Isn’t it intriguing how one year can feel like it is so far away yet, it still manages to fly by in what feels like a couple of days? That’s exactly how I feel about Chapter 34. I know it’s more or less a cliche but it really does feel like it was yesterday when I wrote the reflections for Chapter 33!
How did 365 days fly by so quickly? I wish I had the answer.
Even though the days have flown by, Chapter 34 has truly been a thrilling adventure. In fact, Chapter 34 was an immersive dive into rest with God.
Entering into God’s rest is something God has been speaking to me about since 2019. I’ll confess, I have struggled with the concept of rest, especially from God’s perspective. However, this year I feel like I really started to let go and just flow with the Holy Spirit in different areas of my life.
If I could summarise Chapter 34 in a single sentence, I’d say it was a year of flowing and riding on the wings of the Spirit. It’s been a year where I let go. I was tempted to write fully let go but the truth I have come to accept is that there are dimensions of “letting go” with God. The deeper you go in your walk with God, other areas where you’ll need to let go will come up. But as compared to other chapters of my life, I’d say my level of letting go in Chapter 34 significantly increased.
I started Chapter 34 with a shift of focus in terms of work. One of the first things that God started to talk to me about was transitioning out of day to day operations at The Comms Avenue. I knew it in my head that this was the step that God wanted me to take but in many ways, my heart struggled with it. This was definitely one area where a deeper dimension of letting go was required and I think I did well. Lol. I wrote about it here.
Even though it felt like a real stretch, seeing TCA flourish beyond and outside of me was actually a gift. Stepping away gave me room to focus on other things which was refreshing because for three years, God had said my main focus was to build the vision. I am glad I ran with it as best as He empowered me to and I was able to sucessfully hand over the baton.
Still on work, I experienced another shift. God, yet again, highlighted that my focus should be more on training and capacity building of professionals and organisations. And I was to trust Him to bring in the briefs. I remember a conversation that happened shortly before 2023 ended. Someone within the industry pretty much told me I was wasting my time trying to focus on training but what she didn’t realise was that God has a track record. I have seen it over and over again that if God says relocate to the desert, He will take care of you – that is if you allow Him to and you surrender to His process.
Although I didn’t know where this ‘training’ direction would take me, I was clear about the fact that the only place I wanted to be was in the will of God. So if God has said I should focus on training and capacity-building, that was exactly what I was going to do. As I ramped up efforts to create more content on my YouTube channel, I saw God open doors and all I had to do was rest.
I trained employees and executives within several Nigerian and global organisations. Even as I type this, I am in the middle of a 10-day training for an organisation in Nigeria. I have learnt to trust God with my career journey and I have watched Him take me into places and rooms that I never even prayed to get it into. Abba, I pause to say thank you for shaping my career as You desire.
Aside from the focus on training and capacity-building, God gave me opportunities to directly mentor several young professionals. Honestly, this is something I had avoided for a while because of the demands of my schedule but I knew it was time. I am grateful that I was able to provide direct mentorship to eight young professionals and I was also able to have virtual and in person mentorship events where I shared my knowledge and lessons from my journey.
Meeting the professionals, listening to them talk about what they have learnt from me and how the work we do at The Comms Avenue has impacted them was a real blessing. I remember one of the mentorship events I had in October, I had tears in my eyes. Sometimes, we don’t really appreciate the ripple effect our steps of obedience have in the lives of others. It hasn’t been an easy journey but I am grateful for the grace to say yes and keep saying yes.
On a more personal level, I formed deeper bonds with some of my prayer and accountability partners. Those weekly calls and check-\ins were soo needed. Even in moments where I felt ‘low’ in one way or the other, I knew that at least one person was holding me up in prayer and that made a difference. I also challenged myself to be a better friend and show up for others in ways that stretched me. I know there is still room to do more here but I am grateful for what I was able to do.
Perhaps my biggest and most memorable achievement from Chapter 34 was going deeper in the things of God. I learnt to pray fervently and consistently. I learnt to tarry in the place of intercession – praying even for people I have never met. I learnt to sit still in His presence and stay for as long as He needed me to. I began to go deeper in the Word and I was able to stay consistent with reading my Bible. That’s a big win for me! I took it a notch higher by building the discipline of Biblical meditation on scriptures.
I am definitely not where I used to be but I have seen a difference, especially in my hunger to know more of the Word. In fact, let me just say that in Chapter 34, I fell in love with Abba even more.
And with this spiritual depth came mindblowing miracles that came out of instructions that did not make sense on the surface. I remember vividly my trip to the UK this year. There’s a long story here but the first instruction I received from God when He told me it was time to go to the UK was to buy my ticket. I had no visa but I was not worried. If God said it is time, then it is time.
Trust me, I got many comments like “What if you don’t get the visa?” Again, I was not worried. I have learnt to do what God has asked me to do and trust Him to do what He wants to do. Let me also add here that I have also learnt to be fine if the outcome of my steps of obedience turns out differently from what I expect. God always has a plan. I have learnt to trust His plan. I have learnt to rest in His goodness.
Sorry, that was a digression but I did get the UK visa months later. God also supernatually provided a three bedroom apartment right at the centre of London for me to stay and He took care of every single detail of that trip. Abba, I pause to say thank You. I am still in awe of how You did what You did regarding the trip to the UK. Thank You!
I didn’t come into Chapter 34 with a long list of requests from God. Actually maybe that’s not completely true because I did have a birthday wishlist. Lol. But the truth is that God has taken care of me beyond what I could have ever asked for. Yes, there are some material things I wanted that I haven’t received yet (because you know, Abba loves to give good surprises) but I have all that I need. I have God. I am in His love and I am content in Him. I think entering into God’s rest comes with a deeper level of contentment because your heart and focus is Him. He continues to be my reward and I do not take that for granted.
I am deeply grateful for Chapter 34. I am grateful for the woman that I am becoming. A few weeks ago, I watched a video of my 25 year old younger self and I was just in awe. She would not recognise this woman who is about to transition into Chapter 35. This journey of surrender has changed me in more ways than one and to be honest, it is still transforming me.
As I go into Chapter 35 on Saturday, I just want more of God. I don’t want to forget the lessons He has taught me, especially in the last five years. I want to enter into His rest – in deeper and fuller dimensions. I decided not to create a wishlist this year. I have told Abba what I want and I know He will give them to me how and in the time He wants. What I have learnt to treasure are heartfelt prayers – prayers to remain in the will of God, prayers to fall in love with Him more and more and prayers to stay grounded in Him.
Since Abba has said Blooming Thirties covers the entir decade, let the blooming continue!
