For as long as I could remember my soul has been craving some measure of solitude, an alone moment with God…I so much yearned to get ‘’AWAY FROM THE NOISE’’ but with the dispensation we live in, life getting busier by the day and life constantly placing demands on us it was difficult to get away from the noise and activity that is part and parcel of the world we live in.

I believe God was also waiting for me and eager to bring calmness and clarity to my world that was already drowning in confusion, fear, faithlessness and everything in between.

Finally in April after I encountered what I would tag as a STORM (wrote about it a bit in my previous blog post) I decided it was time to unplug and shut out for a period, so my first step to that was staying locked up in my room for about a week for an alone moment with God. The first two days I didn’t step out of the room, from the third day to the 7^th day I only went to the fridge to grab something to close my fast for each day but never stepped outside of my house.

Right at the pool of my tears, where I was asking God to put some direction to my life because I had lost track of how we started, the Lord said to me “Daughter you have been short changing yourself for the past years, I created and called you to eat at the table not to feed off crumbs. He went on “I called you to be a light in your world and here you are shining through other people’s light” Why have you chosen to dim your light this much? I was totally wrecked with this reminder because I knew that I had set up myself to struggle in areas that God wanted me to be a STAR.

 It wasn’t like God was condemning me, he was just disappointed as to how carried away I had become and likewise I was disappointed with myself too and I kept muttering “Lord I am sorry”.

The Lord really showed me a lot of things in those few days, he opened my eyes to things and yes like flashlights, he brought to my remembrance all that I have put aside (like me and God had a long time plan of things to be accomplished in his kingdom). After those few days of waiting and listening to the Lord, he laid it in my heart to go meet my Pastor for counselling, yes he knew I needed someone to hold me in my broken state so I scheduled to go for the next counselling where I poured my heart out to my pastor about my journey of faith (within 10mins, I gave him a run-down of my life history & how God has used me mightily from high school to college and how I got distracted afterwards) he counselled & prayed with me, also gave me some sound prayers on restoration to be prayed on my own.

The Revelation Part 1

Right after my counselling session that day, I was still in church when my phone rang, it was my MUM and next she goes, my Reverend would like to have a word with you, he saw a revelation about you (my last daughter) because the Reverend has never met me before & doesn’t know my name.

So it was more like a word for Mrs. Ifeoma Eke’s last daughter (probably that was how God put it to him). He happens to be one of the young ministers that Mummy has worked with in one of her Lay Preaching assignment (Lay preacher means a person who is not a member of the clergy but is appointed by the clergy to preach and lead church services) so they have a kind of Big mummy & son relationship in the Lord.

At first I was a bit skeptical & at the same scared, but then I knew my MUM too well and understood the kind of people she keeps close to her, I asked her a few questions about the man of God which she gave me some credible answers so I decided to give it a shot and reach him on the phone as requested.

I put the call through to the man of God that day when I got home and he instructed that I fast & pray for three days and then get back on the third day (you all know there is something symbolic about the third day & the number 3 in the bible). So on the third day I called back, we went into a brief worship followed by prayers.

After the prayers, he went on to tell him what the Lord has revealed to him concerning me, He told me clearly that in what was revealed, he saw a cross I was supposed to be carrying “Rusting and Withering” as shocked as I was, I let out a big laugh like for real, God also sent someone to confirm this thing.Before now I wasn’t quite comfortable when someone says I have a word for you from the Lord, but this was such a timely message from God, I had just gone for counselling on the same subject then this revelation.

I already knew this thing a long time but now a second confirmation from God…whew I knew it had become serious. For the next few weeks I was praying & asking for direction on the many things he has set on my path. Gradually, things started to unfold, and I began to see and walk in the light once more though not as easy it sounds here but yea I kept pushing daily while I let God to be my lead, my strength & my peace.

The Revelation Part 2

All this was running into months, at some point I went off work & some level of communication including social media because with the level of what I was seeking & the demand on my life, I knew I needed my spirit to be calm free from all the cares, worries & pursuits of this life so I decided to dedicate time to hearing from God and listening to my soul. In June, I went back to church on a counselling date but this time around I was seeking for God’s leading on something. It was one of the assistant pastors that had the prayer session with me (Not the main pastor I had met in April for counselling).

As usual we sang a few worship songs holding hands with our eyes shut, just when he was about to start praying, next he says the Lord said I should ask “What are you doing for his Kingdom”? Am like again God, at that point I felt torn apart & couldn’t control the tears. Like it has become so bad that God keeps sending people even after he confirmed to me personally. I knew it was time to brace up and take up all that the enemy has stolen from me & manifest fully. I knew it was time to work in my purpose, no holding back, no doubts, no fear…JUST TO OBEY AND FOLLOW HIS LEADING.

The Solitude & The Confirmation

With all this revelation, I knew I needed to find an inner silence that switches off the inner stream of thoughts, images & feelings because without this, transformation will not be possible.

