I will like to think that with my earthly parents I have been a perfect child. bringing home great grades, always polite and submissive, never given them reason to think "what is her problem?" but I know I haven't been the perfect child, far from it but I have been their child and they love me perfectly.
I remember once in Junior secondary school, I had a really bad school report and i hid it from my parents. however, they finally found out, not just that my grade was bad but that i hid it from them, and man was it a looonngg summer break.
shortly after the incident before i was to return to boarding school, my mum took me to Mr. Bigs (kinda like a KFC in Nigeria) and she said to me 'pick anything you want.' and i was surprised and i said to her ' why do you want to buy anything for me' and my mum's reply was 'why not?'
in my head I did not deserve the treat but my mum thought I was crazy to think that.
I would like to tell you that to my heavenly father I have been a perfect child, that I own a sign post that says 'NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS ONE!' or it is in-fact true; but I too have my share of many fallings that leave me beside my self in grief.
There have been days when the last thing i felt like was like a son to him, most times I stay away when i think 'my mess is too messy, But thank Jesus, I am learning that even when it hurts to go to him after all I have said, done and thought, i should because I am his son no matter what; He does not condemn me no matter how wrong I have been, nor does he berate me for going off the path he carved out, he holds me close to his heart; like the father of the prodigal son, he is just glad to see me and when I ask him why he cares for me at all, I imagine that with a smile on his face, as he wipes my tears he says to me 'why not?'
GRACE IS A BEAUTIFUL GIFT.
he's crazy about ya!
keep surviving on grace. chichi
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Monday, 9 March 2009
I know how it ends
Lord I give you thanks, even though i can be silent, and lament, i choose to give you thanks, remembering all the glorious things you have done for me:
-you forgive ALL my sins
_ you heal me ALWAYS
-you have ransomed me from hell.
-you fill my life with GOOD things
-you renew my strength
-you give me justice
-you reveal your nature and plan to me.
above all Lord, I thank you because I am surrounded on everyside by GRACE!
i need it, you give it, I thank you.
"Be strong in the Lord and be of good courage. since I was young and now i am old i have not seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread. He who called you is faithful and will complete the good work he has begun in you."
keep surviving on grace. chichi
-you forgive ALL my sins
_ you heal me ALWAYS
-you have ransomed me from hell.
-you fill my life with GOOD things
-you renew my strength
-you give me justice
-you reveal your nature and plan to me.
above all Lord, I thank you because I am surrounded on everyside by GRACE!
i need it, you give it, I thank you.
"Be strong in the Lord and be of good courage. since I was young and now i am old i have not seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread. He who called you is faithful and will complete the good work he has begun in you."
keep surviving on grace. chichi
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
"HE AVOIDS NO SEEKERS"
Heb2:18
"For since he himself has been through suffering and temptation, he knows what it is like when we suffer and are tempted, and he is wonderfully able to help us."
being a tad light skinned, i wear my bruises or scratches for the world to see(LOL); they are always reddish looking.
yesterday was one of those days of bearing a bruise for the world to see. I had just gone to do my much over due grocery shopping right after classes. there I was with two very full and might I had heavy shopping bags and my heavy school bag set to walk the next 5 minutes there about to my dorm. I thought "EASY! I can hustle with the weight... its just 5 minutes. " so I refused to call my flat mate to meet me up at the store.
my journey to my dorm began and boy was it agony with a capital 'A' my school hand bag kept sliping from my shoulders, the weight of my shopping bags was enough to convince me that in a matter of seconds both my arms would just fall off. i struggled badly, and some how, my hand-bag consipered with my wrist watch (I can not explain this part) but in the process of my bag slipping from my shoulders and me trying to get it back in place while keeping my grip on my two shopping bags, I got injured and now i have a reddish bruise on my left hand to show for it.
today it is a lot better not as swollen as it was yesterday, but still very much red. and now I think, I should have called my flat mate to help!!
