White Christmas in Lagos!

Tuesday was OFF THE CHAIN!!!!!!!!

I started my Christmas in styleee yo!

So, for those who follow me on twitter @1plustheone, you may have seen me mention on my TL that the RCCG City of David Christmas Musical Concert '13 was the place to be on Tuesday the 3rd of December.. If you were not there, the only thing I have to say to you is "You should have listened to me!!"

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It was simply magnificent! WOW!

I know City of David has excellence embedded in its framework but this was just so superb!

Initially, when I saw the invitation card and I read 'White Christmas'.. In my mind I was like "Hmm.. White Christmas in Nigeria.. ermm there's a reason why it's referred to as 'white' Christmas oh!" but I thought let me not under-estimate this people..

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When my friends and I got to the venue, the first thing I noticed was the place teeming with people!  I was like huh? Have I just dulled myself by not arriving earlier? Would I have to sit outside in the overflow and not get a live view?!! I also noticed that they seemed to be fascinated by the car-park for some reason which I didn't quite understand.. Until I saw the white top of what looked like a large tent.. When I saw the FULL picture, I almost squealed to myself in delight!! Wowieeeeeeeeee!

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The car-park had been transformed into a picturesque Winter wonderland!!! I was soooo excited! The tent was all white with re-creations of ice and snow! Honestly it looked so beautiful! Like a movie-set! I had to mentally applaud the sheer creativity! I was like "Yeahhh.. They promised a White Christmas, we sure got one!".

Next, I saw what was a pre-concert cocktail with small chops (light refreshments) and mixed drinks being served to all - and there was a crowd! At this point, all I wanted to ensure was that I was able to secure a good seat! (I sadly missed out on the food *sob sob*) So I walked quickly upstairs to the hall and waited with other fellow enthusiasts to run get into the room as soon as doors were opened..

Now, the concert itself.. I don't quite have words enough to describe what was a very well produced, fully entertaining, blessed and joyous evening.. (I spent Wednesday evening at home re-living the evening through videos I recorded!). The voices were just divine.. There was a buffet of traditional Christmas carols, an infusion of jazz-y carol, Christmas carol with a Nigerian twist (loved the animal song and the lead vocalist was OMGoodness!), carols in languages that existed before my fore-fathers! It was simply amazing!

One of my favourite Christmas songs is 'Oh Holy Night' and I was hoping they would do it but was disappointed that it wasn't listed in the programme of events. However, a young lady was introduced to play the violin (I loveee violins by the way!) and we were told that she would be playing Oh holy night.. I was a bit cheered up but I thought I would have preferred it being sung UNTIL she played! Wow!!! Honestly God has truly bestowed talents on His children. She played accompanied by the piano and it was breath-taking..Some people had to give her a standing ovation when she finished!

And how can I forget the comperes! The comedian was particularly hilarious! Haha.. My friend laughed till tears came..
We also had a surprise visit from Santa bearing chocolates and sweets for all with imitations of snow flakes being gently released from the gallery! The children were delighted! And of course the *cough cough* child in me  was jumping inside :-D

There was a very brief but powerful message by Pastor Bamidele Sturdivant on the theme of the evening 'Live to Love'.. I loved his message on doing something this season for someone who cannot repay you. We are reminded of God's love this season in giving the ultimate sacrifice. Love is about doing not just saying.. So just do it! And do it now!

It was a truly wonderful evening and my invited guests kept saying "Thank you for inviting me"

Now guess what we rounded off the evening with!!!? FIREWORKS!!

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*Aside* (I saw someone's tweet saying "Please can someone tell me what's happening around the VI area, I can hear loud explosions) - Clearly, we don't  feel safe enough yet to have unannounced fireworks LOL.. Things will get better..

So now that I have made you sufficiently jealous that you weren't there hehehe.. Next time, please listen when I invite you for an event - it probably would be awesome! :-D

You can follow me @1plustheone or follow @RCCGCityofDavid to be able to know about fresh and exciting events happening all year round!

Next stop.. Who's going for THE Experience? Don't be a LASTma(n). Tonight at TBS, 7pm with a HOST of amazing worship leaders! For more info http://theexperiencelagos.com/portal/



After that, we dive straight into the RCCG Holy Ghost Congress - 9th - 14th of December, 7pm daily at the Redemption Camp 'The Overflow'! Oh la la.. December is going to be liveee!



Let's go thereeee!

Aku'm - that must be a heavenly term right?

I'm sorry I have to ask that question for all my Ibo-speaking friends but I'll sure appreciate it if you could tell me the meaning of the term.

You see, that term has been made very popular by a wonderful, delightful, bubbly, friendly, encouraging, unique human being I had the GOOD pleasure of meeting in the course of this blog-journey.

                                                

When I think of people like her, I thank God for the priceless opportunity of being a member of the blog-community.

I remember the first time I reallly started to take a keen interest in getting to know this woman of God well, when she wrote a post on her blog with the very dramatic title "Just In Case I Stopped Blogging" HERE (That threat-title was enough to throw her fans into a mini state of frenzy lol) where she dedicated a post to acknowledging and publicly affirming other people's blogs that she read. I got introduced to so many other amazing bloggers through that post and I am very grateful for that. However, what struck me the most was how this bundle of joy with a good excellent name celebrated other people!

                                                                                                   

                              

When I explored her other posts further, I discovered that it wasn't a 'one-off'.. She did it regularly, and with such gusto too! Here I found a beautiful woman who knew how to celebrate others without holding back or feeling threatened that she was sharing attention or blog-readers with them! I love the way she always has something lovely to say about her friends, her CHURCH and PASTORS (Biko who doesn't know this babe's PK, PM, Rev and his wife and DCC??!).. Who doesn't know Booski and Sapphire? lol..

                         

                             

I have soooo many things to write about this lady with a beautiful heart, but the main purpose of this post is to celebrate this virtuous woman who finally got married to her 'Aku'm' on Saturday the 30th of November as detailed HERE..

  

Now let me tell you my fascination with the word Aku'm.. The way this woman describes/talks about/is excited about her Aku'm.. hmmm I think the meaning must be heavenly as in odikwa very serious! There is no doubt at all that there's passion and a lot of love there. And she is quick to remind all that her Aku'm is God-sent and deserving of all the praise..

                                                          

I dare say that Aku'm is indeed a blessed and highly favoured man to have been blessed with such a woman! A W.O.M.A.N!

Mrs Eziaha Olojo aka E aka E-licious of www.eziaha.com!! I pray that God will continue to keep you and your Aku'm and that your love will grow day by day. I pray that as the bible says, two is better than one therefore you have entered into a season of 'better' and BEST things in Jesus name. May you enjoy marriage, may God be gracious to you and your home and may you always be a living testimony of the mighty power and faithfulness of God..

E, you ROCK! Thanks for being a super encourager! 

                    

Happy married life and here's your Team V alumni badge hehehe

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PS E's Aku'm has promised her a gift if she hits 100 comments on a post on her blog! (An encourager married to an encourager... God is good ey?).. So please help get E that special gift by commenting HERE and HERE! - 2 for the price of 1 lol.. She's almost there as there are over 95comments on the first one already.. YayyY!

PS, E, this post is probably one of the longest I've written with the most amount of pictures as well!! What can I say.. It had to have your style stamp :-D)

Still waiting...

Have you ever wondered - "Lord, why is it taking so long??". Well, I know what that feels like.

My friend came to visit me today. She just got married and she also made the statement above many times before marriage. I saw it, I heard it and I joined her praying fervently for the manisfestation of God's promise.

When God showed up, He showed up BIG!

We shared today as usual and it encouraged me even more.. God never fails.. No matter how long it takes, He always delivers at the right time. And when He does, you forget what it felt like to ask the question above..

Don't despair, God is still working xxxx

PS, Patience Lord, I pray for patience for your best xx

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How do I know for sure if I don't sample?!

Hiya!

So, last week, I wrote a post that I had been meaning to write on being proud to be a member of Team V! You can read it HERE

Now, I'm writing this post in response to one of the comments that was posted from a dear reader. Now, this comment did not come as a surprise as usually whenever this topic comes up, it is one of the most popular concerns/fears/questions about not 'testing the goods before buying' or as in this case, not sampling the dude or dudette before agreeing to spend the rest of forever (well at least while you breath) with this one person..

When I initially read the comment on my phone, I was like YES.. Let the discussions roll in, let's talk about it, let's get answers to questions we want to ask but don't quite feel comfortable asking before they think one is 'corrupt' (haha, who remembers when that used to be the worst insult everr?).. I was very grateful to my darling InThe for sharing her link HERE to help the person connect with the truth (God bless you InThe *kisses*).. I recommend you take a few minutes to read it too.. It talks about what sex is not.. very enlightening, especially for those in doubt..

Now, I remember saying once that marriage is one of the greatest acts of faith EVER! Imagine willfully committing your life, your plans, your future to someone else and saying that from now till forever on earth, you are the one that I want to wake up to each and every single morning, you are the one that I want to share the bringing forth of my future generation with, from now on, you share my history - you will ALWAYS be a part of my history. I choose you to walk with you as my partner on this journey called life, it is you that will have full access to my body and it is only you that I will 'romonce' for the rest of my life.. No scoping other guys/girls, even if I see a better looking/richer/more focused/more intelligent/more caring/more spiritual individual (because trust me, there will always better).... Now that could be a scary thought! Like really?! Forever? Forever and ever? No return policy? lol

And you go through this with very limited information... Limited, limited.. Because usually, even when you think I just KNOW this person Bam! they go ahead and reveal more unknowns (good and bad) after you say 'I do'.. You never fully know a human being.. Only God knows the make-up and capabilities of the indiviual HE created.. You see why you need Him?

Sex is an aspect of faith in marriage that being a virgin enables you to have.. How would I know that we will be sexually compatible? Am I sure that he/she can satisfy me? What if we don't know what to do? What if...?

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"But without faith it is impossible to please God".. (Heb 11:6a)

Rephrasing - "When you have faith, you please God".. When you say "Lord, I know I cannot see it or I do not know it for certain, but I trust that you got me covered".. "Lord, you know me, I like to meddle, to be sure before I go into any venture, talk more of such a HUGE commitment, however, I will obey you because I know that You will sort me out" - You please God. That takes GREAT faith..

So ladies and gentlemen, on this issue, you have two choices - you can decide to take matters into your own hands and test the goods to be sure and live with the choice you make with your very limited ability or you can choose to say okay Lord, my wisdom doffs it's hat to yours, over to you, I trust You.... And please Daddy, make it super-liciously GREAT! *wink*

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You KNOW God always delivers.. and as you like it - Big, small, medium, super, super strength.. He did say "Ask and you will receive" (Matthew 7:7)

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He sure does!

Team V for the win!

This post is loonngggggg due! And it was re-inspired/'re-gingered' by this POST written by one of my blog favourites Inthemidstofher.com!

She was responding to a question about sex before marriage and something she mentioned struck me and reminded me of a 'project' I'd wanted to undertake for a while..

For many friends of this blog, you would know that I am proudly and unashamedly Team V! Don't know what Team V stands for? Well it's a term that I got introduced to by InThe in one of her comments on a post I wrote previously..

Team V simply means Team Virgin aka Team Virgin 'r' Us, aka Team no sex before marriage by God's grace aka Team saving it till he puts a ring on it aka Team staying celibate to honour God's word aka Team only by grace can I ever achieve it!

Now, I don't write smugly - not at all (who born?).. I don't write because I feel I have superior will-power that has enabled me to abstain throughout the years! I write cause I want to stand to be counted as one who says - it's by no means easy, but very possible (for both men and women!) by God's GRACE.. Is it easy you ask? Capital NO.. Infact, I dare say it's easier to give in to the whole hype of 'Sex - Everyone is doing it,Pick a Partner today' than to say:

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Everyday sex is thrust in my face through different means and channels.. Both overtly and through innuendos.. People are too happy to share their latest sexual escapades and new adventurous styles.. I sit and listen like a 'foolish' virgin to the 'wsidom' spewed by experienced friends at some bridal showers, reunions etc and I have to admit that it's usually 'safe' to siddon and look rather than tell them the beauty I have experienced in waiting..

Now, when I say beauty, don't get me wrong.. It can be toughhh! I talk to a guy who I totally fancy and I know how my body reacts! (Girls are moved by words afterall).. I read a book or watch a movie and all they have to do is kiss and I know that I'm like "Father can you hear me??!" But has it been worth it? YUP..

It gives me more pleasure to know that I am not compromising my precious relationship with God.. I can do a LOT for it including saying no to pre-marital sex.. It has helped me get over break-ups easier because I know that I haven't left a part of me with him or him with me.. I leave without a 'keepsake'. Then of course, let's not forget the plethora of STDs that I avoid .. And it goes on and on! (I will share in subsequent posts)..

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Anyways, the whole koko of the post is that the silence of people who have chosen to wait can be deafening.. It almost seems like we see it as a 'burden' rather than a gift.. To be quite frank, if we were meant to be shining the light or salting the earth, we are not trying much.. It seems that the candle of pre-marital sex is outshining the bright lamp of (glorious) sex in the context of marriage..

I will be doing more posts on this and hopefully showing how wonderfully possible and incredibly beautiful saying no to sex before marriage is!

So wanna join Team V?? Excellente! It's not too late xxxx

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I just called to say.. Thank you!

I know a single-mother family who are experiencing a difficult time at the moment. I sent some things to them as a show of love and I had even forgotten about it when I got a phone call from the mum. Initially I thought she was calling to acknowledge the items but she called to say that oh when her daughter is coming home, I should send some money through her.. Now, I am quite close to her so this request was not out of place, however I still felt a bit upset.. Like not even a thank you! Just a request for more things!

IMMEDIATELY that thought crossed my mind, I got a gentle 'nudge' in my mind that "that's how I feel too when you do the same".. And I paused.

HOW many times have I received the 'small' and big blessings of God without acknowledging it, instead I bombard Him with more requests because I feel that ALL my needs are not yet met?

YOU see in recent times, I feel I've been told off by God for my attitude of ingratitude. I was a feeling a bit low a few weeks back and I just focused on ALL the things that weren't right in my life at the moment + the requests that I had made that hadn't been granted.. yet. And so, I nagged God and complained - probably not overtly, but He could hear my complaints in my sadness, in my sighs, in my feeling sorry for myself, in my unwillingness to get excited in church when it was time to say thank you.. I was just a spoilt little ungrateful chit!

I forgot the fact that earlier this year, I made a move that only His grace made a way for me.. And make a way HE did! I forgot the countless favour He has bestowed on me! I forgot how I have had food to eat every single day this year.

I frowned that I don't have a car and the cost of transportation made it seem like I was working for the cabmen but I forgot to thank Him for legs to walk and provisions to afford it. I complained about the fact that I was still single and felt alone on occasions and I forgot to thank Him for the toasters that come my way and that the land is not dry (lol).. I complained that today "I really feel like eating Chinese food in a nice restaurant but I don't have the money *sob sob*" that I forgot to thank Him for all the fancy restaurants He has enabled me eat at in my years on this earth lol..

I forgot so easily, so quickly or perhaps, I didn't even think them 'relevant' enough.. All I wanted was more, more and more...

AN ungrateful heart finds it difficult to receive more.. A person who knows how to show gratitude holds a powerful key in his/her hands.. Doors remain open for you1

IT'S a reminder again folks.. Do you appreciate the 'little' things or would you rather just keep demanding more and more and more without taking a minute to say "Thank You, I appreciate you sooo much"

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Your little girl's saying thank You Daddy! I truly really appreciate you, with sprinkles on top! *kisses*