Hi pearls, happy new month, happy 2nd half and happy birthday to all July babies. Welcome to the month of July, the first month in the second half of the year 2015. It’s been an awesome journey down the year from January till date. For me, January to June was the toughest and most trying time in my entire life. Several things happened to me and my family, but all the challenges and troubles made me stronger and pulled me closer to God. First, I narrowly entered into the year 2015; few days to the New Year God delivered me and my family from fuel explosion. That incidence would have claimed my life or left me permanently deformed, anytime I remember what happened I’m reassured that God truly and really loves me. Next, few days into the New Year my little sister was involved in a motor accident that left her with a broken right arm. She was on POP (Plaster of Paris) for about a month without any significant improvement, but she’s totally healed now. Next, I was robbed twice within the space of 5 days and a phone I bought with my hard earned money was also stolen, the phone was just about 3 months old. Next, I wrote my final undergraduate exams in the university last year December but when the graduating list was released this year, I could not find my name on it, not because I failed a course or had an outstanding course but because the grade for a very minor and insignificant course that I passed was not recorded. One story led to another but the bottom line was the issue was not rectified on time so my name was not in the graduating list which implied that I won’t be going for NYSC (National youth service corps) with my mates, I’d have to wait for the next batch later in the year. All of this happened at almost the same time and it left me shattered, at a point I could not hold back the tears, I cried till I became sick. I could not pray because I was probably angry with God; my life was in a mess. While I was going through all this, God was with me, He kept telling me to hold on, that delay was not denial, that I’d be fine and everything would turn out for my good but I kept asking why? Why me? Why am I so unfortunate? I brought out my journal and read the plans I wrote down last year for this year and I was so sad because my life was taking another path different from the initial plan. At this point it was hard but I decided to trust God more than I’ve ever done because I realized that worrying and thinking won’t change anything but trust and faith in God would. So I came out of my shell and started trying my hands on new stuff, just to keep my mind busy. I volunteered to help organize some conferences where I meet great people, I started writing and developing myself in various aspects, I was introduced to a business opportunity that will make me a multi millionaire in the next few years by Gods grace and I started this blog Shanyi Tots something I never saw myself doing. It’s been a great experience so far and I doubt if I’d have been able to achieve all this if my life went as I planned.
Dear friends, these are the lessons I learnt from the past 6 months:
1. To trust God at all times
2. To cast all my burdens and cares on Him, cause the truth is it doesn’t make any sense trying to carry them ourselves
3. To be flexible when making plans
4. To always, always and always include God in my plans. He should be the center of our least endeavors and decisions.
How was the first half of the year for you, what are the lessons you learnt? I’d really love to know, please use the comment box and let us share together. Have a ‘Julicious July’ (don’t bother checking, it’s not in the dictionary yet….lol) and enjoy the 2nd half of the year 2015.
Love y’all always.