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MAKING IT BETTER: A Mixed Bag

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Monday, November 6th, 2017
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This week I have a number of things running through my mind simultaneously so I figured I would just share them all with you.

I start with sharing in the excitement with our dear Auntie, sister and creator of this awesome website, Mrs Adeleye-Fayemi of another accomplishment and feather in her cap. The publishing of her recent opus Loud Whispers is something we can all eagerly look forward to with great anticipation. I think the knowledge that we have all in some small way been on this journey with her for me is very satisfying, rewarding and exciting.

The icing on the cake for me is that I will be standing with her and meeting some of our wonderful, energetic, loving readers….That’s YOU!

 

Always Gratitude, Praise, and Supplication

 

Dear Father we humbly come before you with grateful hearts, praising you with all our being.

For we know that all gifts that come from you are perfect and good.

We accept and are thankful for all the gifts big and small, all of which we receive as blessings

May we learn to be grateful and content for all that we receive in full knowledge that there is no limit to your grace and love for us.

AMEN

 

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,

Let your requests be made known to God.   Philippians 4.6

 

A heart of gratitude leaves no room for complaining. For it is impossible to be truly thankful and filled with negativity and ungratefulness at the same time

 

The enemy has no choice but to flee when we are full of gratitude. The forces of darkness cannot stand to be around hearts that give thanks and honour to God. The power of our praise and thanksgiving in themselves will make them flee. It burns!

Most important to remember is that gratitude and prayer opens the door to continued blessings. This attitude and state of mind invites the presence of the Divine. Our spirits become refreshed and encourage us to continue to strive to live righteous lives.

 

O comes let us sing for joy to the lord;

Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

 Let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all Gods. Psalm 95:1.3

 

My own personal rant…. THERE IS ROOM FOR US ALL (1)

This will be an ongoing contribution in this column during my stay in Nigeria maybe even beyond. I have seen the writings on the wall and I realise I will need to have this specific avenue to deposit those personal, unbearable experiences. I am asking permission from the queen of Rant herself of this website to grant me a little room to rant myself from time to time.

This week my first rant relates to a call I received from a friend on Saturday asking if I was going to church the next day. This call came on the back of another call I had received from a relative pretty much asking the same question. I politely told both of them that I wasn’t. My relative responded with a playful attitude of surprise. I could tell they were also being polite. Then they went on to say that as a Reverend I wasn’t going to church? To which I retorted that I had a direct line to God and that my ministry went with me wherever I went. We laughed it off and they said they said they would chat more about that when they saw me. It was all very civil but it gave me a sense of what I may be up against during my stay.

My friend on the other hand decided to take a combative stance. She invited me to come to her church to which I gently declined and said maybe another time. (Between you and me I have an issue with her church in particular). Apparently it’s the largest in Nigeria and has academic institutions which its members helped to build but cannot afford to send their children to. Naturally I didn’t say any of that to her. I come from the school of thought of live and let live and I believe faith, religion can be a powerful resource of hope if it is not abused or used to abuse. My dear friend was not satisfied with my response and asked me if I was going to another church. I said I wasn’t. She asked if I had any plans to go while I was at home. At this stage I had started feeling irritated and I understood she was spoiling for a fight as we have had this conversation before while I was abroad soon after I became a Minister.

I had a quick think and decided I could shut this non conversation down immediately and let the friendship land where it may or I can try once again to see if I could help her to understand what Ministry and spirituality meant to me. I chose the latter simply because I thought this conversation was probably going to come up many times while I was home. My friend said didn’t I think it was wrong and not honouring God by not going to church especially since I was a Reverend. I took a deep breath and said to her first and foremost my relationship to God and my calling was deeply personal and between myself and the Divine. I answered the calling with the full knowledge and understanding that I had a specific Ministry that had been set out for me and which I had already had been practicing for years. God just decided to formalise it, to enable me take it to another level. It was not in the church, it was not on the pulpit (at least not at this time, I don’t know about the future).

I told my friend I was confident and comfortable I was doing God’s work just in the way I was meant to do it. I then said to her we all can and are responsible to do God’s work however we can. Some say they are called to do this work and make a lot of noise about it but their actions say otherwise. Some are called formally and their place is in a formal setting. I am a grassroots person. Always have been, always will be. I like to work hands on among the people and I have been blessed with the experience of being among the people. I like to think people’s lives have been made better through our encounter. I know my life has and continues to be deeply enriched and enhanced, and I know I have a lot more to give in the manner in which I understand and trust has been given to me to be the most effective.

 

Gloria Ogunbadejo writes a weekly column for Punch Newspaper. She is a Psychotherapist, a life coach, a holistic counsellor and an ordained Minister

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4 Responses

  1. Let me start by saying we are excited and really looking forward to meeting you too ma’am.

    If Nigerian take the simple principle of do onto others as you want them to do to you as serious as they take going to church, I’m sure we’d be the best country with the best people by now. Please do enjoy your stay in this our country ma’am without minding the super religious people. It’s all for show.

  2. I believe when God calls a person, He tells the person where to function. Some are meant to be seen and others are behind the scenes.
    God bless you Ma’am.

  3. There is no week that goes by that i wounldn’t check “MAKING IT BETTER” space. Psychologically i have been made better. Busy week it has been for me so far but i am glad i finally read this article.
    First and foremost, it will be a great privilege to meet you in person without an appointment, this is just fantastic.
    Secondly, I have personally learned that giving thanks always to God is the most soothing experience one can have. I just can”t begin to describe it. It is mind blowing.
    For the rant, I’m pretty sure you would have a lot rant about before going back.
    Still wishing you a lovely stay in Nigeria.

  4. Giving thanks is a source to living well and living strong. Concerning your rant, hmmm! mama, welcome to Nigeria. The place where we believe in a show and call it call to service.

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