The verse above took on a whole new meaning for me, why are we so adamant, so stubborn some times to go to Jesus for help. Why do we tend to feel on other occassions that he just can't understand where we are, and what we are facing, or even allowing guilt to make us feel we do not deserve to go to him and cry out "I HAVE MESSED UP. HELP ME!"
Grace in effect is embodied in Jesus Christ, who came, Lived like man and died and rose again. We are quick to remember the rose again part, but too often we forget he lived as a man, he was a teenager, a young adult, flesh and blood... tempted in ever way YET without sin.
HE AVOIDS NO SEEKERS, do not be like me and go it alone for whatever reason, you do not have to bear the scars of your struggles; in fact you should not be struggling at all! His grace can teach you how to handle the Goliath you face Today and even Tomorrow. RUN TO HIM, WALK TO HIM, CRAWL TO HIM... just go to him, and let him 'SHOW YOU HOW IT IS DONE!'
i am off to put vaseline on the bruise!!lol
keep surviving on grace. chichi
"For since he himself has been through suffering and temptation, he knows what it is like when we suffer and are tempted, and he is wonderfully able to help us."
being a tad light skinned, i wear my bruises or scratches for the world to see(LOL); they are always reddish looking.
yesterday was one of those days of bearing a bruise for the world to see. I had just gone to do my much over due grocery shopping right after classes. there I was with two very full and might I had heavy shopping bags and my heavy school bag set to walk the next 5 minutes there about to my dorm. I thought "EASY! I can hustle with the weight... its just 5 minutes. " so I refused to call my flat mate to meet me up at the store.
my journey to my dorm began and boy was it agony with a capital 'A' my school hand bag kept sliping from my shoulders, the weight of my shopping bags was enough to convince me that in a matter of seconds both my arms would just fall off. i struggled badly, and some how, my hand-bag consipered with my wrist watch (I can not explain this part) but in the process of my bag slipping from my shoulders and me trying to get it back in place while keeping my grip on my two shopping bags, I got injured and now i have a reddish bruise on my left hand to show for it.
today it is a lot better not as swollen as it was yesterday, but still very much red. and now I think, I should have called my flat mate to help!!
The verse above took on a whole new meaning for me, why are we so adamant, so stubborn some times to go to Jesus for help. Why do we tend to feel on other occassions that he just can't understand where we are, and what we are facing, or even allowing guilt to make us feel we do not deserve to go to him and cry out "I HAVE MESSED UP. HELP ME!"
Grace in effect is embodied in Jesus Christ, who came, Lived like man and died and rose again. We are quick to remember the rose again part, but too often we forget he lived as a man, he was a teenager, a young adult, flesh and blood... tempted in ever way YET without sin.
HE AVOIDS NO SEEKERS, do not be like me and go it alone for whatever reason, you do not have to bear the scars of your struggles; in fact you should not be struggling at all! His grace can teach you how to handle the Goliath you face Today and even Tomorrow. RUN TO HIM, WALK TO HIM, CRAWL TO HIM... just go to him, and let him 'SHOW YOU HOW IT IS DONE!'
i am off to put vaseline on the bruise!!lol
keep surviving on grace. chichi
Sunday, 8 February 2009
this thing called grace 2
""I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am" "
— John Newton
"For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace to me was not without effect. No I worked harder than all of them-yet not I, but the grace of God was with me."
-Apsotle Paul (1cor.16:9)
it does not matter where we have come from, or where we are... His Love is not about our perfomance or measuring up to our personal merit. it is too outrageous to believe someone could Love like Christ does; to Love someone in spite of themselves. Grace is a concept Too crazy that people miss it.
"Lord I do not understand your grace, your love. But I want to move past trying to reason you out of taking interest in me and to accept and fully embrace your Grace. I need your Grace and though some times I try to earn the good that you have to offer; thank you Lord that it is not up to me or any other man but up to you to bless me and fill me up not because of who I am but because of who you are. in Jesus name. Amen."
believer I am BACK!! and thanks to you all for your kind comments on my last post.
keep surviving on His grace. chichi
— John Newton
"For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace to me was not without effect. No I worked harder than all of them-yet not I, but the grace of God was with me."
