College And God

Hi friends, this past weekend has been quite hectic and busy for me since I had to pack up and leave for school. But the good part is that it’s my very last semester as an undergrad! Ever. The past three and half years in school hasn't been easy, but I survived it all only by the blessed grace of my Father. I’m excited and at the same time a bit nervous about what the future holds. I choose to believe there’s so much good at the end of my undergraduate studies and Jeremiah 29:11 helps ease my uncertainties about the unknown. It says “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Isn’t this wonderful? To know that I don’t have the slightest idea about what could happen tomorrow, next month or next year, but God does. I am His child and there’s no way He’s going to bring me to harm so I choose to believe in His Word.

 The whole packing, unpacking and settling in was quite overwhelming as usual. I’m still settling in and trying to get into a familiar pace. I’m back to the place full of worldly parties, fornication, perversion and all sorts of ungodliness, where few people are willing to stand, unashamedly for their Christian beliefs, a place full of lukewarm Christians and people who compromise to get whatever it is they want... a place where ‘Christians’ look exactly like the world and there’s no clear cut distinction. This is a world where you get mocked at because you refuse to go with the crowd which is doing the wrong thing, and people try to make you feel weird for choosing the road less traveled by, making it impossible for you to trust anyone at all but yourself. It’s a world where good is bad and bad is made good. I'm not some perfect person who doesn't sin, no. I fall but I'm determined to cling to God like crazy and walk in righteousness.I want my spirit to win the battle against my flesh. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20

“Now this I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you may no longer live as Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart; they have become callous and given themselves up to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of uncleanness.” Ephesians 4:17-19

I’m back to the world where guys pass silly comments because you ignore them when they hit on you. (They seriously need to grow up and give that a rest.) It’s interesting how people do just about anything to cover up their wounded egos and try to belittle you. SMH I’m back to the world where some people try to pick a fight with you in the library because you tell them to shush up. (Yes, even when you say it in a polite way.) It’s like they just don’t get it that libraries are supposed to be quiet and not for chit chatting or cranking up their music. Sigh. This world can get crazy demanding from school stuff to extra curricula stuff and everything else in between. It can be a drag...and that’s the thing, I don’t want to be caught up in all these things in school and end up forgetting to live and not exist. I don’t want to get so caught up and forget my relationship with God.

In this final lap, I want to remind myself not to rush anything. Not my conversations with God or with anything else. Like this morning I had to rush to lectures and I didn’t have some quiet time with my Father. No, I don’t want to get too busy for God. He gave me this life in the first place and I want to acknowledge Him all the time because He doesn’t fail to wake me up and take care of me each day.

 I want to take in the scenery of my college more slowly and enjoy the cool breezes. I want to stop and smell the flowers, enjoy the skies above and simply live. I’m going to take a deep breath, take it all in and love it all out. I want to live the colorful and beautiful life that God Himself intended for me. I’m bracing myself up for the days ahead when things seem too tough and fear creeps in. In those days I want to remind myself of John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

 When I get weak and frustrated, I want to believe in the words of Isaiah 40:29-31 “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” I don’t want to do this thing called life without Jesus, at all. He’s my peace in this messy, troubling world. So on the heavy days, I don’t want to forget His peace and His many wonderful promises. “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature.” 2 Peter 1:3,4

I choose to be unmoved by the difficulties I’m encountering and the ones ahead. I may begin to panic but I’ll always run to the loving arms of Jesus, because He’s my hideaway, my closest friend who calms me and refuses to give up on me. Aaahhh, how comforting! I don’t want to lose focus in my walk with Him and I don’t want to feel discontentment creep up on me. I believe God’s words about me and I’m letting all insecurities fall to the side. 1 Timothy 6:6 “There is great gain in godliness with contentment.”

 I’m not going to follow what everyone is doing because the Bible, not people is my standard. I’m going to look within me and shine effortlessly because God is my source and provider. I’m going to try and be as nice as possible to those who push me to the wall and irritate the very life out of me because I choose to be like Christ every breaking dawn and each breathtaking sunset.

