I follow Pastor Steven Furtick's (he's an awesome Pastor based in South Carolina that preached at Forward Conference this past year) blog and he posted this today! It seriously blessed me and I thought to share it with you:
2 LIES THE DEVIL LOVES TO TELL GOD'S CHILDREN
The devil is a liar. That's all he is, and he's good at what he does.
He'll tell you whatever he needs to tell you in order to trip you up, or keep you down.
And he'll change up the delivery of his message depending on what you're going through.
So when you're suffering a trial, the devil will whisper a message of hopelessness to you.
He'll say something like:
This will never end
On the other hand, when you're in a season of blessing, the devil will try to shake your confidence by telling you the exact opposite:
This will never last
But trials do end. Joy comes in the morning. There is a mountain of victory on the other side of your valley.
And blessings do last. Even though seasons change, God's favor is forever! He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.
Don't let the devil twist the truth.
Catch him in his lies, and stand on what God says.
On that note...Have a blessed and God-filled rest of the day!
This song has been recurring on and off in my mind for the better part of the year after I heard it at the Forward Conference. When I forget what my purpose is, when things are just all over the place, this song reminds me that at the end of the day....all that matters is my Jesus.
It's all about Jesus, folks. Plain and Simple.
Be blessed and encouraged today knowing that ALL that you need is in that name. It's at that name that every knee and need will bow.
Much love!
"It is no longer I who live...but Christ that lives in me..."
So I'm sure you guys have been expecting a Roger post... It has been a while since I gushed about my man, so it's long overdue especially since he's been playing like the demi-god that he is!! While I was searching for new information about him (not long, I promise! I just like to be up to date on his life..stalkeration) I stumbled across this "ode" to Roger by way of his kids, really...Here it is:
“Dear Youngest Federer, by the time you are old enough to understand this, your father won’t be the player he once was. So this is for you, from those of us who were there, just to tell you who he was.
He was a champion like tennis had never seen. He was like a page out of an Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue. He was so graceful, he made ballet dancers want to burn their shoes. He was fast, but not so you’d notice. He was powerful, but, like a Ferrari not a forklift. They all came at him, and they all fell to him, major after major, year after year.
Your father dominated his sport the way avalanches dominate trees. And yet he was so humble and decent that it became no shame to lose to him. In fact, it became a kind of honor. To lose to Roger Federer meant you were woven into the fabric of sports history. And what a history he wrote.
You will read about it someday and it will shock you. But his finest moment might have been a sun-splashed sunday at Wimbledon, when he passed Pete Sampras record for majors with 15. Some thought we might not ever see that day. Thought he’d be past by younger bulkier models. But they were wrong. Gods do not get passed.
This August, you will come along and tennis will be less important, majors will become minor, trophies will become teething rings, and your father’s perfect life, will, somehow, get even better.”
My home will be filled with its people again
She will be cherished and courted and praised as the jewel that she really is
Her people will cease to rape, pillage and drain her; they will take from her with reverence and return to her a hundred fold.
Her children who left, who are in the diaspora will return and increase the fruit she bears
She will no longer be mocked and scoffed at for basic amenities that she (or those in charge of her) is (or are) unable to provide
She will rise from the ashes like a phoenix at rebirth
The world will know and hear about the restoration power of a God over her
She will celebrate her birthday, knowing that she's not being graded for where she is and/or where she's supposed to be
The people in power will not care only about their pockets and stomachs; they will remember that there are over 150 million people relying on their honesty and transparency and in so doing, make a change.
We will not lose family members to minor accidents because of deplorable roads and non-existent healthcare; people die just because they don't have the money to pay hospitals for their service and they are not treated.
One day, Nigeria will become the glorious nation she was destined to be.
There is no denying that Nigeria is filled with talent, brilliant minds and untapped resources. Nigeria is beautiful - she's filled with a diverse people who despite their conditions, they always find a way to smile. I am seriously deviating from my blog post today...can't seem to help myself.
