True Colors

My sister and I boarded our trip to Nigeria in high spirits, we took each step with excitement. We were determined to make the best of our two week stay. The main reason for my excitement was that I'd be spending time with Raymond. I couldn't wait to see him again and get to know him better. I blamed his new actions of neglect on the distance.

When we arrived in Nigeria, we were picked up by my aunt. As soon as I could get my hands on a phone I called Raymond to tell him that I'd made it safely. He sounded happy and told me that he'd see me after he got off of work. Imagine my disappointment when he called in the evening and said that he was tired, he wanted to go home and rest since he had to be up early in the morning. I was beyond pissed off, why couldn't he make the sacrifice to come a see me? We said our goodbyes and I called it a night.

The next day was uneventful for the most part. I was eagerly counting down the hours till seeing Raymond in flesh and blood. Finally the hour had come but he arrived earlier than expected. When he called and said that he was outside, I had to quickly run into the bathroom to perform some quick magic. I was still slightly annoyed, but my aunt told me to calm down. I managed to put a smile on my face, as I walked out of the bathroom my heart started to beat. Wait! was I nervous? No way!

Yes I actually was, I don't know why though. As I laid eyes on him, the peppermint that was in my mouth found a way to escape. I was embarrassed to say the least. We said our hellos and I introduced him to my aunt. He stared at me and smile for a bit, we chilled and then we were on our way. Myself, him, and my sister met up with his friend at a restaurant. It was a nice time, we ate and talked a bit. At one point he said he had to go get something in the car, when he returned I realized that he actually went to go smoke a cigarette. I told him that I didn't like it, he apologized and said he did it because he was "feeling cold".

He dropped us at my aunt's house and promised to pick us up early the next day for a fun filled day. The next day we were excited to see what was in store. He picked us up around noon. The first stop was at one of his friend's house, she was a married woman and we met his two friends Romeo and Deji (not their real names) there. He briefly introduced us and we sat there as the others talked. I felt uncomfortable as I heard them make a reference to smoking weed. Their conversation was pointless, I felt like I was in the midst of irresponsible people.

I was so happy when it was time for us to go, I would have ran out the door if I could. The first place that we went to was an outdoor lounge. We stopped there to get drinks, of course my "social drinker" boyfriend ordered a bottle of alcohol. Everyone drank it except for me, I just had a soft drink. Romeo and Deji then said that they wanted to smoke, they proudly annouced to us that they were weed smokers. They asked if it was okay with us if they smoked on the table. My sister and I told them that we were not okay with it, so they moved elsewhere.

At this point, I was uncomfortable. Raymond didn't join them, he told me that he stopped smoking weed while in college. We chatted at the table for sometime than proceeded to grab something to eat. Afterwards, they said that they wanted to go to a club. At this point, I had a really bad tummy ache and I was annoyed because Raymond insisted on going to a club. He knew that I did not party, at least I told him that. I sat down throughout at the club and watched as Raymond and his friends drank and danced like there was no tomorrow. At one point, I couldn't take it anymore. I walked out and busted into tears. What have I gotten myself into???

At one point, Romeo went missing. Only for him to be found passed out in his car. Despise my numerous attempts to get Raymond to take me home, it failed until I caught him smoking a cigarette in the hallway and lashed out at him. I was so embarrassed, all this took place in front of my sister. We contemplated taking a cab home but it was late and we were concerned for our safety.

We ended up going home with a very drunk Raymond. I kept praying as he drove, at times he'd dose off or speed up and then slow down. It was such a scary experience. We got to a toll gate and he stopped to pay toll but there was no attendant there. I had to yell at him to keep going. He managed to drive us to surulere (the neighborhood where my aunt stayed), but we had no idea where we were. He kept saying "if you don't get out here I'm taking you to my friend's house". We couldn't get down or call anyone for directions because it was extremely late. He kept driving and I was yelling at him, asking where he was taking us. He'd laugh and say, "You don't think I know where I'm going?". 

