An Attitude of Gratitude

Ya'll, honesty hour.

These past three months, my attitude has sucked. Although not outwardly visible, I knew it and God knew it.
You see, I have a lot of life changes going on right now. My life isn't a balance, it's a juggling act. Sometimes I drop the ball, sometimes I drop multiple balls. The greatest lesson I'm learning: pick the balls back up and keep going.

But back to my attitude. I've been trusting God for a couple of things. My prayer life has been a bombardment of requests, and it honestly feels like He's real quiet. I'd love to say I prevailed and continued the faith with the same level of enthusiasm as I started out, but I didn't. I threw pity parties, obeyed begrudgingly, fasted, cried and the list goes on.

Through out this process, the Holy Spirit through sermons, people, articles has been challenging me to walk in gratitude. Instead of using my perspective to focus on what I don't have and what I do want, why not chose to focus on what God has done and where I am.

Below is a short list of 26 things I'm grateful for. I hope as you're pondering on unanswered requests the Holy Spirit challenges you to focus on what God has done. Remember that access to God starts with thanksgiving and praise.

Psalm 100:4 King James Version (KJV)

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

26 things I'm grateful for

1. Health - In this world of disease and death, I'm so grateful that God has allowed my body to remain in perfect health
2. Life - No man is promised tomorrow, yet here I am. Thank you Jesus
3. My parents and brother - You can't choose your family, but I'm so grateful for the ones I've been given.
4. Fiancé - He liked it so much, he put a ring on it. If ya'll only knew half the testimony
5. Education - Two degrees, wow. Nothing but God
6. Faith - I can choose to worship Jesus, openly, and unashamed
7. Friends - From my bestie to my closeties, I'm showered by real love all the time.
8 .Home - I have an apartment that I can afford, and I don't have to worry about where I lay my head
9. Car - I have four wheels, it may not be a G-Wagon, but it's gotten me everywhere and then some
10. Job - I prayed and cried for my present internship. God obliged, more and better than I expected and asked for.
11. Church - I'm connected to an amazing body of believers, they never cease to amaze me.
12. Finances - There was a time I couldn't dream of affording the things I swipe so casually to pay for.
13. Past - Even when I made the worst choices, my past is an example of the reckless love of God.
14.Culture - Naija no dey care last, I'm proud to be a part of a rich blood line. #igbokwenu
15. Future - Although tomorrow's not promised, my future is assured and God promises to work all things out for my good.
16. Gifts - I love the fact that I have talents and giftings built into my nature and that God continues to bless the works of my hand.
17. Cyber community - I get so much love from people I've never met all because of the internet - wow!
18. Travel - I've gone so many places and preached the gospel in different continents, that's nothing But God.
19. God's No - Every no has been because he desires to give me exceedingly abundantly all I could want or imagine.
20. God's blessings - From randomly finding 5 dollars, to getting the dream career. I'm grateful
21. Ministry - I'm honored God entrusts me with his flock. To think the God of the universe thinks I'm worthy of sheparding his flock.
22. Fashion sense - I know someone may laugh at this, but I love the fact that God has gifted me with a passion for fashion (el-oh-el)
23. The yearn for more - I'm grateful that I'm not content with anything less than God's best. As frustrating as it may be at times, it's a blessing to not be willing to settle.
24. The Bible - I love that there's a living breathing standard of holiness, anytime I have questions, it's there lighting up the way.
25. Favor - Walking in the favor of God is unreal and marked with undeserved blessings at unexpected times.
26. A relationship with the Holy God - This one is self explanatory. No other religion advocates for intimacy with the most High God. I'm grateful that I can talk to Jesus as friend, savior, father, protector and the list goes on.

Remember in the face of temptation. You serve a faith God, and He has blessed you exceedingly abundantly. Rest in that.

All my love,
Obioma

Celebrating my 26th birthday in style. 

Ya'll let's talk about money

#SheACTS2019 conference was amazing. 85+  women in one room, seeking God.

I hate asking for money.

I know that's a strange way to start off a blog. But that goes to show you my whole attitude towards money.
I hate needing money, but I've been in multiple situations where that was the case. I hate the idea of not being self sufficient, but yet, my whole Christianity has been a process of trusting God with my little.

Ya'll, let's talk about money.

How many of you like it? *raises both hands*
How many of you need it? *raises both hands and both legs*
How many of you willingly give it ……

My love languages are words of affirmation and acts of service. So by nature, I love telling people things that edify them, and  I also love doing things for others.
But, believe it or not, giving does not always come naturally to me.

It wasn't until I became a Christian that God started dealing with me about intentionally giving to others. I mean giving to people who can't give back to me. Giving when I feel like it, and especially when I don't feel like it. Tithing not just when I can afford it, but when I feel like I can't afford.

In this season of expansion, I believe that we will all be tested in our capacity to give. And the temptation will be to say no. Why? The life you live now, and the dreams you have require money. The enemy tempts us with the mentality that if we give to others, we won't have enough for ourselves. When in reality that's not biblical.

2nd Corinthian 9:10
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

On the surface it may seem that that verse is talking about plants, it's not. It's talking about the things that God gives us. Seed refers to the resources that God places in our lives to produce fruit. Those resources can be our time, our things and especially our money.

