Monday, December 31, 2012

May Nigeria not become beyond redemption

"'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because some say to you, "You devour people and deprive your nation of its children," therefore you will no longer devour people or make your nation childless, declares the
Sovereign LORD. No longer will I make you hear the taunts of the nations, and no longer will you suffer the scorn of the peoples or
cause your nation to fall, declares the Sovereign LORD.'"

Ezekiel 36:13-15 New International Version (NIV)
Via www.Biblegateway.com

Happy New Year!! God is our helper!!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Thankful!

"Don't be afraid to shut a door when that season has ended- God already has a better one opened for you!" Paula White.


Alright! 2012 is not ended yet... but I remember one of the goals I set to achieve this year was to have fun, I think!! How did that go? Did I really just relax, as I aimed to? Well, it has been a mix of working harder and playing hard :-) I totally love how the year started- with a big challenge of learning to close some doors and just say a blunt NO to many things. Yup, it was hard, but also a good skill to learn. Sometimes, saying no is not as easy as its spelling- even when it is the right thing to do. Anyway, looking back, it has been an interesting year of growing and learning. I caught myself complaining once in a while....but all the stress, I'm thankful for.

More of it come 2013! 

God have been gracious to me, family and friends- and colleagues at work. 

Talking about work... with all the challenges they brought o.... seriously...I'm thankful to and for everyone who gave me an opportunity to learn by doing- CP-Africa.com gave me the space to practice leadership and explore Africa. Dis Generation column in the Nation newspaper gave me a platform to speak up for youth development. UNAIDS' CrowdOutAIDS.org opened up a unique global opportunity to lead by serving. Ventures-Africa.com taught me how exciting it is to build from scratch, focus, work hard and be paid for what you do. My Oga there was very finicky about little errors so I did learn to embrace an excellent work culture too. Aside the above mentioned, there were a lot of other opportunities here and there.... But I pitched my tent at GPI, yup the work-culture has won me over.

So I think I'm going to stick to GPI globalpressinstitute.org for a long time :-) I love my boss and colleagues. The work culture rocks! And yes, it is DEVELOPMENT JOURNALISM! I've learned a lot these past months and definitely look forward to learning more and be productive! It is not going to be easy... but is anything easy these days?

I hope this post does not sound too good to be true. I mean, it has not been all rosy. I failed here and there. Was financially broke. Disappointed some people. Fell ill. I face the usual challenge people face. But in all of it, I think I'm still very well excited and alive!

On education and the rest of us, I did finish strong at NIJ. Combining full time education with full time job is a hard nut to crack :-) But I survived, by God's grace. One of the price I paid was becoming very anti-social for a while... but that is changing now- hopefully. It is very important to just relax- eat well, love deeply and pray fervently.

I lost a very dear friend this year. I was shocked. Devastated. Angry. Discouraged. And became afraid. 

But in all of it, I found comfort in God's word- the same words of comfort in three places- Psalm 42:5, Psalm 42:11, Psalm 43:5:

Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
    Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
    soon I'll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
    He's my God.
(Psalm 42:5,11 Psalm 43:5.)

God is not a secret to be kept.

The year 2012 is not ended yet, but I'm thankful to everyone who has impacted my life, directly and indirectly. With all its challenges, we still have more than a thousand reasons to PRAISE GOD! Don't let the devil steal your joy. As I read on a friend's facebook update recently, "Think back on what God has done for you and praise Him in a new way."

No matter how broke or broken we are, there is always a reason to PRAISE God! Don't settle for being down in the dumps! Arise, yes arise and let God's glory shine through you! His love is not a secret to be kept.

Year 2013, the year of more LOVE. And, yes love is a verb. I've learned the hard way.






Thursday, December 13, 2012

#Poetry


This poem is dedicated to my friend and cousin, Ogunyemi Bankole Taiwo taiwobankole.com. I praise God that you lived! Thank you for being a part of my life... thank you for giving so much of yourself to everyone you met and for always being willing to help. Thank you for trusting God and always acknowledging Him. Until we meet again, rest in God, for in God is peace!

Lets be the happiest friends
The world could ever have
So that even time itself would remember
Those playmates who never gave her rest.
Lets whisper and shout now that we can
Before our voices are blown into silence.
Lets cry and laugh as hard as we can
For come tomorrow we may have no chance.
Lets give all the help we can
To those who need it now.
Time, time is running very fast,
We have no idea who next will part.
Lets be the happiest friends
The world would ever love to have
And before we part each day,
Lets remember to say goodbye,
For it may be our last to see.

(c)Jennifer Ehidiamen, culled from “In Days to Come,” page 23




Saturday, December 1, 2012

Build Your Throne Here Too

I might fail many times Lord,
But do not let me fail to follow your word.

Be a towering rock of safety
and hide me under Your shadow.
It is only in your presence that I find my essence.

May my lifestyle not be all creed
without substance or seed.
Excite me with Your Holiness, Lord,
ignite my passion to pant after Your Word.

(c) Jennifer Ehidiamen. Preserve my saltiness, page 73.