Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Novella: Choices (Chapter 10)

MOREMI HALL, OAU, ILE-IFE (SUNDAY 29TH APRIL, 2007)
Shola was seated in her room. Thomas had promised to join her later. He had excos’ post-meeting after service. She had enjoyed the service. It was a conservative setting but the love in the air was palpable. When the President, Pastor Lekan, mounted the pulpit, she had felt a strange sensation in her body and she hadn’t been able to explain why. It was after the sermon that she understood what was happening.
The young man was truly anointed and God had given him a word in season. He didn’t preach from his notes; but from his heart, being led by God. It was as if he had grown up with her right from the childhood to the present moment. His sermon was titled ‘Return to your first love’.
He reminded the congregation that God was still waiting with outstretched arms, calling unto His children who’d run away from home, still seeking his lost sheep, wanting to bring them back to safety. In concluding his sermon, he had said “God has never and will never get tired of you; He will never give up on you. No matter how hard you’ve fallen or how deep you’re stooped in sin, Jesus is waiting and calling you back home. He can make all things new and sweet again. He’s saying ‘My dear child, return to me, your first love’”
With that, he made an altar-call. Shola, who wouldn’t have given it a thought on another day, was the first to come out. She really didn’t mind the publicity; she was used to being stared at. She walked up front, knelt down before the altar and was soon joined by others.
After leading them in the sinner’s prayer, Pastor Lekan told them to open their eyes and follow the young man to their right. By the time she opened her eyes and looked right, it was Thomas standing there; ready to lead the new converts to the counseling room. He smiled at her. She smiled back, and looked down. She was surprised at herself. When last had she been shy? ‘This God really has what it takes to make me a child again’ she thought as she was ushered out for counseling.
Resting her back on her pillow, Shola felt her heart would burst. She felt so relieved and happy for the first time after many years. ‘See what I’ve been trading for doctored grades and status all this while. Shola, how silly could you possibly be?’ she chided herself but rejoiced in the fact that it was never too late to start again.
As she was about to flip through the new bible she was given at fellowship, her phone rang. She looked at her phone and saw a number she didn’t know. She picked the call. “Hello”
“I heard you have found God!”
“Please who’s this?”
“You think He can help you?” she soon recognized the voice; Professor Toriola’s. She didn’t answer him. “Alhaji was very upset yesterday and decided that if I wasn’t man enough to bring you I couldn’t have the loan.”
“I’m sorry”, she said.
“Oh! Don’t be sorry yet”, he said picking his words deliberately. That’s what he did when he was angry. “I want you to know that by the end of this semester, you’ll be on your way out of this campus with a paralyzed GP”
“Prof, I’m sorry, please…”
“I thought you had some sense. You’re a fool; a big fool” He cut the line.
Shola was shocked. She had expected it but the reality was still hard to bear. She knew Professor Toriola well enough to know that he said only what he meant and he was capable of doing it. ‘This cannot be happening to me. God, what do I do now? Is this the price I pay for following you?’
‘I will surprise you’
Shola looked around. Who said that? She had never heard God’s voice before but she was now so sure this was His voice. Tears of relief flooded her eyes. ‘Thank you for speaking to my heart. I don’t know what you have in store but I’ll wait and see. Whatever happens, I’ll trust you Lord. And please, let that post-meeting finish early, I need Thomas right now!’
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FAJUYI HALL, OAU, ILE-IFE (SUNDAY 29TH APRIL, 2007)
There was a knock on the door and Bayo went to open up.
“Hey Bayo! Good to see you! I’ve missed you!” Amaka said as she hugged Bayo and clung to him. “I’ve missed you”
“I’ve missed you too baby”
She stepped and walked over to his bed and sat down. “When did you arrive on campus?”
“About 7:30 tonight.”
“Hope you had fun, Moni?”
Amaka was stunned. ‘Who is Moni?’ After a brief thought, she dismissed it. She had probably heard wrong. “Didn’t really have fun.” she said, “couldn’t be the same without you around.”
“I’m really tired tonight and need to sleep”
“Are you sending me away?” she asked.
“I could never do that” Bayo said. Amaka touched his shoulder and smiled at him but noticed he was distracted. She squeezed his shoulder and bent forward to kiss him. “Stop Moni! I’m not in the mood!”
Amaka recoiled. “Who is Moni?”
Bayo was caught off-guard. “I don’t understand. Where… what… who is Moni?” he managed to ask.
“I should be asking you”
“I don’t know anyone by that name.”
“She must be so close and intimate with you that you didn’t even realize you were calling me Moni. She’s on your mind, right?”
“Oh! There’s one Moni that sells…”
“Don’t give me that crap, Bayo.” Amaka said, standing up. “You’ve taken me for a fool so far because I really like you, but Bayo, I’m about to show you that it’s not every girl you can use and dump.” She paused. “When I’m through with you, you’ll wish you never ever opened any girl’s laps”. With that she stumped out of his room. She didn’t even bother asking about his penchant for deflowering virgins as she had agreed with Zainab that she would do. His betrayal was enough for one night.
Bayo dismissed her words; it wasn’t the first time a girl would shout empty threats at him. Little did he know that Amaka’s threat was nothing close to empty.
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LAGOS (SUNDAY 29TH APRIL, 2007)
Moni sat on her bed and couldn’t think of anything else. She had wanted to know what sex was like and who better with than with Bayo. But now, she was overcome with guilt and fear; the fear more than the guilt. She couldn’t explain why but she was having this feeling that she had only had twice prior to this time. A feeling of foreboding that something bad was about to happen.
She recalled that disaster had ensued on those two occasions. One was the death of her younger brother; she had felt it before it happened. The second was the fire-outbreak in Royal College two years back that claimed two students’ lives. Now, she had another foreboding. And no matter what she had tried to do to avert the first two, they had come to pass. She couldn’t stomach the fear that gnawed at her. The foreboding had come over her when she stepped back into the hostel after the Visiting Day hours were over.
She buried her head in her pillow and began to cry, then sob, then jerk, then scream, still shedding tears. It was too much to bear. She had the premonition that she was going to die, and the whole episode would start when she discovered in a month’s time that she was pregnant. ‘Please God; don’t let this happen to me. I’m too young to die!’ she cried, the tears unstoppable, her heart broken and her spirit shattered.
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Chief and Mrs. Okposu walked into the hospital with Michael following behind. The moment they got home from visiting Pearl, they had been told their house help, Kafayat, had fallen while mopping the floor and had been rushed to the hospital. When they got to the hospital, the doctor called Chief and his wife into his office.
“Your aide is fine and is resting now, but I have bad news for you!” the doctor said.
“What is it?” Chief Okposu asked.
“She’s a month pregnant”
“What! Who? How?” Pearl’s mother exclaimed and asked.
“She hasn’t told us who is responsible yet” the doctor stated.
Mrs. Okposu started rambling on what she would do the girl when she awoke. Chief on the other hand was too stunned to speak. He hoped his wife would mistake his silence for shock.
‘What kind of cruel joke is this, just when I had decided to stop’ he thought to himself. ‘But come to think of it, it can’t be me. It can’t be me.’ He thought some more. ‘If I’m responsible, then I will have a child of my own; it doesn’t matter who the mother is, but that would ruin my marriage. But if the baby is not mine as I expect, then it means Kafy has been sleeping around and I could have contracted an STI or AIDS.’ The thought was too much to bear. ‘Pearl, I really hope you’re praying. I need your prayers desperately now.’



…TO BE CONTINUED NEXT EDITION. Please remember to subscribe if you haven’t, so you could receive the next edition. Only subscribers would be receiving editions on a regular basis. Don’t forget either that subscription for this magazine is free. All it costs you is either browsing time or a postage stamp!!! See ‘Free Subscription’ for details.)

Written by Timilehin Adigun (08023458880; timtimmy1@yahoo.com)
“I could do this too; I love writing stories”. If that’s you; a teenage fiction writer, please send an e-mail to us at
justaboutmine@yahoo.com with your details and attach your story. If your story is chosen to be published, you’ll be informed and we’ll work together on editing your story - the next Novella. This is your opportunity to become a published author.

Novella: Choices (Chapter 9)

Pearl was seated in the passenger’s seat of her step-father’s Lexus jeep. Her brother, Michael, was seated on the driver’s seat. Her mother was at the boot dishing food. Her step-father was a stone throw away, talking with another parent. She was happy seeing her mother and brother again. She pinched her brother. “They are feeding you well in your school o!”
He smiled. “Guess so”
“You’ll soon be much taller than me” she said, absorbing the masculine developments in her kid brother who was just fourteen. She took his hand. “It’s good seeing you again. How is mummy?”
“As in?”
“As in, how is daddy treating her?”
“Fine. They seem are okay”.
Pearl nodded. That was something else about the man; a good thing however. He took care of her mum, and always paid their school fees. The two problems he had were the bottle and skirts. She was certain that while she was in school, he would have found an alternative to her.
“Do we have a house-help now?”
“Yes we do.”
“Like how old is she?”
“I’m not sure, but she looks about fourteen to me. Why are you asking?”
“Just curious” Pearl said, and she had her answer with that. The probability was really high that her step-father would have started harassing that young girl too. She had intended to be harsh on him, asking him if he had a heart; hoping to allude to his childlessness being the result of his inhumane acts. She had however learned otherwise from her new friends and had been told that it’s a lust spirit operating in him, that he can’t help himself even if he wanted to.
So, along with her friends, she had prayed against that spirit in him. She was not going however to keep being used; she wanted out. She had told her mum not to dish her food yet; she hadn’t regained her appetite yet, she needed to talk first. She looked in her step-father’s direction and saw he was shaking hands with his friend, rounding up their conversation. She stood and leaned against the jeep.
When he was done and was walking back, she met him before he got to the vehicle. “Dad, I need to talk with you”
He had a mixed look; surprise and fear. “Let’s talk in the car”
“We need to talk privately. Please!”
He looked in his wife’s direction and signaled to her that they would soon be back. She smiled and waved them off. Pearl saw the look of admiration in her mum’s eyes and wanted to cry. Her mum had always been happy when she saw her husband and her daughter together, thinking they were close, not knowing it was the direct opposite.
They walked to the Chapel and sat towards the back where no one was close enough to hear their conversation. When they were seated, Pearl played with her fingers, looking at them. She didn’t know where to start from. Her step-father reached out to hold her shaking fingers. She flinched.
“What’s the problem dear? Have you missed me this much?” he asked.
Pearl was nauseated. It was then a strange courage stirred up and she blurted out, as quietly as possible, taking her hands away from his. “I haven’t missed you and don’t think I could ever do.” He just stared at her.
“I made a decision”, she started saying, still looking down but she remembered the counsel she received. ‘You don’t look down when you refuse a guy no matter how old he is; you look him in the eye, not in disrespect but with confidence and tell him a big no’. She looked up and continued.
“I cannot and will not allow you ever touch me again” She saw he was affected by her directness. He looked around to be sure no one had heard what his step-daughter was saying. Her timidity had been her undoing all along. “I forgive you for all you’ve done to me, but it can’t continue. I’ve found Jesus and he’s set me free from the guilt. I will not allow it any longer”
No one said anything for a while. Her step-father looked at her for a while. Pearl noticed his eyes were filling. ‘Thank you Jesus’ she breathed. He blinked back the tears. “Pearl, I’m sorry I had to wait till this before I could get myself together. I have been addicted to sex since when I was twelve and I can’t do with one partner; I’m never satisfied. I really didn’t want to touch you when I married your mother but I couldn’t resist you.” He looked down.
“But when I discovered that when I threatened you, you kept it a secret, I couldn’t help continuing.” He looked up. “I know I can never undo the wrongs I’ve done you but I beg that you forgive me, I’m very sorry.”
“I’ve forgiven you already. Jesus has made it easy for me. You could accept him too.”
“I’ll think about that. But in the meanwhile, please pray and ask Him to help me overcome this habit”
“And drinking too?” Pearl asked, seriously.
“And that too!” he added sadly. “But do you know the worst part, the part I can never tell your mother. “It’s this addiction and the things I’ve done to satisfy my yearnings that have rendered me unable to have children.”
Pearl could see the deep sadness in his eyes. The man she had always viewed as cold and hard actually had a heart.
“You’ll notice I was always protected with you because I couldn’t take chances and sincerely didn’t want to ruin your life with an unintended pregnancy. I’m very sorry again”
Pearl nodded, eyes filling too. She still had a question to ask. “How about the new house-help?”
He nodded and she understood his message. “I have been careless with her because I know nothing is at stake; I can’t get her pregnant. But with this conversation and if your Jesus hears your prayers, I hope never to touch her or any other woman, apart from your mother, again.”
Pearl smiled as tears spilled down her cheeks. She was happy for the change but wondered why she had to suffer so bad before this deliverance came. ‘Lord, you know best and I trust You. Thank You for working things out’ was her silent prayer to God.
“I’m sorry again”, he said as he wiped at the stray tear that made its way down his cheek. “Hope we can still be family?”
“Yes, we can” she replied and they rose.
“A hug from daddy; a noble hug”
She smiled and received his embrace. “Please remember to pray for me” he said as they made their way out of the chapel. Pearl was so happy, she wanted to tell the world, she looked out for any Maranatha girl but didn’t see any on her way to her step-father’s vehicle.
She passed a familiar vehicle and excused herself. She peeped in to see Moni’s uncle. “Good afternoon sir. Has Moni seen you?
“Yes” he replied. “She said I should give her thirty minutes. She wanted to see a friend”
“Okay. I’ll come back later” she said and hurried to catch up with her dad. When they got to the car, Pearl asked for her food. She had regained her appetite; she was famished. She hoped her family, the Okposu family, would live happily ever after. She wouldn’t have dreamt that their happiness and oneness at the moment was soon to be threatened.
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Moni had been talking with her uncle who was representing her parents when she saw a familiar face enter the school. Their car was parked close to the gate, so she could the person clearly. She was shocked. ‘What is Bayo doing here?’ she asked herself. ‘Don’t tell me he came for my Visiting Day – Oh! How romantic’.
He was looking round as he walked. He was looking for someone. She asked her uncle to excuse her and she went to him. He was walking towards the other side, with his back to her. She came up from behind him and pinched him. He turned, and on seeing her smiled with arms extended. She eased herself into his embrace.
He pulled back and looked at her. “You are looking real sweet.”
“Thank you. So, why did you come?”
“To see my love, what other reason could there be?”
She smiled. “You could have come to scout for another babe”
“I would be stupid to do that.” He paused. “I’ve missed you badly, and missed the bonding we had in those days. Yesterday ignited my longing to be better bonded with you. Do you feel me?”
Moni nodded, already getting excited and looking forward to it. Since the day before when she kissed him, she couldn’t get her mind off the feelings it stirred in her.
“Where can we go?”
“Everywhere would be bustling with people today” but as she said that, she remembered a place some girls had mentioned earlier where they used to ‘play’ with the ‘cool’ male teachers. It was an abandoned store. “I have a place we could go”
“That’s my baby.” Bayo said and they agreed that Moni should walk much ahead, with Bayo looking out for the room she entered, and that he should follow a few minutes after.
When they were both in, they made out for a few minutes and they were quite comfortable, relieving the earlier days when they were dating. But because of Bayo’s predetermined desire, he added a twist to it that heightened Moni’s desire. It was at that point that he asked her. “Can we do it now?”
An alarm went off in her head. “I want to but…”
“Talk to me. But what? Don’t you love me?”
“I do.”
“Oh! You don’t trust me anymore, right?”
“Bayo stop! It’s not that. If we do now, knowing my present condition, I could get pregnant.”
Bayo laughed. “Is it that?”
“Yes” she said sheepishly.
“I wish you were my first but you know you’re not. I’ve come to know how you we can do it without protection and you still won’t get pregnant” he lied.
Moni brightened up. “Really?”
“Yes. So are we good to go?”
She nodded and Bayo smiled. “You’re the best girl.” Bayo couldn’t believe it was coming so easy. ‘Na wa o! Girls could be so naïve. If you get pregnant, na your own wahala o!’ he thought to himself as he deflowered her.

Novella: Choices (Chapter 8)

