Tag: purpose

Make The Best Out of Those Past Experiences & Bloom Again.

Make The Best Out of Those Past Experiences & Bloom Again.

by UJU HUMPHREY EKE ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Happy New Week & Happy Wednesday Friends!!! It feels good to be connecting with you on this platform today, it’s been a minute #smiles. I am currently working out plans to be consistent here & give the timing of the post a rhythm. Hopefully, it won’t be long, communicating with you here brings me fulfillment & I pray each time you visit; you leave inspired. God’s plan for the blog is RESTORATION for his children.

A few days ago, I made a post on my Instagram about not letting a single mistake, bad experience, failure, rejection define your entire being, if you are yet to read it, visit @ujuhumphreyeke on IG to read (not sure when but soon, I would update the blog to the paid version so I can directly share links to my other social media platforms here, that way you just tap on the link to read the post on IG without leaving the blog page entirely).

If you are visiting the blog for the first, welcome & thank you for stopping by, you can take out some time to visit the previous posts on the blog & I pray that it inspires you & encourages you on your faith walk.

For the purpose of this post, PAST is not only tied to sin but generally every past low moment that has made us see ourselves differently or given us a false definition of ourselves; that includes past sins, past failure, past rejection, past disappointment, past financial challenge (even your present financial challenge doesn’t define you, it doesn’t mean that you are never going to get wealth) God has given us the power to get wealth according to Deuteronomy 8:18 but he also didn’t promise that the road to getting that wealth wouldn’t be bumpy, he didn’t promise that you are never going to get broke. Truthfully, being broke is part of the process to getting wealth because in that state, our trust & faith in him is tried & when we scale through that, we get a badge for unwavering faith & trust in the Father.

So, after putting out that post, I felt a leading to do a more detailed post on it giving helpful insights on how we can live past it. First thing I would like you to know is that no one I mean “NO ONE” escapes life’s cold treatments, mistakes & shocks. At one point or the other, we have been faced with situations we are not proud of, we have been faced with disappointments that make us feel there is something wrong with us, we have been faced with rejection that have had us thinking we are not good enough after all. We wear this weight round our being refusing to let go and forgive ourselves & work towards being better, I have been there multiple times…sometimes I feel worthless but I know in reality that I am not worthless and God doesn’t see me as worthless despite all of my wrongdoings, It is just a feeling that is capable of sabotaging our lives if we let it. It’s the enemy who paints that picture of worthlessness as to make us feel ashamed and run from the presence of God to where he can totally have us body, spirit & soul to perform his wicked enterprise.Thank God for his grace and the understanding of his word, my eyes have been opened to greater truth, I am learning daily to see myself the way God sees me and nothing less.

In this post I would like to share helpful insights on how to view & live past our mistakes, disappointments, rejections, failures& walk in confidence of who Christ has called us to be.

But first, let’s look at what Ecclesiastes 3: 6 says A time to get and a time to lose: a time to keep & a time to cast away… My addition “A time to mourn over your mistakes & past and a time to let them go” Your mistakes should teach you how to live better going forward & after you have learnt that lesson, you throw it away…we throw away things that have past their usefulness, we throw away old things that no longer serve us, you have learnt that lesson from your mistake let it go.

Some reminders of God’s promises towards handling your past mistakes (The points below deal with past sins/mistakes but we can also channel same promises to deal with failures, rejections & disappointments)

  • Your past of shame is forgiven in Christ & now Christ wants to use you to show off to the world. We all have sinful pasts but none of them is out of reach of God’s mercy. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful & just to forgive us our sins & cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Think of men & women that God used in the bible despite their sinful past, look at Paul persecuting early Christians, Rahab the prostitute that protected the Hebrew spies etc. God wants your name recorded in his book.
  • Your past no longer defines you; 2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. So, in the case of a past mistake or sin, when you fully repent and rededicate your life to Christ, he says all things would become new. He didn’t say somethings would become new while you still walk around with that baggage of guilt & shame. All things becoming new includes your heart, your attitude, the way you see yourself etc. Yes, I get how difficult it is to forget what has happened to us, truthfully it can’t be wiped away from our memory but allow it to remain where it belongs -the past. The flashes would pop up occasionally but when your mind is renewed in Christ, you view it differently, you don’t start reliving and internalizing it. Allowing guilt from the past will only cripple you spiritually and otherwise, conviction by God’s spirit is okay because it leads to repentance and freedom.

