The Art of BEing
Nov 9, 2020
BE silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for Him / Psalms 37:7a/
I always despised small talk. The awkward aroma that fills the space between two people who have no idea what they want to say to each other. The long stretched out words, the hmms and haaas that lead to empty conversation down an aimless path which becomes more cringeworthy when you later find out that you have to pay on a first date. If you know me I am always talking, silence is definitely a foreign language to me.
A few weeks ago I gave in my two weeks at work. I was working almost 12 hour days from home with a teething baby—can you imagine stopping every five minutes to coddle and rock a one year old while having to answer to urgent emails that require long strenuous tasks to complete. The pressure of meeting extremely tight deadlines and hearing Little Baby Bum play in the background had your girl burnt out.
So I decided to step away and focus on other things. However, all that glitters isn't always gold. With more time on my hands, it gave me more moments to think, worry and wonder what God was doing in the new season of my life. It hadn't been two weeks yet and most of my prayers had become cloudy mantras of "God whats next?" Every penned out journal entry was noted" God please open a new door for me". My heart was starting to despise the decision and slowly it was becoming a stench in my mind that refused to leave.
Nevertheless, talking to my counsellor about how I was feeling put things into perspective. Her brown eyes dissected every word that came out my mouth. She listened attentively, jotted everything down nodded when she needed to and interjected to ask more questions to understand the flow of my thoughts. My words travelled faster than my mind could process as I started to speak with anxiety. She continued to listen wrote more things down and waited until I was completely done. Her lips moved slowly and the words that flowed from her was like honey to my soul. Nana, she paused and then smiled, "have you thought about what you can BE for God in this season instead of what you can DO for Him". BE for God?, I responded. Yes it's seems like you are really focused on doing a lot for God which isn't a bad thing but what if God is drawing your heart to BE still?
Immediately after she said that I was reminded of the scripture I came across two nights ago that said, BE silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for Him / Psalms 37:7a/. In that moment, it became clear to me that God had provided me with the manna for the day and not the blueprint.
We live in a world where if we aren't doing anything or showing it off on social media we become insecure about our process but sometimes God is drawing us to his throne to BE still so that we can know His heart more and so that He can show us more of our hearts. If you are like me I want the whole picture so that I can connect the dots and move forward quickly.
However,
Being silent requires a different kind of discipline. It requires you to depend on God completely even when you are uncertain of what He is doing.
I believe that in the stillness God will reveal to us in the clarity we need even if it's just rough sketches of the masterpiece He is working out for our good.
So if you are feeling bogged down by the cares of the world,
BE STILL
BE SILENT
and ask God what you can BE for Him in this season.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” /Psalms 46:10/
For the sake of love,
Nana Otu
To our baby, God loves you more than we do!
Feb 27, 2019
Imagine turning on your tv and the headline reads" mother sacrifices her baby for disruptive neighbour." Anyone watching the news and reading this headline would be utterly disgusted and upset. The thought of a mother killing her child for anyone is ludicrous. But God in His love did that by sending His son for sinful people. A love in action displayed with no boundaries.
It started with a week of gas, gas, gas and more gas. It was in the midst of committing myself to keeping active and healthy. So the random spurs of bloating and sudden headaches were all new to me.
TMI I know!
A few weeks later when we finally found out you would grace our lives we were so ecstatic, I could not help but think about the goodness of God. I could not wrap my head around how or why an all knowing God would see us fit to be parents.
Slowly the joy of you being mine dwindled into fear. For the first few months all I could think about was your little precious life getting through the pivotal moments of development. So as I clung to my fears so tightly, God reminded me of His precious words so gracefully.
I remember one night laying in bed and the words of Psalms 23 dropped in my spirit. I turned to my night stand in the dead of the night to find my bible and there in the mist of my anxiety displayed the beautiful words I could no longer shake off–– and it read " The Lord is my Shepherd: I shall not want" | Psalms 23:1|. I looked over to see if your dad was somehow awakened by the shuffling through the pages of scripture, however, he was sound a sleep.
The words stood out so uniquely from the pages and as I allowed my heart to meditate on it more and more it became clear that the sign of a good Shepherd is to tend to the needs of his sheep. Whatever his sheep needs he makes sure he provides for them. In addition, he cares and protects his sheep–– keeping a watchful eye on all of them. The metaphor also applies the same way when it comes to the character of God. His love and care and pursuit for us is one that is matchless.
