HA! YOUR THOUGHTS!

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for saving me & being in my life. I come before you as your child, having seen another day that is a blessing from you. I pray that your will be done & not mine. I pray that Lord you shall continue to watch over me, protect me, provide for me & be the light in my life. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen!!!

I am not strong enough to handle life (don’t be fooled by my physique). So many people are tearing up, broken & devastated. Every day they fighting one thing or another. You do not know the battles been fought & the wars been waged in one’s life. One may look all sharply dressed every now & then, but you don’t know what is happening in one’s head, far from the outside look. 

There we are, trying to figure it all out like a lost student. Where can I turn? Who can I rely on? Where can I get help from? Life has caused such a chaotic situation that every single moment, we try to forge forward an obstacle or obstacle take the opportunity to rise.

“Don’t value the things you have in life, but value who you have in your life”

Our mental capacity is been challenged on every single hour, every single minute, every single second, yet we are unaware of this. We try to question ourselves & come to the understanding of, “Am I in the right state of mind, can I handle it, who is there for me?” such a puzzling moment it is. 

It is unfortunate that we are not there for our brothers & sisters, who may not even be of our blood but by virtue of us knowing them. Every single day, somebody is trying to understand, should this day just come to an end. Sleeping peacefully & wake no more, for life has become such a turmoil that we do not understand which is the best cause to take.

“Don’t be afraid to reach and touch someone’s life, you never know whose life you are touching”.

Why is it that we are not there for each other but would rather we stab each other’s back. Yes it is understandable that we are in the Covid-19 period, where we have entered into survival mode, where it is now, me, myself & I and to some extent those who are family by blood. 

We shall be there for them & the rest, we shall let them fend for themselves. This is a colossal mess, our brains are going into a raging battle like no other. Why is it that we look down upon on others who are not like us? I am not a strong man, I am a weakling that does not mean I will not defend you.

“Your value does not decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth”.

It is expected in the African Culture that a man should not show any form of emotion. He should keep it all bottled up like a jinni & act tough, not tearing up or even shedding a tear & be the Simba in his homestead, that is nonsensical rubbish. You are meant to be a human being first, the other aspects of you will fall in place like chess pieces. 

We pretend that everything is alright. Just like something I was watching online, where a critical question was raised in the terms of, if somebody says ‘hi’ to you or asks you ‘how are you doing’, how you will respond. Do you say fine, am good, okay? Will it all be short & bitter sweet answers not revealing the reality of what is happening with or around you.

“You don’t have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great”

I am not saying you open up to everyone you meet but if you will notice the trend of the things, most of the conversations we have are usually quite short. Yet on the inside we are screaming out loud & hurting. There are people whom you can talk to. Do they listen to you or are they there for you, I don’t know, you are the one to tell me. 

This life seems to be plotting the sequel of the game of cat & mouse where everything is all about taking supposed chances. You don’t know what is going to happen, you don’t know how it is going to be done, but you are struggling with so many things you don’t even know where to turn.

“Sometimes what you are most afraid of doing, is the very thing that will set you free”

Fearing that the walls are crumbling & collapsing all around us, wondering to ourselves why are we caught up in all this. Why are the walls closing in, making one claustrophobic? It is unfortunate that we are not there for one another & that we behave like as if we are strangers. When somebody is in pain, when somebody is going through a rough patch, we ignore it like as if it just smoke & mirrors. 

It is a matter of being there to care for somebody, to be their support system, to love them, cherish them, hold them, be with them, without even talking, just listening that can help. Surprisingly, we are not doing any or all of these, we are more concerned about me, myself & I. As Shakespeare once said, “To be or not to be, that is the question”. We live a life that is distinct from any other person, just like the sunrise of yesterday is different from that of today & of tomorrow.

“I am strong because I know my weakness. I am wise because I have been foolish. I laugh because I have known sadness”.

THY LOOSE TONGUE!

Have you ever had such a bad day that you end up thinking that the world has a plot to finish you. You wake up in the morning, looking for your shoes you find one is missing. You are taking your hot cup of coffee/tea & it pours on you. You get in your car & it has no fuel or you take public means & the driver decides to take a longer route than usual, making you get late. 

You are about to print that document that was required by the boss & your laptop or computer decides it has had enough & crashes on you or the document disappears. You set up a meeting with a client & you end up been hours late. You end your day to go home you end up stepping into a puddle of muddy water or it rains & you gate splashed head to toe with unholy water. 

You reach home to at least prepare your meal, it is late & your cooking gas finishes or electricity disappears with food half cooked. Do you relate to this or something similar to this? I hope that I am not taking you down memory lane of the reality of this world as this was just a side thought, now to the main agenda.

“Some people are not loyal to you. They are loyal to their need of you. Once their need changes, so does their loyalty”.

It is said that once you open your mouth & utter words they can’t be swallowed back. Just like opening a Pandora box, where once the locks are opened & gates burst wide open, then all hell breaks loose (so they say). No one is hindered from saying what it is that they are thinking but my advice is to be careful & watchful of that which is said. 

The tongue is considered the most dangerous weapon that we possess, that either breaks & builds (if you don’t know now you know). In life there is no rewind button that one can click to push back the hand of time or wind back the actions that have taken place or make one to stop from hearing the words earlier spoken. If you believe that you can make it in this world, nothing should ever hinder you as you are your own limit. 

There is a cliché phrase that goes that the sky is the limit, I want to correct that and state categorically that your imagination is your limit. What you see yourself is what matters the most to you & not what others think of you. It is important that when we can, we take the moment to fully digest & absorb that which is just about to slip from our lips. 

The punch of words goes beyond the surface but rather impacts much deeper to the feels. All in all, take heart & know that you are meant for greatness. You may not see it, believe it or even feel it but there is more to your life than you can see. Did you know that we are celebrating world mental health day. It may not seem much of a different day from any other day but it has significance that goes beyond the norm.

It is a day that we go out there publicly & let the world know that though there are others who are slightly different from us. That they should not be looked down upon but taken in as our own. The mental status of a number of us is on the edge & at the point of breaking. Many may consider you insane, or having lost it but the brain is a unique mechanism that we can’t fully understand. 

Be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a battle that you know nothing about. For those who did not know mental health includes emotional, psychological & social well-being of a person. This affects how one thinks, feels & acts. It also helps determine how one handles stress, relate to others & make choices.

I met a new friend today & I got to have my mind opened to endless possibilities. Did you know that we are bound by the decisions that we making in our daily. It may not make sense at the moment, so let me tell you of a scenario if I may. 

There was a knock at the door so loud & fast, he woke wondering, “What is all this racket about?” Confused & dazed he approached his house door & opened it. There at the door, she stood with a split blackened eye bleeding, with tears dripping down her face. He proceeded to usher her in & proceeded to prepare a hot bath for her as she looked disheveled. Once she was done, she changed into the dry clothes that had been carefully laid down on the bed. She explained that it was her then man who had made her have the new appearance. He looked with concern & tried his best to comfort her. She had been an old flame of his but had opted to go & live in the fast lane. Her then man was one known for his subjectification & demeaning of women. She did not heed to the warning he had time & again told her of the person she was with but it all had fallen on deaf ears. Here she was again, back to him to seek the things that she missed. He remembered with a lot of pain in his heart that she had left him & gone to this man who had hurt her. It had become such a common trend that every time she was hurt she would run back to him for comfort. He looked at her & bluntly told her that he would not continue to be her rebound forever. She had to, from then on decide what was best for her but not use him as her guinea pig & he walked out of the room leaving her to her thoughts”. 

This is not a romantic tale in the likes of Romeo & Juliet or a blame game, but a reality check of the happenings in what we face on a daily. I did not bring this up to putting anyone down but to make you aware that the choices we make have consequences. Every action may or may not bring out a reaction & how you decide to respond determines the next unfolding. In all that

What happens when you fail? And God is like I’m right here. What happens when you look like this is the worst thing that ever happen to me, and God is like I got you. This is the God we serve. That at your lowest moment, at the break up, at the divorce, at the pain, at the mistake, God is like I am right here with you! And if I go before you then who can be against you!

I would like us to take a moment & just go before the Father up in Heaven & have this talk: "Dear Lord, thank you for today. Thank you for waking me up. Thank you for every heartbeat and every breath. Help me to love you more this week and to love others. Help me to trust you and your plan for my life and not worry about tomorrow, for you hold it in your mighty hands. In Jesus name, Amen!!!"

THE LAST RIDE!

Hi there, how are you doing? Will you give me the permission to ask you a small/tiny question (looking around anxiously & expectantly)? Aah, thank you, I am humbled to have your go ahead, awesome! When was the last time that you smiled & even laughed? 

In its simplest meaning, just you letting it all out through laughter without a care in the world. Hmm, it may feel like a strange question but it shouldn’t be. Have you not realized that we have been so caught up in this battle of survival that we even forgot the little pleasures?

“A smile is the lighting system of the face, the cooling system of the head and the heating system of the heart”.

I don’t know the path that you are walking or taking, but of late, I am becoming more & more familiar with mine. Every turn that I take, I see the faces of those I know & others who are strangers. Caught up in our own train of thoughts, wondering, “So, this is it”, the question constantly lingering in our minds as we try to figure it out in the ever confusing moments in life. 

My mind races to try & catch up with the reality, that we are all different but still one people. If I am cut, I shall bleed & my blood will still be red, just like yours. I know that there are days that you reach your house/home & you feel so worn out to the extent you question your sanity.

“Sometimes you have to walk away from what you want to find what you deserve”.

It is at this moments that we sit/lay down to unwind & reflect on how the day was & what is to come. The gravity of living, constantly pounding you from all sides, getting you in the moment of, ‘I am about to just let it be’. In life, moments come & go, so take a shot or you will never know. Your heart will tell you when it is time to move, so take a chance. What have you go to lose?

“No one can destroy iron but its own rust. Likewise, no one can destroy a person but his/her own mindset”.

Everyone deep down is fighting a quiet battle. It does not matter how big or small the battle, we are all fighting something. You are seeing this post because whatever it is, I want you to be proud of yourself for the fight you are putting up. Be proud of yourself of all the things you have pushed through. 

As hard as life gets, never give up. Those struggles you are going through will lead to your greatest blessings. Keep pushing forward, you can’t go back & erase what has happened in your life, but you can always strive to be your better self in the future.

“Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something, because the Bible says, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you”.

It is said that if you want to go fast, walk alone but if you want to go far, walk with others. It may seem like just an okay statement or a cliché but the weight that it carries goes way above & beyond the normal interpretation. It is important to know that always say what you mean & mean what you say, because, those who mind don’t matter and those who matter they won’t mind.

“Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like”.

Did you know that it is so easy to give up on life! Why should you care? Why should anything matter to you? Why should you wake up every day to go grind? Why should you be part of the living? Why should you keep on struggling? Why should you keep on fighting to pull through? So many questions, with so few answers to give. 

Well, to tell you the truth I don’t know why we go through what we do but what I can tell you is that we all have a purpose on this beautiful earth. It may not feel like it but don’t let go yet. The rope may seem to be slipping from your hands, don’t fret, you are not alone, I got you, God got you & those who love you got you. 

We get so caught up in the heat of the battle that we forget the reason as to why we started in the first place. No one said that it shall be easy, if it was/had been, all of us would have done it. You limits get tested on a daily just like the capacity & strength of a bungee jumping rope holding your weight as you drop down screaming bloody murder. 

I may not know you, I may have never seen or met you, I may have never heard of you, I may not even be in the same region with you but what I do know is that I care & God also cares. It may seem like a strange thing to know that someone out there cares about you & prays that all things work out for you. 

You would be surprised by the number of people who are out there, who take a moment to just include you in their prayers (no matter the religion), from their lips to God’s ears. Their acts may not be direct, but it could be through someone else or even directly without even you knowing it. 

When we think of the ripple effect, there comes the thought of one act creating a chain reaction of unknown proportions. When you release good into the world, good will come back to you, it may take time but it will get to you. The same way, if you release evil into the world, it will come back clapping & stomping.

Life is not something that we ought to take for granted but should continue to learn to appreciate the little blessings that come our way. I don’t know you, you don’t know me but I know for a fact that everyone has had hardships in the past, they had to go through. I am proud of you, be proud of yourself. Keep going, radiate bliss.

I want you to take a moment and pray as follows:

Our everlasting Father up in heaven, I come before you thanking you for the gift of life that you have given me. You are the Alpha & the Omega, the beginning & the end, you are Jehovah Jireh, who was, who is & who is yet to come. Lord I lay all that is weighing me down at your feet, for you are the one in control. I know that I am a sinner and I have let the ways of this world to take hold of me. My redeemer, I am seeking your strength, wisdom, your forgiveness and your love. Father, I pray that may your will be done. In Jesus name, Amen!