Insights to Making the Best Out of Your Past & Walking in Confidence

  • Allow your past to shape you but do not dwell there: For a long time, I down played myself because a particular circumstance made me feel I wasn’t that special anyways so instead of aiming for the front row, I was okay being average because I felt I wasn’t qualified to stand in front. That single incident made me doubt everything I believed about myself. The Lord doesn’t want you wallowing in past failures instead he wants you to move forward & make wise decisions to become much better. He wants your mind renewed. Your past unquestionably shapes your character & reputation, but you are not to dwell there. We are not even supposed to dwell on good past achievements resting on our laurels instead of considering fresh opportunities.
  • Create a liberation channel with those past experiences; The consequences of that past failure can be used to transform lives positively; your past may suggest opportunities to help others. I have always wanted to run a blog as a channel to inspire & reassure people of the promises of God upon their lives, my blog as at 2013 when I created the very first one was supposed to be a channel to share God’s word. It didn’t quite go as planned coupled with my long period of complacency &distractions, but God got my attention back & I began blogging, my experience from that period of distraction framed a unique direction for the blog. Now is not just about sharing God’s word but to targeted souls who have fallen by the way side in their walk & have lost sight of the restoration power of God, the blog teaches on the assurance of Gods complete restoration tabled with life experiences, I didn’t choose that direction for the blog but the grace of God transformed that story for his glory. For that not so beautiful experience that hunts you, how about you surrender it to God & prayerfully ask him to use it for his glory.
  • Your past circumstances can’t be changed but you can be changed: the future is yet to be determined and can be influenced when you become a changed person.

Practical Test: Recall that one time you performed badly in an exam be it a job test or school test, instead of dwelling on that failure, how about you start ruling out the poor reading habits or maybe you read /prepared well, how about seeking help & looking out for people that have travelled that road to give you a guide. You could move from failure to excellent, do not choose to play small & settle for average.

In conclusion, your past has as much power as you give to it, drop the baggage, seek fresh meaning, seek restoration, seek help, seek to be better, embrace God & watch him transform your life.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of life, thank you for protection, preservation & provision. Your grace has kept me thus far & that is a proof you still want me here, it’s a proof that you are not done with me yet. I know I have sabotaged my life by allowing my pasts to define & shape my life. Dear Lord, I repent from taking away & for giving a false identity to ME your beloved creation.

I have gotten my share of life’s troubles, challenges, and mistakes, most times I want to live & move past it, but the flashes keep popping up & has overtime framed the way I see myself. Dear Lord, I believe in your restoration power, restore me Lord & give me the grace to see me the way you see me. I do not want to keep reliving & revisiting that past failure, sin, rejection & disappointments. Open my eyes Lord & show me ways to channel those hurtful pasts to useful tools to help others and to your Glory. I am laying all baggage at your feet & I move on restored, forgiven, renewed & blessed. I reclaim my identity in Jesus Name, Amen.

Do you need someone to hold your hand, encourage you while you a take step to your complete restoration & fulfilling your purpose?

Want to prayerfully seek him for alignment & realignment of your purpose?

Then the Lord has just led you to the right place, let me hold your hand & you hold mine as we prayerfully go on this journey.

Let’s do this together friends “FOR HIS GLORY “and to the shame of the Enemy.

STAY WINNING!!! STAY BLESSED!!! STAY ENCOURAGED!!! AND ABOVE ALL ARISE & SHINE!!!

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES & TIPS

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES & TIPS

by UJU HUMPHREY EKE ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Hi Friends,

Happy New Year once again…trust your year is off to a great start?

I believe “YES” for most people but if “NO”, you are not alone Sis & you do not have to beat yourself up about the uncertainties you are facing now.

You got time SIS…tell the confusion and uncertainties to God and watch him bring you CLARITY and PEACE to walk in your purpose.

Personally, I have a lot mapped out for the year but still working on means for execution but while at it and while I wait, “I AM SHOWING UP EVERYDAY LIKE I OWN THE SHOW”(that’s my mantra for the year),not like I have my year figured out but Hey I am done living & acting based on my reality…It’s God’s REALITY or nothing and you should too SIS.

With new year comes new resolutions, new habits and all that new stuff here and there…personally I am not big on New Year Resolutions (truthfully, I really don’t want to be so hard on myself when I don’t follow everything on my list of resolutions).

Alternatively, I just seek ways to develop myself better than I was the previous year, I rule out things that were less relevant in the past and opt for new ways of doing things productively & becoming a better person overall.

The past year was a bit too challenging for me especially in my business. For people that do not know me personally, I run a Clothing Brand by the name Oma Humphrey Signature (2years plus in my entrepreneurship journey). Would share some of the challenges I faced in business someday when I fully put in all the missing puzzles (smiles) but one of the challenges I faced was in the area of “PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT”. I spent time just working & working without giving room for a refill but that has got to change this year.

So this year, overriding all my business plans is the need to develop myself in my walk with God (Ministry) & my Career (I love business, I love my chosen career, I am a Fashion Designer & I do a lot of other things in between, some will call it “Jack of All Trades” but I simply believe that my hands are blessed and that God has deposited a lot of things for me to manifest in my time here on earth).

So, here are a few of the resources that are dear to me & that are also helping me achieve my goal of personal development: First on the list & before the list is GOD…HE IS THE LEAD IN EVERY OF MY DECISION IN 2020, WHEN HE SAYS PAUSE I OBEY & WHEN HE INSTRUCTS OTHERWISE, I FOLLOW SUIT.

  1. You Version Bible App: This is a dearly loved App, asides the different bible translations which have really helped me in studying and understanding of the word, it also has thousands of devotional plans. So, if your goal is to study the word more & get better with you walk/ relationship with God in 2020, this app is for you. Good thing, you can read your chosen devotional on the “GO” the WORD & the World has gone digital guys.
  • SCRIBD App (Digital Library): It has thousands of eBooks, Audiobooks, Magazines, Articles, Biographies etc. Been using the App since 2018 but most times I go off especially months I really do not have plans to read more or when I feel the investment on the app is much. Truthfully, I really don’t think it’s a high fee at such, the problem I had was that I was underutilizing the app then but now I know better.

I pay a subscription fee of USD9.44 monthly to gain access to lots of materials but I recently just opted for a lower package with a fee of about half the price above by the time my current plan expires because in 2020, we are spending smart & also getting value. You sign up newly, you get a free 30days trial and after that you pay for subsequent months. The plan is to read maximum of two books in a month. I am currently reading Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan.

  • TEDx TALKS: Been listening to TEDx talks for a while now mostly when I bother to open the notification on my mail but in 2020, I am deciding to listen to at least one daily. TED talks are great way to improve your general knowledge, they boost creativity and broaden your perspective. By watching professionals in different field share their story which would usually start from a personal experience (good or bad), you start to see possibilities in tackling your own problems & living to be the best version of YOU. I listened to one recently “The Beautiful Balance Between Courage & Fear” by Cara E.Yar Khan …It was such an inspiring and encouraging experience & it greatly spoke to me going by the fact that “COURAGE AND ABIDE” is my theme for 2020.
  • AFFIRMATIONS: If you follow me on Instagram @ujuhumphreyeke, you will know how keen I am on affirmations. They are daily boosters for me, it helps me talk myself out of fear, negativity and feelings of not being enough.
  • SERMONS ON YouTube:  For ministry & spiritual growth, I am deciding to listen to at least one sermon daily from my favorite ministers on YouTube. This has always been a tradition for me but this year because I am trying to get value off my WEB usage and presence, I am putting more time into resources that would make me better as against just scrolling through Instagram & Facebook and exhausting almost same volume & amount of data.
  • MENTORS: While I do not have a physical mentor yet, I am relying on digital mentors by keeping close tab to individuals who have achieved the goals in my life development plan (Ministry & Career). I am seeking them out on social media, seeking out their books, following their story & allowing it to inspire me to be my own person that God has called & designed me to be (I am not wishing to be like any other person but I am open to learning from peoples story).
  • PAID COURSES & TRAININGS:  I am yearning for more & more of knowledge, if I have my way I would be heading back to the classroom before you finish reading this post (laughs), while that plan is not on the forefront of things I can take up now, I would definitely be taking up some trainings to better equip and position myself. Would share more in my next post on why learning is essential and why we should never take that for granted no matter how much we think we already know.
  • JOURNALING: This is not a new thing for me but it continues in 2020…literally I have been journaling for as long as I can remember & I have a journal for almost everything but always have a general journal usually small in size that I carry around easily. I write a lot (I express myself more through writing, talking can be stressful you know #smiles).
  • MENTAL DIET: I am committing to taking full control of my mental & emotional faculties by not entertaining thoughts or people that will not add value to my life or simply put unresourceful thoughts & humans. Taking charge of my mental & emotional space and what I let into it. Also, on this, I am committing to waking up two hours before my usual wakeup time to invest that time into any of the useful resource I have mentioned above.
  • LIVING HEALTH, BEING HAPPY & CONTENT: For a long time now, I have neglected the need to take very good of myself. For the past two and half years of running my business, I would always opt to take care of business needs first before me which is not entirely bad, but I went overboard with it. I was almost losing myself chasing after business, no breaks, no unwinding, no self-care just work. I realized how bad it was when I went home January, 2018…first my parents were not pleased with my look, I was all shades of stress and they greatly complained about that. Then around April 2018 one of my uncles that saw me in January called me one morning to express how displeased he was with my look in January and advised that I need to make time to care for myself & these are just a few of the complaints. I am still working & I am still very much in business but creating balance to live healthy, happy & content and to give myself time.

Over to you friends, how are you working on being a better version of yourself in 2020 & what are the limitations you think you might face while on this journey?

My list is still open for more helpful tips/additions, so I would appreciate you dropping more points so we all can learn and decide what best suits our purpose, dreams & aspirations.

Because this is a faith based blog, there would be a short prayer at the end of every post…so join me to say this short prayer.

Dear Lord, thank you for ushering me into this New Decade/Year.It is a proof that you still have a need of me here on earth. Lord, though I might have failed you many times, but your endless love still shields me from damnation. Father chart my path in this new season of my life, help me to trust your leadings over my life even when it looks nothing close like I had envisioned. Help me Lord not to hold onto anything more than I hold onto you. Father for every point that I would miss my path, please Lord do not hesitate to put a pause on that wrong path and realign me to your will, help me Lord to consistently ABIDE in you and in your word even when the circumstance of compromise presents itself. You said those that trust in you will never be put to shame, father I am holding onto your world & I am fully trusting you. Dear Lord, take away anything (sin, habits, friendships, decisions) that would hinder me from fully manifesting and walking in my purpose in 2020 & beyond. Your blessings makes rich and adds no sorrow, any pursuit or blessing that would bring me damnation or cause me sorrow, please take it away ahead of time dear Lord. Give the courage to live fearlessly & walk in my purpose all the days of my in Jesus Name, AMEN.

STAY WINNING!!! STAY BLESSED!!! STAY ENCOURAGED!!! AND ABOVE ALL ARISE AND SHINE!!!

Welcome Note /Introduction

Welcome Note /Introduction

by UJU HUMPHREY EKE ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

HELLO FRIENDS!!!

I am so thankful that you stopped by here today and I pray that this blog would inspire, nurture and help restore your God given purpose in Jesus Name, Amen…

My name is UJU (Nigerian Igbo name) … meaning ABUNDANCE in English Language. I am the King’s favorite daughter.

So now you know, we are about to have abundance of everything that the Father has purposed for our lives in this season and beyond(smiles).

