Discovered INCEPTION Trailer 3 - Official HD via allthingsd
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Monday 19 July 2010
INCEPTION Trailer 3 - Official HD
Friday 16 July 2010
He makes all things beautiful
I do not remember where I read this story but it spoke a lot to me then and I kept it. I have had to revisit it and what follows is a little 'finding' about God or rather a reminder that in this life, there are very few short-cuts that lead anywhere great.A man asked God for a flower and a butterfly because he wanted to be surrounded by beautiful things. Imagine his disappointment when God gave him a cactus and a caterpillar. He was sad. He didn't understand how or why God had misunderstood his request. “Oh well," he thought to himself, “God has too many people to care for so I won’t question Him”. So he accepted the items, put the cactus in a pot and placed the caterpillar where it could feed and forgot about them. After some time, the man went to check up on the cactus and caterpillar. He was stunned to find that from the ugly, thorny cactus, a beautiful flower had emerged, and the unsightly, disgusting caterpillar had transformed into the most beautiful butterfly.
Have you ever had a "Lord, I think You misunderstood me. I asked for a beautiful flower, but You have given me a cactus" moment? I have. I am beginning to appreciate something about God: He rarely hands over things in its mature state. You ask for a child, He places a foetus in a woman's womb. You ask for food, He gives you seed. You ask for a home, He gives you a spouse. You ask for wealth, He gives you a skill or more. Even our Salvation needs to be worked out to its maturity...if you are faithful to the end.Naturally we like short-cuts and quickies. We are in the era of microwaves where everything is ready in 2 minutes. It is easier to want finished goods and many times our inability to see the flower in a cactus or the butterfly in the caterpillar causes us to 'lose' what we have asked for. We lose when we fail to achieve or reach our goals. The man in the above story was lucky. He was able to go back where he kept his items and ultimately discover that his needs had been met. Some are not always so lucky however thank goodness God knows how best to work our mistakes for good. That being said, I feel its more profitable to understand His way and pattern to minimise our loses, heartaches and even time over 'unanswered prayers'. Remember the Israelites, one act of doubt resulted in 40 years of roaming in the wilderness!
The life He has planned out for us is greater than we can imagine, and we have those little things that He has placed in our hands to help us reach our full potential - people, talents, desires, locations, finance, etc. We only need to open our eyes to see the prospects. Abraham's children as many as the stars in the sky began with one-Isaac. God planned a beautiful green earth full of people, He began with 2 people and a garden. He asked them to multiply and to tend the garden so man can learn to work with what he has to bring about an increase. We have to learn the same.
This is just a quick note to remind us not to be too quick to throw away or be disgruntled about the little things. Rather, we ought to be thankful and to thankfully work out the big things out of our little. If the man in the little story above had not put the cactus in a pot to grow, the beautiful flower that he longed for never would have come out. I guess the key thing here is to remember that He makes all things beautiful in time, however, before then He needs us to do a little bit of work as well, after-all, we are co-workers and partners with Him.
Every forest began with a seed. If you throw the seed away, you will lose the forest. Your destiny is already in your hands, but you have got to work it out.
Work it xx
Wednesday 9 June 2010
Questions and Answers
This is the video of a song that I thoroughly love. Now I normally do not enjoy rap because the words come out quicker than I can follow but I love this one. I have been listening to this artist's music a lot lately and I thought I'd share. I am becoming very generous these days aren't I? Lol.
You will find more of JayEss's music here. Also, you can also become a fan on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
Enjoy x
Monday 7 June 2010
My Confused Expectations
A friend of mine got me so upset last week. I had observed certain behaviour in them which I did not like. I found it quite annoying actually and was irritated for a few hours. Later on I realised that my problem was not necessarily their attitude or behaviour but that I had expectations contrary to what I was receiving and I wanted them to change- to suit me. In times like this you wish you remember things like the Serenity Prayer "Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference." Not accepting things we cannot change will cause us to expend energy in projects doomed for failure before it even began.
After ranting for a while, I stopped to think clearly and then I felt really bad. You see for me the ability to think clearly and act rationally when upset does not come easy. I think its a gift from God given to the selected some lol. For the unselected who are lack the gift, keep working at it. I am too. Anyway, from my musing, my conclusion was simply: "my expectations are not my prerogative." It’s not my right to have others meet my expectations irrespective of how great or wonderful these expectations may be whether for my good or theirs. We set expectations for ourselves and not for others.
After ranting for a while, I stopped to think clearly and then I felt really bad. You see for me the ability to think clearly and act rationally when upset does not come easy. I think its a gift from God given to the selected some lol. For the unselected who are lack the gift, keep working at it. I am too. Anyway, from my musing, my conclusion was simply: "my expectations are not my prerogative." It’s not my right to have others meet my expectations irrespective of how great or wonderful these expectations may be whether for my good or theirs. We set expectations for ourselves and not for others.
I am sure Jesus had some expectations of His disciples as well however, there was no instance where he demanded these from them. He would have loved Judas to remain faithful to the end but he sold Him for a few silver coins. Before He was arrested, He asked His closest friends to watch and pray with Him but they were unable to stay awake. When He was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, I am sure he would have been delighted to have His friends stick by Him throughout but they all ran away except John. When Peter was asked if he was one of Jesus’ disciples, he said no – three times! I bet He would have preferred Peter to say “yes, I am one of His. I will die for Him if need be” just like he had boasted and promised earlier.
What causes our emotions to erupt? James simply put it as this- when you do not have your way! He adds also that the problem is that we are asking for the wrong things. In other words, you are placing your demands for change on the wrong person. Why else do we get so upset when people fail to meet our desires? Perhaps because we think it’s our right. God does not place demands on us. Rather He gives us the right to choose. Choose life or death and then He helps us by adding let Me help you – life is the wise choice.
A man told me a story once about a habit his wife had and still has. He said that when they return home from an outing, she would carry on her normal daily activities including cooking in the expensive clothing he had bought her. He had spoken to her a few times asking her to change into "normal clothing" but she was not making the change as expected. He became so frustrated that he decided to pray about it. Yes - "be anxious for nothing...but with prayers... present your request to God." That's what the bible teaches right? Anyway, he prayed "Father change my wife, I do not like what she is doing." God's response to him was so simple - "you change and leave her alone." He wanted his wife to change to suit him but the person that really needed to change was him. So his response to her changed. Now he is not bothered by how much her 'apron' cost him and he had peace of mind.
Do you know that even God is not required to meet all our expectations or demands? “Come down from the cross if You are the Christ” or “You saved other, save Yourself!” that’s what those who watched Jesus die on the cross told Him to do to prove that He is who He says He is. He chose rather to remain and die on the cross. He had told them earlier (and I paraphrase) you have some expectations of me on how you want me to prove who I am but I will not do it your way. I will do so by dying on the cross and rising again 3 days later. What you do with my way of doing this is up to you. In my words, "My action is My decision, your response to Me is your choice. I am not obliged to meet all your expectations."
