraged himself in the Lord in 2Sam 30:6.

Let us pray for the descent of the Holy Spirit upon all of us in all our churches that will fire aflame a desire in our hearts to persevere in intercession until the move of the power of God in our nations is so mighty that it will pull down the barriers, which have hitherto divided us, and it will bring about unity in the body of Christ. To the extent that believers will passionately pursue God to work with extraordinary power in our land.

On Thursday, May 15^th, 2014, we will gather together here in Geneva to pray for our girls in captivity, for their parents and for our nations. We will continue to persevere in prayers until we see the victory of God over those who seek after our land to destroy, destabilize and devour.

Dear Friends, will you be stirred up in your hearts to be a part of this movement of prayer that has the potential to bring about a revival in our land? God bless you as stand in the gap.

Blog Post 100: Not Static. Not Stagnant.

This blog post refused to be written in a hurry. Rightly so, it is my hundredth post since I started blogging in November 2011.

I spent five days last week in the hospital undergoing a 6-month post-surgery checkup. Yes, indeed it is six months since I had the life threatening open-chest surgery. My God is truly awesome and worthy of my praise. Tried as hard as I did, I just could not get the post finalized in time for posting on Thursday. Do bear with me.

My second son, DE, was 5 years old and had been ill on and off for a period of time. So I took with me on a trip from Tamale to Accra, where I was scheduled to attend a series of meeting at the Country office, to see a UN staff doctor for a checkup. After the consultation with the doctor, I left him in the care of my colleague while I attended my meetings. My colleague gave DE sheets of paper to draw on and colour to keep him occupied. He sketched a number of what appeared to be long and tapering objects and coloured the tips red. When asked what he had drawn, DE promptly responded, “Mummy’s fingers and long nails.” Well, I took good care of my fingers and kept well-manicured nails. His agro was that I kept my nails long while I insisted on having his nails cut.

Over ten years later, in April/May 2013, I suffered from severe oxygen deprivation at the extremities (my feet and hands) and also had renal failure. A short while after I regained consciousness, I noticed changes on my nails. They were discoloured, some were deformed, a couple had fallen off and some had what looks like blood clot under the nail. There was also a dark band and indentation across the nails.

Deformed

With dark band

As my fingers became re-oxygenated, they recovered and a new season of refreshing came upon the nails. During the last 4 months, I observed that as the nails grew, the dark bands moved up and after sometime, the part of the nail above the dark bands literally separated along the line above the bands and in some cases while the upper part was still attached to the nail bed, causing a lot of discomfort.

Despite the extremely difficult circumstances my nails were subjected, they struggled to grow again because the living part of the nail was active. The dark bands have almost reached the tip of my fingers. Soon it will be a figment of my memory that they have once experienced a season of darkness.

In Biology, we were taught that all living beings exhibit seven characteristics. Among these are movement, growth and reproduction. Everything that has life must grow, move and reproduce. Nothing that God created with life is expected to be static or stagnant. Man was created to be an active creature.

There was a time that the earth was without form and void, and darkness covered the deep. It laid in waste, empty and chaotic, and was shrouded in thick darkness. Then came a spark of hope. God did something about it (Gen. 1:2).

Why?

Because emptiness and chaos is not of God, He is not an Author of confusion. The Bible recorded that the Spirit of God moved upon the waters. And God began to speak things into existence—“Let there be…” He made some things— the sun, moon and the stars. He created some things—great creatures of the sea, every living and moving things and He created man (Gen1:2-28).

He blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply/increase in number.”

At one time or the other, we will experience seasons of darkness in our lives -  periods when things go wrong in different spheres of our lives, when we are treated unfairly or unjustly,  and periods of trials and tests, of insufficiency and lack, and of troubles – spiritual, physical and emotional. These leave dark bands across the landscape of our lives.

Perhaps, you have dreamt dreams and nurtured great desires in your heart, and the fulfilment looks bleak

.

Or you have been sitting on the same spot for years waiting for a breakthrough in a particular area of your life and it is not forthcoming.

Or you have been going around the same mountain for so long.

What do we do at such times?

Put our hands over our heads, and our heads upon our knees, moaning and wailing?

Make a move - Let it be God-directed:

David was a man who had many seasons of darkness in his life. Let’s take a look at one of them described in 1 Sam. 30. He and his men returned from following Achish to fight against Israel. He was rejected by Achish. When they got back to Ziklag, they found that their wives, sons and daughters were carried away by the Amalekites and their homes burnt down. They had lost everything.

What was their reaction?

They lifted up their voices and wept until they had no strength to weep anymore (vs. 4). Whilst his men remained bitter, angry and full of grief, David took an action to address his situation.

First, he encouraged himself in the Lord his God – he found strength in God (vs. 6b).

Second, he enquired from the Lord what steps he should take to deal with the situation – he sought God’s direction and leading.

God gave him clear instructions and in addition, He gave him an assurance of victory — “Pursue: for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”

There will be times we will walk through the valley of the shadow of death, times we will pass through deep waters, and times we will walk through fire (Ps. 23:4, Is. 43:2). The key word is THROUGH. We walk and pass through difficult and dark seasons. We are not expected to stay static and rooted there. We must at such times turn towards God, be encouraged and find strength in Him, and seek His face for instructions – What shall I do in this situation?

Time to be Active and Creative:

Wait in His presence until you get clear instruction AND take the necessary steps to move forward! Growth and movement requires effort, time and other resources but above all, it takes willingness and determination to move and not remain static or stagnant.

What is holding you rooted to the same spot?

Usually, it is fear. The enemy uses fear like a shackle to pin us down, to hold us back and to limit our movement. Fear paralyses and keeps us static and stagnant.

Sometimes it is fear of failure. It could be fear of rejection, of being refused or even fear of death. Fears whispers doubt and disbelief into our hearts – maybe God’s word will not be fulfilled in this case. But let me give you this assurance: God’s words are effective. His words are not idle. They always accomplish the purpose for which they have been sent forth and will never return to Him void. God will do what He says He will do. He will never go back on His word or renege on His promises.

God’s grace is also abundantly available and sufficient to move us away from the spot to which we have been rooted.

When God, the Trinity, created mankind in their image, He put in us the ability to relate with the Holy Spirit. He, as our teacher and counsellor, broods over us and brings creative and purposive life out of our chaos and makes a ministry out of our mess. Also, because we are created in God’s image, God’s creative ability is at work in us to make us creative like our Creator.

God has created us to be active. He created us to be productive, to increase and to grow.  He created us to be creative. Sometimes growth may mean for us a deeper spiritual maturity, which we are all called to attain in Christ.

He did not create us to be static or stagnant or idle or to live in fear.

Dear Friends, it is time to move from this spot where you have remained static and stagnant, and from the spot you've been held down in fear. You have encompassed this mountain long enough. It is time to follow God’s leading and instructions if you want to fulfill your destiny and possess what God has ordained for you for a possession (Deut. 1: 35 – 2:9).

Today, is the day to take action. Let it be God oriented, directed and guided.

For A Purpose And A Reason

There has been an overwhelming response from families and friends after I shared I Am Back and Kept By The Hands Of God both on the blog and by email. Many of the responses had one message in common beyond joining me to rejoice and give thanks to God, and that is, God has a grand plan for my life.

I have pondered on this truth. I was encouraged to take time to dwell in the presence of God to seek His face to make His grand purpose plain and clear.

Walking The Rough Path:

© Dandamanwasch | Dreamstime.com

In agreement with Rosann Cunningham of Christiansupermom.com, I also can say "My life has been a non-stop roller coaster ride of faith-building and character-refining trials." God's sovereign hand and control over my life has often placed me in humbling circumstances.

