The Elevation Church

Tag: The Elevation Church

The Church in Nigeria: Silent No More!

The nominal Christian population in Nigeria is approximately 80 million, traversing virtually all parts of our great country. It is widely suggested that Nigeria is home to the largest collection of black Christians in the world. When one begins to think about this sub-population as a socio-economic group, especially when juxtaposed with the Bible’s positioning of Christians as “salt & light”, the role of the church in issues of national significance becomes critical, vital, and in many respects, quite decisive.

The recent peaceful #EndSARS protests are a case in point. Nigerian youths enunciated their pain and pleas, and these resonated across the country, but in the midst of all that was going on, there was no categorical statement on the matter from the leadership of the Church in Nigeria. To all intents and purposes, the Nigerian church did not do enough for the youth – no wonder there is a growing apathy towards issues of faith and spiritual fortitude amongst our youth.

The Nigerian church needs to draw lessons from the #BlackLivesMatter protests across the world, and particularly in the USA, as well as the core issues surrounding the recent American elections. The American church did not handle the issues of racism properly, and appeared to be partisan in official utterances by key church leaders in both the build-up to, and in the aftermath of the elections. The church simply did not walk in love towards all, often attributing opposing standpoints to the influence of the devil. Freewill presupposes that there will be differences in personal interpretations of any situation, and the American church perhaps should have made room to listen to all, before then basing her utterances on a balanced understanding of relevant scriptures. Above all, with all sense of responsibility, church leaders should have asked themselves what Jesus would have done were He called upon to adjudicate in such delicate and potentially divisive discourses.

Back to the Nigerian situation, the disconnect between the leaders and the youth is so glaring, that we cannot afford to keep papering over cracks. The average youth is actively looking for a chance for self-realization in other countries. They are looking for reasons to believe in their leaders again, to believe and hope in a future that they feature in prominently, and unfortunately the church has not done enough to mediate in this impasse between hope and illusion – between the youth and the government.

This disconnect is made all the more obvious because the church is not challenging the government to pay greater attention to young Nigerians, to listen, to learn and to act in the interest of Nigeria’s future. The Nigerian church should be an active participant in shaping the conscience of our nation, and thus must demand to be listened to, as the protectors and nurturers of this and future generations.

The church must rapidly transition from a position of mere rhetoric and a neutral posture in issues of national significance, to become an obvious participant in the execution of a working social mobilization strategy for our dear Nigerian youth. The objective of this social mobilization is not a revolution in a negative or destructive sense, but perhaps a better word is “re-evolution”, and I will explain.

This re-evolution points to a rebirth of the Nigerian youth from the womb of divine values and character. A reconditioning and radical shift of mindset from a survivalist me-first winner-takes-all attitude, to a wholesome and inclusive disposition that allows useful ideas to thrive, while providing the opportunity for the most obscure of the least to become the best of the best, no matter the field of endeavour or circumstances of heritage.

The peaceful #EndSARS protests gave us a glimpse of the readiness of the youth to embrace order, progress and social welfare. The craving of Nigerian youths for positive self-determination, measurable change and the consequent pride in a vibrant forward-moving nation, must be slaked with a peaceful, yet firm and clearly-defined strategy, executed by competent Nigerians across sectors, with the full backing of a listening responsive government. The church can be the catalyst to enable this scenario, if her leaders would simply speak up clearly, consistently, knowledgeably, prayerfully, and strategically.

The government should begin to move beyond the seeming systemic persecution of peaceful #EndSARS protesters and sympathizers, to the expression of the sort of empathy that paves the path for healing and reconciliation, and then allows for collaboration in building a better nation for all. We may never know what truly transpired on that eerie Tuesday night at the Lekki Toll Gate, neither will a squabble with the international community serve any purpose besides providing a convoluted distraction, but the church must demand that the government answer the question of how to make things better for the Nigerian youth of today and the future.

At this point, I would also like to challenge corporate Nigeria to get involved and also craft strategies that will change the narrative. If you consider that banks and businesses were vandalized when hoodlums took over the peaceful protests, a deeper reason for this has to be investigated. Could it be that the government isn’t the only “enemy” of the youths? Did the Central Bank and other banks in the country, unwittingly position themselves as anti-youth/anti-future by blocking the accounts of peaceful young protesters?

A further case for consideration is the telling (and desperate) response of citizens to the discovery of CACOVID palliatives warehouses across the country. That response was not helped by ensuing reports of misappropriation or hoarding by the very people entrusted to ensure adequate effective distribution of the said palliatives. There are too many unflattering statistics of infant mortality and poverty, for instance, or negative projections of impending famine in Nigeria, for the church to stay in a neutral gear and try to keep up regularly scheduled services only.

The Nigerian Church must prepare Nigerian youths for personal and communal leadership, for governance and strategic sectoral empowerment, as well as for fervent and effectual participation in our electoral process. The Church must speak up and be the unrelenting voice for the weak, disenfranchised, overlooked and the downtrodden. This should be non-negotiable for 2021.

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Article by Godman Akinlabi

January 8, 2021
Overcoming Fear: My Frightful Flight
I lie down and sleep and all night long the

LORD protects me.