The only ones we need to set or demand our expectations from are ourselves. My expectations of you are not my prerogative. The choice is yours to make decisions about life. The best news is that the same applies to me. When we get this order wrong, we become frustrated and upset with the wrong person.
Selah xx
(c) 2010 Arielle Ajibade
What causes our emotions to erupt? James simply put it as this- when you do not have your way! He adds also that the problem is that we are asking for the wrong things. In other words, you are placing your demands for change on the wrong person. Why else do we get so upset when people fail to meet our desires? Perhaps because we think it’s our right. God does not place demands on us. Rather He gives us the right to choose. Choose life or death and then He helps us by adding let Me help you – life is the wise choice.
A man told me a story once about a habit his wife had and still has. He said that when they return home from an outing, she would carry on her normal daily activities including cooking in the expensive clothing he had bought her. He had spoken to her a few times asking her to change into "normal clothing" but she was not making the change as expected. He became so frustrated that he decided to pray about it. Yes - "be anxious for nothing...but with prayers... present your request to God." That's what the bible teaches right? Anyway, he prayed "Father change my wife, I do not like what she is doing." God's response to him was so simple - "you change and leave her alone." He wanted his wife to change to suit him but the person that really needed to change was him. So his response to her changed. Now he is not bothered by how much her 'apron' cost him and he had peace of mind.
Do you know that even God is not required to meet all our expectations or demands? “Come down from the cross if You are the Christ” or “You saved other, save Yourself!” that’s what those who watched Jesus die on the cross told Him to do to prove that He is who He says He is. He chose rather to remain and die on the cross. He had told them earlier (and I paraphrase) you have some expectations of me on how you want me to prove who I am but I will not do it your way. I will do so by dying on the cross and rising again 3 days later. What you do with my way of doing this is up to you. In my words, "My action is My decision, your response to Me is your choice. I am not obliged to meet all your expectations."
The only ones we need to set or demand our expectations from are ourselves. My expectations of you are not my prerogative. The choice is yours to make decisions about life. The best news is that the same applies to me. When we get this order wrong, we become frustrated and upset with the wrong person.
Selah xx
(c) 2010 Arielle Ajibade
Friday 4 June 2010
What's In Your Cup?
It's been nearly 3 weeks since I wrote. Its been very difficult to write for some reasons but I'm glad I'm back now :-).
Today's title is a phrase that has been on my mind and heart for a few weeks. During my last visit to the salon, my stylist- Caroline spoke to me again about my persistently dry hair. I defended myself saying that I had been moisturising my hair daily (twice actually) as she had advised. Also I had even changed my hair product to a 'better' one. She later asked me about my fluid intake. I told her I go through seasons where I drink a few glasses of water per day however, there are also those times when I hardly drink a glass of water in a day although I may drink tea about 3 times in a day.
Caroline said I need to drink enough water (not tea or juice or some of that diluted junk I feed on) everyday. She concluded that I may be dehydrated. My thought was "moisturising my hair is one thing but I also need to 'moisturise' from inside". I took a one week challenge to drink 2 litres of water daily and for that week, my hair felt healthier and I barely felt that annoying itch on my scalp. The additional benefit obviously included the many trips to the loo - which is great for my legs by the way :-). Basically I felt good from within and my hair was grateful too.
My sister recently moved from an apartment to another and this was her thought regarding her former place: "U know what learnt from my previous flat? When you see the building you immediately fall in love with it. It looks sooo perfect. But when you get in you realise it isn't perfect after all. I thank God for the place but I didn't enjoy my stay there because there was no reception anywhere. So relating that to our everyday lives - not all that glitters is gold and sometimes we need to look beyond the physical and look within."
My thought was how easy it is for us to focus so much on what we and others see of us rather than who we are. We want to be happy and we want to look good for the world to see, but how often do we stop to ask "who am I?". Happiness is great but joy brings true satisfaction. It is an easy trap to fall into to admire someone because of what they have achieved in life. If only you know the baggage they may be carrying within, you may change your mind. Unless you are willing to sell your soul for temporal things.
This truth applies to many areas of life - relationships, sometimes we make choices based on what we see or want rather than who a person is. In challenges, sometimes we see our problem rather than the power which is at work in us to make changes. I often find people who try to use abs belts to get rid of belly fat funny. You may have seen the adverts with the models standing there with their flat stomach and tight six packs. Please do not fall for these ads. Let me tell you two secrets: Firstly, the models did not get their abs from using the product. Secondly, strap that belt around your waist 24hours a day, 7 days a week and you will get no abs unless you adopt a balanced and healthy lifestyle which would include some abs exercises. How will a belt strapped to your body make changes when the problem is deep beneath your skin? LoL.
To make this clearer, dress up a donkey, feed it the best of fodder, in fact, brush its fur everyday it will never become a horse. It will only become a pampered donkey. Still a donkey. Feed a chicken magic corn everyday and it would never become an eagle. An eagle is an eagle and a chicken is chicken. I was applying moisturisers on my hair and scalp, but I was still dehydrated so my hair and scalp remained dry. We should be more concerned about who we are rather than what we are. Not to say that the latter is not important however the former is more significant and lasting. If I gave you a golden chalice filled with poison, would you drink? No. What if the chalice was made of gold from the garden of Eden? Erm, no. Why not? Because the drink is harmful. All of us are like this golden chalice filled with a drink. The chalice is what people see however what people taste of you is the liquid in it.
Have you ever encountered a person who is so good looking and perfect to look at but when they behave badly they do not appear so good looking anymore? If you have, that's what I am talking about. Otherwise what I am saying is your character is who you are, what you show to the world is your personality. No matter how great your personality is, a poor character will cause you and others many problems.
What you make up and put up for people to see will never alter the person you are within. Its time to focus more on the person within. you Many times we try to create the perfect image for the world to see however true beauty lies within. Create a new you from the inside out today.
Look within x
(c) 2010 Arielle Ajibade 2010
Today's title is a phrase that has been on my mind and heart for a few weeks. During my last visit to the salon, my stylist- Caroline spoke to me again about my persistently dry hair. I defended myself saying that I had been moisturising my hair daily (twice actually) as she had advised. Also I had even changed my hair product to a 'better' one. She later asked me about my fluid intake. I told her I go through seasons where I drink a few glasses of water per day however, there are also those times when I hardly drink a glass of water in a day although I may drink tea about 3 times in a day.
My sister recently moved from an apartment to another and this was her thought regarding her former place: "U know what learnt from my previous flat? When you see the building you immediately fall in love with it. It looks sooo perfect. But when you get in you realise it isn't perfect after all. I thank God for the place but I didn't enjoy my stay there because there was no reception anywhere. So relating that to our everyday lives - not all that glitters is gold and sometimes we need to look beyond the physical and look within."
