What Do You See?

Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what do you see? And I said, I see a branch or shoot of an almond tree [the emblem of alertness and activity, blossoming in late winter]. Then said the Lord to me, You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it. (Jeremiah 1:11,12)

God is asking you this morning, "What do you see?" Good or bad? What do you see in this new year? What do you see God doing your life in the new year? What promises do you see fulfilled in the year? What achievements do you see God enabling you to achieve in the year? What changes do you see? WHAT DO YOU SEE?

How sharp is your eye of faith? How clearly can you see the promise of God laid before you? God commended Jeremiah for seeing well and correctly. Is your eye of faith blurred? Sharpen it with these TWO instruments:

THE WORD OF GOD
&
PRAISE

Yes, the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. Let it pierce you soul. Let it cleanse you and wash your eyes clean. Be washed by the water of the word. Let the Word wash you from every sin so you can see God. For without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. The Word! It is like fire. Let it purge you. Let it remove every dross from you. When gold has passed through fire, what happens to it? It becomes purer and it shines. You can see yourself in it. Let the Word break in pieces every habit that needs to be broken.

Praise God with all your heart. Praise Him for what He's done. Praise Him for what you see Him doing in you! Praise Him continually. Your spirit gets charged when you praise God.

Remember the keys: The Word and Praise.

What do you see?

I see everything working together for your good.
I see you living in health.
I see you being promoted.
I see you carrying your own baby(ies).
I see God fighting for you.
I see you breaking new and fertile grounds.
I see you living in abundance.
I see you marching on in victory.
I see you birthing age-long dreams.
I see you having a beautiful relationship with God!
I see you fulfilling purpose.
I see your path shining brighter.
I see you being a wonder to many.
I see your joy being restored.
I see The Lord rebuilding your ruins.
I see God mending the cracks in your home.
I see your children being for signs and wonders.
I see them being deeply rooted in the will of God.
I see you rejoicing over all that's yours.
I see great and mighty testimonies hatching.
I see everything turning around for your good.
I see God visiting you with His mercy and favour.
I see God watching over His Word to perform it.

Hallelujah!!!

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola

Find Yourself First

One very deadly mistake a single person can make is not to have a sense of direction before entering into the marriage institution. The odds are that you may never find your direction hence never get to fulfill God's purpose for your life. You may get confused by your partner's purpose and start running another man's race. You have been created for a purpose. You are whole. You are not incomplete. What your spouse does is to complement you not complete you. I want you to get this right.

Marriage is a merger of two people with distinct visions. Notice that God didn’t say that two halves will come together to make one as he stated the terms of marriage. He said, "The TWO shall become one". This establishes the fact that two whole people come into marriage to join forces together in the achievement of the individual purposes of God for their lives as well as the purpose of God for bringing them together in marriage.

You are a divine project as a person. Your marriage too is a divine project.

Marriage shouldn't be your ultimate goal in life. Fulfilling God's purpose for your life should be your drive through life. If marriage was the ultimate reason for living, how come Apostle Paul who never married fulfilled God’s purpose for his life and made Jesus proud? How come he said he had finished the race without marriage being included in his journey?

Marriage is a gift from God just like singleness is too. God gives you the one that will aid the fulfillment of your purpose in life. More so, He knows the appropriate time to hand over the gift to you. There is time for everything. It's therefore obvious that a part of your purpose may be tied to your singleness and failure to do that part now may lead to a carry over or a delay in God releasing you to launch out into another phase of life in the form of marriage.

Now that you are single, seek God’s face concerning His purpose for your life in case you do not know what it is just yet. Once you have found it out, take steps towards fulfilling that purpose beginning from NOW. The fulfillment of purpose is not a once off event. It is a continuous process. It is a journey. Run the part of the race now. It will be easier to flow into the other phase of the race.

Your marital status should not in any way hinder you from fulfilling God's purpose for your life.

Find yourself before you begin to look to find a partner or get found (as the case may be).

Look ahead of you and see the sign:

No parking. No waiting.

Start marching towards the fulfillment of your purpose right from now.🚶

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2015

Don't Follow Your Heart. . .

I have heard the cliché "Follow your heart" too many times. When you ask for advice,  they tell you to follow your heart. When you have an important decision to make, they tell you to follow your heart. We now have so many heart followers and error makers.

The Bible is clear on the state of the human heart. . .

 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? (Jeremiah 17:9 NLT)

Your own heart is capable of deceiving you. I have been a victim of this at one time or another. Even though I am not one to advice people to 'follow their hearts', I have followed my heart before and my heart led me astray. Your heart is the seat of your emotions and emotions are not reliable to lead you in decision making. 

Some argue that you can follow your heart as long as it is circumcised. Well maybe if that heart is truly filled with God. I believe that a circumcised heart however, will seek to follow God’s instructions at all costs. That heart has God as it's focus and acknowledges God as the one at work in it. When you trust your heart to lead you, you are indirectly turning it to a god. Some people boast and say that their hearts are always right. They try to share the glory with God.

The Holy Spirit is the only one who can lead you through the right path at ALL times. He is infallible. God never makes mistakes. So, why gamble when there is someone who can sort out your issues without fail? Why take the path of chance when there is someone who is the Way and knows the way that you should follow?

