The Lover’s Recipe

While everyone around the world was basking in the euphoria of the acclaimed love day (Valentine’s Day), Penspeak Community UNIZIK got busy with their pens and spent the day reliving the nostalgia of God’s love.

The floor was thrown up and Delight blew us away with this piece;

 WHOSE ORDERS?

That a tiny acorn will make a mighty forest 
Wasn’t the loamy soil’s words to utter.
Dear child…I speak in voices as ancient as before.
I gave you gifts not like anyone else’s 
But you chose to be photographed through distorted lenses.
You followed rules written by hands you will never shake
Then ending at crossroads, you asked me “Lord what’s your take?
Those rules were written by hand…
Funny how you are ignorant to the power embedded in yours
You obeyed the “rites” discarding the “rights”
What a perfect mismatch you are!!
You were told to silence your own voice for the sake of the loud…
The loud voice said “conform” but in your heart you felt torn.
Torn between the needs of your soul and the rule you have been sold.
Is it freedom you seek or a cage in gold?
Bound by lines drawn by a mentally distorted ruler’s ruler
They said “follow” and you never asked why
You were wheedled to be fine with “just fine”.
They raised you to be small but your heart beats loud…louder than their expectations.
Dear child…if you would… listen.
The elders might call this rebellion 
But I call it my divine intention 
Your dreams and desires are my design
Your handwritten lifeline, mine to sign
Your steps are earthquakes in their shallow puddles
You are to build bridges where they said walls stood
You are not a footnote in their stories.
You are the headline yet they don’t want to see your headlines.
Prior to forming you, I knew thee.
I know your deepest sleep even your purest glee 
So, whose orders if not mine?

Mc Wisdom came in right after and dropped this;

GOOD FOOD

Just can’t wait until it gets to the plate
Aromas that dance, through a culinary state
Tenderly cooked, with love and with care
Each bite a story, beyond compare

The cutting, slicing, sizzling, crackling, mixing,
 a continuous process that lives you wanting and yawning 

Oh, the joy of good food, that brings us together
A universal love language,
The norming around the dinner table 
The joy and laughter that’s uncontrollable, that transcends this weather, and leaves you warm.

A taste of nostalgia, a hint of home.
Good food that nourishes the body and soul,
Makes you forget your problem for a moment, leaving you whole.

So, here’s to the chefs, the cooks, and the bakers
The farmers, the fishermen, and the food makers
My mom, dad, siblings, friends, family 
Thank you for the feast, for the flavours and the fun
Good food that brings us to the table, as one.

With the floor and curtains intact, Delight waltz in with so much inspiration and gave us;

HOSEA 2🥰

I was once yours, you were once mine.
But in the shadows, you slipped away,  
Chasing after lovers who didn’t care,  
Trading true love for a false comfort,  
An affair with idols, a broken vow in the temple of desire.  
You left me but every step you took, I felt it,  
Every kiss you gave, I tasted it.  
Your heart wandered, but mine stayed rooted,  
Waiting, holding on,  
Gripping the promise of what was.

But love is not blind– it sees the truth,  
And the truth cuts deep.
So, hear me now:  

I will no longer cover your shame,  
I will no longer veil your mistakes, for you’ve turned your back, 
And I must speak of the consequences.  
The gates will close, the blessings will fade,  
Your fields will wither, and your heart will ache,  
As the world you built crumbles beneath your feet.  
But in this silence, in this solitude,  
You’ll hear my voice again and I won’t leave you there,  

For even in the wilderness,  
I am here, I will allure you,  
I will call your name and I will take you back,  
Not as a servant, but as my bride.  
I’ll speak comfort to your broken heart,  
Restore the years you’ve lost to wandering,  
Your valley of despair will become a place of hope,  
Your shame will be washed clean,  
And the shame you once wore,  
Will be replaced with a crown of righteousness.  
I will lead you to a new covenant, A promise of peace,  
Where love reigns.
Where mercy is poured like rain on dry ground,  
Where my faithfulness holds you close. I will be your God,  
And you will be my people,  
And together, we’ll make all things new.  
The name you once wore,  
The name of betrayal,
Will be changed.  
You will be called “My Delight,”  
And I will call you “My Beloved.”  

Forever,  
And nothing will ever tear us apart again.

What a love! What a God! See you next month for another freestyle!

