Equipping young women professionals with young families to find fulfillment, contentment and joy as mothers and home makers without losing sight of who they are as women.

Volume 13, Issue 27: God-Incidences

I have found that there are no coincidences for me, only God incidences. How do you explain going out in search of something, only for it to be revealed to you after you have given up on the search?

There's an item I had researched for weeks and set out to purchase through a local importer after having failed to find it locally online. When I was finally ready to do the transaction, I felt an urge to first visit the two locations I imagined I could find the item at. I wanted to make sure that I had confirmed the unavailability of the item locally before proceeding with importing.

After searching for awhile last Saturday morning, I was ready to go back home. I was tired, my feet were starting to get sore, but I got the nudge to walk past where I had packed my car to one last shop at a mall I usually frequent when in that location. I scanned through the items on display at the shop and didn't see the item. I decided to look for other things there, and it didn't cross my mind to ask the shop keeper if she had the item.

As I was almost ready to leave, a shopper came in, and standing behind me, he asked if the shop keeper had the item I was looking for, showing the image from him phone. I turned and took a quick glance and my delight took over when I heard the shop keeper say she had the item, only 10 pieces left from a stock of 400! The shopper wanted 3 and I wanted 6 pieces. And hearing the price, I took a seat and relaxed, grateful that I had not only found what I had gone there for, I was going to spend half the amount I would spend importing the item!

You might say that was a coincidence. I disagree. I could have sent the importer the funds for the purchase the day before. Or, I could have gone straight to my car after searching all over the place in vain. Or, I could have gone to that shop at a time when the shopper had come and gone, or left the shop before the shopper arrived. Or, I could have found the units depleted.

That was not a coincidence. It was God-incidence. I believe that God ordered my steps from the very beginning when I hesitated to send the funds to the importer, even long before that. To the point of my walking past my car tired, to that mall and shop. To the point of the shopper showing up while I was there, asking for the item in my hearing. To the number of units left being more than enough for both the shopper and I at that time. That was not chance. That was the handiwork of God.

Have you missed God-incidences that happen in your life by labeling them coincidences?

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 13, Issue 26: Necessary Arrangements

When we pour out our hearts to God in accordance to his will, he makes the necessary arrangements to engineer answers to our requests. God makes arrangements to make a way for us. To give us a good outcome.

When we reach out to him to act on our behalf, God begins to make the necessary arrangements to bring to pass our requests. In many instances, the things we want to happen or to turn out a certain way are out of our control. But nothing is out of God's control.

At the beginning of the first chapter of the book of 1st Samuel, Hannah was sad and dejected. The story changed when she pulled herself together and went to pray. Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried inconsolably, telling God exactly how she felt and what she wanted. Then she went away and ate heartily, her face radiant.

When Hannah's family returned home, the Bible records that Elkanah slept with his wife Hannah, and God began making the necessary arrangements in response to what she had asked. And before the year was out, Hannah had conceived and given birth to a son. How about that?

“Up before dawn, they worshiped God and returned home to Ramah. Elkanah slept with Hannah his wife, and God began making the necessary arrangements in response to what she had asked. Before the year was out, Hannah had conceived and given birth to a son. She named him Samuel, explaining, “I asked God for him.”” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭1:19-20‬ ‭MSG‬‬.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 13, Issue 25: Coach Yourself

What do you do when the atmosphere around you changes suddenly and without notice? What do you do when someone you were relating well with suddenly goes quite and withdrawn? Do you mimic them and go quiet too, or do you keep your lively disposition? What are the rules of the game in such situations?

I think having the capability to coach oneself is so important to remaining afoot when things change around you, sometimes with no direct contribution from yourself. Without self coaching, you can feel guilty about other people's change of disposition or insecurities and lose your joy.

With self coaching, you talk to yourself about the situation, ask yourself questions and consider the course of action to embrace. With self coaching, you are able to determine to maintain your energy when the energy around you drops. Self coaching enables you to fortify yourself against false guilt and joy stealers.

Learn how to coach yourself to be able to pick yourself up when you're down, as well as to keep yourself from being pulled down when the energy around you drops.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 13, Issue 24: Transitioning Well

Even with an ending of an era, things can be beautiful. Joy can still be found in a time of goodbyes, even in the face of uncertain tomorrows. God has a way of making all things beautiful.

A time comes when a term of service comes to an end, when your time in a particular place comes to an end. A time comes when we have to accept that what was will no longer be, and that something else, something new, something different will be taking the place of what was.

Transitions are inevitable at some points in life. It's often said that transitions are difficult. But I think that this is not necessarily true. Having a difficult transition is optional. You can choose to have an easy transition by preparing for it and having a good attitude about it.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 13, Issue 23: Change and Thrive

Have you ever been in a situation where you knew beyond a shadow of doubt that the other party in the situation with you was the one on the wrong? I have, and on many occasions.

Most of such situations lived out their lifespan without a change of heart from myself. Fortunately, I got enlightened in a recent situation where I was just as certain that it was the other party who needed to change. I realized that even if I strongly believed the other party was on the wrong, it was I who needed to change.

Could it be you who needs to change in that situation you're in?

A change of heart can make all the difference in a relationship. "What took me so long?" I wondered when it finally dawned on me that I held the key to freedom. I reckoned that I would rather have happy people in my corner than have my expectations met. I feel so much freer and lighter. Free to enjoy the people. Free to be fully myself around them, withholding nothing. Free to provide direction. It is wonderful!

Consider reflecting on this. You might just get to the other side thinking as I did. "That all along, it was me who needed to change yet I didn't even know it." And when you change, you will marvel at the outcome of what you think of the situation, and how you feel about it, and the person or people involved.

Some people may never change. Some situations may never change. But you and I can change how we frame the person or situation. You and I can change and thrive irrespective of whether the person or situation ever changes.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi