WORDS! WORDS!! WORDS!!!

With words the world was spoken into being we've been told,
And we have the power of creation with our words if we're bold.
I didn't understand this at first, I didn't really believe,
But now with more understanding I gladly do receive.

With our words we can build up or tear down,
With our words we can turn a smile into a frown.
With warm words we can comfort and care,
With harsh ones we can wound beyond repair.
Words are powerful, words have weight,
So let's not use them carelessly or in haste.

Words are oft an artist's only tools,
So shouldn't be squandered as if we're all fools.
Our musicians sing melodious words,
While authors write many interesting words.
The poet rhymes his inspired words,
The dancer moves in tune to sung words.
The playwright brings his plots into reality with words,
Filmmakers creates entertainment from stories and words.

We use words all the time, everyday
Positively and negatively by what we all say.
We use them with our spouses and children to correct,
With our neighbors, friends and colleagues to direct.
Let's then recognise the power we have in us to create,
Let us restrain the power to tear down and break.

Words, words, words, precious words...
Let's realise that we use most of our words on ourselves.
Words do play constantly in our minds, in our inner selves.
And like spoken words they can be positive or negative,
Once conceived our words become our closest relative.
Thus while words can convince us to succeed at our tasks,
Our inner words can condemn us to failure before we even ask...

So let us be more mindful of whatever we say,
To others and more importantly ourselves today.
Let us encourage, cheer and exhort as we plan,
Let our inner mantra be, Yes I can, Yes we can...
Let's not stifle our dreams with nay-saying words,
Nor stifle the dreams of others, instead let's applaud.

Because from dreams come ideas, designs and plans,
Which when put into action become the work of our hands.
And thus we create like the Creator himself,
Just as He designed us, reflection of self.

By Christie Nonyelum Akumabor © 29/11/17

Just a small selection of my book collection

Enjoying one of my favourite pastimes.

And I sat down and stared

And I sat down and stared,
Tired! Tired!! Tired!!!
Tired of struggling,
Against the throes of depression.
Tired of trying to climb out,
Out of the deep black pit of despair,
That my affliction had tossed me into...

As I sat down and stared,
I could see no way out!
I had no great hope for the future,
The only small glimmer of hope I had,
Came from knowing I had been down in the pits before,
And with God's help had been able to climb out.
He'd sent friends, relatives, therapists,
And even strangers into the pit for me.

So as I sat down and stared,
God reached to me with words.
Spoken by friends and mentors,
Sometimes just anonymous words,
Through irreverent TV programmes.
The final words that spoke to me,
Came from an unusual source.
Recorded words of a friend's wife,
Whom I'd never met, not once .

So as I sat down and stared,
Forlorn and alone in my pit.
For the longest ever period,
That I'd ever thought to sit.
God reached down inside for me,
Lifting me out with words of hope,
That sprang so sweetly from the heart, Of one so kind, so brave and smart.

She shared so honestly with us,
All her own struggles and her cares,
And how she overcame them,
About her triumphs and her fears.
Hope was then born in me anew,
From whence it came He alone knew.

So as I sat down and stared,
I threw off my old fears.
I stood up and reached out,
And managed a big shout.
Then the world heard my cries,
And some reached down inside.
They said they'd always been just there,
I couldn't hear or see them though,
Cos I'd been deadened by despair.

So as I had sat down and stared,
Unseeing and unprepared.
The Lord was still working on me,
I knew not how, but He had the key.
The key to my freedom,
The chains to unlock.
My mind is free to roam again,
My thoughts no longer blocked.
Hope springs anew in my heart again,
I live, love, sing and engage my brain.

And for this I'm ever so thankful Lord.

By Christie Nonyelum Akumabor © 03/12/17

My mind is no longer clogged and I thank God

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, SO GO ON AND EDUCATE YOURSELF, YOU DESERVE IT...

Knowledge is power, and freedom.....!!!

And traditionally, worldwide those in power, whether wielding religious; traditional; political; governmental; institutional; social or economic power, have almost ALWAYS sought to keep the masses ignorant and in their "places". So that they can CONTINUE to wield the instruments of power and maintain the great socio-economic advantages they have accrued for themselves, shikena!!! I

SO PLEASE EDUCATE YOURSELVES EVERYONE. IT'S A SOLEMN DUTY YOU OWE TO YOURSELVES FIRST AND THEN TO ALL THOSE AROUND YOU. AND I FEEL IT IS EVER SO IMPERATIVE IN THE NIGERIA OF TODAY!!

Pick up a BOOK; read, assimilate, ponder and reason. Discuss weighty matters with experts and scholars of the field. Read theirs and other articles, debate, LEARN and then let your reasoning come to the fore. Take in only what is GOOD, BENEFICIAL, INFORMATIVE AND ENLIGHTENING. Eschew ignorance, religious superstition, blind prejudice and the crowd mentality.

And for those of us who have any faith, please let's also STUDY our holy books PROPERLY and then ask for enlightenment and understanding from our Creator where there is any confusion or unclarity, and even before... Let's also learn about the HISTORY AND EVOLUTION of our personal religious beliefs, from their inception to their current day practices and PONDER on whether we are truly and actually following the ORIGINAL AND GOOD teachings the founders of the religions wanted. that for me is the bottom line; the original GOOD plans, intentions and practices.


AND I HAVE NO HESITATION IN EXPECTING AND ASKING PEOPLE TO QUESTION AND ABANDON ANY BAD PRACTICES, BELIEFS AND TEACHINGS from their religions as guided by their personal consciences and current day laws!!! This I believe will certainly help create a better society for all of us to live in. Because when we know better, WE DO BETTER.

So go on my friends, seek, learn, do and then teach and together we can actually make this world a better place. At least our own little corner of it will be a little brighter, a little happier, a little kinder, a little calmer, a little nicer... And that's good enough for me, I don't know about you???

For Vivian Iguyovwe-Eyareya, happy birthday dear -1st of August 2013

By Christie Nonyelum Akumabor 31/07/13

Just a small fraction of my wide and varied book collection

We all fit together, the good the bad the ugly and even the insane...

We all fit together, yep we sure do (she smiles).

We all somehow fit together,

Even though I know not how, but I sure know He does...

Even when we don't want to, we somehow actually do.

And I should know
Cos God has certainly squeezed me into some reeeeeeally tight corners,
Men, I tell you no lies!!!

We all fit together; the good, the bad, the ugly and yep even the insane!!!

We all fit together, like night follows day.

Like light and darkness, like the sun and the moon.

Like good and evil, like ourselves and our very own shadows,

Like men and women even, [hey no fighting you shildrenses].

We all fit together like the tiles in a beautiful wall mosaic,

Like one big massive WORLD-SIZED jigsaw puzzle...

Except I believe only our Creator can look at the entire jigsaw puzzle from above,

And know exactly where in the picture each piece of the puzzle fits.

Cos he is the Artiste, the Designer and Master-Planner per excellence!

He knows our tomorrows before they've even begun!

We all fit together, cos that's how  twas meant to be,

Right from the very beginning.

And hey, I'm not talking about the beginnings of our lives here on earth,

I'm talking about from the beginning of creation, whenever that was,

If any of us can ever fathom that far back, cos I know I sure can't.

But that doesn't bother me in the least now.

Cos I've finally realised that my part in this crazy world
 Is just to show up and do my own little bit, play my own little part.

I leave the rest of the planning of this whole crazy shenanigan,

To our, to my very own able Oga@deTop jare.

Cos He knows how matters are, He knows just how he arranged stuff..

And anything we want do other than our own part, 
Well that's just "work no pay", as we say in Naija.

How often has God taken the unwanted,

Sometimes even very painful parts of our lives,
And created beauty beyond our [limited] belief.

Only he can give us joy for ashes, endless smiles for our tears.

So that's how come I now know we ALL fit together perfectly.

Cos God created in us a desire for connection and association.

We are born into families, communities and societies,

In which we need to live and thrive.

Man has been described as a social animal, ain't that so?

We didn't just drop down from the sky like raindrops.

Neither were we dispersed on the wind like pollinated seeds,

Left to struggle and strive wherever they land and sometimes just not even survive!

Depending on where their fortunes or the winds carried and deposit them.

Thus we all fit together, cos we were designed and created that way.

We often don't know it, because so many of us don't even know ourselves properly yet!

Much less the others around us, the others with whom we're designed to fit exactly with.

But that still doesn't change the bare-faced truth,

That we are all designed to fit together, somehow, someway, someday...

Not with everyone, that would be just too foolish to contemplate,

But with most in our immediate families, friendship groupings,
Local communities, societies and eventually nations.

