The Places We Walk

A couple of weeks ago a friend was kind enough to surprise me with a ticket to Glory 2013, a Christian concert presented by the Chosen Vessels’ Choir of my school, University of Ghana. Boy, was it fun! There were so many song ministrations as well as sharing of the Word. 

**Me with Nancy, my kind friend. Oh she can act! I loved her performance at the show. If you need an actress, she's the right person. :)

A number of Christian artists like Danny Nettey and PastorJoe Beecham ministered. It was my first time of going to a Christian show of that nature and it was worth my time! It felt good to fellowship with people who love Jesus, and the air was totally filled with our love for Him. 

After  the program, as I happily took pictures with friends and as I thought of the joy I experienced in that building, my mind recalled the show which Chris Brown had not too long ago in Accra. I realized the sharp contrast between Glory 2013, which uplifted Jesus and made me want to be more Godly, and Chris’ show, which was totally demoralizing, to say the least. 

"Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." "1 Corinthians 15:33

I didn’t bother making an appearance at his show. However, an acquaintance did, and later she disdainfully told me how it went and how she regretted going. Why? You see, Chris Brown made her feel ungodly and filled her mind with unpleasant thoughts with the lyrics of his songs and especially because he cussed and smoked weed on stage! Shocked? I was too. /shock I know Chris Brown is a secular artiste and all but I didn’t think he’ll go that far. This conduct of his has caused a stir here in the news and I hear talks of prosecution and all that but that’s another story.

Some days before his show, a lady who was branded in the clothing of one of the sponsors of his show knocked on my door and wanted to find out if I was going to the show. I answered in the negative. I didn’t bother to find out why she was even asking because I didn’t want to have anything to do with it. 

Years ago I liked Chris Brown himself and his music a lot! I even had his picture decorated on one of my senior high school bags. I knew almost all the lyrics of his songs. So what changed you ask? I did. I changed. As I drew nearer to God, I realized there was no space in my life to entertain such ungodliness. I didn’t want to keep feeding my mind with his songs and other similar ungodly songs that didn’t move me in any way to be righteous like Jesus. The personal life of this guy is nothing close to a Jesus follower (we all know his history and present state), so I was like why should I continue listening to him? I want to listen to people who are yearning to be more Godly, like Pastor Joe Beecham and Danny Nettey, people whose music and lyrics convict me to align my life to that of Jesus when He was on Earth. I want to be with people who passionately share their love for Jesus without being ashamed of it.

"Let the word of God dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16

As a Christian are you really living a life that emulates Jesus Christ? Which places do you go to? What music do you listen to? Which friends do you associate yourself with? "You will know them by their fruits..." Matthew 7:16 So what fruits are you bearing as a Christ follower? Are they godly, or otherwise?

Some few years ago I wouldn’t have missed a beat if Chris Brown was coming to town. I would have been there at his show, in some inappropriate clothing, (too short or too tight) because you see, I can’t wear church clothing to such shows. SMH But now, I can wear my church clothing to shows because those shows are to uplift the name of Jesus and those are the only shows I permit myself to attend. I’m so very grateful for the Holy Spirit which whispers to me and directs me in my journey. It makes me long for a Godly lifestyle, not just by mouth, but by actually living and walking in Godliness. I certainly don’t need someone cussing into my ears and spewing smoke from weed into my face. UGH! What I need is music that glorifies God and makes my heart sing praises to Jesus, songs that make me want to be a better and positive person and makes me want to be with people that are closely following Jesus. Godly shows like Glory 2013 are what I need, not shows that glorify sin and perversion.

"Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with belial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." " 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

 

**Me with Joy, a friend. Her name befits her huge smile right?! LOL

So I ask, why would you, especially a Christian want to be in a gathering that promotes lust, violence, and ungodliness? Do all these ungodliness convict you to live a morally upright life? Do they encourage you to desist from lust and temptations or do they fuel your lustful desires? Do these worldly songs make you feel remorse for your sins? Can someone tell you apart from the world as a Christian? Or are just like the world? I wouldn’t trade the time I spent with other worshippers at the Accra International Conference Centre glorifying God for anything. It was just so awesome! It brought me peace, happiness and an extra boost to continue walking my path with Jesus. 

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh." Galatians 5:16

**Glowing with the overwhelming love of Jesus!

"Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8

Strive to live a righteous life and remember that Jesus loves you and He's longing for you to come to Him! He wants all of your life to be the proof of your love for Him. xoxo

Delali.

A Melody On My Heart

Oh, there’s this song that comforts me. You know, those kinds of songs with lyrics that perfectly express how you feel and you begin to wonder if the artist read your thoughts. There are many of such songs I constantly tune my heart to and today I’m sharing one of them by Kari Jobe.(One of my all time favorite singers.)

Troubles chasing me again,
Breaking down my best defence,
I'm looking, God, I'm looking for You
Weary just won't let me rest and fear is filling up my head.
I'm longing, God I'm longing for You

But I will find You in the place I'm in, find You when I'm at my end,
Find You when there's nothing left of me to offer You except for brokenness.
You lift me up, You'll never leave me thirsty,
When I am weak, when I am lost and searching
I'll find You on my knees.

So what if sorrow shakes my faith,
And what if heartache still remains,
I'll trust You, my God I'll trust You.
'Cause You are faithful and

I will find You in the place I'm in, find You when I'm at my end,
Find You when there's nothing left of me to offer You except for brokenness.
You lift me up, You'll never leave me thirsty,
When I am weak, when I am lost and searching
I'll find You on my knees, my knees.

When my hope is gone, when the fear is strong
When the pain is real, when it's hard to heal
When my faith is shaken and my heart is broken

And my joy is stolen, God I know that

You lift me up, You'll never leave me thirsty,

Find You in the place I'm in, find You when I'm at my end,
Find You when there's nothing left of me to offer You except for brokenness.
You lift me up, You'll never leave me thirsty,
When I am weak, when I am lost and searching
I'll find You on my knees.

God’s Word tells us that He will never leave us, especially in our weaknesses and weariness. His Word says “Cast all your anxieties on Him, for He cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7

“Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 

“I have said this to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

When we draw near to God, He draws near to us. James 4:8 He strengthens us when we are too weak to go through our daily battles. He’s such a good God! And He loves you! Be strong. XOXO 

Delali.

Heartwarming Thoughts

Hi friends, I stumbled upon this heartwarming thought and I said to myself, why not share it on here?! I hope it resonates with how you feel sometimes deep within. 

“It took me years to be okay with how the world works. After months, I’ve finally realized that it’s okay to be sad when other people are happy. It’s okay to be happy when other people are sad. It took days for me to be okay with people leaving, for me to accept that that’s just the way life has to be at times. Sometimes the people we love leave, sometimes we only see that we loved them after they’re already gone. And after several hours, I’ve decided that I’m okay with that. This is the way things are. I’ve also realized that maybe, just maybe, the people that matter will never really leave. And I’m okay with that too.” – Unknown

I pray these verses soothe your soul wherever you may be and in whatever you may be going through. :)

“If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have dwelt in the land of silence. When I thought, “My foot slips,” thy steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, thy consolations cheer my soul.” Psalms 94:17-19

“Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me, but He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18,19

Have a very lovely weekend and never forget that Jesus loves you so much... in the good, in the hurt, and everything in-between! XOXO  /bye

Delali.

Being Thankful

The story about Jesus healing the ten lepers but only ONE coming back to thank Him really makes me think. Luke 17:11-19 Sometimes I’m sadly like the nine lepers who didn’t bother to thank Jesus for what He did for them. It’s sad because after He hears my cries for His help and fixes me, I tend to forget to say a nice, warm “thank You” to Him. I think this is because I get so carried away with excitement that my gratitude gets lost in the midst of it all. And when I remember, I get embarrassed and quickly apologize and tell God how I’m thankful for what He does for me. “Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, thou art very great! Thou art clothed with honor and majesty.” Psalm 104:1

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him, bless His name! For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:4,5

God is so good that my ingratitude sometimes does not hold Him back from gracing me with more blessings. He overlooks my sins and still says “Child, I forgive you. Here are more blessings I want to bestow upon you. Today is a gift I freely choose to give you to try and get it right” I don’t have to be perfect to deserve His unlimited kindness. All He requires from me is to try my best, being fully dependent on His strength to walk in obedience.