Many years of struggling for breath, the fear of not knowing when things could suddenly go wrong, numberless long stay in the hospital over twenty years, many times flat on my back and confined within four walls. This time, oscillating between the bed and wheel chair for months, loss of independence and autonomy, and at the mercy of others. On top of these, food becomes monotonous, eating a challenge and often with pain. And this is just a tip of the ice-berg of the many challenges, distress and discomfort I suffered.

At such times as described above, it can be too much to bear. Even the most righteous will find it hard to hold back some grumbling and murmuring. It takes grace, divine strength and the knowledge of God's love for you not to focus on the challenges and the little irritations which seems to mushroom the more you think about them.

Not surprising, once you get into that mode, the enemy will bring more stuff to irritate and distress you. So what do you do? I tell you, I have had my fair share of this inward struggle. It takes grace, grace and more grace not to go off track like a derailed train with devastating effects, such as despair, despondency and discouragement.

Things can get to the point where you cry out, "I had enough, I can't take any more."  Prophet Elijah went through such a valley of discouragement and despondency. But see the way God ministered  and revealed Himself to Elijah at the lowest point in his life. He also revealed the purpose He wanted him to fulfil (1Kings 19).

At first, when I contemplated on the limitations the current situation imposed on me, I was confused. I was angry. I wanted to know why. I felt I did not need this kind of complication in my life after all I had been through.

In the midst of my emotional struggle dealing with these complications I had after the first surgery, which necessitated a second surgery, a dear Sista said to me, "No one expects you to be a super Christian, you can approach God and tell Him how you feel, you can ask why, and you can pour out your heart before Him. He is your Father, He will wrap His arms around you and comfort you." That was exactly what I did. He did wrap His arms around me and spoke His peace into my heart, giving me an assurance of what He is about.

This is when an understanding of God as a God of purpose becomes a life-saver.

This situation is for a purpose. I am being processed and refined to fulfill destiny. Last year, I wrote; There Is Purpose In The Process. That message is more real to me now. I refuse to miss the comfort God has for me through this situation. Most importantly, this is not about me, it is for the glory of God to be put on display in my life and for many lives to be impacted and touched for good.

My husband and many others encouraged me; "Focus on the victory God has given you and all He brought you through. Keep the ultimate goal in view, that is, fulfilling your God-given purpose," they said to me. I have come too far to give up now. God gave me the special gift of grace to regain my cheerfulness and to remain positive and focused. Having such an assurance that God's dealings with me are for a reason and a purpose has been a great encouragement.

He ministered to my heart that this situation will only be a limitation if I allow it to be. He has given me the feet of grace to break away from the restrictions and to enable me fulfill His calling upon my life.

We have a choice to view God by our situation or to view our situation through God.

God of Purpose:

There is a divine purpose for everything that happens to us in life. I know for sure that there is a reason for the experiences  and rough roads God has taken me through. Because I know God is a God of precision. Not one event in our lives is purposeless. It is like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle, which has a definite place to occupy for the final picture to be complete.

Stormie Omatian wrote on her Facebook page; "Don’t let the storms of trials, struggle, grief, or suffering (affliction), make it hard for you to see what is ahead. There is always a place of  calm, light, clarity and peace to be found, if you will take God's Hands and let Him lift you above your circumstances into His rest, comfort and protection."

In the midst of your trials and sufferings, be assured that it is God's purpose and counsel for you that will prevail (Prov. 19:21). God's plans stands forever and the purpose of His heart remains through all generations (Ps. 33:11, NIV). Job said, "God performs His plans for me." What He wants to do is what He does (Job 23: 13-14). God is unchangeable (Heb 6:17). He is working out His purpose in us when He takes through the rough path..

God's purpose for me is definite, unique and unchangeable.

Because of the unchangeableness of  God's purpose and plans, we who are called to inherit the promise can have indwelling strength and strong encouragement to hold fast to hope appointed for us (Heb 6: 18). This hope is a sure anchor for our soul, holding firm and secure through our trials and struggles.