From the very beginning God was intentional about His hands on creation especially with humans beings. He makes it very clear that human existence is reflection of who He is, " So God created man in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female| Genesis1:27|.
So to our sweet baby God made no mistakes when He brought you forth and placed you in my womb, while you are being knitted carefully each month; God knew your name and even the number of hairs on your head (whether it be too many or none at all lol). Your days were written in His books even before you existed | ref. Psalm 139:16|. You are made with intentionality and purpose. You have a purpose and God has a plan for your life. I want you to never forget that because without a shadow of doubt there is nothing truer than these words.
Nevertheless, His ultimate plan is to save you from your sins, sadly, your dad and I do not have the capacity to do that. Although, we love you dearly God loves you more, He fashioned you in the secret place, and He set a path for you that no in this world can snatch away. Like a good Father He pursues you with a relentless love. Our love for you is solely based on human capabilities, yet God doesn't stop chasing after you, even in your mess. He sees you as precious, valuable and worth the sacrifice; like a good Shepherd.
The Gospel is so simple and sweet, however, it displays a message that turns heads and causes people to think. The mother on the news headline who would have many people talking about her heinous crime, is a reflection of what God did through His Son for us.
So if you ever start to doubt our love for you in any way because of our limited capabilities here on earth, remember God loves you and He displays that by giving you Jesus Christ.
- Your mother
" Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and looses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it ? And when he finds it, he joyfully put it's on his shoulder and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, ' Rejoice with me I have found my lost sheep.' | Luke 15:4-6|
For the sake of love,
N
---
To Our Baby,
It started with a week of gas, gas, gas and more gas. It was in the midst of committing myself to keeping active and healthy. So the random spurs of bloating and sudden headaches were all new to me.
TMI I know!
A few weeks later when we finally found out you would grace our lives we were so ecstatic, I could not help but think about the goodness of God. I could not wrap my head around how or why an all knowing God would see us fit to be parents.
Slowly the joy of you being mine dwindled into fear. For the first few months all I could think about was your little precious life getting through the pivotal moments of development. So as I clung to my fears so tightly, God reminded me of His precious words so gracefully.
I remember one night laying in bed and the words of Psalms 23 dropped in my spirit. I turned to my night stand in the dead of the night to find my bible and there in the mist of my anxiety displayed the beautiful words I could no longer shake off–– and it read " The Lord is my Shepherd: I shall not want" | Psalms 23:1|. I looked over to see if your dad was somehow awakened by the shuffling through the pages of scripture, however, he was sound a sleep.
The words stood out so uniquely from the pages and as I allowed my heart to meditate on it more and more it became clear that the sign of a good Shepherd is to tend to the needs of his sheep. Whatever his sheep needs he makes sure he provides for them. In addition, he cares and protects his sheep–– keeping a watchful eye on all of them. The metaphor also applies the same way when it comes to the character of God. His love and care and pursuit for us is one that is matchless.
From the very beginning God was intentional about His hands on creation especially with humans beings. He makes it very clear that human existence is reflection of who He is, " So God created man in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female| Genesis1:27|.
So to our sweet baby God made no mistakes when He brought you forth and placed you in my womb, while you are being knitted carefully each month; God knew your name and even the number of hairs on your head (whether it be too many or none at all lol). Your days were written in His books even before you existed | ref. Psalm 139:16|. You are made with intentionality and purpose. You have a purpose and God has a plan for your life. I want you to never forget that because without a shadow of doubt there is nothing truer than these words.
Nevertheless, His ultimate plan is to save you from your sins, sadly, your dad and I do not have the capacity to do that. Although, we love you dearly God loves you more, He fashioned you in the secret place, and He set a path for you that no in this world can snatch away. Like a good Father He pursues you with a relentless love. Our love for you is solely based on human capabilities, yet God doesn't stop chasing after you, even in your mess. He sees you as precious, valuable and worth the sacrifice; like a good Shepherd.
The Gospel is so simple and sweet, however, it displays a message that turns heads and causes people to think. The mother on the news headline who would have many people talking about her heinous crime, is a reflection of what God did through His Son for us.
So if you ever start to doubt our love for you in any way because of our limited capabilities here on earth, remember God loves you and He displays that by giving you Jesus Christ.
- Your mother
" Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and looses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it ? And when he finds it, he joyfully put it's on his shoulder and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, ' Rejoice with me I have found my lost sheep.' | Luke 15:4-6|
For the sake of love,
N
Oh Marriage Where Is Your Sting ?
Sep 4, 2018
I remember moments where my back was against a wall pleading for freedom as my little body hid in the bathroom stall and ate my lunch. Their voices were clanging through the vibration of my eardrums ready to tear every bit of me into shreds. Tears recklessly filled the circumference of my eyes. The trauma infused at the moment was enough to mimic what was occurring within the confines of my environment at home. We lived in a two bedroom apartment, so noise traveled faster than the speed of light. And at a tender age my heart encoded details of conflict, verbatim.
It was all around me—the neighbourhood epidemic, the bullying at school. I saw it first hand, where men would speak to women disrespectfully and think it was okay, and where women would charge back; a defence mechanism to protect themselves. I walked by it carelessly everyday after school, each day was a different face but the same story replicated. My eyes wandered from a distance trying to eavesdrop, while at the same time looking like I was minding my own business. I could see myself in them. Their pretty brown faces, the big bamboo hoop earrings, and the glossy lip gloss they smacked on their lips that you could spot from a mile away.
Their voices choked up and so did my silence. I thought to myself, if I could one day have the confidence to stand up for myself I would be just like them. I couldn't tell if my hidden ideals were just another deja vu moment or if my mind was just mimicking characters out of the movie Baby Boy. Regardless, I coveted what they had, "strength". Strength to stand up for themselves and not back down. I learned it piece by piece and made it a remedy to my own love song.
It wasn't a story I boldly spoke about, the kids at school were mean. I wanted to fit in so I accepted their inconsistent behaviours; it wasn't their fault. Whatever they were experiencing behind closed doors was enough to allow the trauma to take form and trickle down to them isolating me, which led to me eating my lunch in the bathroom stalls.
At night, while I laid in slumber, within the isolated cracks it would start. From them were words that were sharper than a double edged sword. Words that cut and stitched deep. Taking my covers I would mask the violent roars from their calloused mouths. I was there—present—with every fast slur that they came at each other with. Who knew that those tumultuous moments were carving my soul bare as witness to my future. The image of my parents arguing was subconsciously formulating the same rhythm of conflict I had seen outside the house.
So here I was...
Years later standing in the kitchen with my husband. Mapping out the same equations that tattooed deeply inside from my childhood.
Churns of minute silence, my heart beat recklessly out my chest. It started with something so small that escalated really quickly— it was like rapid fire. My husbands’ words angered me, every verb, and vowel that came out of his mouth. He didn't say much, but his vague silence made my thoughts combust into agitation. His pupils dilated past me, his body became resistant to my call, as if I was just a mannequin posted up in a window.
I thought about all the things I could do, punch a whole in a wall? Slam the doors again like I did in the last few arguments. The impression of my childhood was replaying through my anger. But what I was displaying in his presence was the puzzle pieces I matched up as truth from an unspoken past. My inability to use my words lacked the power to carefully express my frustration. Although strong on the outside, my raging anger was a clear indicator that openly depicted a woman who was working out her trauma from her experience as a child.
So now the sting of conflict was making its mark clearly in my marriage.
Our actions were un-loving. Sometimes it felt like we were in a ring of fire. It felt like we were defeated by our own sins. Our differences spewed out, yet as grace lingered in our midst, our hands only gripped onto the lies. Our fierce passion of love towards each other in seconds had turned to bitter remarks of uncertainty. The idea of relationship was tainted by our world view and not always assimilated in God's truth. Where he lacked understanding, I lacked the patience to help him understand. So I used my words to charge at him and beat down his ego, which resulted in him shutting me out.
The cycle was repeating itself...
Marriage where was your sweet sting? Where was your loving reminder that love is not defined by the mishaps of trauma that we both have encoded in different forms. The flaws that have been birthed in us from the beginning by the mark of sin. Why was it so easy for us to easily forget God's graceful words?
" Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." | 1 Corinthians 13:4-7|
Love sometimes seems powerless in the midst of chaos. I learned it's a journey and the path won't always be smooth. There will be a few bumps. However, with God's gracious hand dipped inside our lives we will make it through. My confidence doesn't lie in my ability to speak un-loving words towards my husband or to anybody. My confidence is in Christ and that reassures me that in the high's and low's He's working it out beautifully for our good.
"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." |Proverbs 15: 1|
for the sake of love,
-N
Who Am I Becoming ?