But back to the topic of the day -
Nigeria's music scene right now is seriously impressing me! Ask my friends, although Nollywood holds no particular interest for me, I am an avid 9ja music follower! Thanks to www.lasgiditunes.com, I stay up to date on the new songs out there. But for today, I would like to feature the artists who are currently making my days at work run really smoothly -
1. P-Square - Peter and Paul have an uncanny ability to re-invent their songs in a way that doesn't change who they are but it not stale either - Their new album, The Invasion (listen HERE), is on point! I don't think there's a song on there I don't like. It's been that way for me with these Igbo boys since 2002 when I bought their first album. "Igbedu" is still one of my all-time favorites! They have more artists featuring in a lot of the songs on this album, mixing reggae-ish beats with techno that I think they pulled off really well. But then, I'm biased. Take a listen. Judge for yourself.
2. Ice Prince Zamani - This is my new favorite guy! His first ever album (he's known for Oleku, a single he released a while ago), Everybody Loves IcePrince (ELI) has songs like Superstar, Olofofo and Wassup Wassup that, in my opinion, are correct! Again, I go to www.lasgiditunes.com and just play the whole thing over and over again. Before I decided to take a chance and listen to the album, I went online to look at reviews...never again! EVER! Some people were just describing what the songs were about; who needs that! Others were just yarning dust! I should have learned my lesson when I refused to watch the movie 300 because the critics panned it, then ended up loving the movie so much, I went to the theater twice to watch it and I bought the DVD when it came out. Reviews ko, reviews ni! Well, anyway, I really like this album. I like it a whole lot. If I had to pick a favorite (hard choice..ack) I'd pick "Wassup Wassup", featuring Tuface, who just takes all the songs he's in to another level. Listen to the whole album HERE.
3. WizKid - Or to be precise, WizPapi (he's a baby daddy now, so he should consider the name change). I like the guy - he's a cutie; I just want to pinch his cheeks! I haven't met a WizKid song I didn't like. He (or Banky W) was smart to release a few songs first and feature in people's songs to get his name out there then hit us all upside the head with his Album that had a lot of surprises (Wiz Party, No Lele, Love my Baby...too madt). He's my go to guy when I have a headache at work (as well as Josh Groban) and the regular dose of Ibuprofen doesn't work. Listen to his album, Superstar HERE.
I'd like to end by leaving you with these -
1. My friend, AyoJay, just released a song with CapB, "She Like It" - Listen HERE
2. Another Boo, Lekan aka MM, released his music video for his song, BB Pin. Watch Below -
3. I can't talk about the Nigerian Music Scene without touching on Tuface (although I did in #2 above). I've only heard 3 songs off of his new album, Unstoppable, and what I've heard so far, I love. Listen HERE. He also has music videos out for 2 out of the 3; this one's my favorite -
It's hard to pick just these, because I love a lot of these artists (like Eldee, 9ice, ID Cabasa, Banky W,oh gosh!) but that's the koko - I LOVE 9JA MUSIC!!!
I am incredibly loved - by my family and friends and most importantly, by God
My tomorrow will be better than my today because my today was better than yesterday
As long as the earth remains and the sun rises in the east and sets in the west every day, the Word of the Lord concerning me will not fall to the ground until it has accomplished that which it was sent. (Isaiah 55 vs 11)
Roger Federer is the awesomest, greatest tennis player that has ever lived (I had to put him in somewhere). Lionel Messi too actually. In fact, the whole Barcelona team!
The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in me....sooner or later, that glory will break forth and the world that has been groaning in eager anticipation for the manifestation and the revelation of the Sons of God will groan less (Romans 8 vs 18-19; one of my favorite scriptures)
My life is great!
God is good and His mercies and grace endures forever; it doesn't matter if things are not working out the way I want; the bottom line is that my life is going exactly the way God planned it and ALL things will work together for my good - the good, bad, ugly, despicable... you get my meaning.
Planning without action and diligence is not only useless, it's a failure. Trying in and of itself is success enough.
I can hardly wait to go to Nigeria in December!!! So much fun to be had...so little time!
Being a senior is NOT a walk in the park! Jesus help me! I miss my sleep; my bed misses me..womp!
I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength! Through Christ alone.