"Hope is the light shinning in the darkness of disappointment."

- Sarah Young (Author, Jesus Today Devotionals)

Jesus walked the rough path to the rugged cross at Calvary for the purpose of reconciling us to the Father. On that rough path, He was beaten, spat on and jeered at, yet He did not utter a word. He is our perfect example.

I have learnt that being the Beloved of God does not grant us immunity from sufferings, tests and trials. If we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ Jesus, we must of necessity suffer with Him, if we are to share in His glory (Rom. 8:17). I have also learnt a deeper depth of hope and faith through my tests and sufferings.

"Faith is a mindset that expects God will act no matter what happens. No matter what I may be going through."

I know that I am going to the nations, that much has been impressed upon my heart. The more I dwell in God's presence in obedience, the more He will reveal His plans for me. He will give me step-by-step directions. I wait with great expectation for God's grand design for my life to unfold.

Whatever you may be going through at this moment, never give up, hold fast to hope, God is working out His purpose in you. Be assured that God has a unique and unchangeable plan for your life, if you will trust Him with your life.

At The Precipice Of Despair

© Polina Kuznetsova | Dreamstime.com

Do you by your words put your listeners or readers at the precipice of despair?

Does the complexity of your life's situation put you at the brink of hopelessness?

The first time I met this man, who I will hereafter refer to as the Old Prophet,  if my hope was not anchored on the  solid rock of ages, he would have dashed it into a million pieces. His words heaved heavy loads of hopelessness and discouragement, which fell like bricks on my heart. I went home and wept bitterly before the Lord. I wrote about this experience in Praise That Breaks The Yoke.

Two year and two months later, I met him again. He was relentless in his quest to create a picture of a hopeless situation. He thought it was my right to be fully informed. He described the complexity of the situation and called them a constellation of risks. He was so explicit and graphic in presenting the picture that if it were not for the peace of God guarding my heart, it would have melted in fear. In the audacity of arrogance he displayed, he wanted my approval for his position.

He saw no hope. He offered no hope. He stripped all hope away.

I wondered what he wanted of me, to jump off the cliff or resign myself to fate?

A Yoruba adage says, one death cannot kill the same person twice! 

I was not going to let it happen again. Something welled up in my heart against him and there was a strong nudging in my spirit to resist him. I knew I had to take charge of the situation. The tone of my voice changed. I felt like I grew taller in my spirit and he was no longer looming over me. I refused to cower before him. God gave me the grace and the strength to challenge him.

I knew at that instant that we were not wrestling against flesh and blood in this matter but against spiritual wickedness in high places. I refused to be pushed over the edge into the pit of despair and fear. "Raise a clarion call" rang aloud and clear in my spirit and I knew what we had to do.

My Heart Is Fixed

After the Old Prophet left us, my husband thanked God for the peace with which He garrisoned our hearts against agitating fears. Our hearts were at peace trusting in the Lord and we were not moved. It was pure joy to stumble on Ps. 108: 1-6 later that night as I flipped through the Bible in search of something to read.

O God, my heart is fixed - steadfast in the confidence of faith. Therefore, I will praise and make melody. I am God's beloved. He will answer  and deliver me. 

(Ps. 57:7, 108:1,6 paraphrased)

I was glad that I knew experientially and beforehand that I will see the goodness of God in the land of the living. It was great to have this awesome promise.

Perchance, you are in a deep and complex situation where the problems are multidimensional and there seems to be no solution in sight. You are overwhelmed by many afflictions and pressed down by loads of care. Your heart is aching. You pine and long for a resolution, for a change in the situation. "When, O Lord?" has become your fervent and ardent cry.

When hopelessness rear its ugly head. Don't give up on hope. Don't give up on God. He will not abandon you. He will never leave you alone in the midst of your trials.