I am not afraid of the thousands of enemies who

Surround me on every side.

Psalm 3:5-6

One fateful morning, while travelling from Lagos to Port Harcourt, guess who sat beside me? That creepy, miserable, attention-seeking, lying beast called fear. Innocent me, I did not realize this until it caught my attention.

This was what happened.

I boarded the flight and sat in my favourite spot, a window seat. While the plane glided in the clouds, I began to admire God’s creation; that particular day, the clouds looked like they were on a fashion parade, I don’t remember seeing a more beautiful scene. The clouds looked like a pack of cotton wool, at some point it looked like snow in winter, then like a flock of white sheep; it felt like I was watching the Milky Way, a spread of white curtains… I could go on and on. It was so beautiful that I was almost breathless! Honestly, everything God created is beautiful, including you reading this.

While engrossed in my galactic show, with the aircraft moving at different altitudes; the miserable attention seeker nudged me and whispered, “what if this plane crashes?”. Startled, I replied; “Huh?” (I wish I did not give an answer). It repeated its gimmick and added; “can you not see how this aircraft is moving in between the clouds? Is it normal? You will just be lost in the clouds when the crash happens”.

Then I looked up and saw one of the flight attendants smiling and engaging in a discussion with the passengers seated by the emergency exit. Fear hugged me tightly and whispered slowly, “that’s what I’m saying; the attendant is telling them what to do when the plane crashes, they will make use of the emergency exit… I wonder if they will survive, how much more you that is seated farther away from the emergency exit”. At this point, fear had engulfed me and I had also gripped fear; we were locked in a very tight embrace like lovers. My focus had shifted from the beautiful clouds to the expectations of a plane crash. I thought of my family, regretted my trip and started praying in my heart like never before.

Throughout the flight, fear and I held onto each other and I refused to let go. It was whispering into my ears saying “sweet nothings” while I prayed (in fear) silently the whole time. We were still locked in our tight embrace when the plane landed and taxied along the tarmac for a while, but I did not realize it would no longer “crash” or that it did not even crash at all.

The irony of this story is that, nothing happened… I mean, NOTHING HAPPENED… the plane did not crash, and the flight attendant was actually having a friendly conversation with the passengers when I looked up earlier. In fact, the flight arrived 10 minutes earlier than scheduled and the pilot jokingly apologized for arriving early. My goodness! I felt stupid and robbed of my beautiful “Cloud Fashion Parade” experience.

I told myself the next time the creepy liar comes around, I would not give it access to my thoughts. However, as a human, it takes a lot of effort and consciousness.

Sometime later, I saw six missed calls from my sister while I was in church and concluded that something terrible had happened at home to warrant her calling me six times repeatedly. When I eventually spoke to her, she said she just wanted to discuss a minor issue.

Fear is always hanging around, looking for who to deceive. Here is my advice on how to tackle fear:
- Speak-Up: When fear says something, you counter it with the opposite of that thing and tackle the situation with the word of God. Being vocal helps to silence any other voice.
- Train your thoughts: In the multitude of voices you hear daily, train your thoughts to hear only your Heavenly Fathers’ voice. The voice of God is soothing, calm, and removes any form of fear.
- Confess God’s Word: Keep declaring what God has said over your situation. Find bible verses and encouraging messages concerning the situation that makes you afraid.
- Be cautious & learn to separate fear from reality. Sometimes what we fear is not real; they are mostly figments of our imaginations. Whenever fear comes, remember the acronym for FEAR – False Accusation Appearing Real.
Written by Udochi Anokwu
July 23, 2020
Biblical Principles Applicable to Business
This article is a case study of the “parable of the ten virgins” in relation to Preparedness.

I’ve been asking my Director for some instructions on how to go about certain things in my business and He started whispering some things I’d like to share with you.

Stay with me, especially if you are an entrepreneur, employed-preneur or just thinking about what’s next for you in this pandemic season.

A lot of people have different views about starting a business; some say it’s stressful, some outrightly say they can’t do it. The truth is that nothing good comes easy. As an employee, you are putting in the same energy as an entrepreneur, what matters is that you have oil and you’re not burning out.

Oil? I can almost hear you ask.

Yes. Your oil is what God has put in you. Your gifts, your talents, your skills.

Do you have what it takes to get that job?

Do you have what it takes to start that business?

Do you have what it takes to get married?

Do you have what it takes to do whatever it is you want to do?

Jesus, in the parable of the ten virgins, teaches us that it is foolishness to enter a venture unprepared – be it a job or business. Recall that the five unprepared virgins were left out of the party!

Do you have oil? How full is your oil tank?

Full? Half full? Empty? Do you have extra in case this venture takes longer and you risk running out?

Oil here speaks to preparedness.

Oh yes! Before you venture into that business or put in for that higher role, how prepared are you to excel at it? Every locomotive has a shock absorber; humans do too. So let me ask, are you going into that business without a shock absorber? Is your shock absorber still intact?

