Category: Uncategorized

Keep Calm …

Happy Mother’s Day to all who play a mothering role in any capacity. As you nuture the next generation, may you be refreshed by God.

A few weeks ago, I was listening to a sermon, which challenged me. Let me paint a picture. When a baby is small, you provide their food, but as they get older, you expect them to at least know how to warm food for themselves. The preacher made a point that as we mature as Christians, God expects us to do more for ourselves as you’d expect for a growing child. So, at times, God may figuratively tell us “there’s food in the fridge”. He gave the example of David’s response to his family being kidnapped, he strengthed himself in the Lord, i.e. David had a role to play in being strengthened. That was food for thought for me.

Fast forward a few weeks, and I read Psalm 94, and verse 13 caught my eye. It helped that I was reading in the amplified version.

[13] That You may grant him [power to calm himself and find] peace in the days of adversity.

Interestingly, it is a Psalm of David. It reminded me of the concept of being able to do (some) things for ourselves. God gives us the power to calm ourselves. I think sometimes I’ve felt helpless to properly calm myself, or I have covered my discomfort with distractions, which temporarily creates an illusion of calm. I believe God can obviously calm us himself, but he has also equipped us with ways we can calm ourselves, so it’s not an either-or; I think it’s a both-and situation. We calm ourselves, and God calms us.

Looking through the bible, there are several places where the word “calm” is mentioned. Naturally, this is usually in high stress situations, such as the disciples fearing they would be buried at sea while Jesus slept soundly. Jesus spoke to the wind, and there was a great calm, a perfect peacefulness. I noticed that often where calm is mentioned, peace is often mentioned as well. They go hand in hand.

So, given the bible mentions “calm” many times, what does it tell us about how we calm ourselves? I’ll give 3 examples.

  • We accept the peace Jesus has given us. When he was returning to heaven, he left us with no illusion that our lives would be smooth sailing. Instead, he gave us his peace, which helps us maintain calm and strengthens us for each each challenge as it comes.
  • Walk daily with God. There’s a peace this brings because as you walk with God, you offload your problems onto him. You exchange your burdens for his yoke, which is light.

Colossians 3:15 AMP Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always].

  • Do what God has instructed you. We partner with God to see things happen here on earth. On the surface, it looks as though being calm is passive, but there are things we can do as well. Do songs help you feel lighter? Listen and sing praises to God. Does working out help you feel lighter? Make time to do that. In Exodus 14, Moses tells the Israelites to remain calm; some translations say stand still. Yet the next verse shows God challenging Moses. Yes, be calm, but move forward. You can proceed with calmness because you know the God who goes with you.

In conclusion, we (I) need to be more active about engaging in and with things God has equipped me with to achieve and maintain a state of calmness. I can do this by accepting the peace God gives me; by spending time with him daily and doing practical, pragmatic things he has told me or shown me.

What are your thoughts on this? What other ways can we calm ourselves?

Lord, we thank you for your promise of peace and calm. We are humbled that you would choose to partner with us in making this a reality. Lord, for the times when we’ve been passive and maybe even consumed by self-pity, we are sorry. Forgive us. Lord, teach us how to accept your peace, not just as a one-off but consistently. We receive you as our Prince of Peace.

Lord, we know that you care deeply about our experiences and the state of our hearts, so we share these with you. We willingly tell you the things that want to keep us up at night, and we exchange them for your peace and strength.

Lord, would you open our eyes to the practical ways in which you have wired each of us to decompress, things that might seem trivial but when used well wield great power. Lord, would you remind us of instructions you’ve given us which we may have forgotten and redurect our minds and our feet to the last you’ve put us on. We receive these with thanksgiving; in Jesus’s name, we pray.

Posted on by Sinmi 0

Defense mechanisms

Hello my loves

How has February been for you?

Disclaimer – This is quite a long post, so get strapped in. Get yourself a drink or snack. Yeah, treat yourself. You might need it as you read 😆

As you guessed, I want to talk on defense mechanisms today, but probably not in the way you think. Defense mechanisms are unconscious ways in which we protect ourselves from intense emotional stressors such as fear, distress, pain, etc. The stressor might be internal or external. They essentially aim to avoid unpleasant emotions, but they’re often problematic because they leave the actual issue unaddressed and unresolved.