At such times, at the precipice of despair, we need a Friend. We must be very sure our anchor holds on a solid rock and our hearts are fixed on confident assurance that we have a Saviour Who can move the mountain.

Mountains may shake, earth may quake, and storms may swirl furiously, cling to hope. Let your heart be fixed. Let your heart be steadfast and confident. When your faith is established in the Lord and your heart is stayed on God, only then will you be able to sing and praise God in anticipation of what God will do irrespective of the situation. This brings hope. But if only in this world we have a hope, we will be of all men most miserable.

If by the abounding grace of God we are able to maintain a composed frame of mind in the midst of the crisis, we have an even greater reason to be full of praise and thanks. Though the change we long for may seem long in coming but if we pay attention, we will see His mighty hand holding us up. For this again, we can be thankful.

For we know that our God is awesome. He can move the mountain. He is worthy of praise.

While preparing this post, I remembered the card I wrote and pasted on my wardrobe door five years ago. I placed it in the line of my vision when I used to sit at the edge of the bed on my hands. It was Ps. 108:1. I placed it there to remind myself that my heart must remain fixed, steadfast and confident in the Lord despite the billows roaring around me.

The Power of Words

The following day, I met some other members of the Old Prophet's team. When they came in, they sat down. They did not stand over me. They presented the same information, even as graphic as the Old Prophet did. But with each challenge, they offered a possible solution. They offered no guarantee, but they gave hope. They were committed to finding a way around each obstacle facing us to the best of their ability.

Same information. Different presentation. Different attitude. Different result. When they left, they did not leave me in despair. They left me with assurance.

How is your word affecting the lives of people around you? Are your words full of life, hope and encouragement? Or are you manipulating, sowing seeds of discouragement and stripping away hope with your words?

If you cannot give a glimmer of hope, you should not extinguish whatever hope the person had left. Our words should not leave people in despair and without a hope.

I re-committed myself from that day to be an encourager at every instance as the Lord gives me the grace. I will be careful never to allow my words strip anyone of hope. Even when I have to present hard truths or facts, I will do my best to find a way to present it with an assurance of a way out. There will be times when we will be duty-bound to present a grim picture but we must not do so in a way that will put the receiver of that information at the precipice of despair.

This can be as subtle as the comments we make on issues concerning our nations, our families, our workplace (bosses), our churches, etc. The degree of hopelessness that is sometimes transmitted by comments made on the social media can be heartbreaking. Let us be mindful not to extinguish hope with our words but to ignite hope.

Dear friend, if today you find yourself at the brink of despair, hold on, cling to hope, don't give up. God will surely come through for you. Let your heart be fixed trusting in His unfailing love for you.

Have you been at the precipice of despair? How did you come away from there? Share your story in the comment box below and encourage someone today.

I share with you Awesome by Pastor Charles Jenkins.

Igniting Hope

When we see "Breaking News" flash across the TV screen, we know the newscaster is going to set aside all other news items and give attention to the news breaking.

That's what happened to me. I had all the materials gathered and some portions already written of the message I wanted to share on the blog this week. But something happened on Tuesday, which I was still pondering on when I roused out of sleep early on Wednesday. Suddenly, a light flashed in my spirit. I knew I had to set aside my plans to focus on the news breaking in my heart.

Twice on Tuesday, I came in contact with the same message from different sources.

The first source was a devotional plan: God's Joy in Jesus: Devotions with John Piper on YouVersion Bible. I had inadvertently skipped a day which I went back to. The Bible passage for reflection was Matthew 12: 18-21. Verse 20a caught my attention.

It re-kindled a memory.

A couple of hours later, checking my emails, I found a message from Derek Prince Ministries (DPM) sent on Nov. 9^th — "Glimmer of Hope." Again I had missed this. As I read, I found the key Bible verses were Matthew 12:20a and Romans 15:13.

By the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. This was not a chance occurrence.

God was breaking a news to me through these scriptures.