Feb 9, 2018
To the newly christian married woman, if you are anything like me. You’re probably trying to figure it out all over again. You spent your single days waiting. Waiting on the man God had for you, while at the same time waiting on the Lord. Those days, often seemed dragged out. The idols of your heart were plenty. However, those days also taught you that God’s best was not in the man you fantasized about (tall, dark , handsome, blonde hair, blue eyes) I think you get my gist. Nevertheless, his best was in fact Himself. So where do you stand now? How do you cope with the changes? Will anyone really understand you? Will they understand the woman who wrestles her own reflection?
In the bliss of your union you knew in your heart that more than ever you wanted to marry the love your life. But, I’m sure you didn’t realize that it would come with you relearning yourself again in this season. I’m sure some days are lonely, not because no one gets it, but because there’s pressure to hold your household together and to hold yourself together too. The battle between self realization and reality is one which you stand in between the gaps trying to stitch up your flaws in place of God. Should I question God’s hand? I mean wouldn’t it be blasphemy? I would probably have bunch of people waving their fists at me. Cursing me back to dust because of my temporary radical rebellion.
My thoughts are in a bit of a mumbo jumbo. The more things that happen in my life the harder it is to grab hold of who I am. So much has happened and although my life simultaneously bleeds out life’s joy. I’ve been struggling in my womanhood. I want to do more, and create more. The more I draw near towards the gap, the farther away I am from myself. The things I love to do don’t excite me. I’m more focused on the chaos of making my house a home. Whipping up the best vegetarian meals for husband, while trying to find new methods of self care. Being a good friend. Finding passion in my creativity and sneaking in cuddles with my hard working husband on daily basis. Yet, nothing rattles my heart more than trying to understand who I am now. Has my identity changed? Am I more of woman now that I have a husband? Or can I be self reliant and still be married to a man who we swore before family friends we would depend on each other? How do I embrace this union and still keep my identity. The hiccups of life has my thoughts wrapped up in fear. Is my womanhood being tested? Or should I sit in silence and take life's blows to the head? See I don’t want to conform to categories, could it be that I’m being defiant? Or is God transitioning me into a period of discomfort that will lead me to become fully dependent on Him?
My life has changed drastically and praise God for it, but the fears that attaches itself to my blessings are from past traumas of things not working out. Needless to say, between all the long winded thoughts, the dragged out process of writing a book and becoming a wife the voice inside still trembles to hold on. I feel like I’m stuck in between. My lukewarm heart shatters to press towards the cold truth, God’s reaffirming word. How can I be a voice to the lost when I myself feel lost sometimes?
Yet, these things are nothing new to God. He watches me. Gives me the breath to breathe. He holds my life in His hands and when I feel like my life is thinning out, or my reality is becoming slowly blurred by my anxious heart. This I know, Your eyes say my unformed substance; in your books were written, everyone or them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. | Psalms 139:16|
These days are exactly where God wants me. In midst of the fog. He steers clear my heart towards his holy throne. These are the days where drawing closer to God is more than necessary. These are the days where I don’t have to hide or mask who I am. That behind this body is a woman of strength, grace and resilience.
I’m sure future milestones may come with its perils or there may be seasons where I might find myself once again questioning my abilities. But in the light of it all, I plead with you and say, “hey newly christian married women it’s going to be okay, in actuality you are growing and learning and becoming what you already are”. Relax the pen is in God’s hands.
Sincerely the woman becoming!
UPDATE!!!!!! So much has happened in my life since the last time I wrote a blog post. If you are following me on any of my social media platforms then you'd probably know that I'm releasing my first book!!!!!!!. It has been a challenging yet rewarding experience and I'm so excited for you guys to read the book. The release date is looking like OCTOBER 2018 so keep an eye out because I will be sharing more with you about the book.
- N
Well....Are YouThirsty?
Jul 26, 2017
I'm convinced that nothing propelled my heart like the day I met the man who aired out all my dirty laundry. He looked like he had just traveled a long distance. Our interaction was brief, however the words from his lips flowed like sweet honey. He was tender yet assertive, immediately when I saw him I knew he was an outsider. I was a bit hesitant to approach Him. I didn't want anyone to think I was creeping around the corners with another man. So I approached Him with caution, He turned and looked at me instantly, and said "Give Me a Drink" | John 4:7|, I was quite confused because He came to the well with nothing to draw the water with. It seemed strange to me while oddly at the same time it stroked my curiosity. He spoke in parables and in the gist of our conversation He said," If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." | John 4:10|"
"Living water, where do I get that from?"
