Nakedness!!!

What if someone told you that s/he never ever got naked? AT ALL!!!!! What would your reaction be? I can imagine the awkward silence, the sidelong glance, the subtle but swift shuffle to the side, the questions in your head about that individual's sanity. I can see you thinking, "You mean you never get naked? At all!! What a weirdo. There's something clearly wrong with this picture."

Well folks, I have a cofession to make : that person is me. I don't like to get naked....at all. Nakedness is the ultimate form of openness; it is transparency; it is the state of letting it all hang out and well....I can't do that. I'm too much in control to do that. I' too "strong" for that. Who? Me? Vulnerable? Are you kidding me? You must've been smoking some of that good stuff.

Unfortunately, God has been dealing with my lack of nakedness. He has poked me again and again and has even DARED to tear at bits and pieces of my clothing. What the heck is He doing? Why does He want me to stand nude before the world and reveal my flaws and shame? Never that!! Yet, God told me something new today. He asked me what happens when people take a shower with clothes on. Do they really get clean? Are they truly washed and purified? The answer is of course, "No". To take a proper shower, to be made clean, whole and fresh, we must all be naked.

The nakedness I speak of is not physical , it is emotional and spiritual. I have always been the girl with armor on-with the need to look in control, to share only the strengths, to be strong for everybody else. Now, God is leading me to a new place. Scratch that...it's past leading now, He's yanking me. I think He thinks I've taken too long. He wants me to be naked, open and transparent so that He can use me, so that He can heal me,so that He can transform me, so that He can love me, so that I can be truly loved. God is calling me to bare my heart and soul, to share my flaws, fears and weaknesses, to speak of my passions, to unlock myself and throw away the key and I. am. afraid. I have NEVER done this before. What if I'm not accepted? What if I stand naked and I am too much or too little or both? What if I am too passionate? Too "Christian"? Too stubborn? Not edgy enough? Just not woman enough?

As the "What ifs" play this song and dance in my head, I remember that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I remember that He chose me before I was born. I remember that because He truly SHOWED me a little over 2 years ago, I am enough-nay, I am more than enough. I am perfect just the way I am. And guess what, I am going to try. As I throw my shirt to the wind, unzip my pants and slip them past my feet; as I feel the cold wind reminding me that I stand with no covering, I'll be forced to rely on His words and to learn what He meant when He told me He had set me free. I'll be a much better friend, a much better sister, a much better Christian and a much better girlfriend (because my journey with "him" is what has escalated this whole push any way).

I invite you and you and you, to dare to stand naked with me because vulnerability is truly a gift. I intend to receive it as should you.

John 11:44: "And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go."

I Believe

I believe........

that being a woman is one of the most beautiful and powerful gifts God could have given me. Men don't stand a chance next to us and no man looks as blazing HOTTTT as we women do. Hehe

that a life without purpose and direction is a meaningless, empty and futile life devoid of all sense

that God calls you and I to rise far above and beyond mediocrity; to refuse to do less than our best; to give less than our all

that faith will take you places that wealth, power and connections will only nip at. Believe me when I say that mountains can literally be moved in faith

that people who live their lives without God must be a lot stronger than I am and have some inner strength that I am missing because I cannot do ANYTHING without God. No, I am not more pious than anyone else or more righteous.....trust me. I just believe that I must be so weak to need God's strength so much. It is impossible for me to draw breath without Him.

that the day I stop serving God is the day that I die. (Read above.....How can I live without air?)

that being a wife and a mother is the most wonderful, beautiful, fascinating, gorgeously breathtaking thing in the world but also one of the scariest, most daunting tasks ever. I pray constantly that I will never fail at those. Next to my relationship with God, those two positions are second to none.

that human beings can only attempt to recreate the beauty that nature so simply exudes.....every ray of sunlight, splash of the ocean, gust of the wind, flap of wings, ruggedness of mountains, serenity of sunsets, kiss of waves beneath the sea speaks is so complete. Nothing can be added to its beauty and nothing dare be taken from it! In writing this, I just realized the importance in saving our planet. Our defacement of this masterpiece is a daily SIN!