IMO STATE (SUNDAY, 29TH APRIL, 2007)
The bus drove into Imo state at about 7am. They still had a fifteen minutes drive before getting to their school. They had all slept most of the way, and chatted when they were up to it. Ijeoma hadn’t gotten the answer to the question she had posed to God yet and wondered what she should do about her feelings for Chuba.
She looked in his direction and saw he was still sleeping. It had been fun being with him through the journey but she knew life won’t be the same once they returned to school. Their academics and leadership responsibilities were bound to keep them busy, preventing them from having time to talk like they had just enjoyed. Ijeoma chose to make the best of the few minutes left. She tapped Chuba gently. “We’re in Imo”
“Mmm!” he stirred.
“We’ll soon be in school. Hope you rested well?” she asked.
He straightened up. “Yes I did. Thanks.” He looked at her. “You don’t look like you slept”
“I don’t sleep when traveling but I confess I dozed off a couple of times.” She smiled.
“Nature can’t be cheated!”
“You bet!” Ijeoma affirmed, and turned back to see her colleagues were still sleeping. She decided to let out a bit of her heart before the others awoke. “It was really really nice going to Lagos” she said and felt silly. ‘Ijeoma, don’t be silly. That’s not what you’re supposed to say’ she chided herself.
“It was a nice trip” Chuba said.
“Guess the times I enjoyed the most?” she asked, still groping for how to express how she felt.
“The meals at Excellence hotel; it was obvious you enjoyed their meals.”
Ijeoma was flushed. She must have been obvious. She actually emptied her plate on all occasions they ate.
“Don’t be embarrassed. I did the same. You’re not less of a lady, as far as I’m concerned. You were hungry and you ate to your satisfaction. Simple!”
Ijeoma smiled. “Thanks,” she paused “but the times I enjoyed most where the times we were together; studying together, eating together, answering questions at Royal together, traveling together and talking with each other.”
Chuba was taken off guard. “Really?”
“Really. Thanks for making it a lovely trip for me” she said, smiling at him.
“I really don’t know what I did or said to make it nice but thanks anyway. It was my pleasure.”
“I hope we still maintain this cord as we return to school” Ijeoma said.
“Sure. Why not!”
‘Should I ask now, should I not? Should I, Should I not?’ Ijeoma’s stomach was full of butterflies and her palms sweaty. She summoned courage and decided to take the risk. “Chu…”
“Wake up guys, we’re a minute away from school”, their teacher, who had just woken voiced out to his students, interrupting Ijeoma. The other students woke up and Ijeoma swallowed her words. A few seconds after, the bus drove into the school compound and the Principal was already standing in front of her office, waiting to receive them.
‘I’ll find time to ask him later’ Ijeoma thought to herself as she put her things together, getting ready for the warm reception they were bound to receive.
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They were both seated in the chapel. The Principal had already heard the news but was still excited when she saw them; other students joined in celebrating their heroes. After the welcome, she had told them they could rest till lunch but both Chuba and Ifeoma had missed Friday fellowship and longed to attend the Sunday morning service.
When it was time for the sermon, the Chaplain announced that there was a guest speaker who would talk to them on sex and dating. Kristos students hooted when they heard that. Chuba looked at Ijeoma, smiling. “They just can’t get enough of these talks.”
“Neither can I?”
Chuba was surprised. “You? What new thing could you possibly hear today that hasn’t been said in all the talks on sex and dating we’ve had.”
“You never can tell, Chuba!”
He wasn’t convinced. “You’ll do me one favor, Ijeoma?”
“Okay. What is it?” she asked.
“I doubt it, but if you gain something new, would you tell me?”
“Sure. Is that the favour?”
Chuba nodded, and returned his attention to the speaker who had already started her talk. She talked about familiar things, explaining again why boys and girls should stay as virgins till marriage; talking about the many blessings and joys that come with it. Then she talked about dating, stating however, that they were to note the points for the future, that they didn’t need dating at their ages and present status.
She told stories of secondary school students who had ruined themselves by early dating, ruined both emotionally and physical. For those who were care-free, she stated that the emotional scars are usually more sever than the physical scars, so it was best to just wait for the right time for both dating and sex.
“She seems more concerned for you girls; you’re the one with issues” Chuba said, winking at Ijeoma.
“I don’t agree. You’re the ones that cause our problems, aren’t you?”
“It’s all interwoven I must concede”
“Better” Ijeoma said, feigning a scowl. They continued listening. Just as she was about to round up, the speaker voiced out. “And as for you girls who are so in love with a guy that you want to ask him out, this is for you.” Ijeoma’s ears tingled. ‘Wow! This is no coincidence, God must have a word for me’.
“No matter how much you think you like a guy”, the speaker continued, “You’re never to ask a guy out. It’s not your place; it’s the guy’s job.”
“Preach it preacher!” An excited male student shouted from the congregation.
The speaker smiled. “God created you to be pursued; to be found, not the other way around. Can I hear the girls say an Amen to that?”
“Amen” girls chorused.
“So, when you like a guy in the nearest future and believe he’s for you, pray about it. Tell God to make him come if he’s for you. Don’t go belittling your female pride, so you aren’t taken for granted. Trust God who wants the best for you. He will make him come if he’s the best for you. If not, a better guy will come. Can I hear another Amen to that?”
“Amen” girls screamed.
A girl towards the back raised her hand to ask a question.
“I usually don’t entertain questions until the end of my talk, but I’ll give you an exception. Yes, shoot”
“Thank you ma.” The girl said. “What if as a girl you are friends with this guy, but he’s getting real close, buying stuffs for you, being so nice and all but he’s not asking you out. What do you do in such a situation?” Kristos students giggled and passed side comments when they heard their colleague’s question.
“Shhh!” The speaker said, calming them down. “Nice question. What’s your name dear?”
“Oluchi”
“Oluchi, I think that girl is you, right?” There were more giggles in the chapel. Oluchi smiled nervously without responding. “You may sit down dear” The speaker took a few seconds to analyze the question. “What you do in that case is to ask the guy to define the friendship; tell him to clarify what his motives are. If he wants to date you, you’ll tell him you’re not ready for that yet. But if he’s just doing it as a friend, then you can enjoy your friendship without any fears, strings attached or unanswered questions.” She paused and looked in Oluchi’s direction, smiling. “You now know what to tell that guy, right?” Oluchi smiled and nodded.
The speaker finished a few minutes after and the service soon ended. When they rose to leave, Chuba looked at Ijeoma. “So, what new thing did you learn?”
Ijeoma wondered whether or not to tell him, but she remembered she’d promised.
“Do I have to tell you?”
“You promised!” He smiled, feeling triumphant.
“All right, then. That I should never ask a guy out no matter how much I like him”
Chuba looked surprised. “You didn’t know that before?”
“No, I didn’t” she admitted.
Chuba’s looked turned from shock to mischief. “So, who’s this lucky guy?”
“I didn’t promise you that information, so I aint telling” she smiled and walked towards the chapel exit.
Chuba couldn’t help laughing at his friend. “You too shy to tell me?” he asked, still laughing. When she didn’t respond, he hurried to catch up with her. “Wait for me now.” He caught up with her. “Or is it him you’re hurrying to see?” She punched him in the tummy and ran, laughing. He recovered quickly, and chased her. Though he made light of it, Chuba couldn’t explain the anxiety that flooded his mind that Ijeoma had another person she liked. ‘Or could it be me?’ he thought as he ran after his friend.
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LAGOS (SUNDAY 29TH APRIL, 2007)
Pearl was in the dinning hall and had lost her appetite. The story Moni had told her the day before of her episode with Bayo was still upsetting her. She wondered why her friend could be so beclouded as not to see what Bayo was up to. The best she could do was pray for her. But more paramount on her mind was the hurdle she was up against in a few hours when she would be face-to-face with her step-father.
She looked forward to the Maranatha girls’ meeting that held every Thursday and then Sunday at 8:30am, thirty minutes before service. She had burdens she wanted to offload; she couldn’t think of bearing the weight alone. She looked at her side. “Do you want?” she asked the junior student sitting next to her, pointing at her food.
The student was surprised. No Royal girl played Sunday morning’s ‘Bread and Egg’. It was a priced meal. When she saw Pearl was serious, she nodded. Pearl handed it over to her and she was thanked with a broad smile. “Thank you”
“You’re welcome” she said. Smiling, she added. “Don’t expect it again next week o!” The girl giggled, and Pearl was glad she had somehow put a smile on someone’s face when her own heart was in its most trying moment. She waited for breakfast to be over and went straight to the classroom where the Maranatha girls met. She knew she had no else to turn to but God. ‘God, I need you; please help me!’ was her only plea as she made her way down to the class.

Novella: Choices (Chapter 7)

