Category: Dealing with self

I’d like to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for the beautiful birthday wishes and all the love you poured into me as I stepped into this big-girl age. I no be small girl anymore Sha. One of the things I did yesterday was reflect on my life, and something struck me so deeply: many of the people celebrating me are people I have, in one way or another, had the privilege of serving. Through counselling, leading the prayer group, writing blogs, or the many other things I do, a part of me has found its way into the lives of people around me.

I am grateful to be surrounded by such amazing people who would take time out of their day to send a message, make me smile, and remind me that I am loved. Not everyone gets to experience this kind of love, and I will never take it for granted. Thank you for making my birthday so special.

Now, I don’t know if you know this little secret about your sister, but I can almost effortlessly turn a picture into a story! Give me a beautiful piece of art or a random photograph, and my mind begins to create words, stories, and ideas around it. So I came across a picture on Pinterest, and it sparked a thought that I knew I had to share with you.

First things first, what is it that you do? What is your profession? What do you spend your time doing? What skills do you have? What are your hands occupied with? Imagine God wanted to bless you financially and said that the blessing would come through the work of your hands. Would He find something in your hands to bless? Is there a skill, a talent, a service, a business, or something you create that could become a channel through which that provision flows?

In other words, if God wanted to send money your way today through the work of your hands, would He find a channel through which that money could come? That is what this blog post is about: the work of our hands, the gifts we carry, and the channels we make available for the opportunities and blessings we pray for. So, I want you to look at the picture below and think about this question, what is in your hands?

Here’s a man who has entered into an agreement with his uncle that his wages will be the speckled and spotted lambs. Now, at first glance, this looked like a disadvantage because the non-speckled ones were many. I mean, I’ve seen more non-speckled than speckled lambs! Why would Jacob take such a risk? A money risk, guys? In this economy? Obviously, it was their economy, but my brother, you could work for all those years and walk away with just 20 lambs if you’re not careful!

At this point, Jacob has no idea how this will work out, but I believe God was about to show him something. And this is one of the things I love about God: He can give you an idea that turns into a source of income. It’s good to do business with God! In Genesis 31, Jacob recounts a dream in which God shows him what is happening with the flocks. God gives him insight into the situation, and Jacob acts on what he has been shown.

Now, imagine that! God knows how to help you develop a strategy that can turn things around for you. God knows how to inspire you to create a poster that will attract customers, but you’re a creative who has never thought to ask Him for help. God knows how to give you an idea that could transform your music career into something the world has never seen, but you have the best voice, so why would you need to ask God, right? So you sing for years and still be stuck with not even one original song, I’m not even throwing shade. It’s the truth.

This story of Jacob made me realise that sometimes, we may be limiting ourselves by failing to invite God into the work of our hands. We have a God who can give us wisdom, insight, creativity, and strategies even when the odds seem to be against us. Think about it: Laban was relying on what he could see and control, but Jacob had a relationship with God, who saw the bigger picture. While Laban thought he had the upper hand, God was at work in a way Laban could not have anticipated.

Your products can have the best ingredients, and people may love them, but have you asked God for wisdom on how to reach more customers? Those dresses you make? There could be a design you have never thought of, something fresh and unique that God can inspire you to create. That business you’re running? There may be a strategy you haven’t considered, a market you haven’t explored, or a different way of presenting your products that could make all the difference.

Jacob had a dream, received insight, and put what he had learned into practice. Before long, his wealth increased significantly. He was prospering through a strategy that, in his own account, involved God’s intervention. And I can’t help but ask, why do some of us seem stuck in business when we serve the same God who intervened in Jacob’s situation? Are we inviting Him into our work? Are we asking Him for wisdom? Are we making room for Him to inspire us, guide our decisions, and help us recognise opportunities?

My people, we need to learn to do business with God! Pray, yes, but also be willing to listen, learn, develop your skills, take action, and apply the wisdom He gives you. Don’t just ask God to bless the work of your hands; invite Him into the process of building that work. Jacob had a flock to tend, and we each have something in our hands. The question is, are we willing to let God show us what to do with it? Let’s continue tomorrow.

