The Choice

Teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom - a popular verse from the Holy Writ. It's a year today that Incredible Courage was birthed and I thought it's a good time to reflect, especially as it coincides with the end of a regular year.

A year ago, it was about pouring out my heart to share my journey in my new status. Very quickly, the mission was modified to sharing my life as a whole. The vision didn't change - to enable others draw courage to preserve in life's journey, in spite of any challenges by drawing hope and inspiration from someone like them, who's been there, is there and by God's grace and mercy keeps rising no matter how many times she gets sidetracked or falls.

Thinking back over the past year, a few words come to mind in trying to summarize the year. One of them is Choice. Others are Proactivity. Wisdom.

It's always about the choices we make, isn't it? We can't always control the circumstances that come our way but we can and must be deliberate about the choices we make. Choice requires thought. It also connotes deliberate action. Even doing nothing takes a process of evaluating the options, and deciding nothing is the best thing to do.

We shouldn't be reactionary all the time either. We need to anticipate and make plans for various scenarios that we envisage so that we can act, rather than react in our circumstances. We need to try to shape our circumstances by the seeds we plant and the advance actions we take. It's impossible to make perfect plans, but we must still plan. Failing to plan as they say, is planning to fail. Chess is a great game for strategy. Anticipating several moves ahead and positioning are key skills everyone needs.

Wisdom is the ability to determine the appropriate action to take in any situation. A lot of it comes from knowledge and experience, but I've found that inspiration, or instinct is vital as well. That inspiration comes from God, if you are one that looks to Him for daily help and guidance. I have found it invaluable and certainly couldn't have made it this far without His help.

Looking ahead to the coming year, I've decided what my focus areas are. They aren't new, just areas that need to be improved upon and deciding to chase those improvements with more determination. What are you focusing on for 2016? What are your burning issues? Those same three words that summarize 2015 will be needed in 2016.

There's really no new strategy, it's the choice and application of appropriate strategy that's crucial. Action, implementation, both doing words - verbs. For us in Nigeria particularly, it will be a year in which we need to be creative and really think more proactively within the box as well as without. Tough times are ahead no doubt, but we will find a way to rise above and make the best of the year. Some things will  need to be scaled up while others will need to be scaled down.

I am grateful for all that has happened this year - good and bad. The good, obviously because it was good. The bad, because it taught me lessons, revealed to me things I wasn't fully aware of in some cases but overall I also realize that what I saw as bad still was used in the grand scheme of things to keep me on the path of purpose.

God has truly been good and I can't express my gratitude enough. To fulfill purpose is my heart's cry. I can't echo that enough. I intend to make each day count, so help me God. There are things I've neglected because I just couldn't fit them into 24 hours. I can pick them up now because some other things have ended, thus making room for those neglected items.

2016 represents an opportunity to reset and start some things afresh. New commitments, new decisions. A renewed commitment to those things that will continue from this year. Here's wishing everyone a wonderful new year that takes you further in the fulfillment of purpose.

See you in 2016! Blessings on you and yours.

Causality

Causality, defined as the relationship between cause and effect is a word I heard for the first time (to my recollection) in one of my MBA classes.

The MBA, a journey that started on January 15th, 2014 is finally over. One of the major things we did as part of our assessments were reflections and one member of my cohort said she doesn't want to do any more reflections in the foreseeable future. I rather tend to agree with her but I think I need to do one last reflection, lol. 

December 2015 features Bunmi v2. I am a much-improved version of myself, both in thinking and some action. The action hasn't completely caught up with the thinking, but we are getting there. Whether v2 is completely, 100%, directly as a result of the MBA is arguable, but no doubt it has contributed.

I'm thinking about causality as I reflect upon Bunmi v2. A lot has happened in the last 2 years. My family wasn't sure I could take the rigour of starting an MBA 2 weeks after I was widowed but I was willing to give it a shot. They probably secretly thought I had gone bonkers, lol.

I certainly couldn't have done it all on my own, I owe a lot to my learning team and my family and friends who supported me in various ways in the course of the 2 years. Most importantly, I owe the biggest gratitude to the Triune God - my dear friend, the precious Holy Spirit, my wonderful Father and unseen husband, God the Father and my precious saviour, Jesus the Son, who made it possible for me to become a part of spiritual Israel.  