Defense mechanisms affect all our relationships. In my training as a psychiatrist, I’ve learnt about defense mechanisms, but I’ve never thought of them in relation to my relationship with God. A few months ago, I stumbled on an article which was talking about attachment styles (maybe I’ll talk on that someday) and how that (can) relate(s) to our relationship with God and that really got me thinking. So when out of the blues I was thinking of defense mechanisms in relation to God, I was quite excited to think about it more and see what others think. There’s not a lot out there (that I’ve found) on defense mechanisms in relation to our relationship with God, so these are my fresh thoughts. They may be refined over time 😉

Defense mechanisms can be categorised into immature, neurotic (anxiety) and mature. There’s a fourth one that’s sometimes included called pathological or narcissistic (sometimes these are grouped with immature defenses). There are many defense mechanisms, but I won’t touch on all of them. I’ll take at least one from each category to illustrate my point.

Pathological defenses
Some examples are projection, denial, and splitting.
For example, splitting means having two extremes of opinion or feeling about something. For example, based on what’s happening in my life, I might think God is either good or bad. If I feel God is bad, I naturally withdraw from Him. Truth is, He is always good even when life is not good. He remains faithful when we are faithless. His mercies never cease. They are refreshed daily, whether it feels that way or not.

Immature defenses
Some examples are acting out, passive-aggression, and fantasising.
With passive aggression, there is a silent hostility where one is generally uncooperative. For example, I feel God hasn’t answered my prayer about something, so I won’t do what He asks me to do but might pretend I don’t understand the instruction. Do not be deceived. God is not mocked. He is compassionate towards us, but we have a God from whom we can not hide. Man looks at outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

Neurotic defenses
Some examples are displacement, intellectualisation, and reaction formation.
Intellectualisation sounds like a good one, but it’s not all it’s cracked to be. This is one I’m guilty of. Lord, help me. Essentially, it’s creating distance from unpleasant emotions by hyperfocusing on facts. Instead of taking a painful experience to God, I fill the space with facts about God’s nature (e.g., his goodness) but not in a way that helps me actually engage with that nature.

Mature defenses
Some examples are suppression, humour, and sublimation.
With humour, you express difficult feelings in a light-hearted way. For example, God is taking me through a tough time, and I joke about how he’s trying to kill me (my flesh). Brother James must have known something about this from what he said in his book (James 1:2-4) 😆 but really, joy is not the same as humour.

So, tying it all together, I’m not saying this absolutely fits, but it can be helpful for us to use this to examine or reflect on some of our responses to God. If you notice similar responses to situations with people, then … you know, maybe you should spend some time thinking about it and taking it to God in prayer.

I would be interested in knowing what you think. I know this won’t appeal to some people at all, and that’s okay. We all approach things in different ways. Be blessed as I end with a prayer.

Lord, we thank you because you’re the omniscient God. You know everything about everything, Lord, and that blows my mind. I thank you that you see the maladaptive ways in which we deal with things and relationships and how that affects our relationship with you as well. Whatever we  choose to call it, these issues are present and prevent us from healing and experiencing full freedom and intimacy with you. Lord, we ask that you expose these areas in our lives and help us bring them to you so we can be freed from them and work through them together. Strengthen us, Lord, to face these parts of ourselves that we sometimes like to ignore (denial 😉) and help us to open ourselves to your work in us. Amen.

References
Images from @thebraincoach

Posted on by Sinmi 4

Chapter X

Hello, my lovelies 💓

How’s the new year going? It feels like I blinked, and January flew by. It’s been rapid.

As you gathered, I didn’t end 2024 on a high. I was conflicted on New Years Eve, and it wasn’t a nice feeling. As the days have gone by, things have gotten better.