If you read my blogs but have never met this  Wonderful Jesus that I’m always writing about,  you’d love to get to know Him, Or you know The Lord but have found yourself drifting far from Him, I would love to talk with you. Please send me an email  on yieldedcwcenter@gmail.com or simply comment, and I will reach out to you

Hey, my Yielded people! Great statistics on yesterday’s blog! Thank you for reading and for always showing up to read my work. I find it quite humbling that people would leave whatever they are doing and choose to read my blogs. So, thank you! Here’s your frowses 💐

We’re still on the topic of discouragement, and today, I want us to look at the many ways in which discouragement comes. We’re not always discouraged. If you find yourself constantly feeling discouraged, it might be time to speak to a therapist or even your friends, or pastor. On a regular, we’re not always discouraged or sad, except, of course, when we’re talking about depression. Discouragement and depression are not the same thing, and I’ve said this before. You may not even be depressed; you may just be having a field day with discouragement because discouragement can also last a few days. Some people are simply discouraged.

Now, there are things that can move us from a state of joy and confidence into a state of discouragement. When you read about Elijah, for instance, you see that he became discouraged because of Jezebel. There was a cause. Your cause may be that you’ve been praying for a job for five years, and it feels like God is mizing you. Or maybe you’ve been working so hard with little to show for it, or you’ve been at the same level for far too long. These things can wear you down.

This makes me think, and perhaps it could be argued, that man is made to be a positive creature. We’re made for faith. Discouragement came with sin. When our “representatives” were in the garden, we don’t see any of these things, but when they sinned, they brought into the world many of the things we’re still dealing with today. Man enjoys being positive. It shows. A normal person doesn’t enjoy discouragement or pain. When you find yourself in that state, something may be wrong, and it’s worth paying attention to what’s happening within you.

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”
— Psalm 42:5 (KJV)

There are many things that can drive us into discouragement. Fear is one of them. Feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and so many other things can also contribute. Most of the people I’ve spoken to who were discouraged were led to that place by unanswered prayers or the waiting period. I’d then say, in this context, that someone like Abraham could have become discouraged while waiting for the promise, but Scripture says he chose to hope.

We see the direct quencher of discouragement: hope. Abraham stayed in hope. What a hard thing to do! I don’t know about you, but I’ve really gone through things that made me feel like I had absolutely no hope left. My hope would be totally deferred, making my heart sick, just as Scripture says. My people, hope is one of the hardest things to kill, but it’s also one of the hardest things to find when life gets tough.

Let me ask you, Have you felt discouraged lately? Do you know the cause? How long did it last? Are you hopeful? People are different, so we all deal with discouragement differently. I tend to shut down and pray. I’m not really one to call someone at 3 a.m. because I’m discouraged, but for some people, that’s exactly what works. I don’t always know how to discuss what I’m feeling, so I take it up with God. If you need to talk to your friends, please do! Don’t copy me, lol. What’s important is that you don’t stay there, entertaining what is possibly sucking the life out of you.

People of God, I want to say this, guard your heart. The devil is surely going to send many, many things to discourage you. You have to guard your heart so well that when discouragement comes, it doesn’t stay too long or disrupt your life. Hope like Abraham. Pray like Elijah. You’re not the only one. Certainly not! David speaking to himself says , “Hope again in the Lord oh my soul!” He’s having a conversation with himself & he is telling his soul, “Let’s try again!” So please try again my darling. Hope again.

I know it’s proven to be hard many times, but the thing is, there’s a way out. Some people have become discouraged about marriage because of failed relationships. To them, I say, get up and hope again for a spouse! Staying in discouragement isn’t going to bring that lady anyway, so why entertain it? Hope again! Has He not said it? Will He not do it? That’s what Scripture says. Even in that situation, God is still saying, “I said it, so I will do it.”

I have yet another question for you,
Is anything too hard for the Lord?

See you on Thursday!

If you read my blogs but have never met this  Wonderful Jesus that I’m always writing about,  you’d love to get to know Him, Or you know The Lord but have found yourself drifting far from Him, I would love to talk with you. Please send me an email  on yieldedcwcenter@gmail.com or simply comment, and I will reach out to you

Everyone has gone through seasons of discouragement. The best of us have, even the strongest people. It seems to be a common thing we all go through from time to time. The causes are different, and the level of discouragement is also always different. How people respond to it is another thing that varies from person to person. We find many people in the Bible going through the same thing, almost as if all human beings are not immune to it.