We finally made it to his friend's house. As he stepped out the car, he almost fell into the gutter (sewer), I secretly wished he did. He then proceed to have an imaginary conversation on the phone while laying his head on the trunk of his car. My sister and I kept asking him to take us to his friend's place. He managed to take us to a building. We got there and he knocked for about 20 minutes, Deji finally answered. Raymond was still acting up, he eventually fell asleep after going on and on about nothing. My sister and kept vigil till sunrise, we didn't sleep for a second. We had to keep our feet up on the sofa because mice having a field day in Deji's apartment. 

As soon as the sun filled the sky, we called a cab and we were out of there! Deji woke up sober and was trying to make up for the night before. We weren't in the mood, we were ready to go plus we had a flight to catch. We were going to Abuja for a few days, I had to go and register for NYSC. When we arrived at my aunt's house, we quickly showered and packed and headed to the airport. Raymond kept calling but I didn't answer. A few minutes later, he arrived at the airport wearing sunglasses. I barely said hello, my uncle was there so we couldn't talk. He tired to apologize but I couldn't be bothered, my uncle escorted us to the gate and I didn't bother looking back.

You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:


1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


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Control Your Tongue with LOVE

1 Corinthians 9:25 King James Version (KJV)

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

The key to prospering in every area of your life is learning how to control one's self, bascially having self control or practicing temperance. Temperance is knowing the right thing to do at the right time and in the right way. Temperance is doing what is right, not doing what you feel like.

Temperance begins with learning how to control our words (James 3:1-12). If we can be careful with our words, then we can control our entire being. Actions are the result of thoughts and thoughts are the result of words spoken.

We must carefully select words that are full of grace, they will edify (Col. 4:6; Eph. 4:29). A Word that is void of grace, is a word that kills. If you aim to speak gracefully, you'll always have the right answers for everyone...I'm sure that you always want to be right, don't you?

Learn to pause and think before speaking. Never speak out of anger. Never communicate your emotions, communicate your intentions. Don't attack the person, attack the issue. What you feel isn't necessarimisunderstanding isn't necessarily true.

If we see people as they are, created in the image and after the likeness of God it'll be easier to forgive and love them. Anyone can make a mistake because we are all a work in progress. Practice forgiving before offenses arise, that's the easiest way to not take offense. Remember, God did not suggest that we love others he commanded it. As a good solider of Christ Jesus, take it as your marching orders. 

Make it a part of your daily agenda to love God and others more thanly the truth. Feeling like a cow doesn't make you a cow, just as much as feeling like your spouse doesn't love you because of a  the day before (Phill. 1:9). Start with the ones that close to you first, at times is easier to see the weaknesses and the flaws of the ones you love more versus the God in them. Everyone wants to love and be loved. Everyone responds to love, even the hardest heart will melt at the sight of pure love. 

Confession: In the name of Jesus, I declare that I am temperate with my words. I speak words of grace that are well thought out, so that I edify everyone that I converse with. Amen.

Prayer starter: Heavenly Father, I asked for the grace to tame my tongue and live a life of temperance so that I can love others with my words and actions. In Jesus' name, Amen.

You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:


1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

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The Decision

A few hours after the drama unfolded, Raymond called me. I could hear the excitement and anticipation entangled with every word that exited his lips. I sat there patiently waiting to dispel the information that I had gathered. I asked if he had heard from God concerning us, he said a resounding YES! I smiled to myself. He asked me the same question and told him my answer was the same until a few hours ago.

He surprisingly asked me why and I went on to tell him all that transpired while he slept. Of course he was caught off guard. He proceeded to say that the girl was lying. He said that they were never in a relationship, and that she basically pushed herself on him because she was desperate to get married. He said that he was not staying with her through out the trip, he said he was staying with his cousin as he informed me in the beginning. He only stated with her for a short while and nothing happened between them sexually. 

I asked why he cropped her out of some of the pictures that he sent me. He said that she forced him to take pictures with him, and that I'd notice in the pictures that he looked annoyed and was not smiling. He pleaded with me to believe him, and that he really wanted me to be a part of his life. 

I told him that I had to get off of the phone, I didn't have anything to say to him. He was due to head back to Nigeria that day, so we did not communicate during his journey back. During that time, i was overwhelmed with confusion. I thought that I had heard from God to proceed, but with all that unfolded it didn't make sense to me. Was this a test of my faith in God? Is the devil trying to rob me of my blessing?

I reviewed each conversation that I had during the day in my head over and over again. Could the man that I have spoken to everyday for the last two months and developed emotions for be a phony? I could not phantom it, he seemed like all I wanted minus his lifestyle. After all I was once is his shoes, I could help him. Couldn't I?

I told my sister what happened and she said the girl sounded crazy, that she probably was lying to a certain extent. She said that she wanted me to be happy and that she hadn't seen me that happy in a long while. She told me that I should believe him and give him a chance. I contemplated it for a while and agreed with her, I wanted to be happy, I wanted to be in love again. 

I look back now and see how the children of God miss his Will at times. I prayed and God answered in a very obvious way. But to be sincere, I didn't want that answer. I filled in the blank and lied on God, telling everyone that "God said that he's my husband". Hmm...thank God for his mercy.

Raymond called me when he arrived in Nigeria. We proceed with the normal small talk, how are you? How was your flight? Etc. But there was something that we both had to settle. He apologized again and asked if I had made a decision, I told him yes. When I told him my decision, he started shouting for joy at the top of his lungs. It felt good to be the source of someone's joy. He went on to ask if I'd be his girlfriend, I said yes. He quickly asked me to grab a drink as he did the same and he proposed a toast to a new beginning. All of a sudden it began to rain, I told him and he said it was a confirmation that we were meant to be. He then said that he was too happy, he wanted to call his family and share the good news with them. So we hung up. 

I went on to tell my close friends, they were all happy for me. However my best friend's response surprised me. She asked me a few questions that made me second guess my decision. She asked if I was sure, she asked me why would the girl lie to me, etc. She was not feeling it and she didn't hide it. We couldn't speak for long because she had to attend to something, so we said our good byes.

And then the journey began. Raymond and I continued our daily conversations. All was going well until I informed him of what God had been laying on my heart since I returned from Nigeria. I told him that God has been telling me to move to Nigeria. Imagine my shock when he wasn't happy to hear that. After all, I thought that he would at least be happy that we would be closer to one another.

He wasn't in support of my decision at all. He kept asking what I would do while in Nigeria, etc. I also noticed that he would ask me questions about master degree programs in America. I wondered why and would ask if he was planning on coming to study here and he'd say, "Oh no, I'm just curious." 

He started a new job at a new bank and he started to get distance. The calls were less frequent, our morning prayer time stopped, etc. He claimed that his new job was very demanding and stressful. He also slept at home less frequently, he suddenly started sleeping at his friend's place saying that he needed a break from living at home with his mom. I wasn't happy with that arrangement because his friend smoked weed, which he claimed to have stopped doing while in university and took up cigarette smoking instead. 

I slowly started to think that our relationship was a huge mistake but I was determined to keep at it, after all "God said he was my husband". 

****

After fighting it for months, crying and pleading with God to send someone else, and numerous confirmations, I decided to obey God and move to Nigeria. It was one of the toughest decisions that I ever had to make, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt that God wanted me to relocate. I was so scared. How would I live in a far away country without my immediate family and friends? A country that I had only visited for two weeks prior? It didn't make sense to me.

I informed my family and friends about the decision, a lot of people thought I was crazy. Why would a fresh master's of public health graduate want to move to Nigeria? Some of my friends had to ask me if I was moving because of Raymond...I laughed at that. While I was a hopeful romantic, I was a tough cookie as well...I wasn't desperate, he would have to wife me! 