God know we need money, and He also knows that the love of it can kill us because that love is the root of all evil. So how does He solve this conundrum? He created a biblical principle that requires us to give in order to get more. God supplies us with more as we give of what we already have.
So hogging your finances is not how you keep them, giving it away is!

The gesture of giving requires an open hand, and so does the gesture of receiving.
I started off this blog talking about how much I hate asking for money, and can I be frank with you...I don't have to anymore.
Because I've been so intentional about blessing others with what God has given me, I reap the benefits of that in my personal life, from a well paying job to friends and family who financially support me randomly!

This blog is not a PSA to promote tithing, or giving offerings to your church (although I think both are biblical and mandated). It's a challenge for you to get outside of yourself. I'm passionate about people truly living life and life abundantly that Jesus promises us in His word. And we can never get to that point as stingy people.

Now I'm not advising you to give up all you money, but truly, think about the level at which you give.
I know I desire amazing things from my father God. In the same token, I give when He commands, so He can give freely to me.

All my love,
Obioma

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Announcements

• IF you haven't already, follow my passion project @biblesplusbrunch on Instagram. BiblesplusBrunch is an intimate gathering of intentional women. The goal is to feed your soul + body. We encourage intimate fellowship with Jesus and other women through brunch, conferences and retreats! Visit our website: biblesplusbrunch.com
• I started a new YouTube series called Bible Basics. In the series I break down hard concepts in Christianity for new and seasoned believers. Definitely worth the watch! The first video is all about faith!

2018: Thank U, Next

In the Cuban Streets - October 2018

To be honest, 2018 was an amazing year for me. I started the organization: BiblesPlusBrunch, to encourage and equip women to live intentional and purposeful lives. I traveled to 6 countries, and got engaged to the man of my prayers. I saw my friends get into grad school, start careers and organizations, get into relationships with amazing men and even get engaged!

But as amazing as 2018 was, I also learned so many though lessons, questioned the spirit of God, battled crippling doubt and unbelief, struggled financially, spiritually, emotionally and relationally and considered 50 million ways to quit it all(life included).

Yes, all of this, same year.

 And if you're human, I’m sure you can relate to the bittersweet year that was 2018.

Do I believe 2019 will be any different? Absolutely.

But not because life won’t have its ups and downs, but because each year I exist is a confirmation that God’s plan for my life is still in full effect and I can trust him to bring it to completion.

In the meantime, I took the liberty of writing the 3 biggest lessons I learned in 2018.

The absence of God’s voice does not mean the absence of God’s presence.

I struggled to hear the voice of God in 2018. I mean I really struggled. And it always felt like when I needed Him most was when He was the most silent and unwilling to speak.

I remember right before the second Biblesplusbrunch event, I was desperately searching for an internship after being fired from my pervious one (long story). My bank account was dwindling, my relationship was rocky and God was unbelievably silent.

Yet he spoke enough to tell me to host another brunch. Where was the money going to come from Lord? Who were the women who would show up? How was this whole thing supposed to even happen?

On the Wednesday night before the brunch I was still trying to put together the pieces, wondering how I would fund this event and pay rent. So what did I do during worship at church? I cried, I sobbed so desperately that I’m sure heaven was shook. I could do nothing else but weep because my God refused to hear my prayers, or so I thought.

But yet he was there. Miracles of miracles, my mother blessed me with some money, an amount I hadn’t even asked for, more than I could have imagined, but so timely.

So there was God, silent through the struggle, but never absent and always on time with the miracle.

Doubt exists to be overcome by Faith. It is the one battle you’re equipped to always win.

I don’t have a long, beautiful anecdotal story to illustrate this lesson. My entire 2018 was filled with doubt. I doubted my abilities, my discernment, my worthiness, my future. You name it, I questioned it.

And I’d love to say I’ve overcome doubt, but that would be a lie. It creeps in still, especially when I feel deficient, when God seems silent or when the task seems monumental.

The rainbow in the storm? Everytime my doubt has emerged, God’s grace has been sufficient and He' given me the measure of faith I need to overcome every obstacle. So as long as God is still God, I will always win the battle against doubt, and for that I’m grateful.

You have plans, but God’s plans are always better.

In my internship struggles, I went from I want to make XX an hour to I’ll take $8.56 Lord, just give me a job. I went from I want to work part time to I’ll work any shift except Sunday.

I was willing to settle because my plans changed as my circumstances did. But God’s plan are consistent. So when I was ready to settle, He never did.

I ended getting hired in my current position, and I honestly feel underqualified. I’m grateful for God’s faithfulness, and I’m glad my plans didn’t work out.

For some of you, 2018 was the hell year, and for others, a season of manifestation. I pray that in 2019, you remember the lessons that God taught you, you grow better, not bitter and you advance towards His plans for your life.

Remember that the fact that you’re still here means God’s not done with you yet.

 

All my love,

Obioma

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Announcements

• IF you haven't already, follow my passion project @biblesplusbrunch on Instagram. BiblesplusBrunch is an intimate gathering of intentional women. The goal is to feed your soul + body. Over brunch we discuss what God has called you to do it, and equip each other with the resources to achieve and live sold out lives for Jesus.
• Guess What??! BiblesplusBrunch is hosting it's first conference #SheACTS2019: A gathering of intentional women. Karolyne Roberts will be our special guest. There will be prophetic worship, an amazing word and anointed atmosphere. Get your ticket Here before they run out. You won't want to miss this.