that love is more than the sum of its parts: it is much more than emotion and stronger than devotion. It is words and thoughts and deeds, prayers and desires and needs, burning passion and sacrifice all wrapped up into one

that family is irreplacable......that friendships are magical.....that self-love is foundational and God-love (nay, Jesus-love :)) is the source of it all

that "life and death are in the mouth of man" and I refuse to speak what my eyes see. True sight is found in the eyes of my heart and soul and not in my physical eyes

that the day we stop growing is the day we shrivel up inside. Dear Lord, let me never ever be satisfied (mark my words, I said "satisfied" not "content". There is a world of difference) with the status quo. I want to push harder to love God more passionately, be a better woman, sister, friend, (when that time comes ;)) wife and lover, mother, aunty, cousin; employee, employer, leader, writer, whatever.

that pride is a silent but deadly killer. You let it in and like an enormous gust of wind, it blows everything away.

that the inventors of high heels were inspired by God Himself :)

that my body is a wonderful masterpiece and fashion is the drum to our heart's songs. C'mon women, we know that those clothes, shoes and accessories are our weapons. Use them to your advantage ;)

that beauty flows from the inside out and God truly does not like ugly....so He didn't make it :)

that life without music is like a snail without a shell: skinny, ugly, veiny and grossly incomplete....this is why I make everyday a musical-belting songs out at every turn and every chance I get

that the end does not justify the means. It is in our means, our journeys, our paths that our stories truly lie.

that our greatest challenges are our biggest teachers and lessons.....that it is our attitudes, perspective and responses to these challenges that our fate (and faith) is sealed

that putting limits on God and boxing Him in is a contradiction in terms. What happened to OMNIpresent, OMNIscient and OMNIpotent? What happened to our understanding of even the concept of "God" as larger than life? Cast those limits off, burn those boxes......I know that's what I'm doing this year. Let's start a revolution :)

that impossible is absolutely NOTHING. I can do allllllll things through Christ who strengthens me

Rebel with a Cause :)

I've been listening to India.Arie and Chrisette Michele over and over and over and over and........did I say OVER again? LOL!!! I love those women: they are soulful, classy and beautiful. They know who they are and what they want. They are young non-conformists who refuse to live by society's rules (or in their case, by the rules of today's music industry). I love that and I WANT that! I don't want to live my life by society's rules. Now, before you get any ideas I am an extremely law-abiding citizen: no arrests, misdemeanors or run-ins with the police here. Heck, no tickets! Okay, may be that doesn't count. I don't think a lot of pedestrians get tickets out there-but these days, who knows? :)

What I mean when I say that I don't want to live my life by society's rules is that I want to know what I stand for, WHO I stand for, what I believe in and WHY I believe in it. I stand for Jesus Christ-for His Kingdom, His authority, His sovereignty and His LOVE. I believe that He died for you and I, is alive in those who receive Him and continually transforms my life with every encounter I have with Him (that is no exaggeration). I believe that I am loved more than I will ever understand-that the Hands that carry me are invisible yet all-powerful, that every single step is orchestrated by Him, that my present and future are already taken care of. I believe in it because it has been proven in my life time and time again, because the love I know I feel is so overwhelming that no words can ever describe it; because I know that when I lift my voice in song to try to express it (I'll have you know that I act like my life is a musical), a well of love runs so deep within my soul that I know that even those heartfelt notes will be insufficient; because I see miracles happen in my life; because I have absolutely no reason to be where I am today, who I am or be this consistently joyful; because there is no other reason for which li'l sinful, prideful, doubtful (and many other -fuls) "me" should be this blessed to be have relationships with some of the most amazing people in the world.

