You cannot fully picture what a single mother's life is like unless you are in her shoes. She is at the same time, the father, the mother, the breadwinner, the cook, the cleaner, the bill payer among all other roles she plays. It is not an easy life but she keeps going. She carries herself well, because every move she makes is being watched by her little ones. So she cannot afford to cry when she feels like, but at calculated times. Like when the children have gone to bed, or run to the kitchen and shed a tear or two and quickly wipe her face and come out smiling, showing the children that all is well.
She stands her ground out there, knowing that people are wondering what her story is. Some even conclude that she must have had a wayward life, that is why she is where she is. But whatever the story is, the fact remains that she is doing a two-man job. She makes sure that her children are dressed well, so that people don't look down at them or stereotype them.
Most times, she is mentally, physically and spiritually tired, but she keeps going. The children have school activities, she would have to be there, nobody to share the burden. She runs out of milk or bread, she will have to put all of them in the car (that is, if she has a car), regardless of what time it is, to buy just bread.
There is nobody to share school runs with, which can be very tiring, but she keeps going. She is under the weather, but she has to get up, because the children need to be attended to. The only time she can get a bit of rest is when she lays her head on the pillow in the night. And even those times, her brain is still working, doing all sorts of calculations.
I can go on and on...the way your children go 'mummy', 'mummy', and you wish they will just keep quiet for some minutes so that you can think. That is how life is for you. But I want to use this opportunity to salute you (and myself) and to encourage you. God watches over you and it is in your weakness that His strength is perfected. As the scripture says in Isaiah 54:13 that all your children will be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children, so shall it be for you. Be encouraged! RESPECT TO YOU!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDPsDtfnk-c
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Friday, 1 October 2010
The Purpose of Independence
Nigeria is celebrating her 50th year of independence today. The whole country is jubilating. Even the people in diaspora are not left behind. Afterall, we are Nigerians and proud to be regardless of where we are.
But as I was praying this morning, the Lord laid this on my spirit about independence.
Moses was sent to Pharaoh to ask for the independence of the Israelites. But he did not ask for the sake of it. There was a reason for it: to worship the Lord.
Exodus 3:18: "Then they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ‘The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’ "
There were blessings that God promised the Israelites in conjunction with independence from Egypt:
Exodus 3:17: "and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey."
And as I was thinking about Nigeria and her revelry of today, these question came to mind: "What does this anniversary mean to us?" The Bible says in Proverbs 29: 18, "1Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]--blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he." The New Living Translation states it this way, "When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild..."
When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they forgot the vision; they went after foreign gods and did things their own way. The consequence was for them to be wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. When a nation forgets God, they run wild like an headless chicken, not going forward or backward.
Nigeria needs to come back to God. Though, we have churches 5 minutes away from each other, we are so far from God. Going to church has become more of a religion, seeking supernatural end to our challenges, instead of seeking and knowing the Giver of Life.
50 years is a long time to wander around, it is time to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth and give our lives totally to Him. That is when we can say with conviction, that we are independent....to do what He wills!
But as I was praying this morning, the Lord laid this on my spirit about independence.
Moses was sent to Pharaoh to ask for the independence of the Israelites. But he did not ask for the sake of it. There was a reason for it: to worship the Lord.
Exodus 3:18: "Then they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ‘The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’ "
There were blessings that God promised the Israelites in conjunction with independence from Egypt:
Exodus 3:17: "and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey."
And as I was thinking about Nigeria and her revelry of today, these question came to mind: "What does this anniversary mean to us?" The Bible says in Proverbs 29: 18, "1Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]--blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he." The New Living Translation states it this way, "When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild..."
When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they forgot the vision; they went after foreign gods and did things their own way. The consequence was for them to be wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. When a nation forgets God, they run wild like an headless chicken, not going forward or backward.
Nigeria needs to come back to God. Though, we have churches 5 minutes away from each other, we are so far from God. Going to church has become more of a religion, seeking supernatural end to our challenges, instead of seeking and knowing the Giver of Life.
50 years is a long time to wander around, it is time to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth and give our lives totally to Him. That is when we can say with conviction, that we are independent....to do what He wills!
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