Authors
MC WISDOM
DELIGHT SHEKELS

New year new faith

Penspeak Communities across Nigeria have recently taken up Freestyle Fridays hosted by The Godzniel. This is a collection of poems from Penspeak Community UNIZIK freestyles in January 2025.

Our very own MC Wisdom set the Christendom ball rolling,

Ladies and gentlemen,
Listen up, I’ve got a message for the masses
To the ones who think they can hold me back, I’ve got a few words to amass

This is not another new year, new me
And to everything and everyone who dissed me
This year you better receive sense, so free me

I’ll rise above the noise, I’ll shine like the morning sun
On every stage, I will stand my ground, call me the chosen one

So, to whom it may concern, listen up and take heed
I’m the MC WISDOM not to be reckoned with, my voice is a thunder that comes with a lightning decree

I’ll speak my truth, I’ll stand my ground
I’ll be the change, I’ll turn things around

So, watch me rise, watch me soar
I’m untamed and unstoppable, so sit back and watch out for more “MC WISDOM”

Just as we were still in awe of this grace, Delight came and gave us;

SCREENSHOT OF FAITH

In a world that judges by value and birth,
To us…the dreamers and the doers,
What shall we say to these things?
In a world of scrolling, tapping and clicking,
Where moments pass like a flash, never quite stopping.
There is one thing we capture, though abstract even to the believer.

You know,
The Youth today are chasing dreams
Like flashes on a screen…
Flickering fast, chasing fast, but what does this mean?
One wrong step, one wrong foot…
And you are back to square one questioning your truth.
Faith, they say, is the light at the end of the tunnel.
But what if the tunnel’s a mirror, a reflection of your struggles?
Like a dog chasing its tail, we run around in circles,
Dreams dangle like carrots, but we can’t even find the hurdles.
Irony lives here, right here in our struggle to rise,
The higher we reach, the higher the price we pay.

We keep chasing this lady ‘success’ just as she waltzes away,
More like the sun which rises but still sets at the end of the day…
We live in a world where everything is loud,
Where the pressure to rise feels like breaking the crowd!
We post, we hustle, we strive for the spotlight,
Trying to make a name in a world full of wrongful rights.
We keep chasing followers, likes and applause,
But the real faith is not about these shallow laws.

A screenshot of Faith is the courage to start.
It’s trusting yourself when the world says ‘wait’ …
It’s finding your power even when the world system says it’s too late.
It’s not about the speed or how fast you fly
It is just the courage to leap even when you can’t touch the sky!
It will tell you to walk, and then vanish from your sight
Leaving you wondering, “Am I wrong or right?”
So trust me when I say this one can’t be saved to your gallery… it’s not a picture, it’s more than a name.
It is the belief that in time we all shall find our flame.

We wrap up our freestyles here. It’s always an honor to be part of this. See you next month.

Authors
MC WISDOM
DELIGHT SHEKELS

TEMPLE RUN


This week’s Freestyle Friday carried its own divine flair. The host introduced four remarkable topics, and what followed was a beautiful journey of creativity. Let’s get started.

TOPICS:
1. SAFETY
2. BONDAGE
3. TEMPLE RUN
4. SPIRITUAL PARALLAX
DATE: 29TH NOVEMBER, 2024
HOST: GODZNIEL

Godswill Ezeonyeka set the tone perfectly with this thought provoking piece :
Are we safe when they are no more threats in the room?
Are we safe when our minds finally chooses silence?

Are we safe when our sacrifices bear forth worthy fruit?
Are we safe when our lover loves our very essence?

Are we safe when we know every detail time is yet to produce?
Are we safe when we never forget any breathe we’ve spent?

And after that, the ever-graceful Hannah D’Ginus gave us this:
We say we are running the temple smoothly, but we are in prostitution
We claim to love the body, but we bow to other idols along with him
Salty-Fresh water
We claim we have heard of this
Selah

We say we are running this temple, but why does our shadow chase us?
If God is our Father, why do we behave like orphans?
Why can’t His reflection engulf us?

We claim we are always in zion, but why does our strength fail us?
Why do we insist on sewing fig leaves?
Why does fear haunt us?