I pray for grace and mercies to embrace me and see me through this final semester. A number of unfortunate things have already started happening, causing some students to lose their dear lives. I’m holding these verses close to my heart in these times; Psalm 121:7,8 “The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore.” And Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” I will not come to harm because God protects me each second and I’m going to finish everything I start. (Can I get an Amen?!)

A verse that totally warms my heart is Romans 8:37-39 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I hope you believe in this truth, that absolutely nothing can keep you away from the soothing love of God. No matter what you’re facing, He’s right there with you and He’s asking you to trust His plan. He loves you unconditionally. The love of God never fails, it never gives up and never runs out.

Have a great week! And know that you’re dearly loved. xoxo

Delali.

Beautiful Acts Of Kindness

Being kind is not just an attribute of a Christian. Kindness is something every soul needs to show. First off, kindness is found naturally in love. 1 Corinthians 13:4 says “love is patient and kind, love is not jealous or boastful.” So we find that if you have the ultimate thing which is love, kindness comes naturally to you. There are times when we find ourselves in certain situations where we have to be kind to even our enemies, yes, and we know it’s the right thing to do but our carnal sides try to win us over and serve our enemies hard, cold revenge. This eats our humanity away and does us no good.

So you’re thinking, but there’s no way I’m going to be kind to that guy who lied to me and did me in or that girl who called me fat and ugly. Relax. Being kind to people who hurt you does not mean you buy them a whole gift shop or you should go knocking on their door every morning to fix them snacks and lunch in their homes(unless of course they end up being very ill and you have to be the one to help out) and neither does it mean to pass them fake, forced compliments, no. What it means is that you’re stronger enough to forgive them of those horrible things they did or said to you. It means you don’t curse (even under your breath) at them when you walk pass them on the sidewalk or when you see them at the supermarket. It means looking them in the eye and civilly exchanging greetings with them. It simply means that you are kind because God, our Father, is kind, so much to the extent that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to come and die for the sins of you and I.

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Luke 6:35 So you see, God is kind enough to give breath to both the good and the bad guys in this world. So why won’t you be kind? Let’s also remember this verse “And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”Ephesians 4:32

As a child of this wonderfully kind Father, it’s our duty to show off all of His essence. This is sometimes not naturally easy to do but we can’t submit to our own will and live according to our desires. 2 Corinthians 5:15 says “And He died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.”

Do you see people genuinely in need of your help but you turn a blind eye to them? If yes, then that’s sadly unkind of you because sometimes God places into our hands more blessings than we need and we become the bad guys when we tightly clasp our God-given blessings in our hands and refuse to release them to bless others and show kindness. “One man gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. A liberal man will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” Proverbs 11:24,25

“And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8  Does every good work in this verse mean to you supporting someone struggling with their tuition fees, or simply smiling at that girl who looks troubled and sits by herself all the time in the cafeteria? Then go ahead and be a blessing. Showing kindness doesn’t necessarily have to be in huge, sweeping acts but can be in the very little things... a smile, a genuine compliment, giving your seat up for that old lady on the bus who couldn’t catch a seat... No amount of little kind gestures go to waste.

I was on the bus some days ago and this woman in the seat beside me had a baby and another little girl with her. Because she couldn’t carry both children on her laps, the little girl had to stand so I decided to carry her till I got off the bus. It escaped me to even ask the permission of the young woman before carrying her little girl. I just did it. But she was so glad I helped, she even offered to pay my bus fare which I insisted she shouldn’t. Why? Because I didn’t want to feel like she was paying me for my kindness. You shouldn’t be kind with the intention of receiving some sort of reward back. Be kind and love just because.