My thought was how easy it is for us to focus so much on what we and others see of us rather than who we are. We want to be happy and we want to look good for the world to see, but how often do we stop to ask "who am I?". Happiness is great but joy brings true satisfaction. It is an easy trap to fall into to admire someone because of what they have achieved in life. If only you know the baggage they may be carrying within, you may change your mind. Unless you are willing to sell your soul for temporal things.
To make this clearer, dress up a donkey, feed it the best of fodder, in fact, brush its fur everyday it will never become a horse. It will only become a pampered donkey. Still a donkey. Feed a chicken magic corn everyday and it would never become an eagle. An eagle is an eagle and a chicken is chicken. I was applying moisturisers on my hair and scalp, but I was still dehydrated so my hair and scalp remained dry. We should be more concerned about who we are rather than what we are. Not to say that the latter is not important however the former is more significant and lasting. If I gave you a golden chalice filled with poison, would you drink? No. What if the chalice was made of gold from the garden of Eden? Erm, no. Why not? Because the drink is harmful. All of us are like this golden chalice filled with a drink. The chalice is what people see however what people taste of you is the liquid in it.
What you make up and put up for people to see will never alter the person you are within. Its time to focus more on the person within. you Many times we try to create the perfect image for the world to see however true beauty lies within. Create a new you from the inside out today.
Look within x
(c) 2010 Arielle Ajibade 2010
Days of Our Lives
This is a poem my sister wrote. I felt it was nice and decided to share. You see its good to share :-)
Gone are the days believing Jesus was a prophet Christians worshipped.
Gone are the days believing the way to heaven was through Allah and bowing down to a false God.
Gone are the days thinking healers and prophets were people practicing black magic
Gone are the days of disbelief.
These are the days God called me to be His child.
These are the days of being chosen for a greater purpose.
These are the days of the pouring out of His Spirit.
These are the days of help and assistance to overcome all things.
These are the days of power to heal the sick, mend the broken hearted and strength for the weak.
These are the days of battle against the flesh and return to gone are the days.
These are the days of restoring to original state.
These are the days for me.
These are the days for you.
- Tahlia Ajibade
- (c) 2010 Arielle Ajibade
Gone are the days believing Jesus was a prophet Christians worshipped.
Gone are the days believing the way to heaven was through Allah and bowing down to a false God.
Gone are the days thinking healers and prophets were people practicing black magic
Gone are the days of disbelief.
These are the days God called me to be His child.
These are the days of being chosen for a greater purpose.
These are the days of the pouring out of His Spirit.
These are the days of help and assistance to overcome all things.
These are the days of power to heal the sick, mend the broken hearted and strength for the weak.
These are the days of battle against the flesh and return to gone are the days.
These are the days of restoring to original state.
These are the days for me.
These are the days for you.
- Tahlia Ajibade
- (c) 2010 Arielle Ajibade
Wednesday 19 May 2010
Dedicated To Leaping Hearts
This one's dedicated to leaping hearts :-)
Your love makes me
Without you, I am small.
My million possibilities,
In your absence, I achieve little.
There is nothing more beautiful than you.
My greatest adventure,
Without you, life's dull.
You put a smile on my face and a skip in my strides.
You light the fire within me.
My heartbeat,
There is no blackness when you are here.
You are my strength in shaky places,
My life and my reason
I live because I love you and I'm loved by you
xx
(C) 2010 Arielle Ajibade
Monday 17 May 2010
I'm Good At It!
Happy Monday! I hope you had a lovely week and weekend. During the weekend, a friend of mine shared this with me. I found it insightful and I thought I'd share with my friends too :-)
You know that way when you see something new in a bible story you've read dozen of times and you wonder why you've never seen it before?! Well, check out Mark 6:48 [...He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them...]. When I recently read the verse it seemed to me that Mark may be suggesting that Jesus' intention was to walk past the disciples as they struggled in the boat? The idea that they could be struggling, He knows they're struggling and yet chooses to pass by is quite surprising and "worrying" in a way. But I've often thought that, with many of them being fishermen, a boat was the one place where they felt experienced, confident and self-sufficient. i.e. it was an arena where they were tempted to depend on themselves so maybe Jesus just left them to it? It's quite a scary concept and has been challenging me to pray a bit more, especially in areas in my life I feel proficient, so I don't miss out on Jesus and His support!
After I read this, a status message I read recently came to mind. It read something along this line "I am good at what I do." In some areas of my life I am like this person. Probably even a bit more self-confident than they. I rarely ask for help. I like to figure new things out myself. I like to work things out on my own. I feel I learn and grow stronger that way. And this attitude has its benefits in a way, I do not have to rely on being shown things to learn new skills or to grow in my work. However, if I already am so self-reliant when I am clueless, imagine what it would be like for something I feel I am already good at!
I am not saying that its wrong to be confident in your areas of strength. Rather, what I am trying to say is this: "Everything is worth committing to God especially those areas of proficiency." Jesus did nothing without His Father. If He - the All-sufficient One needed Him how much more we mortals? Its Monday and you are probably one of the best teachers, photographer, graphics designer, cleaner or even Prime Minister on the block however, I encourage you to stop to commit your work and week to God and see how much further you will go -at your work and with Him.
Always xx
Monday 10 May 2010
Change is here
- Act now on debt to get the economy moving
- Get Britain working by boosting enterprise
- Make Britain the most family-friendly country in Europe
- Back The NHS
- Raise Standards at school
- Change politics
David Cameron also said we should kick them out if they fail. But who wants to waste five years of their lives. There is no way to measure how much damage 5 years can do. At the same time, there is so much that 5 years of good can bring.
Whilst I cannot completely lean or rely on a man or trust that this new government will definitely “deliver”, I know Someone who always meets up – The Almighty and Able El-Shaddai. He is the only Faithful and able One. He has an unbroken track record of fulfilling promises. Through history to this present time, His “yes” has definitely been yes. He promised Abraham that he would bear a son with his aged wife Sarah and he did; He promised to send a deliverer to Israel whilst under slavery in Egypt and He sent Moses. He said they would roam the wilderness for 40 years for their disobedience and they did. Then He said He would grant them victory over nations so they could inherit Canaan and He did. After a while, they were taken into captivity in Babylon. The Lord told them, that after 70 years, He would set them free and He did. Whilst David was king, He said there would always be one of his descendants on the throne of Israel and He kept His word even when the nation was divided. Today, the Messiah - a descendant of David is the King of the Jews. He promised to send us a Deliverer and He sent Jesus Christ His Son. He promised to send the Holy Spirit and He did on the day of Pentecost. Jesus also promised to return and soon, He will.
Nothing happens without God’s knowledge. So I want to look at this change as coming from Him. Perhaps we are about to see the answers to the prayers we have been saying for this nation. For example, we will have disciplined pupils at school again and our nation will once again honour marriages and families just as God does.
