Supernatural Woman- Pregnant not Disabled

Source: Goggle

Hello Folks!!!

Welcome back!!! And if it is you're first time here, you are most welcomed!

I want to thank you for reading this blog, it has been an encouragement. When people contact me and say that they've been blessed by something that I share on this space, I am overwhelmed! 

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!!

Thank God for an awesome 2017, looking forward to bigger and better things on this blog in 2018.

I shared how my husband and I found out how I was pregnant with our first child here. In this post I continue my pregnancy journey. ENJOY!

*****

Overall, my pregnancy was stress-free. Besides the normal fatigue, I didn't have any symptoms. I never had nausea, I never vomited, I never had strange cravings...as a matter of fact, I lost weight during the first trimester because I didn't have much of an appetite. People around us had no idea that we were expecting, we only told our pastors and parents initially. When we finally told people, many of them were surprised; I didn't look or "act" pregnant...they were shocked that I did not have any symptoms. I was five months pregnant when my baby bump decided to make a slight appearance. By that time, the cat was out of the bag...it was no longer our little secret.

I was enjoying the journey; it was a miracle to have someone growing inside of me. I was grateful to God because, I knew that it wasn't the "norm" to be able to have energy to do so many things during pregnancy. Every morning, I'd speak to my baby, pray over my baby and take confessions about my baby and pregnancy. I was determine to do this pregnancy by faith; I couldn't afford to go about it naturally and just go with the flow. I didn't want my feelings to lead me, I decided to control what I felt by using the Word of God.

I was also aware that work needed to be done because of the phase of ministry that we were in. I couldn't afford to live off of my feelings. I couldn't afford the temptation to blame my laziness on pregnancy. I intentionally pushed myself to do things that many felt pregnant women shouldn't do. I made up my mind to keep up with business as usual; I still worked my normal schedule at the office, I still attended all church services, etc.

The first sermon that I ever preached in my life was during my pregnancy, I believe I was a little over five months pregnant. During my quiet time one day, God spoke to me and said I want you to preach on Sunday. I was shocked, me? preach? While I'm pregnant? Ahhh!?!?  I wanted to brush it off but I knew that I had heard from God, so I couldn't fight it. When I told my husband, I was shocked at his response. He felt that people wouldn't be able to get pass my accent....at least that's what he said. I secretly felt like he thought I wasn't ready...or maybe that was my insecurities talking to me. At the end of the day, he agreed.

Lo and behold, the night before my first sermon I started to feel really sick. I had an "upset tummy" and I felt really weak. It was struggle to get out of bed that morning, but I had to put my game face on. Off I went to church all prayed up and drawing from inward strength...it was all I had. I still felt funny as I sat through the various parts of service up unto it was time to minister. Once I got on that stage, every single symptom disappeared. It was like an out of body experience! I ministered on being led by the Holy Spirit. For the first time I understood what it meant to minister by the anointing, whew it was an amazing experience! And when people said that they were blessed, I was encouraged.

If anyone would have told me that I would stand before hundreds of people and speak for about an hour; I would have laughed in Chinese and called them a liar! I remember the days when just the thought of speaking in front of a couple of people would have me sweating bullets and glued to the toilet. What a privilege to have Jesus, he turned my life around and helped me to redefine myself. I know for sure that it was the God in me, his special grace that helped me to stand before the congregation that day, 

****

After church service, I felt worse. I was vomiting (the first and only time during my pregnancy) and my tummy was running. I was very concerned because I was pregnant. We eventually discovered that I had food poisoning. My husband and I had a date night on Saturday; after a great meal I decided that I wanted fresh catfish pepper soup. I should have known something was wrong when the waitress looked startled at our request; furthermore, it took them forever to serve what should have took about 20 minutes. To top it off it was NOT worth the wait, it was the worse pepper soup that I've ever had. It took me a couple of days to recover and get it all out of my system. Thank God for an amazing mother in-love that took good care of me during that time.

*****

A few months into our marriage, our pastors informed us that we were selected to start up a branch of our church in the United States. We began the process of relocation by applying for a VISA for my husband shortly after our wedding.  And the process was taking FOREVER! As my belly grew larger, we had to make a decision. I had to come to the US first and my husband would as soon as he got his VISA.  It was a very hard decision but it had to be done, so I packed up my belongings and left Nigeria at 7 months pregnant.

To be continued....

You are 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!