We can not claim to run this temple when eyes don’t meet, hatred breeds, bitterness lingers while we smile with our open teeth,

The next time you claim you are part of this temple
Do a routine check if you are part of the assembly running it or if it’s just another temple run episode.
Selah

Godswill Ezeonyeka stepped in once more with this:
We can not claim to run this temple when eyes don’t meet, hatred breeds, bitterness lingers while we smile with our open teeth,

I want to hear this delivered like “boom boom boom” (if you know you know)

Then came this masterpiece by Damaris:
Chains have gotten fancy.
Fetters laced with gold
Handcuffs that bling

Chains have become a fashion statement
When we wear sin proudly on our necks
And bind them boldly over our hearts

Everyone is doing it
And so we kiss freedom goodbye
And exchange peace for pain
Addicted to our captor
Brainwashed to believe Stockholm syndrome is true love

But today our eyes are opened
Our chains are broken
Our freedom has truly begun and the bondage is over

GodzNiel stepped in with this gem:
Spiritual Parallax

I heard someone say, “Context is King.”
I raise you a jot of prophecy
Jesus rules all day and week
Strength to those who know they are weak
Fixed my eyes, didn’t need your Brille
I can’t fake how He keeps it real
Flesh of Christ overcame the Grill
I got the Christ-end of the deal

Yah

Mmmm – She said, you were never righteous
I said, Let The Lord touch us
Lose myself to what he taught us
Shadows never really light us – but Christ does
Its your choice – Best or worst
Can’t teach life to any dead ones
They keep saying we are brainwashed
Dodging anything that God loves
Finding newer ways to get lost
Prophets many, but he died once
Martyrs marketing without pause

And he said, I just don’t see it like that;
Science and Culture thrive on facts.
So I said, that’s spiritual parallax,
Trusting in things that changed in the past.
Row, Row, Row, roam the earth and its stats
You’ll see, the Word of God is still exact
So it’s either you live or leave like that
Is your story one of faith or fact?

With this divine words by GodzNiel, Freestyle Friday was concluded beautifully :
Temple Run

Temple, run
Run away to God’s hand
Build upon the Lord’s land
Yes his plan is more grand
He protects the unmanned
Block the bricks of sin’s clay
Win though windows sync lairs
Lairs of serpents, seen clear
God is how the scenes clear

Temple, run away from flooding your foundations
Except it’s with the Word – choose holy arbitration
Hearken – send the word across the sensations
Tell the heart to quarantine emotions
We only speak life, this is spirit medication
The boundaries join to spell dedication

Temple, run away from living off the flesh’ food
You might need to hear the Word of God just to do good
Keep a tight lip, don’t let trouble pair your Bluetooth
Good shoes – preach the Gospel in and out of issues

Temple
Run by the grace and mercy example
You won’t find Jacob with an angel but a limp will
Keep still
Chasing coin is never on a King’s will
Narrow is the way, be obedient and be nimble
Temple, sit and run in Christ or the people.

This has been an incredibly enriching experience. Thank you for always being a part of it. Till we meet again, stay blessed 🥂

Authors
Godswill Ezeonyeka
Hannah D’Ginus
Damaris
GodzNiel

He Beckons

Where are you man in grief,
In regret of past decisions or locked in brackets of unanswered questions?

Where are you man in lust,
In a pool of vain imagination or full of scorn from last night’s bile?

Where are you man in doubt,
Trapped in a cage of uncertainties or navigating the complexities of your path?

Where are you man in desperate mode,
Awake in your worries or embracing options that don’t serve you?

Where are you man in unbelief,
Crafting your ways or rejecting help from zion?

God’s hands are reaching out
Bekoning…

Accept His comfort through grief and unanswered questions.

He is reaching out, beckoning…
Accept his help to break free from that habit.

He is reaching out, beckoning…
Accept His wisdom to deal with the affairs of men.

He is reaching out, beckoning…
Accept His peace to calm the raging storm.

He is reaching out, beckoning…
Accept His son that you might have everlasting life.

Imani Dokubo
© 2023

Hope of Glory

Story says,
God is my shield-
and Shepherd.
  
Story says,
That the Holy Spirit in me,
Will never leave me.

Story says,
Follow the ancient path,
For it’s the road to the peak.

Story says,
Be not afraid,
For angels of Yahweh are with me .
Fighting for me.

Story says,
Christ is in me
The hope of glory.

Story says,
I am more than a conqueror ,
And nothing can separate me from the love of Christ.

Story says,
Tell my servant David,
That I will make him great and his name will spread abroad.

Story says,
I am  salt and light of the world
A city that can never be hidden

Story says,
I will bless you with wisdom,
With loyal counselors and warriors
And I have given you many lands.