-Apsotle Paul (1cor.16:9)
it does not matter where we have come from, or where we are... His Love is not about our perfomance or measuring up to our personal merit. it is too outrageous to believe someone could Love like Christ does; to Love someone in spite of themselves. Grace is a concept Too crazy that people miss it.
"Lord I do not understand your grace, your love. But I want to move past trying to reason you out of taking interest in me and to accept and fully embrace your Grace. I need your Grace and though some times I try to earn the good that you have to offer; thank you Lord that it is not up to me or any other man but up to you to bless me and fill me up not because of who I am but because of who you are. in Jesus name. Amen."
believer I am BACK!! and thanks to you all for your kind comments on my last post.
keep surviving on His grace. chichi
Saturday, 24 January 2009
the roar of a lion... the cowardice of an ostrich
I wish i could claim that everyday i felt like getting out of bed. i wish i could claim that i looked forward to going to sleep each night. of recent sleeping time has become a period of staying up late into the night fretting about this, about that. o boy do i wish i could claim to have it figured out, that i walk on water 24/7, 365... i wish i could say that whenever i think about my future i have 100% faith that everything i desire will come through.
i wish i could say that i lived perfectly grace or no grace. that if you watched me every day that there will be nothing contradictory about what i believe and how i live. but i can't so i won't.
I am not perfect i am far from it, not fit to teach but in need of schooling. it all gets too much and complex and I wish i could just disappear from earth and be with God in heaven and not have to deal with life,mistakes, people etc... and then i feel bad for wanting 'death' in those moments. until today, until today; i came across this verse in the bible:
philpians 1 vs 21-24: paul too wanted out, go read it yourself this aint no blasphemy, paul wanted to live all the chains and struggles and go be with Christ '..for I long to go and be with Christ' Vs 23.
granted some of you out there never get weak, weary, some of you out there have never wanted to just quit and run to heaven... well, good for you guys I sure wish I had a dose of whatever God put inside of you.
somedays i roar like a lion, other days i bury my face in the sand too afraid... longing to go and be with Christ. but his strength is made manifest in my weakness.
and the same holds true for you. its okay to want to run and hide, if it wasn't why would we need a saviour in the first place? why would Christ offer to take our burdens if we never had one in the first place.
'Jesus is the cure for a weary soul'. I am so weary so i go to him, my dear why don't you do the same.
his peace. my love. chichi.
p.s: this is my last post for a while. stay blest. x
i wish i could say that i lived perfectly grace or no grace. that if you watched me every day that there will be nothing contradictory about what i believe and how i live. but i can't so i won't.
I am not perfect i am far from it, not fit to teach but in need of schooling. it all gets too much and complex and I wish i could just disappear from earth and be with God in heaven and not have to deal with life,mistakes, people etc... and then i feel bad for wanting 'death' in those moments. until today, until today; i came across this verse in the bible:
philpians 1 vs 21-24: paul too wanted out, go read it yourself this aint no blasphemy, paul wanted to live all the chains and struggles and go be with Christ '..for I long to go and be with Christ' Vs 23.
granted some of you out there never get weak, weary, some of you out there have never wanted to just quit and run to heaven... well, good for you guys I sure wish I had a dose of whatever God put inside of you.
somedays i roar like a lion, other days i bury my face in the sand too afraid... longing to go and be with Christ. but his strength is made manifest in my weakness.
and the same holds true for you. its okay to want to run and hide, if it wasn't why would we need a saviour in the first place? why would Christ offer to take our burdens if we never had one in the first place.
'Jesus is the cure for a weary soul'. I am so weary so i go to him, my dear why don't you do the same.
his peace. my love. chichi.
p.s: this is my last post for a while. stay blest. x
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Doing Life Differently,
Laws of the Lighthouse
by Max Lucado
The first of the year is known for three things: black-eyed peas, bowl games, and lists. Some don’t eat black-eyed peas. Others hate football. But everybody likes lists.