MOZAMBIQUE HALL OAU, ILE-IFE (SATURDAY 28TH APRIL, 2007)
“I’m missing my Bayo. His phone has been off. I wonder why? Maybe there’s no network where he is”
“Amaka, don’t be ridiculous. In Lagos? No network?”
“Okay. Maybe his battery is dead”
Zainab wanted to hit a plank on her friend’s head. “What if he doesn’t want to speak with you?”
“You’ve come again with you pessimism. Bayo is not like that. You should have seen us in the past few days since we met.” Zainab had just returned from the break and Amaka had spent the whole day telling her about her boyfriend.
“With all you’ve told me about this guy, I can’t shake off the feeling that he is using you, and using you very well, in fact. Can’t you see? You met one day, you were in his arms the same day. What responsible guy would do that?”
“A guy that loves me” Amaka said.
“A guy that took advantage of you would be a better answer”
Amaka frowned. “Why are you always against anything good for me? Are you jealous? Is it because I’m having a boyfriend now and you don’t?”
“You know me better than that, Amaka” Zainab said, trying to keep her voice low.
“Then, at least be happy for me that I’ve found someone who loves me and will always be there for me.” Amaka paused to try Bayo’s number again. It didn’t go through. “And to set the record straight, girlfriend, he didn’t take advantage of me, I willingly allowed him”
Zainab laughed. “Did you have any power to resist him?”
“Na you sabi.”
“Do you have his picture?” Zainab smiled at herself. “I can’t believe I didn’t even ask for the picture earlier, at least to see what this lover boy looks like.”
Amaka slid her hand under her pillow and pulled out an envelope. In it were a few pictures. She gave it to her friend.
Zainab pulled out the pictures and frowned as she looked as the first one. She looked up at Amaka who was grinning from ear to ear, then looked through the rest. “Do you know I care about you?” she said, looking so serious.
“Yes.”
“Have I ever lied to you?”
“No! See Zainab, I don’t like this. What are all these questions for? Say what you want to say jo!”
Zainab passed the envelope back to Amaka. “You have to call it quits with this guy. Do you know he has dated two girls already this session? I didn’t know he was the one you were talking about. The girls are my friends. One is in 100level like us, but the other is in 300level. He ditched both of them after using them.”
Amaka smiled. “You worry too much. He has told me about them. He said he broke up with them because all they wanted was his money but that he’s found true love with me.”
“Lies! Those girls are as boxed up as he is.”
“Whatever! I’m still okay with him. At least, I’m the only one now and he has promised to keep it that way.”
She shook her head. “Unfortunately too, he only goes for likely-virgin-materials, so he’ll be the first. Must have noticed you and decided you were a virgin. He doesn’t roll with the ‘big girls’. He goes for the naïve, love-seeking and vulnerable ones.”
Amaka was stunned. The reality of that was sickening. She wanted to throw up. She fought hard to discard the words her friend just spoke but they seemed to be making more sense than she wanted to admit. “I really don’t want to believe this. But what if it’s true?”
“Then baby girl, you have to do what you must”
“I sure hope you’re wrong Zainab. I’ll talk with Bayo when he’s back.”
“You think he’ll tell you the truth?”
“I don’t care. I just want to see his reaction when I mention it. That will tell me a lot”
“All the best dear. I’m here for you, anyway” Zainab said, poking her friend.
Amaka smiled. “Thanks”. She put the envelope back under her pillow, and hoped against hope that Bayo was not what Zainab was painting him to be.
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ROAD ONE, OAU, ILE-IFE (SATURDAY 28TH APRIL, 2007)
As Shola was about lifting herself to place her right leg on the bridge’s slab, she felt a vibration in her pocket. ‘Oh! I didn’t switch off my phone’. She was relieved to have a brief distraction before the dive. She didn’t really want to die but felt she had no choice. She brought down her right leg, and pulled out her phone. “I don’t know this number” she mouthed.
“Hello” she said, after picking the call, barely able to talk above a whisper.
“Shola, God loves you so much and is not mad at you.” The voice on the other end was saying. The guy was out of breath and Shola wondered why? The words he spoke sparked up hope in her heart, but she knew about God’s love though she’d turned her back on it. Her major question remained unanswered, ‘Does any human being still care about me?’
As she was still thinking, the voice said, “I care about you too. I’ve wanted to tell you for a while now. Please forgive me it’s late but I felt so strongly that if I didn’t tell you now, I would lose you for life.”
Shola couldn’t believe her ears or the speed with which hope was being restored to her heart. The tears kept running, but this time, they were tears of relief. She brought down her left leg and leaned against the slab, overlooking the pond. It then occurred to her she didn’t even know who was talking, all that had mattered to her was that someone cared about her. “Please, who is this?”
“Thomas Baderin” The line was silent. She had mixed feelings. Regret that she had shunned him for short a long time and surprise that he had feelings for her. It was too good to be true. ‘Someone must be playing tricks with me’ she thought.
“Thanks for calling. I have to go…”
“Please don’t hang up on me”, he pleaded. “I meant every word I spoke; about the love of God and my feelings for you”
“So, why are you just telling me?” she asked, sad but hopeful.
“With our previous episodes, I knew you won’t listen to me but just a few minutes back as I was reading a relationship book, ‘Boy Meets Girl’ and I was imagining you in the picture, the Holy Spirit ministered to me that if I didn’t get up then and call you, I’d be missing out on the best friend he could have ever given me”
Shola couldn’t believe her ears. “Where are you now?” he asked her.
“I’m on Road One”
“Going or coming from town?” Thomas asked?
“Neither. It’s a long story.”
“Can I come over?” he asked, cautious.
Shola couldn’t blame him; she could be quite nasty. Shola considered the request and decided it was best for him to see her in her worst state; right at the point where she wanted to end her life. If after what he saw, he was still committed, then he was worth the try. “I’m at the pond near maintenance.”
“I take that as a yes. Thanks. I would be there in five minutes”
Shola turned, with her back to the slab facing the road. She didn’t know how to explain the way she felt. ‘Shola, look what you’ve become. See your life; see what being a big girl did to you’ she thought, biting her lips. She thought of how she started as a bright and intelligent undergraduate with a supportive family, and compared it to what she was now; a used, dirty, family-abandoned and labeled girl. ‘Shola, see what your silly choices have done to you.’
She embraced herself; it was getting dark and cold. ‘Thomas, where are you?’ she thought. Just then a bus parked on the other side of the road. She guessed it was Thomas who got down. He crossed the road and walked toward her.
When he got to her, he extended his hand for a handshake, but looking at her face he withdrew his hand in shock. “You have been crying. What happened to you?”
Shola was sure she looked messed up; her make up must have been marred. The last time Thomas saw her, she’d been in New Buka eating at Spices with Pofessor Toriola, looking all prim and proper; she was the direct opposite now. ‘I wonder what he thinks of me now; he probably despises me’ she thought.
“Please talk to me, what happened to you?” Thomas said. He noticed Shola was cold. He pulled off the jacket he was wearing and put it around her.
“Thanks” she mouthed. “It’s a long story.”
“I’m all ears and I have all the time for you. Do you mind walking back to school or do we take a bus?”
“Walking would be better” Shola said.
“I was hoping you would say that.” Thomas said. They soon started towards the campus. It was a long road, so Shola was able to tell her story, not too detailed for fear that Thomas would not be able to handle it but detailed enough for him to understand why she’d considered killing herself.
By the time they were close to Moremi, Shola’s hall, she was through and Thomas had spoken a few words of comfort to her. “Thank you for trusting me with these private thoughts, Shola. I really feel honoured.”
“Thanks for listening and for your kinds words too.” After a pause, she asked, “And how do you feel about me now?”
“Honestly?” he asked.
“Mm-hmm” Shola hummed, afraid of what she’d hear.
“I admire your strength so far. I only wish I had been there for you earlier. I now feel a need to protect you, to be responsible for your wellbeing.”
“Thanks Thomas. You can’t know how much…” Shola suddenly stopped and looked at her wristwatch. “It’s almost 9:30.”
“Yes?”
“I’m supposed to go to Olowoleyemo Resort to meet Alhaji Musa.” She said, and was suddenly scared. ‘If I’m going to stay alive, how on earth am I going to handle this problem with Prof and Alhaji?’
Thomas smiled. “Shola, I thought I told you that you don’t need to keep yourself under this bondage; you are more than this. With God, you’ll make it through this campus, no matter what Prof tries.”
Shola was pensive. “You sound so sure. I know what that man is capable of doing O!” She paused, as they reached the front of Moremi hall.
“Shola, you might know what that guy thinks he can do, but I know what God knows He can do, and will do for those who trust Him.” He smiled at her. “Sleep well tonight; please put off your phone, so no one disturbs you, especially Prof”
“I will”
“Was nice talking with you. Would it be okay if I came around about noon tomorrow, so we could go to my fellowship together in the afternoon?” He studied her face. “Hope I’m not pushing you too fast.”
“No, you’re not. In fact, I think I need a change of environment; need to meet new people.”
“I’m glad you feel that way.” He smiled at her again, “I’d better let you go; left to me, I would talk with you all night. See you tomorrow!” Thomas said, and turned to leave.
Thomas had taken a few steps before he heard his name called. He turned and walked back to Shola, with a questioning look. Shola opened her arms for an embrace and Thomas obliged. It was a brief hug. She stepped back and smiled, wearily. “Thank you Thomas, you saved me!”
He shook his head, holding her gaze. “I didn’t. He did”, he said pointing upwards. “But I’m so very glad he used me. I couldn’t have had a better birthday gift. God is indeed so sweet!”
Shola smiled mischievously. “You didn’t tell me it was your birthday, and you weren’t actually going to tell me?”
“I’m sorry. I felt your happiness was more important than mine”
“I’m so touched, Thomas. Happy birthday”, she said and inclined forward to give him a birthday hug. “What can I give you as a gift?” she asked.
“You’ve given me the best gift I’ve received today already. You gave me your trust.”
“That I did” Shola smiled. “But that isn’t enough”
“That’s more than enough. Thanks for making my day Shola; I feel fulfilled.” He patted her gently. “Go to bed friend. Good night”.
“Good night, my friend” Shola replied and felt a strange excitement at being able to call someone her friend after a very long time. Thomas smiled at her and walked away.
The night that started so dark for Shola had ended ever so beautifully. She got to her room, had her bath and lay on her bed. As she drifted to sleep, she remembered the first words Thomas spoke to her on the phone moments back; the words that saved her. ‘God loves you so much and is not mad at you… I care about you too. I’ve wanted to tell you for a while now’. A smile curved her lips as she closed her eyes. For the first time in a many months, Shola looked forward to seeing the new day; she had found a reason to live again.

Novella: Choices (Chapter 6)