He went on about how the living water would never make me thirst again. I couldn't lie, I just stood there eager to know exactly what He meant by that. An endless supply of water ? That didn't sound too bad.
My husband ? I thought to myself , what did that have to do with water ?
His words started to cut me deeper than I expected, and it suddenly got me thinking about my life.
Truth is:
I only came out during specific hours of the day where I wouldn’t have to encounter those who knew my dirty little secrets. I battled things I feared to confront so I pretended to be fine with my current circumstances, when in reality I was slowly dying inside. I carried bags of dried bones that lugged behind me. In hopes that one day I would encounter a heavy wind that would rattled the bones back to life. It was evident to all, that the weight of the bagged bones were too heavy for me to bear. The proof was that the rope like fibers bruised my back and left deep scars.
The heavy load steered my heart into a violent panic. Where I would be in different stages of grief while--calculating all my major insecurities at the same time. I would hear the people talking, the words from their lips were ice cold, building up my shame. I was mocked and manipulated to believe that my worth was frail and lifeless.
Yes it was true I had FIVE husbands, and I was living with a man now who also not matrimonially committed to me. I had DEMONS, which led me into the arms of men who had betrayed me. The hurt and disrespect from their actions crippled me, so when things got hard I found myself laying up under someone else or running to find myself comfort in other ways. It had become apparent that my sins were leaving footprints all over town and everyone somehow knew my business.
In awe I thought to myself, could this man be a prophet? How did he know about all my husbands.
Yes it was true I had FIVE husbands, and I was living with a man now who also not matrimonially committed to me. I had DEMONS, which led me into the arms of men who had betrayed me. The hurt and disrespect from their actions crippled me, so when things got hard I found myself laying up under someone else or running to find myself comfort in other ways. It had become apparent that my sins were leaving footprints all over town and everyone somehow knew my business.
This resulted in me planning my days out. I couldn’t confidently face the truth. I was convinced that I had developed a bit of anxiety just being around people. Their taunting presence gave me the ability to clearly hear the abnormal rhythm of my heart beat. It was calloused and wrapped in flesh with an appetite for unhealthy affection. The chambers were stained with imprints of dirt which were not easy to clean off, because it had built up residue from the ashes I was made of. The signs of my struggles were evident, it broke out like an epidemic flowing through my blood streams latching onto every vulnerable part of me. It fed me and fattened me up with temporary pride, however at the same time sucking all the energy out of me-- leaving me empty and misused.
" I have no husband", I responded silently.
" You are right!, You don't have a husband-- for you have had five husbands, and you aren't even married to the man you are living with now." | John 4:17-18|
In awe I thought to myself, could this man be a prophet? How did he know about all my husbands.
I was ashamed of the things I had done. I couldn't find the courage to look Him in the eye, I had lost my identity in the face of adversity in parched places. However, His words sprang like a well inside me. The chaos in my life was silenced by his presence, I barely knew anything about this Man but in our short interaction he knew everything about me. My darkness was brought to light and everything concealed was revealed in Him. He offered what no one could give me; a heart that could worship God in truth and never thirst again. Furthermore, in spite of my heavy past he drew me out of the well when I was thirsty for other things.
for the sake of love,
This Samaritan women had been searching for something. However, after five husband she still couldn't find what she was looking for. So what did she do? She looked again and still ended up in the same situation. I grew up with a lot of insecurities as a child which taunted me and destroyed my self esteem. I numbed my pain with temporary satisfactions. So I ran into the arms of others who I thought could help me deal with my internal issues. I down played the truth and resisted the reality to quench my affections. My scars deepened and I found myself in the same miserable place.
There a popular quote by Albert Einstein that says, " Insanity, is doing the same thing over and over again and getting the same results". Certainly, this woman wasn't insane but she was broken and looking to be filled in the arms of men. Many of us may not be in the exact situation but some of us are. We’re emotionally abused by those who claim to love us. Nonetheless, every time we encounter their presence we’re left emptier than ever. We allow temporary satisfaction, people or things to keep us in bondage. Whether we want to accept it or not, the truth is, if we keep turning to these idols for comfort they will end up being failed gods-- useless and powerless. However, there is hope in knowing that, Jesus has the power to draw our heart towards him even in sticky situations.