She had a confused look momentarily cross her face when I turned down her offer to pay but she gave in after my insistent “Oh, no, I’ll pay myself.” ...So I paid my own fare. The little girl was sleepy and had her head dangling back and forth as she dozed off in the hot weather so I did what was the best to do by placing her head against my bosom. I’m very particular about not having sweaty people rubbing against me but that afternoon it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter that the many beads of sweat around her head temporarily stained my silky shirt or that she was actually heavy and my thighs ached a little. (No lie.) LOL. I held her like I would my very own child, arms firmly wound around her so she wouldn’t fall from the ever swaying bus on the pothole-clad road. (The streets of Accra can be one bumpy ride, it can literally cause headache. SMH)  The Good Book says “Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13:1,2

Let’s get something straight. I didn’t help out because I wanted to feel good about myself and neither did I do it just because I didn’t want to look bad. I helped because the tired-looking little girl needed a place to sit her little frame and have some good ol’ sleep too. And since nothing was stopping me from offering a helping hand, I stretched it out. We should be kind not because it’s something on our to-do list but because we really want to lessen someone’s discomfort and bring a smile on their face. Kindness should come from a genuine place. It shouldn’t be forced.

We should not get tired of being kind to others who don’t even appreciate our efforts. The good ol’ Bible says “And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household faith.” Galatians 6:9,10

Let’s however be cautious in offering kindness in order not to get duped by people who go about in life thinking it’s fun to take advantage of kind hearts.

Be kind to yourself of course but don’t catch the “me me me” syndrome because life is not only about you. Open your hands and heart and practice some random acts of kindness today! God sees you and He smiles down at you when you make someone smile. So go on and be a kind soul, will ya?! Surprise someone with kindness! And know that your kindness permits others to also be kind to other people, creating one beautiful chain of kindness around and within us. Let’s be sweet, kindred souls on this temporary, earthly journey on our way to eternal life.

Jesus loves you. xoxo

Delali.

New Year, New You?

So it’s a new year ...again and most of us have decided on some changes that need to be made in our lives. These changes could be in the area of how we are, our attitudes, our spiritual lives, careers, education, relationships, health and the list goes on. We’re all determined to make the best out of this New Year and that’s a good thing.

Some map out things that are attainable within their capacities while some people get so carried away with all the excitement and make over the top goals that do not look close to reality. It’s good to make changes and want to be better. And yet some don’t even make an attempt to set goals for the year because they have this mentality that people never really change and that’s a rather sad and pessimistic way of thinking because change, and I mean good change does really happen. With such mentality such people find it difficult to embrace anything good because their minds are in this dark, gloomy place and their attitude can unfortunately dim the hopes of others who genuinely want to change for the better. To the cynics and pessimists out there, stop believing and spreading that lie that people can't change, because they do change by the grace and help of God.

A new year does not mean you automatically transform into this whole new person in a blink of an eye or achieve all these things you want in the year without any hitches here and there. No, that’s some fantasy. In fact for the new year I didn’t get me a new hairdo or some new look. I look like the same ol’ me but I have a renewed mind. Moreover, the only sure time we will change in a twinkling of an eye is at the sound of the trumpet. 1 Corinthians 15:51,52. So till then let’s keep working on sticking to our plans for that change that we so desire because change can happen when we are deliberate and conscious about it.

A new year gives all humanity a whole new slate to write on, it’s a chance to somehow get it right this time. Change can be a gradual and stressful process and needs utmost commitment. We shouldn’t expect any of our plans to see fruition when we’re still so lazy, making excuses and keep postponing things we ought to do.

We start the year with so much energy and enthusiasm but as the days slowly pass by, that fire and passion slowly dies out. You may be wondering why. Well have you spoken with God about the plans you have? And what did He say? God speaks to us through His Word. 2 Peter 1:3 says “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.”  So are your plans for the year in accordance with the Bible? Are they godly plans or a bunch of selfish, ungodly goals? God put us on this earth for specific purposes so we must seek Him and be sure what we plan is endorsed by Him. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

We must not lose that passion we commence the year with. We must keep it burning anew each day. A vision board might as well help you focus on these plans. Here's my vision board for the year.

I don’t want to be getting mad all the time so I write boldly “SLOW TO ANGER”. Also, I want to learn how to drive this year (I know, I’m such a late bloomer, lol better late than never.) So in view of that, I put an image of a car on my vision board. I've also decided to write and blog more often this year in working towards being a professional writer soon so I put there “Writer”. Seeing these visual representations of my goals helps me remember what I need to be doing. If you’ve not yet come up with any goals, do some soul searching and find what you really need to do this year. It’s not too late, you can create your own vision board too, plus we’re only a week into the New Year. :-)

We must continually pray about our goals throughout the year and ask God for the strength to stay on track. We must be patient in Christ for all that we pray for. “Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:31 Lets not try to do it all by our strengths but rather put all our hope, dreams and goals in the Lord.

