#SpreadTheGospel

Hi good people,

What’s going on with you?

A zit just showed up on my face unannounced.

I thought my skin and I had gotten to a good place but yesterday, I got an unexpected “guest”; more like an “intruder”, that is sitting bright and red on my right cheek.

On the positive note, my skin was on its best behavior during my birthday. Can I get an Amen? Yes I had makeup on that day, but there were no bumps on my face as you can see….

Speaking of my birthday, it was so dreamy!😍😍😍 Today is exactly one month since I turned a year older.

My people showed up and showed out! Mr. Nonchalant was the first one to wish me a happy birthday at the stroke of midnight and found a way to gift me all the way from the West Coast. OG flew in from Tanzania and made it raaainnn! Hallelujah!

My sister pulled a sweet surprise and brought my babies!!

Can you imagine they used to be this little?

I received such an outpouring of love and gifts. Friends came from far and wide; even my good friend Sandra showed up all the way from Uganda!

I reconnected with a good number of my friends from West Africa -Nigeria particularly- and the lovely Koki was around from America. It was a full blown reunion. The Lord gave me such a beautiful birthday bonanza!

I usually celebrate my birthday for a whole month so June is my birthday month. The first one to kickstart the celebrations this year was God Himself with a trip to Durban, South Africa! Albeit being winter there, I felt so good being in the country whose music and musicians I love. Speaking of South African worship(pers), I recently discovered Brilliant Baloyi. His single Ufanelwe, is currently playing in the background as I type this. I almost reached out to Dumi Mkokstad to say hi while I was in Durban; but for some reason, I did not.

I have been to South Africa about thrice before; but I would frequent Johannesburg and its environs; so this year was my first time in Durban.

On my way back, God further surprised me with an experience at the cockpit!!!

I was fast asleep in the plane when the air hostess woke me up and asked, “Are you Amanda?” puzzled and perplexed by the question, I nodded in response. She then told me that the captain was calling me to the cockpit.

Since the hostess had just woken me up from slumber; I was still comatose and in the process of fully waking up, so I was wondering whether I was dreaming. Before I could piece together what was happening, the air hostess gently unclasped my safety belt, helped me out of my seat and ushered me to the front-most part of the airplane; the cockpit. She then opened the door and behold….

All the screens, the different levers and other fancy buttons whose names I do not know, were right there before my eyes! My jaw dropped both literally and figuratively. A couple of months prior, I’d casually mentioned to my friend OG that I would love to have a first-hand cockpit experience.

Little did I know that two months later, God would answer me when I least expected it and further, during my special month!

Turns out that my high school friend from way back when, was the one flying the plane. He saw me boarding the aircraft and had asked the air hostess to call me to the cockpit right before descent. God works in His mysterious ways! I am not sure if excited and ecstatic are the right words to describe how I felt; but all my endorphins and feel-good hormones were on overdrive!

I am also thankful for my health; both mental and physical. During my birthday last year, I was mentally in the trenches and had lost a tremendous amount of weight in the first quarter of the year. I steered clear from taking pictures much during that time because I was looking almost skeletal. My Dad would make fun and say that I have “sinews only”. My mum went on full panic mode and would force me to eat; threatening to whoop my behind if I didn’t. I am happy to report that through my mama’s intensive feeding program; my once endangered behind is fuller now.

This year, I took a bold step and embarked on therapy under the guidance of Kami. That was quite a scary thing for me to do. For some reason, I felt so embarrassed that it had gotten to a point that I had to go for therapy; but we all need help at one point or another in our lives; don’t we?

Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NKJV

I reached out to my mentor too; and he was deeply empathetic. He helped me navigate my thoughts and encouraged me that he was on my side. Never have I felt so vulnerable.

I wanted to keep everything to myself but then again, I was reminded of this Swahili proverb that goes, “mficha uchi hazai“. The literal translation is that when a pregnant woman needs to give birth, she has to expose her private parts. I trust that you can put it into context.

Another testimony is that I am back on the altar leading worship during main service on Sundays and Women’s ministry sessions too. 🙂

I had taken a back seat from the pulpit for a brief season; perhaps owed to my mental state at the time. I enjoyed sitting at the back of the church; covering my face so that no one would see me; but this year, the Lord yanked me out the shadows and thrust me back to my place of service. I love it there. A special thank you Steve and Kami for holding my hand when I was caving in.

I am happy. I am blessed. I am loved. Some people have been not-so-nice to me but those are just a drop in the ocean compared to the ones who are vouching for me. The Lord Himself is for me, who can be against me?

Preaching the Word of God is so fulfilling and the enemy always tries to attack God’s servants (1 Peter 5:8) in a vain attempt to stop the move of the Gospel. So let me borrow a leaf from Apostle Paul and request you, dear reader, to pray for me too; that I will keep the faith, fight the good fight and run the race till I receive my crown.

Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:26-27 NKJV

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 NKJV

The reason I am sharing my story with you is to practically show you that life in Christ is so good. Can’t you see how much fun I am having with and because of God? 🙂

And if you are going through a tough time; I have been there too, and I would like to encourage you that God will always bring you through.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Psalms 23:4 NKJV

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.

Isaiah 43:2 NKJV

If you would like someone to pray with and/or talk to, you can reach out to me via hello@myfragranceofchrist.com. Please do not suffer in silence.

Would you like to give your life to Christ? Please repeat the prayer below out loud:

Dear Lord,

Thank You for dying on the cross for me. I believe in my heart that you died and rose again and I confess with my mouth that You are Lord and Saviour in my heart and in my life. I denounce my former ways and choose to be Your child. Thank You for setting me free. I am now born again.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

It was great catching up with you. I’ve poured my heart out quite a bit today. If you are new here, you are most welcome. Please subscribe below to keep abreast with the latest articles.

I’d love to hear your feedback via the comments section too. 🙂

God loves you exceedingly.

XO,

That Lady