LAGOS (SATURDAY 28TH APRIL, 2007)
Bayo didn’t take his eyes off Moni’s for a second. His look was so intent, and his meaning clear. “Moni, I love you. I made the greatest mistake of my life when I turned my back on you. I have never again felt as happy as I was when we were together.” He squeezed her hand. “I need you; please come back into my life.”
Moni was speechless. She had planned all week what she was going to say and do, but now she was simply blank. She could literally hear her heart beat fast against her chest. “I don’t know what to say” she managed to voice.
“Please just say something, my love”
“What about your many girlfriends?”
“Since Sunbo, I haven’t had any other girlfriend. I broke up with her immediately after graduation ‘cause she just couldn’t measure up to you in anyway” His lies were smooth and Bayo was proud of himself. “When I got into the university, I proposed to face my studies for a change, but soon after, I thought I needed some fun, but as I looked out for whom to date, I was so disappointed with what I saw. That’s when my longing for you intensified; to get back what I was so stupid to have let go”
Moni was melting so quickly. She wanted to throw herself at him and cling to him for life. “How do I know you won’t go again?”
“Cross my heart and promise to die! I’ll never be so stupid as to do that again. Please give my another chance Moni, my first love”
Moni looked at the young man on his knees before her and knew she couldn’t stop loving him. “I forgive you Bayo, and…”
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you” he said, as he kissed her hands.
Moni giggled. “Stand up” she said. He did and she noticed for the first time that he was now at least a feet taller than she was. “You’ve grown much taller, Bayo”
“Yes, I have, but not too tall as to prevent me from kissing you” he said, bringing his facedown to hers. She responded by moving closer until their lips touched. Bayo put his arms around her, drawing her closer, and Moni relaxed in his grip, feeling safe and wishing she could freeze time. Bayo, her only knight, had just won her heart again.
--------------------------------------
“It’s time to go to bed, Tumi” Sunbo said to her younger sister. They were the only two at home. Their brother, Adeolu, was in boarding house, a JSS3 student. Adetumi was still is Primary 5, so she was under Sunbo’s custody while their parents were abroad.
“Just one more cartoon sis! Please!”
“Tumi, it’s 10pm. We have church tomorrow.”
Adetumi was relentless. “Please!”
“Okay then. Just one more, okay?”
“You are the best sis.” Adetumi said, winking at her sister. Sunbo had picked her sister from children choir practice after she left Royal College with Bayo. They had eaten out at Sweet Sensation before driving home. Bayo and Adetumi had been watching TV since they arrived home, while Sunbo sorted out domestic issues.
When she was through, Sunbo had joined them in the living room, avoiding any eye contact with Bayo who was seated directly opposite her. When she had felt it was getting late, she had voiced out to Adetumi, but now, she had to wait another thirty minutes for the next cartoon to be over before she could let out what had been eating her up all day.
She feigned interest in what was showing on TV; her mind was on the duo ordeal she had to face – overcoming the temptation of sleeping with Bayo, and telling him what she had been longing to tell him for the past seven months. She absent mindedly looked in his direction and she wished she hadn’t. He was looking at her. He had on the most appealing sensual look she had ever seen. He obviously wanted her and she noticed her body seemed to be responding.
‘Sunbo get a grip on yourself.’ She chided herself. ‘You know this guy doesn’t care one bit about you; why would you even consider allowing him access to your innermost parts again’. She was struggling with her feelings. An unbidden thought crossed her mind. She looked across at Bayo and saw he was smiling; he was thinking the same thing. It had been a Saturday night like this, last year, similar scenario; the duo waiting for Adetumi to go bed, when they made out for the first time on the same settee Bayo was sitting on.
As if on cue, Bayo patted the seat, the same spot she had sat when the whole episode started, and for the first time that night spoke to her. “Come over and sit here” He had a smile on; that same smile that had weakened her a year ago.
“No, thanks. I’m good!”
Bayo just smiled back at her; that you-know-you-can’t-resist-me smile. Sunbo looked away. She wondered why she never seemed to be able to resist Bayo’s advances while they dated and now, it was repeating itself. As she was still musing over that, she heard a now familiar voice. ‘It’s not by power nor by might, but by My Spirit.’
A soothing feeling came over her with those words. ‘Lord, I’m so sorry for trying to do it by myself. I absolutely forgot about you. Please help me through this night; I depend on you’. And with that Sunbo felt so confident and sure that she would make it safely through her night.
“Thanks sis. I’m going to bed now. Good night!” Adetumi said, rising up from her favorite position on the rug; just in front of the TV. Sunbo had tried over and again without much success to dissuade her from sitting there.
“Good night dear.” Sunbo said and added on a second thought, “Won’t you say good night to our guest?”
“Good night!” she said facing Bayo.
“Good night sugar! Do you know you’re prettier than your sister?” Bayo said, winking at her. Adetumi was clearly flushed.
“Leave my sister alone o!” Facing her sister, she motioned her to run along. “Sleep tight dear, and remember to pray before you sleep.”
“I will. Love you”
“Love you too” and with that Adetumi went into her room, leaving Sunbo and Bayo to do what they had to do.
“I’ve missed you like hell” Bayo said after he heard Adetumi’s door close.
“Don’t lie to me” Sunbo said. “You never missed me. You just had your fill of me and dumped me. I only wonder why you still want Moni after dumping her for me. What’s the catch?”
Bayo made a face. “Don’t try that with me. You know what I’m talking about. You were all over her today. Why?” Bayo was still playing innocent and then it hit Sunbo. “Oh! Silly me; how come I didn’t think of that earlier.”
“What?”
“I remember you telling me I was the first person you slept with. You’re here to get what you never had then, right?”
Bayo shrugged. “I don’t know about that. Why don’t we talk about us!” He patted the settee for the second time, “Come and join me here.” He smiled. “You remember, don’t you?”
“How could I ever forget” Sunbo said, with a sad smile. Only if she had known better then, she would not have given in to her desire that night. She wished she could take back the hands of the clock but that was impossible. She had been deflowered that night. She couldn’t deny that it was a nice experience but in the aftermath, she discovered it wasn’t worth the impatience. She could have waited till after marriage. Sex was good, but it wasn’t all-that. She discovered too late however.
“The moment is perfect, can’t you feel it. Let me let out what I’ve had pent up for the last nine months.”
“See Bayo! I’m not the Sunbo you knew. I’ve changed!” she said rather seriously.
“Obviously!” he smirked. “That’s why you invited me over, right?” he said, rising from the settee and walking towards her. “Allow me make you happy again”
“I’m happier than you’ll ever know, Bayo”
He sat beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. She flinched and moved away. “Bayo, we need to talk; we really need to talk”
“You see! We’re in the same frequency. I’m all ears. Why don’t you come here so I can hear you clearly”, he said, tapping his laps. “Very comfortable, isn’t it?” he said, winking. Sunbo stood, and walked across to where Bayo had been sitting. “Oh you want us to do it where…” Bayo said walking over to where Sunbo was.
Exasperated, Sunbo stood up and glared at him. “Don’t you know anything else apart from sex? Is this how you view all females; sex machines?” Bayo was shocked at her response. “Get this straight. You are never going to touch me again. Never. I have some things I want to talk with you about; that’s why I invited you over.” For a change, Bayo was speechless.
Sunbo didn’t know where she got the strength from; she only thanked God for it. “Please sit down. I have a couple of things I need to tell you.”
Bayo sat, obviously unsettled, not used to being refused.
“Bayo, seven months ago, two months after you broke up with me, I discovered something that changed my life.” Bayo just stared at her obviously not the least interested. “I discovered I was two months pregnant.” That got his attention, his eyes literally popped out. “Yes, pregnant!”
He was stunned. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“So, you could do what?”
Bayo’s gaze fell to her stomach and she could imagine what he was trying to analyze. “You didn’t have the baby, did you?” He asked, clearly confused.
Sunbo wanted to lie, to scare him to death but decided against it. “No, I didn’t. I aborted it” She noticed the relief that came over him as she said that. ‘How selfish and inhumane of you, Bayo’ she thought. “You can’t imagine the pain and horrors I went through at that time. I had nobody to confide in; nobody to talk to. I was alone!”
“I’m so sorry.” He said.
“That’s not the worst yet. After I aborted, I got over it and thought everything would be normal again, and even started dating another guy. I was already thinking of throwing caution to the wind, knowing I had done the most despicable things; was about giving in to his demands too, until something happened one night.” She straightened up and looked straight at Bayo.
“I started feeling sharp and terrible pains I couldn’t explain, and I wondered why. I drove myself to the clinic, where I had aborted, at about 9pm, and was almost unconscious when I got there. I slumped right at the reception. After a few minutes, I was out. By the time I woke up, two hours later, I noticed I was in the same theatre I had been a few weeks back. The pain had subsided much but I needed to know what had been wrong.”
She looked down at her hands, and the memories came back. Her eyes filled. “The doctor told me my womb had ruptured beyond repair and the only way they could have saved my life was to remove it.” Now the tears spilled over and ran down her chicks. “Bayo! I can’t have a child again, ever!”
Nobody said anything for a few minutes; there was nothing to be said. The ever-smooth-talking Bayo was out of words. “I relapsed that day and had to be kept in the clinic. Thankfully, Adetumi was at her friends for the weekend. It was in this my darkest night that I found the light.”
Sunbo wiped her face, looked up at Bayo and smiled. He was bemused, wondering what could be causing the smile. I woke up the second day in the clinic from one of my long spells of sleep to a song that I’ll never forget. I opened my eyes and saw a girl, about my age, holding my hand and singing. The song washed over my soul. It was so so lovely.”
Bayo was getting bored. He obviously wasn’t interested in any metaphysical experience Sunbo wanted to share. Sunbo continued all the same. Let me sing it for you. And as she did, the tears came flowing again.
He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for morning
Peace for despair.
Sunbo sang the lines thrice. “Those were the fourteen words that changed my life. I desperately needed something to hold on to, to keep me from drowning. That day, Lydia led me to the Jesus and my life hasn’t been the same. I still have regrets, have low periods where all I do is cry, but in all, it’s getting better. Jesus has given me a reason to live”
“I’m happy for you” Bayo said, relieved the tragic story was over.
“I’m sure you wish you didn’t come over to my house. But I’m glad you did; you needed to know what our relationship cost me. I have forgiven you; Christ made that easier for me to do, but I only plead with you to change, stop playing around with innocent hearts, and most importantly, settle your life and be at peace with God. He loves you and can make your life much better than this.”
Bayo nodded. “Thanks. I’m sorry again for all the pain I caused you. I’m glad you have found all you need in Jesus; but He’s not my type. Thanks for caring anyway.” He paused. “Can I go to bed now; I’m emotionally exhausted.”
“Mm-hmm”
“Thanks. I would be leaving tomorrow; won’t spend two nights like I initially planned”, he said as he stood up.
Sunbo knew why and she couldn’t blame him. She smiled. “I understand.”
“Good night’
“Good night” she replied. As he left the living room, Sunbo thanked God for the strength He gave her through the ordeal and prayed that God would touch Bayo’s heart.
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Bayo was on the bed, about to sleep. ‘I didn’t come all the way from Ile-Ife to hear a sermon. I feel for Sunbo but that’s her business. She isn’t the first and won’t be the last to have an abortion or to lose her womb. I wish her all the best with her religion. I can’t go empty handed back to school.’ He turned over on the bed. ‘Overheard tomorrow is Royal College’s Visiting Day. I should visit Moni again before traveling, and at least have some fun’. He smiled to himself. ‘At least the weekend will end well with that.’

October and November Shout-Outs: Happy Birthday!!!