I don't want to live my life believing what everyone believes, doing what everyone does, wearing what everyone wears. I want to be different-not for the sake of it or because I think I'm all that and a slice of mango-but because I want to live the right way. I am sooooo human sometimes that it annoys me. I can get scared easily, worry about things that have not even happened, refuse a helping hand because I am "Miss Independent", disappoint myself, those I love and God; the list is endless. I want to be different because I want my life to have meaning. I want to have a purpose. I want my life to count for something. I want to leave a legacy. I want to know who I am by knowing who He is so that I can contribute to the world in the only way that I can: in a way that no one else will ever be able to duplicate. See, you and I are originals. I will never be you and you'll never be me. That's what makes us special!!!

In doing these, I want to enjoy my life. I LOVE being a woman and I love the challenges, responsibilities and maaaaaaany perks that womanhood brings. I want to be the best young woman I can possibly be-even if it means going against the grain some days. I sincerely hope that you do, too. So go out there, be as gorgeous as you are, love every inch of you and dare to be different. You are so much more than a sheep without a shepherd.

Mango Kisses,
On Eagles' Wings

P.S. Yes, I admit I LOOOOOOOOOVE mangoes. I think they are one of God's ultimate gifts to humanity. Now, you know what I really want for Valentine's Day :)

Happy New Year!!!

Hello there!! HAPPY NEW YEARRRRR. I know I am more than a little late-3 weeks late to be precise but better late than never right?? Okay.....I'm sorry. When I started, I promised that I would update this at least 3 days a week and I have not kept my promise to you or to myself. The thought of that has definitely really weighed me down. I sincerely apologize and I will do better.
There is something in the atmosphere this year. I felt it the minute the clock struck midnight on January 1, 2009. I have felt an excitement that I can barely contain. There is a POWERFUL energy in the spiritual atmosphere....I don't know if you feel it but I surely can. It is God's preparation for extraordinary things to come for you and I this year but only if we choose to work with Him. This will not be a year for "wimping" out, cowering or hiding. This is the year that He will yank us out of our comfort zones, throw us into the spotlight and empower us to live our dreams. Brandon Heath sings, "Don't get comfortable. I'm about to move this mountain; then, I'm gonna move you in. Yesterday, this is not yesterday......I am gonna show you what I mean/ I am gonna love like you've never seen/ You are gonna live like you used to dream...." This is the year that those dreams will become reality but WORK we must and TRUST we must and LOVE HIM we must. It will not be a song-and-dance or a piece of cake but believe me it will be the beginning of greater things to come.
This year is pregnant with a purpose for you and I. We have to follow God in ways that we never have before and seek and listen like never before. Let Him fill your dreams, hearts and every crevice of your being.
I know I am trusting Him with my dreams. Will you trust Him with yours?

Maybe I'm NOT Super Woman after all

"I am Super Woman. Yes I am!! See me when I'm a mess still put on a vest with an "S" on my chest....I'm a Super Woman", Alicia Keys croons in her song "Super Woman". I relate to that song in more ways than I can express. I've always been that "Super Woman". I look like I have my life all together-from my finances down to my pretty, pretty shoes :) You'd almost never catch me without a smile on my face even while I juggle the myriad responsibilities that God has placed in my lap. You see, I canot take credit for any of my joy, though. God has sooooo filled my cup that it is impossible for me not to be joyful in the midst of it all. His strength is constantly made perfect in ALL of my many weakness (2 Cor. 12:9)

With me, though, that "see me when I'm a mess" part causes me to raise my eyebrows. Me? A mess? Never!!! I like to come off as perfect. Come on, I'm blessed beyond belief! My problems are mine to deal with alone and no one else is allowed to see my vulnerabilities. Maybe, if I live my life with this shield up, this facade of perfection, it will all work out. My shields and my walls became my protection. Unfortunately, more and more recently, they are beginning to look like my prison. The humanity-the raw and negative emotions that we all need to let out sometimes-have been so shut in that letting them out has become work. Yet, I refuse to give up. My challenge is to recognize that hey, I'M NOT GOD!!! He's not calling me to perfection-He's calling me to excellence.

Beating myself up because of mistakes I make, from little and trivial to so huge that they hurt the people I love the most, is useless. I am learning that I WILL FALL. Why should I be scared of something that's inevitable any way. A very very intelligent person said to me, "I'm not scared of falling......I just know that if I fall I'll get back up again." The same person told me, "You are so scared of falling that you are not climbing." Today, I listen and I want you all too. Women, let's keep our guard up, our hearts protected and our minds secure but let us not allow those things to become our prison.

