Well, it's a new decade! Hallelujah! During the days & weeks preceding this B'day, when thinking about the future, I had reservations..turning 30..Change Journey..still single (as in, unmarried)..
In light of the past decade of thrills/adventures/lives changed (mostly mine), etc. I wondered how the coming years could compare & I wondered if the best part of my life is really already done..
But man, is the fun just beginning..The Lord has been speaking to me via different sources (The Word, my loved ones) @ the possiblities the future holds..I'm pumped w/ ideas & I know that Change is gonna be THE adjective in my life this year & all the ideas that I have, if coupled w/ faith & God's power, WILL result (And if I was in Nigeria, I'd add: "IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JE-SUS!!).
But besides that, even just on account of the past & what I have in my life today, I have every cause to be happy.
Then on top of that, I received 70+ B'day greetings via Facebook, e-mail & phone this year..I was elated & felt, quite frankly, honored...
Thank you, God, for my family & my friends...Each of you mean the world to me..Yes, already at 30, I've lived a full & productive life. If I died today, I'd die happy. ;)Below are 2 of my favorite B'day greetings this year:
"Glad you are my son :) So nice to talk to you today Brian. And once more a very Happy Birthday. The sky is the limit this coming year, so let's go and get some piece of sky!! You can do it."
Guess who that was from?--Obviously my Mom..
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN! I PRAY THAT YOU HAD A TRULY BLESSED DAY!
You are such a wonderful young man, and we are so proud of you and love you very much.
We look forward to seeing you whenever you are able to visit. In the meantime, know that you are
in our prayers every day.
GOD LOVES YOU AND SO DO WE!!!
Love, Hugs, and Kisses and many many blessings!
Auntie Darice, Uncle Julius, Stacie, Teri, and Julius Jr."
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Kidnapped!
In urgent need of prayer right now are 2 of my friends, Simon & Ikumi, currently in south of Nigeria. They've been taken hostage by who I do not know, but I know that they're in potentially huge danger. However I do have faith that the Lord will deliver them. I need all of you to join me in immediate & desperate prayer for ther safe & speedy deliverance.
I can only imagine the anguish & emotional turmoil that both of their families have undergone are currently undergoing.
I'm not sure all the politics involved, but I know that various militia groups have been operating in the Delta region of Nigeria where all the oil rigs are situated, targeting oil workers and or their loved ones as potential avenues of high high ransoms. At it's highest point, which I believe was late 2007, all foreign oil workers were evacuated from the country. Although the situation subsided somewhat, kidnappings have continued to occur since & the majority of both oil workers & expatriate workers in general in the Port Harcourt area usually travel w/ an or several armed escorts..
I know that the Family is conducting a large-scale medical camp in this area (as of today) & my guess is that Simon & Ikumi were somewhere in the interior driving between one place & another to do w/ the camp (possibly between the hotel & the camp site, or collecting supplies from somewhere) & either forgot to or didn't think to bring an armed escort & were accosted. These kidnappings usually occur at night. Whether or not this was the case this time, I'm not sure.
In any case, I know that prayer is the most powerful weapon we have.I pretty much have prayed for these 2 non-stop since getting this news, w/ a concentrated hour-long vigil held from 10:30-11:30 p.m. last night, & am also doing a 24-hour fast, which began from the moment I heard the news yesterday evening. If any of you out there do any of the above mentioned prayer methods, I know this will
help bring about their speedy release..
As I was praying I claimed many of the Psalms of David which I read throughout my prayer vigil. Psalm 17 in particular came alive in this situation, which reads:
1 Hear a just cause, O Lord,
Attend to my cry;
Give ear to my prayer wichi si not from decietful lips.
2 Let my vindication come from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.
4 Concerning the works of men,
By the word of Your lips,
I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
5 Uphold my steps in Your paths,
That my footsteps may not slip.
6 I have called upon You, for You will hear me,
O God;
Incline Your ear to em ,and hear my sppech.
7 Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who save those who trust in You
From those who rise up agains them.
8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
9 From the wicked who oppress me,
From my deadly enemies who surround me.
11 They have surrounded us now in our steps;
They have set their eyes, crouching down to the eart,
13 Arise, O Lord,
Confront him, cast him down;
Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword,
14 With Your hand from men, O Lord,
From men of the world who have their portion in this life...
15 As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;
I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.--Psalm 17, NKJV
Thank you, everyone for praying..
In an unrelated note: It's my 30th Birthday today!
I can only imagine the anguish & emotional turmoil that both of their families have undergone are currently undergoing.
I'm not sure all the politics involved, but I know that various militia groups have been operating in the Delta region of Nigeria where all the oil rigs are situated, targeting oil workers and or their loved ones as potential avenues of high high ransoms. At it's highest point, which I believe was late 2007, all foreign oil workers were evacuated from the country. Although the situation subsided somewhat, kidnappings have continued to occur since & the majority of both oil workers & expatriate workers in general in the Port Harcourt area usually travel w/ an or several armed escorts..