**Remember that for the blessings to flow, you need to walk in obedience first. Also, the motives behind your requests to our dear Father should be in agreement with His Word.

 “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 107:1

 

“...Always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.” Ephesians 5:20

Just imagine a dear friend of yours giving you a very precious gift. In the overwhelming happiness you feel because of the gift, you totally forget your friend and without much of a thank you, you gloat and gloat over your precious gift. How do you think your friend will feel? He/she will most likely feel like you value their gifts much more than you value the friendship they have with you. And that’s close to terrible. Your friend might even stop giving you gifts altogether, because you never show any appreciation. 

You should love the giver of the gifts, not just the gifts they give you. This is the same with God. We should love Him and show gratitude for what He does for us, even when those things don’t seem to be what we asked Him for. Sometimes we expect certain big gifts from God but we end up receiving something which we perceive to be less than. Other times He does not even give us what we want at all, and He seems to be quiet. Still, we have to learn how to say thank You. He knows what’s best for us always. So whether big or small blessings, I’m learning to say thank You, whether what I’ve been asking Him seems to tarry and it seems it’s never going to show up, still, I’ll say thank You. When I feel as if there’s nothing for me to be thankful for, I’ll remind myself that just being alive is a grand thing. So in the good and bad, I’ll give thanks. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

 “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17

Let us remember that the blessings of God are not just physical things but are spiritual gifts as well. So it’s not only when God helps you get a good job that you show gratitude. Think of His mercies, grace, forgiveness, faithfulness, joy, His Love. When you feel you don’t have anything to be thankful for, remember that Jesus dying to redeem you in itself is a very great blessing, if not the greatest gift of all. And also remind yourself of all that God has done for you. In doing this, you’ll begin to realize you have so much to be thankful for. Don’t wait for some day in the year before you display your thankfulness for all that you are and have. Being thankful should become a daily habit. Just opening your eyes to see a new day is a miracle deserving thanks and praise. Remember His mercies are new every single morning. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22,23

Lately I’ve been thinking about how I need to really acknowledge everything God gives me, even the very little ones. So I’ll be starting a series of thankful posts. This is a way of reminding myself of what my Father does for me and never taking any of it for granted. “O give thanks to the Lord, call on His name, make known His deeds among the peoples!” Psalm 105:1 

**I’m thankful for these verses/quotes I have on my wall right by my bed. They are great reminders of my identity in Christ and the awe-inspiring person God created me to be. And I like that I see them right when I wake up or when I’m just lying down.

**I’m thankful for my new leopard print mug which I find very cute!

**I’m thankful for this lovely notebook which I write some of my favorite quotes in. (The writer in me, ...keeping notebooks with me almost all the time. ;) ) And I wouldn’t lie, the butterfly on it was what attracted me. (There’s just something about butterflies that I love. :) )

**A couple of weeks ago I got the opportunity to attend The John A. Kufuor Foundation Global Development Lecture Series for 2013, and I’m thankful for that. I found it very educative and relevant to me because there’s a growing passion within me to have my career centered on global development. Besides that, it felt honoring to be in the same building with very notable people you don’t see on a normal day like the former President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (who delivered the lecture on the topic “What Africa must do to claim the 21^st century”), Dr. Paul Acquah, Ewkow Spio-Garbrah and many others. 

“Remember the wonderful works that He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He uttered.” Psalm 105:5

Here’s one of my favorite songs by Laura Story, a song she wrote when she was going through a very difficult time and God’s blessings seemed far away... Sometimes bad things happen and like a wake-up call, they help us see reality for what it is, becoming aware of all that we already have been blessed with. "Blessings" is a great song for you if you're going through rough times and God's blessings seem to be miles and miles away. Some things are blessings in disguise, really. So nevertheless even through the disappointments, give thanks. :) I hope it encourages you to know that sometimes even in the midst of trials God’s blessings still abound. 

 “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6

“Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17

 So what are you thankful for lately?

 XOXO

Delali.