Have you ever been discouraged before? I have. Many, many times. Discouraged to the point of being unable to say much in prayer because the words fail me. Discouraged to the point of breaking down in tears without a clear reason why. You’re like “But why am l crying?” Yet the crying is helping. Discouraged to the point of breaking a fast earlier because you’ve been pondering too much on something, and you’re like, “You know what? Not today.”

I’m talking about real-life experiences. Discouraged to the point where, even if you wanted to tell someone about it, you wouldn’t know where to start. Discouraged to continue the work, continue fighting, continue journeying. Some people have been so overwhelmingly discouraged that they started feeling like dying would be a better option to escape how they felt. Some did. Some were found just in time. Some never dared to attempt suicide.

I have read the story of Elijah countless times, and every time I do, I ask myself, how could a man doing such great exploits for God decide he’s done with life just like that? You know, someone’s pain doesn’t make sense to you because it’s someone else’s pain. Just like when winter comes, a warmly clothed person cannot say to one without a jersey, “I understand.” It keeps the conversation going but in all truth , you don’t understand. Just like when you read about Samson or Jonah, you feel like you could’ve done better. But there are many things that even those people would score you 1–0 in. Maybe even 10 – note.

Many people cannot be counsellors, and I will tell you why, they don’t have enough capacity to tap into someone’s emotions, feel what they feel, and then tap out to judge the situation. So, when Elijah was going through all that, we think, “Ah, such a powerful prophet! Suicidal? I’d never do that.” But you’ve never had a Jezebel chasing you to kill you. The only person chasing you is your ex with a “Hey, stranger” text, which I don’t think you should reply to by the way. First of all, you’re not a stranger, so he got the wrong number.

You’ve never been a Samson with long hair, so you will judge unfairly. But you’ve laid down with many people who stole your anointing; it’s just that your hair is still looking good. I’m saying this to us, we may know what discouragement is, but the intensity of what someone is experiencing in their life is most likely to be understood only by them and God.

I’ve mentioned that I’ve been discouraged before, and if I told you why, you might think it’s either too big or too small. Someone’s source of discouragement may not be the same thing you’re going through, and that’s why you must not think someone who lost a baby is better than someone who lost their mother. David’s discouragement is not greater than Elijah’s discouragement. Nobody feels “better” pain. Pain is pain.

I want us to stop thinking that if it’s not what we went through, then it’s not a scar and it shouldn’t be acknowledged. “What have you been through? You don’t know my own story.” Rest with that. I don’t know, man. Maybe counselling changed me a lot, and I now see people differently than before. I can now understand some of the things people do. I have stopped just judging how people respond to things.

There was a time when I used to wonder why someone was always crying. I was like, “Nah! Cry me a river baby!” Until I started witnessing people’s vulnerable moments right before my eyes. Tears that could fill a bucket, and someone is literally beating their chest, begging themselves to keep holding on. The same person you think is not as tough as you is actually even tougher than you because, after all that, they get up and continue with life.

Discouragement, my people, is a real thing. It’s such a broad topic, and I intend to discuss how to fight through it. I pray that it helps many of us here.You are not the only one. Sometimes, as human beings, we want to feel seen. We want to hear or believe that we are the only ones going through what we’re experiencing, but you’re not. This is not to downplay anything you’re feeling. It’s simply to remind you that this too shall pass.

What’s your first step? As I wrap this up, Elijah prayed.

“And he said, It is enough; now, O LORD, 1 Kings 19:4a KJV)

See you tomorrow. I love you.❤️

If you read my blogs but have never met this  Wonderful Jesus that I’m always writing about,  you’d love to get to know Him, Or you know The Lord but have found yourself drifting far from Him, I would love to talk with you. Please send me an email  on yieldedcwcenter@gmail.com or simply comment, and I will reach out to you

There’s a story in the Bible that always stands out for me when it comes to this topic. A group of young boys were mocking Elisha, and the man pronounced a curse over them in the name of the Lord. Two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them (2 Kings 2:23–24). Imagine that! It’s such a sobering story because it reminds us that words are not something we should take lightly. Because 42 people being killed because of a word spoken by a man of rank! Eh!

You know how some people mocked a granny at the market, and in the night she woke up and cursed them? They didn’t know she was a wincchhh. Now they are cooked because they lacked the intelligence to understand the power of words. You laugh at people anyhow ? Beyond such stories, one thing we must understand is that words carry weight, and God has not left us without a guide on how to use them. Certainly not!