NIGERIA October 1st
Folusho Obi October 1st
Tosin Lana October 2nd
Emilia Tabeson October 2nd
Ogechi Ohaegbulam October 2nd
Tolulope Agbetunsin October 5th
Joseph Okolie-Osemene October 5th
Mercy Princess Adams October 7th
Ibukun Adeogun October 8th
Oluwaseun Awotobi October 11th
Aanuoluwapo Olaniyi October 14th
Funmilayo Gbadebo October 15th
Folu Dele-Ijagbulu October 16th
Damilola Owolabi October 16th
Biola Omoniyi October 18th
Seun Ogundaini October 19th
Joy Mbachu October 21st
Eniola Oladepo October 28th
Chiamaka Ugwu October 30th
Chidinma Ugwu October 30th
Oduwa Omoruyi October 31st
Eniola Omolaso Akinyemi November 1st
Erioluwadaju Oyedele November 1st
Opeoluwa Oluwakemi Oyewole November 3rd
Oriyomi Jacob November 6th
Sinmisola Adigun November 6th
Oyinkansola Akinhuga November 7th
Tosin Ariyo November 7th
Mayowa Ariyo November 7th
Oluwaseyi Oyeyemi November 10th
Temitope Eniola Kehinde November 13th
Oluwayemisi Oladayo Satope November 14th
Mary Onyarin November 15th
Olaoluwa Oluwadare November 15th
Jesutomisin Oresanya November 17th
Olasunbo Akala November 18th
Adeolu Freeman November 20th
Ifeoluwa Ogunyomi November 20th
Damilola Adebayo November 24th
Ololade Netufo November 26th
Idowu Okuneye November 27th

Behold He Cometh

How do I know if I am ready?
Revelation 1:7, 1 Corinthians 15:51:52

This movie called life is wrapping up gradually, yet swiftly. Every movie has its final moments, either of war, love, pain or loss. However, the world is awaiting the most significant event since creation; an event that will make irrelevant every other event that has ever happened on earth, an event that concludes the movie of life… behold He cometh!

The first coming of our Lord Jesus was for the salvation and remission of sins (Acts 2:38, Mark 2:17, John 3:16), deliverance for the captives of the mighty (Luke 4:18) and respite to hearts in need of grace. The Lord’s first coming paved the way for man to have peace with and of God, justified the burdened sinner who by faith believes in Him and showed man the pathway to eternal rest in God (Matthew 11:28-30). The sad reality is that many Christians soon forget that Jesus is coming back again, and that shortly too. This time, He is not coming for peace but to make war, to deliver judgement and eternal destruction to the unbelieving.

However, it should worry every true believer of the widespread focus of the church on prosperity, miracles, breakthroughs and the “toys” of the Kingdom rather than soul winning, holiness and righteousness in view of the Lord’s imminent return. In Christ’s own words, He affirmed “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Of course prosperity, miracles and breakthroughs are good and biblical but they are mere echoes of the core of Christianity. We live in societies today where many churches hardly preach the true gospel of Christ’s imminent return for His saints. The question is not whether or not He will come; He is coming. Rather pause and ask the question, “Will I be ready when He returns?”

The Bible is replete with warnings about the second coming of Christ and Christ’s call on us to eagerly await His return. In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus told a parable of the ten virgins to illustrate his second coming; five wise virgins and five foolish virgins. The reality of this parable is so weighty that we cannot but draw out poignant lessons for our own application. As we explore this parable, be wise to find answers to the question of whether or not you are ready for the Lord’s return as you stand.

In Matthew 25:1, Jesus likened the Kingdom of God to 10 virgins. There is a very instructive lesson to learn here; heaven is for the pure in heart (Matthew 5:8). Virgins represent Christians that are sold out for and consecrated to God. I find this parable to be one of the most heart-rending of all the parables that Jesus told for many reasons. Firstly, they all had their lamps (vs. 1). Psalm 119:105 says “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path”. They knew the Word of God without any shadow of doubt. But was that enough to last the race? Secondly, they were all called virgins, meaning they were born-again Christians (vs. 2) There is a lot in a name but your life and works must be one in Christ, else there will be no power in the name “Christian”.

Thirdly, they all went forth to meet the bridegroom (vs. 3). They did not go to the disco hall to club, rather they went to meet their Lord. However, the true beauty of the Christian race is not in starting well, but finishing well. Fourthly, they all tarried and waited during the moment of delay (vs. 5). None of them complained about the delay, none said the journey was a waste of time; they all waited. Fifthly, they all fell asleep while they waited; both the wise and the foolish (vs. 5). So what made the difference between the two groups? The oil of grace!
The line of difference between the wise and foolish virgins was very thin and it is the same today. There is a great danger for Christians who are in spiritual sleep in these last days because no man knows the exact moment the bridegroom will come. That’s why Jesus said in Mark 13:32-37, “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”

The call to watch is for all Christians; both to the wise and foolish virgins. To the wise and watchful virgins of Christ, the call is to ensure we daily renew God’s grace on our lives to run the race to the very end. To the foolish, sleeping and careless virgins in the church today, the call is to awake from slumber, repent from backsliding and renew the oil of grace in your lamps. If the Lord tarries, only grace can keep us in His love.

So you may be asking the question, “How do I know if I am ready?” One of the tools of the devil against Christians is fear. Many become uneasy when they hear the theme of the second coming of Christ. This ought not to be so. 1 John 4:18 says “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” You can measure how ready you are for the return of Christ by how much your love for the Lord is increasing daily. You look forward to seeing the one you love, not fear. Do you look forward to the rapture? Do you look forward to seeing the face of the Lord? Measure how ready you really are by your sincere answer. Only foolish virgins quiver with fear and uncertainty at the mention of the rapture.

There is no better way to prepare for Christ’s second coming than being engaged in effective evangelism; corporate and personal evangelism. In John 9:4, Jesus said “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” It is unfortunate that many churches have lost the focus on the heartbeat of God. Jesus did not die on the cross to make us rich, wealthy and comfortable. The Cross was not to enlarge our bank accounts or make us “enjoy” Sunday worship services. These are mere echoes of the heartbeat of God. Mark 8:36, 37 says “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

God is seeking after the souls of men, not their temporal, earthly comfort. Charles Spurgeon said, “Send sickness, poverty, losses, crosses, persecution, what thou wilt, thou hast forgiven me, and my soul is glad.” All that really matters is the salvation of people and God is seeking Christians that are willing to do His work. By so doing, you show that you understand the times and are eagerly awaiting the second coming of the Lord.
You must also guard against every besetting sin, bitterness and flee all appearance of evil. Paul said every man must work out his (or her) own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Furthermore, saturate yourself in scriptures, don’t be idle in the church but be involved in the work of the Kingdom. Then pray, pray, pray, pray. Never underestimate the power of a praying Christian. And when you have done all, immerse yourself daily in the grace of Christ. Remember, “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). And while you wait, ponder these words with me:

The sky shall be turned to blood
Bright clouds darkened at the stretch of the angel’s
Rod
The air shall be filled with howls of tears; many
Wailing for respite to no avail
Many seeking death but death itself running for
Safety
The pain of motherhood shall greatly increase, fathers will seek their
Sons but none will answer, for none shall find
Strength for words
The heavens shall be opened, all shall see it,
The dead shall rise first to glory.
Alas, O sons of men! Behold the Lord cometh in the
Clouds;
Every eye shall see Him as He is but not all shall
Behold His glory
Many shall behold Him, but not all dare embrace Him.
Behold, He cometh! Brace thy soul to meet thy Maker.
Behold He cometh! Guard thy heart against unbelief.
Behold He cometh! Are you ready to meet thy Lord?
Written by Joseph Iregbu (www.josephiregbu.com)

Never Say Die

Tobi got into the court for the umpteenth time. He aimed a shot at the basket and watched the ball bounce back to him. He tried again and the ball narrowly missed the basket. With his head bowed, and heart sad, he walked home. On getting home, he angrily rubbed off the chalk circle he had used on the wall for home practice. He had been trying hard to get on the school basketball team but it seemed he just never got it. Six months! He had spent the last six months of his life practicing everyday. Still, he never passed the qualifying test. He couldn’t do this anymore. He was going to quit.

Amaka stomped into her bedroom. With tears pouring down her cheeks, she shouted ‘it’s over, it’s over!’ She punched her pillow and shook her head violently, weeping. She couldn’t go any further. This was it. She wasn’t going to subject herself to humiliation anymore. The dance group she so desperately wanted to join had high standards and obviously, she wasn’t meeting those standards. No matter how many times she rehearsed, it all came back to the same thing. The dance leader would say with a sad smile ‘Sorry, Amy, but maybe another time’ and ‘another time’ never came. Goodbye to dancing.

Halima closed up her dictionary and jotter with a loud thud. She got up from the table and went to get a bottle of cold water and then, watch TV. No way was she going back to those spellings. Let the English teacher think whatever he would. For all she cared, he could even grade her ‘F’. It was only spellings. They were so hard and who needed them anyway? She was going to become a fashion designer so, what did spellings add to her? “I give up.”

Okay, people. How many times have you said those words “I GIVE UP”? Yours may not be in trying to get on a school team or learning Math or English. It may be in trying to complete a fund raising project, lead a friend of yours to Christ, learn a trade or craft, bake a cake, knot a tie or even tie shoe laces (ha ha!). The truth is that at one time or the other, every one has had a low point and wanted to say I give up. Truly, such times will always come but I have good news for you – you’re not alone.

Giving up is resigning from a task or an undertaking. When people start anything, they sometimes have to face obstacles, and then, they wonder how to overcome these obstacles. When many of them don’t find a way out, they opt out. By so doing, they miss an opportunity for greatness and sometimes unfortunately, God’s plans for their lives. (Do I see you nodding?) So you ask me, ‘how do I not opt out and give up?’

Come with me on this jolly ride. Imagine you are going on a long journey by road. This journey is the way to achieving your goal. Before you embark on this journey, you need some things but what are they? Let’s see.

Have a goal and make sure it’s in line with God’s plan for you. You see, you can’t go into something God doesn’t want you to do and expect Him to back you up all the way. No. Whatever you want to achieve must have a good backing and be in line with God’s word. Really, as a Christian, there’s not much you can do without God’s help. So, start with prayer. Pray about whatever task you want to undertake. As the road becomes tougher or rougher, the Holy Spirit, your guide, will lead you and help you overcome the roadblocks.

Study your Bible. Get out God’s promises concerning the task you are undertaking. Speak the promises out to yourself. Read them until they become a part of you. That’s the fuel that will keep you going – God’s word.