Perhaps we are where we are today because we have thrown away basic principles such as hard work, honour and integrity which go a long way to give and maintain success. I have always been on Labour’s side but I think I am beginning to appreciate this new government. Truth is I never took time to actually find out what they stand for.
Whilst I hope and pray that the new government would move us forward, I am aware of the fact that the Leader I truly need to lean on completely is God. He’s made promises and given His word and there is no doubt that He would keep it. I also feel that at this time, it is worthwhile to remind myself of some of these promises such as:
A home for all: "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you" - John 14:2
Dominion and Power: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind whatever on earth will be bound in heaven, and you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19 | "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Mark 16:17-18
Genuine Happiness: "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, no sorrow nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Revelations 21:4
Enjoyable Life: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10
Nourishment: "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." John 6:27 "He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty" John 6:35.
Peace: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you" - John 14:27
Progress: "If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit" John 15:5b
Rest: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" - Matt11:28
Security: "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand" John 10:28
Unending Companionship: "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men and He will dwell with them and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God." Revelations 21:3
Victory over the world: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John16:33
Whatever else you want/need: "In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name" John 16:23
I believe in the new government because I believe that all things work together for good for those that love God. God loves this nation and I’m sure the new government means well. So what happens if the new government fails to bring changed? God’s promises still stand. He is steadfast, unshaken and immovable so If we stand with Him, the same will be true for us. His promises come with a “yes and amen” stamp.
Change is finally here xx
Monday 3 May 2010
Push
Happy Monday to you :-). Hope you had a lovely weekend. Mine was laid back. I missed many friends but this week is full of fun for us ;-).
You may have read or heard the story of Peter Harvey- a teacher who struck a 14yr old pupil with a 3kg dumbbell in July last year. He was in the news again last week as he was acquitted of attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent. You may read his story here.
At first I wanted to write regarding some shocking comments I had heard and read about how his behaviour was justified because the pupils pushed him to it. However I came across this statement whilst reading his story again on BBC News Website - “But in July 2009, Harvey snapped after years of taunts and abuse both inside and outside the classroom” and it all made a little more sense to me. Prior to this event, Mr Harvey “was signed off sick for nearly five months and given counselling sessions by a therapist who told him he was too peaceful and passive and needed to let his anger out”. I realised that the trouble was not that Harvey let his anger out rather he let anger build up within him over time. I believe that Mr Harvey's response was not to the pupil's mannerism toward him on the day but to "years of taunts and abuse."
Its a shame that Peter Harvey snapped and fractured this pupil’s skull in the process and I feel sad for both parties as they both have to deal with this in their own ways. However there is a principle to learn from this event. There's the saying that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Crucial as it may seem, it is not just the last step that brings you to your destination but a build up of every step taken - large and little.
A few days ago I was pondering over some unanswered prayers. The above story has encouraged me however to keep pressing on. I am encouraged not to give up. Every day is important. Every step towards the goal counts no matter how little.
To illustrate this, I want to tell another story (according to Jesus). Thinking out loud, I wonder if Jesus began some of his parables with “once upon a time”. Anyway, Once upon a time, there was a very horrid Judge who cared about nobody but himself. In his town, there was a very persistent widow who kept coming to him seeking justice against an adversary. Now this horrid Judge was unjust and uncaring however the persistent widow knew what she wanted and she was determined to ask until she got it. One day, the judge became tired of seeing the widow’s face and thought to himself, “I cannot bear to deal with this woman one more day. Unless I grant her request, she will be back tomorrow.” So horrid judge granted persistent widow justice (See Luke 18:1-8 I have told this story my own way but message still the same). The principle to glean from this story as well as the incident with Mr Harvey and the pupils is “if you are persistent enough, you will reach your goal”.
The pupils kept pushing Mr Harvey’s ‘red button’ and one day in July 2009, the button worked (I am not saying this was their goal). The only issue is that the result was not pleasant. Nonetheless, the lesson is timeless. We all have dreams, desires, and goals to attain , if we do not lose heart, we will get there. My siblings and I prayed for my mother to believe in Jesus as the bible says He is for many years (about 10years in total) and she did late last year. We still have other hurdles to cross so we are persistent, and I am sure we will get to the other side.
Jesus promised that He would return to earth some day, every day that goes by is a step closer to His return. Remain steadfast and do not tire in doing good. According to Him, if you are faithful to the end, you will wear the crown. So whatever good you find yourself doing, keep at it. Whatever you are asking for today, keep asking. Perhaps you need a particular door to open, keep knocking. One day, you will arrive at your destination. Every petition, supplication, thanksgiving and praise offered up counts. So don’t get up from your knees till you see your answer. Every decision, step, action towards your goal counts so don’t stop moving, crawl if you have to.
Never give up xx
© 2010 Arielle Ajibade
Never give up xx
© 2010 Arielle Ajibade
Saturday 1 May 2010
The danger of a single story
So easy to hold a single story about a person, place or people. Take time to get the full story x
more about "Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a s...", posted with vodpod
Friday 30 April 2010
I feel like Lazarus!
This morning I got up feeling a little like Lazarus. Lazarus was one of Jesus' friends. Some day he was unwell and his sisters sent for Jesus to heal him. Jesus then waited until Lazarus died before He even began the journey to his home. Imagine that? By the time He arrived, Lazarus was not only dead but buried and rotting. I am not unwell however there are some things I am praying for and it looks like God’s taking His time.
There are moments in our lives when we go through similar experiences like Lazarus’. We ask God to show up in our lives and it appears He’s decided to do nothing or attend to other things first. You want to stop and ask “No pressure Father but, I’m still here waiting... remember what we spoke about...?”
A parallel event happened with the Son of God when He was arrested. Jesus did not pray to be delivered, although He said that God could send help to rescue Him from those who were about to kill Him. Rather He waited until He was beaten, bruised, crucified, pierced , dead and buried. Three days later, the Son of God rose from the dead! Amazing! You see there was a purpose for His suffering. If God had rescued Jesus, we would have no Saviour today. There are some things we must pass through if we are to grow in certain ways. You do not expect muscles without resistance training. If Jesus had healed Lazarus, he would have missed out on his resurrection and God and Christ would have missed out on the glory, honour and thanksgiving that followed because men came to see what God had done - the man He raised from the dead. Therefore there is a purpose for this season. There is a my answer as well as glory, honour, praise and thanksgiving for Him.
I know He’s still teaching me to confidently trust, wait on and obey Him through this. We do not always receive immediate answers to prayers however it is not that He has not heard but that He’s working out something bigger than our request. Lazarus asked for healing, he received a resurrection! If I am patient, I will receive His answer to my request.