When I told some people that I had heard from God, they questioned my ability to hear from him. Someone asked, "So what did he say? Did he come with a loud voice and say oooooo BUNMI move to Nigeria!" While I laughed outwardly, I was saddened, weren't we all suppose to hear from God concerning every step of our lives? As Christians, how could we follow our father without hearing from him?

My number one supporter was my sister, she kept encouraging me to obey God. She fell in love with Nigeria during our trip and expressed her desire to live there one day, so she was all for it!  I on the other hand saw Nigeria simply as a Christmas vacation spot.

I started praying for clarity about the move but I didn't hear much about what I'd be doing in Nigeria, I just heard go! I began to search online for public health jobs in Lagos, Nigeria. I was surprised that there weren't many options. Most of the public health jobs were located in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. I didn't have any family there so I wasn't feeling it. I also noticed that almost all the jobs asked for a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certification. I had heard about it previously but I was not interested. Basically it is a one year program for university graduates, where they are sent to a town that they are not originally from to serve a specific community in line with their degree. See www.nysc.gov.ng for more information.

After praying about it, I perceived God telling me to go ahead with the program. I was not too happy about that because I've heard so many negative things about the program. By the time I finally made up my mind, I discovered that the registration for NYSC was ending in two weeks and officially starting in a little over a month. What! I had so much to do in so little time! I had to make some quick plans, it was happening way too fast. I had to register in person so I quickly purchased a plane ticket and prepared for the trip, thankfully my sister came along. 

I graduated to the Glory of God with my Master's in Public Health degree at the top of my class prior to that trip. I was so happy, the journey of hard work, late nights, early mornings and determination paid off. But interestingly enough on the day of graduation among the excitement, I felt a void. I thought to myself "Is this it?"

To be continued...

You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:


1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

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Be a DOER!

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (James 1:22 KJV)

The key to getting the Word of God to work for you is to be a doer of the Word. It's not enough to just hear the Word of God and gather information or head knowledge. The Word of God must be heard, believed, received and acted upon for it to bring about desired results. 

For example, let's say a person is trusting God for a job. He has gathered scriptures, prayed and even fasted about it. He truly believes that God can give him a job, yet he never applies for any jobs. Instead, he wakes up every morning to play video games, while singing "God will do just what he said he would do, he's going to fulfill every promise to you! He's able!" He'll definitely be sitting there for a while.

As scripture says, faith without works is dead (James 2:26).

Faith makes moves, it acts! it's alive! it's real! it always works!

Some of us make the mistake to believe that God is a magician...FALSE!

The God that we serve is a miracle worker. And in order for him to do anything on Earth, he needs you to work with him. Working with God is so simple. He's already done the job before the foundations of the Earth, all you have to do is follow his lead. Like a GPS, he's ready to lead you down the right path. Can you trust him enough to follow even if you're not quite sure of where he's taking you?

Do you want to live an abundant life? Do you want to be successful and prosperous? Than be a DOER of the WORD! 

Joshua 1:8

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

You are in charge of your prosperity, you are in charge of your success.

If you're not doing the Word, than you're busy doing something else. 

If you're not doing the Word, you're worrying

If you're not doing the Word, you're complaining 

If you're not doing the Word, you're afraid...etc.

Don't waste your time doing what will not yield favorable results.

Another important aspect of doing the Word is diligence(Deuteronomy 28:1). We don't do the Word for a little than give up after we've seen the desired results. Neither do we give up when it doesn't seem like nothing is happening; we walk by faith and not by sight. Once you've released your faith, the process has already begun in the spirit realm. You can delay or void your transaction if you begin to loose faith or worry.

Be diligent at doing the Word, do it because you love God and not the things that you can get from him. Do it because as a believer, the right way to live is by his Word (Matthew 4:4). 

All round prosperity is the result of obeying EVERYTHING in the Word, not somethings, the Word that we give heed to in a particular area of our life is what will produce or work for us. Just take a look at your life, you'll see it for yourself!

Be a doer of the Word, don't deceive yourself by believing that all you have to do is hear the Word. The Word has become real to you when it has moved you into action. It is then that you go from words on the pages of the bible to connecting with the spirit that inspired those words. 

Confession: I am a doer of the Word. I am prosperous and successful as I mediate on the Word and observed to do it in Jesus' name. Amen.

Prayer Starter: Father I thank you for your Word. I receive the grace to be a doer of your Word and not just a hearer. In Jesus' name. Amen.

You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:


1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

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Red Flags

When we landed in America, it was bitter sweet for my sister and I. We were glad to be reunited with our siblings and father but we missed Lagos. Funny enough, some of the things that I complained about was what I missed.We missed the vibrant Christmas lights that lined the streets, we missed the yummy fresh food, we missed the holiday spirit that filled the air, we missed the weather, we missed the people...we missed it all.

The cold slapped us square in the face. We were not looking forward to wearing our winter gear again. I quickly ran in the car for warmth, my sandals and maxi dress were not fit for New York's freezing weather. On our ride home from airport we couldn't stop gushing about how much fun we had. I'm sure my dad and siblings want us to shut up after a while. 

We rang in the New Year with our family and then my immediate younger sister and I headed back to Maryland a few days after. As I began to make New Year's plans and set goals, I kept getting an urge to pray about what to do next. I was set to graduate with my Master's degree in the next few months, I had to start making moves.

***

Raymond and I spoke every day. We either called each other or chatted on bbm. I looked forward to speaking with him everyday. He never came out and made his intentions known but he'd drop hints here and there. He would talk about wanting to settle down and get married soon, and tell me how much he liked me as a person, etc.

I liked him also, but I couldn't get over the fact that he partied, smoked, and drank. I knew about the drinking during our outing but he later told me about the smoking and partying. I didn't know how to deal with it because I didn't want to be judgmental and I believed that anyone could change. But I've been there and done that (minus the smoking) and I was not feeling it. As my feelings grew stronger for him I kept reassuring myself that he was a Christian and that he was a worker/volunteer at his church so that gave me a little peace. I had hope that he'd come to his senses and change. 

Two months down the line, we were talking while he was on vacation in the United Kingdom. He was raving about how much fun he had the night before. I told him to elaborate, he went on to say that he went to a club and there were drinks flowing, girls around, and good music. I was a bit shocked because he told me that the smoking, drinking, and parting were "occasional" he claimed that he was a "social drinker". Please ask me why I believed that??? Hmmm....emotions can cloud one's judgement big time! I got carried away because he was the first guy to catch my attention after the breakup with Daniel.

After he went on and on about his night out on the town, I told him that I had to get off the phone. A few minutes later, I sent him and message stating that I couldn't talk to him any longer. I told him that we had become very close and I was not sure of his intentions, but if he wanted to ever be more than friends it would not work because I didn't agree with his lifestyle.

I caught him off guard with that message. He pleaded with me, he told me that he was willing to change and that he needed my help. He said that he believed we met each other for that reason. But I didn't have any peace about it, something just didn't feel right. I told him that I'd have to cut him off for a few days to pray and fast about it. I need some space. He agreed and said he'd do the same.

I spent the next three days praying, fasting, studying the Word. I was very open and honest with God. I told him that I liked Raymond and had feelings for him but wanted to get it right this time. The very first day I felt no peace at all. I was full of fear, my heart was literally beating fast. I kept praying for clarity. The next day, I was less afraid and I took it as a maybe-he-is-the-one feeling. He also contacted me on this day saying that he missed me and hasn't been able to focus since we last spoke, he also sent me a picture with him looking extremely sad. I told him that he'd be okay and that we'd speak the next day.

On the very last day of the fast, I woke up to numerous bb messages from a friend. She asked a whole bunch of questions that shocked me. She asked if I knew a guy named Raymond. She asked if I was currently fasting about being in a relationship with him. She also asked if he was currently in the UK. I answered yes and she said, "Girl, I don't know what kind of prayers you've been praying but God has answered you!" 

At this point I was interested in finding out how she knew everything. She further went on to tell me that an old school mate contacted via facebook and asked her if she knew me since we were all mutual friends on facebook. When she told her yes, the girl went on to tell her a story that went something like this.

Raymond and her met at her friend's wedding. She was the maid of honor and he was the best man. They had been in a relationship since October of the past year (it was February). She said that he was presently visiting her for her birthday/valentine's day. She said that he was even staying at her place. She told my friend that she found out about me when he left his email opened one day. He had saved all the chats that I had with him to his email. She read through them all and she was heart broken. She wanted my friend to warn me and ask if it was okay if myself and her spoke.

At first, I thought I was dreaming...after all I just woke up a few minutes ago. It sounded like something out of a movie. Did I just get played??? I agreed to talk to the girl and she told me the same things. She went further to tell me that he started acting funny earlier that year when she told him that her visa had expired and that she would be returning to Nigeria soon. She said that he came to the UK to be with her but they were not getting along, they got into an argument and he stormed out the night before. She said she found it weird that he kept asking how he could get a job in the UK, etc. She told me that she was the one that paid for his visa to come, she said that at a point he was trying to have her buy his plane ticket but she had to put her foot down. 

She went on to substantiate her points by sending me pictures of the two of them. This guy was a serious crook. He had sent me some of the same pictures earlier but he cropped her out of them. I thanked her and said goodbye. I sat in bed and contemplated everything that happened. I called one of my mentors before I started the fast to explain my dilemma to him. He was busy and said he'd get back to me. I tried calling again but he was not available.

Hmmm...what do I do?


You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:


1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi

Confession Saves!

For it is by our faith that we are put right with God; it is by our confession that we are saved. (Romans 10:10 GNT)

Our faith in God is what puts us and keeps us right (righteous) with God and it is our confession of the lordship of the Word over our lives that saves us (Romans 10:9).

Are you in a tight spot? Does it seem like nothing is working and like you are not making any progress? Does it seem like things are getting worse? Does your life seem hopeless?

Well then it's time to speak! Speaking the Word of God is the key to creation (Hebrews 11:3). You create what you desire to see in every area of your life by speaking it into existence; instead of confessing negativity or keeping quiet and accepting the circumstances around you as "final", speak! Confession saves!

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. (Hebrews 13:5-6 KJV)

The Lord has promised to always be there for us, we need to be bold in confessing his promises because he can not lie. When we confess these promises, we activate their performance in our lives.

A man's [moral] self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with the consequence of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil]. (Proverbs 18:20 AMP)

Your words determine your standing in life, depending on the words that you choose to speak, you will either have good or bad outcomes. The ball is in your court, the choice is yours.

Don't become a victim of your feelings or circumstances, if things aren't going well around you, speak what you desire to happen instead. Speak your way into change, speak your way into victory.

Now some of you may be saying in your hearts "I've been speaking, but things haven't changed." There is a prerequisite to speaking the Word. According to Romans 10:9, we must believe the Word that we speak. Confession is not a result of wishful thinking, it is a result of a bubbling forth that comes from a heart (Luke 6:45) that has believed and received the Word of God without an ounce of doubt. Therefore make sure you've truly believed the Word before speaking.

Continue to fill yourself with the Word, keep feasting on it. Think of the Word as a endless supernatural buffet, it's all you can eat! Naturally speaking, after eating at a buffet, you may feel stuffed and you just want to sit around lifeless or go to sleep. However, after a Word feast, you have to speak the Word that you've receive. That's how you activate the power embedded within. Don't stop speaking until what you desire manifests. Ecclesiastes 3:11a says, "If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth". The more you speak, the harder it'll pour.

Remember that God has promised that we will have whatever way say (Mark 11:23). Choose to say what you desire and not what you fear or see.