Although I was upset with God, myself, and just lots of emotions and questions, I love the fact that I have a God who doesn’t shy away from our emotions and pain. He sits with us in our pain, and He longs to bring healing. He brings scripture, songs, and people our way to help us.

A few days ago,  I listened to a short clip which was talking about how the church and Christians deal with the issue of pain, in particular emotional pain, be it grief, loss, whatever form it takes. There appears to be a notion that we need to rush to leave that state. This is obviously a generalisation, but I think there’s some truth to it. We struggle to comfort people in pain, as though their discomfort further serves to discomfort us, so we seek to quickly see the end of it. We use some phrases (usually stock phrases) that dress it up as noble encouragement, but it leaves me wondering where the kindness and compassion are. Thankfully for me, God had in his mercy surrounded me with people who, for the most part, have been compassionate and haven’t put pressure on me to “snap out of it.” This is an aside, but I feel the need to encourage us as Christians to be more compassionate. You don’t need to have an answer for someone’s pain. Just let them know you’re thinking of them and that you care for them.

My main point today was to share something I was thinking about a few weeks ago. I was thinking about what remains constant through life’s changes and seasons. Of course, there are quite a few things, but chief of them is love, specifically the love of God. You see, all the time I was upset, one thing I never doubted was God’s love for me. I might not have felt it, emotionally, at the time, but there was an assurance that in spite of things, God loves me. I remember God saying to me that if I’m ever unsure of everything, and nothing feels real, I can always count on his love for me.

These words aren’t platitudes to make you feel better. They’re based on God’s word to us. You might not feel able to access or acknowledge love, but that doesn’t mean it’s not present.

Guys, life is hard. To deny that would be a lie. Some days, your pain or situation would cause you to question a lot of things you took for granted, but God is our present help in time of trouble. You might not feel a spooky presence with you, but you know he can be with you through the people he places around you, who hold your hand through hard times.

One of my aunties sent me some verses to encourage me (after a long period of her listening to me), and a lot of them blew my mind. This one (below), in particular, challenged me a lot. It really made me think and analyse my heart and mind posture.

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to these things, so these are MY opinions, based on my experience.

In summary, I’ll leave you with these three things and end with a prayer.
1. Life gets hard sometimes, but God’s love will never let you go
2. People might try to rush you or even gaslight you, pay them no mind!
3. Take your time and while doing that, be honest with God about how you feel. Don’t say he knows. Telll him with your words; articulate how you feel
4. An extra for those at the back LOL, please let’s be kind to one another. Be compassionate.

Lord, we know that life sometimes hurts, and things don’t seem to make sense. We feel angry, lost, or disconnected from you, but it’s comforting to know that we are not alone in our feelings. David did a good job of capturing some of those emotions we feel, and yet he always came back up, somehow. This gives us hope that joy can come in the morning. We thank you for your love that can withstand any situation or power. We thank you for your love that never ends and never fails. We thank you because even when every structure crumbles around us, we can be sure that we are held by everlasting, all-powerful arms, and we can put our faith in you. Lord send us help from Zion. Place compassionate people around us and, more importantly, teach us to be the compassionate people we’d want to help us in our life’s struggles, amen.

NB – The hyperlinks (underlined words) contains the links to the full verses I’m referring to. Please click on them 🙏

Posted on by Sinmi 0

End of a chapter

Hello guys 😊

It’s that time of year where we’re reflecting on how the year has gone. The good, the bad and the ugly.

It’s been a hot minute since I shared something personal. This year I have experienced a lot of good things. Many prayers have been answered, many fears allayed and by the same token, many hopes realised. I have truly been loaded with many benefits.

During the latter part of this year, one of my hopes were dashed. Sigh. I’ve been shocked at how much this has cast a shadow on these blessings I’ve just been talking about. It’s almost as though the bitter taste (this has left) in my mouth has erased the memory of the sweetness I enjoyed earlier. It’s so subtle. At times, I find myself thinking this year has been rubbish or my life is just … More recently, I’m catching these thoughts, recognising they’re not the full picture and trying to balance/counter them with the knowledge of the great benefits I’ve enjoyed this year.