Leadership and self-awareness were a major focus of my MBA programme. A change in career direction was also a major goal. A fresh perspective and new insights were things I hoped for. An international network and exposure to a different culture were key requirements. I am glad to say 100% of those goals were achieved.

Our lifes are the sum of many parts. I completely believe that everything that happens to us leaves a mark and affects us in some way - this isn't particularly profound. That being so, it means we need to be very deliberate in our actions, taking the time to weigh many things before a decision is taken. We need to control as much as possible, that which we can because there is already so much outside our control. I have said in one of my posts on decision making that I never take a decision without sleeping on it, not always literally, but simply that I will usually not say Yes or No without thinking through. Ah - yes, my MBTI profile did confirm that I am a thinking person.

Our experiences affect us to varying levels, unlike statistics, where some function may not necessarily affect another parameter. We must think before we act. We must think not just about the effect on us directly, but also the ripple effect on everyone that is connected to us - family, friends and professional associates. We are part of an intricate web and  there is an effect for every cause. There's no running away from that.

Coming back to Bunmi v2, am I advocating for everyone to go do an MBA? Heavens, No! But if you think it might facilitate your career and life prospects, I would say explore it. It certainly made a difference for me.

Enjoy your weekend and be good. 

Blessings on you and yours.

C'est La Vie!

The last couple of days, I've been at an emotional low. Life can be hard or perhaps shall we call it unfair sometimes isn't? You put in so much effort and at the end, it doesn't give the desired yield. Yea, Life is hard, but such is life!

I've just read through one of my previous posts - Pressing Forward (http://www.incredible-courage.com/2015/08/pressing-forward.html) before writing this. I used it to encourage myself. When things get rough, the tough get going. I've used the "Call a Friend" card also. Thank God He's given me a wonderful crop of friends who help me at varying points of need.

When one door closes, we feel like we lost something. I want to believe it's a way of getting us to look around and see the other doors God wants to take us through. During one of my MBA courses, we did the selective attention test (see video insert).

Selective Attention Test - Copyright 1999, Daniel J. Simons

It is widely used to show how much we miss when we focus on a single item. Thinking about that test again, I am encouraged that there's a gorilla of fortune that I've probably overlooked all this while because I was focussed on this other thing. The best is surely yet to come!

Recently I had cause to tell a friend that God has her back. I'm telling myself the same thing. God's got my back, and as my people say - One with God is majority.

C'est Fini!

I'll leave you with a song from many many years back -  C'est la vie Papa by Vicky Leandros

Blessings on you and yours. Have a great week.

So Earthly Minded?

Hi Everyone,

Now it has really been a loooooong time. I have been really busy but I thought I'd share something from someone I've followed for many years and who I believe has a unique ministry - Jeff Larson. His ministry is sharing life's issues and God's word using cartoons. I hope you enjoy this one, and if so, please visit his page - www.the backpew.com. Have a wonderful rest of the week. Blessings on you and yours.

I like the old saying ‘That fella is so Heavenly minded, they are no Earthly good.’ This describes a person that is so into church and ‘churchy’ things that they don’t add much value or function outside of church walls. 

Over the years, I have smirked at a person or twenty that fits that description, BUT I have come to believe the bigger problem today is that too many people are too EARTHLY minded to be much HEAVENLY GOOD. 

It's just too easy to be caught up in this pace and 'stuff' of life (good and bad) to where God is put on the back burner.  Instead of starting my day quiet before God, reading my Bible, and prayerful I often clutter my life with the very real demands of work, family, rush hour traffic, and.. maybe what is on the TV and become simply more EARTHLY MINDED than HEAVENLY GOOD.

The real irony is - When I drift from God is NOT when I am too busy or stressed but instead when life is going well. No immediate worries or concerns so I relax my dependence, praise and appreciation of God to again become so earthly minded.

---

So while I don’t want my life to look as out of place as an Amish folk high rollin' in Las Vegas, I do want my spirit, and life to start and end with God. A place where my personal faith shows through in all that I do and say.

May God bless each of you this day and always with a life in love with God, and a life where God is not fit in around the details of the day.  May this be a life blessed and USED by God in ways that have both Heaven and Earth in mind.

Jeff

A Good Name

I had an experience recently that made me think about names and reputation. What am I known for? What associations come to mind when people think about me?