The third witness was the fact that I had done an extensive study of Romans 15:13 a few weeks back but I caught something new and fresh in that verse on Tuesday which further confirmed the message in my heart.

The outcome of my reflections on Rom. 15:13 formed the basis of the blog post - Cartwheels of Joy published on August 30^th, 2012.

God is the Source and the Giver of hope. We are filled with continued peace and joy because we trust in Him which brings us a copious and superabundant flow of hope by the working of the Holy Spirit in us.

"He is the God of hope. You can not know God without having hope. He is the ultimate source of all true hope, the God of hope. God wants to fill us with all joy and peace so that we may "abound with hope." That means that we may have more that just enough hope for ourselves but we may have hope to minister to others too. And it is by the power of the Holy Spirit." - DPM.

This message from the verse sprung alive and afresh as I read the mail from DPM—we overflow with hope so that we can have hope to minister to others too. This took me back to Matt 12:20a.

A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench,…

He will not crush a bruised reed but He will hold it upright gently and tenderly until it heals. He will not put out a flickering candle but cup His hands around it and gently blows it until it burns again.

"He will not crush those who are weak, or quench the smallest hope" - New Living Translation. Jesus does some of His finest work in our lives when all hope is almost gone.

His actions brings hope.

It was at this point the name of the blog flashed back at me:

Enriching Lives. Inspiring Hope.

This is what this blog is all about, the Holy Spirit ministered to my heart —to be used to inspire hope, to give words of encouragement and to point those who are downcast, in despair, and facing challenging situations, to God the Source of hope and to the Holy Spirit, the only Agent who can minister this kind of victorious hope in our lives to the fullest.

This is my heart's deepest and earnest yearning—to be a vessel God can use to inspire hope. Such that the way I comport myself in my trials can bring hope to others. This is "Breaking News."

That is why I am here (see blog post -  Why I Am Here- Nov. 1. 2012).

The second message confirmed in my heart was a reminder of an unfinished work.

In February 2011, I started writing my first novel - an inspirational fiction - The Ice Queen. Nicknamed the Ice Queen, Abigail Davis is cold-hearted, intelligent and a fierce competitor. Edward Sagoe knew from the first moment he set eyes on her that she would be his wife but he saw a bruised reed in a dream and a gardener called to tend it. What has this got to do with Abigail? Can he melt her heart first with the love of God and then, his love for her?

I read a lot about the bruised reed while researching for this book. Matt 12:20a was pivotal in this. It therefore called my attention to this unfinished work.

The reed is light and fragile in nature. It is an emblem of feebleness and weakness. To be a bruised reed is to be poor (in the spirit, without hope), feeble—oppressed by loads of care, disillusioned and in despair.

The lamp that flickers, He will not extinguish. The smoking flax is like the wick of a lamp when the oil is exhausted. It represents feebleness and infirmity. He will not oppress those with little strength—whose hope is fading.

One rough touch will break the bruised reed and snuff life out of smoking flax. But Jesus with matchless tenderness, love and skill lifts up meek, strengthens the weak hands and firms up the feeble limbs. He replenishes their oil and blows the flickering candle into flame.

Jesus always come through for us at our weakest and lowest moments. He will not leave us without hope or let us despair but with great compassion He will gather us up in His arms and hold us up.

"Igniting hope is what Jesus does best" - DPM

When in our trials and tests, we latch on to hope and refuse to give up, and we are filled with joy and peace as we trust in God, that peace and joy from God in us radiates as hope overflows from our lives to touch the lives of others. Thus igniting hope in them as well.

We can replenish the flickering lamp with oil through our words of encouragement. You can be the one to lighten  someone's burden or put a smile on someone's face today.

How is your action, attitude and words affecting the lives of those around you?

Crushing the already downcast or tendering them with kindness.

Are your words putting out the flickering candle or are you with compassion fanning them to flame?

Copy Jesus' example:

Be an encourager and ignite hope in others.