And if we try really hard and it still just doesn't seem to work,

Perhaps we just need to think outside the box just a little bit, 

Maybe we need to turn ourselves around and look about us,
Or perhaps we simply just need to move on,
And keep going on, not stopping,

Till we find our own little corner of the world, our very own place!

Till we find where exactly we fit into the FINISHED big picture.
Of this multi-faceted, multi-billion pieced, world-sized jigsaw I call LIFE...

So do try and have a nice life all my dear friends,
In your very own little corner of the world, cheers..

 

By Christie Nonye Akumabor 11/07/13

Like the tiles in a beautiful mosaic, only when they fit together
do they make such a beautiful picture.

And when we fit together perfectly, love then grows... 

RAISE THE CHILDREN RIGHT

Raise the children right, in Christ,

Then everything will be all right.

Raise the children right,
With love, kindness and care,

Then they will flourish and bloom,

Like lovely flowers God created so fair.

If you teach your children kindness, consideration and honesty,

Then they'll become kind-hearted, generous adults with integrity.

Teach your children right, teach them the laws of God and humanity

Then a better world you'll help create with equinamity.

Treat the children right,
All the children everywhere,

Especially those not of your blood,
 But that are in your care!!!

Treat them as you would like your children,
Treated by the strangers they'll meet.

Else your children learn wrong from you,
 And become a danger in the street.

Treat all children right,
 With love, care and kindness I say.

And teach all children to treat ALL others the same way.
Teach them to treat each other kindly,

Regardless of age, race, colour, tribe, status, religion or gender.

Then we'll raise adults who judge others only,
Based on the content of their character.

Then they'll grow up without prejudice and treat all others fairly.

Then we'll truly re-create the world as it was meant to be so clearly.

"It takes a village to raise a child"
Is what we say back home.
So we must then all get involved I add
Mums, Aunts, Uncles and also Dad.
Grandparents, Family friends, Teachers and Mentors too.
Godparents and neighbours also have a role to play that's true.

If we raise the children right,
They'll turn out so very bright.
It is a solemn and sacred duty,
Which we should carry out with care.
And if we perform our duties well,
The rewards will be beyond compare.

Towards a great and brighter future,

And towards a better world we'll dare.

By Christie Nonye Akumabor© 28/06/13

My niece Wendu's 2nd birthday August 1991

A mother reading to her son.

With my beautiful neice Nicole

MY PURSUIT OF GOD; 1ST-21ST OF JUNE 2013




Yours truly feeling snazzy
on day 1 of the fast

Day 8 My Pursuit of God; This is just mine and the members of Jesus House, London's latest effort at digging deeper to seek a better relationship, understanding and revelation of our God, whom I call Yahweh amongst other names. Actually I usually call him "Father Lord" during my constant chat sessions with him. At other times I call him Baba God more recently UltimateOga@TheTop, a name I've coined from a term used by a hapless top government official during a live interview on Nigerian national television, but that's entirely another story,((*_*)).

Ran into a pal from Uniben
on day 8, after over 20years

The pastors and leaders within Jesus House felt led to declare a 21 day fast during the month of June, when we are encouraged to commit more of our time and resources to increased praying, meditation, reading of the word, fellowshipping with others and communing with our God in order to gain a deeper and closer relationship with him. We also desire and hope to hear from him more clearly and thus become better able to submit to and do his will whilst we are still here on earth...

So along with giving a summarised version of what's happened in my life and the life of the church for the past week, I'll be posting daily updates over the next 14 days as well as pictures, songs or videos as I deem fit to share my experience with you. So welcome my dear friends and family to my Pursuit of God experience and do have a lovely weekend.
Meanwhile enjoy this lovely song I just found during my search for a particular song titled;
Yahweh. http://youtu.be/uhFauQ-9nhY



With my sister, a pal and my brother
who was visiting from Naija on day 7













Day 12
Hiya folks, I'm just checking in again after my last post. I know I'd promised daily updates, but life got in the way so I haven't managed daily updates yet, but I promise to share more frequently from now on.

Well I can truly say I am more closely connected to my God right now, I listen out for and do hear his voice, his quiet promptings too. And this hasn't only happened by my regular attendance at the daily evening church services or through strict observance of the fast, which for various health reasons I could not fully participate in, but I hope to join in the fast for the last few days as the fast progresses, though I am abstaining from some food groups as well as giving up Facebook for the entire period...

Anyway back to my pursuit of God [as if he went anywhere in the 1st place, lol], I certainly seem to keep experiencing new expressions of his love, grace and provision, especially his GRACE... I see manifestations of his awesome power and presence all around me, like when I rose early to feed the birds in the park close to my home one morning. I had been planning to go and feed the birds and listen to their dawn chorus for a little while, and I finally managed to do this during the early days of the fast. I then sat beneath the branches of a rather large tree in the middle of the park, watching the birds feed, people walking their dogs or sometimes just themselves and meditated on the word of God and what I'd read in 'The Word For Today', that morning.

It was truly amazing to see the birds swoop down, feed and then fly off again as "happy as Larry". I also managed to take a few pictures on my phone which serves as my mobile bible and sip the hot coffee I'd brought along in a thermos cup, what bliss... It truly brings alive for me the bible verse that says "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they?" Matt 7:26


I managed to capture some of the birds
on my phone camera

Day9 With my sister and her kids who
 had their 1st Holy Communion on Sunday

Dancing and Jubilation in Jesus House
 on Day 12 of the fast

Day 14
Hmmmmm, decisions, decisions, decisions!!! I woke up quite early today, at 4:12am precisely. It was too early to actually rise so I spent the next 90 minutes or so reading the Bible, the book of Isaiah, then meditating and praying. I later showered, dressed and was preparing to go out and feed the birds again when I was overcome with lassitude, probably due to lack my of sleep and the lingering effects of a bad viral infection I was still recovering from.

Anyway I decided to lay down to get some much needed rest and managed to get about two hours of sleep before my phone rang at just after 9:00 am, it was a friend. After rising for the second time today, I decided to take it easy and let God help me plan the rest of my day. So here I am at 3:30pm, writing in my journal, I've just finished speaking to another friend and am feeling empowered to finally get up and go!!!

The "devil is a liar" as we say in "Christianese", so I'm off out to feed the birds in the park. I've decided it doesn't matter if the sun is now high in the sky or that there are likely to be fewer birds in the park at this time. I've decided to feed them so fed they will be, ha ha ha. After that it's either the Antiques Arts Fair in Kensington for which I have free tickets to, or the V&A Museum to see what's on offer for their Friday late night closing. Then perhaps I'll pop into Harrods on my way back as I also have an invite to their Sales Preview as these places are all in close proximity in South Kensington. Perhaps I'll make it back to North West London for tonight's evening service, but I somehow doubt it...

Oh well, my father in heaven will surely understand I know. It's a Friday after all and He alone knows how many of those I've spent in not so happy circumstances in times gone by... So onwards and upwards I go. Catch up with you all later and do have a fun-filled and blessed weekend too y'all, ciao. Now I hope you enjoy one of my all time favourite songs by Diana Ross; Reach Out And Touch Somebody's Hand - http://youtu.be/629_vLbgv7g

Day 14+
Ahem, guess what??? I didn't get anywhere near South Kensington today! I got as far as Brent Cross Shopping Complex and then God simply ordered my steps across the road to Jesus House for the 7pm evening service and I am soooooooooo glad He did, Hallelujah!!!

Tonight, we had a totally awesome service led by Pastor David Stroud from Christ Chapel, Convent Garden. He preached such a powerful message about total trust and dependency on God, and that when we believe, with God ALL things become possible!!! I feel truly blessed to have been in the awesome presence of God this evening, who spoke words of encouragement and exhortation to us through His blessed prophet; Pastor David Stroud...

I'll leave you with this song while I go get some shut eye, How Great Is Our God- http://youtu.be/0ZFN8TBfgNU

Day 15
I attended an early morning prayer meeting that Pastor Agu was led to call for the singles in the congregation who desire to be married, according to God's holy plan. I actually managed to get there before the 6:30am start; anyone who knows me well will know that was actually a minor miracle, lol. I am soooooo NOT a morning person at all... The meeting was awesome, with deep and salient truths revealed, as well knowledge shared about why God desires and intends us to have blessed, happy and godly marriages. It is all part of His awesome plan for us and for His entire creation.