Hear this-

 Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. Then you will destroy all your silver idols and your precious gold images. You will throw them out like filthy rags, saying to them, “Good riddance!”
(Isaiah 30:21-22 NLT)

I actually started writing this particular writeup several months before now. I believe it is no mistake that I'm finally able to get it out there at this crucial time of the year.

As you step into the coming year, let God  be the shepherd of your soul.

It is time to give up your heart following and follow God sheepishly. Decide not to go anywhere except God’s presence is going with you. Decide not to take any step except the Lord says you should. Depend on God totally. Rely on His directives from this moment onwards on EVERY issue.

Let the Word of God be your guide. The Psalmist testifies thus about the Word of God -

 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. (Psalms 119:105 NLT)

Move only at God's Word. Follow God with all your heart. Let Jesus lead you. Listen for the Holy Spirit’s voice at ALL times. . . .

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2015

Jesus: The Reason for the Season

We're celebrating the birth of The Lord Jesus this period. It is a time to reflect on the reason Jesus came into the world. He came that we might be free; that we might have life and have it more abundantly!

Hear this:

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.” (Luke 4vs18-19)

Jesus, the reason for the season has brought salvation for your soul. He says, "Are you brokenhearted? Receive your healing; in captivity, claim your liberty in Christ Jesus; blind (spiritual/physical), receive your sight; oppressed, receive your deliverance!"

This is your season of favour!

Merry Christmas!

Celebrating Christmas Purposefully

Christmas is a time when we should all expect heaven’s entrance into our dusty, dirty worlds. Christmas is a time that reminds us all that miracles really do happen, prayers are actually answered and that heaven is just one response away.

This Christmas, remember to bring the focus back to Jesus, and the light, joy, peace and hope his birth brings for all of us.

I wish you a blessed Christmas celebration!

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola

Don't Fall For It

Sometime ago, I was in a place where they were showing an animated film. In that film, there was a group of talented fieries, each with its unique ability. One of the fieries was super talented and was trying out her hand on several things and she was successful until she made a mistake that led to the destruction of their domain. She was scolded and had to leave for somewhere else. She then decided to take with her the main source of their power.

On her way, she came across a group of pirates who made her feel loved without her knowing that they had an ulterior motive for making her feel accepted by them. To cut the long story short, her co-fieries came to look for her and to persuade her to return home but she refused. They told her she was loved by her family but did not believe them instead she chose to believe the strangers. She was deceived by the pirates. They used her to achieve their aim of getting their ship to fly and then dumped her- she was locked in a jar and dropped into the ocean. She survived because the other fieries came to rescue her.

 The Holy Spirit ministered something important to me about that film last night.

Many of us do not like to be chastised for our wrongdoings. Many of us prefer to be lied to. When brethren from the household of faith point out our mistakes, we say that they do not love us. When God scolds you for doing evil, you run to where you will receive a pat on the back for doing the wrong thing.

This makes many to step out of the confines of God’s grace. We leave our spiritual families and choose to believe outsiders who now tell us how terrible our family members are. The devil suggests to you that the Church does not love you. He even tells you that God does not care about you else why would he discipline you like that. The devil tells you that he is the one who cares about you and successfully leads you farther away from home and encourages you to go deeper into sin.

Do not be deceived my brethren. Don’t fall for the gimmicks of the devil. He is cunning and crafty. There is no love in the devil. He would only use you and dump you when you are no longer of no good use to him. Be wise.

 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NLT)

God loves you. Even in His discipline is love. When He tarries in showing up concerning your situation, it is  all because He loves you so much to want make all things work together for your good. He knows the perfect time for Him to hand that blessing over to you. Open your eyes to His unfailing love.

Return home if you have strayed away for whatever reason. God is calling you to return to Him. Come home you prodigal son or daughter. A warm reception awaits you thou lost sheep. Turn back from travelling that road that seems right to you but only leads to destruction. The Lord awaits your return.

The good you seek can only be found in God. The devil only has the counterfeit. Stop letting the devil run your life. There is no life in the devil, only death.

Jesus is the life you need.

Choose life today!

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2015

Ask and You Shall Receive

The Bible verse that dropped in my heart this morning is this:
And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested (1Chronicles 4:10).

God wants us to call upon Him. He says, "Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear you." God is ready to listen to the expression of our pain. Don't keep quiet about that trouble you are in; talk to God about it. Tell it to Jesus. What a friend we have in Jesus. What needless pain we bear all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Instead of switching into depression mode, switch to prayer mode. If God is your God; He's your father and friend too. Tell Him every tiny little detail of what you're going through right this moment.

Who do you call out to when trouble comes? Who do you reach out to as your anchor when the storms rage? Like Jabez, call upon GOD and not man. Not your contacts, the long legs and connections that you think you have. God will not share His glory with any man. Do you know who you believe? I know who I believe; I worship the Lord. And He is the Almighty God. All power belongs to Him.

Be specific in your prayers. There's this prayer in Yoruba that we usually joke with in my house years back; "A t'oro abebe". The real meaning is 'we ask and plead' but we would say 'We are begging for handfan'. We would also say that what if angels heard that prayer and decided to give you a handfan (on a lighter mood). Anyway, make your requests known unto God in clear terms. Jabez told God what he wanted and how he wanted it. Bless me. . .indeed. Not anyhow blessing. He wanted the real deal. He sought enlargement from God. And asked that the hand of God will be on Him. God's protection was sure for Him. He asked for deliverance. He asked for what he wanted to become. He wanted to cease being a burden and a source of pain.

