Happy New Year! I know, I know, days late dollar short etc. But hey the Igbos say, “Whenever you wake up THAT is your morning!” I’m woke y’all! Welcome to a new year! After an epic 2016, I cannot even imagine where God can go from here with me but I am so excited to enjoy what’s next. So grateful to this God that is into the business of “…exceedingly, abundantly, far above all I could ever think, imagine or dream!” (Eph 3:20).

For many 2016 was a tough year. For Obi’m, for me and my family it honestly was a very good year. Sometimes it bees like that I guess. A friend of mine recently said to me, “…it’s like you’re the only one that read the manual for 2016!” Lol. It’s true. In many ways 2016 was the best year of my life. To be honest, I have always felt like my life has gotten progressively better but I know that if someone sat and reflected on my life, they probably wouldn’t agree. I guess a lot of that has to do with perspective; I try to always have some a lot of perspective.

So, I look at my life as getting progressively better year by year. And this makes sense because of the promise in Psalm 4:18 “The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter [and brighter and brighter…] until the full light of day.” So logically we should never conceive or even concede to the thought that our past can ever be better than our present, not to even speak of our future! Most of us tend to look at our past through rose-tinted glasses especially when the present gets difficult. We remember only the best and filter out the worst, making us feel like our better years are behind us. That’s a lie. Our best days are still to come, trust me.

Anyway that’s an aside, today’s message like I’ve tried to do at the end of the last two years, is focused on some lessons I’ve learnt in the last year. So here are a few things 2016 taught me:

1. “There is hope ONLY for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!”

   – Ecclesiastes 9:4

My last point in my final blog message of 2015 said

“9. Random: “Life…there is still some time to be surprised” -World Suicide Prevention.

One of my favourite things about life is just how much can happen, how much can change in a moment. I love the spontaneity of life, how quickly things change, how much room there is to still be surprised in this life! I am learning to be expectant, not get disillusioned but take the world as it comes, greeting it with a smile as often as possible. You think you’ve met the best and right round the corner, someone else shows up and shows you that there’s still so much world to see and so many left to meet!

2016, I’ve been waiting to meet you! *Arms stretched, smile wide beaming like a 5 year old that’s just seen her momma after school!* #Let’sGo!…”

…And Life responded *In JayZ voice* “Let’s go get’em!”

So lesson numero uno, stay expectant! I entered into 2016 with nothing to suggest that there would be anything exciting in the horizon for me but I chose to look forward to the future with anticipation knowing that life is full of surprises. An expectant spirit is a fundamental asset in this journey of life. Life can be a challenge but no one knows what is around the corner so please never ever give up. Don’t just live, live with some anticipation that goodness will find you because God cares about you particularly.

2. “The world is eagerly waiting for the manifestation [revelation] of the sons of God…” Uhm, that’d be you bruh!

   – Romans 8:19. 

I’ve always believed in this but in 2016 I once again confirmed the truth of this Rumi quote: “Answer every call that excites your spirit.” Who says you can’t go back to school, run a website, start your side business?! You have the capacity for so much more than you think! The more you do, the more you know and the better you become. This year I took a plunge and started a little side business using my love for decoration to earn some ‘koo kash’ after years of rendering free services to friends and family and inadvertently honing my skill. This year, I also got a radio show with the truly lovely Vanilla Aima, an idea we had toyed about for ages. This is YOUR life, you will never get a chance for a repeat performance. Answer ANY and EVERY call that excites your spirit. If you put your heart in it, you’d be surprised at the opportunities providence provides and ironically, you might find your life more balanced and happier when it’s fuller. Your contribution to the world is valuable and necessary, the world is waiting for you.

3. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters…”

   -Colossians 3:23

A spirit of excellence in everything you do is the X-Factor, the distinguishing thing that separates you from the pack. If for nothing else practice excellence because excellence begets good will. Obi’m always tells me that. There are favours you will get from people only because you put in good work when you were called upon. Everyone loves a solution provider. There are no short cuts. Pull your weight…excellently. It’s not just about excelling, a spirit of excellence is about the desire to be continuously exceptional in any thing you do. Obi’m and I have decided that we won’t just teach out kids to do well, by God’s grace and wisdom, we will imbibe in them a culture of excellence; a desire and drive to simply do everything to the best of their ability. It’s something my mum has, she does the smallest things so well that nothing seems small when she’s done with it. People notice and this is the difference that allows your gifts bring you before kings.

“A man’s gifts makes room [enlarges his way] for him and brings him before kings”

-Proverbs 18: 16.

You don’t live mediocre and pray that talent alone will bring success…when you can’t trade talent for a bag of rice in Mile 1 Market. *Lauren Hill voice* Uhn Uhn, come again…

I’ll share 8 more lessons 2016 taught me, so stay tuned….like an old school TV