Join me on this journey of climbing. Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me." He has done his part. It's time for me to begin mine :)

Feminity Series-A Day in a Woman's Mind

What does it mean to be a woman, to be that gender that is called "Female"? What is it that God had in mind when He thought about us, designed us and finally created us? We are the epitome of creation, God's masterpiece (Thank you Stacie Elderidge "Captivating"), the most beautiful of all the creatures on earth. Men fawn at us, gaze at us, lose their minds in their admiration, "love" us to distraction!!! Wouldn't it be simply amazing if we understood that about ourselves? Wouldn't it be awesome to know loads and loads of women who recognize that they are badddddd mama jammas: confident, intelligent, made in God's image, priceless and irreplaceable?

The reality of the matter is that almost all women see the negatives in themselves far too often. We cling to negative images, criticisms and flaws and quietly discard the compliments that have been thrown our way time and time again. We are our own biggest enemies-unfortunately!!!! Two days ago, I had a very interesting conversation with a friend. It centered on the woman's favorite topics (Ladies, don't front!!! You know it's true!): marriage, romance and relationships. We talked about the "together forever" clause in marriage and how exceedingly scary that is. What would it be like to spend the reeeeeeeeeeest of our lives with this man? How do we know that we will be good wives (perish the thought: GREAT wife)? For me, how do I know that I will be able to keep my man wanting to come home to me every single day? We all know how fickle men can be. I look in the mirror and some days, I am totally in love with myself, I know that I am beautiful, powerful and priceless. I cling to my hopes and dreams, my vision and purpose and my strength. I bless my God like there is no tomorrow and I bask in the beauty of His presence. I know that I am special and undeniably a gift to the world because God said so. On other days, I don't like what I see in the mirror, escalate every criticism that has come my way, list all of my supposed failures and wonder how God can have any sort of purpose for my life.

Women, when will we wake up and smell the coffee. We are unique and PERFECT just the way that God created us-our personalities, our "knob noses", our tiny ears and little eyes are features that HE chose to put there to give Him glory. Let us learn to see our beauty through His eyes because, believe me, there is a tremendous amount of it to see if we just open our eyes, listen and see through the eyes of the Spirit.

Psalm 139:14,16: "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works....in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned..." We are all custom-designed by God. WE are all GORGEOUS!!!!! Embrace that today, act on it, meditate on it, celebrate it! This ain't no flattery. It's the Gospel :)

Our Purpose

Yesterday, on our way to New York, my girlfriends (of 500 years friendship.....LOL) and I had a conversation about our careers. I plan to go to law school next year and both of my friends are in the healt care sector. Some would consider that the "high road", but for African (read: Nigerian) folks, there is nothing more satisfying than a good ol' professional career. However, we moved on to the subject of what we called "alternative career choices", because to us as Nigerian born and bred young women anything outside the professional fields is definitely alternative. We explored ideas and I mentioned, of course, my desire to run my own magazine.

That conversation suddenly had me thinking this morning about purpose. We are all created with a purpose and a destiny. There is a seal that God has put on each one of us that no one else can have. If I do not contribute my portion to the earth, no one will be able to give it exactly in the way that I would have. That, my friends, is my greatest fear: that I will leave this earth without fulfilling the purpose(s) for which I was created. This is why everyday I ask God to make my path as clear as possible.

More than anything too, I am learning that the road to God, purpose and fulfillment are full of many obstacles. God, does promse us though in Isaiah 45: 2 & 3 that "I will go before thee and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness and hidden treasures of secret places, that thou may know that I, the Lord, WHICH CALL THEE BY NAME, am the God of Israel." (capitals mine) If we are walking along te path that He has called us to, no matter what obstacles are in our way or what challenges we face, He will take us farther than we would ever imagine. Live in purpose!!! Revel and dance with it. The day is ours :)