Happy Birthday To Me!!!
I have never been this excited about my birthdays all my life, this year just stands out and I'll share some of the reasons with you in this excerpt from my yet to be released book. God is Soooooo awesome and everyone deserves to have a taste of His awesomeness.
First of all, meet the birthday girl, lol.....
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WARNING! Only the patient and brave will read to the end.
From when I clocked 23 I was always scared of my birthdays, why? I felt at my age I had not achieved a lot as I would have loved to achieve, so I always got scared when my birthdays were approaching. But this year I actually feel different about clocking 27. Not because my life is all perfect now and I have achieved all I want to achieve, but because I have grown to see life from a better and a very unique perspective. I’ve learnt that God is the author of my life and how He has planned it from creation is how things are playing out for me. I’ve learned to be appreciative of every season of my life and learn the lessons that accompany it. I’ve learned that I’m not in competition with anyone, so I stay focused on my journey and in my lane. I’ve learned that my life is on purpose and I live to fulfill every stage of my journey. I’ve learned that finding my purpose and walking in it is one of the best things that happened to me. I’ve learned that it’s so sweet to trust in Jesus and to take Him at his word and to rest upon His promise. I’ve learned that I’m not in competition with anybody, I have my race and you have yours. I’ve also learned to be grateful for each day whether I have all that I need to survive or not, as long as there’s life, there’s hope.
I take apostle Paul's word for it "...for I have learned in whatever state I am, therewith to be content" (Philippians 4:11 KJV)
If you’ve ever planned your life around the dictates and expectations of this world, you’ll agree with me that 27 years actually stir fear in the heart of many singles, ladies especially. 27 is close to the big 30 and in the world’s mentality and standard, how do you clock 27 without being in a serious relationship or unengaged or unmarried? Many become worried and afraid that they’re running out of time so they begin to settle and cut down on their godly standards for a ring. The question is, Who set these rules for us? Who created these standards? What laws or regulations govern this policy? How exactly did we get here?
I got a question from a dear friend one day and she said “Amy are my standards too high?” and my response was “how can God based standards be too high that you need to drop low and settle just to find a spouse?” who then are we struggling to please exactly? God or man and the pressures the world brings?
I’m not writing because I’ve always been this girl that had it all together, the girl who didn’t settle, the girl who was never afraid that her boy friend might leave, the girl who took her God and godly principles seriously, as a matter of fact, I’m the least qualified to write on this subject, but then I know it’s God who shows us mercy and qualifies us regardless of how our past has been. So, I’m writing because I know better now and in the last one year of my life I’ve realized that there’s more to life than a ring. A life with a clear purpose is one, a life with deep self awareness and acceptance is another, a life of total surrender to God is another, a life of contentment is another, a life lived to impact others is another, a life without strife is one, a life of joy and peace is one and the list continues.
A ring without purpose isn't a life you should crave for, be sure to have your purpose sorted out with God and then with God too you can pick a partner who you can work together to fulfill that purpose. Purpose keeps you busy 24/7, it burns in your heart and all you want to do is please God and carry out His assignment. If you're living life on the track God has placed you, you'll not bother about Mr or Miss A getting married while you're still single.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says "to everything there's a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven"
God has assigned time to every one of us and planned our lives as it should be and in a manner that will please Him, why rush to walk on another's time when yours is ticking?
I had always wanted to get married at most at 26. Today, I’m 27, unengaged and unmarried and I don’t even know when it’s going to be and sincerely I’m not bothered. When God the author of time decides it’s my turn, then I’ll honourably smile my way to the altar with my God given spouse, but until then I’ve chosen to stay content and satisfied knowing that my life is on purpose.
Was I ever preparing to get wedded? Yes, but It’s unfortunate that while I stocked up my picture gallery with wedding gown samples, colour combos, decoration samples, etc and read up on all it will take to plan a wedding, I never had a real life. I was in love and it was beautiful and what could be more beautiful than being in love and planning to get married to the love of your life right? I really wanted to get married because marriage will save me the stress of worrying about fornication. I could just have sex and do all the mushy stuff in peace. There were no plans for the life after the wedding, I knew my purpose but I kept it aside “why bore my life with all that stress?” I drenched myself in fear, waited for approval from men and for the day I miraculously become great. But greatness doesn’t happen that way, it takes obedience to God, discipline and focus to achieve greatness. My life had no definition, no destination, all my plan was to just “get married and stay loved up”
God being the master planner stepped in as always and shattered our plans and He wasn’t bothered about how much we loved each other, His concern was to fulfill His purpose for our lives. What God does in our lives isn’t exactly to make us happy; rather He works to fulfill His purpose. His intervention might hurt or crush you and your plans, but in the end it works for our good.
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose"
(Romans 8:29 KJV)
We’re living out a written script, so it's really not about us but about what God wants to achieve through us which is always for our good eventually. We can confirm this by what God told Jeremiah, He said to him;
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as my chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated you and set you apart, concentrating you; [and] I appointed you as a prophet to the nations"
(Jeremiah 1: 5 AMP)
As God knew Jeremiah, it’s the same way He knows us and all we we're ever going to be or go through long before we were conceived. Our lives have been predestined right from creation so there’s no need trying to run ahead of God.
We must understand that God works out all things including the ugly ones for our good. So, if God messes up your plans be grateful because it’s for a greater purpose.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us, a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. (2cor 4:17)
1. Light affliction
It doesn't matter what you're facing as a single lady or guy, if Bible calls it light, then you must believe it's light. Are you 27 like I am or 30 and above and you're yet to meet your spouse? it doesn't matter it's a light situation. Have you been dissapointed or heart broken severally? It's still a light situation , it's not a big deal for God, so don't soak yourself in worry making your inability to get married become a giant issue for you. However, a life without God and purpose isn't a light affliction, we must get that right.
2. But for a moment
This goes to show that no situation you're in today is going to last. It's just for a season and when this season will elapse can only be determined by God, because He's the author of time, not by your feelings or by the fact that all your friends are married.
3. Worketh for us
Whatever you've been through or you're going through is working out something for you. That heart break could be God saving you from a marriage that could ruin your life. That delay could be God building your patience and preventing you from a danger ahead. It could also be for you to use your situation to help someone else. Everyting going on in our lives is working something out for us. However, the key to knowing the job a situation in your life is to do for you, is to ask God.
4. Far exceeding eternal weight of glory.
Can you imagine this? An eternal weight of glory? Nothing in this world can beat this! When God is finished with you, people will wonder how did you get here and why you.
One peculiar problem we have as young people is our inability to be patient and trust God. We are always looking around, comparing our lives with others, social media and the entertainment industry isn't making it any easier for us, but this should not be so. Where exactly are we rushing to, that you'll rather rush on a bus instead of waiting for your private jet when at the end of the day, we all will get to the same destination?
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It's like I'm writing the whole book already as a blog post, lol. This is where I stop on the excerpt to my upcoming book. This book is too loaded and this is just a tip of the iceberg. I was working on some fearless living books, before the spirit of God prompted me to halt them and start this. I had to obey, so make sure you grab a copy for yourself.
This book will first be launched as an e-book in April 2017.
The cost is #1000 for those who will pre-order, after launch it will be sold at #1500
If you would love to have a copy, you can pre-order by sending a whatsapp message to 08137278865 or send an email to chiamakaokoro25@gmail.com
Thank you for following through to this point. God bless you!
