Future – Deeperlook

BLOGMAS 5: DAY 4

PREAMBLE

We made it today.

Let’s ride in…

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

Today, I was in the kitchen preparing a popular pastry made in Nigeria for Christmas day.

called chin-chin

After mixing and kneading the dough, I waited for an hour before rolling it out.

In the course of time, I had two beautiful children observing me as I rolled out the dough. They were curious and asked me a lot of questions. However, one question stood out from one of them.

“I want to eat chin-chin”

“It’s not ready yet. I am still preparing it”

“I want to eat chin-chin. Give me”

“I am still preparing it. If you eat it now, it won’t be good for your stomach. Be patient”.

This dialouge was repeated up to 10 times and my replies did not change.

My patience with the little one was being challenged, however I wasn’t perturbed because I knew that it was not the right time to give the snack because it was not ready yet.

but what about you and all you’ve been waiting for?

In the middle of the pastry preparation, it hit me and I saw myself in a similar role.

God and Me

God being the chef and me being the child.

I want certain things and I long to have them and my desires make me point at them with longing eyes, however God knows the right time to give it to me, and is not in a haste. Instead, He tells me to wait for the preparation to be over so I can enjoy it properly and fully.

I was not in a haste to prepare the chin-chin, I was more interested in preparing it well. I was quite intentional in all of the process and I even acted as a potter; shredding and moulding the dough, then flattening it out to give me size and form I desire.

The beautiful child came to the kitchen mutliple times to check on me. I could sense her desire and in my heart I wanted to make the chin-chin well so she could enjoy it when I was done. I found myself encouraging her, and at times scolding her when she was tempted to put her hand in the bowl of uncooked chin-chin. However, all of that was for her good.

because if she ate raw pastries as much as she wanted, she could get a stomach ache and wouldn’t be able to enjoy the cooked one

But am I not like that with God? How many times have I cried desperately for certain things? How many times have I reached my hands out stubbornly to reach for it my way? However, God in His kindness does not allow me to have my way because He knows better.

WHEN WOULD THAT BE?

She asked me many times when the chin-chin would be ready to eat and I kept telling her soon.

She tried reminding me that she could eat it the raw one and be contented to which I disagreed.

She negotiated. I disagreed.

How many times have I done that to God?

At this point, I had cut most of the dough and it looked like it was cooked.

but it wasn’t and I knew that but she didn’t

Sometimes, it may look like it however if God doesn’t hand it over to me, it is better I don’t go grabbing it.

Whatever God gives comes with peace.

At last, I begun the frying process and I fried two batches and guess what?

she was back to check on me

However, it was not yet ready to be given to her because it was too hot to be eaten. It needed to cool.

I had to reassure her that she would get a good portion once it was cool.

“But it is ready! I want to eat chin-chin”

“It is too hot for you. Once it is cool, I will give it to you”

Isn’t this the same with God. Possibly what I desire may be out of my ability to handle, and if I get it in haste it may burn me rather than bless me. Therefore, God would give me when I would handle it better so that it remains the blessing it should be.

Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it. (KJV)

finally

It had cooled down and I served her while she was sitting. She did not have to check on me again.

I brought it to her

This played out and it served as a reminder to me and I thought it best to share with you.

HERE IS WHERE WE END

The season of Christmas is a reminder that at the right time Christ was born. He fulfilled prophecy at the right time when God desired and not when man demanded for it.

Therefore, I long to enjoy God’s intentionality in creating my story. It could be hard to be patient but then at the end, God’s time will always be best.

Did you enjoy this? Let me know in the comment section.

Kindly share as well.

Stay safe and God bless.

#W.O.L.A.P

Blogster 3: The Future

PREAMBLE

Welcome to the last part of this year’s edition of the blogster series.

If this is the first time you are reading, then the previous parts culminate to this post.

Also, there are podcasts attached to highlight the theme more.

Let’s ride in…

THE FUTURE

Do you know what your future holds?

Do you know?

The future is always ahead and as we come nearer to it, it gets broader.

The future is always ahead

The future is the dream we yearn to be in.