Scripture has given us light on how we must use our words. If it wasn’t important, God wouldn’t have said so much about it in His Word. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that death and life are in the power of the tongue. James 3:5–10 also tells us how something as small as the tongue can cause so much destruction. So, clearly, this is something God wants us to pay attention to.

Nowadays, people say God only looks at the heart, and it’s all a lie when people use that statement to justify careless speech or other conducts of carnal nature. It’s so sad that many of us believe this so much that we are even living likewise. Yes, God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7), but Jesus also tells us that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). So, you cannot tell me that God looks at your heart while you use your mouth anyhow. What comes out of your mouth matters too!

Let’s even begin with the words you say to yourself. You have no business calling yourself ugly, useless, stupid, or all sorts of demeaning names. You may think, “Ah, that’s extreme. Nobody does that.” But it’s actually a reality. People call themselves all sorts of things that are so far from what God has called them. You wake up every day and speak negatively about yourself, and somehow you don’t think it matters.

So, what kind of words have you been speaking to yourself? Are they words that build you up, or are you constantly tearing yourself down? Ephesians 4:29 tells us to speak words that build others up according to their needs. And surely, we must also learn to stop tearing ourselves down with the words we speak. What about the words you speak to your family, friends, colleagues, and the people around you? Are they words that build and not tear down, or you simply don’t care? Have you ever stopped to think about how someone will feel after hearing what you are about to say?

Have you thought about the aftermath of that conversation? Because there are people who no longer speak to each other, and it’s been years, all because someone said something. Words are powerful! They can heal or break. They can build or destroy. Proverbs 12:18 says reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. So, please, let’s not act like words are just words.

Some words spoken to you have probably brought so much heaviness and pain. Maybe it was a friend, an aunt (masters of unchecked words!), or a colleague. I know aunties, especially in African families, can sometimes talk anyhow. They don’t care; they just ask you when you are having kids, and meanwhile, you and your husband are believing God for a child. They ask you questions about things you are struggling with, things you are praying about, and things you haven’t even found the courage to talk about sometimes so rudely which the worst choice of words.

People who don’t know what you are going through, think they can just say whatever they want but not every question needs to be asked, stop asking people when they are getting married, or having kids, or questions you have no business asking , not everything that comes to your mind needs to come out of your mouth. Colossians 4:6 tells us that our speech should always be gracious. We need to learn how to speak to people!

There are people who haven’t been able to move past what you said to them. They may never tell you, but their hearts are bleeding. You may have forgotten the conversation, but they still remember exactly how you made them feel. Meanwhile, you have moved on with your life, not knowing that someone is still carrying the weight of your words. This is why we cannot afford to speak anyhow. You never really know what someone is going through or how deeply your words will affect them.

We need to learn to speak as the Church of God, from the pulpit to the congregation. The person on the pulpit needs to learn the right words and language, and the same goes for the believer sitting down in the congregation. This is a requirement for all believers, not just pastors or people who preach. You can’t just get onto the pulpit and cuss, insult people, or speak carelessly and then claim to be representing God.

What’s the point of coming to church, hearing the Word, and still refusing to let it change the way you speak? James 1:22 tells us to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. We cannot claim to be growing in God while refusing to pay attention to something He has clearly addressed in Scripture. Beloved, we need to be intentional about our words. Think before you speak. Ask yourself whether what you are about to say will build someone up or tear them down.

Learn to correct people without humiliating them, speak the truth without being unnecessarily cruel, and show love even when you have to address something difficult. Not everything you think needs to be said, and not everything you can say should be said. May the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in the sight of God (Psalm 19:14). Let us learn to speak in a way that honours Him, because our words matter, and how we use them matters too.

If you read my blogs but have never met this  Wonderful Jesus that I’m always writing about,  you’d love to get to know Him, Or you know The Lord but have found yourself drifting far from Him, I would love to talk with you. Please send me an email  on yieldedcwcenter@gmail.com or simply comment, and I will reach out to you

The other day while I was in prayer, I felt God tell me that I talk too much & I’m being for real. I know He’s right because I’m not always talking, but when I do? You’d think they were paying me for it. I’m a sociable person, so I enjoy sensible conversations and connecting with people, but sometimes I find myself oversharing, overexplaining, and just talking way more than I need to. So much so that I’ve started feeling that little check in my spirit telling me to just stop.