Take a bowl of determination chips. Make up your mind that this is what you want to do and nothing would stop you. When you’re hungry and it seems like you want to go back or relent, dip into the bowl of chips and build up your determination.

Don’t forget the binoculars. Focus. Keep your eyes on the road. If you get a little tired, park and look ahead to see where you’re going to. The better you focus, the faster you go and the ‘real-er’ the actualisation of your goal seems. Don’t let go of your goal. Focus on it and let it be the centre of your thoughts.

Yes! Please take your road map with you. You need a sense of direction. You need a mentor. Make sure you have a mentor, someone who has done this before, who knows what it’s like. You look up to your mentor to put you through if you get confused. So, if you think you’re getting lost, get your binoculars of focus and look up that road map. You’ll be back on track.

Take a bag of confidence. Believe in yourself. Have faith in God and in yourself that you can do whatever you want to with God’s help. Don’t carry the baggage of past failures and accusations around with you. Shed off those heavy weights and take a light bag of confidence, with a broad smile. You can do this.

Take your trusted friend along. Trying to do something all alone may not be the best for you. Tell a friend you can trust about your goal and how you want to achieve it. A good companion is good for you and your friend can even give you ideas to help you. You can also tell your friend how you feel per time. If you feel you can’t tell a friend (but I hope you will), the Holy Spirit is always there for you. Even your parents don’t mind being by your side.

Finally, don’t forget your bottle of rest. Don’t wear yourself out with work. Take some time out for appraisal. See how far you’ve come and how far you have to go. Enjoy a refreshing drink of rest for a while and continue your journey.
Dear Friend, the next time you feel like quitting, take a look in your car. What do you need? Take and use them all; you are almost there; you will reach your goal!!!

Written by Ifeoluwa Ogunkanmi (ifeoluwakanmi@yahoo.com Tel: 08053450646)

Outfits

Westernization has undoubtedly brought a great change to our society. It has affected lives, both in the academic institutions and outside; churches included. It is also taking negative tolls on our youths and some middle-aged persons when it comes to dressing.
It is good for everyone to have the freedom to dress as they please but in a society like ours, where anything goes, this could spell doom to our future generations if caution is not applied. It’s so alarming how young girls throw caution to the wind when it comes to dressing all in the name of fashion.
Our young boys and girls no longer focus on their studies and their endeavors in various fields nor on what the future holds for them, they copy what they see in the western movies, and similarly dress like they do while forgetting that our society doesn’t go by the standards that govern these western countries.
Immoral dressing has eaten up girls so much that girls hardly wear decent dresses anymore. They wear ‘Micro-mini’, see-through skirts, not to talk of the tops they wear. Boys are not left out of this. Some now wear earrings, they refer to as ‘blinks’, some pierce their nose, while some even wear feminine clothes. Others plait their hair, perm it and even attach cowries. The make girls go ‘bananas’ believing they are in vogue.
By the way, did you know that the origin of sagging came from prisoners? When they were stripped of heir own clothing and given prison wear, they were usually given oversized trousers with no belt. Hence, the falling trousers, hanging half way down their back side. Music artistes picked it up, and then guess who copied? You!
Isn’t it funny that we do things without knowing why and we hurt ourselves in the process? The bible makes it clear that we should SEARCH for ALL things but hold firm that which is the truth. That you see people doing it doesn’t mean you should. God has a different plan for you life; where others are headed is different from where you are. Please dress right!
You’ve heard it said that ‘The way you’re dressed determines how you’ll be addressed’. Here’s a true-life scenario. I witnessed it myself. There was a lady who didn’t wear underwear and the gown she wore was revealing. An angered guy, provoked her indecent outfit, walked over to her and tore her dress. Yes, in public!
It was a woman that gave her a veil to cover her nakedness. A police officer around also gave her something to wear as they took her away from the scene. That might have been a rare case but it points to you the effect such dressing could have and the repercussions. Can you imagine what would have happened if that guy had seen that lady on a lonely road at night. Do you think he would have raped her? I think he would!
I know you might be struggling with this. Possibly your parents even encourage to wear skimpy things. I saw another scenario; a mother sewed a dress for her little daughter. It had one sleeve. The little girl asked, ‘Mum, where is the second hand?’ knowing well that a normal dress should have two sleeves.
Please, this is not to tell you what to wear and what not to because we might never agree on that. But whatever you wear, please be sure you’re not tempting the boys or tempting the girls. And most importantly, be sure that if Jesus were to be your escort, walking with you, He would be proud of you. Develop a great dress sense!

Written by Toyin Ogundana (happen_loud@yahoo.com ; 08032227028)

Who Are You? (Part 2)

Mike Adenuga, Aliko Dangote, Jim Ovia, Bill Gates, Donald Trump…….. what do all these names remind you of ? Of course you are right, multibillionaires, the very rich, and the very successful. Okonjo Iweala, David Beckham, Christiano Ronaldo, Barack Obama, Christian Dior, Michael Jordan, Bill Clinton, Wole Soyinka, Kanu Nwankwo…..and so on. These are names of people that we believe that are achievers in our society, successful people you might want to say. Yes I agree with you.

When you think about your future, these people’s pictures, achievements, lifestyles come to your mind. You often see yourself as them in your own future. I might not have listed the names of those you admire and wish to be like or even surpass in terms of achievement, because if I attempt to do that I might be writing 10 million names. Too much!

Never mind. But you know what? There are more than 6 billion people on earth with about 2.5 billion as adults who should be listed as one of these people but we just have 10million names or less. That’s just less than 1% of the world’s population, what??? Okay maybe we have been a little unfair with our figures, so let’s push it to 1% of the world population. That’s 60million people. And that would be 1.4million people in Nigeria of the over 140million population.
Really these figures are actually generous, but as generous as they are it only tells me that only one person ( or less) out of every ten people in your clique or school or neighborhood or family would one day be referred to as successful in another 15, 25 or more years by the teenagers of that generation. I mean that by the year 2025, which is by the corner, only a few people…a handful will be named by others as great people. That’s food for thought for anyone like me who would want to be a general in the house of God and a nation builder in a few years from now.

So if you’ve been spending time fantasizing about what your future would look like, pause for a minute and think deeply if you have what it takes to standout of your ten friends who equally have such desires and ambition. Because that future YOU will not be different from today’s YOU. There will be no magic to make you change automatically into your dream future but YOU would be an accumulation of the things you have done and what you keep doing daily from now till then.

So we all have equal opportunity to be tomorrow’s greatest today. Every man on earth has a talent or gift that can be nurtured into a tool for greatness. All the names we listed earlier have something that they are particularly best at, which some would describe as their talent. But I believe that yes they have a talent but it has been refined and developed into a skill over the years. What’s the difference? A talent is ‘a natural ability to do something well’, but a skill is 'an ability to do something well after you have learned it and practiced it over and over’ and it can even earn you an income.

People get paid for their skills and not necessarily their talent. You know many people around you who are talented singers, talkers, footballers, drummers, cooks but do not earn anything much because they have not trained themselves enough. Now imagine what you could be if you can turn you talents into a skill. Like Manchester United’s Christiano Ronaldo or Bill Clinton or Nicole Mullen or Bill Gates; all have identified one thing they do naturally well and have trained themselves so well at it that they are respected and even described as the best at it.

So wherever you find yourself know (in school most likely) be your best. Do all you can to be on top of your class. Develop yourself daily through the word of God, build your relationship with God, build your mind through Christian and motivational books and recordings, cultivate good relationships. These are things that will make you better. Identify your talent and over the next few years, turn it into a skill. Remember you want to be in the top 1% worldwide. Hmm!

Written by Dade Akinwande (modadeakin@yahoo.com ; 08087005300, 07028777752)

Being The Best I Can Be - Know Thyself

Quell est la difference? I am currently learning French and I am proud to say that I have reached intermediate proficiency which means that I can carry on a conversation in the language. In all of the French that I now speak; my favorite sentence is “Quel est la difference” which when translated to English means, “What is the difference?”
I love this sentence so much because it is a question I ask myself all the time and it is a question that all young people who want to be the best they could be should ask themselves. I will explain.
In life, decisions must be made on a daily basis. How well a person makes decisions depends on their ability to recognize the alternatives available to them as well as their strength to choose correctly regardless of immediate consequences. I will focus on the former (i.e. identifying differences between alternatives).

Young people make decisions that often have a significant impact on the rest of their lives; decisions that surround what University to attend, what to study while in school and what career path to follow. These are some of the key decisions that we have to make.

When making these decisions, it is important to know who you are and make decisions that fit the mould of who you are and are trying to be. As a simple example, I knew that I could not be a doctor even though it is a field for which I have the utmost respect. Also, I know how much prestige is attributed to people who practice in that field and let’s face it, who doesn’t want a prestigious job. With all these considerations examined, I had to decide against the alternative of aspiring to become a doctor for 2 simple reasons; first, I am squeamish at the sight of blood and I loathed the smells the emanated from every single hospital I have ever visited in my life.

hose simple signs were enough to help me learn the difference between the pursuit of prestige, respect and wealth in the medical field and the practicality of doing something that I obviously would not be good at. Oh by the way, Biology was my least favorite subject in high school.
I am quick to tell you that you can do anything you want but I am quick to advice you to try to make sure that while you try to do anything, let that thing be something you should be doing. There is a huge difference between what you could do and what you should do. Not every profitable profession is a good profession for you.

