The Master’s Plan

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I chose this place
Did I?
I have walked through paths that seemed right just like babies love to touch fire because it is bright
I have eaten seeds to be sown and formed walls in places deemed for bridges

I made mistakes too numerous to count with my eyes open
So, why the applause now my eyes are closed?
Now that I stretch my hands and I am led without objections
Now that I only do what I have been told
Now that my feelings die daily
Now that I am only pliable to Another’s choice

Why the applause for the place kept for me?
For the destination I did not pick?
For the tracks made ahead for me?

Why the applause for entering a door to external bliss?
A place of pure beauty, led by the hand of my Master?

Why the applause for a choice I couldn’t afford ?
For a place beyond my budget
For a place above my life’s grade
Tell me it is a surprise
Not that I chose this place.

Hannah DGinus
©2024

As bold as a lion

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Me: But we’re meant to be sheep, meek, lowly, tamed, unconfrontational, peace-loving – quiet. How do you juxtapose that with “as bold as a lion”?

Him: I am The Lion and the Lamb

Me: Lord, that’s you, I could never be you.

Him: I have called you to be like me. You are part of me.

Me: But I can’t Lord, I can’t be bold, I am frail and weak, I show no strength. I’m easily tossed about. I’m constantly seeking the peace and the quiet but everything’s loud, sl loud.

Him: In this world, you will have trouble but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

Me: The world you sent me to is sucking the life out of me.

Him: I am the Way, truth and life

Me: It is flooding my heart and my mind with irrepressible thoughts of inadequateness, incompleteness, emptiness, and frailty.

Him: I am your joy and your strength.

Me: Then why can’t I fight back? Why do I always have to suppress those thoughts, hoping they can go away, but you know they never do? Why do I just cry and cry and hope no one sees me crying and then I cry some more? Why does it feel like I’m failing you? You’ve put so many things in my hands, and I can’t juggle them to perfection, and it crushes me to think that I’m a failure in your sight. I want to run away from everything, I don’t want any of it anymore.

Him: Be still and know that I am God. I’ve been through everything you’ve been through and more, and that’s how I know you can be as bold as a lion.

Me: How?

Him: Because I haven’t given you a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.

Me: I don’t feel like that.

Him: Walk by faith, not by sight.

Me: But I’m failing you!

Him: Did you ever hear me say that?

Me: Nope.

Him: So why do you think that?

Me: Because I haven’t met my goals for the year.

Him: Who set those goals?

Me: I did. I needed to. Otherwise, I’d be lazy and complacent.

Him: Then you should have asked me for strength and grace when you needed it. You should have committed your ways to me, and I would have ordered your steps. You shouldn’t have looked away from me and focused on yourself. You are frail, but I am your strength. You can’t accomplish anything outside of me, and guess what? I never leave you. I’m right here. Always here.

Me: Lord…

Him: When I say that you are as bold as a lion, I mean that because I am with you, you are as bold as a lion. I am the lion and the lamb, I strengthen you and keep you humble. You just have to trust me.

Me: 😭😭😭😭 I still have those thoughts, I can’t seem to stop them.

Him: Sing a new song to me. Take a walk through my words. Talk with my Spirit. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. My yoke is not heavy. It’s light. So, don’t take on what I didn’t give to you. Bask in my presence, take in deep breaths, and take a slice of heaven wherever you go. Only when you do this will boldness, joy, and strength always be with you.

 IfiokAbasi Okop
©2024

Yahweh my Confidence

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I can’t see the future on purpose. I can speculate, calculate and expect. But to know what is coming and harmlessly coordinate it…is beyond magic.

And magic is beyond mathematics.

And correct mathematics is beyond experience.

God, as a person, has his own plans. A lot of times, when I talk to him, I forget all he has to plan for. This happens because his presence is so powerful. It comforts you and you forget some far away realities.

But Yahweh is capable. He is supreme. The way people underestimate him, it is scary. He keeps up with all this…and his will is done.

People find their own pockets of reality to suffer in.

Little God-action-figures acting out their own script, till it is read before the Lord of the Angel Armies.

They can’t see the future either. Their confidence is on their “chariots”. Their lot is none of my concern, for history tells enough stories for my education.

As for me…

Sacred cows wanna call me MooMoo
God at work, he’s at work in You too
Some of his servants no dey gree pass am
But I no para, only one Master

I’m aiming for excellence
He gave that Spirit sense
The proud are very dense
But trust him, he talks to them
I’m hanging on what he says
Yahweh my confidence

Ou Ou, Ou Ou
Yahweh my confidence
Ou Ou, Ou Ou
Yahweh my confidence
Ou Ou, Ou Ou
Yahweh my confidence
Ou Ou, Ou Ou
Yahweh my confidence

Finally carnally kicking the buck
Learning these languages, growing my talk
Growing like mango, yeah man go adapt
Orange or range is the size of attack
Pear but my peers all got married or snatched
Yah was my plan, backup folder was cached

I’m listening more
and I get it now
There are a few screens
and a war about
Discipline fighting saves you from the double life
Fight as you want, divides divide and such is life
Some know only greener pasts just hunting greener pastures
Yahweh’s my confidence, tell me about yours

Ou Ou, Ou Ou
Yahweh my confidence
Ou Ou, Ou Ou
Yahweh my confidence
Ou Ou, Ou Ou
Yahweh my confidence
Ou Ou, Ou Ou
Yahweh my confidence

Godzniel
©2024

To the things we hope

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For better things to come
Knowing that my suffering is less long
Knowing that this process produces strength
I’ll stay put

For stories of bravery worth telling
For twists and turns worth writing
For divine savings worth sharing
I’ll stay put

For finding destinations on unmarked paths
For making Uturns to the right path
For being a fool for Christ
I’ll stay put

Hannah DGinus
©2024

Travel light

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Are you a baby?
Rise up like a warrior!
Why do you allow that weight weigh you down?
Don’t you know you are to travel Light?
You are not a weight lifter!
Even babies know the sound of my voice
Don’t be dull of hearing
Rise up like a warrior
Start travelling light
Yes, you!

Hannah DGinus
©2024

Faith

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Faith, as the most popular girl on the block, is out of my league but it is still nice and harmless to wish she was mine- A little day dreaming and wishful thinking to color my otherwise bleak life. The men that have her attention are accomplished sensational men whose accolades glitter and are gold, but none have been able to tame her and make her theirs solely. She chooses which is worthy of her company at the call of red carpets and on days she hosts, men and women of valor grace her event.

My colleagues in the media have the most scandalous scoops on her, yet people that have had personal encounters with her attest to her generosity and ingenuity. The day I almost have a heart attack is the day she looks into my eyes and smiles while I am clicking away for the local Prayer Channel. I freeze and manage to look around to be sure I am the object of her gaze. Her wink and laugh pinches my wildest dream into reality. Awkwardly and frank stupidly, I start making fun faces at her. Anything to keep her laughing. If I died now, my life purpose would be accomplished.

But Oliver wants some more so I seek her. I am always there; frontline of every show and event. I start getting waves, then even kisses in the air. My colleagues are fast to pick up on our nonverbal rapport and soon I am a TV sensation- hope for the ordinary lads.
Headlines read: ‘Can anything good come out of Prayer channel?’
‘Who is this uncircumcised Oliver’?
In my defense, I am circumcised, but trust the media to twist the truth.
Even dogs eat crumps that fall from their master’s table.

I am not deterred. A relationship with Faith is my life’s goal. That may be asking for too much. We can start with friendship but how do I get to sit with her? All I have are teases and dreams of what could be; what I want. All my attempts to get closer to her prove elusive. Some days she walks past me without so much as a glance and I wonder if I imagined our whole comradery; a complex relationship I hope she is aware of. I get favors in her name, but I also get pointing fingers that suggest I am a ‘wanna be’. I devout my entire life to seeking her. I only hope that one day, she would want a stable committed relationship with me. Then some more- a joining in holy matrimony

ChyD
©2024

Riches of Grace

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East to the West
Only Sons rest
Rich still stress
Know which Yes
About God’s peace,
I chose this place
Money is just grease
We build up grace

Storms and fire, voices churning lava
Where’s the point when points are pointing at ya
Darkness whispers, Love and Bitters, gulp!
Fingers lacing, sync the guillotine
Close my eyes and pray instead of gulp
Grateful being a great fool for the King

Phiofetsu blood
Wine baths and Word
God reigns above
He looked down with love
And I heard his words
“Prince among of my swords,
This heart of yours
Is my abode
I chose you long
Long long ago.
Sit, arched in joy,
As the rains deploy”

…as the rain deploy.

Godzniel
©2024

The Fathers Pride

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When your falls end up on the trampoline
When you are celebrated like a muddy kid
When you have a trash can to let out how you feel
When you have a diary to express your promises, your vows on impulse
When you make deals with dirty hands and bounce out because you have backup
When you talk rashly and he saves you from the consequences
When you had to say you are saved because your looks do not say so
When your uniform is all flesh and no authority
All bark and no bite
Harmless as a dove but not wise
Gentle as a dove but not bold
Too many call him Saviour
Yet not willing to join his league
Save others with your skin
Be the servant that wears the crown

If only you make him Lord so he can wear you as glove
He saved you but he cannot make the most out of you

Tell me, whose father will be happy
The one who sees a son take his car keys and drive mommy to pick the groceries
Or the one whose grown up son still begs to be taken to the candy shop

Not through the corners anymore
It is you I speak of!
You who has refused to let him make you his kind
You who has refused to do his bidding, close his deals, take his ideas into reality
Yes, you who has refused to use the gifts embedded in you
To double it
To perfect it by the reason of use

Is it too much to ask?
To live a life of the One who died in your stead?
Had to come back to life so Guilt will not become your friend
Had to stay back so that you will not lose track
Too many call him Saviour
Very few know what it means for him to be Lord
I hope you are the few.
I have said enough.

Hannah DGinus
©2024