Shapes, Sizes and Surprises

Source: Google

Being a stay at home mom/housewife wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. Having to cater to my daughter's needs every second, keeping the house clean, cooking, keeping up with blogging, keeping up with extended family and friends and praying/interceding for a number of hours daily was a lot. At times I felt like a shadow of myself; everyday became a long-boring-tedious routine. I missed my friends that still lived in Maryland; I missed having a social life. We only had one car so when my husband was at work, I was stuck at home. The best I could do was to take my daughter to the park since it was walking distance; me not being a fan of the heat, didn't help matters, we spent more time at home than the outdoors.

I had also gained a lot of weight; the baby weight stuck on way after the baby was delivered. I wasn't happy about it, but I found myself too exhausted to do anything about it. I was also breastfeeding, I was told that it would help with losing weight but I found myself eating more. It seemed like I was always hungry! The extra pounds made me uncomfortable; it affected the way I dressed. I remembered when I first got married; I would make efforts to look 'appealing' before my husband came home from work. However, during my housewife days I found comfort in loose fitting clothing. My husband never complained but it bothered me.

About a month into moving into our new place, our spiritual parents (pastors) came to visit us. It was so good having them around. I was glad that we had a comfortable place for them to stay when they came. We had an awesome time during their visit; it was refreshing and rewarding. One day while we were chatting with them, they asked us what things were coming to our heart about doing ministry in the U.S. We shared the impressions that we had on our hearts and they made comments; mainly agreeing with us. Then they hit us with a BOMB! They told us that they were praying and God laid it on their hearts for us to start the church ASAP.

They asked for a response and we both basically started rambling; yet we agreed. A couple of weeks after that, we had our first service in our living room. There were 8 adults and one child (our daughter) in attendance. The service was awesome; it was obvious that it was time for us to start. Even though we didn't feel like we were ready; we were still trying to settle in and determine our new rhythm. But God had other plans, and it was wisdom to go with his flow and not our feelings. It became clear that God work out the house situation for this reason also; it was all starting to make more sense.

Shortly after that, I decided to stop making excuses and start work out and eating healthier. It started off slow but I kept at it. I also stopped breastfeeding after my daughter turned one so I couldn't blame it on the baby any longer. I messed up by overeating during the holidays- thanksgiving and Christmas but I got back at it once the New Year kicked off. Making efforts to lose weight gave me something else to focus on; I was always between being bored and being overwhelmed. I felt stuck and I just wanted to more forward career wise and financially but I had to sit still and obey; that was hard, because I liked to be in the move. To me then, "no movement meant no progress"; I had to learn to be still and trust God. I had to learn to enjoy every moment because they wouldn't last. I had to learn to focus on my daughter, being able to stay with her and watch her grow was something that I'd come to appreciate later on. I had to learn that I wasn't defined by a job title but by a purpose which consisted of specific tasks/assignments per time.

On most days, I made the best of it; on other days, my feelings got the best of me.



With lots of love,



- 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

A Tough Pill to Swallow

Source: Goggle

Hello there! Nice of you to stop by today!!!

Can you do me a big favor? Can you like, comment on and share this post? Please and thank you!

In today's post, I talk about a tough decision that I had to make after getting an interesting instruction from God. My pastor always says, "There's one battle that you should never win and that's choosing your Will over God's Will." In this season of my life, those words served as a guide. I had to forgo my desire to be independent for total dependence on God!

Read the more about it below:

**********  

Moving into that house was the perfect birthday gift to me. I was amazed by God and overwhelmed by how he sorted us out. What an awesome God! About two weeks into moving in we were celebrating my birthday in grand style; I was on cloud nine! A couple of months prior was our wedding anniversary; we were low on cash so we couldn't do much to celebrate. We ended up at Popeyes (a fast food restaurant). It was a humbling experience, I initially was tempted to be sad but I didn't allow myself to go down that path. So there we sat and eating our fried chicken, biscuits and fries. God was still good; we still had a reason to celebrate.

Now here we were barely two months later and we were able to afford celebrating my birthday at a Brazilian steakhouse. God provided for us; he multiplied what we had and he granted me the desire of my heart. It was a milestone birthday for me and l wanted to celebrate! And celebrate I did!

After settling into our home, I started thinking about starting work again. I loved staying home with my daughter and being able to cook different types of meal, etc. But I was ready to interact with other adults, make friends and jump start my career; so I started applying for jobs more aggressively. When I would apply for jobs; I would feel unsettled and I had no idea why. The application purpose was also tedious and stressful. After submitting tons of applications, I would get frustrated because I never got any call backs or invitations for interviews. At one point I felt like my degree was irrelevant; many of the jobs I applied for, I was overqualified for. I had become desperate and started to settle.

After a few months, I eventually was invited for an interview with an internationally recognized organization; I was ecstatic! The first step was a video interview. I did all my research and ensured that I was ready. I was also able to put my daughter to sleep during that time, so it worked out perfectly. After the initial interview, I was invited for an in person interview with a panel. Prior to then, I had to get people to provide references for me; that was a process in itself as I was given a short amount of time; and it had to be done via their online database. It felt like I had to chase a couple people around and send frequent reminders but thankfully they came through in time.

Before the in person interview, I went shopping for interview appropriate attire and accessories. Everything seemed to be working out well as my husband was off from work on the day of the interview; so he was able to watch our daughter and drive me to the location. I informed my pastors and asked for them to pray along with me for favor. I was determined to come back with that job! The interview went very well; I could see myself working in that office. After a few weeks, I got some not so good news...I didn't get the job; I was crushed. I replied the interviewer's email thanking her and asking for feedback from the interview. She replied by stating that I interviewed very well but they decided to go with someone that had more experience.

I was discouraged for some time; I was used to being independent; I had my first job at the age of 16. I wanted to be able to contribute to our family financially; I was tired of not being able to buy certain things that I wanted. I started to pray and ask God what was going on; I felt like I was stuck in one place- I wanted to start my career and I wanted my daughter to start daycare so that she could socialize with children her age, etc. One day my pastor called me and told me that he had a word from the Lord for me. He said, "Do you think that you haven't gotten a job because there's no job out there for you?"; “God wants to use you in this season to begin to intercede for the ministry and other things that he'll lay on your heart.”

Those words hit me hard but they resonated within me. I didn't want to accept it but deep down within I knew it was true. So I decided to obey and retire from job hunting. It was hard; I didn't even know how long I'd have to do this new assignment. My pastor just told me that it'll be in two phases and after the first phase, I'll get a job. I couldn't explain to my parents, siblings and friends what was going on. When they asked about job hunting, I would just ask them to keep me in their prayers. So there I was every day, spending a specific amount of hours in prayer. I would pray for the church that we'd pastor in Houston, for the nation, for souls, for people, etc. It wasn't always easy but I made an effort to do my best with the help of the Holy Spirit and I was accountable to my pastor.

I was now on God's payroll; I was employed by him and about his business. I had to learn that God was my source and depended on him for everything. I couldn't afford to focus on what was available or not enough; I needed to use my faith for even the minutest things. My husband did his best; he was absolutely supportive during this time. Even though he disliked his job, he was committed to ensuring that we were well taken care of. He went above and beyond and encouraged me throughout the process. The assignment lasted for about a year...I never expected that! And when it was complete, God hinted to me that it was time for me to get a job. And the way God did it was a testimony!

With lots of love,



- 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

God Still Does Miracles

Source: Google

Hello! Welcome!! Welcome!!!

Thanks for stopping by! If you've been enjoying my blog posts, kindly do me a favor and like, share, comment!!! 

Enjoy today's post below:

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

My husband's first job was a far cry from what he used to; practicing as a medical doctor in Nigeria...then having to work an 'odd' job in America wasn't exactly part of his/our America dream. But we learned how to celebrate small victories no matter how minute they seemed. Some income was far better than no income; we were one step closer to independence.

We were eventually able to purchase a car; my husband decided to purchase it from an auction, however I had some reservations. We got a good deal...or so we thought. You know what they say when something appears to be "too good to be true"; we later found out that the car's transmission was bad. The owner of the car was supposed to inform us but obviously he didn't. Our hopes were dashed; we had spent the remainder of our savings on that car. We asked for estimates and we were told that it'll cost more than we paid for it to fix it; we couldn't afford it. So we managed the car that couldn't go faster than 50 miles an hour until we couldn't drive it anymore. Some days I would be so upset with my husband; if only he'd listen to me...with time I got over it; and decided to focus on better things.

After some time, my dad's childhood friend gave us his vehicle to use for a few weeks. Oh Lord… it was an old white minivan without an AC. Not having an AC in Houston during the summer is a tragedy. I also hated minivans with a passion; my father owned a number of them while growing up and I vowed to never own one when I had a family....go figure! I'd be so embarrassed while driving the car; every time that we went to places where we knew people (i.e. church); I'd try to avoid people or stall until they were out of sight before proceeding into the car. I would feel especially sorry for our baby because of the heat; but once again an old ugly minivan given to us as no cost was better than no car.

My aunt was so lovely; once my husband started getting paid we offered to help out with the bills on numerous occasions but she'd turn the money down; she’d say that we were her children and that she couldn’t take money from us. We tried our best to our part, we would contribute to some groceries and I did most of the cooking and cleaning. We began looking for our own place shortly after my husband started work; with his income at the time, our options were very limited and not appealing. The places that we could afford at the time were in low income and unsafe communities. The first real estate agent that I contacted told us that with a budget of $1000-$1200 a month, it'll be impossible for us to find something decent. We found another agent and the places that she showed us were horrible.

One day, I woke up frustrated; I had enough at that point. I remembered that I prayed and made confessions before relocating to the U.S. I knew that God heard me and I refused to settle. I took some time out to pour out my heart to God and I was specific. I remembered always thinking to myself that I didn't want to raise my children in an apartment. I grew in an apartment and stayed in various apartments after I left home for college. I wanted space...I wanted to be an owner...I wanted more and during my time in Nigeria, I was taught about faith and that it wasn't a crime to desire good things.

God sure does answer prayers!

..... The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God--it is dynamic and can have tremendous power]. JAMES 5:16 AMP

Prior to that day, my dad told me that he would speak to someone that he knew in Houston. He was also a relator; before then my dad had not spoken to him in years. I didn't think much of It because all the relators that I've spoken to prior to then didn't have any good news. Later on that day, my dad called me and informed me that the realtor might have a place for us; I was told to call him a.s.a.p. My husband was still at work so I was hesitant to call without discussing it with him. But I decided to go ahead. Lo and behold, this realtor actually had great news!!!

He started by asking me a few questions, such as whether or not we had an income and how much our budget was. I forgot to mention that my husband had gone for an interview for a higher paying job a few days to this. The day before the interview, our car started acting funny and when he tried to switch to my aunt's car; the tire went flat and it seemed almost impossible to simply replace the tire even with my cousin's help. I was already discouraging him from going; he didn't want to go neither but he got a referral from my aunt's friend and he didn't want to seem ungrateful. The location for the interview was about an hour away and I was so nervous about him driving alone. After it was all said and done, he was off and I stayed home praying for a miracle.

So when I informed the realtor about the possibility of my husband's new job, he felt more comfortable since it was a job with the state and his wife retired from the same position a few months prior. He proceeded to tell me about the house that he just put on the market a few minutes before my dad called him. He said that the owner of the house worked with the federal government and was called suddenly for a job assignment outside of the country and he needed wanted to rent his house while he was away. The house was a two story house, four bedrooms with two and a half bathrooms and it was fully furnished!!! He stated that after he placed the ad online, he had been getting calls for left, right and center. Some people were even offering to pay more or pay the rent in advance instead of on a monthly basis.

He asked if I was interested and I told him yes! He then asked when we wanted to see it; I honestly didn't care to see it...the deal was unbelievable. I informed the realtor that my husband wouldn't be back from work until the evening; he went ahead and set an appointment up for us to meet with the owner that evening. The excitement of the news knocked the tiredness out of my husband's body. When we arrived at the house, we were overwhelmed. It was beautiful; it had flat screen TVs, high quality furniture (some were brand new), etc. I had so much peace about the home.

When we got there, we met another lady...She wanted to rent the house also, she offered to. Pay us off but we declined. After speaking to the owner, he said he felt comfortable with us staying there; his only request was for us to take good care of the house. We drove home rejoicing and in awe of God, the fact that we didn't have any A.C. no longer phased us. Over the next couple of days, we had to fill out paperwork, and pay some fees: the security deposit and the first month's rent.

My husband was offered the new position during that time as well. He was scheduled to start a paid training shortly after. To top it off, he connected with a childhood friend during a church conference some weeks prior; his friend had been asking him to come see him at his office but something always came up. Eventually they met up and his friend told him that God laid it on his heart to give us a sum of money....look at God!!! When it was all said and done, we were able to pay the fees a few days to our move in date. It felt like a dream that I didn't want to wake up from! After five months in Houston, we finally had a place to call our own. It was a house! Not an apartment....just like I prayed for! It was actually much then I prayed for!

 ....and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn (excavated) cisterns (wells) which you did not dig out, and vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are full and satisfied,  DEUTERONOMY 6:11 AMP

The realtor was shocked; he kept saying “Wow! You guys must have been praying…your parents must have been praying…other people must have been praying; look at how your dad called me  just when I put the house up…this can only be GOD!”

When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.  The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. (Psalm 126:1-3 KJV)

IT IN FACT WAS GOD! GOD GOT ALL THE GLORY!!!

To be continued…



With lots of love,



- 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