In September, I decided to go for a week retreat to a camping ground out of town (that was and remains the best disconnect ever). I needed to hear his still small voice yet again & I knew I needed to be intentional in creating the best atmosphere for that encounter where I totally shut off from the buzz & alone to listen in silence. When we go silent just to be with God, it’s like a well filling us with water, you can only hear your soul when you pay attention to it. Silence is food for the soul, it can fill us with ideas on our purpose, it is restorative, it refreshes us with wisdom.

At this retreat, there were general programs for all campers & also times where you can enjoy your own solitary worship. During this period, I wasn’t bent on asking God for anything else but for a FRESH FIRE & FRESH ANNOINTING because I know with it, every other thing will fall in place.

The first three days at the camping ground was intense & impactful with different prayer sessions at different times of the day, I could feel God doing a lot of transformation in my life yet I was still yearning for a more deeper encounter.

Evening of the third day, my phone packed up (I have only used the phone for torchlight & reading my devotional since I got into the camp on Monday) …tried everything I could, left it charging over night still no power. After the morning session of the Thursday’s program, I decided to go have some personal time with God in one of the auditoriums as against going back to the dormitory. On my way to the auditorium, I stopped by a phone repair shop (actually two different shops) to see if they can help power my phone, both parties independently told me that I needed to format the phone as it was popping up some software code language and that meant loosing all my files, well I didn’t buy that idea, though I was a bit worried because I wasn’t prepared to spend so much on fixing a phone or even purchasing a new one but I tried not to stress so much about it till I get into town the next day being Friday. So, I proceeded to have my special time alone with God, there at the altar as I was crying & asking God to have mercy on me & let me encounter him one more time, I suddenly felt this PEACE all around me, I can’t exactly remember how long I was there for but as I was about to round up my prayers, I got a prompt in my spirit to drop the phone at the altar & lay hands on it, I obeyed & also went on to anoint the phone with some olive oil & put it back into my bag.

After my prayers, I still had a few more minutes before our evening session, so I made a stroll back to one of the phone shops but this time around first to access my mail with their laptop to get some information I needed  & to insert my sim in their phone to get out a contact I need for Friday when I get out of the camp. So I gave the technician my phone to pull out my sim, while he put it into his own phone & handed over his phone to me, I stepped aside to put a call through to my brother, the next thing I heard is MA your phone just came on. I walked back to see for myself & ask what he did differently, he said he just tried to power it with the same charger we had used about an hour or two ago & it came on, I was like YES, THIS IS YOU LORD.

As little as the phone miracle may sound, that was the only confirmation I needed from God, that was the fresh fire I needed. It was a proof that he is ready to do a new thing in my life & would hear from heaven & answer my prayers even to the littlest of them all just as it used to be in the past when I was up & burning for him. The little phone answered prayer was a reassurance of my RESTORATION & yes I left the camp fulfilled.

Are you that person that was once burning for God & all of a sudden things changed (while in college, amidst being a Cell Leader & Pastoral Care Fellowship Leader, I was one time the coordinator/head of committee for one of our major programs then ‘DAY OF BLISS” I remember the daily special prayers & cry to God…like God do not let me fail with this assignment, I remember clearly the time & sweat put into planning that program, I remember holding ladders for guys to mount posters, I remember the sleepless nights of meetings with other committee members, I remember moving around school to share flyers & telling all that cared to listen about the encounter…all this I did not for public display (because I actually don’t do well with crowd, I would tag myself then as being shy) but because my heart was for God, I was determined to make God proud, it was joy to see his name glorified, it was joy to see souls won to his kingdom, it was what I grew into…I watched my mum serve God & also live a fulfilled life so basically that just flowed and YES it was an impactful service that night & I remember my pastor calling myself & other committee members to pray for us. Trust me after that event, I felt unstoppable for God, gradually I came out fully from shelf & shyness ready to burn for God but hey stuffs happened but grateful that I am able to share my story with you today.

I don’t know what your journey of faith must have been like, has life hit you on all sides that you have forgotten the faithfulness of God, did you just grow complacent in you walk?

Remember his promise in Isaiah 43 vs 2, when you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you, when you walk through fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze.

Join me to say this short prayer of faith; Dear Lord Jesus thank you for my life, thank you for blessing & preserving me even when I was less deserving. I invite you today to fill this void & emptiness in my life because the pursuits of this world cant fill me up like you would do, bring calmness to my spirit with your tender care so I can hear you when you speak, shine your light in every dark area of my life, gracefully restore me to the promise, give me PEACE dear Lord, not the type that the world gives…everlasting PEACE only found in you. Thank you for delivering from the devises of the enemy which is to steal, kill & destroy, thank you for placing me back into KINGSHIP right where I belong. Anoint me with fresh fire so I can burn daily & fiercely for you all the days of my life, Amen.

Do you need someone to hold your hand, encourage you while you take a step to getting away from the noise?

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 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!!!