HOW DO YOU PREPARE?
1. Pray: Every good thing comes from God but is it time for you to access that good thing? Is it time for you to venture into that business or pursue that deal? “My instinct is right about it”, you might say. What if your instinct isn’t in line with what God wants for you at this time? Pray. Be double sure that it is God leading you in and on.
1. Hone your skills: Everything we do or want to do requires some level of skills to function perfectly. Do you have what it takes? If you do, how updated are your skills in that field? Sharpen your skills. Don’t enter blind.
2. Research: You are not the first to model that business or role. It will do you some good to read extensively about it. Spend time reading. Learning from people’s mistakes saves you from a lot of things but, it doesn’t mean you will not make your own mistakes.
Research also helps you see the things you can tweak in your business to have an edge over your competitors.

After you’ve done your preparation and you are sure you’re ready, then go for your gold. Also remember that there are stages in business but if you get the preliminary stages right and put in the work with consistency, your errors would be very minimal.

Irrespective of whatever situations may have been caused by the pandemic, do not be discouraged. You can start now to PREPARE yourself for exploits post-covid; so that when opportunities come, you will not miss it.

All the best.

Written By: Uzoma Divine
June 2, 2020
My Body, His Temple

Do you know you are a temple of God and that the spirit of God dwells in you? – 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

It was a Sunday morning. At about 6am, JÒke’s phone rang, and she could not ignore it because she had one of those very loud ringtones, she rolled over and stretched to pick the phone from her nightstand. It was Jane, her friend of over 30 years and she wondered why Jane was calling this early on a Sunday morning when she’s still struggling to get out of bed to take a shower, as she was ushering in the first service that morning.

Jane: Babes what’s up? Please can you come and drive me to the hospital? I feel so sick and there’s no one in the house to take me …the frail calm voice of Jane on the other side of the phone.

JÒke tactfully suggested another friend and wiggled her way out of going over to Jane’s house

JÒke: Sorry dear, I’m sure it’s just malaria, have you taken any medication? I’m ushering in first service today and would only be available after service, I’ll call Efe to take you, I’m sure she’s probably home doing nothing. I’ll be at yours after service.

Jane: Okay

…and both ladies ended the call.

At some point in our life, we must have been a JÒke (the western Nigerian name not the English word Joke), maybe not in this exact scenario, but in fixing our focus more on the physical temple (church building) rather than the moving breathing, feeling temple (humans) that need us more.

I can imagine how diligent we will be if put in charge of a church building, we would ensure it is cleaned, well-lit and arranged before and after every service, while ignoring the parts that form the body of Christ which is you and I, and everyone around us. Every believer must have used this statement “my body is the temple of God” at some point; but how well do you know this temple? How much do you care for it? I’m not just talking physical care (which should also be taken seriously) but spiritually; do you lean on Christ your maker, structural engineer and foundation? Ever seen an unstable foundation that keeps going down and the building keeps sinking until it disappears, don’t be that building.

It’s time to come into a full understanding of how important it is to be God’s temple, clothed in majesty and strength. When this happens, there will be a shift in how you conduct and care for yourself and other living temples around you. Love will be visible in all your actions, hatred washed away, and health of mind and body restored.

As the world goes through the Covid-19 pandemic; this is a time to reflect the love of God; a time to build up other living temples whose foundation may be shaking; a time to encourage, support and care for one another. It’s time to renew our minds and live our lives as the temple of God; it’s time to shine as God’s masterpiece.

Written by Vera Okobi

May 13, 2020
In Christ Alone
It was December 2019, a new novel coronavirus had broken out in Wuhan, a region of China. It spread so rapidly, like nothing ever seen before. The strain was new; it had no cure. So, the disease continued to spread; and easily too. From a handshake to a simple hug, to standing next to an infected person, to being sneezed upon. One innocent touch and a person was infected.

Within a few months, it ravaged every country like wildfire. The world stood still. Every resource, idea, strategy, plan, you name it, was channeled to one mission – to stop the spread of this virus. The instructions were simple; to keep safe, wash your hands, do not touch your face or nose, keep at least a 6m distance from the next person, and boost your immune system.

But mistakes were made, and stubborn humans would not listen. So, from one country to another, one city to the next, the virus kept spreading. And for the first time in centuries, we were witnessing the breakout of a deadly pandemic. The world was on lockdown to prevent it further and flatten the curve.

World powers started to tremble. Economies broke down. Citizens lost faith in their government. Anxiety, fear, panic, and uncertainty became the order of the day. It became evident that there was only one direction the entire world could turn to. One unifying hope. One possible way out. Thus, there was an outcry; Oh Lord, save the world.

And this was where I asked, ‘hasn’t He already done that?’

I began to analyze the situation, from the confines of my own home, of course. In the midst of all the negative press flying around, I chose to only dwell on the positives. This is the first time in a long time where the people of the world would speak the same language. Just like the men at the tower of Babel who intended to touch the heavens and so decided to build a tower. This is the first time in many years that parents paid attention to their own children by themselves, because there was no caregiver or nanny. Employers have had to find new, safe and secure ways to engage their employees in a bid to keep their systems running.

It is the first time we are really thankful for technology and witty invention.

It also got me thinking, this is the first time in many years that we celebrated Easter and it wasn’t so much about hanging out and making merry alone or with friends and family. Instead, we were compelled to sit back and reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made and the true meaning of it.

And so, in this season of turmoil and great uncertainty in the world, the words of this song “In Christ alone my hope is found” comes to mind. A song composed by two songwriters whose meeting was pure coincidence but the result has transcended demography, religion, and culture. One song that emphasizes the hope we can anchor onto at such a time as this.

The lyrics say:

In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song

This Cornerstone, this solid Ground, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease

My Comforter, my All in All, Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone! Who took on flesh? Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness, Scorned by the ones He came to save

Till on that cross, as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid, Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground, His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day, Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory, Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine, Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death, This is the power of Christ in me

From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home, Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

This is the hope we can trust in, that;
- Even though there is darkness, He is our light and even though we are weak, we are assured of His strength.
- Even though the ground beneath proves fragile, He is our solid ground; a firm foundation through the fiercest storm and drought.
- Even though we are afraid, his perfect love casts out all our fears and we are comforted, because in him we stand.
- For one reason was He born, that He might save a generation that did not know him and a new generation that will come to know Him. He knew that going to the cross would open up the door for us to come in and so he did. This single sacrifice paid it all and gave us access. He died that we may boast of a full life.
- Even though systems may fail, we know of a system that stands sure and solid. He endured the cross, the pain, and ache. He took on death and went to the grave. And when hope seemed lost, He rose again that his death might usher us into overwhelming victory. And because of this, we can stand before him blameless and without fault, because of this we can hope again being justified by His power in us through the Holy Spirit.
So, we can hold unto an assurance that even though we don’t know what the end of this age will mean, we can dare to hope in him who holds us in His arms and in his heart. We are certain that there is the dawning of a new era, of possibilities and great impact because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It’s time to do the real analysis of our hearts when it comes to a real relationship with God. It’s time to draw on the truth that has been given to us before the foundation of the world.

The world as we know it might be changing, but remember this, we have an anchor whose promises never fail. He is not angry with us, rather He’s calling us into a deeper place of intimacy. A place of renewed hope. A place of pure assurance, and a place of peace.

In Christ Alone…

Written by Tolulope Oyekan
May 7, 2020
We Wrestle not Against 5G
In Nigeria, we like gist – the juicier the story, the better and we have an opinion on everything. We fuel our gist obsession through social media whether it’s tweets, blogs or other e-info sources. And now, we are spending more and more time on social media to stay informed, as we practice social distancing and remain under state-wide and nationwide lockdown to control and prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19). (Shout-out to all the front-liners for their efforts – God bless, protect and empower you as you continue to fight for us and support those hardest hit)

This should be a good thing, right? But unfortunately, there is a flip side.

In the midst of ‘staying informed’, we are exposed to a lot of fake stories and conspiracy theories. In particular, the fact that we are being held to ransom by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) has helped those conspiracy theorists circulate a lot of baseless propaganda on the cause of the virus. The most recent theory is that electromagnetic radiation emitted from 5G antennas is the root cause of Covid-19. For the benefit of those who do not know what 5G means – it is the latest innovation in mobile network technology designed to increase data transmission speeds and enable “smart” living.

5G has now become the scapegoat for Covid-19. China was the earliest country to advocate for and launch 5G. However, the Covid-19 pandemic also started in China. So, conspiracy theorists and online trolls have seized these two facts to create fake facts and spread wrong information.

But people don’t really believe this right? Well you would think so, but in actual fact, the pandemic has caused so much anxiety, panic and fear, that Christians and intelligent people have started to buy into all the misinformation that is being propagated. They’ve become gullible to the point that they are actually helping the conspiracy theorists by circulating the fake content (WhatsApp forwards etc.). In Nigeria, some authorities have even insinuated that the lockdown was put in place to allow for the installation of the 5G infrastructure to enable the coming of the anti-Christ and that the Covid-19 pandemic is the corresponding end times sign – essentially the tribulation before rapture. Globally, the backlash on 5G has reached a crescendo resulting in attacks on telecoms engineers and vandalizing of 5G network equipment.

On the surface, it may seem like these fake stories are just a coordinated effort to protest against 5G. However, when they start to cause irrational responses from Christians, playing on their vulnerability, birthing conflicting messaging in the church, and inducing paralyzing levels of fear and anxiety, it becomes clear that there are other powers at work. Paul reminds us of this in Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers and rulers of the darkness of this world…”

Sounds far-fetched? If you being a Christian, someone chosen specifically by God (John 6:37), is exacerbating fear, then what chance does everybody else have? When you feed your mind with half-truths and doomsday theories, how can you be a light to the world (Matt 5:15), especially during this trying time. People are afraid and very vulnerable right now and God needs you to be the conduit for His light to pierce through their darkness. The enemy knows this and will try to prevent you from having that impact by also keeping you distracted and paralyzed.