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The Power of the Spoken WORD

Source: Google

I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.  

Mark 11:23 NLT

Have you ever struggled with reading the bible? Maybe you begin to read and you get bored easily or you suddenly feel sleepy. I've been there, there was a point in my life when the bible did not make any sense to me; it was comparable to an old history book in my opinion. I didn't see what other people claimed to see and I couldn't understand how people got the Word of God to “work for them”. I concluded that I had no control over what occurred in my life and I just had to go with the flow; accepting everything that life threw my way.

This way of thinking was my permanent abode until life happened and I was left alone, confused and scared. In that moment, I ran to God and sought after him like never before. I would ask God to reveal himself to me; I wanted to know him for myself. There was 'something' within me telling me that there was more to life and I didn't have to settle. As I followed God's leading, the bible became alive to me. I saw Jesus in it, in turn I saw myself. I saw who I was created to be and what God had prepared for me. I was glued to the Word, from listening to sermons, to attending church services and programs severally times a week to setting out time to study the bible; I became an addict!

*** 

The Word of God is not effective if it is just in your head; it becomes effective once it enters into your heart. Merely skimming through pages in the bible, reading a verse here and there would leave you with information in your head. Meditation on God's Word is the way to get it into your heart. Meditation involves reading scriptures, in depth study of scriptures and confession of scriptures (speaking the Word out loud to yourself); this process continues until the Word sinks in, bypassing your mind and going into your spirit and igniting Faith in you (Joshua 1:8).

The quickest way to get anything into your heart is by speaking it. We must understand that our words contain power. Our inherit power is released through our words. The type of power that you release depends on the words that you choose to speak; you either releasing miracle working power or destructive power (Proverbs 18:21). You must speak the Word in faith to make it work for you.

Faith in God and his Word is the key to living the life that Jesus died to give. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by the hearing of the Word. You must hear the Word of God in order to believe and receive it. You hear the Word of God when you speak it back to yourself via meditation and when you listen to a sermon being taught or preached by an anointed minister of God.

Colossians 3:16, tells us to let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly. When this scripture speaks about the 'word of Christ', it is referring to the Greek word 'logos' which is defined as the spoken word of God. God's Word is the container of his power (Hebrews 1:3); in order to release the power of God into any area of your life, you need to speak it. It is the Word that you decree that becomes established (Job 22:28); not the word you merely 'think' upon. 

When you decree the Word of God, you are defining the portion of your inheritance in him; you are selecting the boundaries for what you will or will not allow in your life (Matthew 18:18). 

You must get to the point where the Word of God overwhelms and overtakes you then begins to ooze out of you. This is a place where you only hear, see, speak and do what the Word of God says; there is no other option and there is no backup plan. The Word is God's gift to you; it is your access into all that God has prepared for us.  As you speak this Word to yourself, using it to address situations and circumstances; you unleash the power of God to make it good. So speak the Word over every area of your life today and awaiting the performance of that very Word!



You are 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


7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestinyblog

A Pleasant Surprise

Source: Google

Hello All!

HAPPY DECEMBER! 2017 is winding down and 2018 is beckoning!

I don't know about you but 2017 has been one for the books; an interesting year to say the least. I surely had some ups and downs; but overall I can say that I had a great year!

***

In my last post, I spoke about my experience with looking for employment in Akure. If you haven't read it yet, check it out here: Looking Up to God.

***

So after about six months, I finally started "work". It was an exciting and fulfilling experience. I enjoyed what I did; I enjoyed having something to keep me busy during the day. The organization was led by an amazing person and I was amazed by the exceptional work and effort of the staff members. It was a completely different experience from the work that I did with NYSC.

During my first month at work, I was also planning our church's first year anniversary. And being the perfectionist that I am, I was stressed and overwhelmed. I wanted everything to be perfect. In my bid of having a perfect anniversary celebration, I noticed that I was getting irritated easily; if something didn't go the way I planned, I would be so annoyed and if anyone was responsible for it, they may have just heard 'it' from me (*covers face*)

Thankfully the anniversary celebration went well; in fact it was a huge success! I was finally able to breathe again! One day while chilling with my husband in our home, I had a light bulb moment. I realized that I hadn't gotten my period that month. I informed my husband and he just brushed it off; he attributed the delay to the stress associated with planning the Church's anniversary.  I agreed but at the back on my mind the question "Am I pregnant?" lingered.