. . . And God granted him what he requested.

May God hear us as we call on Him in Jesus' name. Talk to God. . .

Lord visit us this day, hear our cry oh God, attend to our prayers. We run to You, The Rock that is higher than us with our overwhelmed heart.
Lift every burden.
Heal every broken heart.
Supply every need.
Minister healing to every sick body.
Nullify every spell.
Deliver everyone in bondage.
Revive every weary spirit and soul. . .
In Jesus' most precious name!

Technology and Relationships At Loggerheads

The advancement of technology has no doubt improved communication. However, inadequate understanding of the proper utilisation of this beautiful tool of communication can have adverse effects on relationships.

As much as technology has its positivity, we can definitely not down play it's negative effects on human relationships.

I have seen people tell blantant lies about their location over the phone. Many start extramarital affairs via social media. Couples keep their devices under lock and key either because they have hidden agendas or they do not trust each other enough. Physical talk time between couples is being threatened by technology use time.

The obsession with these devices is alarmingly on the rise. As if the devices themselves were not doing enough harm already, they came up with the external battery pack idea which of course is not bad in itself but may as well extend the technology use time at the expense of our important human relationships.

 Some husbands prefer to play games on their device, watch the same football replays over and over or simply chat away than spending quality time with their wives.

Some wives too would rather watch soap operas for several hours than give their full attention to their husbands.

A wife is trying to say something important to her husband and all she gets is a man with his face buried in his device. The wife feels rejected and out of her quest for survival in the seemingly cold relationship, she diverts her attention to one or more fruits of technology. Both the husband and wife are now put assunder by phones, tablets, televisions etc.

Eye contact with technological devices are in serious competition with physical Eye contact between couples.

We need to violently take back the sanity of our relationships by force.

And how will this be possible?

Take practical steps towards ensuring that your relationship is not a victim of the back lash of technology.

Set boundaries. Put rules in place to curb excessive devotion to technological devices. For instance, set constant sleeping time for your devices so that you can devote time to relating with your spouse (e.g. no device use after 9pm). Or declare phones to be prohibited at the dining table. Or that you must set your device aside and look into your spouse's eyes whenever he/she wants to speak with you.

Keep those devices out of sight and out of mind during important discussions, date nights with your spouse and even dinner.

. . .and be totally honest with your spouse. Rid yourself of secrets to protect your relationship.

Carry out constant evaluation of your technology : relationship time share. And be sure to put your devices under check.

Don't ignore your spouse's complaint about you neglecting him/her because of your devices.

Wisdom is profitable to direct. . .

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2015

Don't Give Up Hope

Tick tock; tick tock. . . Gradually the year is winding to an end. What's on your mind. What has filled your thoughts these last few days? Uncertainties? Anger? Sadness? Grief? Anxiety? Feelings of no fulfilment?. . .

Truly, the year is almost over, but it's not over for you. Job said in Job 14:7-9:

“For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may die in the ground, Yet at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant.

I see God holding the watering can pouring out His abundant rain of blessings upon you. He is opening the floodgates of heaven upon you this season. You shall drink your fill. Whatever has gone down this year, God says, "Have faith!"

You have not been cut off. You are alive and that's why you are reading this right now. You are still here. And that means only one thing: It is not yet over! Amen!

God is able to do just what He says He will do. Don't you dare give up on Him. He's all out to fulfill His promises to you. He's not a man that He should lie, neither is He a son of man that He should repent of His words. God has spoken once; twice have I heard Him. What about you? All power belongs to our God! Hallelujah!

God will do your own. He will settle your case. He will not leave you stranded. He breaks protocols of men to bring His promise to pass. He will cause the lines to fall in pleasant places for you. He is an unchanging Changer. He specializes in doing the impossible.

You know, we are usually agitated because we don't fully understand what God's plans are for us and how He wants to go about it and when. The truth  however is that His plans for us are good plans. That's what should fill our hearts, it births hope in us. Let your belief system be taken over by the Word of God.

Hear God in Isaiah 55:8-13:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
“For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

God has the best in stock for you. Don't stop trusting Him. Keep the faith!

Shalom!

-Omosebi, Mary Omolola

Strength In The Face Of Challenges

My mind just kept dancing around how people will tell me they want their lives to be like mine. They see my smiles and think my life is perfect. I always smile when I see people say they want the 'perfect' life of another. Well, no man's life is perfect. The only thing that separates one from the other is our orientation towards handling our imperfect situations.

I have been through really tough times in my life.  I have experienced FIRST DEGREE lack. I have failed woefully before. I have been sick. I have been betrayed by those I trusted. I have suffered losses. I have been rejected. I have had to mark time on a spot for longer than I would have wanted. . . I have had my share of the universal cake of troubles and I'm still eating a portion of it. So you see, my life is not perfect.

You may say that the weight of your issues supercedes that of others so they cannot understand. That may be true. But as far as I know there is no problem weighing device given to man so save your energy for the purpose of pulling through your challenge  successfully.

One thing is sure though- God knows you can take it. He knows you can withstand the heat without melting off if you decide not to and rely on His strength. It is left for you to embrace His provision of strength and grace.

". . . The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. . ." (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT)

I was just thinking about what the predicament of Job would have been if he lived in our age. Probably people would have said that he brought all the evil that came his way upon himself through his sins. On the contrary, God testified about Job's perfection and uprightness.

 Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” (Job 1:8 NLT)

. . .Yet he suffered great losses and pain. He was being tested like you probably are being tested right now.

I am not a preacher of no troubles once you are a Christian because that is contrary to the stance of the Bible. As much as people will prefer to be lied to that being a Christian exempts them from troubles, I won't be a party to that deception. Jesus says we will face troubles in this world but we should be of good cheer because He has overcome the world.

It's simple. Having challenges in life is normal.

Your focus should be on how not to fail/disappoint God by falling under pressure. You cannot afford to fail this test. Ask God for inner strength. You can stand strong until the end of this test. God knows you can so you can.

I am here to tell you that you are not alone. Remember that there are people whose cases may be worse than yours. God knows about ALL that you are going through and He cares. He has made provision for you to scale through unscathed.

He will make all things beautiful for you at the right time.

Be encouraged. . . This too shall pass.

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2015

People See You Through Your Eyes

Do you know that you determine how others see you? You are what you choose to believe you are. Other people will most likely not see you bigger than you see yourself. You choose your height. If you say you are a giant, then that is what you are. If you say you are a dwarf too, that is what you are. It is a simple equation.

This morning, my thoughts were driven to the passage where the spies that Moses sent to check out the promised land gave their reports and ten out twelve of them came back with very distressing news. I was particularly struck by the last verse of that chapter. . .

 We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!” (Numbers 13:33 NLT)

The Amplified version puts it this way -

There we saw the Nephilim [or giants], the sons of Anak, who come from the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. (Numbers 13:33 AMP)

When I read the two versions, I was like really? So these men were in their enemies eyes and minds? They must be mind readers and opticians for them to have known what they were thinking or could see.

You better choose to start seeing correctly else people will continue to see you all wrong. Stop cutting yourself down in your thoughts. Stop thinking so little of yourself. Stop letting the devil cheat you by making you believe you are a nobody or that you cannot achieve greatness. God already put the greatness in you, just open your eyes to see it.

There is no point wallowing in self pity. Instead, rise up and stand tall upon the Rock of Ages. I am not saying you should think so highly of yourself. I am saying that you should begin to think highly of Your God.

As you go forth this week and for the rest of your life, I want to admonish you to see yourself through the eyes of God and His mind and not yours. Your mind could play tricks on you and your eyes could be suffering from myopia (shortsightedness ).

God is the one with the big plans for your life- surely bigger than what you could ever think, imagine or visualise.

So, who does God say you are? Go check His Words for them. That's what you should believe henceforth.

See yourself hid in God and people will see you wrapped in greatness.

Put on your faith goggles friend!

Shalom!

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2015

Who is Your Examiner?

Someone once asked me who told me I was doing my best on a particular ministerial assignment that was assigned to me when I told the fellow that I was putting in my best upon complaints from the person. I simply told that person that I was sure in my spirit that I was doing my portion of the work and that my report sheets were not for her to fill but God Himself.

Yes, as a minister (every Christian is a minister), God is the one you answer to. You are an ambassador for Christ not fellow human beings. Getting God’s approval is what really matters. That means playing according to HIS rules.It is foolishness to look to other candidates like you instead of your examiner for approval. It is greater foolishness to seek to please those fellow candidates instead of the examiner.

Imagine a student in grade 1 who has a sibling in grade 4 doing the sibling's homework instead of hers. That student will definitely miss the marks alloted to that particular homework. It is not in doing much but in doing well that your reward lies.

The voice of men is usually not the voice of God. Gaining the approval of men is not a guarantee of God being pleased with your service. Getting series of accolades from co-labourers like you should be an additional outcome it should not be the reason you are doing what you are doing. Don't be distracted by mere decorations by men. Men can't see beyond their noses. God looks deep into our hearts and measures motives.

Just make sure that you adhere strictly to your condition of service as stated by your employer -God. Check with Him for evaluation of your work.

We all have our specific assignments.
Remember, Paul planted; Apollos watered. . .

What is your assignment?
How well are you doing on it?
Are you poke nosing into another person's assignment instead of concentrating on yours?

Even if you cannot see the fruits now, as long as you are diligently doing what God has entrusted into your hands, you are on the right track. When you please God, people who have the mind of God in them will give their approval of you and those without will disapprove.

God is the examiner- He sets the question, has the marking scheme, does the scoring and gives the reward. Just seek to please Him. C'est fini!

May the Lord help us to diligently seek Him. May we not miss our rewards in Jesus' name.

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2015

Charge That Battery Man!

I can remember a number of times when the battery of my father's car would run down when i was a child and he would have to take it to the battery charger so he could replace the electrolyte and charge it up. He could have simply changed the battery instead of charging it if he had the means. However, he had to opt for something that could extend the service life of the battery. God dropped a lesson in my heart from this. . .

When the charge on the romance of your marriage runs low, what do you do?  (I am talking to both the male-man and female-man here today). Do you throw your spouse away like a used napkin or go get your battery charged?

Many people in our age just give up on love. They simply find a substitute to pour their love on (human, animal or activity). They think that their spouses do not deserve the effort so they choose to pour their love on someone else. I often times wonder what happens to the love spouses claim made them marry each other in the first place. . .

Just like my father's case, i think we must allow God tune our mentality into knowing that you are not allowed to change your spouse just for any reason like it was in the time of Moses, we will definitely work at having marriages that are in good conditions. You ignore something in a deteriorating state when you know you have an alternative.

When you decide to truly hang on to the vow you shared- for better or worse, you will have the zeal to invest in your marriage and see to it through the help of God that your marriage is well lubricated so that it can function like it is supposed to.

Here are some tips for keeping the battery of your marriage charged:

☆ Always remember that you are lovers.
I am beginning to think that many people forget why they chose to marry the person they did. They saw something in them that made them decide to share their love with them. You should be committed to loving your spouse. You are lovers. Do what lovers do. Romance each other. Communicate with each other your love. Talk about your love. Enjoy physical and emotional affection. Touch each other. Kiss. Hold hands. Look into each other's eyes. Bask in the love you share. Be thrilled by your spouse. Touch 'base' as often as possible too. Enjoy each other.

☆ Break the routine chain.
I don't know about you but I get tired of doing the same thing over and over for a long time. There is the need to revamp your love life. Do something different in your relationship with your spouse. Variety is indeed the spice of life. You don't have to change the person; just change your methods from time to time as suits your relationship. Be dynamic.

☆ Be spontaneous.
 Don't be too predictable. It does not have to be his birthday before you buy him a gift. Neither does it have to be your anniversary before you get her that thing she has longed for all this while. You can drop a love note in the strangest of places, where he can find it. You can clear the dishes before she wakes up one morning. Just a bar of chocolate on your way back from work can communicate you thinking about your spouse to her. Give your spouse a kiss when he/she is not expecting one. Organize a surprise date night. . .
Think up the ideas friends. Get inspired. Just surprise your spouse.

☆ Reminisce together.
Talk about your young love. Talk about your milestones. Talk about the fun times you had while courting or early on in your marriage. Talk about how you met and the tough time she gave you before agreeing to a relationship with you. Talk about what thrilled you about your spouse. . .
 Remind yourselves of the 'good old days while you long for a better present and the best the future will bring with it for you.

☆ Take some time out for the recharge.
Deliberately make out time for your love life. Set out time to talk about your desires for your marriage, your displeasure and solutions to your issues. You can organise a romantic weekend getaway- you and your spouse alone. Or you just turn your room to a theatre after the kids have gone to sleep. . .
Make a way around your tight schedules and slim bank accounts.

☆Pray together.
Yes, pray together and individually about your love life. God is love. He is the best love tutor you could ever have. Ask Him to teach you to love. Ask The Holy Spirit to teach you what to do per time. . .

There is no need to discard that battery; just charge it up!

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2015

Where Do Your Thoughts Lead You?

It is easy to get carried away by the cares/troubles of this world such that you focus on the troubles so much and forget God. Are you in a season of life when your waking thoughts are those of your problems and thoughts of the challenges you face are your sleeping pills?

Then this message is for you. . .

I want to admonish you today, as this year is gradually going to a close to focus on God. As you take account of all the things you have not been able to achieve this year, remember to think about all God has done for you.

I'm not going to tell you not to think about what's going on. My concern is where your thoughts lead you.

Your troubles should push you towards God and not otherwise. Once you know that all things work together for good to them that loved God and are the called according to His purpose, no issue of life will be potent enough to pull you away from God.

Remember who God is. God is good. Let the reality of His person fill your thoughts. Allow yourself to be overtaken by the awesomeness of who God is. He is THE MOST HIGH, THE ALMIGHTY, OMNIPOTENT GOD, THE I AM THAT I AM,  ANCIENT OF DAYS, ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE ONE WHO SHUTS AND NO ONE CAN OPEN, THE ALL-POWERFUL; ALL-KNOWING GOD, THE CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, JEHOVAH IS HIS NAME. . .

Who is God to you?

Like Paul, today i say-

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,  the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.
Ephesians 3:14-15 NLT

What about you?

What do you do when trouble comes knocking on your door? What about when it has decided to pitch its tent in your life?

Whatever the situation you are in or may find yourself in the future, resolve to look up to God and not down at your troubles. Turn to Him in worship. Let your heart swell with praise of His Name.

Look up to Him for help. Pray and keep praying until your joy is full. Pray for inner strength. Pray that God will increase your understanding of His ways. . .

. . . Do not seek help from places outside God. Let God be your FIRST point if call at all times. Don't let the created take the place of the Creator in your life.

Let your thoughts always be driven towards God. Think about His greatness and goodness. Fill your being with God’s Words of hope.

Remember, this too shall pass.

May the peace of God that passes human understanding abide with you.

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2015

How do you prefer your fried plantains?  Salted or unsalted?

Who likes malt and milk like I do?

God Has All The Answers

"AS HE passed along, He noticed a man blind from his birth. His disciples asked Him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind? Jesus answered, It was not that this man or his parents sinned, but he was born blind in order that the workings of God should be manifested (displayed and illustrated) in him"- Luke 9:1-3(AMP)

Like Jesus' disciples in this passage, we are usually so quick to draw conclusions or judge situations without adequate 'evidence'. Most times we just open our mouths to castigate others because of the situation they might have found themselves in. Some conclude that it's sin that causes all the challenges we face. Well, this passage proves otherwise. As much as sin could be the culprit, not always.

If it's as a result of sin, God's plan for discipline is still for our own good. He corrects us and sometimes gives us some lashes so that we could retrace our steps to Him. God inspired the proverb: "Spare the rod and spoil the child", what do you expect? He doesn't want us to get 'spoilt'. Therefore, identify the purpose. Accept correction with gladness. You can be sure that it is because God loves you that he is disciplining you.

God's purpose stands sure. He knows the end right from the very beginning. He is in the know of why you are going through what you are going through right now. If sin truly has nothing to do with your predicament, accept that God's plans for you are for good and not evil; to give you a future and hope.

He is preparing a much greater glory for you. If that man wasn't blind, i guess there might not have been a record of him. He became a means of training/lesson/encouragement for us as God's children. So before you finish your soul with a guilt-bath, ask what God's purpose for the situation is. God is a loving Father who answers our questions. Ask and it shall be given to you. Don't be hasty in drawing conclusions- either concerning your situation or others'. Allow the Author and Finisher of your faith be the one to tell you explicitly what the conclusion of the matter is.

Align with God's purpose. Let the Lord have His way. Your latter will be greater than your past in Jesus' name!

-Omosebi, Mary Omolola

 It's toast for breakfast. You may say, "that could be tedious to make because of the morning rush" . . . Here's what I sometimes do- I make my toast (not too dry) in the night, drop in the refrigerator and simply warm up in the morning (you can warm up in the oven). Besides, I'm sure to have the generator on at night so there's no stopping me; just in case there is no power from the power supplier in the morning.

Keeping it simple. . .

¤ Toast ¤

Ingredients
- Even number of bread slices (e.g 20)
- 5 Boiled eggs (sliced) or 2 raw eggs
- Margarine (salted)
- Sardine
- Cheese
- Vegetables (tomatoes, onions, leaves, etc)
- Pinch of chilli pepper

MARY's Method
* Mix the margarine, sardine and pepper in a bowl.

* Slice the vegetables.

* If using raw eggs, beat the egg with a pinch of salt and spices if desired) and spoon on the stuffed bread slices as in the next step.

* Spread the bread slices with the margarine mix. Stuff with other ingredients and place the two slices over each other.

*Toast for about 3 minutes in a bread toaster. Serve warm with juice or cocoa beverage.

» Enjoy!

~MARY's Kitchen

¤ Fried Yam and Minced Meat Sauce ¤

 How about this for lunch?


»Enjoy!

~MARY's Kitchen

¤ Grilled Chicken and Chips ¤

Instead of frying the chicken, I marinated and baked in the oven. Lower fat content compared to the fried variation.

~MARY's Kitchen

¤ Veggie Fried Rice and Fried Plantain ¤

 Lunch is served. . .

~MARY's Kitchen

¤ Rice and Beans ¤

 How do you prefer your rice and beans combo?

Rice and beans cooked together or cooked separately?

I kinda like both. . .

~MARY's Kitchen

¤ Rice and Beef Stew ¤

 It's White Rice and Beef stew for lunch. . .served with a glass of chilled watermelon-pineapple juice!

»Enjoy!

~MARY's Kitchen

¤ Eko and Efo riro ¤

Watching your weight (or height. . .lol)? I've got you covered tonight

Dinner is served. . .


I like the pop of colour the pap from yellow maize gives this dish . . .and it's got beta-carotene.

For the pap,
Ingredients
- 1 cup fermented corn starch
- 2.5 cups water

MARY's Method
* Soften the corn starch with half cup of water.

*Boil the remaining water in a pot. Pour in the paste and stir continuously till it fully gelatinizes and gives a very thick paste (that can only be scooped with a spoon). Cook for 5 minutes.

*Spoon the cooked pap into desired mould. Cover the surface with cold water. Allow to cool (you can put the pap in a refrigerator). Turn out from the mould when ready to serve.

»You can find the recipe for the vegetable soup here: Efo-riro-yoruba-style-vegetable-soup by MARY'S Kitchen

~Straight from MARY's Kitchen

»Enjoy

¤ Beans and Fried Stew (Ewa Agoyin) ¤

 I mean seriously, I love this dish like kilode. Beans was my best food as a child. Guess that's why I'm very tall. Lol.  Anyway, almost anything made with beans is my favourite.

Ingredients
-2 cups Nigerian Honey beans
-Pepper blend
-1 large onion
-1/2 cup Palm oil
-1 seasoning cube
-Salt

MARY's Method
* Soak beans for 1 hour and discard soaking water (not compulsory if you're running out on time). Cook until soft with a quarter of the onion. (I like to cook with onion though not compulsory). Your pressure pot should come in handy here- It drastically reduces cooking time. (Add water just enough to cover the beans in the pressure pot. That should be adequate for to have your beans very soft. Takes about 20 minutes)

* Dice or slice onion. Place frying pan on low heat and melt palm oil till it begins to smoke. Fry the onion in the palm oil till it's golden brown. Pour in the pepper blend. Add seasoning cube and salt to taste. Fry till very dry.

* Serve beans hot with pepper sauce and fried plantain.

»Enjoy

~MARY's Kitchen

¤ Yam Porridge ¤

 No real big deal with this dish but I love it anyway.
#Yamrecipe #AsaroElepoRederede

Ingredients
-5 slices of yam
-1 medium sized onion
-Blended pepper (tomato+pepper)
-Palm oil
-1/2-1 cup Shredded smoked fish
-2 tsp Ground crayfish
- 1/4 cup whole crayfish (head removed) (optional)
-1 cup Ugu or amaranth leaves (washed and chopped)
-2 Seasoning cubes
-1/2 tsp each Curry and thyme
-Salt

MARY's Method

*Place two cups of water in a pot. Add the blended pepper, chopped onions, spices, seasoning cubes and salt to taste. Bring to boil.

* Peel yam and cube. Pour into the boiling water. Allow to cook for about ten minutes. Add crayfish and flaked fish. Allow to Cook for about 10 minutes.

* Add palm oil and the chopped vegetable and stir into the pot of yam. Allow to cook for 5 minutes on low heat.

* If you like your porridge without yam lumps, marsh very well with a wooden spoon. If otherwise, just marsh mildly.

*Serve with boiled egg or grilled or fried fish, chicken or meat.

»Enjoy!

~MARY's Kitchen

¤ Fried Rice and Grilled Chicken ¤

 Lunch is served. . .



» Enjoy!

~MARY's Kitchen

¤ Bean Roll ¤

This is a creative presentation of your regular moi moi. No difference in the ingredients; just the preparation method.

I am certain that you and your family/guests will love this. . .

Ingredients

- 3 cups Black eyed beans
- 4 Romano pepper/Spice garden bell pepper (tatashe)
- 2 Scotch bonnet
- 2 Big Onions
- 2/3 cup Flaked boiled and deboned Mackerel/ Salmon (Titus fish) or Corned beef
- Fish stock
- 4 tbsp Ground crayfish
- 1/4 cup chopped Ugu leaves
- 1.5 cup Vegetable oil
- 6 hot dogs
- 5 Eggs
- 4 Seasoning cubes
- Salt

»MARY's Method

* Soak the beans for about 5 minutes and peel by rubbing beans between the palms of your hand. Soak in water for about 20-30 minutes.

* Boil 2 out of the eggs. Remove the shell and yolk. Dice the albumin and set aside.

* Grind the beans with 3 peppers and 1.5 onions in a blender (with just enough water to keep the blender running) to form a smooth paste.

* Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.

* Beat the eggs and add to the bean paste. Add the fish (or corned beef), crayfish, spices, vegetable oil and salt to taste. Add some warm water if necessary. Stir the bean paste with a wooden spoon for 5-7 minutes.

* Chop the boiled egg albumin, remaining pepper and onion and hotdogs. Mix together with the chopped ugu leaves and halve.

* Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil and grease generously with margarine. Pour half of the bean paste and place in the oven for 5minutes (the bean paste should have begun to set by then).

* Sprinkle a portion of the chopped ingredient and return to the oven. Allow to bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean from the beans.

* Roll up carefully while still hot.

* Serve as the main dish or as an accompaniment to other dishes like rice.

»Enjoy

~MARY's Kitchen

¤ Chicken pie ¤

Here's my weekend pastry for you. . .

Same method with my meat pie previously shared on this page. Find recipe here:
Meat-pie by MARY'S Kitchen

»Enjoy

~ MARY's kitchen

¤ Beans and Maize Combo ¤

You already know that I like beans a lot. Here's another bean-based dish. I particularly like this combo because of it's high nutritional value. The amino acids are relatively balanced. And the taste is spectacular.

Ingredients
- 4 cobs Freshly harvested corn
- 2 cups Nigerian Honey beans
- 1 Large onion
- 2 Scotch bonnet
- 1.5 cup Palm oil
- Salt to taste

MARY's Method

* With a sharp knife, carefully scrap the maize seeds from the cob.

* Pour maize into pot and cover with water. Remove chaff with perforated spoon. Cook for 30 minutes. (I cook in a pressure pot for 10-15 minutes).

* Add picked, washed and presoaked beans into the pot. Cook till beans is soft. (With a pressure pot, beans should be ready in 20-25 minutes).

* Chop onion and scotch bonnet finely. Add to the pot of beans-maize. Add pepper blend and palm oil. Add salt to taste. Cook for about 7-10 minutes on low heat.

* Serve warm.

» Enjoy!

~MARY's Kitchen

¤ Yam and Scrambled Eggs ¤

It's Boiled Yam and scrambled eggs with pepper sauce for breakfast. . .

» Enjoy!

~MARY's Kitchen

¤ Efo Riro ¤ (Yoruba style Vegetable soup)

When they say, "That woman has prepared vegetable soup for that man, so he does her bidding", I suspect this is the soup they are talking about. . . Lol

How many 'lives' does this soup have sef?

Ingredients

- Lagos spinach (shoko) (or Amaranth (tete))
-3 large Red bell peppers
-3 Finger chilli peppers
-1-2 Scotch bonnets (Depending on how spicy you want it)
-1 large & 1 medium sized Onion
-1/2 cup Palm oil
-Beef or Chicken
-Cow skin
-Offal (saki and liver are my favourites)
-Baby snail (fried)
-Smoked Cat fish
-Brown shrimps (head removed)
-2 tbsp Ground Crayfish
-1/3 cup (or more) Locust bean (Iru)
-1 or 2 seasoning cube
-Salt to taste

MARY's Method

* Chop the vegetable. Place in a bowl of salted water. Set aside for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse two more times with clean water. (Carefully use a sieve to retrieve the vegetable from the water; don't pour all the contents into the sieve).