Don’t be like Nahor who didn’t even start the journey to Canaan by being all pessimistic about change. Don’t be like Terah who stopped midway in the journey because he got into a comfortable zone. Don’t be like Lot who strayed from the right path because the beauty of the Jordan valley caught his eye when they were so close to stepping into Canaan that he decided to settle in Sodom where there were wicked men and great sinners. But rather be steadfast to your goals like Abram (later Abraham) who obeyed God and stayed committed to the journey and in return God was faithful and gave all that land to he and his descendants. Genesis verse 11:31,32; verses 12 and 13.

We must not expect God to turn our lives around when we fail to do our part. He’s ever willing to help you but are you willing to sacrifice time to help you? Are you going to stay new throughout the New Year?

Jesus loves you for real. xxx

Delali.

Alone

Lying, thinking
Last night
How to find my soul a home
Where water is not thirsty
And bread loaf is not stone
I came up with one thing
And I don't believe I'm wrong
That nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

There are some millionaires
With money they can't use
Their wives run round like banshees
Their children sing the blues
They've got expensive doctors
To cure their hearts of stone.
But nobody
No, nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Now if you listen closely
I'll tell you what I know
Storm clouds are gathering
The wind is gonna blow
The race of man is suffering
And I can hear the moan,
'Cause nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Alone, all alone
Nobody, but nobody
Can make it out here alone.

-Maya Angelou

Marsha Norman quote

Dreams are illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you.

-Marsha Norman

A valediction: forbidden mourning

As virtuous men pass mildly away,
And whisper to their souls, to go,
Whilst some of their sad friends do say,
'The breath goes now,' and some say, 'No:'

So let us melt, and make no noise,
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move;
'Twere profanation of our joys
To tell the laity our love.

Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears;
Men reckon what it did, and meant;
But trepidation of the spheres,
Though greater far, is innocent.

Dull sublunary lovers' love
(Whose soul is sense) cannot admit
Absence, because it doth remove
Those things which elemented it.

But we by a love so much refin'd,
That ourselves know not what it is,
Inter-assured of the mind,
Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss.

Our two souls therefore, which are one,
Though I must go, endure not yet
A breach, but an expansion,
Like gold to airy thinness beat.

If they be two, they are two so
As stiff twin compasses are two;
Thy soul, the fix'd foot, makes no show
To move, but doth, if the' other do.

And though it in the centre sit,
Yet when the other far doth roam,
It leans, and hearkens after it,
And grows erect, as that comes home.

Such wilt thou be to me, who must
Like th' other foot, obliquely run;
Thy firmness makes my circle just,
And makes me end, where I begun.

-John Donne

MEN

When I was young, I used to
Watch behind the curtains
As men walked up and down the street. Wino men, old men.
Young men sharp as mustard.
See them. Men are always
Going somewhere.
They knew I was there. Fifteen
Years old and starving for them.
Under my window, they would pause,
Their shoulders high like the
Breasts of a young girl,
Jacket tails slapping over
Those behinds,
Men.

One day they hold you in the
Palms of their hands, gentle, as if you
Were the last raw egg in the world. Then
They tighten up. Just a little. The
First squeeze is nice. A quick hug.
Soft into your defenselessness. A little
More. The hurt begins. Wrench out a
Smile that slides around the fear. When the
Air disappears,
Your mind pops, exploding fiercely, briefly,
Like the head of a kitchen match. Shattered.
It is your juice
That runs down their legs. Staining their shoes.
When the earth rights itself again,
And taste tries to return to the tongue,
Your body has slammed shut. Forever.
No keys exist.

Then the window draws full upon
Your mind. There, just beyond
The sway of curtains, men walk.
Knowing something.
Going someplace.
But this time, I will simply
Stand and watch.

Maybe.

-Maya Angelou