Honestly, I’m learning to listen to it because I’m someone who can be quiet all day, but I’m also someone who can chat you down when I get going. The danger of that is that sometimes you end up having unchecked words and conversations. You share things too early, you reveal projects or things that were meant to stay with you, you overexplain things that didn’t need explaining, or you speak on things before the time is right. Even sharing dreams too early can be dangerous.

I’m actually grateful that God can correct me in something as simple as this, because sometimes correction doesn’t come through some huge revelation, it’s just that quiet note in your heart saying, “You’ve said enough. Stop.” I’m learning to be okay with that. This is not to say change your personality or stop talking to people but how many things have you share before time? The walls have ears, so they say.

I think Joseph shared his dreams too early. But at the same time, those dreams became part of what motivated his brothers to sell him, and we know that what they did was ultimately still within the plan of God. So guarding your mouth also comes with discernment. It’s not just about “don’t talk.” It’s about asking, Are these the right people to speak to? Is this a safe space? Is this person able to carry and understand what I’m saying? Or are you speaking to a witch and telling them you plan to get married next week? Manje the guy is not replying anymore.

Some people got the information from us. Nobody gossiped. You told them. And because you told them, they had the information they needed to use it against you. There’s a level of discernment that is needed in conversations. Some people have had conversations with people who already had others on standby, ready to tell them everything you said. You are sitting there thinking, “But how did they know?” I will tell you how. You told them.

Many people have broken relationships because their tongue wouldn’t allow them peace. Many have destroyed families because they couldn’t keep something to themselves. Not everything needs to be said, and not everyone needs to know. Sometimes wisdom is knowing what to say, when to say it, and most importantly, who to say it to. The people you have conversations with, are their tongues refined?

African mothers are on this table too. The mamas can literally call CNN to come and do a live broadcast about the fact that you just got a job. You are graduating and the whole community knows. You are relocating and even some random person knows because your mom told their mom, who told their mom who told their uncle. African parents are partly at fault for some of the mishaps that happen in the lives of their children because they will share news faster than TikTok. Those of us who are growing up, I really hope we don’t end up like that.

Ask God for the wisdom to know when to shut up because sometimes, even when what you’re saying is right and there’s no sin in it, you can still talk too much. You can talk so much in a meeting that you literally weary your business partners. Eh! I have met such people. They will come into a meeting to discuss the agenda and somehow end up telling people about their spouse. Like? Jonathan, this is a work meeting. Stop 🛑 .Even preachers, I’m sorry, but sometimes they overshare about their spouses. Now we know that mama snores and drools. We didn’t have to?

Podcasts everywhere, telling us information we genuinely did not need to know. Read the room and learn to discern the conversations you should be having. Guyssss, even down to your past, yes o! There is wisdom in knowing how to testify about certain things. There are people you can tell, and there are people you should never open up to. Someone once asked me why I don’t just open up anyhow, and most of the time when people say they know me, I’m laughing because no, you don’t. I am selective about what I open up about, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Not everybody needs access to every part of you. There are pointless conversations we have, and by pointless, I mean the call genuinely did not need to happen but now 4 hours later, new gist is coming in and it’s becoming ungodly. Sometimes you have to ask yourself, “Why am I saying this? Why am I telling them this? Does this conversation need to happen?” because wisdom sometimes, is knowing what doesn’t need to be said at all.

For those of you who talk too much, you can only be helped by God. Ask Him to help you because it’s really not a cute thing. It can easily lead to the sins of the tongue. It’s so easy to just get carried away in a conversation and before you know it, you’ve said things you had no business saying. Guard the chats you have, down to the calls you have. Even with the opposite sex. There are conversations you shouldn’t be having if you both genuinely want to stay pure until marriage. Which one is, “Ohhh, you have nice hips”? A trap. Please. Guard your conversations. Guard your mouth. Ask God for discernment because sometimes the conversation itself is the trap. I wish you all the best, and I genuinely hope this resonated with some people, if not most of you.

If you read my blogs but have never met this  Wonderful Jesus that I’m always writing about,  you’d love to get to know Him, Or you know The Lord but have found yourself drifting far from Him, I would love to talk with you. Please send me an email  on yieldedcwcenter@gmail.com or simply comment, and I will reach out to you