Confession: In the name of Jesus, I choose life. Therefore I choose to speak the Word at all times. I will not speak the negative circumstances that surround me. Amen

Prayer starter: Father, I repent for all the times when I've failed to speak your Word. I receive the help of the Holy Spirit to speak your Word at all times. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:


1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

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A Ray of sunshine?

I met Raymond through a mutual friend named Bola. And I met Bola through Daniel when we were dating, he was one of his close friends at the time. Bola and I still kept in touch after Daniel and I's breakup. He was really cool and he always checked on me from time to time. As usual, Bola and I were chatting on bbm and I told him that I'd be visiting Nigeria for the very first time during Christmas. He was excited even though he wasn't going to be there. He told me that he wanted me to have a good time so he would introduce me to his friend. I obliged without giving it much thought.

Upon my arrival at the airport in Lagos, Nigeria I almost fainted. I walked into the gates of the dull looking-no air conditioning-having airport. I would have instantly bought a return ticket if I:

1. Had the money

2. Wasn't terrified of flying (I no longer am...glory to God!)

3. And if the flight was not an 11 hour direct flight

As we waited for our baggage at the so called baggage claim area, I wondered what all the hype about coming to Nigeria was. Thank God that I was with my sister and mom, they kept me sane. After getting our bags and going through customs, we stepped outside and all I saw was chaos. People were all over the place, pushing, etc. I clutched my handbag tighter as we exchanged pleasantries with my uncle, who came to pick us up. 

My mom told my uncle that we wanted suya (pieces of spicy meat/chicken on a stick), so we bought some within the airport's vicinity. As I bit into the spicy and succulent pieces of beef and chicken, I temporarily forgot about the extremely hot, chaotic looking city that I'd call home for the next two weeks. The suya offered me a glimpse of hope, at least there was something good about my father's land. 

As we cruised through the streets of Lagos, I experienced culture shock with each kilometer. Let's just say that I expected more, my heart ached because I knew that things could be better. We arrived at the infamous Lekki area (where the upperclass people live), as I looked around I wondered what was so special. We got into my uncle's house and began to unwind and unpack. I can't remember much about our first day but I'll never forget the first night. I experienced 'NEPA' (loss of electricity for an extended period of time) for the first time coupled with mosquitoes feasting on my skin. I thought to myself 'who sent me?' (Why did I come?).

The next few days were boring, we stayed far from where our other friends and family were. And we had no means of transportation, for some reason I expected that we'd have househelps (maids) and drivers at our beck and call...I guess I watched "Coming to America" one too many times. The only thing that I was looking forward to was my friend's wedding. Remember my lovely roommate from college? The one that convinced me to transfer to Howard University, yea it was her wedding. I was so excited! 

My mom convinced my sister and I to come with her to the mainland (the other side of town), she actually wanted us to spend a couple of nights with her cousin but we insisted on staying in Lekki. We only wanted to be associated with the more 'developed' part of Lagos. My mom was too scared to leave us alone so she agreed. We actually had fun on the mainland, well besides going to the hectic-dirty-smelly market. That was an experience! People were literally pulling us left, right and center to purchase their goods, you could find anything everything there...from food, to clothes, shoes, bras and panties sold on the streets, raw fish, meat, etc...the list is endless. 

My first week in Lagos was horrible. I looked around at the state of the nation and I just wanted to cry. My people were too smart, strong, beautiful, and courageous to live like this. Yet, Nigerians are considered one of the happiest people in the world, it didn't add up. 

Bola would check on me from time to time, surprisingly his friend Raymond didn't seem in a hurry to meet me. I guess he was too busy since it was the holiday season. I complained to Bola and he apologized, shortly after Raymond sent me a bbm request. I added him and we conversed from time to time. After going back and forth we finally set up a time to meet but something came up. The second time around, he came to meet me at my uncle's house. It was really late and dark so we just chilled and chatted briefly in his car.

I really couldn't get a feel of him, he seemed distant or shy. He could barely look into my eyes. After about twenty minutes I had to go because we had a visitor, we said our goodbyes and agreed to meet up later. For some reasons that I can't remember, we didn't get to hang out until the night before I left Lagos. 

By the second week, I was having a blast. My sister's friends and our mutual friends from America were showing us a good time. We frequented the mall and restaurants, visited a private beach, attended weddings, etc. I was so sad when it was time for us to leave, I wished that I could extend my visit. So it was the day before we were scheduled to head back home, I spoke to Raymond earlier and we agreed to meet up in the evening. I made sure that I packed everything during the day so that I'd be free for the night. 

He took me to a Nigerian restaurant first, the food was just okay. Next we went to a lounge and we had so much fun. There was small chops and live music. We both danced the night away. I loved that fact that he danced very well, we even had a mini dance competition with each other. He was funny and charming. We managed to have a decent conversation over the loud music and got to know each other better. I was surprised at how eloquently he spoke, I've heard my fair share of "Auntie, auntie...do Christmas for us nau" (people asking for tips when we went to restaurants, etc) during my two week stay. 

Did I forget to mention how handsome and tall he was? Hmmm...I was falling big time. Daniel who? Daniel what? He kept saying, "I wish we hung out sooner". I felt the same way, I really enjoyed his company. Except for the fact that he downed a gigantic bottle of beer during our time at the lounge *red flag*. I chose to ignore that huge *red flag* and enjoy the night.

Unfortunately the night had to come to an end, my mom blowing up my phone made it the end sooner than we both wanted. As we drove back to my uncle's house, we promised to keep in touch. Upon arrival at my uncle's place, we chilled in the car for a short while. We both didn't want to leave, after a few minutes he suggested that I go get some rest and then reached out to hug me. We said our goodbyes, but they were short lived. He became a part of my daily routine.

- Bunmi


Wait before you go:


1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi

Evict the Devil

HAPPY NEW MONTH! 

Welcome to July! Wow, half of the year has gone by already. Thank God that we've made it this far. Some of you may have been having a great year thus far while some of you may have been going through some storms, whatever the case may be I declare that the latter half of this year will be much better than the first half for you in Jesus' name. Amen!

                                            ***********************************

Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him]. (Ephesians 4:27 AMP)

We already have victory over the devil but we must ensure that we maintain it (Luke 10:19). The devil is crafty, he's always looking for a way to trip us up. This is why the bible tells us not be ignorant of his devices or schemes(2 Corinthians 2:11). The devil is a busy body, he roams around looking for ways to mess up good things(1 Peter 5:8). We need to be alert and not fall for his games. He will use the things and even the people that we love the most to hurt you. At times like this, we must learn to separate the person from the problem. The person is not your problem, so deal with the problem and not the person (get it?). He is the master of twisting and turning stories into lies, after all he is the father of lies (John 8:44). What lie have you believed recently?

When circumstances and situations do not seem to be in your favor, don't be discouraged. Set your mind on the Word, on the promises of God for your life. Because it is your truth, your reality. The devil can never tell the truth, it's alien to his nature. So don't give him a chance, be like Jesus and silence him with the Word of God flowing from your lips (Matthew 4:1-11). The truth will always set one free, while lies hold one bond. 

Have negative, sorrowful, or discouraging thoughts been filling your mind lately? If your answer to that question is yes, it means that you've given a room to the devil in the home of your soul (core of your being), which is your heart. It is commonly said that "an idle mind is the devil's playground", be mindful of your thoughts. 

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8 KJV).

Evict the devil today and be free from his lies. Who you are now and who you'll eventually become is a result of your thoughts (Proverbs 23:7).

Confession: Heavenly Father, I thank you because your Word is true. I choose to fill my mind with this reality, I will not give place to the devil. In Jesus' name. Amen

Prayer starter: Father I repent from every lie of enemy that I've believed. I receive grace to believe you at all times. In Jesus' name. Amen.



You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:


1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi