21 Days of Praise: Day 14 - Growing in Grace

Welcome to Day 14 of our #21DaysofPraise series! Today, we praise God for the spiritual growth we experience through His grace. As we walk with Him, He transforms us, molding us into His likeness and deepening our understanding of His love and truth.

Praise for Spiritual Growth

After hours of “tongue-ing” together..

Verse of the Day: 2 Peter 3:18

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” — (NIV)

“But continue to grow and increase in God’s grace and intimacy with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May he receive all the glory both now and until the day eternity begins. Amen!”— (TPT)

Reflecting on my life, I can see how God has been at work, growing my faith and shaping my character. He does this in different ways using three catalyts:

1. People
2. Circumstances (especially pain)
3. Spiritual Disciplines

People: It seems just the right people come into my life at just the right time to mentor, support and invest in me. Shout out to The Women at the Well Ministries who came into my life just when I was navigating singlehood.

Pain: God uses heartbreak to bring me to a place of total dependence upon Him. When things are going great and all is well, if I am not careful I soon forget that I need God and can develop a “self-dependent” attitude. But when I am faced with trials and trouble, I get to the place where I desperately need Him. And because I need Him, I rely on Him, abiding in Christ and receiving all the life-giving resources I needed all along. I celebrate my pain (a little too much) because there in lies my growth and victory!

It Takes Courage To Be Vulnerable

Happy New Week! This is something I really need to hear at this time. "Be of good courage, Amaka!" I thought you might also find it helpful.

It Takes Courage

My recently launched book was reviewed by a friend (Chiamaka Uwadoka) who is a qualified lawyer and a Brand and Communications Executive at a reputable oil and gas firm. In her speech, she repeatedly made it clear that the author of 'He Wasn't My Husband' was a brave person. And I didn't believe her because I think I am not the very least brave woman I know.

When she said the author was vulnerable, I totally agreed.
Calling me brave? No, I don't think so.

Perhaps accepting my vulnerability is what she calls bravery.

Vulnerability is possibly an act of bravery because you merge with your authentic self, instead of hiding behind a facade to appease others.

You’ve been hurt. Yes, we all have. But loving from a place of hurt isn’t loving. It’s hiding. And you will never hit the high notes of love you’re searching for if you’re hiding.

Don’t give yourself any other choice. Be fearless. Be vulnerable. Show yourself. Put yourself out there, completely. Eyes closed. Arms open.

Mistakes Are Okay

Many times, the guilt we feel over our mistakes is much worse than the mistakes themselves.

Can we receive grace to forgive ourselves?

Make More Mistakes

We all want to do everything right, but that is not going to happen as long as we are in this body of flesh, living. If we could be perfect in our behaviour, we wouldn't need God.

Think about it.

Jesus died for us because we could not be good enough on our own to enjoy a relationship with God that is completely holy. If you truly love God, if you are in love with Jesus, you will not want to sin or displease him. You will do everything you can to stay away from sin. But you will sin, and you cannot let that distract you or hinder you from moving on with God.

Dear Diary, I'm In The Middle Of A War

July 2017
~War, Amaka, war~

Every day I’m in a battle.

The prize? My attention. My time. My priorities. And most valuable of all, my heart.

My enemy is cunning and crafty with many tried and true weapons at his disposal. His favourites — schedules, conflict, busyness, social media, men. Each of these he knows very well and plans skillfully.

You Cannot Afford To Be Distracted

In Chapter 7 of the book of Joshua, because of the sin of one Israelite, Israel could no longer stand before their enemies. They grew so weak. Choi. 

Stay Focused

Sin is so underrated. If only we knew how much time, power and focus we lose each time we go against God's word.

The Skills You Use For Work May Suck You Dry Or Leave You Inspired

It's Career-Wednesday! I enjoy writing these articles so much. I hope you enjoy reading them too. Huh? :)

Whether you have a job or you are searching for a job, it is important to a make a PURPOSEful connection between your skills and the requirement of your employer.

Connect Your Skills To Your Job

You are blessed. You are intelligent. You are skillful. You've got talent. You are too much. You are good like that. Glory to God.

23 Affirmations To Cast Out Negative Thoughts

I believe in positivity-speaking. It is a habit turning into a lifestyle. The Bible is replete with verses of affirmation. That is, affirming how God sees you and what He says about you. Here are some. 

Cast Out Negativity

I am no super-human. Negative thoughts crawls into my head once in a while, but I fight them off with positive words from the Word of God.

BOOK: The Leadership Challenge By James Kouzes & Barry Posner

In my opinion, this book is a bible of leardership. I am looking for a means to get a copy for myself. The one I'm holding isn't mine. (Even though I'm silently hoping Ayo, my friend would ask me to keep it).

The Leadership Challenge

I borrowed this book to read but I am prompted to share my thoughts on it and to recommend it. 

20 Keys For Quick Success

I wasn't joking on Monday when I said this is the time to Pursue, Overtake and Recover (POR). See, when you realize how much time has been wasted and how much have been stolen, you will understand how serious this Divine Speed deal is.

20 Keys For Divine Speed

You are an eagle. The speed of an eagle should be your life's standard. You are born to soar. You are blessed with the grace for divine speed. God is waiting on you to break new grounds, to discover new territories and to chart new courses.