I am Saved. I am Restored. I believe in the Redemption Power of the Father. I am Fulfilling Purpose…All to the GLORY OF GOD.I am learning, growing and glowing daily at his feet.

I am passionate about fulfilling my God given purpose here on earth and have a mandate from the Father to lead as much people as possible on this walk all “FOR HIS GLORY”.

My life is a proof that God in his mercy can rebirth one’s purpose even after a long period of complacency…I would have been joyed to paint an even more perfect picture of my diligent work with God or tell you of how I have always walked in and seeked his counsel in every area of my life but unfortunately that is not the case here…but the good news is that God got my attention back and gracefully restored me.
And he is returning me to the promise…to my place of abundance and I am inviting you friends to join me on this journey.

My prayer is that through this blog, I will encourage & lead others to the Father’s original Promise on their lives and also prayerfully help set lives on the path to birthing and rebirthing their God given purpose here on earth…we are all here to do the work of God.
Ephesians 2vs10 MSG “He created each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing”.

As I share my journeys, my experiences, my mistakes and fresh revelation in the word, I pray that it inspires you to get back on track to your purpose and grow deeper in the Lord all “FOR HIS GLORY”.

Once again you are welcome here. As I share, I pray your heart leaves full and you are comfortable enough to share as well.

Want to prayerfully seek him for alignment and re-alignment of your purpose?
Want to chat/connect with a community of like minds to inspire, nurture and hold you accountable while you stay on track fulfilling your purpose?

Then the Lord has just led you to the right place …connect with me personally by sending an email or filling out the contact form on the blog…I would be glad to prayerfully walk with you on this journey and at the end all Glory will be returned to the Father.
I can’t wait to hear from you….
Will be sharing a bit more about me in subsequent posts and other side pecks to expect from this blog…so for now I say;
STAY WINNING!!! STAY BLESSED!!!

Running On Empty

Running On Empty

by UJU HUMPHREY EKE ♥ 4 Comments

For the past few months, I have the opportunity of being in possession of two different cars owned by my brothers at different times and that automatically meant me ditching my Taxi/other means of commute. In this period, I had noticed a very regular occurrence in my relationship with the gas gauge…on different occasions I had driven the car to the point where the light on the gas gauge comes up showing that I am almost running on empty.

Interestingly, the reason behind my constant  “Running on Almost Empty” is as a result of me shifting or postponing the day/time of refill because in my thought, if the car can still move then we are good. Other times, I am either in a hurry to meet up a deadline or I am just too carried away by other activities and things to be taken care of  and there right at the entrance of my estate is a gas station but I rather wait till I am on yellow to refill…this can be related to the way we run our lives and our relationship with God…we are too busy too consistently pull over for a refill in his presence.

Often, we find ourselves in this same exact state where we neglect the warning signs as we drive through life and we just keep moving, we see the signal that our spiritual tank is running on almost empty but yet we feel everything is okay and keep pushing through, we forget “1 Corinthians 10:12 -Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall“, we neglect to yearn and lean-to God for a refill. We are too busy that stopping/pulling over for a refill /to hear what God has to say to us in each season in our lives seems to be a futile effort so we just keep moving.

When the phrase “Running on Empty”dropped in my mind and I researched it on a deeper level, I knew the Lord was leading me to talk about it because I have and still recovering from it.

According to urban dictionary, “Running on Empty” is the beginning stage of depression, when you feel like the world is just out to get you, nothing is going on right in your life and you are on the verge of insanity. Despite all that, you still go through your daily routine, holding onto an ounce of hope that things will be better one day.

I wasn’t exactly feeling depressed, but I sensed I was “Running on Empty” but didn’t quiet realize that on time until sometime mid 2018 when I began to feel sudden dissatisfaction and unfulfillment in my life. Let me point out that at this time in my life, my fashion line was getting a lot of traction, money was coming in maybe not like I wanted but I was content with the provisions God made in that season…we had just showcased at our first runway show, we got some press coverage, our pieces were featured on two different magazine covers, and also in a TV commercial….all this was enough to keep me happy and bubbly being that the business officially started full time operations the year before that is 2017 but I constantly had a mask of unfulfillment behind closed doors and on the outside I tried to keep up with appearance (after all we are taught not to look like what we are going through) so I nursed this feeling inside.

