How To Make Any Year Your Best Year

Happy New Year, Sweethearts of my blogosphere! I know. . . I know I have been MIA on this space quite frequently but it’s really been so fascinating doing things differently. Guys, I have seen GROWTH. And you know how keen I am on growing, changing and all things related, right?

Refresh The New Year

This year is not just another “new year” but the first of the blank pages of a whole year waiting for what we will write into our lives, and what growth, changes and greatness we’ll pull from within.

In as much as we would like it to be so, no one can wake up one day a completely changed person. Any meaningful change to your life takes constant effort over a sustained period of time. While the idea of long term change can seem scary, it also means a little bit everyday can take you a long way in forging habits you’ve always wanted to.

Some changes happen because you intentionally worked them out, but some happen without you even knowing. I am yet to decide whether I am more content with the changes I discerned or the ones that forcefully pounce on me. Nevertheless, I have grown to embrace change both in the presence of fear and/or faith. Glory to God!

I love sharing my life with you guys, but sometimes it's hard to be vulnerable. Blessedly, my most vulnerable posts on this blog have been met with the warmest reception. Cheers to authenticity! These are my three goals for the new year:

A Woman Is The Girl Who Accepts Herself

I only started recognizing myself as a woman in my late 20s. I was very much OK with being just a girl.

I Am Woman 

In my early 20s, I felt the need to be perfect. Always. I wanted to be pretty enough for attention, but not too pretty because pretty girls were called bad names. I wanted to be free enough to have fun with everyone, but not too free to well. . .be one of those bad names. I wanted to be everything to everyone all the time

It was draining.

It took me almost half of a decade to know that I am a pretty woman whether married or not.

Navigating Extra Year In A Nigerian University Humbles You

Hi sweets. Welcome to the coolest month of the year! You don't have to argue. June is the coolest month of the year. Say "kool" and then, say "joon". Got you!

I will be hitting the big three-0 on the 26th day of the coolest month. And like I told you last week, I will be sharing lessons from being a 20-something just before my journey into 30s begins.

This is the first lesson. I hope it inspires you in some way. Happy reading!

Extra Year Experience

At 20, I was to graduate from the university of Nigeria, Nsukka but I failed two final-year courses that kept me back in school.

I still claim to have graduated at 20 whenever I'm asked because technically speaking. . .yeah?

Nearly all my course mates had graduated and were moving on for NYSC when I found myself in the exam hall with a pen and paper writing ACC411 and ACC401. (Or, was it ACC402? I can't even remember. Lol). I am laughing about it right now but it wasn't funny at 21.

Dear Diary, I Feel Heavily Pregnant

How can someone who's never ever been physically pregnant understand the feeling of pregnancy? Well, thank God for Google and the likes. I am reading everything about the feeling that comes from the expectancy of a new born baby. So it is relate-able.

Will This Baby Ever Be Born?

I've been "pregnant" so many times. Pregnant with a word. Pregnant with a vision. Pregnant with a dream. Pregnant with a promise. And in all my pregnancies, I have come to understand that timing is VERY important. In fact, timing is everything.

Life exists in time. Time is the river of Life. God gives us Time as the medium for carrying out our life’s assignment. To every purpose, there is a timing; to every assignment, an appointment. To fulfill destiny, God packaged us in the entity called “Time”. To live out the promise, God prepares you for the time.

Sometimes the spiritual pregnancy is long and hard. Sometimes it's frustrating. Sometimes you just feel like you are going to bust wide open. Sometimes the labour pains feel like too much to bear. Sometimes you don't feel like pushing any more.

Some pregnancy end in tears. Some birth bundles of joy. Some come with pain. Some birth streams of opportunities.

Please Relax, Currently Under Construction

We all have weak spots and areas of inconsistency in our character. Until we see Jesus face to face, we will continually need His guidance and correction to take us from strength to strength; from glory to glory. I can worry for Africa sometimes, hence, the Word I received these past days has been "RELAX". Say Relax. Say it with a smile. It's a beautiful word, yeah? But it is not so easy!