It sucks to end the year with this bitter taste lingering on my tongue, in my mind. It’s hard to generate excitement for the year that’s round the corner. (I’m not a fan of suffering olympics, but) I know there are people going through worse things and I really hope they are surrounded by love and find strength to keep going.

To those of us whose 2024 has not panned out how we hoped or perhaps there’s a dream you had that hasn’t come to pass or even crashed and burnt, this post is for us.
This too shall pass.
Things aren’t always going to look bleak.
The pain abates after a while.

There are two songs I’d like to share which I think are beautiful and capture some of the sentiments I’ve shared. I’ll share the Spotify links and YouTube links.

Hold on to me – Lauren Daigle Spotify  YouTube

Your will – Lee Vasi Spotify YouTube

A third link I’ll share isn’t a song. It’s an exhortation, a fresh perspective on restoration by a lady called Ty Bello. It’s also on Spotify.

Rom 15:13 NIV

I’d like to end with a prayer.

Dear God, I thank you for all the beautiful things this year has brought (please list three things you’re grateful for). You have surprised me and filled my mouth with laughter. I’m grateful for all you’ve done for me and for being my father, my friend. You know that although I’m grateful there are things that have caused me pain this year too; things that I don’t understand; things that cause my hope and strength to fail. Lord I want to be hopeful but it’s so hard. I want to have the right perspective but pain blinds me at times. Lord you are the God of all hope. I ask that you fill me with your hope, your joy and your strength. As hard as it is, help me to trust you and trust in your goodness and faithfulness. My 2025 is in your hands, let it be the year that you have made, one I will rejoice and be glad in. In Jesus name I pray, amen 🙏



Posted on by Sinmi 2

Prayers I’d like to share

Hello dear people ☺️

Sorry for the abrupt, unscheduled break in transmission. If you’re not new, then you’re probably not surprised as it’s not the first time   🤭  🫠 The last few months have been full of ups and downs, mainly ups to be fair. That’s quite typical of life, isn’t it?

Anyway, this post is going to be different, and I might bring a similar version back in the future. Over the last few weeks, I’ve written some prayers based on bible verses, which I’d like to share with you. First, I’d like to share a prayer that I’ve not written. I found it on a website I’d been using as part of my devotional. It resonated very strongly with me, and when I shared it on WhatsApp, it resonated with some others as well. I hope it blesses someone.

Now, for some of the prayers I’ve written, I know they won’t be for everyone. When I wrote them, I wrote them for myself, but if someone else finds it helpful, I’ll be even happier.

Isaiah 50 prayer
Thank you Lord that I am your disciple. Thank you for teaching me. I receive your teaching. Thank you for wakening me daily and wakening my ears. My ears are open to hear you. I will not be rebellious or turn back in disobedience. I receive your strength to obey fully. I am helped by you. I receive your help and empowerment. I recognise your help. I will not be ashamed. I will not be confounded or confused. I am determined to do your will as you reveal it to me, so I set my face like a flint. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen

Psalm 95 prayer
Thank you for being my God. I am so blessed to be the sheep of your hand and to be among your pasture. As my shepherd, you lead me and instruct me on where to go. I thank you because I know your voice and I recognise it clearly as you speak. As you speak to me through this period, Lord help me to maintain a soft heart of flesh towards you. I rebuke, renounce, and refuse any trace of hardness of heart in me. I declare my heart is soft, good soil where your seed can be planted and bear good fruit. As you sweetened the waters at Meribah, please hasten to sweeten this situation also. I do not want to tempt you, grieve, or disgust you like my forebears (the israelites) did. I do not want to experience the work of your judgement. Please help me and be merciful towards me. Help me not to err in my heart, and as you search me, please expose every element of error so that I may repent, be forgiven, restored, and placed back on track. I do want to enter into your rest, and I want to experience and enjoy my promised land, the land of blessings you have prepared for me. I thank you for all these things I have received from you, my Lord, and my God. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen


Psalm 55:22
Lord, I thank you for your welcome, your call to me to come with my burdens. You ask me to release the weight of it by giving it to you. You take the weight off me, and I feel so light and free. Thank you, Jesus. You promise to sustain me so I receive your sustenance. You keep me going, Lord, not scraping by but with an abundance of grace and strength. Because I’ve been made righteous by the blood of Christ, in your kindness and faithfulness, you won’t allow me to be moved. I will not stumble, slip, fall, or fail because I am backed by the Most High who doesn’t fail. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen 🙏

Please let me know what you think of this kind of post.