On a trip out of the country recently, I was stopped by an officer responsible for checking money laundering at the airport. As usual, he asked how much I had on me and I told him I wasn't carrying cash as I spend electronic money. The next question was "Where do You work?" I told him and he immediately asked me to go and continue my journey. He then turned to his colleague and told him "Na xyz people, nothing go comot from her hand", xyz being an individual that is closely associated with my place of work. Translated into proper English, his comment was that I wasn't going to give any money to them because of the person he associates my place of work with. 

My place of work is noted for being ethical and that message is a central theme in all we do. It was heart warming to me, that even a customs officer associated us with ethical dealings. That's how I got thinking about the value of a good name. 

That association saved me from the usual back and forth conversation that would have occurred as the customs officer normally would have tried to question me in an attempt to make me give them some money just to be on my way. If he sees me any other time going forward, he probably would not even bother stopping me. That's part of the power and value of a good name.

So, back to my question - What are you known for? What can people say about you? What's your brand? Branding is so valuable, we all know it. Many sports personalities earn money, even after retirement through endorsements as companies pay them to associate with their products, knowing that people would be more disposed to patronising them if they believe that this person also uses this product. In reality, we know that most people that endorse many products probably never use them, but just associating the product with their brand gives the product a big market boost. Recently, a company's shares became hot cake on the market because Oprah Winfrey bought a stake in it and joined its board. 

While we won't all become famous athletes or talk show hosts able to command millions in endorsement earnings, we can create a name and a brand for ourselves that speaks of good, ethical and an honest character. We can be the shining light in our little circle. We can be the candle that shines on darkness and attempts to light other people's candles and convince them to stand on the side of right and good. Many people have gotten great jobs, just because someone recommended them and said, call so and so, he or she will do a great job.

We should make our stand known as godly people, who do right, not because anyone is looking, but because we honor our maker, who sees in secret and rewards openly. We should stand on the side of right, not for the reward but for our conviction. 

We all have a name. We all have a reputation, whether we are deliberating seeking one or not. The question is - what are we known for? Be known for the right things. Be known as the person who can always be counted upon to do his or her work well, on time, proactively. Be known as the person who provides a listening ear to someone in need of one. Be known as the person is never late to a meeting. Be known as the peace maker. Choose what you want to be known for and make it known.

Have a great rest of the week. Blessings on you and yours,  

Forthrightness

Hi Friends,

As I thought about what to caption my thoughts for this week, forthrightness is the word that came to mind. I checked it in the dictionary and it means being straight forward, explicit or direct.

I have been aware for a long time that most people can't stand the truth being told to them to their faces and for this reason other people respond by not being completely honest about their true feelings or thoughts. It's also not considered politically correct or polite to tell someone for example - that they aren't looking good because we don't want to hurt their feelings. When asked to do something for someone, even when it's not possible or convenient, we pretend that we would do it knowing fully well that it's not going to happen. Or sometimes we invent stories that really don't make sense but are plausible enough to placate our audience and not make them feel bad about our indirect rejection or refusal.

The above facts were reiterated to me recently. I don't blame the other party for the reasons stated above. It's just not normal practice. Unfortunately for me, that's not my way. I'm an open book. A close friend has mentioned and I think a few others probably think the same but for the same reasons stated above have never said it, that my writings are too personal and reveal too much. I don't know how to do otherwise. It's either I don't write, or I write openly. If a topic is too personal to be open about, I don't write about it all.

I tell it as it is or I don't talk at all. If I say I will do something, you can bet your bottom dollar I will break my back to do that very thing. Experience should have taught me otherwise, but perhaps some things are too ingrained. I'm reminding myself this week to always remember that not everyone is like me and to take people's actions and words in the light of paragraph 2 rather than the way I would act. Taking people at their words and expecting them to be forthright cost me a lot in time and energy which I would have preferred not to have wasted.

I won't write more than this simply because I am realistic enough to know I can't change something as ingrained as what I have described above. The lesson for me is to remember this in my dealings with people. Take people's words with a pinch, read between the lines and realize they are probably doing the same for me and let them know that doesn't apply to me. I'm also feeling a bit low emotionally so I really just want to stop here.

Have a great weekend and a wonderful work week. 

Blessings on you and yours,

The Seeing Eye

This title probably sounds like tautology, but it is possible to have eyes that are open but don't see. There is a blindness of the mind and/or Spirit. There are also degrees of sight. 20/20 vision typically comes from hindsight, but people have various degrees of sight, from the absolutely can't see without glasses to the I can manage type.