Fortunately, our God always has the measure of the enemy and has left a strategy for us in Ephesians 6:13-18 which we can use to navigate all these half-truths without acceding to the schemes of the enemy. This winning strategy is anchored on us wielding all the Armor of God (v13) on a daily basis. He told us to “…Stand firm and put on the Belt of Truth…” (v14). This will help you maintain right thinking. There are three truths you should fill your mind with and propagate during this season.
- First, God protects His people. He did it by marking them so that the angel of death would pass over their homes and “visit” all the Egyptian homes (Exodus 12:13), and He is protecting you today with the seal of the Holy Spirit which you received when you were saved, so that Covid-19 will pass over you too.
- Secondly, only God knows when rapture will happen (1 Thess 5:1-2). No one else knows and no one else ever will. So, stop allowing half-truths derail you from the truth.
- And finally, the World Health Organization(WHO) has stated very clearly, following extensive research, that Covid-19 cannot be spread through radio waves or mobile networks. The virus is purely a respiratory disease. So, BOOM…there you have it…the 5G link to Covid-19 debunked!!!
…and the breastplate of Righteousness (v.14b): Focus on getting right standing with GOD, spending time in His presence when you are most vulnerable (Proverbs 4:7), being conscious of Satan’s ways and guarding your heart (Proverbs 4:23) and avoiding those things that we know can cause us to err (Matthew 5:30) – this could be in the form of ‘sanitizing’ our social media contacts for example. Doing this will starve all those powers and principalities of the ability to attack your hearts and minds successfully.

…for shoes, strap on the Gospel of Peace (v.15): We’ve been called to know HIM and make HIM known and he has equipped us to do this (John 14:27). So wearing the Gospel of Peace as shoes keeps us ready to be the light in people’s darkness by sharing God and the truth no matter how challenging the times and seasons are (John 14:33).

…take up the shield of Faith (v.16): Instead of fuelling your fears with the flaming arrows (fear mongering, misinformation, conspiracy theories) on Covid-19 and 5G, block them by feeding your faith with God’s promises and precepts. Arming yourself with the knowledge that God has amazing plans for you (Jer 29:11) and that no matter the challenge, it will work for your benefit (Rom 8:28; 2 Cor 1:9), choose to do good (Gal 6:9) and maintain an “undeniable knowing” that the current realities cannot stop your growth and progress (Jer 17:7-8).

…wear the helmet of salvation (v17a): Once we accepted Jesus as our Lord and savior, we received salvation and became a new creation. With that came a mandate for us to change the way we think (Rom 12:2) and maintain hope. Doing this, whilst focusing on what God has called us to do (Heb 12:1-2), will enable us to push through all the distractions, despair and discouragement caused by these fake stories and the uncertainty around the end of the pandemic.

…attack with the Sword of the Spirit (v.17b): Don’t just defend against all these harmful stories, fight back with the Word. When you find yourself getting sucked in to propagating “hearsay”, tell the enemy that you are a Psalm 1:1-3 believer and you don’t play like that. If panic starts to creep in and you find yourself thinking of doing something out of character, declare 2 Tim 1:7 over your life.

…pray in the Spirit constantly (v18). Pray intentionally that God will strengthen your inner man (Eph 3:16) so that you can resist the temptation to join the naysayers and fear mongers. When panic tries to set in, tell God about it and He will immediately calm you down (Phil 4:6). Pray consistently for the hearts of fear mongers to change, for those that are infected with Covid-19 to be healed and for the pandemic to come to an end, because your prayers will be the difference (Jam 5:16).

A final thought to leave you with, from Christine Caine – you are alive in this season (Covid-19, 5G etc.), and we know that GOD chooses the times and seasons He places you in which means you were born for this (to do something amazing during and post pandemic). So, let “5G be great” and don’t join in the confusion; because after all is said and done, we are all about making greatness common.

Written by ND Onodugo
April 28, 2020
Lockdown is not Lockup
It’s no longer news that the Covid-19 pandemic and its spread across the globe has killed thousands of people, crashed the global economy and plunged ‘normal’ life into turbulence and disorder. Various aspects of life have not been and will not be the same due to this. Experts have tried to unravel how to harness the crisis for higher level of productivity and profitability. Cities and nations have been on a lockdown; businesses, religious centers, schools are all shut down; workers now have to stay at home and/or work from home. This has also unexpectedly increased unemployment, plunged businesses into bankruptcy and crippled economies.

In the wake of this pandemic, normal life may look like a distant dream but victorious and profitable life will not be farfetched for those who have prepared and positioned themselves for the best. As a poet and songwriter, I have written a lot of poems and lyrics during this lockdown, but here is my favourite:

Lockdown is not lockup

Don’t shutdown and don’t shut up

Get up and show up behind closed doors

Stay safe, strong and smart indoors

Not every closed door is a prison

Storms only come for a season

Wake up and put on your creative cap

Don’t get tamed by anxiety’s trap

Don’t look for light at the end of the tunnel

When there is a light walking in the tunnel

You’re the light my friend

This darkness will come to an end

Keep on shining and showing up

This lockdown is not a lockup

Life, they say, is different strokes for different folks, people process seasons and situations differently but it is important to understand how to navigate this stormy season in order to gain from pain. Every loss is a lesson, only if we focus on learning and not just yearning. Here are few tips to living the best life during lockdown:
1. Connect and commune with creative people: the kind of people you connect with during a downtime will determine how fast you will rise again. Social distance is not a barrier to creativity and productivity. There is no limit in the move of the ‘spirit’, thanks to the internet and technology. There are a lot of free webinars and courses online that can fuel fortune and faith, engage the ones that speak to your interests and prospects.
1. Defy reasoning and reach for new realities: In times of crises, reasoning and logic seem to be the last resort but they often put a cap on creativity and productivity. Seasons like this provides opportunity not only to think outside the box but to live, work and earn outside the box. Explore every idea, even the unreasonable and insignificant ones.
1. Relax and retreat to relaunch: anxiety attacks become prevalent due to uncertainties and harsh realities faced during this period. Be intentional about building metal agility, seek counselling and mentoring if you must. This is not a time to be emotionally and socially isolated even if you are physically isolated. Be intentional about building mental agility. See the bright side of the ‘bend’ because this is certainly not the end.
1. Create opportunities: a lot of times, people wait for doors of opportunities to open instead of breaking walls and building their own doors. Don’t dwell on the crises and losses that may be ravaging the world. The truth is, there will not always be jobs openings, but you can employ yourself. May be this is the right time to keep your credentials and dust your potentials. There is always a way to start – start with what you have and start from where you are. Make research, reach out for help from veteran entrepreneurs.
1. Dare to be different: there is the temptation to join the bandwagon of people who engage in random activities, especially online games and challenges – which is not so bad. According to Devon Franklin, “your destiny is your difference.” If you want to achieve a different result in this lockdown period, you must act differently and apply a different strategy to your activities. As much as it is good to have fun, don’t lose your focus.
Above all, stay safe! See this lockdown as a season of relaxation, reflection and redirection. I believe that God is using this season to protect, direct, connect, inspect and correct His people. A lot of disruptions will take place during and after this pandemic but the people who will get the best from the disruptions are those who prepare for the best and plan to overcome the worst. Allow God to have His way while you play your part. Don’t fret, the One who holds the whole world in His hands is the one who holds your future; therefore, your future is secured and assured.

Written by Adeleke Adeite
April 14, 2020
A Grateful Heart
Somto hated Mathematics.

He struggled with it in class almost every year. Despite my many attempts to help him improve his understanding of the basics, we just couldn’t make a headway. I would scream and be so impatient whenever I sat down to teach him; my wife and I even went ahead to get home tutors for him.

Why did he struggle with a subject that I felt was piece of cake? Perhaps he was afraid to fail, or maybe my method of home teaching was outdated; maybe he had completely lost interest in math.

This was my biggest dilemma as a parent in 2014; I just didn’t understand why I couldn’t help my son who was constantly failing this subject term after term. I began to feel a sense of helplessness and visible frustration so much so that Somto preferred to ask his mum for assistance with his math homework rather than come to me. As you may imagine, this made me feel even more helpless. Mr. Farouk (Somto’s class teacher in Primary 6) said to me, “Sir, don’t worry, we will discover the areas of weakness in his math and fix it”.

I wondered, what could Mr. Farouk do in a few months, that I and other home tutors couldn’t achieve in 3 years?

A few weeks ago, I decided to go back to my son’s school to show some gratitude to one of the usually forgotten givers in society. Mr. Farouk made good his promise a few years ago. Today, Somto is the math tutor at home, assisting his brothers in their math assignments; he is also performing very well in math in school. Slowly, methodically; but surely, Mr. Farouk helped Somto restore his confidence and love for numbers. When I paid Mr. Farouk a visit in his classroom, his face lit with joy to know that Somto (whom he calls “my child”) is still doing very well. This simple act of gratitude required that I went back to Somto’s primary school and searched for Mr. Farouk.

This reminds me of the story of the ten lepers who were healed of Leprosy. Jesus asked the one who returned to show gratitude, “where are the nine?”. I dare say that the other nine lepers who didn’t return were perhaps thankful for the miracle, but that’s where it all ended. Gratitude does not only requires feeling thankful but going ahead to act on it. The lesson from the story of the ten lepers is about returning with something in our mouths or hands. How about making up your mind to return to say or do something refreshing to demonstrate gratitude. Yes, I mean decide now before reading any further, I’ll wait…

Welcome back and thank you for stopping for just a moment to be thoughtful. I can also feel the smile on your face because gratitude is infectious. There are some simple treasures of life, like cold water, bread and butter. So simple, but yet so profound in their importance to our daily lives. Some will argue that the best things in life are free (e.g. water & clean oxygenated air). We can and need to be thankful for things as simple as these. Living a life of gratitude requires thoughtfulness and stock taking.

Research has shown that gratitude has a soothing and sometimes healing effect on those with psychological challenges. Much of our time and energy is spent pursuing things we currently don’t have, and this is draining. Gratitude reverses our priorities to help us appreciate people more than the things we do. Gratitude unshackles us from toxic emotions; as cold water is to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. Giving or receiving gratitude is as refreshing as a glass of cold water. Gratitude is a way for people to appreciate what they have instead of always reaching for something new in the hopes that it will make them happier.