So what do you do if like me you are going through a ‘Lazarus experience’? Only believe. Continue to pray, trust and wait. He may not be working to your schedule but have peace in you because He loves you. God loves you. He’s working things out for your good according to His purpose. Hold on to His word- If you ask anything in my name, I will do it (John 14:14) and if you abide in me and my word abides in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you (John15:8). Keep the faith – Let him ask in faith without doubting (James 1:6).
Sometimes He takes His time (from our point of view) but He makes all things beautiful in His time.
Rest He’s on it xx
You will find Lazarus’s Story in John 11:1-44
©2010 Arielle Ajibade
There are moments in our lives when we go through similar experiences like Lazarus’. We ask God to show up in our lives and it appears He’s decided to do nothing or attend to other things first. You want to stop and ask “No pressure Father but, I’m still here waiting... remember what we spoke about...?”
A parallel event happened with the Son of God when He was arrested. Jesus did not pray to be delivered, although He said that God could send help to rescue Him from those who were about to kill Him. Rather He waited until He was beaten, bruised, crucified, pierced , dead and buried. Three days later, the Son of God rose from the dead! Amazing! You see there was a purpose for His suffering. If God had rescued Jesus, we would have no Saviour today. There are some things we must pass through if we are to grow in certain ways. You do not expect muscles without resistance training. If Jesus had healed Lazarus, he would have missed out on his resurrection and God and Christ would have missed out on the glory, honour and thanksgiving that followed because men came to see what God had done - the man He raised from the dead. Therefore there is a purpose for this season. There is a my answer as well as glory, honour, praise and thanksgiving for Him.
I know He’s still teaching me to confidently trust, wait on and obey Him through this. We do not always receive immediate answers to prayers however it is not that He has not heard but that He’s working out something bigger than our request. Lazarus asked for healing, he received a resurrection! If I am patient, I will receive His answer to my request.
So what do you do if like me you are going through a ‘Lazarus experience’? Only believe. Continue to pray, trust and wait. He may not be working to your schedule but have peace in you because He loves you. God loves you. He’s working things out for your good according to His purpose. Hold on to His word- If you ask anything in my name, I will do it (John 14:14) and if you abide in me and my word abides in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you (John15:8). Keep the faith – Let him ask in faith without doubting (James 1:6).
Sometimes He takes His time (from our point of view) but He makes all things beautiful in His time.
Rest He’s on it xx
You will find Lazarus’s Story in John 11:1-44
©2010 Arielle Ajibade
Wednesday 28 April 2010
Destination - Love x
Often times I wonder if I am obsessed with myself. I am always watching my weight, my skin, hair etc. Whenever I notice a spot or increase in weight, I am immediately concerned and do all I can to deal with it. I have to say well done to me though because I am doing much better than years ago so. We have to learn to celebrate progress no matter how little it is. A few years ago, I was so obsessed with my weight that I would measure myself with a tape every morning when I woke up just to see if I had gained weight overnight! Then I'll spend the whole day telling my sister how I have gained a centimetre around my waistline. I have since moved on from that now I stand on the weighing machine a few times a week. I am unsure if this is normal but if it isn't, it is fine -we all have a form of OCD :-).
I think its important to examine ourselves once in a while. However it should go beyond our physical bodies. I had a heart examination yesterday. Someone said that God brings trespasses our way that we may learn to trust in His love for us and to forgive others. You know there's a difference between pretending that something never happened and knowing it happened but being unaffected by the event. Healing, strength and restoration only comes when you can admit that it happened but you are looking to the future.
A Chinese proverb says you cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head but you can prevent them from building a nest in your hair. In other words, as long as I am human, I will continue to come across those who will step on my toes however its up to me to keep my heart healthy. So I found myself asking these questions: "how do I forgive" and "how do I know I have forgiven?" I found the answer in the Lord's prayer: "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us". In order words, Forgive others in the same manner that He forgave you. Or as you want Him to forgive you, forgive others!
So how did the Lord do it for me? He loved me. First He sent His Son to pay the price required for my mistakes through His death. Even whilst suffering at the hands of men, He made excuses for me by saying I did not know what I was doing. Then He sent me help (the Holy Spirit) so that I would not repeat my mistakes. And if by some chance I do fall, He's there cheering me on and encouraging me to get up and keep walking.
So I guess if I could do this for another, perhaps I can say I have forgiven. If I love them irrespective of; if I could give toward their need even when it requires sacrificing something important to me, maybe then I can say I have moved on and my hair is nest free. The best thing about God's forgiveness is that He forgives willingly. Not because He has no choice but because He wants to. Love gives the benefit of the doubt so lets make excuses for each other's failures and make the choice to move forward.
Irrespective of the magnitude of hurt that has come our way, we have all done much more to another - God that is. I know I have hurt Him in more ways than anyone has ever me. So if He can forgive my many trespasses, I should be able to let go of the few from others.
Someone may say they have been hurt very bad and its very difficult to let go. Take heart because sometimes, change may not happen overnight but if we take it one step at a time and continue to walk we may arrive at our destination...as long as we want to and do not give up. I want to.
This one's dedicated to the One who loved me and gave all for me and to my very dear ones who continually make excuses for my many failures...
I love you xx
(c) 2010 Arielle Ajibade
Monday 26 April 2010
Get your laugh on :D
Happy Monday! I had a very lovely weekend but thank God it's Monday! The beginning of the work week for many - here's another opportunity to be blessed and be a blessing. "She's a little excited isn't she?" I know! Happiness is exceedingly good food for the spirit :-).
I read a book a few years ago by Sabina Wurmbrand (co-founder of the Voice of the Martyrs). There's a portion of it that I remembered this weekend:
..How queer the human mind is. Just before dropping off, there came into my head a joke Richard had told once. A man determined that to complain was futile: he decided that he would in the future make the best of things. Just at that moment a wheel came off his cart. “Never mind” he said. “Cabs have only two wheels. I have three. I’m rich.” Then a second wheel came off. “Why worry,” he said. “A wheel barrow has only one wheel. I have two.” A third wheel came off. “Well, sleighs have no wheels at all, and they still get along,” he said. Then he lost the last wheel. “I’ve always wanted to be a sleigh driver,” he exclaimed joyfully. - Excerpt from The Pastor's Wife - a courageous testimony of persecution and imprisonment in Communist Romania.
You know sometimes, we just need to be happy irrespective of what's happening around us. There are things we go through in life that attempt to kill our joy and rob us of happiness. The past year or two has been challenging for many. Careers, homes, families and more have been lost. I recently had to make some decisions that meant starting all over again in many ways. It was a tough decision and sometimes it's still difficult but I am learning that where I am does not dictate how I feel about myself. I am blessed and a blessing!
I encourage you to face life with a smile. And when things become very difficult, get your laugh on. Why? Because there is light at the end of every tunnel and if you do not lose hope and quit moving, you will see the light. And even if things do not turn out the way you want, why add more to your loss by losing your happiness?
If you have lost your job, money, friends, remember Job. He lost everything he had but God gave him double for all his troubles. Zacharias & Elizabeth waited a very long time for a child but in their old age, they gave birth to John the Baptist who was Christ's Forerunner and according to Jesus - the greatest man that every lived before He brought us the Kingdom of God. For those hurting from relationship that has gone sour, Ruth lost her husband but God replaced him with Boaz a stronger man. This couple became the grandparents of King David. If you've made serious mistakes, there's a second chance for you; David & Bathsheba lost their first son because of a mistake they made but God replaced him with Solomon who became the next king of Israel and builder of Israel’s first and grandest temple. For the persecuted, remember John who was banished to the Island of Patmos but out of that came The Book of Revelations. And if you've lost things because of another man's mistakes, there's still hope. Think about Lotfi Raissi - he was wrongly accused over the 9/11 attacks but he recently won his battle for compensation - 9 years later. He said to BBC: "My life was destroyed. My career was destroyed... It was hell for my life the last nine years". You can read his story here.
We all have disappointments, betrayals and situations to deal with, and you may have been told not to lose your faith during tough times. I also want to encourage you - don't lose your smile. Your story ends with a laugh so why not start now. The following joke I received this recently from a friend may help you:
After getting Pope Benedict’s entire luggage loaded into the limo the driver notices the Pope is still standing on the curb. “Excuse me, Your Holiness,” says the driver, “Would you please take your seat so we can leave?” ''Well, to tell you the truth,” says the Pope, “they never let me drive at the Vatican when I was a cardinal, and I'd really like to drive today”. ''I'm sorry, Your Holiness, but I cannot let you do that. I'd lose my job! What if something happens?” protests the driver, wishing he'd never gone to work that morning. “Who’s going to tell?” says the Pope with a smile. Reluctantly, the driver gets in the back as the Pope climbs in behind the wheel. The driver quickly regrets his decision when, after exiting the airport, the Pontiff floors it, accelerating the limo to 205kph (Remember, the Pope is German). “Please slow down, Your Holiness!” pleads the worried driver, but the Pope keeps the pedal to the metal until they hear sirens. “Oh, dear God, I’m going to lose my license and my job!” moans the driver. The Pope pulls over and rolls down the window as the cop approaches, but the cop takes one look at him, goes back to his motorcycle, and gets on the radio. “I need to talk to the Chief” he says to the dispatcher. The Chief gets on the radio and the cop tells him that he’s stopped a limo going 205kph. “So bust him,” says the Chief. “I don’t think we want to do that, he’s really important,” said the cop. The Chief exclaimed, “All the more reason!” “No, I mean really important,” said the cop with a bit of persistence. The Chief then asked, “Who do you have there, the mayor?” Cop: “Bigger”. Chief: “A senator?” Cop: “Bigger”. Chief: “The Prime Minister?” Cop: “Bigger”. “Well,” said the Chief, “who is it?” Cop: “I think it’s God!” The Chief is even more puzzled and curious, “What makes you think it’s God?” Cop: “His chauffeur is the Pope!”
So whatever life throws at you this week, count it all joy. Keep the light on. Retain your smile. Remain steadfast in your faith. Don’t lose your hope.
Get your laugh on xx
© 2010 Arielle Ajibade
I read a book a few years ago by Sabina Wurmbrand (co-founder of the Voice of the Martyrs). There's a portion of it that I remembered this weekend:
..How queer the human mind is. Just before dropping off, there came into my head a joke Richard had told once. A man determined that to complain was futile: he decided that he would in the future make the best of things. Just at that moment a wheel came off his cart. “Never mind” he said. “Cabs have only two wheels. I have three. I’m rich.” Then a second wheel came off. “Why worry,” he said. “A wheel barrow has only one wheel. I have two.” A third wheel came off. “Well, sleighs have no wheels at all, and they still get along,” he said. Then he lost the last wheel. “I’ve always wanted to be a sleigh driver,” he exclaimed joyfully. - Excerpt from The Pastor's Wife - a courageous testimony of persecution and imprisonment in Communist Romania.
You know sometimes, we just need to be happy irrespective of what's happening around us. There are things we go through in life that attempt to kill our joy and rob us of happiness. The past year or two has been challenging for many. Careers, homes, families and more have been lost. I recently had to make some decisions that meant starting all over again in many ways. It was a tough decision and sometimes it's still difficult but I am learning that where I am does not dictate how I feel about myself. I am blessed and a blessing!
I encourage you to face life with a smile. And when things become very difficult, get your laugh on. Why? Because there is light at the end of every tunnel and if you do not lose hope and quit moving, you will see the light. And even if things do not turn out the way you want, why add more to your loss by losing your happiness?
If you have lost your job, money, friends, remember Job. He lost everything he had but God gave him double for all his troubles. Zacharias & Elizabeth waited a very long time for a child but in their old age, they gave birth to John the Baptist who was Christ's Forerunner and according to Jesus - the greatest man that every lived before He brought us the Kingdom of God. For those hurting from relationship that has gone sour, Ruth lost her husband but God replaced him with Boaz a stronger man. This couple became the grandparents of King David. If you've made serious mistakes, there's a second chance for you; David & Bathsheba lost their first son because of a mistake they made but God replaced him with Solomon who became the next king of Israel and builder of Israel’s first and grandest temple. For the persecuted, remember John who was banished to the Island of Patmos but out of that came The Book of Revelations. And if you've lost things because of another man's mistakes, there's still hope. Think about Lotfi Raissi - he was wrongly accused over the 9/11 attacks but he recently won his battle for compensation - 9 years later. He said to BBC: "My life was destroyed. My career was destroyed... It was hell for my life the last nine years". You can read his story here.
We all have disappointments, betrayals and situations to deal with, and you may have been told not to lose your faith during tough times. I also want to encourage you - don't lose your smile. Your story ends with a laugh so why not start now. The following joke I received this recently from a friend may help you:
After getting Pope Benedict’s entire luggage loaded into the limo the driver notices the Pope is still standing on the curb. “Excuse me, Your Holiness,” says the driver, “Would you please take your seat so we can leave?” ''Well, to tell you the truth,” says the Pope, “they never let me drive at the Vatican when I was a cardinal, and I'd really like to drive today”. ''I'm sorry, Your Holiness, but I cannot let you do that. I'd lose my job! What if something happens?” protests the driver, wishing he'd never gone to work that morning. “Who’s going to tell?” says the Pope with a smile. Reluctantly, the driver gets in the back as the Pope climbs in behind the wheel. The driver quickly regrets his decision when, after exiting the airport, the Pontiff floors it, accelerating the limo to 205kph (Remember, the Pope is German). “Please slow down, Your Holiness!” pleads the worried driver, but the Pope keeps the pedal to the metal until they hear sirens. “Oh, dear God, I’m going to lose my license and my job!” moans the driver. The Pope pulls over and rolls down the window as the cop approaches, but the cop takes one look at him, goes back to his motorcycle, and gets on the radio. “I need to talk to the Chief” he says to the dispatcher. The Chief gets on the radio and the cop tells him that he’s stopped a limo going 205kph. “So bust him,” says the Chief. “I don’t think we want to do that, he’s really important,” said the cop. The Chief exclaimed, “All the more reason!” “No, I mean really important,” said the cop with a bit of persistence. The Chief then asked, “Who do you have there, the mayor?” Cop: “Bigger”. Chief: “A senator?” Cop: “Bigger”. Chief: “The Prime Minister?” Cop: “Bigger”. “Well,” said the Chief, “who is it?” Cop: “I think it’s God!” The Chief is even more puzzled and curious, “What makes you think it’s God?” Cop: “His chauffeur is the Pope!”