I'm not looking to talk about optometry today. What I have on my mind is people with keen minds who examine every situation looking to find opportunity, however "needle in the haystack" little it might be.

I got thinking about this during the week when I happened to catch a few minutes of a radio program in the car on my way somewhere. Currently in Nigeria, foreign exchange cash is almost taboo because the banks aren't dealing in cash at the moment. Some guy, realizing that more than ever before, people now have to use formal channels - letters of credit etc, is organizing training on that and he came on the radio to advertise it.

I think Nigerians are especially good at spotting opportunities, especially my good friends from the East. In fact, I was reading on some blog the other day 55 facts about Nigeria. One of those facts is that there is at least one Nigerian from the eastern part in every country of the world. It's very believable because they have an anointing for enterprise.

Applying this to myself, I thought about how I view life and situations. Am I constantly on the lookout to see what opportunity I can draw out from any situation around me? I ask the same of you. No matter how you and I answer this question, the real answer is that we can probably do more.

I told myself that I need to cultivate that habit and attitude of always consciously looking for the proverbial silver lining in every sky. It doesn't have to be a cloud. Even when the skies are clear, there must be something more I can draw from it. That is actually the lesson for me today. I shouldn't just look for opportunities when there are clouds around. I should look for more and deeper opportunities even when all seems to be going well and life is honky dory. The truth is - there's always more to be mined. It's a matter of attitude and perspective. 

Let me quickly state here that isn't a call to greed. It's a call to be like our Father, who, each day of creation was convinced what He had done was good. But! He knew He could do more and kept on till He attained what He believed to be the epitome of his creation and then He rested.

The fact is - we can never see the entire picture in one day or one sitting. The more we work, the wider we then see and new avenues reveal themselves and we need to keep exploring till we get to the very end. More work is the reward for hard work.

Have a wonderful week, dear friends. My wonderful mum added a glorious year yesterday and I bless God for the special blessing He gave our family in my mother. I will write a tribute to her next week if you'll bear with me. The time to appreciate her is now, not at some point many years down the line when I can't share that appreciation with her.

Show love this week. Blessings on you and yours. 

Enjoy your week!

Friends,

Life throws all manner of curves at us. This weekend, I'd like to share a post from a blog I follow - A Widow's Might. It encouraged me afresh and I believe it can encourage you. The circumstances I pray aren't the same for you, but the learning from the story applies to any circumstance we may find ourselves. In all things, God is Still Good!

Still Good

by Erika Graham

By our dear sister, Erin Patz

“But God, I’m so young.”

“But God, I didn’t plan it like this.”

“But God, I never imagined planning a wedding and a funeral within the same year.”

I had a lot of, “but God…” moments after my husband passed away in 2013. He was the one who was with Jesus and I was the one still on this earth, even though part of me felt like I died that day too. Being a twenty-four year old widow was never part of my plan. It’s not part of any widow’s plan.

How confident was I in God’s ability to save me? In Daniel chapter 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were so confident in God’s ability. They refused to worship the gods King Nebuchadnzzar served. King Nebuchadnzzar told them if they were unwilling, they would be cast into a blazing furnace.

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you set up.”  Daniel 3: 16-18

They were thrown in the furnace and were unharmed. They were so confident in God’s ability. They knew God was fully capable of saving them, but they also knew that even if He didn’t,

He was still good. 

God reminded me that no matter how many “but God” moments I had, He was still good. He reminded me that even though it felt like part of me died when my husband died, I was still on this earth and I needed to live and praise Him. It didn’t matter that I was twenty-four years oldand only married ten months. It didn’t matter that being a young widow was never in my plans. It didn’t matter that I was so broken and felt so lost. It didn’t matter how much I tried to shake my fist and question God. It didn’t matter how hurt and angry I was. He was still good.

“But God, I’m so young.” – But I am still good.

“But God, I didn’t plan it like this.” – But I am still good.

“But God, I never imagined planning a wedding and a funeral within the same year.” – But I am still good.

God was (and is) still worthy of my praise.

I realized that my plans did not match up with God’s plans, but that was okay because He knows what He’s doing. He knows the beginning, middle, and end of my story, where I only can see the here and now. And He remains good through it all. I had to be constantly reminded that God gives and takes, and He needs to be praised either way.