As a young child, I used to say that I wanted to become an aeronautical engineer. I had very little idea what the field was about. I just believed that I wanted to do it. Now that I am a little older, I realize that mine was a classic case of what I now call “concept infatuation.” This is when you are in love with the idea of a field but you know nothing about the field. I liked the idea of one day becoming an engineer. I did not know what I needed to do to make that happen. The gist of what I am trying to say is very simple and it is this; know yourself and know why you do what you do. Don’t get caught doing the right thing for the wrong reason (for example, trying to become a doctor because of social status). Learn who you are, your strengths and weaknesses so that can make the right decisions. Most importantly, learn the difference between success and wealth.
These two are by no means mutually exclusive. You can be successful and wealthy at the same time but the fact that one is present does not imply that the other is. 419 people are wealthy but not successful. Some teachers are not wealthy but successful. In the end of it all, success is achieved when you have done all you can with all you have been given!

‘Being the best I can be’ continues next edition with ‘Befriend the best to be the best – A community of excellence’.

Written by Ayo Sopitan (gsopitan@yahoo.com)

DREAM NIGERIA: The Land Is Green

Whenever I get on the all popular youth interface website-facebook, surfing to find friends, catching up on old times and seeing what they are up to, what hits me every time is the number of Nigerian Youths who have left Nigeria in search of greener pastures, greener education, greener jobs and greener lives.

In actual fact, almost every Nigerian youth is either planning or on their way out to the United Kingdom or the United States. I even gather that the US and UK are becoming too saturated and we have began spreading our tentacles to some “out of the world places” like Cyprus, Ukraine, Singapore, Thailand and even Mongolia (who ever said there was a Nigerian in every corner of the Earth probably wasn’t guessing!!!)

We take these journeys in the hope that whatever exists as life in those countries “must” be better than what we have here in Nigeria and if you were to ask what we hope to achieve by these journeys you get various answers such as, “I’m leaving for my Masters, or first degree, or job opportunities abound beyond measure, or a straight answer like ‘I want a better life’”. You know the funniest part is how it is said with a smirk on their faces like the ones left behind are the unlucky ones not to have the opportunity to travel out of the country.

Well, it really is difficult to argue in favour of Nigeria, especially when you look up, there is no light, you go out into bad roads, you turn the taps and stale air comes out, ask for jobs they ask you to pay N5000 for some hocus-pocus pre-interview tests. You start business and run it to ruin on ever escalating fuel prices…please someone say stop! I could go on and on.

On the other hand, if we say any Nigerian can survive anywhere, anyhow, and under any conditions, then why is it hard to survive, suppress and succeed here in Nigeria? That is a thought to ponder. I would also hate to seem like a bitter cynic, speaking from a bias of one who hasn’t had the opportunity to travel out. In truth, if I get the opportunity I ‘might’ as well take it, but under certain circumstances, so the issue is not against the concept of traveling out.

So what exactly is my stand on this issue? To the youth who says I am going to look for a better Life, better Education, better paying jobs, et cetera. You are quite right about the fact that they have the better life, education, the better paying jobs, but you have it all wrong about what real life or education or job opportunity is. Let’s use education as an example, a good Education imparts good knowledge, but does not give the ability to apply it. Character does that. Or do you know a school where they teach people to become Martin Luther King Jr, or M. Ghandi, or Wole Soyinka. If you do I’d love to know. Do you think it was the British Education Wole Soyinka got that gave him his Nobel Laureate, if so all the guys in his class should have one too. Character is the factor that cuts across all the great people in all works of life and it is learnt in the place of the heart and the discipline of the Mind.

So what will your heart teach you that your teachers won’t put in your head? Let me tell a story I read in the book by Russell H. Conwell. Once a man found a Priest and asked him to tell him where to find Diamonds. The Priest replied that if you find a river that runs into white sands and between high Mountains, in those white sands you will always find diamonds. So the man believed the priest, sold his farm and used the money to begin his trip. The person he sold his land to one day went into the farm to give his camel a drink from the shallow brook that ran through the farm, and we all know how these stories end; He found pieces of dull looking rocks which turned out to be diamonds. Now the cheeky part of this tale is that the man who went on the journey through many lands on his way back home actually found out that the mountains and white Sand River told by the Priest was the one in his backyard.

I have read a number of motivational books, Think and Grow Rich, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Who Moved my Cheese et cetera and found they all point to the same moral of this story. If you will open your eyes, and look at the environment around you hard enough, you’d find that the opportunities you seek elsewhere are everywhere around you. Like the bible says …open thine eyes and thou shalt be satisfied with bread” Prov 20:12-13. Your eyes are the windows to your heart. What you’ve seen and desired, you can have. God does his part by putting those opportunities around, but you have to find it. Going to America or Britain wouldn’t necessarily help you see better, (the glitter of the blings they have will probably have you chasing shadows for the rest of your life) but putting your mind to the discipline of meditating on the issues concerning your desires and the character to keep working at it till you succeed. Trust me; you’ll find the Land on your side is the greenest when you get this process right.

Let us see how this process works. A friend of mine, back in the University, who like everyone of us, had been looking for any opportunity to make an extra buck, had to help his dad check if his container had arrived at the Port. It took him over a week to locate the ‘bleeping’ container. He was downright frustrated. But it got him thinking, “Na wa for this port people O! Can’t they just arrange these containers by assigning a serial number to each one and tag them to the correct container documents, that way it will be easier for anyone to find their stuff in this place.” The idea struck him. He could do that, and that is what he did. He created a software that is used to tag each container and attach them to the correct documents in their records unit at port as they arrive.

It was a simple idea, to a big problem, but it wasn’t easy to get them to adopt it into the bureaucratic and corrupt system they ran at the port then, but he knew his idea was good so he didn’t give up. Finally, when they accepted it, they offered him a payment contract that stated that as long as they used his software, they would pay him royalty on it. This contract runs into millions of Naira yearly. Now let me blow your mind this friend of mine is only 26 year old. He didn’t have to go to the Greenlands in Europe; his Greenland is called Nigeria. What is your Greenland called? Lisbon; Portugal, or Beijing; China, or Las Vegas; USA. Sorry, mine is Nigeria and I am right proud it is.

My friend, Opportunities abound. Let us think; nothing is impossible as long as we don’t let it die at the door mouth of the challenges that we must face to be great. Put your mind in gear- Meditate; take time to think more about yourself and your life. Begin to ask why not? Why can’t we have our own London in Lagos? If you only open your eyes you’ll see it. This article says the land is green; it is not the land we are referring to, it is your heart that needs to see all that you can do to the land God put you in. Trust me again, it was no mistake and only a fool says so.

Now if you are reading this and you’ve traveled or are planning to travel, please do not be dissuaded, God’s word says as far as your eyes can see, it all belongs to you. Go, if you must and be all you can be, but please do not forget that your own land remains green and needs something deposited in you to make it the DreamNigeria we want it to be.

Finally pips, it takes character to grow your mind. Stay away from everything your heart says is not fair and just, not even if everyone is doing it especially Yahoo and all the corruption that is here today. What will give you the true increase, opportunity and prosperity you seek is within you; draw it out…and Oh! Yes the land is indeed very green.

Written by Tolulope Awobiyi ( toluawobiyi@yahoo.com, 08023043878)

Girls' Chat With Titi

Q: I’m in my second year in the university. The problem now is that I am sickly. I am afraid I am going to die. I have spent so much on this sickness and it doesn’t seem to be improving. There is a guy in my school that has been helping me fight my sickness. He travels to New York and gets drugs for me which relieve me. The problem is that he asked me to have sex with him or else he would leave me. My parents cannot afford to buy these drugs; we are even struggling to eat. I don’t know what to do. I am not concerned about the guy's money but my health.

A: Congratulations Dear! God has faithfully kept you since birth till now that you are in your second year in the University so I think you should take the next few seconds to say a heartfelt THANK YOU JESUS! Permit me to tell you that you have not died because God wants to do in your life something He alone can take the glory for. I believe that because Jesus received stripes at the cross, you will be healed and live the rest of your life in divine health in Jesus name.

God bless the guy that has been buying the drugs, he must have spent so much and it must have been so much of a sacrifice on his part. He has done his best as an human but I know his sacrifice is not worth the price he is asking for(SEX with an innocent virgin like you) and I believe you know that too because you could have succumbed to the pressure.

You know what? God has brought you to a point like this to build your faith. You confessed that your health has not improved with the drugs but let me tell you there is a Balm in Gilead (Jehovah Rapha) that can heal all diseases - healed the woman with a 12-years issue of blood, raised a man that had died and been buried for four days, healed HIV patients, changed SS genotypes to AA in one night, and healed the man of God, Kenneth Hagin of a heart problem, who lived the rest of his life in divine health before he went to be with Jesus.

I know you have heard various reports from doctors and you have believed them enough to use the drugs as religiously as possible so much that you have continued this far though you have not seen significant improvements. I want you to exercise this same faith - and greater faith comes as you hear the word (Rom10:17) - as you believe every promise of God about your healing and health. I believe God honors our faith when we pray (Mark 11:22-24, 1John5:14-15).Here are some relevant scriptures that I want you to read, meditate, believe and confess as you watch God do the miracle. Job 22:28, Psalms 103:3-4, Isaiah53:5, Mark9:23. Please, ponder on these verses and any others you know about God’s word on your health until they become real to you. God honours His words!

Please thank the guy and firmly tell him that he cannot get what he asked for. Let him go if he wants to and assure him he will be there to hear your testimony as God sends you help from above. Your life, including your health is PRECIOUS to God and He'll do anything to rescue you from the devourer. Please be strong because I know God will take care of you.

Please dear keep in touch as much as you can and I will appreciate details of your health condition to know in what direction to pray and offer any other relevant help. I know YOU WILL LIVE TO SEE AND TELL OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING!

Answered by Titilope Oladepo (08035751800, titola18@yahoo.co.uk)
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