Story says,
Always remember that the Spirit in you
dose not make you fear, but fills you with power, love and self-control.

Story warns,
Let not the law and the habit of studying the holy book depart from me.
Meditate on it day and Night.

Story says,
The word of God is my sword of the Spirit.
And my shield is faith in God.

Story says,
In the Name of Jesus Christ
I have been anointed with power and authority and dominion.

Ugwu David C
©2023

Turns



A lot is cast
Many a times, wisdom proclaims
Life na tumbo tumbo
one way or another
The wheel spins to everyone’s direction
One or two a time

The sages said
“A good turn deserves another”
The owner of ages said
“Do good, even unto your enemies”
One way or another
The wheels spins to everyone’s direction
One or two a time

Games we played
Children in the streets
Home wasn’t far away
And the lessons out there
Didn’t make us fall short
We learnt to understand
The lot will one way or another
Fall on every player
The mix of pride and grief
When the wheel spins to one’s direction

One is the victor
Another the victim
Negotiating the future
To taste the sweetness of revenge
Or the pride of forgiveness
For when the lot is in favour
But before then, don’t tempt the gods
Your fears will betray you
And when the wheels spins
To one or two a time
Be sure to have The Lord as your lot


Pearlythoughtz
© 2022

Book Review: The Shepherd, The Overseer, and The Soul

Author: Funmi Adebayo
Pages: 150
Publisher: The Christ A Poet Concepts, Nigeria.
Reviewer: Adeleye Olaoye, Ubamara Ezenobi, Zoe Ziva, Ebubechi, Clement Victor

Funmi Adebayo, the author of this book, gives us this gem of a book through the light of the Spirit of God penetrating into 1 Peter 2:25 and Ezekiel 18:4. The Shepherd, Overseer and the Soul is a book aimed at building foundational knowledge on the role that the soul of a man plays in the life of a believer. The Author has broken this book down into 7 Chapters to help relate his message.

The author started by making clear that the human soul is eternal. It cannot be dissolved by death, unlike the human physical body. The soul is the representation of a man in the spirit realm. Therefore, what becomes of the soul of man is the reality of that man

He then further compared the mind as a signal analyzer. An example of a signal analyzer is an Oscilloscope,  it’s a device that analyzes signals of different forms and has a wide application in different fields and professions today. From the author’s analysis, the mind acts as the signal analyzer while the heart takes the final decision.

If man wasn’t already dead spiritually then God wouldn’t have bothered about giving him a new spirit and a new heart.

Funmi presents a compelling argument by clearly stating that it is not enough to just claim you believe in Jesus Christ. You must also prove that by obediently following Him. If you truly believe in Him, you will hear Him and do His sayings. God’s desire for His children to be tamable and coachable just like the sheep because hardly deviate from the path channeled by the shepherd and are much sensitive of intruders or strangers.

We are not of the world. Yet at the same, that does not mean we are not meant to be in charge. This is quite a salient point made in the book reminding us that we are the light of the world and while we remain here we are to be in charge by and for our Lord Jesus Christ and make known the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers among the celestial ones.

Talking about God as Shepherd, Funmi posits that God is completely charismatic in his leadership; strong communicator, empathetic and relatable, confident, motivational. This in return gives us joy, loveliness and makes resources available. His final words were “As we have returned to the Shepherd of our soul, let us trust Him for the best in life. Remember He is the good Shepherd, Who gave His life, His soul, for us His sheep. (John 10:11.)”

SPIRIT SCHOOL

Swallow your pride, tonight, and come to the spirit school
There is a spirit in man, God’s breath gives it understanding
Mortal man, do not drown in ignorance, do not be a fool
If your intellect is tested by fire, can it remain standing?

Swallow your pride, come to the spirit school, tonight
Break free from the shackles of conformity to deception
Do not resuscitate the days of babel, and forsake the light
For the spirit of wisdom already forsook them at its conception.

Swallow your pride, come to the school of the spirit
Abandon to the whirlwinds your theories of existentialism
Let Yahweh give your foolishness a limit
Exfoliate the banality of all this your redundant idealism.

Swallow your pride, tonight, and come to the spirit school
Shed the tattered garment of human knowledge you cherish
Let the Holy Spirit; God’s Sceptre, make you a new tool
To save your brotherhood of brethren, before they perish.

– El Ebovel
(c) 2021