Blessings
Sinmi

Posted on by Sinmi 4

Who’s at the wheel?

Hello, my people. Sorry I missed last month 😕 😢  It was not intentional, the month just got away from me. It was like it skipped a few days. Here we are, and June’s almost ended as well.

I’ll just get right into it.

Let me start by saying I don’t think there is any one analogy that fully explains God’s involvement or role in our decision-making and life’s journey. I personally don’t think it’s a linear thing. It can be simple but often is not easy. This is because it’s nuanced and multi-faceted.

funny-ole-at-the-wheelDownload


Last month, I was thinking of an analogy of what my life is like as a Christian and my decisions, my journey. A phrase popped into my mind, “Ole at the wheel.” 😆  If you’re a football person, you already have an idea what that statement means. If you’re not a football person, I’ll give some context. There’s a big club in an English football league called Manchester United (you’ve probably heard that name). In the last few years, they’ve not been doing well and have had a series of managers with varying results. Ole Gunnar was a manager who had some initial results, but things soon ended badly for the team. Social media was rife with disappointment, and some people coined the phrase “Ole at the wheel” to depict the derailment of the club’s success in the league.


It got me thinking, “Who is at the wheel of my life?” Like Ole Gunnar, am i driving myself into a ditch (insert other obstacle), or am i letting God lead me where he wants me to go. I’ll leave you to think on these verses.

Is God like google maps?

My next thought is, “Am I treating God like google Maps (whose guidance I can ignore)? That i leave or take at will?

If I say God is in the driving seat of my life, where does that leave me? Does it absolve me of responsibility for where the car goes? Am I being passive? Someone without agency? Is there a place to say I should be in the driver’s seat but be directed by God? Albeit in a capacity that far surpasses Google maps. God’s directions are not suggestions. They are instructions and commands, and that’s where the google maps analogy falls down. Google maps can not force you to go somewhere (and neither would God) but can tell you different ways to get to a destination. It can redirect you when you disobey intentionally or accidentally. Sometimes, it will ask you to go back, and other times, it identifies a different route.


God has a will for us, and he has a way he wants to accomplish that will. That way is the solid blue line on your maps, which is the ideal route. Doing things his way is the best (and less painful) way to accomplish his will. It might not be easy but when you think of the alternative of doing things your way, making a mess of things and having to redo things his way, it’s the less arduous way of doing things. In his mercy, in spite of our flaws, stubbornness, and misadventures, God is able to bring good out of our journeys. He weaves it all together and brings us to an expected end, and the glory goes to him.

Takeaway (No, not food)

Who do I think should be at the wheel of life? How have I come to that conclusion?
Can I explain this to someone I trust who is wise and godly
Do I need to change things in light of this? What do I need to do?

So this time, I’ve left you with questions to ponder. I’d love to know what you think. Talk about this with friends, share it, leave a comment, or message me privately.

Enjoy the rest of June, and I pray July meets you well 🙏 ✨️ 🙌🏽 ❤️

Posted on by Sinmi 6

Friendship with God: love and Obedience

Hello, my lovelies 😍

A few weeks ago, I heard a preach (sermon) at my church. It was on friendship with God. I thought I knew where it was headed, but something caught my attention.

The speaker was highlighting the importance of obedience in friendship with God, and that’s what this post is based on.

I was raised in church, and my dad is particularly big on obedience being very important, so I’ve had it drummed into me about obeying God. There are many Scriptures which back this up e.g. ‭1 Samuel 15:22.

As I’ve grown in church, there has also been this concept of friendship with God. I think because of the expression of church (charismatic) that I participate in and the part of the world that I’m in, I have internalised a specific idea of what friendship with God looks like.

When I think of what friendship is, I think of warm, fuzzy feelings, a best friend who I can tell all my secrets, who can support me when I’m weak and who can share my joys. I think of commitment. I think of someone on my level (so to speak) who I have banter with and can joke with, etc. I have us both on the same level essentially, even with older friends whose age difference and experience I respect.
When I apply some of these ideas to my friendship with God, they don’t translate perfectly. While God is closer than anyone can be and wants to know my deepest desires and have real intimacy with me, we are not on the same level. I can’t bring God down to my level. He is my friend, yes, but before he is my friend, he is God Almighty. My friendship with him should not bring irreverence. My friendship with God should not detract from the awe and fear that his presence commands. Familiarity should not blind me to the fullness of who God is.

I have never thought of obedience in the context of friendship. Because I’ve thought of being on the same level as my friends, I don’t see obedience as something integral to the relationship. However, with God, obedience is essential, regardless of what lens or perspective through which im viewing our relationship. I was ‭struck by the simplicity of John 14:15 in stating how interwoven love (read friendship) and obedience are.

I can’t claim to love God if I don’t obey his commands.

Command – This suggests that God’s words are not merely the suggestions of a friend that you can take or leave. They are not optional extras that have no bearing on the integrity of the relationship. Actions speak louder than words, and here, God is saying that if you truly love me and value our relationship, you’ll do what I say. When it’s easy, when you get it, when it seems unclear or even dangerous. If my love was measured by my obedience to God, how would I fare? Would I measure up? Am I doing the barest minmum? Am I just coasting along? Am I being intentional and seeking out what he says? Am I being faithful with what he’s told me to do?

[Disclaimer – there’s always more depth to be attained in my love for God, and I could never match his love. That’s not the intention. The idea is this, based on what I am capable of doing, how much am I doing?]

I need to re-examine my relationship through this lens and ensure that I am living a life of obedience to God.

Doing things for God (aka service or sacrifice) is great. It is encouraged. But doing what God has asked you to do (obedience) is a higher priority. If you obey, you will surely be sacrificing as well. A lot of what God asks us to do requires sacrifice, but the issue is that sometimes we want to choose what we should sacrifice instead of what he requires us to sacrifice.

If you would like to watch the sermon that inspired this post, click the link below 👇🏾

I’ll leave you with a beautiful hymn that I grew up listening to

Posted on by Sinmi 2

A simple prayer 🙏 🙌🏽

Sometimes, we overcomplicate prayer, and this can make prayer a daunting, insurmountable task that we’re doomed to fail at. So, of course, we fall at the first hurdle because in our minds, we don’t think we can do it or be good at it.
Today (the day I wrote this) as I started listening to a preach/talk, a phrase popped into my head. It is a simple prayer, one that is always relevant, always useful, and speaks to God’s heart. It can be used alone or in conjunction with other prayers.

Be it unto me according to your word oh God

No matter what is going on in your life, these words will always be relevant. Sometimes, they will be very hard to say and actually mean, but they will never be the wrong thing to say.

As I wrote this, I was reminded that we have a beautiful example in Mary, the mother of our Lord, who said these words. She must have been perplexed, confused, and dumbfounded. Not only will she be pregnant by God’s spirit, but her aged relative will also have a child. What’s Mary’s response? “Let it be done as you have said”. She doesn’t know how it’s  all going to work out. She doesn’t have a precedent to relate this to; she doesn’t have all the answers and yet she says “Let it be according to what you have said” because she knows God’s word will never come to destroy but to build and mould us into his vessels.

There are different ways to pray with this verse, and I will list three of them:

Praying this by “itself”

Praying this by “itself”, you can draw on God’s word to you.

Lord, I know you have great plans for my life, and you have made me for a purpose. Lord be it unto me according to all that’s written in your book for me.

Help me, Lord, to know what your plans are for me and how to fulfil them. Help me to stick to the path you have set for me so that my life can be all that you have in mind for me.

Praying it with general scripture

Sometimes, it feels like we don’t know what God is saying specifically to us,  perhaps about a situation or about our lives in general, and we don’t know what to pray. There’s a treasure trove of promises in the Bible waiting to be discovered. With the age of the Internet, you don’t have to be a bible scholar to find the promises. All you need is Google and Internet connection. Search God’s promises about x or bible verses about x, and you’ll be surprised at what you find. I’ll encourage you to read, not just the verses in isolation but the chunk of scripture that it’s a part of. Present what you read to God. For example, Lord be it unto me according to your word. Your word in Proverbs 16:3 states that I should commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. So Lord, I commit my ways and works to you.

Lord, sometimes I don’t know what to do but I trust that you will guide me because your word says in ‭‭Isaiah 30:21 AMPC‬‬ “And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left.” So Lord, I declare that my ears are open to hear your voice, and I walk in obedience to your word.

Praying it with a specific promise God has given you.

Lord, you have said concerning me that x. Lord, I agree with your word. I say Amen, be it unto me according to your word.

So this month, why don’t you give this a go, when you feel stuck, worried, harried, content, agree with God regarding what he’s said about you. The more you agree, the more that’s internalised, and you manifest what you say. You build up a faith in you that spurs you onto good works. The internal work that is being done in you will become apparent, and you will bring glory to God. That’s the sum total of our lives, to bring glory to God.

This is not to say this is the only way to pray. That’s the beautiful thing. There are so many ways to pray. This can be a starting point for you. Whatever way you pray, you can be sure that God hears you. Sometimes, there’s a tyranny of choice, and we feel paralysed or unsure  how to proceed. This just helps to simplify things.
God bless you.

Be it unto you according to God’s word for you!

Posted on by Sinmi 0

Doing God’s word

Hey guys!

Last month, I talked about knowing what God’s saying to us so we have guidance for our lives and live according to his will.

This month, I’m talking about the other side of the coin. Once we know what God’s saying, what comes next? In my mind, what comes next is the doing. There’s no point knowing God’s will but not doing it. The blessing and growth come in the doing.

Matthew‬ ‭7:21‬ ‭AMPC‬‬: Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven.

The emphasis in these verses is on doing the will of God, not merely knowing it.

James‬ ‭1:22‬,25 ‭AMPC‬‬: But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth. [25] But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience).

How do we do God’s way?

We could rationalise what God is saying and map out our own strategy to accomplish it. However, this is not the best way to do it. For example, Sarah and Abraham had a seemingly bright idea of how to bring about God’s word, and they ended up with Ishmael. This decision caused heartache for both of them in the long run, but God being gracious, they still got their promised son when they waited on God and did things his way. God has his way of fulfilling his word, and often, it is very different from our way.

Proverbs‬ ‭3:5‬,7 ‭AMPC‬‬: Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. [7] Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil.

Even though we have good intentions (in our consciousness), [our motives aren’t always pure], we don’t have the full picture. As such, the steps that we take might not be in line with the bigger picture God is formulating (has formulated). God doesn’t often tell us every detail of everything that is going to happen. There is a growth and stretching that comes as we journey with him, leaning on him, learning more about his way.

We can not do his will in our strength. We will fail or crash and burn or give up. We need God to strengthen us and sustain us in the doing of his will. His will is bigger than me. I am but a part of what he is doing; a key part nonetheless. He is depending on me to play my part well. Will I be faithful in doing what he has called me to?


God is gracious. He knows our feeble nature. We have a high priest who is very well acquainted with our struggles being like us on earth. He knows we will fail sometimes, get things wrong, and he is ready to set us straight; to put us back on the right path.

God asked me recently what was motivating me regarding an issue, faith or fear? Sometimes, we’re scared of failing, of getting things wrong. This fear is not from God. He wants us to step out. If you believe God is saying to do something, and it matches up with scripture, go ahead and do it, leaning on God each step of the way. If you’ve acted in error, God will redirect you. No experience is wasted. There’s always something we learn.

Sometimes, it might look like nothing is happening. You’re obeying, you’re pressing in, but not seeing the fruit or signs you expect, encourage yourself in the Lord. Remind yourself of his word to you. Remind yourself of his character – he is a faithful God, a good God. Remind yourself of the times he has come through for you.

Lastly, as you journey, check in with God regularly to make sure you’re still on the right track. ‭‭

In 1 Chronicles‬ ‭14:9‭-‬17‬, the Philistines raided Israel, and David asked God whether to go to war against them, and he obeyed. The Philistines did a second raid, and David asked again, “Should I go up against them?”. He could have assumed he knew what to do based on his last experience, but he did not. He asked God for fresh instructions, how to do things God’s way, and he got different instructions. God brought about his victory in a different way.

In summary, are we willing to do God’s will his way?
• Are you doing God’s will? Are you acting on the word(s) he’s given you? Are you checking in with him regularly?
• Are you doing things your way or God’s way?
• Are your actions motivated by faith or fear?
Are you discouraged? Write the vision down where you can easily see it

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Thoughts on the New Year

‭Happy New Year fam!!! I hope you’ve had some time to rest a little over the holiday season.

At the end of 2023, I came across a scripture (Isaiah‬ ‭53:1‬) ‭which stuck in my mind. It reminded me of a conversation I was having with some of my girls a few days earlier about having a word from God for ourselves.

Isaiah‬ ‭53:1‬ AMPC – WHO HAS believed (trusted in, relied upon, and clung to) our message [of that which was revealed to us]? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been disclosed?


Although this verse is talking about a word that has been proclaimed, it made me think, before a word can be proclaimed, it must first be received by a person.

What word has been revealed to me by God? Do I trust it? How much have I clung to it? Have I received it? Maybe we need to take a step back and ask – Do I even believe that God has a word for me?

I know some churches or ministries have words for the year. You can adopt this, but I believe you can receive a word from God that is tailored to you as well.

Colossians‬ ‭1:9‭-‬10‬ ‭CEV‬‬: We have not stopped praying for you since the first day we heard about you. In fact, we always pray that God will show you everything he wants you to do and that you may have all the wisdom and understanding his Spirit gives. [10] Then you will live a life that honors the Lord, and you will always please him by doing good deeds. You will come to know God even better.

I’d recommend reading up to verse 14 to be honest.

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:21‬ ‭AMPC‬‬: Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven.


It is very important to know what God is saying to you. How do you obey what you don’t know? What do you hold on to when times are super hard and discouraging and bleh?
A yoruba proverb says (I think 🤔) – Nkan tẹyẹ jẹ lẹyẹ n gbe fo. This means you are sustained by what you eat or what nurtures you. ‭‭In this context, what you know about God’s will for you and how you feed yourself spiritually is going to be important for your sustenance.

The journey of 2024 is far. You need something to hold you, to carry you through the year. This is not to say the year is going to be hard or impossible or to be a prophet of doom, but there will be moments that life seems to come at you fast, and you need an anchor.
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life? There is but one anchor that doesn’t shake, and that is God’s word.

Write the word(s) down. You might not be sure, but write down what you think God is saying. Ask him to confirm his word.

Sometimes, we weary ourselves doing things God hasn’t asked of us. We get discouraged, worn out, and give up. Having a chat with my bestie, I was reminded of how important it is to know the season of life you’re in. There are different times and seasons in life. ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭AMPC‬‬: TO EVERYTHING there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven.

Doing things out of season requires more effort and can be frustrating without much to show for it. Knowing what the season you’re in, you might better understand your circumstances and how God is working through them to achieve his purpose. You might be less inclined to fight certain things. You might be less inclined to compare yourself to other people and be more content with where you are in your journey.

In summary:
1) Ask God what season you’re in and what he’s doing in and through you.
2) Ask God for a word for you for this season, for directions, encouragement. Write it down.
3) If nothing else, a good thing this year would be to spend more time with God, whatever that looks like for you, and you’ll get to know him better (experentially).

P.S. Life seasons don’t often run in calendar cycles, but this is a new year, so a chance to remind us all 😉

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