Under Construction

Ever seen a building under construction? Construction areas have lots of bumps, lane changes, starts and stops, backed up delays, and falling hazards, they are dirty, noisy, disorganized confused untidy hectic and disgusting places. But if you talk to the Architect, they will say that the construction area is beautiful despite of all of the chaos that is going on because they SEE what the end product is going to be — they know that what they are looking at is the process of progress.

To Know God; Make it Your Number One Goal

Happy New Week! I wish people would ask me more about how my relationship with God is fairing than just about when they are coming to eat jollof rice on my wedding Day. Lol.

The Number One Goal

We all have a story. The one God writes for each of us may go down many paths. No matter where you are on the journey, there is a plan and a purpose to what you experience. And that experience leaves you with some better knowledge of who God is.

Take Charge

Happy New Week! Here is a quick one to inspire you.

Take Charge

Loving this picture.
Source: Tahiti's Avatar

I woke up with this phrase, or should I call it a command whispering in my heart, 'Take Charge!' 'Take Charge!'

We are born leaders. By design, we are rulers. It's amazing that God spoke to Himself with us in mind on the sixth day of creation!

Think about this . . .during day 6 of creation—before He scooped up dirt, forming it into man and before He put Adam to sleep, took his rib and fashioned woman—God gave us dominion. By birthright—simply because we are His, He gave us the authority to rule.

The Message Bible pus it this way,

“God spoke: “Let Us make human beings in Our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of the Earth.” God created human beings; He created them godlike, reflecting God’s nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take Charge!”

I love it!

Merriem-Webster dictionary defines it this way,

to take charge is to accept responsibility for something and have control over it.

Yeses!

God is in control but He wants you to take charge.

He wants you to come up to maturity so you can tame circumstances and exercise dominion over satan, sickness, sin, failure, poverty, and all the works of darkness. He wants you to take charge of your day, your week, your life and situations through His Word; that’s His will and grace for your life. 

So sweetie, it's time to rise up, grow up, and take charge!

God wants a TAKE CHARGE attitude from you.

What are you going to take charge of this week?

Got to run, catch you soon!

Stay on fire!
Stay inspired!

Written by Nwamaka Ajaegbu 

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Heart Rays . . . giving light.

Passionate People Suffer For What They Enjoy

Let's talk about passion a little bit more today. I found a definition that had me gasping for air. *mouth still opened*

Suffering With Passion

Life is challenging, unpredictable, and busy. Life throws us lemons (as a speaker said) and curve balls, we get confused, we squeeze the juice out of the lemonade and we swing hoping to find a balance. But how do we keep living with positivity, inspiration and love?

The answer is one word:

Honestly, I Have Been Too Busy For God

Happy New Week! How are you doing? It's time for Bible Study!

Let's not forget that our goal in the PYH series is not merely to increase our knowledge; but to change our lives. One focal point of the Book of Joshua is about winning the battle to inherit the Promised Land.

Submit To God . . . Everything Is A Threat

Two nights before I decided to put this post together, I had a dream. All I can remember about the dream was what a young man said to me after picking me up from . . . I can't remember. I don't know where.

He said, 'Everything is a threat!"

Would You Rather Win The Battle Or Win The War?

Here is a quick post. I am literally writing on the road. My discussions and chats lately have been about winning and losing (football, actually). When I read it again on 'Open Heavens' devotional this morning, I knew it was no coincidence.

Lose The Battle To Win The War 

Source: g+

It would be nice to win all the battles and the war but sometimes that just isn’t the way to victory.

If You Are Not A Rara, Then Who Is Your Rara?

Haha . . . The title of today's post came up with a reggae tune in my head. How are you? It's a happy Monday! I choose to be happy. You can too!