But do you we have an idea of what is in our future? Do we have a picture or a glimpse of it?

Have you gotten a revelation of what your future looks like?

Jesus had risen and the hope of the disciples had been revived, however, Jesus was not stopping there. There was a purpose for the hope He had revived and that hope was for a future that the disciples were to participate in.

The future of the disciples were to be the flaming torches that burned the world with the love of Christ. They were to take the message of Christ, the message of hope to all the corners of the world.

Before they could begin the future, they had to wait until the Holy Spirit empowered them for the mission that was in their future.

They could not go into their future by themselves because that future was one curated by God.

This brings me to ask: Who is planning your future?

Who?

Planning for the future is as imporant as getting into the future but then how do we prepare for it?

How?

God who gives us the dream of what our future looks like is able to guide us into it. However, if you don’t have an idea of what your future looks like, then you have to ask God.

God what does my future look like?

For those of us that are good at making plans for our lives, it will take extra patience to be patient and still seek God’s will for our lives. It is two sides of the coin, we cannot sit and fold our arms doing nothing, however we cannot plan our lives better than God.

We do this by surrendering our future to God.

God who holds our future knows how best it is for us to arrive into that future.

God knows how to bring us into our future.

If you are like me, then you did agree that:

I need God so badly…
— O.R.A (@sweetrose_agwu) April 10, 2023

However, God is true and sure. He is faithful to the end. Amen.

There is a podcast version, listen here:

Thank you for being here.

This is the end of Blogster 3.

Feel free to share your comments and share this post with others as well.

Posters used in this series were curated by me. I did not create the elements but I was able to tweak them to suite the message I wanted to pass across. I hope they pleased your eyes as they please mine.

Until next post, stay safe and God bless.

#W.O.L.A.P

30 Days of Intentionally Seeking God: Day 4

Preamble

Today is the fourth day.

Thank God for grace.

Thank you for being here.

Meditation

This word means to think on something consistently.

It means spending time to mentally digest a thought.

It involves understanding a subject matter from the root.

Meditation is an active mind process.

How to meditate

First, you need a substrate which is the content you need to meditate on.

Then you begin by finding out if you understand the context and the purpose of the subject matter.

Then the next step is to ask and answer questions:

The why, how, what, purpose….

Sometimes answers may not come via meditation alone. Sometimes you only get questions.

Then is to interprete the subject matter into a familiar scene. Play a scene and check if what you have meditated on can be applied.

Then refresh your mind to see if you have applied it before or if someone around you has displayed it before. Check if it is a familiar theme and the results you have observed.

If it is not familiar, then know why..

The Word of God

Without spending time to meditate on the word if God, bible reading will be plain theory.

It is only by brooding on the word of God will many things make more sense.

God wants us to meditate on His words and understand it before it makes sense to our lives.

Spending time mentally on the word of God helps us to understand what God is saying to us at the moment.

Whenever I am in a bus, and I am not reading or chatting with someone, I reflect and think on God’s word. In these simple moments God explains more to me.

Many times, some bible verses and certain sermons may not dive into our hearts more unless we meditate.

Deeper understanding and revelations are experienced in the place if meditation.

Sometimes, you may need a quiet environment. Sometimes you may not have that opportunity. However, your spirit needs to be free from distraction because meditation needs focus.

To make it easier to understand: If you can worry then you can meditate.

Overthinking is mediatating on worries.

Results

Recently, I have been practising Mathew 6:25-34, and it has helped so much.

Recently, someone insinuated that I was too calm and did not seem bothered about my future.

In response, I told the person that I was not going to bother myself about what was so far ahead and rather face each day as it comes.

If I should take into note all the concerns that linger around me, I would always be depressed.

I have lived an anxious life pattern and it does not help. It makes you a nervous wreck. Learning to trust God for my steps has been relieving even when I feel helpless.

As the conversation proceeded, I told the person that I was concerned about God leading me because wherever God leads me, He would provide for me.

The future may appear uncertain. Situations around may be depressing but I need look up to God to get relief.

Many of us put our hopes in many other things, sadly some of those things disappoint and falter.

Some of us even put our hope in people and systems but these even fail more.