So whatever life throws at you this week, count it all joy. Keep the light on. Retain your smile. Remain steadfast in your faith. Don’t lose your hope.
Get your laugh on xx
© 2010 Arielle Ajibade
Thursday 22 April 2010
Who is DAGRIN?
I didn’t know who he was until “RIP DAGRIN” appeared all over facebook today and this inspired this post. Dagrin is a young Nigerian rapper who recently made it to limelight. There had been speculations about whether he was still alive or dead. According to allafrica.com, rapper Da Grin survived a terrible accident involving a truck on Wednesday, which left him unconscious. He was hospitalised and operated upon at a Lagos hospital however today, he was confirmed dead following surgery by Gidi Noize. His official facebook page is full of messages from fans who are clearly sad and shocked over his death. “Life’s so short” one said. A comment by a fan also read “he just started making money”. My sincere condolences goes to his family, friends and fans.
This life indeed is short (compared to the one to come) and sometimes, we need events like this to remind us that time respects no man. My brother made a statement today that touched me: “Time is what we have now, when time ends, eternity will begin”. For those that do not believe in life after death, well you need not worry about the rest of what I’m about to say but if you believe “the meek shall inherit the earth”, you are really blessed because like me we have hope that goes beyond this short life.
Wednesday 21 April 2010
If you hate the fruit, cut the tree down
Lord of mercy! This was how I felt after a conversation i held with two people today. One of those conversations that start and then a few minutes later you wish you had walked out of the room before it began. Man must now even be discerning enough to know when something is about to happen...lol. Anyway, somewhere along the conversation, I had to keep quiet as I realised we were not going to agree. Although I cannot write the details of the conversation it made me wonder on some things. Sometimes we encounter some attitudes, habits and opinions that make you want to scream. Sometimes, we even observe some in ourselves that make us cringe. Those things that make you ask "why are you saying, behaving or acting like this?!" I think even Jesus encountered some of our funny thought pattern. You may have heard Him ask his disciples questions like "where is your faith?" or "do you still not understand?" and "how could you not know I was not talking about bread!" lol and to Peter "get behind me Satan!"
I have often found myself trying to correct some of my bad habits or to try to help others see that a behaviour is not appropriate however today, a phrase that rocked my thinking a few years ago popped right back in my head "if you hate the fruit, cut the tree down." You cannot get rid of a bad habit by dealing with that habit. You need to go to the root of it. Every wrong thinking is attached to a wrong belief. Renew your mind says Romans 12:2.
Many of the things we deal with in our daily lives are the result of a wrong belief system. Our thoughts are like trees growing in our minds, and given the right conditions, they would bear fruit – in our decisions and attitudes to people and to life. If a tree is bad, the fruit will be bad. The problem is not the fruit but the tree. Many times, we want to deal with the fruits by plucking them off the tree but we forget that someday, given the right conditions and in the right season the tree will blossom again and those fruits will come out. Have you ever wondered why we are asked to crucify the flesh? There is no cure for the flesh, it has to be killed. Unless you pull a tree down, it will bear fruit every year. Now imagine how annoying that would be lol.
My conclusion after my discussion? The word of God is my plumb line.
Make a tree bad and the fruit will be bad, make a tree good and you will enjoy the lovely fruit or the drink from it. So if you hate the fruit, pull the tree down.
...Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God - Romans 12:2
I have often found myself trying to correct some of my bad habits or to try to help others see that a behaviour is not appropriate however today, a phrase that rocked my thinking a few years ago popped right back in my head "if you hate the fruit, cut the tree down." You cannot get rid of a bad habit by dealing with that habit. You need to go to the root of it. Every wrong thinking is attached to a wrong belief. Renew your mind says Romans 12:2.
Many of the things we deal with in our daily lives are the result of a wrong belief system. Our thoughts are like trees growing in our minds, and given the right conditions, they would bear fruit – in our decisions and attitudes to people and to life. If a tree is bad, the fruit will be bad. The problem is not the fruit but the tree. Many times, we want to deal with the fruits by plucking them off the tree but we forget that someday, given the right conditions and in the right season the tree will blossom again and those fruits will come out. Have you ever wondered why we are asked to crucify the flesh? There is no cure for the flesh, it has to be killed. Unless you pull a tree down, it will bear fruit every year. Now imagine how annoying that would be lol.
My conclusion after my discussion? The word of God is my plumb line.
Make a tree bad and the fruit will be bad, make a tree good and you will enjoy the lovely fruit or the drink from it. So if you hate the fruit, pull the tree down.
...Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God - Romans 12:2
Tuesday 20 April 2010
O What A Friend I have In You
Today I woke up with this song by Israel and New Breed "You've been a friend". I have woken up with this song a few times in the last couple of weeks or so. Each time, I've found myself wondering on my friendship with Jesus. How He's kept me and been faithful. I have been part of those that danced to the song "what a friend we have in Jesus". I thought about how often I praise Him for being The Constant in my life. Always there, always faithful, a Rock I can lean on at all times, forever catching me when I fall. You know the One who remains when everyone else runs away. The friend that we all long to be and to have. Today was different this song meant different to me and I think I finally got the message! Is it not funny how we often misinterpret the message. We are who Christ is to us to someone else. And today He was talking to me!
Ok, so what brought on this epiphany? Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with my 'bible buddy' :-).We've been studying Mark and BB shared a message that really touched my heart. BB spoke about the paralytic - healed by Jesus because of four men who were determined at all cost to get him his healing. These men defied the crowd and someone else's roof (lol) just to let the paralytic through.
Where am I going with this? I have always thought of myself as a faithful person. One who sticks by a friend at all times. However, today, I was reminded of a friendship that had recently gone sour. I felt I had done all I could to keep things flowing and I was no longer willing to make excuses for my friend or go that extra mile to fix things. I felt let down again and I was not going to budge one more time...but today, that changed. When will Jesus give up on me? Never. When will He say to me "Arielle, I have had enough of your mess" -erm, never. When will He turn around and say "You hurt me so much Arielle and I cannot bring myself to love you again like I used to. You know, we can't be friends like that again". Erm that's a tough one I think...no it isnt. Never. So I ask myself, why give up on my friend?Is it ok to change my mind about a friendship and say I can go no further?