Here are some ways to cultivate gratitude on a regular basis:
- Thank people. Think about someone who has done something nice for you, and mentally thank the individual. Verbalize your gratitude also in prayer.
- Keep a gratitude journal. You can make it a habit to write down or share with a loved one, thoughts about the gifts you’ve received. What a way to count your blessings.
- Share your gratitude. Social media platforms today help us to share our feelings of gratitude. Pick a time every month to sit down and write about your blessings. LinkedIn has some nice gratitude templates.
- Write a thank-you note. You can nurture your relationship with another person by writing a thank-you note. Be specific about the incident or occasion you are being thankful for. Keep it short and simple. Writing shows that it was not just a passing thought. Occasionally, feel free to also write one to yourself. Stick-ons can come in handy here.
The ethos of the story of the ten lepers in the Bible was not that they were a set of 9 ungrateful lepers, rather it was about the fact that the nine were not thoughtful enough to count their blessings. They were overtaken by the hustle and bustle of life and their unaccomplished dreams. They missed the opportunity for wholeness.

Gratitude helps you put things in their proper perspective. When things don’t go your way, remember that every difficulty carries within it the seeds of an equal or greater benefit. In the face of adversity ask yourself: “What can I learn from this?”, and “How can I benefit from this?”. Instead of always wishing for good things to happen to us we can choose gratitude, generosity, and goodwill. This is the secret to wholeness and fulfilment.

I hope this write-up will inspire you to create an attitude of gratitude.

Written by Chidi Iwe
March 17, 2020
What’s Love Got To Do With It?

I don’t know what you think about when you think of love.

Personally, I think of Westlife (aging myself here), and how a greater boy band may never exist. Westlife sang a LOT about love. Love they had lost; love they could not live without; love they were scared of losing. But one song stands out to me; that song is Flying Without Wings – an unmatched melody ideal for belting out in the shower or on a solo car ride. In the face of such perfection, one reaches an obvious conclusion that a better love ballad has not since been written.

We are ushered into the song with these words:

Everybody’s looking for something

One thing that makes it all complete

You’ll find it in the strangest places

Places you never knew it could be

From the beginning of the song, it may feel like an attack; we know they are singing about love, so is Westlife implying that every loveless soul is wandering around with missing holes, like the cartoon cheese that Tom lays out for Jerry? However, they immediately redeem themselves with the next line, “Some find it in the face of their children.”

The first love they talk about is a familiar love or Storge (in ancient Greek). For most of us, this is the first love we experience. The natural, instinctive love of a parent to a child and vice versa; the love of siblings to each other. This love is so innate to our human experience that even when we are mistreated by family members, we still struggle to detach from them emotionally.

“Some find it in their lover’s eyes.” Eros or erotic love is what most people jump to when we talk of love, particularly in connection with the month of February.

“Some (find it) in the solitary night” – Is it even possible to find love alone? Philautia or self-love is often defined as the love found within oneself. While some see it as a basic human necessity, others see it as having the potential to become a moral flaw leading to vanity. The thin line between self-love and selfishness is sometimes difficult to navigate.

“You find it in the deepest friendships. The kind you cherish all your life.” C.S. Lewis says of Philia or brotherly love, “I have no duty to be anyone’s friend and no man in the world has a duty to be mine. No claims, no shadow of necessity. Friendship is unnecessary… it has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.”

Now we know that what Westlife think constitutes love. But what does the Bible have to say about love? Well, each one has the capacity to bring us closer or drive us farther from the image of Christ. This is where we need wisdom to discern the right kind of love.

In the first book of Samuel, Hannah doubtlessly loved Samuel; whom she had prayed and cried for, with a deep, maternal Storge love. Yet, she still gave him up to the temple of God as she had promised. This is the same way Mary would lay aside her maternal instinct to protect Jesus and allow Him to fulfil what he had been sent to do.

Songs of Solomon has lots to say on the pleasure that can be found within Eros and still warns in Chapter 8 not to awaken passion before its time. In Psalm 139, we find Philautia; the psalmist praises God because he is wonderfully made. Yet in Romans 12, we are admonished not to think of ourselves too highly but to consider ourselves with sober judgement. Proverbs talks about the benefits of Philia, saying that iron sharpens iron and a friend loves for life. But Chapter 13 also warns that a companion of fools suffers harm.

The Bible talks of a last love, the one that Westlife missed out (proof that no one is perfect). Agape is a selfless, sacrificial and unconditional love. Where the other types of love may expect something in return – affection, pleasure, companionship; agape gives unconditionally, simply because it has the capacity. In Romans 5:7, Paul breaks it down – it is rare to find someone who would die for a good person; but Christ died for the unrighteous, knowing fully well that many might, and in fact would, reject Him. This is also the love He calls His disciples to. Loving everyone, even the people who would despise you for it.

So, let us love. But love with wisdom and love as we were created to love, putting everything in its right place and time. Finally, in Ephesians 3, Paul prays that we find the love of Christ so that we may be filled (or made complete) to the fullness of God. In the end, it is love that completes us.

