GOODBYE 2019, HELLO 2020

I wish I could tell you I was a bit more enthusiastic about the classes which would hold for 16 weeks, but goodness, I love my morning sleep and those classes were going to eat out of that, but o well, it was either that or keep procrastinating and never truly becoming a member of the church nor finding my space to serve.

So, there I was, in my first Discipleship Training School (DTS) class wondering what new thing I was going to learn being that I had practically grown up feeding on the Word of God. My Mom had ensured that we started having a good relationship with God since I was a child; that and my pink bible which was given to me by my Sunday school teacher, coupled with 6 years of Baptist High School, Jos, Bible Study Fellowship and learning from wonderful pastors so, in all honesty, I was a bit skeptical I would learn anything new at DTS but since it was mandatory for us to attend before becoming members of the Church then, I was going to comply.

Our first-class was on salvation; a topic almost any Christian would be conversant with, but little did I know that there were so many things to it that we often miss and simply take for granted because for many of us, we were born into Christianity and so we just flowed with it.

Salvation, as we were taught ‘is the total work of God in forging a right relationship between mankind and himself. It is God’s remedy for the fall of man. It is deliverance from sin and death leading to eternal life and happiness. Jesus Christ by his death and resurrection brought salvation to all who believe in him’.

I had almost made it to the end of the class unmoved until I spotted one question that sent my mind swirling and my heart beating. It was a pretty simple question‘what can we learn from the condemnation of Jesus and the release of Barabbas? While I pondered over the question, the Holy Spirit brought another question to my mind 'Serah, do you reckon you can do what God did?

Nailah was barely a year plus and she was my world. I could not picture sacrificing my little girl who brought me so much joy for anyone? I would not be able to bring myself to it no matter what. Even if it meant that millions would die if I didn't do it, then I guess they would all have to die because I simply can't.  If ever such a sacrifice needs to be done and I am the one to do it, then I suggest that each man make his way straight with God at that moment and prepare to meet him and their fate because I cannot do it and I won't.

I pictured Mary, helpless and watching as her little boy was being beaten to a pulp and made to carry a cross, he had no business with and a crown of thorns he didn’t deserve.  The thought of it all appalled me and I could not stomach it or the events that brought about my salvation.

Even though I have two girls now, but I still can't think of anything that would make me sacrifice or let one child go to help anyone. No one is worth that much trouble for me, not anyone. Talk more of doing that for an ungrateful bunch of people who may never truly understand the extent of that sacrifice or what it cost me and they could abuse it? Naa, I can't do it and I respect anyone who can do the things I can't do.

There and then, my spiritual arrogance began to fade and give way to genuine gratitude. Never in all my Christian life had I truly understood what it cost God to sacrifice his only child for me not knowing how I would receive or treat this gift and still going the distance to do it. For the first time, I caught a little glimpse of how much God loved me and what it cost Him for me to be saved.

The thought blew my mind, and in all honesty, I guess it may take you to be a parent or a mother to truly comprehend it, but even as an aunt, I can't think of anything that would make me give up any of my nephews or nieces for anyone; I love them too much.

God loves us so much that He gave up everything just to reunite us with Him. He risked it all on a bunch of ungrateful people who rather than appreciate his gift, whine, complain, grumble, insult and just treat it with so much contempt. Perhaps we never truly get it because we didn't pay for it and by the human standard it is super easy to take for granted and abuse something that costs you nothing to get. Very few people like King David may ever truly comprehend this and that is why he says 'let all that I am praise the Lord; He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies' (Psalm 103:4).

As the year 2019 comes to an end, I pray that you can truly catch a glimpse of what it cost God to ensure that He saved and redeemed you from hell, and hopefully it would prompt you to genuine gratitude and help chart your 2020 to be a year where you become more deliberate in things that concern Him and making the sacrifice count.

When I enter cabs, board a flight, enter Keke (tricycle), wherever and whatever I am doing, you best be assured that I am deliberately calculating ways to make my money, time and God’s sacrifice count. I prayerfully seek ways to throw God into our discussion while silently hoping that I can use my opportunity well enough to just share a little about His love with you. Just seeking ways to make the sacrifice count and to make Him know I was worth it and not a waste.

Amongst the many things I have written this year, I pray you read this post and the one titled ‘terrified’ because those lessons for me are the kind you never want to forget.

Have an amazing new year and see you in 2020 by God's grace.

Thanks for reading, supporting, cheering and sharing with us on lessonsfromNailah.

Suprise

Christmas was in the air and spirits were high. Nailah had just made a new friend that year; although she was a bit older than her, they were birthday mates and they had established a very special and admirable bond.

I had shopped and done as much as I could to prepare for the Christmas holiday and hoped that I would be able to make her second Christmas more fun than her first.

I had just gotten to the office when I saw my colleague Ajike and her little girl on their way out because they were traveling to the village for the Christmas holiday. My friend passed me a nice bag and said 'it's for Nailah'!

Apparently, while doing their Christmas shopping, she and her daughter decided to get Nailah a Christmas gift. In all honesty, I was surprised as I was not expecting anything like that. I was truly moved by their kind gesture and thoughtfulness to my little girl and I thanked them profusely.

We said our goodbyes as we also would be headed for Jos that day. While on the trip, my mind kept replaying what had happened. I was so happy and just could not get over what they had done for Nailah. I had shared the incident with my husband and niece and they were as touched as I was.

Nailah, on the other hand, loved the beautiful pink dress she had just received even though she had little understanding of how much it was worth and the love that had been poured into it, but I did.

I kept wondering what could have made them think of my little girl like that!

To some people, it may just be a dress, but to me, it was the thought that had moved me more than anything else. I have never done anything super special for my friend Ajike and her daughter to warrant such kindness and we were not related by blood so there was nothing that should make them do this. They did not owe me anything I thought to myself.

While I was reflecting on those thoughts, I silently kept thinking of ways and praying for opportunities to come that I would be able to do something super special for them (Ajike and her daughter) to show my gratitude.

While I kept thinking and smiling, God told me something that changed my Christmas orientation forever.

God: Serah, you seem so pleased with what your friend Ajike and her daughter did for Nailah right?

Serah: I said yes. I told him how extremely happy I was and how I was just thinking of something I could do to show her and her daughter how much I appreciated what they had done for Nailah.

God told me that the same way I am so happy and moved with the show of kindness to my child is the same way he is happy and moved when we show kindness to any of his children. So also the way I was looking and praying for opportunities to bless my friend and her daughter for what they had done is the same way He also is looking and waiting for opportunities to bless those who have blessed his children and thought of ways to make them happy or bring smiles on their faces. I got the picture and the message and I hope you do too.

Every time we set out to be a blessing, God is also setting himself to bless us for the joy we have brought to the lives of his Children and the reverse holds as well. That is why the bible says ' I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you' (Genesis 12:3).

There is no parent on the face of this earth who is not pleased when someone shows/extends kindness to their children. We all learn it from God. So as this Christmas is coming, kindly take time to show kindness to someone. Make someone feel loved, remembered and special. It doesn't have to be something expensive, it just needs to be something that you have put great thought into that comes from the heart, but be like David, who says' I shall not give God what cost me nothing" (2nd Samuel 24:24) for ultimately, every gift you give a child of God is given to the Father as well. So go and spread some holiday cheer!!

Have a Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!

Lots of Love from Lessons from Nailah

DELIBERATE

‘Serah, please pray for us’ that was the first thing my boss told me as we gathered to tackle a pretty tasking memo at the office. A Committee had been formed especially for this as we were to create something that was pretty new to most of us on the Committee. I had been dreading this Committee work for weeks.

I gave a fire branded prayer quickly asking for the help of the Holy Spirit who knows all things and is the best teacher and guide.

The work commenced and before you know it, we had made great achievements and were almost done with it. As it was already closing hour, we decided to reconvene the next day and conclude on all we had done.

I got home and was just pondering over the events of the day when I saw a replay of the day’s events starting from the meeting with my boss saying ‘Serah pray for us’. I watched everything as it happened and how we dispersed immediately after. I heard my prayer clearly asking for help but I didn’t hear myself or any other person go back to say ‘thank you Holy Spirit for the help you rendered us’, rather, it ended with a ‘see you tomorrow’.

Wow, how could we have been so rude by not going back to give thanks?

 I understood what the Holy Spirit was saying and quickly asked for his forgiveness on behalf of the whole team and said a proper ‘thank you, Holy Spirit’.

The next day, my boss was about to start the meeting with a ‘pray for us’ when I shared my encounter with the Holy Spirit. My boss was quiet and asked me about what time it happened because she has experienced the same thing at home and like myself, repented and asked for forgiveness on behalf of everyone and gave thanks.

The room was pretty silent when one of my colleagues who had been keenly following all that was happening made a key statement that caught my attention. She said ‘that means the Holy Spirit was bent on getting that thank you and was not going to relent on it because it was important to him’!

While sharing the day’s events with my best friend, we started talking about how easy it was for us to express profound gratitude to people who do things for us, but neglect to show that same level of gratitude to God when he does stuff for us. It is like somewhere at the back of our minds, we feel it is our right and entitlement. I can relate with that because while growing up, I felt the same sense of entitlement when it came to God. I got so upset if I asked for something that I felt was in accordance to his Words and knew He could do, but didn’t (read my frustrated article to get a feel).

Anyway, everything changed for me with the birth of my daughter Anaiah; where I learned to exchange that ‘entitlement and rights attitude’ for a ‘gratitude attitude’ (check my blog on gratitude attitude for full story).

Safe to say that after that encounter at the office, I began to be more deliberate about going back to say ‘thank you’ to the Holy Spirit whenever He did anything for me, especially when I came asking for help.

Through that experience, I learned that so often, it is easy for the human mind to forget the good things God has done; but the mind easily remembers the ‘seemingly bad’ things that happened. Perhaps that is why David said ‘let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me’ (Psalm 103:2). It is simply because he (David) knows that to remember ‘good’ is a very deliberate and difficult thing for the human mind.

I’ve met people who can give exact dates and detailed descriptions of situations that hurt them but couldn’t remember the good ones or the ones that brought them joy. Most times, it is people who are new in the faith (especially new converts) that remember or people who are deliberate to remember that come back and give thanks. Our feelings of entitlement, rights mentality, and fuzzy brains make us shock God and cause Him to ask questions like ‘didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no-one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner (Mark 17:17-28)?

The year may not have gone as expected but, I pray that you make a deliberate effort to sit down, think and just find a reason or reasons to give thanks. Just look around you and you will find a lot. The fact that you are still standing means there is still hope and God is not done with you yet. So end this year by giving deliberate thanks. As they say; ‘Count your blessings, name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done’.