OK. We are still on The Prepare Your Heart Series 2017. The first thing we shared on the series is God called Joshua and gave him a charge (read here). The second thing is Joshua received courage and got set to work (read here). The third thing is the preparation of food for the journey ahead (read here).

Let's throw some light on the fourth thing today!

Rahab's Faith

The fourth thing to observe in the book of Joshua is in chapter 2.

" And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, "Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there."

 (Joshua 2:1)

26 Life Principles To Guide You Every Day Of Your Life

I found this on a WhatsApp group and thought to share it with you. It is VERY good for the soul. Enjoy!

Life Principles To Live By

          A
       ACCEPT
      Accept others for
      who they are and
      for the choices they
      have made even if
      you have difficulty
      understanding their
      beliefs, motives
      or actions.

Don't Be A Fool Watching TV

There is a difference between "watching TV makes you a fool" and "don't be a fool watching TV". Just so you don't get it twisted.

I'd rather tell you how not to be a fool while watching TV.

How To Watch TV Productively

I am an introvert but a lot of people find it hard to believe, because the kind of work I do constantly pushes me out of my comfort zone to "present" an extroverted personality. I like it anyway.

The truth is, when I'm home, I stay locked up in my room most of the time.

What Successful Blogging Means To God

As a blogger, or I should say as an entrepreneur, I know how challenging it can be to want success so badly and get . . . nothing.

Seeing Success God's Way

I've always believed in having a positive outlook on everything, and usually, I stay true to this. But I also know how unbelievably hard it is to keep smiling when it seems like one thing after another is going wrong.

Why Your "Why" Is Most Important

Today's post is quite personal and delicate. It's one I wrote with trepidation because it can make or mar my business. I hope it doesn't only inspire you to question your self, but also give you the light you need to find answers.

My Most Personal Ethics

As a lifestyle blogger, I often write about various aspects that cut across the way we express ourselves - from how we live life, to how we value our relationships, to how we style our clothes, and to how we run our businesses. It's a wide range of many things, I must say.

Time To Pursue, Overtake And Recover

Receive divine speed! Get set on divine speed and break earthly speed limits!

Divine Speed Activated

Among the dictionaries I checked, I mostly prefer how the advanced learner’s dictionary defined speed: Speed is moving quickly towards a goal or performing at an expected rate or level or when things happen more quickly beyond expectation.

Is Your Life Going Round In Circles?

Have you ever felt that your life was going round in circles? That you were stuck on some broken record? Repeating the same cycles – the same patterns? I know I have.

And it can be frustrating. Dizzying. Maddening. Just crazy!

When You Feel Like You've Been Going Round A Circle

Whenever June comes, I'm naturally joyful and livened up. I scream and dance without music (there is always a song playing in my heart). It is the month I was born! But I found out I wasn't euphoric as much as I would normally have. I was really struggling, both physically, spiritually and emotionally.

Always See Yourself in a Positive Light - Pst. E.A Adeboye

I had my quiet time with the Open Heavens Devotional Guide very early this morning. It brought me back to the journey of self discovery. I see a dire need to share a part of it with you.

A Royal Priesthood

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" 

~ 1 Peter 2: 9

What You Should Know During Hard Times

Life can be very difficult sometimes. I definitely don't pretend to know all of life's answers. But I do know that I have gone through some seasons in my life which have taught me lessons. Just like I'm also learning through this very season of my life. 

This is what to know during challenging seasons of life . . .

God Is Preparing You

We all want to know why we go through hard times. How about knowing what God intends to do through those times? 

I've had seasons when I felt like nothing was working and everything was out of place, and I've had frustrating days where I just can't seem to get anything accomplished.

BECOMING

I wanted to be selfish with this one. I was pushing the thought of writing this article for another one. But my spirit wouldn't let me!

BECOMING

I've been accused of being too spiritual (whatever that means). If it is what I'm thinking, then I'm not even close yet. Oh no, I'm not!