*Pulverize the peppers and the medium onion with a blender to give a slightly coarse blend. Set aside.

* Parboil the assorted meat. Boil the meat with a quarter of the onion, seasoning cube and salt.

* Add the properly washed and cut cow skin, parboiled assorted meat and snails. Cook for 5 minutes, leaving very little (about 1/3 cup) stock sauce in the pot.

*Pour the palm oil in another pot and place on low heat. Dice the remaining onion, pour into the oil and fry for about 3 minutes. Pour the blended pepper into the oil. Add the locust bean and fry till dry.

* Scoop the contents of the meat pot into the pot of fried pepper. Wash, debone and shred the fish. Add the fish, prawns and ground crayfish. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes.

* Add the washed vegetable to the pot and stir into the ingredients. Check for salt. Simmer for 5 minutes.

* Serve with rice, pounded yam, semolina or cold pap

»Enjoy!

~MARY's Kitchen
 ©2015

¤ Juicy Vegetable Soup ¤

Sometimes I love my vegetable soup to be really juicy. Amaranth has this special peculiar taste I can't resist when it comes to juicy vegetable soup. It makes for a dish without me adding any accompaniment

No big deal. Same method with my efo riro. You can find recipe for the vegetable soup (efo riro) here: Efo-riro-yoruba-style-vegetable-soup by MARY'S Kitchen 


Only that I don't allow my fried pepper to dry out before adding my vegetables.

You should try it out sometime.

~ MARY's Kitchen

¤ Gbegiri ¤ (Bean Soup)

I am a proper Oyo lady and I will be sharing the recipe for one of our special soups today.


Ingredients
- 1 Cup Black eyed cowpea
- 1 Medium sized Onion
- 1 Scotch bonnet
- 2 Tbsp Locust bean
- 1 Tbsp Ground crayfish
- 1/4 Cup deboned smoked mackerel (optional)
- 1/4 Cup Palm oil
- 1 Seasoning cube
- Salt to taste

MARY'S Method

* Soak beans for 10 minutes. Rub between fingers to remove seed coat. Soak for 3-4 hours. If in a hurry, you may cook with potash to reduce cooking time.

* Boil peeled beans in 1-1.5 cup water till very soft.

* Allow to cool. Pulverise with onion, pepper and locust bean (and deboned smoked fish if using) to give very smooth paste using your kitchen blender.

* Turn paste into a cooking pot. Add ground crayfish, palm oil and seasoning cube. Allow to boil for 5-7 minutes. Make sure to stir at intervals to prevent it from burning.

* Voila. Your bean soup is ready.

* Serve with ewedu soup if you want. (I don't like the combination of the two though). Serve with beef or chicken from your beef or chicken stew.

* Eat with Amala.

>Enjoy

~ MARY's Kitchen

Sex Sanity In The Midst Of Sex Saturation

Okay, I don't even know how I came about this topic. . . Ministered to my spirit or saw it from someplace? Found it in my note anyway. . .

Yes, our world is sex-saturated. Women are being portrayed as sex objects. Children are being sexified. (Just don't you worry at all, my dictionary will be ready someday). Adverts are sex-oriented. Clothing materials are sex-motivated. Television programs are sex-possessed. Music lyrics and videos are sex inspired. The internet is sex - concentrated.  Online stores are not left out either. Sexual abuse is the order of the day.

You hear about sex every day almost every where directly and indirectly.

Abnormal orientation about sex is being portrayed as normal by the world. The world says it is okay to test run your fiancée before marriage. They say that having extramarital affairs is just like engaging in extracurricular activities and there is nothing wrong with that. They say it is an unwritten code for a man not to be a one woman man. They say that it is alright to sell your body for money as long as you know how to play your cards well. They say that you can simply replace your spouse with a toy or just do it yourself if your spouse is not functioning properly. They say that you are "old school" if you choose to go contrary to the world belief system.

I just want to remind you that God’s stand when it comes to the issue of sex is clear. Sex is rated "FOR THE MARRIED ONLY "  by God. The marriage bed must be undefiled. Your body is sacred. Stop giving in to the dictates of the flesh. Don't cave in under pressure. God's Word is eternal. And His Words says that He will judge all adulterers and fornicators. From my Bible, I don't see Him making any excuses to justify having sex outside marriage. There is NO justifiable reason to engage in sex outside marriage.

Don’t get it twisted. If you are yet to marry, wait until you get married to have sex. And to the married I say "Drink from your well ONLY".

You can be sexually sane despite the insanity of our world when it comes to the issue of sex. This is a statement of fact and I am certain that you can have the testimony of being sexually pure.

Saturate your spirit man with the Word of God. Read it. Study it. Meditate upon it day and night. Pray in the Holy Ghost  without season or ceasing. When your cup is full, there will be no room in your life for the rottenness the world has to offer. Lest I forget, always surround yourself with people who know and walk in the way of The Lord.

Fear God my people. . .

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2015