We want our prayers answered. We want those we love to remain healthy and happy. But if that doesn’t happen, will you believe that He is still good? Will you continue to trust Him?

I know it’s hard and difficult. I know it’s messy and complicated. I know it’s dark and painful. And I know because I’ve been there. I know the feeling of being so broken you have absolutely no idea how God can piece you back together.

But He can.

And I know that believing He is still good is completely worth it. Believing He was still good was such a tough process for my mangled heart. But through the death of my husband I started to truly live. I have experienced God’s faithfulness and love in a truer, deeper, and more intimate way.

I don’t deserve how much God has blessed me and I’m not entitled to anything. It’s been a process, but my “but God” moments have slowly been replaced by “and if not, He is still good” moments. I will never understand everything on this earth, but God does. He sees the full picture and through it all, He is still good.

Now two years later, I’m amazed to see how God has transformed my heart and my life. He has remained good through all my “but God moments” and He continues to slowly, painfully, and divinely piece me back together.

God called my husband home and in a painful process of grief and growth, I found that He really is still good.

Generation G

I've spent these last two weeks with a younger generation and I have been reminded again of the difference the Internet and technology have made in the way of life of the  current generation compared to ours.

G is for Google. I sometimes teach small businesses how to use IT to enhance their businesses and one of the things I say to them is that there isn't any question you type into google that you won't find an answer to. There's nothing new under the sun. Whatever you are thinking, someone else has thought about it sometime before.

The thing that struck me most is the fact that in our days, we looked up to our parents especially to learn about the big bad world out there. We looked up to people older and more experienced than us to help navigate life as we grew up gradually. That isn't the case with the current generation G.

Generation G believes they know more than their elders because they've searched the Internet and have read all sorts of things therein. Generation G believes my generation is operating under old fashioned thinking when it doesn't confirm to what they've read from their google searches.

The downside to this trend is that the Internet is full of writings by every Tom, Dick and Harry who has access to a computer. This is made particularly clear to me when I read medical stuff. For every medical topic out there, you will find articles and writings that support opposite sides of the same topic. For example, There will be people claiming eggs are the best thing for you and they will quote research and all sorts of statistics to back their claim. You will equally find as many people claiming eggs are the worst thing for you. They also have their stats and research to back them up.

Bottom line, we can find research and articles to support anything we want to support from the Internet. It's up to each person to apply some bit of common sense and seek knowledge from people with experience to enable you find the truth of a situation. The other side to the coin also is that everything in life is relative. What is good for the goose isn't necessarily good for the gander. What is good for the goose at 12 may not be good for it at 24.

No matter how far we advance technologically, we must recognize the place and value of experience. People who have lived where you live can give you a more relevant analysis of a situation and counsel that is more suited to your situation. Information on the Internet is also context and culture specific. One brush can't be used to paint for the entire world. Everyone writes from the perspective of their culture and environment.

It's also a call to our generation and older to step up and be aware of what's going on in cyberspace. We must educate ourselves so that we can counter wrong thinking when we come across it. We can't counter simply based on our past experience. We must be able to say we've seen this or read this and this is why it isn't right or it is. No one is going to accept counsel or instruction from us blindly anymore. Those days are gone.

Here's to Generation G! Long live the World Wide Web.

Great and Mighty

Hi Everyone,

I hope your week was good. Mine was really emotionally draining. I don't have much to write today, I'm just going to share two songs I've used to remind myself of God's goodness the last few days. 

It's titled "Great and Mighty" and its written by a friend, music minister and pastor - Pastor Wale Adenuga. It's reminded me that no matter what I face, God is still God. I may not understand, but He's still good. Whether I praise Him or not, it doesn't change His worth. So, I might as well align myself with Him, choose to praise in spite of what I see and trust Him that it will end in praise.

The second song reminds me that God is a miracle worker and He can work miracles, no matter how long the situation has persisted, He's able to turn things around. Its "Miracle Worker" by Glowreeyah Braimah.

I trust these songs bless and minister to you. Have a wonderful week ahead and we'll catch up again next week. I'm going to be writing about what I term "Generation G" next week. I look forward to sharing with you then.

Blessings on you and yours.

Pressing Forward

Hi Friends,

How have you been? I've had a quiet and restful week. It's been good to be able to wake up when I want and sleep in the afternoon, something I haven't done in a long while. It is really refreshing to take time off work and everything else and just take things easy. I didn't realize how much has been crammed into my year so far until I took this short time out.

One of the things I've been thinking about this past week while decompressing is the need to press on, irrespective of where I'm coming from and the circumstances (good and not so good) that I've come through and still am in.

I've reflected on the past 8 months and it's really been a mixed bag. I was reading some of Paul's writings and I had to take time to think about what he said - "not that I have already attained, or become perfect, but this one thing he does - forgetting that which is past, and pressing on to the future" - slightly paraphrased by moi.

The future. That unknown, intangible, sometimes elusive thing we look forward to. It's scary sometimes isn't it? That today is the future we talked about yesterday. The future comes too soon sometimes. Sometimes I wish I could freeze today, and not have to go into tomorrow because tomorrow has so many unknowns, some hopes that I am afraid might not be fulfilled.

But, you know me, never one to fool myself, I admit to myself that tomorrow will come whether I want it to or not. I best be prepared to face whatever it brings. 

Act 1, Scene 2 - tomorrow is here. What I see in my tomorrow isn't always like the movies. Movies are usually predictable aren't they? We know the bad guy will get caught (99% of the time) and the good guys will somehow, win. Unlike the movies, if I drive my car through a glass window on a high floor, I mostly likely will wake up to see Jesus face to face. Lol, slight digression - anyone watched Furious 7? That was beyond belief wasn't it?

So how am I going to secure tomorrow to a large extent? First off, I acknowledge there's no running away from it. I need to make a plan, seek counsel and direction and help from the one who's seen the end of the movie. I need to ask the scriptwriter what he planned, what the conditions are for that plan to come to pass.

Let's talk about destiny briefly. I read somewhere (don't remember where right now), something that struck a chord. Someone asked why we bother to pray if our destiny has been mapped out by God. The answer was - because there are terms and conditions!

Yes, God has a good plan for us. However, because we are humans with free will, He can't compel us to fall in line. We need to find out the terms and conditions for that plan and choose to walk in it.

We can't be 100% certain of the future, but we can increase our chances of getting to that wonderful dream place by choosing to ask, listen to and obey God's counsel. His counsel comes in various ways - through His Word, other people, circumstances around us, even nature itself sometimes teaches us things. Getting there will involve hard work, there are no shortcuts. We also need to pray for favour. It is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, it is God who shows mercy, positioning us, so that time and chance favour us. Without Favour, we may run and still not attain the goal. May we not labour in vain. 

Finally, my friends, trust in God. Trust in His goodness and His sure mercies. When we commit our ways to Him, He will help us.

Do have a wonderful week. Blessings on you and yours.

Your friend,

Olubunmi

Taste and See

Hi folks, 

It's great to sit and write again this week. How was your week? I had a good one and I hope you did also.

The week ended on quite a nice note for me as I was invited to a food tasting session. I had a sampling of about 8 different really nice dishes and by the time we were done, I was completely sated and almost bursting. The tasting was put on by a caterer we are considering for an event at work. 

As I thought about what to write this week, a scripture slipped into my mind - "Taste and See that the Lord is good", brought on by the delicious food I ate. Boy, Was I glad that so much good food brought me to a fresh realization of God's goodness. 

What the catering company did is similar to what God wants to do. When we are considering who to serve, I imagine a scenario where mentally, we are weighing God and a few other something or someone else. Just as we spoke with various companies and asked about their services. When the discussions were done, the company said - give us a date and we will arrange a tasting session for you. Similarly, God is calling to us - Give me some time, allow me into your life, come taste and see that I am good. 

The first thing that struck me afresh was - much as I would have loved to be lazy and stay in my office, I had to go to the caterers office. I had to go to where the kitchen was to sample the delicious food. God is the same way. We have to take that first step, go to Him and allow Him to show us His goodness in the course of our daily life. 

God causes the rain to fall and the sun to shine in the just and the unjust. That's just a tiny sample of His goodness. 

I don't often do this so overtly on Incredible Courage, preferring to hint at God's goodness by my testimonies. Today however, I want to urge that if you haven't given Him control of your life and heart, consider it. Come, taste and See that the Lord is good. If you come, and don't like the taste of the food, just to use our example, you are of course free to turn your back and say I'm not staying. But, you've got to give Him a chance first. What have you got to lose? 

If you've turned back in the past because of some bad experience you've had, would you give Him a second chance? The Christian life isn't a smooth ride, we still live in a world largely controlled by a system not of God. In fact the Bible says many are the afflictions of the righteous. But! It doesn't end there. It ends by saying that the Lord delivers him out of them ALL. All, my friends. God delivers us, not always at the time that we think He should but at the time that's ultimately in our best interests, He does. 

In spite of the pain and evil around us, our God is good. He's the reason it's not worse than it currently is. Coming to Him is simple - a prayer of faith, trust and surrender. 

I think Chris Rice sings a great story that tells it from beginning to end in "Come to Jesus". 

If you want to surrender your life or rededicate yours, pray this simple prayer with me: 

Heavenly Father, I come to you in response to your invitation to come and taste of your goodness. I admit I don't have the power to handle my life and destiny by myself. I surrender my life to you, give you control of my life. Thank you for the sacrifice of Jesus that opened the door of salvation to me. I accept His sacrifice. Thank you for forgiving my sins and washing me clean. Holy Spirit, come and help me. Thank you that I am now born again, I can call you Father. In Jesus name, Amen. 

Welcome my friend. It's a new day, a new dawn. Find a bible believing church where you can enjoy fellowship and learn about your new life. I'll be praying for you. Let's continue the journey of courage together. It's a roller coaster sometimes, but I'd rather do the roller coaster with God than without. 

God Bless you and keep you and yours. 

 Yours In Him, 

 Olubunmi

God, You Understand...

Hello Friends,

How was your week? Mine was pretty busy but good. I felt a good sense of accomplishment because I achieved the main thing I planned to do and I got a quick win at work.

I had an encounter in the middle of the week which led me to this topic. I'd gone somewhere to make a quick payment which should only have taken me 5 minutes. I ensured I got there by 8, planning to do a quick turn around and still get to work before 8.30. As it turned out, the staff weren't at their duty posts at 8 am.

I looked for and eventually found a supervisor to complain to. She asked me to be patient, saying they would soon come. I told her that wasn't acceptable as they advertised work starts at 8 am and people come expecting to be served by 8. She then went on to say I should understand, that they may have been caught in traffic!

"How can I expect your staff to be repentant or change their work attitude if you as their supervisor understand and justify their coming late?" I asked her. I was quite annoyed because their tardiness was going to make me tardy by extension. As I was getting upset within myself I heard the Holy Spirit ask if I wasn't guilty of the same.

I literally stopped short in my thoughts and was like - Beg your pardon? I don't condone any excuses for tardiness. As I thought about it, I then remembered that a lot of times I've done things which aren't exactly right, but I usually would raise a silent plea to God saying - You understand, don't you, Lord? I'm human I would say in justification. I'm not yet perfect, I would plead. I don't condone tardiness, but there are a few areas where I condone behavior that's less than the standard of His Word.

Yes, my friends, when we do things we know we shouldn't on the pretext that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, we are no better than that supervisor who was asking me to understand why her staff were late. So, two lessons immediately. 

1. Before rushing to condemn others, be sure you have removed the log in your own eye first.

2. We need to take God for granted less

I asked for forgiveness and did a mental shift. I know those tendencies and issues won't magically disappear, but now I am more conscious of the fact that I need to be more careful about taking God's grace and mercy for granted.

Our God is very loving and forgiving but as Paul said, "shall we continue to sin in order that grace may abound"? The flesh is indeed weaker than the Spirit but with conscious effort, we can forgo the pleasures of sin that last for a season and focus on eternal things that matter.

While we are on this topic, let me quickly say that the "sin" I am talking about aren't necessarily the big ticket items. Ordinary "white lies" which we tell and expect God to understand and forgive qualify . A lot of the time, we feel we are doing well because we don't commit the big ticket sins. I won't bother naming them. We know what they are. The Word declares that all sin is sin. There isn't any one that's bigger than the other. God wants us to seek to live holy and righteous because he has made us so. He has justified us already, we have His nature, we just need to let that nature find full expression.

Dear friends, do have a lovely weekend. May God help us all to be faithful stewards. Blessings on you and yours. The grace of God be upon us all.

Your Friend,

Olubunmi

Imagine Me Without You

Hello Dear Friends,

I trust you've had a good week. I had a good, normal week. This week I thought I'd just share a song with you that expresses my heart towards God. 

Jaci Velasquez is one of my fave Christian artistes. I'm sharing her song - "Imagine Me Without You" this week. I hope you enjoy it and it ministers to you. God is our all in all, I pray you come into deeper and deeper levels of relationship with Him. 

I'll leave you with the words of Apostle Paul in Philippians 3v10, taken from the Amplified Bible:

"[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[a]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death"

And here is the link to the video by Jaci: 

And the lyrics:

"Imagine Me Without You"

As long as stars shine down from heaven
And the rivers run into the sea
Till the end of time forever
You're the only love I'll need

In my life You're all that matters
In my eyes the only truth I see
When my hopes and dreams have shattered
You're the one that's there for me

When I found You I was blessed
And I will never leave You
I need You

Imagine me without You
I'd be lost and so confused
I wouldn't last a day without
You there to see me through
Imagine me without You
Lord You know it's just impossible
Because of You it's all brand new
My life is now worthwhile
I can't imagine me without You

When You caught me I was falling
You're love lifted me back on my feet
It was like You heard me calling
And You rushed to set me free

When I found You I was blessed
And I will never leave You
I need You

Imagine me without You
I'd be lost and so confused
I wouldn't last a day without You there to see me
through
Imagine me without You
Lord You know it's just impossible
Because of You it's all brand new
My life is now worthwhile
I can't imagine me without You

(Lyrics taken from A-Z Lyrics)

Blessings on you and yours. Have a great week.

Why Not This Time?

Good Morning Dear Friends,

It's another week when I haven't been able to write as early as I wanted to. This weekend has been...hmm, something else.

I don't know about you but it seems a high percentage of my close friends have been losing a parent in the last 4 weeks. Last Friday I had two burial programs to attend - for the mother and father of two separate friends. I eventually ended up attending only 1. I couldn't get to the second because my phone got stolen.

For some, a stolen phone is probably not big deal. For me, it seemed like the world had just crashed. This was the first time in my entire existence my phone would be stolen. If you've followed this blog for some time you've probably guessed that technology is a major part of the tools I need to function. Between my iPad, my phone and a good internet connection, I can survive on any island. For the first hour, I couldn't fathom where I was going to start from.

I had a lot of plans for the Saturday which involved my phone to a very large extent. In  addition, I was billed to go outside Lagos to spend time with another friend who lost her father. I don't often question God, but this time, I confess that I did. My question was - why didn't you have mercy on me this time? Why not this time? I asked that question because I have no doubt, just as Amy Grant says in her song "Angels Watching Over Me" (video  http://youtu.be/KNIO9KH3UC8 ) that God has delivered me from many dangers that I am not even aware of.

I am certain that many days I have walked past a location that turned dangerous almost immediately I went through. Things that could have been stolen were preserved by His Mercy. Funny enough, just 5 minutes before the phone disappeared, I had looked at it and got a word in my Spirit to keep the phone more securely. I got distracted and didn't obey immediately and in the next 5 minutes, it was picked from my bag.

So, I was warned but why, oh why, didn't mercy rejoice against judgement this time? Why didn't He have mercy one more time and preserve my phone? With all the busy schedule I had, I would have appreciated not having to spend money on a new phone and time recovering my information. To know how deep it cut, I'll confess to you I shed a few tears.

But! Thank God for His Word. Wasn't it just last week I was saying it's the Word that's stored inside that produces in the time of trouble? That's what happened this time. Within an hour, after the upset and questions were done, I remembered He said to give thanks in ALL things, not for them but in spite of them. So, I chose to give Him thanks. Thanks that it wasn't my entire bag, with my 3 last passports, all my cards, credit and debit? Thanks that somehow it would work out. Thanks for all the many times in the past He's kept me.

We talked about lessons last week? Yes, lesson learnt - obey immediately i get an urging in my Spirit. Be more careful. I got a new phone, apps are installed, updates are going on, contacts are restored. Life is back on track...but not quite. The father of a very good friend changed addresses just Saturday night. Again? Yes, life happens. 

It's a new week today, friends. The past is done, today is a present, tomorrow will be here before we know it. Let's make the best of today because it's the only thing we are guaranteed. Give thanks in all things, for even when we don't see why we can be assured He's  still faithful. Trust in Him, no matter what. If we do not have this hope, my friends, we are of all men most miserable.

Enjoy the coming week. Remember to tell your loved ones you love them. Spend your time doing what matters.

Blessings on you and yours. We'll catch up again next week.

Your friend,

Olubunmi