As a temporary escape, I began to nurse the idea of turning another of my very numerous passion into a side business in 2019 just to get the feeling of a newness and something fresh, I made plans towards this idea but never got the excitement that comes with something new and that gave me doubts about the whole idea so I shoved it off and kept on pushing through.

Just before the end of 2018, the word INTENTIONAL dropped in my spirit and I knew that was the word to live by for the rest of 2019 and I made a post on it in January here:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2507796892569219&set=a.248247841857480&type=3 .

This single word I chose to live by has redirected the cause of my life in more ways than I could ever imagine… I realized I wasn’t intentional with the things of God as I used to, I began to see how much I have tried to push aside the ways of God in preference for my own ways, I realized that through most of my actions that I was telling God “Chill I got this all planned out” it was more of me and what I wanted and less of God. I wanted God’s abundance but never created time to actually glean and listen to his leadings in different seasons in my life, I prayed about things then work myself up in my own way to get it done and when it fails, I try every other possible means to make it work…I had neglected the God factor.

I read by bible but not sure I came across this verse for a very long time: John 15:5 “I am the Vine; you are the Branches. He who abides in me and I in him, bears much fruit for without me you can do nothing” .I was abiding but not fully… neglecting that God takes glory in our total surrender…but also forgot the part that says “His strength is made perfect in our weakness not in our strength”.

As I began to dig deeper about my situation of unfulfillment and unsatisfaction, I noticed my “soul’s low fuel light” and I felt God leading me from the first quarter of the year to pull away and refill in his presence but I was more concerned about my job and how to create time just for him so I ignored it but God being a loving father wasn’t ready to relent on me ,he knew we have been back and forth this excuses for a long time, he knew it was time to fulfil and answer the call on my life, he has taken all my flimsy reasons and postponement for a long while and  wasn’t ready for a NO this time so  he knew he needed to get my attention whichever he chooses and just like he did to JONAH, he sent a storm.

P.S : From a very young age, I knew that the Lord has a special calling on my life and I was on that path at some point in my life but took what I would call a sabbatical leave from the actual work while spending much time on a small facet of my ministry (would put up on more detailed post on this later).

It was until the storm hit, I knew that I couldn’t move anymore and needed to come to a place of total surrender and also like JONAH I cried out to the Lord…I finally dropped to my knees and admitted my need for a spiritual refill only found in Jesus. I gulped down in his presence and drank in his peace, all the while wondering why I waited so long to pull over and its been an amazing journey as daily he has been causing me to REST on him and his word.

Have you seen yourself trying to take the role of God in your life? Are you saying more yes to your ways and NO to the father’s leading? It is a sign of spiritual rebellion which shows that you are “Running on Empty “and it is time to refill.

We don’t know what each day holds, but God sees the next. He knows what we need and how to equip us for the things ahead, if only we pay attention when the light alerts us.

Dear Friends, if your soul is nearing empty do not wait! The Lord is asking you today to take time, fuel up and find rest for your soul.

Join me in taking this short prayer of repentance:

Prayer: Lord thank you for the salvation of my soul, thank you for not letting me loose my life when I tried to do life my way. Forgive me Lord for thinking I could ever make it on my own. Give me the Grace Lord to understand that I can only do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Rid me of every self-reliance and self sufficiency and let my gaze be fully fixed on you as I walk daily to fulfil that which you have called me to in Jesus Name, Amen

Is your heart tank crying for a refill that can only be filled by God?

Do you need someone hold your hand, encourage you while you pause for a refill?

Want to prayerfully seek him for alignment & realignment of your purpose?

Then the Lord has just led you to the right place, let me hold your hand and you hold mine as we go on this journey.

I would be glad to prayerfully walk with you on this journey and at the end all glory will be returned to the Father.

STAY WINNING!!! STAY BLESSED!!! AND ABOVE ALL ARISE SHINE!!!