I believe in making plans and preparations but it is better not to put all hopes in them because plans change, preparations fail.

I do not want to lose my faith because of the plans I made.

As the world crumbles and uncertainties abound, I pray my faith be kept. Amen.

Matthew 6:25-34  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (KJV)

Prayer

LORD, thank you for today. Thank you for my life. Thank you for everything. Uncertainties abound but help me to keep the faith. Help me to trust you and the next step to take. LORD, let your word become real to me as I learn to meditate on it. Let it grow and bear fruits. Let my worries be replaced by your word and let me reap its harvests in my life. Thank you for the next steps I will take. Order me well. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Conclusion

It took me a lot to type today’s post but I am grateful to have made it.

Meditating on the word of God has been super therapeutic and my life has been changed gradually to the point I am sometimes surprised at my deposition towards certain things.

Importantly, I am grateful to God that I am losing the trait of anxiety and learning to trust Him for every step.

Your comments are welcomed.

Stay safe and God bless..

#daughterofabba

SO WHAT NEXT?

Preamble

Hi…

Let me tell you something:

I have two older posts that I have stalled for so long yet this post is as fresh as freshly baked bread.

Have you eaten freshly baked bread before?

You know how the aroma of baked smell is, right?

These two posts will get their time to shine but for now, they remain drafts.

Today’s post kept jumping on the trampoline of my mind, so I had to allow it the space. I hope the written words in this post will express it fully.

Lets wishwosh in (don’t take that word seriously 😂😂)

Your dream came true

After waiting all these years, you finally achieved your goal(s)

Congratulations!

You finally completed your educational journey

Congratulations!

You finally married the love of your life

Congratulations!

You finally bought your favourite car

Congratulations!

You finally went on a vacation to the place of your choice

Congratulations!

You finally had beautiful children

Congratulations!

You finally built the magnificent house or bought one

Congratulations!

You opened your eyes, and all your good dreams were now a reality

Congratulations!

You…….

Congratulations

Is there more?

After you tick off your lists, are there more to create?

Why can’t we just end it on one list?

Why do we have to create more lists?

After getting our dream everything, we are posed with handling them well and expecting more from we are.

When you get your dream car or house, you now want them to be plural.

When you get beautiful children, you oiw have to care for their present and futures.

When you finish one educational level, you are now waiting for another.

Must more lists be created?

Why is there more?

Is there more to achieve?

Why can’t we just stop somewhere?

We were made to desire more

It is not greediness.

It is the desire to get better.

I’ll call it that

Even contented people desire more but they are not overwhelmed by their desires.

Overwhleming desires have always been a point of concern

We were made to desire more.

The more we know, the more we want to know more. The more we have, the more we want to have more.

For every new step, there is another step.

The more we know God, the more we want to know God more

We were made for more
O. R. A

So do not percieve it a strange feeling that after achieving your goals, you want more goals to achieve again. That is the feeling of progress.

So what next?

I still have many things I want to achieve.

For example

Have an art exhibition. Own a……. Make vintage collections. Print hardcovers of my works. Write more off my huge book list. Create a…… Do……. Become a…. Complete….

Okay, that is enough for now.

It is great to look forward with excitement but know that it comes with greater responsibilities as well.

There is an advice my mother gave me and I have taken years to appreciate it.

Do not be over excited for anything. Handle excitement with caution. You can get easily disappointed and bored if you are too excited about certain things. (Paraphrased her statement)
My Mama

This advice sums up what I said previously: With every new level we are excited about comes a new level of responsibilty.

Ecclesiastes 5:10

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.(KJV)

In an opposite way, we may get overwhelmed by the thought of new responsibilities that we do not enjoy our current victory. This too, is over the line in a negative way. Enjoy your victory.

Enjoy your victories, please

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.(KJV)

There is a time to enjoy the results of your hardwork.

Enjoy it

Ecclesiastes 9:7-8

Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.(KJV)

And as you continue progressing and meeting new responsibilities, enjoy your victories in every level.

Ecclesiastes 9:9

Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.(KJV)

And while you are in your next level or waiting to get to the next level…