That means, He is more than able to sustain us with an overflow of love, joy and peace in which no human or thing can give. So be intentional about your pursuit with Christ and if you haven't met him yet he's at the well waiting to quench our thirsty souls.
There a popular quote by Albert Einstein that says, " Insanity, is doing the same thing over and over again and getting the same results". Certainly, this woman wasn't insane but she was broken and looking to be filled in the arms of men. Many of us may not be in the exact situation but some of us are. We’re emotionally abused by those who claim to love us. Nonetheless, every time we encounter their presence we’re left emptier than ever. We allow temporary satisfaction, people or things to keep us in bondage. Whether we want to accept it or not, the truth is, if we keep turning to these idols for comfort they will end up being failed gods-- useless and powerless. However, there is hope in knowing that, Jesus has the power to draw our heart towards him even in sticky situations.
That means, He is more than able to sustain us with an overflow of love, joy and peace in which no human or thing can give. So be intentional about your pursuit with Christ and if you haven't met him yet he's at the well waiting to quench our thirsty souls.
"When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them. | Isaiah 41:17|
for the sake of love,
* You can find the story in John 4:1-42. Note the Samartian woman's part is not in the bible. I found a way to use her encounter with Jesus to connect my readers to the issues we face on a daily basis*
He Asked Me To Marry Him, But...
May 18, 2017
To whom it may concern,
As a little girl I envisioned the day I would get married. I mapped out the experience down to the finest detail. The intense joy I would feel from saying yes to the dress and to the man of my dreams. Cheers of excitement, my mother fighting back her tears as she reached out to embrace me in the moment. My heart bursting with joy--unguarded and untamed, my palms sweating with all nervousness. Mumbling under my breath a song of gladness “ In his time he makes all things beautiful | Ecclesiastes 3:11. I was finally getting married to the man whom my soul loved. The day would be magical, decor to the finest detail, exceptional food, centrepieces overflowing with flowers, loads of entertainment you name it… your girl had it aligned to the ‘t’. I knew when it happened, I would do it once and only once. However, I never gave much thought to engagement period, although the thought crossed my mind. Nothing propelled me more than what I wanted to happen on my wedding day.
Yet,
The past few weeks of my life have been a nightmare. I got engaged on my twenty-fifth birthday and with exuding shouts of joy, I said YES ! Having all the most important people in my life was a glorious experience, a moment I can't even form into words. My body instantly went into shock. However weeks after the hype came the reality of two flawed hearts neck and neck at each other. Cultural customs, financial restraints, and my desires--incapable of distinguishing truth. The memoirs of my child-like self was struggling to see the lines of compromise. Every time I tried to walk towards the gap of reconciliation my heart became torn with the desires that I envisioned as a young girl.
The painstaking truth was It was becoming hard to distinguish; between what I wanted and what was actually important. Ultimately, I knew the answer was my marriage, however, my fantasies were unwinding and expressing something else. I had to unlearn and it was hard.
See our hearts are a reflection of our inner-self, thoughts, feelings and desires. However, there are dangers that can arise from the heart if it’s not taken care of. The concerning reality is that most of us are not actively working on our hearts. I was naive to think that when I got into this relationship I was a complete package.
I realized that when I became a Christian I needed to make a continuous choice and give up my old ways of thinking. I laid in bed for days battling the thought of letting some of these desires go. My mind racing I knew this was a life and death process. I knew I had to choose life and live in God’s fullness and die to what I was used to. I had to remind myself that although an idea of having a beautiful wedding was exciting, God’s intent for me was a lifelong commitment with my partner |Ephesians 5:31| which would ultimately reflect our relationship with Christ. I had to renew my heart and align it to truth. The unfathomable reality was God was bringing two sinful people together for his glory. This required both of us to see outside of ourselves and our desires. And although in this engagement season we haven’t perfectly shown the 1 Corinthians 13 type of love, I knew the challenges we were facing as a couple was God’s way of exposing the areas of our hearts that needed to be renewed.
The struggle is real I’m still learning. Ladies from me to you, don’t succumb to the hype of the seeds planted in infancy. To my singles who are waiting: enjoy the season you are in, focus on laying your heart in the potter's hands allowing him to shape you. Building character is hard, but it is necessary. It will expose the dark crevices of your soul and shape you to be the image of his son Jesus Christ. Remember our hearts are fragile and deceitful; if we don’t guard it can lead to our very own destruction.
Sincerely,
A flawed heart.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9
for the sake of love,
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