The Bible certainly has its share of lists. Moses brought one down from the mountain.
There are lists of the gifts of the Spirit. Lists of good fruit and bad. Lists of salutations and greetings. Even the disciples’ boat got into the action as it listed in the stormy Sea of Galilee. (If you smiled at that, then I’ve got a list of puns you’d enjoy.)
But the greatest day of lists is still New Year’s Day. And the number one list is the list I call the Laws of the Lighthouse.
The Laws of the Lighthouse contain more than good ideas, personal preferences, and honest opinions. They are God-given, time-tested truths that define the way you should navigate your life. Observe them and enjoy secure passage. Ignore them and crash against the ragged rocks of reality.
Smart move. The wise captain shifts the direction of his craft according to the signal of the lighthouse. A wise person does the same.
Herewith, then, are the lights I look for and the signals I heed:
– Love God more than you fear hell.
– Once a week, let a child take you on a walk.
– Make major decisions in a cemetery.
– When no one is watching, live as if someone is.
– Succeed at home first.
– Don’t spend tomorrow’s money today.
– Pray twice as much as you fret.
– Listen twice as much as you speak.
– Only harbor a grudge when God does.
– Never outgrow your love of sunsets.
– Treat people like angels; you will meet some and help make some.
– ‘Tis wiser to err on the side of generosity than on the side of scrutiny.
– God has forgiven you; you’d be wise to do the same.
– When you can’t trace God’s hand, trust his heart.
– Toot your own horn and the notes will be flat.
– Don’t feel guilty for God’s goodness.
– The book of life is lived in chapters, so know your page number.
– Never let the important be the victim of the trivial.
– Live your liturgy.
To sum it all up:
Approach life like a voyage on a schooner. Enjoy the view. Explore the vessel. Make friends with the captain. Fish a little. And then get off when you get home.
From
In the Eye of the Storm
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006) Max Lucado
by Max Lucado
The first of the year is known for three things: black-eyed peas, bowl games, and lists. Some don’t eat black-eyed peas. Others hate football. But everybody likes lists.
The Bible certainly has its share of lists. Moses brought one down from the mountain.
There are lists of the gifts of the Spirit. Lists of good fruit and bad. Lists of salutations and greetings. Even the disciples’ boat got into the action as it listed in the stormy Sea of Galilee. (If you smiled at that, then I’ve got a list of puns you’d enjoy.)
But the greatest day of lists is still New Year’s Day. And the number one list is the list I call the Laws of the Lighthouse.
The Laws of the Lighthouse contain more than good ideas, personal preferences, and honest opinions. They are God-given, time-tested truths that define the way you should navigate your life. Observe them and enjoy secure passage. Ignore them and crash against the ragged rocks of reality.
Smart move. The wise captain shifts the direction of his craft according to the signal of the lighthouse. A wise person does the same.
Herewith, then, are the lights I look for and the signals I heed:
– Love God more than you fear hell.
– Once a week, let a child take you on a walk.
– Make major decisions in a cemetery.
– When no one is watching, live as if someone is.
– Succeed at home first.
– Don’t spend tomorrow’s money today.
– Pray twice as much as you fret.
– Listen twice as much as you speak.
– Only harbor a grudge when God does.
– Never outgrow your love of sunsets.
– Treat people like angels; you will meet some and help make some.
– ‘Tis wiser to err on the side of generosity than on the side of scrutiny.
– God has forgiven you; you’d be wise to do the same.
– When you can’t trace God’s hand, trust his heart.
– Toot your own horn and the notes will be flat.
– Don’t feel guilty for God’s goodness.
– The book of life is lived in chapters, so know your page number.
– Never let the important be the victim of the trivial.
– Live your liturgy.
To sum it all up:
Approach life like a voyage on a schooner. Enjoy the view. Explore the vessel. Make friends with the captain. Fish a little. And then get off when you get home.
From
In the Eye of the Storm
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006) Max Lucado
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
this thing called grace
so as you all know 'levels has changed!!' lol- as in my blog title or is it banner. amongst other things, it is also a remider to me that if not for Grace nothing that he has done, he is doing or yet to do will be, has been or is possible.
Grace is a leveler, the christain of ten plus years and the one of 10 seconds are both covered by grace. if we want to be honest so many of 'saved ones' tend to get all high and what not conciously or not, looking down on people who are saved but don't act/talk or walk like it or even those who are totally on the other side of the fence. I can be honest it happens to me everynow and again.
But I had a humbling experice and I heard that word "Grace."
i realized that honestly Grace had never meant more to me than its meaning now, 2009 is a year of Grace, of Gods Grace.
Grace is a force so strong and at work within us that causes us to cease from struggling with the same things, that enables us to declare victory over the very things that we( in the absence of grace) could have failed at.
Grace is the enviable generosity of God: blessed so much, people-even you are amazed. Grace is not about perfomance, but about who God is.
Ps23:3 'he leads me beside green pastures for HIS name sake.'
my hope is to come to rely more and more on grace, and to Know about this thing called grace.
But the trick is if grace abounds, as God said to paul 'My grace is sufficient for you.' why bother about uprightness, about the things of God since Grace is God choosing to be generous, tolerant, kind and understanding inspite of our short comings et al.
well grace is God's gift to us, in the form of his word, his son, his holy spirit and all other things pertaining to our salvation.
what is our gift to God? it is a love that causes us not to take his gift of grace for granted, in the absence of relying on self-power to fufil his calling of holiness upon our lives (1pet.2:13-16) but embracing everything he has made avaliable, provided inorder that we might fufil that calling;things as general as his word, and fellowship with the spirit, and the house of God i.e. church; and more specific like christain friends/mentors, christian literature and blogsville!!!
father in the name of Jesus I thank you for your Grace, for what it means and what it is meaning to me. for what it gives and what it is givivng to me. Lord let your grace transform me from the inside out, let your grace remain my testimony. in your grace i move, live and have my being. thank you lord in jesus name.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit (Phil.4:23).chichi
Grace is a leveler, the christain of ten plus years and the one of 10 seconds are both covered by grace. if we want to be honest so many of 'saved ones' tend to get all high and what not conciously or not, looking down on people who are saved but don't act/talk or walk like it or even those who are totally on the other side of the fence. I can be honest it happens to me everynow and again.
But I had a humbling experice and I heard that word "Grace."
i realized that honestly Grace had never meant more to me than its meaning now, 2009 is a year of Grace, of Gods Grace.
Grace is a force so strong and at work within us that causes us to cease from struggling with the same things, that enables us to declare victory over the very things that we( in the absence of grace) could have failed at.
Grace is the enviable generosity of God: blessed so much, people-even you are amazed. Grace is not about perfomance, but about who God is.
Ps23:3 'he leads me beside green pastures for HIS name sake.'
my hope is to come to rely more and more on grace, and to Know about this thing called grace.
But the trick is if grace abounds, as God said to paul 'My grace is sufficient for you.' why bother about uprightness, about the things of God since Grace is God choosing to be generous, tolerant, kind and understanding inspite of our short comings et al.
well grace is God's gift to us, in the form of his word, his son, his holy spirit and all other things pertaining to our salvation.
what is our gift to God? it is a love that causes us not to take his gift of grace for granted, in the absence of relying on self-power to fufil his calling of holiness upon our lives (1pet.2:13-16) but embracing everything he has made avaliable, provided inorder that we might fufil that calling;things as general as his word, and fellowship with the spirit, and the house of God i.e. church; and more specific like christain friends/mentors, christian literature and blogsville!!!
father in the name of Jesus I thank you for your Grace, for what it means and what it is meaning to me. for what it gives and what it is givivng to me. Lord let your grace transform me from the inside out, let your grace remain my testimony. in your grace i move, live and have my being. thank you lord in jesus name.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit (Phil.4:23).chichi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)