Abba's Jewel

Your true identity isn't just about your appearance, your skills, or the labels society gives you. It's deeper.
Your true identity is entrenched in God.

You might share common traits or interest with others, but no one else has the exact same combination of qualities as you do. The way you interact with the world, your passions, strength and even vulnerabilities - all these and more make up your unique identity.
Hence, you don't need to compare yourself with others.
You are unique 😘🤗🥰

Have you ever been confronted with the question: WHO ARE YOU?
I'm not just talking about job interviews, but a vital question that we all must answer.
It's a factor that determines a whole lot in our lives - how we live, how we make decisions and how we relate with others. It's a question of identity.
An identity is defined as a set of qualities, beliefs, personality traits, appearance or expressions that makes you unique. It distinguishes you from everyone else.
As Christian, your identity is in Christ and it shapes how you live in every area of your life.

The day you give your life is the day you start living with an amazing identity.

Abba's Jewel

Hey 👋 Champs!
It's a New Month.
Cheers 🥂 to a new beginning 🤗

Happy New Month 🎉

Happy Democracy Day Nigeria ✊

I saw your wife yesterday, Nnamdi. Our eyes locked as she strolled through the aisle I had just left, then her eyes were on the shelf, while mine remained on her. I couldn't bring myself to look away. I used to wonder how I'd behave when I met her. I used to think I'd walk up to her and spill your betrayal. Tell her what she's in for and give her a slice of my pain. But in that moment, all I could think of was the baby on her back. Her round innocent eyes and lips just like yours.

You have a daughter, Nnam. And I'm wondering how you feel about that.

How does it feel to know that someday she'll be in a relationship with a man. Does it scare you that she could meet a man like you? Do you have sleepless nights thinking of how to prevent her from being like me? Like the many girls you bragged to have"Used." Do you fear she'll be used too?

She's beautiful, Nnam. Just like her mother. I starred from mother to child, swinging between hurt and admiration.

I prayed for you, Nnam. I spent days on my knees, weeping and wailing and calling on all the forces of evil to locate you and your generation. It was on the eve of your wedding, the day I stumbled on a WhatsApp status and found out you were getting married..What a way to discover that the man I'd been dating for almost five years, the one who travelled to Akwa Ibom for a business meeting was getting married!

When I called, you didn't pick. You never called back. My calls stopped coming through and I figured you had blocked me.

At first I had questions... Why? What did I do wrong? How did I miss the signs? When did you meet her and at what point did your friends, the ones who call me "Our wife," the ones I saw in your wedding pictures, at what point did they know I'd never be your wife?

The betrayal ran on different levels.

I didn't imagine that I'd see your wife a year later and admire the fruit of that Union, that I'd take back my words and wish the best for that little human.

So Nnam, here's a word of advice for you; teach her to never be me. Show her how to escape falling prey to men like you. I blamed you for a while, and month after month, I began to see the part I played.

I dropped my guard. From the first kiss to the fifth abortion. I kept weakening my boundaries to accommodate you. Teach her to never lower her standards for a man.

I made excuses for you. The compromising pictures on your phone, the calls you didn't pick before me. The female colleagues who eyed me in disgust. Teach her to never ignore truth-pointing clues, no matter how much it contradicts her desire.

I overdid for you. The birthday parties I threw when you never bought me a gift on mine. The clothes I purchased. The monthly split of my income. The account of my spending I gave to you, when I didn't even know how much you earned or how it was spent. Teach her that love is not stupid.

I was stupid.

I was consumed by a need to be loved by you. I told stories to friends, stories of how much you loved and cared for me, and garnished them with acts of love from you, I only imagined. Teach her to love herself and be so content in God's love for her, she's not needy of love and vulnerable to being abused.

But I doubt you have the capacity to teach her about God's love. Because even though you're a Pastor's kid and a leader in Church, there was never a day where godliness slipped through you. From our first conversation to the last week together, we did things, said things that were so carnal, so unlike Christ..I think of it now and I'm wondering 'How did I get so far away from godliness?'

I wanted to end it severally. But you knew how to draw me in. You'd throw bones and promise flesh. You knew how to play me. How to manipulate my heart and stir me towards you. Teach her to hold the reins of her heart. To apply logic and wisdom in her relationships.

Oh, I had counsel. I doubted them. Distanced myself from friends who tried to talk sense into me. And stayed with the friends who missed the signs about you. And they were subtle most times. Those signs. You were so subtle. Teach her to be as wise as a serpent but harmless like a dove.

And if you don't teach her any of these.... teach her to never throw herself at a man. To be so rooted in her identity as God's beloved she's not vulnerable to heart manipulations and men who prey on love-starved girls.

And oh, also let her know that sometimes you can be grounded in your identity, apply wisdom, love yourself and yet... Preying men will still try to get you.

Teach her to forgive herself if she ever makes my kind of mistake.

But Nnam, how did your heart get so evil?

💞

"And the Lord said unto Moses, fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst into Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon " numbers 21:34

The book of numbers chapter 21 narrates how the Israelites were attacked while on their journey to the promise land. Starting from king Arad down to king Sihon.

The enemies thought that, the Israelites were lost and vulnerable, hence they wanted to take advantage of their situation. What they did not know is that, the Israelites had a God who was their backing and he came through for them.

The devil in his craftiness always wait for times when we are most vulnerable before he strikes, but we have a God who fights our battle and gives us victory.

As you go this week, walk in the consciousness that God is with you and He is fighting your battle. Don't be weight down by your circumstances, God is saying, "Fear not" for victory is ours.

Victory 💪 is guaranteed unto us in this week. Amen🙏

The bible is a complete book. It speaks to every aspect of life... spiritual, emotional, relationship, finance....all aspects 👌.

I'm always amazed whenever I notice a new detail in a Bible story I've read over and again. Especially when that detail should have been immediately obvious at first reading.

Like.. how did I miss this???

Recall how it was just in 2020 something I noticed that Jacob married Rachael seven DAYS after marrying Leah, not seven years. He later had to work for free for seven years to pay her dowry, but she was already given to him.

Today it's another story. Another key detail.

And oh! This one is so inspiring! And beyond the lessons I've gleaned from this story, I'm sure there's more to see, to know, to learn and to apply.

So...

It's about Moses and his successor, Joshua.

We all know the story of the twelve spies Moses sent to check out the land from within, and give insights on their strongholds and details about this enemy they were to attack and take their land.

Moses had picked twelve men from each tribe to ensure all tribes were represented equally. We know Joshua and Caleb were the only two among the twelve that said 'We can go! We can do this! We can conquer them!'

Others came with discouraging news and scary comparisons. It was the words of the ten spies that made the Israelites cry and seek to turn back.. and the whole drama that ensued after.

You know the story. In the end, the ten spies put a halt, a draw back to the plan to move forward.

Usually, when I read this story, my focus is always on this one event. I've milked lessons from it, lessons in faith and imagination and how words work. Etc.

What I've failed to see up until now is the connection between this event and what happened when Joshua took over as the leader of the camp.

So..

Joshua takes over after Moses disappears on the mountain, and once again after His encounter with God where God tells him to be strong and of good courage, to not fear that as He was with Moses, so He'll be with him, the plan to advance resumes.

Once again, as a good battle strategy, Joshua has to send spies into the land.

Guess what our guy does?

He kicks tradition aside. He kicks fear of misrepresentation aside. He doesn't care which tribe will scream 'You didn't pick a man from our village!'

Joshua learns from what happened to Moses and this time, he sends just two spies into Jericho.

We know the story of these two spies, how Rahab, the pr******te, who hid them. The Scarlet thread that saved their family and how the walls of Jericho fell but she was saved because she helped the two spies Joshua sent.

But it's the connection between Moses' method and Joshua's method that I missed.

Moses pleased the people and avoided rumours.
Joshua was after effective results, and not whose feelings would be hurt.

Joshua had an advantage, he could learn from his predecessor's mistake. Moses didn't have that.

I like that this was recorded. That there's an example in scripture on effective leadership. On how important it is to go for the best decision and not be swayed by human feelings and opinions.

The Bible is indeed, a complete book.

And I love how there's always something new to see even in familiar passages.

💞