Written by Ugonna Iheme

March 11, 2020
Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage

Ladies, grasp your bonnets…or head-ties.

Gentlemen, hold on to your suspenders.

Your marriage is about to get lit!

Open your bibles to the book of Romance Chapter 1.

No, not Romans. Romance. This is no Epistle by Apostle Paul.

My apologies for deflating your righteous airs but the Song of Songs is just as holy as the book of Romans. That’s why it’s in the Holy Bible. So, grab your quill and ink…sorry, your iPhone or iPad and let’s pen some passionate poetry and poignant prose… King Solomon style .

“Your neck is as beautiful as an ivory tower. Your eyes are like the sparkling pools in Heshbon … Your nose is as fine as the tower of Lebanon overlooking Damascus. Your head is as majestic as Mount Carmel…” (Song of Songs 7:4-5)

(Seriously Solomon, is ‘this’ the best you could do?!)

Just in case you are thinking of adapting Solomon’s lines because he successfully wooed one thousand women, let me put things in perspective for you. ‘Unless you can build a house that is almost entirely covered in solid gold, it is NOT a good idea to tell a lady that her head is like a mountain.’

Solomon’s imagery apart, if God saw fit to edify us with his love verses in corresponding measure to the epistles, it could only mean one thing – your love life needs as much revival as your soul.

Don’t misunderstand me. It is my view that whatever floats your boat is fine – even if it’s bible verses on holiness. Does your heart somersault every time a brother whispers ‘You are the only Lily in my valley’? I do not judge you.

A couple I used to know was so spiritual, they had their destination wedding at Calvary and honeymooned in the Garden of Gethsemane. You would think they were the inspiration for the Ten Commandments, with faces carved out of the two stone tablets. Their romance, no doubt, was kindled by Elijah’s fire. Bless them!

Still, I am persuaded that if you can make your wife laugh every single day, it might be accounted to you for righteousness in this life and maybe in the world to come.

God meant marriage to be funny too – or why else would he make men and women so different and then allow them fall in love? It would have been such a severe joke if it wasn’t so romantic.

Take the female brain – it’s like Google with 126 open tabs at a go. Men’s brains, on the other hand, are as simple and straightforward as the squares on a draughts board – some empty, some occupied and most importantly, no crisscrossing. Words mean what they mean: five minutes does not mean ‘an indefinite amount of time’ and ‘nothing’ does not mean ‘everything is about to explode’

Yes ladies, the men put the ‘lit’ in literal, and no, they don’t get your hints either.

Just the other day, a lady was hinting her husband about what she wanted for their upcoming anniversary. She said, “I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 in about 3 seconds.”

So, he bought her a scale. And that’s how the fight started.

Fortunately, you don’t have to come from a lineage of comedians to tickle your audience of one. Whether your act is silly, cheesy or playful, you’ll always score romantic points. Even those potentially explosive moments can be safely detonated with humor – and a little guidance from scripture.

Sisters, you know that glacial look you give him when you are mad? That’s like sending a fire emoji to Shedrack, Meshach and Abednego. It won’t catch.

If he wants to buy a new car while there’re bills to pay, be supportive. Let him know you support the purchase as long as he’s buying Elijah’s Chariot of Fire.

Is she spending more money than you can afford? Simply open your bible to the book of Luke and pronounce ‘Sweetheart, the tomb is empty and so is my account’.

iPhone might be her preference but if you can’t afford one – ‘Honey, I think it’s better to stick to Android because since the time of Eve, Apple and women don’t go well together’.

Does it sometimes seem that your dinner was inspired by the scripture ‘Ye are the salt of the earth’? Gently ask if Lot’s wife visited while she was cooking.

You think he’s too much of a couch potato? The bible has a list of athletes who left us examples so we could follow in their steps – Jonah went deep sea diving, Moses went mountaineering, Elijah ran the marathon, and Jesus was a black-belter who ‘disarmed’ principalities and powers.

Whenever she is running late, remember that God makes everything beautiful in its time and add to your patience, longsuffering. Let patience do a perfect work, according to James.

Finally, for those times when you are looking to get into sweet trouble –

You: I just called 112!

Her: Why?

You: To report a robbery.

Her: Goodness! What happened?

You: I told them you stole my heart.

(It doesn’t get any cheesier but it works, every time)

For extra toppings, sing her romantic songs in your off-key baritone. (Just so you know, romantic songs do not include changing ‘Lord, I give you my heart’ to ‘Joy, I give you my heart’. That’s your praise and worship playlist).

And for additional honors, write her poetry in Pidgin English.

For his Crème brûlée –

Change his ring tone to something super weird or funny and call him while he’s at work. Hide love notes in his pockets and wallet. Sing him an oriki (praise poem) in public.

And for an extra serving of caramel sweetness –

You: ‘Honey, I think there’s something wrong with your lips’.

Him: What is it?

You: They’re not kissing mine!

Let the fireworks begin!!!

Written by: Grace Ukanwoke

February 18, 2020