After a week of no call, no show from Ms. Period, I convinced my husband to purchase a pregnancy test. "You're not pregnant...I am a doctor, I would know" my husband said. He had every reason to feel that way, I had absolutely no symptoms. I felt perfectly fine.

***

When we first got married, I told my husband that I did not want to have any children until after the first year; he concurred. I wanted to "enjoy my marriage"...it is not like children make it impossible to enjoy marriage by the way.  But, I knew that I just wanted to have time alone with my husband. After all, our courtship was short and I wanted to spend some more time getting to know him and vice versa.

Well six months into our marriage, I started to reconsider. After all, "I wasn't getting any younger" and "my clock was ticking"; I had baby fever!  So I decided to have a talk with my husband and he also agreed. So we decided to discontinue using birth control. Hmm...In reference to birth control, I got so many reactions when I told people that I was considering it. I heard things like, "There is no birth control in marriage"; "You should only use birth control after your first child"; "You better not use birth control and damage your womb." I was shocked at these reactions but I went ahead nonetheless; when I went to the family planning clinic, I ignored the nurse's mumbling and vivid displeasure about my decision; I gladly took the birth control and went about my business! Thankfully, I was informed so I didn't allow anyone to mislead me.

But I digress...

While growing up, I was always afraid of pregnancy and childbirth. I saw and heard terrifying things. I heard about the morning sickness & the various symptoms- from nausea, to vomiting, to swollen feet, to chronic spitting (this is a symptom that I've only seen in Nigerians btw!), to weird cravings, to chronic back pain, etc. I did not know anyone that had anything good to say about pregnancy; except the usual “once you have the baby you will forget about all the symptoms and pain.”  I was told that the pain associated with childbirth was the worst pain ever; it couldn't be compared to anything.

So I was very scared. Also since my teenage years, I kept hearing a voice (the voice of the devil of course) telling me that I would have challenges when it comes to getting pregnant. It was so strange to me, no one in my immediate family had that issue...so why me??? The fear of pregnancy and childbirth was a huge burden that I carried, until one faithful day.

***

I had just completed School of Ministry, which is a comprehensive training for ministry conducted by my pastor. We had classes, tests, a group project and a project defense/presentation at the end of the course. My group was recognized for having the best project; and I was given a book. When I finally settled down at home, I removed the book’s packaging. *I laugh now as I remember my reaction* As soon as I read the title, I was livid. My husband just sat quietly and watched my Oscar-worthy performance. "Why do they always expect people to have a baby right after the wedding? Why couldn't I have been given any other book?"

The book in question was "Supernatural Childbirth" by Jackie Mize; that book changed my life! I decided to pick it up a few weeks later and I have not and never will regret it. I have read it several times since then. For the first time in my life, I discovered that pregnancy could be enjoyable, symptom-free and that delivery could be pain-free. WHAT?!?! As I devoured each page, my faith increased more and more and I was pumped up! * I recommend this book for anyone that desires to have a child, IT IS A MUST READ*

Shortly after getting married, we had an "issue" that naturally would prevent me from getting pregnant and those words came back "you're going to have trouble getting pregnant." I started googling away and already discussed the possibility of going to see a specialist to my husband before I realized that I was going about it all wrong. I got my senses back and decided to pray and take authority over that issue. In no time, it simply disappeared! Look at God! There is power in faith! There is power in prayer!

So back to the day when we decided to take the pregnancy test. I opened the package and did the do. My husband and I went about our business and actually forgot about it; until I walked into the restroom a few hours later. And to my amazement, it was POSITIVE! I couldn't believe my eyes! I just stood there glued to the restroom floor. After a few minutes, I ran to my husband and shared the news. He was render speechless; when he regained his voice, he kept saying it was not possible. After the shock, came the excitement. I was surprised because I did not expect to get pregnant so soon, I just stopped the birth control a month prior.

It became real when we went for the first ultrasound a few days later; I was six weeks pregnant! I had a baby in me!!!

To be continued...



You are 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

7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestinyblog

Looking up to God

Source: Google

Hello! Thank you so much for stopping by today! In today's blogpost, I talk about adjusting to a new environment. Relocating to Akure was not easy, it was solely a step of faith. Settling down was not a walk in the park, it came with it's own set of challenges. Continue reading and be blessed!

****

In all honesty, I didn’t like Akure...well initially. I had a hard time adjusting to the new environment. There was nowhere to go, no one to see, and not much do in the small town. To top it off, job searching was stressful. I soon found out that the job market answered to relationships with government officials or other “very important people” and undercover bribes. So after trying and trying, I remembered that I had a relationship with the king of Akure at that time. My husband and I went to go and meet him at the palace one day; and he promised to help us both out. We were elated!

Sadly, he died a few weeks before we were supposed to return to the palace for a second visit. It was painful because he was a friend of both of our families; and he was a wonderful man. Well, getting a reference from him for jobs wasn’t possible any longer. Remember that my husband already had a job but the salary was terrible. I cringed after converting how much he made to dollars; it didn’t make sense that a medical doctor would earn so little. So, I really desired that my husband had a better paying job; and a job that wouldn’t require him to work on Saturdays.

One of our church members suggested that we contact her sister; her sister was a government official. So off we went, hoping that this was it! We got a reference letter from her and I took it to the state’s health department hoping that it would give me an advantage. After waiting for hours to see the head of the health department, his reaction said it all; the reference letter was not going to do me any good. I thought that my Public Health degree from the U.S. would impress him; while it did, it wasn’t enough. However, he reluctantly invited me to apply for an open position with the company. It was a partnership with World Bank, I was excited! Getting the position would have been a dream come true. Plus the pay seemed like it would be good!

When I got an invitation for an interview, I was elated!!! I was sure that the job was mine! The company was looking to fill about 12 positions and I was sure that I would be one of the top choices. On the day of the interview, I dressed my best and I was prayed up. The interview was done in a panel format; I was asked various questions by about five men. The head of the health department was one of the panelists, I was sure that he would put in a good word for me. I answered each question confidently, and at the end of the interview, I was sure that I made a lasting impression!

Imagine my shock when I was NOT selected, I was crushed and discouraged. I knew that we were primarily in Akure for ministry and that was fine but I wanted to start my public health career. I didn't want to be a housewife (not that there is anything wrong with that). I wanted to do something meanful, I wanted to have impact in the public health. And I worked so hard for my master's degree. I already sacrificed one year to NYSC, I believed that it was time for my reward of a good paying job in my field. With each disappointment, I was starting to feel that my degree was useless and that hurt!

****

Shortly after the interview, my father remembered that his former coworker relocated to Nigeria a couple of years prior and he worked with the government. So my father made a call and he promised to rectify the issue; because he knew the head of the health department personally. My hopes were up again…but not for long. After my father’s former coworker contacted the head of the health department, he was told that it was too late; he said that the positions were already filled prior to the interview.  Everyone of the panielist already chose their candidates; the interview was conducted just to fulfill all rightesouness. The head of the organizarion felt terrible because my father’s former coworker was a wonderful host when he visited him in the U.S. He kept apologizing to me profusely. 

So I was back at square one, by this time I was tired and upset at the system. My father’s former coworker apologized and suggested that I volunteered with the organization. I was offended, how can he tell me to volunteer with my qualifications??? I never gave him a definite response. He kept calling me and asking me to go and see the head of the organization and speak to him about volunteering. I finally obliged and went ahead to meet him.

Little did I know that God had a plan all along. I just wasn’t patient enough to ask for his plan. I was too busy going the “world’s way” and trying to look to ‘people’ to help me; instead of looking up to God, the owner of the universe for help. He had a prepared a place for me in the company already, he had gone ahead of me. I was selected as a volunteer, I was able to choose my own hours (I worked 3 days a week), I was given my own office, I was given a laptop and after a few weeks, they decided to give me a monthly transportation allowance that was more than the salary of a good number of the staff. Look at God!

Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Like I said in my previous post, throughout our stay in Akure we truly learned to work by faith. It was not always easy, neither was it always convenient but it was always worth it.


Be Blessed!

- Bunmi Adebiyi


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


7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestinyblog

Honeymoon Ends and The Journey Begins

Source: Google

So our honeymoon was short lived. We originally wanted to honeymoon in Dubai but we had to take a rain check; my husband had to start work about a week after our wedding and we never really went ahead to make definite plans.

We left our hotel early the next morning because we were so hungry!!! And we didn't want to pay for another night. We later found out that complimentary breakfast was available for us at the Sheraton...if we only knew!

One of our church members brought us our car and we headed to the nearest fast food restaurant. We ate like it was our last supper; the food was delicious. Next on our to do list was to find another hotel. The first one that we went to didn't have any rooms available; my husband was starting to get stressed. Surprisingly I was calm; it probably was because of the yummy food that I consumed earlier, I was on cloud nine

As we were about to drive off, our pastor called to check on us. He could tell that my husband was flustered so he asked what was going on. After explaining the situation to him, he directed us to another hotel. He said that the facilities weren't the best but the food was good; I was sold! Talk about perfect timing! I thank God for our pastor, he always seems to come through when we need him; even when we need a hotel in the middle of our "honeymoon" :-).


So off we went, and after about 30 minutes we arrived! The hotel was definitely a far cry from the Sheraton but we made the best of it. And the food made up for what was lacking in the facility; to top it off the price was right! We stayed at the hotel for a couple of days, we mostly relaxed and went out once in a while. It was good but too short! :-(.

We had to head back to Akure and start our new life together. My husband had to head to his new place of work to fill out some paperwork. Afterward, we drove to our new home. It was my first time seeing it and I was glad; my husband was in charge of selecting our house and he did a great job! Yay!

After settling in a bit, we went to visit my husband's parents. We ate, chatted and left with gifts. They gave us a few pieces of furniture, which was much needed. When we arrived at home, we realized that our flat (apartment) was not connected to the electric supply. We called the landlord and she apologized, she told us to pay for someone to fix it and she would refund the money when she came to town a few weeks later. Well there were a few others things that weren't fixed and we had to pay to sort it all out; and our beloved landlord never refunded our money. If we only knew that she was showing her true colors, we wouldn't have been surprised when she did worse things; she wasn't too nice to say the least. From my experience with her, I made up my mind that I wanted to own my own home much sooner than later.

*****
Since we were back in town, we had to church the following Sunday. Our attention was also needed asap, an issue came up while we were away. So here we were back to work. Some people were surprised to see us back so soon, but hey! We had to do what we had to do!
I felt so uncomfortable on our first Sunday back; in the back of my mind, I was thinking that everyone was looking at me funny because I had "done the deed", lol! Don't mind me, I have no idea why I was thinking like that. I hadn't completely embraced my new "status"as a a pastor's wife I had to get used to the attention, sitting in the front beside my husband, and higher expectations of me. It was a lot for me to process at the time. You would of thought that I would have been prepared, but marriage was a big deal; and coupled with pastoring duties, it was an even bigger deal!

The next couple of weeks were interesting. We were adjusting and learning how to live together as husband and wife. Most of all, we were learning how to live strictly by faith. We didn't have much financially and materially, but we had each other and we had a Great God that continuously reminded us that he was our source and sustainer. And at the end of the day, having each other and God was all that mattered!



You are 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


7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestinyblog

Victory Over Storms

Source: Google

The past few weeks have been eye opening for me as I went through and survived Hurricane Harvey...I am pretty sure that you're aware of this natural disaster and how it has affected Houston and other parts of Texas; it was an experience to say the least. I got wind of the impending storm a few days prior; my husband saw the forecast on the news and informed me about it. I didn't think much of it initially.

However, when my husband came home on the Thursday before the storm was scheduled to hit, I re-thought my initial response to the news. He told me that he was listening to the radio and it was advised that we filled the car with gas and have enough water and food at home, because the storm was scheduled to start the following day. So he went out to do just that; something that would normally take him a few minutes, took him a couple of hours.

After receiving a couple of calls from friends about long lines at supermarkets and most things being sold out, I decided to do some research. I saw that the hurricane was fore casted to be the worse in over ten years. It began to rain on Thursday night, but it wasn't major. The rain continued on and off throughout Friday, this time accompanied with loud thunder and bolts of lightening. Then around midnight, the rain began to come down harder and it was nonstop; it was clear that it was indeed a storm.

My husband attempted to go to work on Friday evening on two separate occasions but the rain was so heavy, he could barely see while driving. After a few hours, he was eventually able to drive when the rain stopped briefly.

Shortly after he arrived at work, the rain picked up again and it was heavier. I looked in our backyard and noticed that the empty land behind our house was beginning to fill up with water. As the hours passed, the rain continued. By Saturday evening, not only had the rainfall increased but the wind was out of control. On the news, we saw that people's homes were flooding, some people had to evacuate to shelters, roads and major highway were flooding, etc. It became real!

We had to hold church service via Skype the next day because many of the major roads were flooded. That same Sunday, the streets in our neighborhood began to flood and our neighbors began to panic. My husband and I prayed for our neighborhood, church members and friends in Houston. I stayed up for most of the night praying as I monitored the water levels in front and behind our home. Naturally speaking, it was scary. Our house was pretty much an island; the water levels were rising in the front and behind our house at an alarming rate. We informed our pastors and loved ones, prayer mode was activated! Calls and messages started rolling in as the news of the storm and images of the devastation spread across the news, Internet, etc.

The beauty of it all is that God kept speaking to us in the midst of the storm. He told my husband, "I give you safety in your neighborhood". I remember looking out the window one day and thinking to myself, "We should have gotten flood insurance"; then I heard God say, "I am your insurance." He also instructed me to praise him continually (praise is a weapon, it is a defense; it is the key to victory). So when thoughts of fear threatened to overwhelm me as the waters rose and threaten to wreck havoc on our property; as I read about people loosing their lives; as our electricity flickered on and off at various intervals; as our food supplies dwindled and the rain fell harder; I kept praying and confessing the Word, I kept reciting Psalm 91, I kept saying "there shall be no loss"..." the angel of the Lord encamps around me"... "The Lord blesses without adding sorrow, he gave us this house and we will not sorrow over it, etc.

In these moments, all that was seemly 'wrong' in my life didn't matter. My husband suddenly wasn't so "annoying"; we no longer had reasons to disagree. The amount of money in my bank account no longer mattered. Waking up in the middle of the night to feed my baby no long felt stressful. Being able to speak to family members on the phone was now something to look forward to. You see all that mattered was that I was alive and well! Everyday became a special gift, I woke up excited to see another day! I was overwhelmed with God's love.

For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. Ecclesiastes 9:4 KJV

I work as a Crisis Counselor in a disaster relief program with my organization. Everyday at work, I meet people who have lost so much. I meet people who are now rendered homeless; people who have to camp out in front of their houses because their homes were not safe to live in; people who lost their jobs because they couldn't get to work during and after the storm or their company shut down because it was affected by the flood; people who haven't had a decent meal in weeks; people who are emotional distraught and finding it difficult to move forward; how about the woman whose husband left the comfort of their home to rescue others and lost his life in the process, now she is left with their children trying to adjust to their new reality.

As I hear their stories, I sympathize with them and do all that I can within my capacity to help them. After they've poured their hearts out, some times with tears flowing from their eyes, I always aim to help them see the bright side (one being that their alive) and make them smile; ensuring them that there is hope and restoration after each storm. Meeting these people reassures me that it was our faith in God that kept us safe during the storm, I don't take it for granted. God is good! Taste and see! All that he requires of you is your faith in him!

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 KJV

In life, there will always be storms. There will always challenges staring you in the face; there will trails; you will be hurt, you feel pain; you will disappointed. But there is good news; you don't have to accept it, you don't have to stay down, it doesn't have to redefine you, you don't have to succumb to it. Most of all, you don't have to go through it alone because God is all with you, cheering you on. His still small voice is always whispering the truth to you, reminding you that you are more than a conqueror.

From my experience during and after the hurricane, I learnt that the best way to get through any storm is to:

1. Trust God

2. Hold on to God's Word (Keep it before your eyes, in your heart, on your mind & on your lips)

3. Pray (prayer will give you strength to get through it)

4. Praise God (not for the storm, but for the victory over it)

5. Don't allow fear! (Fear will rob you of your peace- it is possible to have peace in the midst of storm)

6. Don't blame God (God is not the author of destruction, death, pain, lost, etc....the devil is (John 10:10))

7. Grow through it, don't just go through (let the experience leave you better, stronger, wiser, and more  grateful to God)

8. Your perspective is important, it will determine whether you will float or sink in the midst of storms. What you focus on is key, you can choose to focus on the storm or on God. Whatever you focus on becomes bigger, it becomes more real to you.

- During the hurricane my daughter would go to the window intermittently and get excited. She would say, "Mommy, there is a pool behind our house, can we go swimming?" I had to inform her that it was not a pool so she didn't get any ideas. On one of those occasions, this scripture came to my heart:

 "When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.  I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Mark 10:14‭-‬15 NLT

In order to continuously walk in victory, we have to see God as our father and trust in his love absolutely. We have to be like children, having absolutely no cares because we know that Daddy has our back; he has our lives in his hands!!

In conclusion, you don't have to become a victim of storms, victory is always yours in Jesus; it is your choice to take it or leave it.

You are 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!


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Let Purpose Define You, Not People

Source: Google 

He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came along. On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. “We had no idea he was this good!” they said. “How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?” But in the next breath they were cutting him down: “He’s just a carpenter—Mary’s boy. We’ve known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?” They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further. Jesus told them, “A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child.” Jesus wasn’t able to do much of anything there—he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that’s all. He couldn’t get over their stubbornness. He left and made a circuit of the other villages, teaching. Mark 6:1-6 MSG

Don't be surprised, just because you've made some changes and have become a better person doesn't mean that other people will get it or be able to relate with the new you. There are people that can only relate with you based on your hometown, your past, your mistakes, your profession, your titles, your income, your material possessions, etc.

When Jesus visited his hometown, his childhood friends and family knew that there was something unique about him but they couldn't not receive from him; they couldn't get over the fact that he was "just" a carpenter (his profession) or that he grew up in the same neighborhood as them (his hometown).

Personally, I have discovered this in my own life. Some people will always see me as little Bunmi; you know the people that say "I used to change your diaper when you were a baby" or "I remember when you were this tall" (lifting their hands a few inches from the ground) . There are people that see me as their friend that they used to go clubbing with; or the outwardly quiet girl that they grew up with. However, I am none of the above.

I have friends and family in the city where I pastor, yet many of them have not visited our church. Note to upcoming ministers, this is normal don't be offended. I have come to realize that some people will find it difficult to relate to me as a pastor; but I have learnt to not allow that to get to me. There are people that God has sent me to and they've been able to relate to me accordingly. I also thank God that my husband's and I's immediate families have been supportive, because this isn't always the case.

I also remember when I started this blog, I was so excited to finally have summed up the courage to start. Yet my excitement was short-lived when I discovered that I was not getting as much support from family and friends as expected. But, I couldn't stay there; I had to obey God and focus on the purpose of this blog.

You must come to a place where you walk in the awareness and consciousness of who you; or else, you will allow people, places and situations to define you. It is the creator or manufacturer of something that truly knows the purpose for which that thing was created. You are who God says you are, the purpose for which you were created is your identity.

I am fortunate to be married to both my companion and my pastor. I had to learn how to relate with him on those levels separately. If I just see him as my companion, I won't be able to receive from him as my pastor. This is something that I observed and learnt (I am still learning) from my mentor.

One thing that captivated me about my spiritual parents/mentors is that they knew about my past, yet they refused to define me by it. When I first sat down to speak with them, they addressed me in line with my purpose. They saw me the way God saw me, even though I was and still am a work in progress.

You may be having issues with people accepting the new you or accepting you for who you truly are, but don't be discouraged. You see, people that are not spiritually sensitive can not see you for who you are. Also refuse to be that person, the person that relates to people based on their mistakes or their shortcomings. Choose to love people, when you truly love people, you will see them through God's eyes; you will be patient with them, you will love them thorough their highs and lows and cheer them on along the way (Married folks and ministers, this is especially a word for you).

Surround yourself with people that see you as God does; people that encourage you. Remember it is not everyone that will see you for who you truly are, but never allow that to stop you from being YOU! Keep at it, remained focused on purpose and in no time the world will celebrate you for who you truly are!



You are 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

7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt

Our Spontaneous Honeymoon

Source: Goggle

Hello everyone!

Thank you so much for visiting this space today.

I am so happy to be alive today after going through and surviving Hurricane Harvey. The last few days have been unexplainable. I will share my experience in a detailed blog post soon.

Today, I will continue my personal testimony on life after my wedding day. In my last post, I shared my wedding day experience. Overall, it was a beautiful day however I allowed myself to be distracted by the things that didn't go according to plan. At the end of the day the most important thing is that I was joined in holy matrimony with God's special gift to me.

****
As we drove out of the reception venue, I sighed a sigh of relief. Finally 'it' was over. I was exhausted and famished. We were told that we couldn't eat while in the reception hall; I guess for the sake of pictures or whatever. So we were stuck with drinks and snacks; thankfully I had breakfast that morning.

As our driver continued on the rode, he turned to ask us where we were headed. Imagine my astonishment when I turned to my husband and he didn't have a definite answer. He was responsible for planning the honeymoon...big mistake! Prior to our wedding day, I kept asking if the honeymoon plans were set and he would answer in the affirmative. It didn't take me long to realize that planning such things was not one of his strengths. I was too tired to be upset, I just wanted to eat and sleep.

To top it off, I wasn't comfortable; the driver had a passenger in the front seat that we didn't see earlier. Thankfully, my brother in law brought it to our attention and questioned him before we left the reception venue. However, I still wasn't comfortable with this random stranger.

My husband told the limo driver and his friend to drop us off at the Sheraton hotel after spotting it from a distance. "Good choice" I thought to myself. After unloading our things from the car, we said farewell to the limo driver and the random stranger, would suddenly became friendly when we reached our destination. Of course, his sudden change in attitude was in anticipation of the tip he was expecting. My husband paid his dues and they went their way.

As soon as we walked into the lobby of the hotel, all eyes were on us. From the way we were dressed, It was clear that we were celebrating something. After we told the large crowd that we just got married, congratulatory shouts filled the air from people of various nationalities. In that moment, I felt good. I forgot all about the 'old' and embraced the 'new'....yes!!!! I was really married!!!

My husband proceeded to the reception desk to get our room situated as I sat holding my heavy wedding dress in my lap. The hotel staff proceeded to offer us drinks while we waited. It felt good, I felt like a celebrity; the thought, "I can get used to this"  crossed my mind. We finally got a room and it was beautiful. It felt like I was in another country, the hotel facilities were top notch.

The first thing that I did after dropping our belongings, was grab the food that was packed for us. Imagine my disappointment when I realized that the food was cold and their was no microwave in our room; I don't do cold food. Thankfully the hotel management sent us a complementary tray of fruits and some more drinks to celebrate our newly wed status; so that was my dinner.

The telephone in our room rang and my husband was told to come to the reception desk. Although he paid some of the bill already, he was told to put the remaining balance down before we called it a night. When I saw the bill, all the relief that initially felt disappeared; the room was 48 thousand naira (about $250) per night; which was definitely above our budget. We had to start counting our monetary gifts from the wedding, thankfully we had enough for one night.

Needless to say, I couldn't be bothered about anything any longer. I proceeded to take a shower to relieve the stress. And like they say, the rest is history!

You are 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

7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt

Who's in your inner circle?

Source: Google

"Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens a friend's character" Proverbs 27:17 (ISV) 

There is a common saying that goes "Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are"; I concur. Towards the end of last year, I was doing some reevaluation; because I wasn't content with the amount of progress that I had made in certain areas of my life. I was determined to make 2017 a HIT, a year to go down as one of my best!

After much prayer and meditation, I realized that I had to reconsider my inner cycle. I can count on one hand how many people I consider to be a friend. I was never one to flourish amongst a "clique" or "squad". So I kept my circle small intentionally. It pained me to have to reconsider certain relationships, I thought that I had figure this friendship thing out; I was proud to proclaim "no new friends". But I was absolutely mistaken!

When I began to sift my inner circle, I realized that some of my friend's bad habits were rubbing off on me. It was very subtle, but it was happening. I noticed that when I spoke to a particular friend, our conversations mostly involved gossip. Although I wasn't an active participate, I enabled her because I was always willing to listen. If someone talks to you about others, they will talk about you to others; I found this out the hard way. And this is when it hit me.

"Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."  1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

Although I did not find myself gossiping, I realized that my mindset about certain things began to change in a bad way. Your character is an offshoot of your mindset. So I had to protect my character and take a few steps back and setup boundaries.

I spoke to my mentor about what has transpired and she informed me to deal with the issue wisely. I wasn't supposed to cut her off completely; instead I had to transform our relationship from a horizontal one into a vertical one. It is often said that people come into our lives for reasons and seasons and we ought to recognize this in order to maximize these relationships.

Horizontal relationships are relationships in which each party is on the same level and can influence each other accordingly. Vertical relationships are relationships in which one party is on another level, as compared to the other party, and is in the position to positively influence that party (according to Bunmi's dictionary).

Your inner circle should be filled with horizontal relationships. It is only iron that can sharpen iron, wood cannot sharpen iron (in the words of my spiritual father). 

I have a particular vision for my life, as everyone should. And I want friends that can see this vision also; friends that will encourage me, pray for and with me, challenge me and correct me. So I had to rearrange my inner circle, because I wanted to make progress. The process wasn't easy but it was necessary.

What about you?

"YOU CAN NEVER GROW BEYOND YOUR INNER CIRCLE" 

-Bunmi Adebiyi

You are 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

7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt