Mary’s Cross

February 7, 2021Leave a comment

Scandal has tingled the villagers’ ears
And engendered the gossip mother fears.
I find her, alone, dissolved in tears
From what she’s heard in the marketplace.

When I go for water, my ears start burning,
As I shop for fish, my feet start turning
To run, but I’m gradually learning
That their hisses can’t rob me of God’s grace.

They tell my father it’s a shame.
They tell my mother she’s to blame.
They whisper to others that I’m a stain
On the high reputation of this godly place.

A swollen belly can’t be hid
Nor the depths of disgrace into which I’ve slid.
Next, my marriage vows they’ll try to forbid
And work to see me exiled from this place.

In the angel’s words it was God I heard
He’s wiser than the scoldings of this world.
I’m told if I faithfully follow His word
I’ll hold the Creator of all time and space
In my arms.

Pamela Urfer
© 2021

BOOK REVIEW: PICTURE PERFECT – An Artwork of Grace

December 11, 2020December 11, 2020Leave a comment

Author: Ijeoma Obi
Pages: 69
Reviewer: Favour Omeje, Ajegbomogun Olufunke

Have you ever had one of such days when it seems the entire universe was working against you, when the weight of challenges come crumbling down so heavily on you that you ask yourself this question inwardly “Why me?” well I have and I have no doubt you have too. On such days, when the journey of our lives gets so tough, we often wonder if God has abandoned us.

A few months ago, I publicly stripped myself of all items of clothing for the first time and went about in the glory of my plain nakedness. Guess what happened to me next; The author, Ijeoma Obi contacted me! She offered me a read of what she called her vulnerable book.

How does the tough get going when the going gets tough? The author in this book, illuminates us on this by sharing her life experience to help us understand how to view such moments of our lives that we are not so proud of as Christians. She gives us a new perspective to how failures, limitations, challenges help shape our purpose. From her story, we also see the indispensable role that grace plays in helping us become who God has created us to be. This book gives us an explanation for all the big stories of transformation chronicled in the scriptures: GRACE.

Have you experienced some failures that has cast so much gloom on your perception of the goodness of God? What limitations do you perceive you have that may hinder God’s promises you to have received via his word? This book gives us a new perspective of our failures and disappointments helping us shift our gaze away from ourselves to God.

Do your care too much? Or do you want to be happy? Then I think you might want to join the bandwagon of people who know how to be naked and unashamed; tell your story just the way it is. Ijeoma Obi says “when we don’t tell our story completely; the good, the bad, or even the ugly, we deny all that grace has accomplished in our lives”.

She offers in her debut the need to be grateful to God while we embrace our vulnerabilities and human limitations. ‘Vulnerable’ is the new confident, I must say. Shameless nakedness is picture perfect. Go for it!

I recommend it to everyone who is tired of depending on his human abilities and needs something more divine. The length of the book allows for a quick read.

You can download a free copy of Picture Perfect here.

The Mortal Man’s Dialogue

October 30, 2020November 4, 2020Leave a comment

Leaving behind all I’ve labored for under the sun
This body of mine has been subjected to much pain and torture
Would it be ready to leave this earth during the rapture?
Or just someday in the future?

Would I be on His right side or the other side?
Would it be a day of joy or tragedy?
That day, I would have to give an account of all my activities
All that would matter would be judgement Cause all of my possessions would matter no longer

Then the mortal me will become immortal
And the imperfect me would have a chance to become perfect
But if I be judged by what I deserve
Then there wouldn’t be need for judgement cause my heart’s already filled with guilt

But by virtue of His grace
I’ll strive for the good confession while on earth
Cause by it my sins are cleared without a trace
Boldly I can now come to His throne of grace
And I will keep sharing my salvation story
That though I had fallen short of His glory
Christ in me will forever be my hope of glory.

Victor Clement
© 2020

And Grace Found Me

October 28, 2020October 28, 2020Leave a comment

And grace found me at the foot of the steps where I stumbled
He led me into a reverie of affections
And taught me how to make love with my emotions

And Grace found me picking doubt from my rag toothed skeleton
He asked me how I’d survived without the love of Christ
In the oxygen depleted pond of atheism

And Grace found me remunerating inside the tunnel of avarice
For the love of money is the stem that upholds deception
Broken dry Reed called Egypt that can’t be any souls trust

And Grace found me lingering about the field of blood
Waiting to retrieve the thirty pieces of silver
Instead of shouting maranatha with the 120 in the upper room

And Grace found me in the valley of mundane things
Brazilian hair, iPhone 6x, faultless make up, designer dresses
And all those cravings that sounds strange to Holy Mary

And Grace found me yet he wasn’t judgmental
He asked me why I was still babbling in unknown tongues
Instead of fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit

And Grace found me with the gift of a clean shave
Got rid of my eagle-feathered hair and bird claw nails
It’s been seven millennia wandering in the field of unbelief
I’d never imagined going through such quick transformation
Like Joseph’s speedy status change
Until I was discovered by Grace

Rebekah E.
© 2020

Here And Now

October 8, 2020October 12, 2020Leave a comment

Here and Now
Here and now,
I stand tall with my head high
I’m no longer a slave to fear
I am a child of God
Here and now, I live in freedom for I no longer hide behind a mask
Grace has exposed my flaws and inadequacies
But He has given me a face to shine
Here and now, I have chosen grace over everything else
And the Holy Spirit empowers me
To live daily, my best life.

Ijeoma Obi
© 2020

Hope

September 7, 2020September 7, 2020Leave a comment

Look through the pixel of faith
Cos light travels in this path
Live on and labour through
Make pictures amidst tears
Of unforgotten struggle and be happy
Dream amidst fears

Draw near the place where once you were redeemed
Relent not on the seasons that go by
Not on morning, noon and night
But give thanks always
For everything works together for good

Hold Love’s hand and don’t be in haste
Walk with Grace and don’t make a waste
For work without hope
Draws effort into a sieve
And hope without work cannot live

But to assure you..
There is hope in the hopelessness
Of HOPE – Hold Onto Purpose Eternally
That after To-day
There will always be a day..

Hello Fear

July 26, 2020July 26, 20201 Comment

Hello Fear!
Dear dear! I know you well.
I saw through your charade especially the times you sounded like you cared.
Yet I gave you room in my mind.
Grace found me and faith came with him so there’s no more space for you.
You were never really my friend, for you held me back from being the best version of me.
You clouded my dreams and blurred my visions.
You made clever speeches about how you’re shielding me from disappointment and hurt.
Your truth is all a sham!
I’m free from your grip now and I know you, you’ll never give up.
But I also know your voice too well to open up again and let you in.
Take your walk of shame with every sense of pride you’ve got,
IT’S OVER!

Parent Thing

June 30, 2020June 27, 2020Leave a comment

Hail Mary, full of Grace…

Tell mothers their children are gifts with gifts in them. Not slaves who who will give birth to more slaves.

The Lord is with you, blessed art thee…

Tell fathers the world is changing, toxic masculinity is not therapy for the trauma.

Amongst women, and blessed is the fruit…

Tell children; your parents are gods. Adore and revere them. But never be afraid to tell them how you feel or pursue your dream. Deal with your trauma before bringing another kid into this world. Honour and respect all humans equally, God is the greatest, and madu abuho chukwu.

Of your womb…

Parenting is a partnership between parents and their kids. And like all partnerships, as long as the other partner is rational enough to think, their opinion on matters that concern them should be considered, too. You can be a good man, a good woman, but if your kids are not doing well, you will be tagged a bad parent. What does it tell you? The child holds a stake in this parenting business. Consider, build and uplift them. Not entirely in the conventional way, but in the way that is convenient for you and them.

now and at the hour of our death, amen