After the meeting which ended just after 9:00a, I made my way to Barnet Hospital with a chocolate cake I'd baked and iced for the staff who had looked after me so well when I had major surgery there 7 weeks ago. The location and name of the ward had changed as part of the building work and expansion going on in the hospital, but I managed to find the renamed and relocated ward, and handed over my little token of gratitude and appreciation to the staff. I then headed off to see a friend who lives nearby, getting caught up in some heavy showers along the way [they predicted sunshine and warmth, hmmmmmmm!]. To be contd.
.

a

My homemade chocolate cake

THERE IS A KING IN YOU BY DONALD LAWRENCE:- http://youtu.be/oxZBXdLplag

Day 17
Listening to some wonderful Gospel music whilst I write my updates. and I just wanna share some of my much loved tracks with you, so here goes;

MY NAME IS VICTORY BY DONALD LAWENCE:- http://youtu.be/9WoGBvtN--8
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD [WORLD EDITION- LIVE]:- http://youtu.be/Q-ZtKzw-ipo

Day 18
Hmmmmmmmmmm, where do I start my dear friends??? Words fail me to describe my increasing astonishment at what God is doing in my life and the life of the others around me. I'll simply say the Lord is BLESSING ME BOKU BOKU!!!

I know I don't deserve any of this, this is simply unmerited favour -grace... All I can say is THANK YOU LORD, THAMK YOU LORD... Perhaps in a day or two I'll be better able to elucidate a little of what I have and am experiencing, but for now I leave you with a lovely worship song which was rendered at the end of this evening's awesome service, with a wonderful sermon delivered by Dr Okey Onuzo who is one of our regular guest speakers at Jesus House, because it kind of epitomises exactly how I feel at the moment, enjoy...

I'LL STAND WITH ARMS HIGH:- http://youtu.be/kV5iZBTNYrk

The Tribe of Judah choir leading us in amazing worship
 hours after the service had officially ended

A cross-section of pastors and congegation who simply REFUSED
 to go home and remained to dance and sing to the Lord 

Day 20
My day started fantastically when I woke at 5.30 am, read the days reading in The Word For Today along with some bible passages and feeling energised put on my trainers [the first time in years] and sports gear and spent the  the went for an early morning work, ostensibly to feed the birds too. I decided to forgo my usual walking route and go another direction and I'm so glad I did, whoopee...

Because I discovered a fantastic walking route, uphill [great for the thighs and heart] with wonderful scenery, a quiet secluded public park too, with local garden allotments just off the main route with plenty of wild flowers available for picking and a short cut to a friends house which I never knew about, WOW!!! Now I've lived here for 3 months short of 7 years and have never walked that route before, hmmmmmmm... Well I can only thank God for opening my ryes and mind to the beauty that's around me once again. In fact my constant refrain whilst I was walking was "Lord you have blessed me boku, boku!!!" It may seem like so little to some of you, but as an increasing nature lover and a long time lover of natural scenery, architecture and solitude, this was just my cuppa tea found in my backyard, awesome.


The day just got better from there on. I ended my walk on my local Broadway, going for a hot Mocha in my local deli, posting a birthday package to a friend, picking up some ingredients to bake yet another chocolate cake and browsing through some of the Charity shops on the way, coming out with yet another cookery book -one about West Indian Cookery as well as some carved wooden figurines which I love so much. I continued the day by observing the fast, breaking after 6pm and then went on to a wonderful evening service at Jesus House at 7 pm till late. All in all I had a really awesome day and feel truly blessed and spoiled by our good Lord, Hallelujah.

Meanwhile enjoy this song I found by Bebe and Cece Winans featuring Mary Mary, called [World Peace] Let It Be http://youtu.be/1NV7rZ3cuD0

The secluded park, lovely scenery and uphill walk I just
discovered in my backyard on Day 20 of the Pursuit, WOW.

The lovely flowers I picked on my walks,
apart from the red rose which I bought.
 

Avoid all the joy killers in your life

 Message to self; run as far away as I can from and avoid all JOY KILLERS!!! And note they come in all shapes and sizes, some are deliberate kill joys and $#!T stirrers whilst others are unwitting tools in the hands of our rather devious enemy.

  But what they all possess is a sneaky but uncanny ability to sow anger, strife, discord, resentment, mistrust, confusion, envy, jealousy and worry wherever they go!!! They always leave one feeling a lot worse than before one came in contact with them. They are the kind of people who cast an unhappy shadow over most situations.

 One most certainly do not want any of them in one's corner when things are about to go belly-up!!! So I pray that we are all discerning enough to recognise the people and situations that sometimes steal our joy and cause us needless distress... And when we start to recognise this fact let us be careful and wise enough to disengage as quickly and unobtrusively as we can and then pray to God our heavenly father to keep and protect us from their wiles too, in Jesus name I pray, amen.