God Made a MAJOR Move #MidYearCheckIn
Wow! Can you believe it’s June already?! We are in the sixth month of the year, which means it’s time for us to revisit our New Year’s resolutions! The funny, and ironic part about this post is that I don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions, which I so eloquently explained in a previous post. However, I do want to recant and revisit our progress. The Lord has been trying to work through me since we last spoke, and the Holy Spirit has been gifting me with revelations and pointing me in different directions since. I had to take the time to be one with Him. That, of which, we will get into at a later time. Soon come. Don’t worry, oo.
SO much has changed between now, and then, concerning myself, and the world around us. I have grown immensely spiritually, believe it or not, which we should never stop doing so. I have discovered new skills, and developed old ones. I custom made new chastity rings. I started a Faith-based book club… with a twist. I began a 30-day prayer and juice fast, in which I am currently pushing through, and I am embarking on several new journeys. Although this June, and the months to come, may not be the semblance of what my plans anticipated, nevertheless, it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)
Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
Life in the last 12 months, to THIS DAY, has vastly changed and shaped me. I can’t even begin to comprehend. At this point in time, in 2019, I just re-entered society from my Miss Nigeria USA glory. I was in the best shape of my life, and still working towards my final form. On this very day, I executed a fitness program, met a sister of life, celebrated several (far too many) birthdays, and so my journey began. It was intense. June was a whirlwind, and everything to follow was something out of the Book of Acts. It was as if the fire of the Holy Spirit set something ablaze in me. Looking back, it’s almost awe-inspiring, but I didn’t know it was happening then. Writing this, I am even receiving more clarity into God’s many wonders. He has kept me better than I could have even imagined keeping myself.
Within the first few months following June 2019, I received a number of revelations, many of which continued to construct my Faith. However, that of which my Faith was rooted, was not wholly in the Faith of God. I found myself. many a time, attuned to Faith I had placed in man, and often (as expected) left to my own devices. Do I think certain situations would have gone differently had I hidden the Lord’s scripture in my heart? Absolutely. Without an iota of doubt. That’s the crazy thing about the Bible, and becoming familiar with the Word. Believe me, when I write these pieces it’s not to increase my digital footprint, or to read myself talk! It’s because there is someone else out there who can relate no matter where they are in their Faith journey. And myself, like any other Chrisitan should continue to mature and constantly grow in our Faith. I aim to GROW. We should never stop growing. Thus, I am not here to tell you to do as I say, not as I do. No, I am really out here DOIN’ IT. And growing, and learning. Each and every single day.
Anyway, I attribute a majority of this growth to my increased (constantly increasing) familiarity of the Word. I let the Bible Read Me, as I advised. If you notice, often my pieces are inspired by those around me. Well, if I am frank, often those PEOPLE, who I so often call upon and lead me to a deeper place of edification, were placed in my life by God fairly recently. Which brings me to my next point: throughout my ups and downs of June 2019 - June 2020, God continued to provide me with everything I needed. He provides me with provisions. That’s the thing about God. God won’t sign a bill or write a check for an order He didn’t make. In other words: there is a difference between what He ordains, and what He endures. Phew, I had to learn that one the hard way. As many of us have. And sometimes you do it out of clear conscience, while other times you know that if you simply have the patience and place your Faith with Him - the results will abundantly exceed your expectations. Remember that.
Mind you, if this seems like a Cliff Notes version of all of my pieces, maybe it is because they are REAL lessons. They have been from the jump. The Metaphor for Christ, how Obedience is Better than Sacrifice, the Weight of Waiting, Being a Servant of Christ, Setting the Table with what God has given you with your ordained gifts and talents as the entree. YES. This is very real, and a continued tale of progression. The Lord even placed this website on my heart one evening after a speaking engagement within this time! YES! Obedience is so much better than sacrifice.
As I impart on my 30-Days of diligent fasting and extended prayer - my eyes, my heart, and my mind has been open to God’s message. I’ve heard His voice, and it sounds like no other. Whilst this isn’t the first time, the clarity is incomparable. God’s obedience doesn’t always mean the road will be easy. He, himself, endured 40 days of fasting. Imagine, self. My intentions were set, and God has been seeing me through, and because of Him, because I am doing this via He who placed it on my heart, it is very clear that He is with me. Which goes back to the times when we have fasted, when we should really be eating. Lol. It all comes full circle! [More on the fast to come, believe me, because 30 Days without food might sound kolo to you right now. Lol.]
Now, that we have received a better picture of how monumental these past 12 months, to date have been, alone, you will get a better sense of assessing the year, and my analysis of my Not so New Year’s Resolution. Oh, yeah, if you don’t already follow my journal’s recent Instagram account, please, do so! These two platforms work in tandem to live a Christ-filled life! I’ve been off social, but the Lord placed this on His heart as an avenue to continue to spread His ministry in a way I can reach people where they are, and in different ways. It came as a shock when I received the message in a dream on the 6th of January while in Nigeria. Clearly, I waited, mulled over it, and understood that it wasn’t the way I thought He wanted me to activate my account. Instead, create something that will glorify His name in a way unique to me.
In my previous post, I titled this theory as the “Double Yes.”
My “double-yes” process is the certainty that I am saying, “yes,” to the goal, then most importantly, agreeing to the actions needed to accomplish the plan. Yes, I want to see clearer… yes, I will wear glasses. Yes, I want to get married. Yes, I will leave my house once a week. Lol.
It was what seemed like a simple solution, but what it really was was a solution to long-term obedience. There is so much we want to accomplish, mentally, that often we tend to discourage ourselves during the execution process. The double yes changed things from me in this new year in a way where I didn’t and don’t simply say “yes” to Christ. I say “yes” to follow the instructions, whilst sometimes blind, in the trust that He will provide. That is the beauty of the second “yes.”
The prayer that I’ve adopted recently is to let God go before me in all situations. That is the double-edged sword of obedience. We all want to do it, we all want the blessings, in theory. But there is sacrifice, there is uncertainty, there is discomfort, and there are challenges. As I recant this year, and the past 12 months, collectively, I have had a hindsight view of how much I have grown in Christ, and how all of my actions and choices shaped my now. It has been wild, it has been unexpected, it has been blessed. The strongest theme, however, has been my obedience to Christ. No matter where the remainder of this year goes, or what happens next, I know the Lord is placing me in the places I need to be, opening doors for me where my name is already spoken, with the people I need to be surrounded by. We thank God, truly. Everything has been working for the good of God.