I know that the Family is conducting a large-scale medical camp in this area (as of today) & my guess is that Simon & Ikumi were somewhere in the interior driving between one place & another to do w/ the camp (possibly between the hotel & the camp site, or collecting supplies from somewhere) & either forgot to or didn't think to bring an armed escort & were accosted. These kidnappings usually occur at night. Whether or not this was the case this time, I'm not sure.
In any case, I know that prayer is the most powerful weapon we have.I pretty much have prayed for these 2 non-stop since getting this news, w/ a concentrated hour-long vigil held from 10:30-11:30 p.m. last night, & am also doing a 24-hour fast, which began from the moment I heard the news yesterday evening. If any of you out there do any of the above mentioned prayer methods, I know this will
help bring about their speedy release..
As I was praying I claimed many of the Psalms of David which I read throughout my prayer vigil. Psalm 17 in particular came alive in this situation, which reads:
1 Hear a just cause, O Lord,
Attend to my cry;
Give ear to my prayer wichi si not from decietful lips.
2 Let my vindication come from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.
4 Concerning the works of men,
By the word of Your lips,
I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
5 Uphold my steps in Your paths,
That my footsteps may not slip.
6 I have called upon You, for You will hear me,
O God;
Incline Your ear to em ,and hear my sppech.
7 Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand,
O You who save those who trust in You
From those who rise up agains them.
8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
9 From the wicked who oppress me,
From my deadly enemies who surround me.
11 They have surrounded us now in our steps;
They have set their eyes, crouching down to the eart,
13 Arise, O Lord,
Confront him, cast him down;
Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword,
14 With Your hand from men, O Lord,
From men of the world who have their portion in this life...
15 As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;
I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.--Psalm 17, NKJV
Thank you, everyone for praying..
In an unrelated note: It's my 30th Birthday today!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Zam so far!
March 12th is Zambia’s national Youth Day. Our Lusaka team took the opportunity to hit the University with our song/drama combo to inspire & motivate any & all available “youths”…I was invited to participate..
The concept originally drawn-up by Simon who came here a couple weeks back with another team of young people who performed several skits including “Everything” & “The Four Horsemen”. Since I’m up here a couple weeks, we decided to carry on in the drama “vein” & a few of us copied a version we’d seen on video.
Although we didn’t have a huge audience (lot of ppl gone home for the holiday) It was definitely fun & something new & different for a lot of the 12 FS & Active members here..
Apart from performing dramas, Zambia has had its other sides of Adventure, w/ painting galore (house is getting a facelift), music & guitar lessons, conducting Bible studies, giving Menina English lessons, & some First Aid & GED studies thrown in there in my spare time (which I have surprisingly more of compared to in S.A.). Hoping the productivity continues..Pics to follow (once I’ve stacked up a bunch).
The concept originally drawn-up by Simon who came here a couple weeks back with another team of young people who performed several skits including “Everything” & “The Four Horsemen”. Since I’m up here a couple weeks, we decided to carry on in the drama “vein” & a few of us copied a version we’d seen on video.
Although we didn’t have a huge audience (lot of ppl gone home for the holiday) It was definitely fun & something new & different for a lot of the 12 FS & Active members here..
Apart from performing dramas, Zambia has had its other sides of Adventure, w/ painting galore (house is getting a facelift), music & guitar lessons, conducting Bible studies, giving Menina English lessons, & some First Aid & GED studies thrown in there in my spare time (which I have surprisingly more of compared to in S.A.). Hoping the productivity continues..Pics to follow (once I’ve stacked up a bunch).
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Zim/Zam...
Hardly any Zim, really, but there was ring to the title (wasn't there?)..
I've been in Zambia @ 5 days now & will be here the rest of the month..
It's a loooooooooong story, but bascially my Nigerian visa didn't come through on time & I had already had an extension on my S.A. visa, so I wasn't able to extend it again w/out leaving the country, so...voila..here I am..
Spending a couple weeks with the team here & so far it's great..
The bus ride was long & grueling (albeit comfortable...confusing, I kno..)..we were 3 hours late in leaving (no, 4, actually..), and sat 5 hours at the Zim/Zam border waiting for "commercial goods" (of which none were mine, I assure you) to clear...
Anyways, it's been gr8 2 b back in my element--teaching 12 FS classes, meeting friends, exploring, learning about the local people, etc.
My current pryr/wish is to go Vic falls for my B'day...
I've been in Zambia @ 5 days now & will be here the rest of the month..
It's a loooooooooong story, but bascially my Nigerian visa didn't come through on time & I had already had an extension on my S.A. visa, so I wasn't able to extend it again w/out leaving the country, so...voila..here I am..
Spending a couple weeks with the team here & so far it's great..
The bus ride was long & grueling (albeit comfortable...confusing, I kno..)..we were 3 hours late in leaving (no, 4, actually..), and sat 5 hours at the Zim/Zam border waiting for "commercial goods" (of which none were mine, I assure you) to clear...
Anyways, it's been gr8 2 b back in my element--teaching 12 FS classes, meeting friends, exploring, learning about the local people, etc.
My current pryr/wish is to go Vic falls for my B'day...
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