Jesus says as I have loved you, love yourselves. If He shows grace, I ought to extend the same to my friend. This brings me to the story of Peter's denial of Jesus. Peter denied that Jesus was his friend when he was arrested. I want to believe the Peter was afraid. We all do things for varying reasons, even those things we do not mean. I have been a peter at one point or the other to a friend or someone I dearly love. Sometimes, those that love us let us down and sometimes we let our loved ones down. I believe what is key is to look forward. I have made mistakes but what matters more is the desire to correct those things. I have felt let down by some friends but I believe they did not mean to hurt me. I believe my focus should be on where we are going and not on what has not been. And although some walls are more difficult to mend than others, what matters is that we try. If at first you don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again :-)
I want to be like these men who did everything possible to get the paralytic to Jesus. I want to give my all to relationships so that in the end perhaps a friend will turn to me and say "O what a friend I have in you". Jesus did the same for me and its my delight to extend this to my friends too.
I am committed to you xx
Ok, so what brought on this epiphany? Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with my 'bible buddy' :-).We've been studying Mark and BB shared a message that really touched my heart. BB spoke about the paralytic - healed by Jesus because of four men who were determined at all cost to get him his healing. These men defied the crowd and someone else's roof (lol) just to let the paralytic through.
Where am I going with this? I have always thought of myself as a faithful person. One who sticks by a friend at all times. However, today, I was reminded of a friendship that had recently gone sour. I felt I had done all I could to keep things flowing and I was no longer willing to make excuses for my friend or go that extra mile to fix things. I felt let down again and I was not going to budge one more time...but today, that changed. When will Jesus give up on me? Never. When will He say to me "Arielle, I have had enough of your mess" -erm, never. When will He turn around and say "You hurt me so much Arielle and I cannot bring myself to love you again like I used to. You know, we can't be friends like that again". Erm that's a tough one I think...no it isnt. Never. So I ask myself, why give up on my friend?Is it ok to change my mind about a friendship and say I can go no further?
Jesus says as I have loved you, love yourselves. If He shows grace, I ought to extend the same to my friend. This brings me to the story of Peter's denial of Jesus. Peter denied that Jesus was his friend when he was arrested. I want to believe the Peter was afraid. We all do things for varying reasons, even those things we do not mean. I have been a peter at one point or the other to a friend or someone I dearly love. Sometimes, those that love us let us down and sometimes we let our loved ones down. I believe what is key is to look forward. I have made mistakes but what matters more is the desire to correct those things. I have felt let down by some friends but I believe they did not mean to hurt me. I believe my focus should be on where we are going and not on what has not been. And although some walls are more difficult to mend than others, what matters is that we try. If at first you don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again :-)
I want to be like these men who did everything possible to get the paralytic to Jesus. I want to give my all to relationships so that in the end perhaps a friend will turn to me and say "O what a friend I have in you". Jesus did the same for me and its my delight to extend this to my friends too.
I am committed to you xx
Monday 19 April 2010
This is my first ever blog :)
This is my first ever blog. I don't have much to do or say today. I had a thot today that motivated me to start a blog. Its the easiest way to share treasured thots :-)
Names...For some people, a name means a lot. It carries meaning and reinforces a message. Often times I think and try to understand and appreciate God by thinking of His names. Today I thought that sometimes, I need to remind myself my own name(s).
What brought about this? I sat in the kitchen observing Olivia - a potted plant that I had neglected for a while. She was dying. Whilst looking, my uncle walks in and asks me if I was ok. I said yes. He then says "You are doing all you can, leave the rest for God". I wondered why he said this because I was thinking of recent events in my life. Anyway, I decided to re-pot Olivia. The sun was out and I thot she needed a new home and lots of sunshine. As I took care of Olivia, it reminded me of God - the Vine-dresser. How He looks after us just like I'm caring for Olivia (but He does a much better job lol). Sometimes, when a place becomes too small for us, He takes us to a bigger place (higher grounds and enlarged territory I call it). Olivia has a bigger home now - more room for growth and a lot of sunshine :-). As I went about my mini-gardening lol, the thot came to me. Sometimes you need to remember your own name Arielle. Arielle (Lion of God). I am Victorious through God. God fights our battles and when He's on it, Victory is certain. Uncle's comment then made more sense to me. I tend to worry about almost everything...right now I'm wondering if this would make sense to another reader. I guess my focus should be on finished result. God's at work in our lives and though we may not know or understand what He is doing, one thing is certain - victory is sure. Where ever I am in life, there is a name for it in Christ.
I am not limited to the name most people call me (Arielle that is). God has a few more: Righteous! Saint! Priest! King! Redeemed! Washed! Sanctified! Lifted! On Top! The Head! Ahead! Blessed! Highly favoured! Loved! Healed! Changed into His likeness! I think reminding myself of these names help me keep the faith. It also keeps me in the light.... Ransomed! Granted Access! Lifted! Beloved :-)
I am Arielle xx
Names...For some people, a name means a lot. It carries meaning and reinforces a message. Often times I think and try to understand and appreciate God by thinking of His names. Today I thought that sometimes, I need to remind myself my own name(s).
What brought about this? I sat in the kitchen observing Olivia - a potted plant that I had neglected for a while. She was dying. Whilst looking, my uncle walks in and asks me if I was ok. I said yes. He then says "You are doing all you can, leave the rest for God". I wondered why he said this because I was thinking of recent events in my life. Anyway, I decided to re-pot Olivia. The sun was out and I thot she needed a new home and lots of sunshine. As I took care of Olivia, it reminded me of God - the Vine-dresser. How He looks after us just like I'm caring for Olivia (but He does a much better job lol). Sometimes, when a place becomes too small for us, He takes us to a bigger place (higher grounds and enlarged territory I call it). Olivia has a bigger home now - more room for growth and a lot of sunshine :-). As I went about my mini-gardening lol, the thot came to me. Sometimes you need to remember your own name Arielle. Arielle (Lion of God). I am Victorious through God. God fights our battles and when He's on it, Victory is certain. Uncle's comment then made more sense to me. I tend to worry about almost everything...right now I'm wondering if this would make sense to another reader. I guess my focus should be on finished result. God's at work in our lives and though we may not know or understand what He is doing, one thing is certain - victory is sure. Where ever I am in life, there is a name for it in Christ.
I am not limited to the name most people call me (Arielle that is). God has a few more: Righteous! Saint! Priest! King! Redeemed! Washed! Sanctified! Lifted! On Top! The Head! Ahead! Blessed! Highly favoured! Loved! Healed! Changed into His likeness! I think reminding myself of these names help me keep the faith. It also keeps me in the light.... Ransomed! Granted Access! Lifted! Beloved :-)
I am Arielle xx
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