Is Your Battery Getting Low? Plug It In Now!

Hello beautiful sweethearts of mine! How are you doing today? Hmm . . . I'm feeling somehow somehow o. My phone decided to talk to me by acting really strange. I do hope you get something out of this looong article. 

Recharge Your Battery

We all know what to do when the battery of our phones, laptops, iPads, or any gadget becomes low. We plug it into a power source to get the battery recharged. Right?

But what do you if after you've plugged it in, the battery discharges instead of recharges? This is what the battery of my phone has led me to understand (through the help of the Holy Spirit).

Inspirational Quotes about Voting

Thanks to everyone who contributed yesterday. Nigeria is all I think about right now. I really need us to move forward. I want those who left the country wish they never did. I have a dream that one day, one dollar will be equivalent to one naira. (I.e $1=N1). We can get there. Can't we?

Inspirational Quotes about Voting

You might need a little more motivation to get you fired up and ready to vote on Saturday, March 28. So I’ve compiled some inspiring quotes to get you to the ballot box. :)

As a Nigerian, you should read this before you Decide to Vote

Hello darlings, happy new week! It's sweet to have an opportunity to click START again. *lick lips* Hmmmm. . .that smell. . . the smell of a new day. I love it. So how was your weekend? Mine was all about Nigeria o. We had a vigil in church with the sole aim to #PrayForNigeria. Mehn, It was so refreshing. I believe God hears our prayers. And so I decided to write this piece to backup my faith in Nigeria. Lol. 

2 Reasons why you shouldn't Vote

You will agree with me that this is the most crucial moment in the country. It is our moment of decision. The time we decide to move forward, move to the side, or move backward. We're in for a battle. It is a battle for our lives, our children, and our future. So it is very important that we are spiritually, physically, as well as mentally ready.

This should be a guide through the path of decision. . .

The Concepts of NEW Things

Happy NEW week! I'm super duper excited about my latest discoveries from the Bible. God's been blowing my mind! I haven't stopped screaming since I got this particular revelation. The first time, I screamed so loud that the building shook. I'm yet to get over it. This is deep, really deep.

The Concepts of NEW Things

There are three concepts of NEW things, viz:

N - Now
E - Experience
W - Wisdom

May you Now Experience Wisdom. Amen.

POEM: His Presence

I live in His presence

His presence
is the fullness of His glory
is the radiance of His beauty
is the manifestation of His power
is the reflection of His majesty

His presence
is contentment
is fulfillment
is joy
is liberty

POEM: Greater Within

Deep down in your heart
Between thoughts in your mind
In the view of your Imagination
In the touch of your spirit
In the whisper of your words
Lies the passion within you.

In the midst of situations around you
In the heights of circumstances surrounding you
in the levels of challenges facing you
In the stage of difficulties surmounting you
In the centre of your expected core responsibilities
Lies the power within you.

PHOTO TALK: I arise, Shine.

"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee."
                                                                                              -ISAIAH 60: 1

#iShine

Designed by: Nwamaka Ajaegbu

Here We Are! :)

Welcome to my blog. Welcome to Heart Rays.

I am so pleased to have you and I like you already! This is a channel to creatively and artistically express the truth, the love, the experience and the life that I have found.

My expressions are with audacity and authenticity. Endurance and emotion. Vulnerability and voice. Resilience and resolution. Creativity and freedom.

I do away with the highlight reel, and show people the lost footage. Reveal the scars. Make a joke. It can be serious and not that serious. But in all, my desire is to help you grow as a person, a leader, a communicator, and most of all, as a child of God!

I agree with the popular saying that, "the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart." This means that the core issues of life are the matters of the heart. The very essence of life is the heart. Everything we are and everything we do flows from the heart. When the heart feels good, the body feels good. And when the body feels good, life feels good. It's an inside-out living.

Physically, the role of the heart in keeping us alive cannot be undermined. From the moment it begins beating until the moment it stops, the human heart works tirelessly. I studied that the electromagnetic signal from the heart is so powerful that it radiates beyond our skin, all around us, the 360 degrees sphere, and as far as the ten feet into the space around us. That's profound! Nothing else in the body has such electromagnetic force. Each of us whether we choose to acknowledge it or not is a transmitter of energy- energy that stimulates emotions. (Emotions are simply energy in motion)

Originally, the bible says the heart is evil, deceitful and desperately wicked. However, after a man experiences salvation, the heart is impacted and made available for the purifying Word of God to work upon it. A man can only be transformed when the information he receives reaches to the heart. The word of God is the light that shines abroad in our heart to transform it so that it brings forth good report, virtues and success.

The light from the sun is called Sun Rays. And the light from the heart is what I choose to call Heart Rays. There are rays of love, hope, faith, beauty, life, fun, and so much more.

When we reveal the truth we know, express the love we find, share the experience we have and present the life we live. We let the light shine.

So right here, I give out my Heart Rays. I'd love you to also give out yours. What do you say? Oh yeah!

I'm so excited that you are here. Now, the journey gets more interesting. . .

Welcome and thank you. :)

Heartily,
Amaka

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