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#BN2015Epilogues: 2015 Was Vanessa’s Year of Finding Love, Peace, Joy & Patience

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Last year BellaNaija Features put together an inspiring feature series to round off the year. The 2014 Epilogues featured 10 real people who took an introspective look at their year and wrote about it. This year, we decided to make the call public to our readers. {Click here if you missed it} It is our hope and desire that we will have enough entries to have a story up every day from the 1st to the 31st of December. We have received an impressive number of entries and we hope that you will share yours with us.

We kicked off the series and so far we’ve had the following entries: Jennifer G , Morountodun , VictoryMayowa ,  Harmony ,Dekky , OJ , Busola , ModupeThe Prodigal Daughter , AdetolaAyomikun Omami Jojo , Kehinde Iember ,  Hadiza , Florence and Amaha.

We have had an overwhelming response to the call for Epilogues and we’re grateful to everyone who has sent in an entry. We will do our best to share every story we received before the deadline (even if it runs into the new year. Because BellaNaijarians are so awesome!) In today’s entry, Vanessa talks about her transitioning. Please read and be inspired.

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2015 took me on a trip! It was like the ghost of Christmas past gave me a visit to show me my past, present and future. I realized that the experiences I had – both good and bad – had a purpose and God was holding my hand through it all. He showed me my past and reminded me of things I went through and asked me, who do you think was with you all this time? You would have lost your mind if I was not here.

He took me to my present and pushed all the issues I was carrying to the forefront not to condemn me but to correct me and make me self aware that I had something’s rooted deep down, internal barriers to my destiny. He asked me to hand it over to him so he could heal me.
Some of the things he revealed to me was depression, bitterness and at the top of the list unforgiveness. Tbh I had no idea I had all these things in me. I did not have a way to deal with or process these convictions but it had nothing to do with me he was going to take care of it all I just had to hand him the pieces.

Next he showed me a glimpse of my future and the excitement came. BUT guess what? This started the real journey. The journey of transition, God knows how to humble us. I have leant that getting to know God is by revelation and experience. God introduces himself to you when you are empty and all roads are blocked. At that point you have no choice but to follow him. Your emptiness will bring you to your knees. In this journey I was well aware of who my source was, not man but God. I followed him so desperately because I knew he had the key to the doors I needed open. On this journey with God I found love, joy, peace, faith and PATIENCE! These are the gifts he gives you.

Love- His love for me changed how I treated people; I learnt that if I want love I have to give love. God has been so good to me and I have no right to not share the love and mercy he has given me to others. He made me less selfish.

Joy- I learnt that you don’t need your circumstances to change to be joyful. God fills us up with joy and laughter whenever you ask him for it. I found myself filled with joy in the most stressful situations this year.

Peace- This year I really understood that the peace God gives no man can give. In the toughest situations his peace sucked out my fears like a vacuum cleaner.

Faith-He gave me promises that I could not see in the physical but I know it is already done. These promises have obstacles and thorns around them and every time I try to reach myself I get burnt. My Faith has been developed to an extent because I’ve had to believe strongly despite the fears, doubt, threats and the lies of the enemy. There nothing God cannot do.

PATIENCE-With God you have to be patient, he is the Boss, the shot caller. He does what he wants when he wants. He may not come when you want him but he is right on time. He loves you enough to be late. He has stretched me on this area this year. It’s been a fight!! Through the complaining and dragging the problems with him he remains faithful.

Encouragement for everyone as the year comes to an end/

I believe 2015 was a year of transition for most of us. 2016 will make all of us understand why this year has been so hard. For there to be light there is darkness first.

When God shines light on your future he begins this thing called transition. This is preparation for your new level. It is in this place where he strips all the things you do not need on your next level. Like a shovel he digs deep into you till he finds a rock then he starts building you up. He shakes off whatever has no foundation so be prepared to loose things, behaviors, attitudes friends and connections. When God wants to show up and show out he makes sure no one has the power to help you but him. It’s a beautiful place to be but also uncomfortable. At that moment you’re in between miracles and a prisoner of Hope because you know deep down something is about to happen.

Transition is uncomfortable for the flesh but great for the spirit. God takes control of all the parts of your life. Believe it or not he owns you and he is Lord over all. He will get glory out of your life through the broken parts of you. He uses you pain to fuel your passion. Nothing you have been through this year or previous years will be wasted; testimonies will come out of it.

I am proud to say this year has been my transition year. I do not know what cry God heard or what song I sang to tell God that I was ready to go along with his perfect will but he found a way in. Through my pain he found a way to arrest me. I have learnt that if I am not in his will it is impossible for me to function.

This is the year I had to surrender. And I can’t wait to see what God has stored up for me.

The best thing I have learnt this year is to be very grateful! We overlook so much God has done because our Wants, needs and our targets are not met. I encourage everyone to praise in advance till the year ends. This is your season and you have to enter it in Joy because you cannot reap in sadness do not get it twisted. Sow in tears and reap in joy. Your tears this year have been stored up and have watered your seed. Expect a great harvest. GET YOUR TOOLS READY!

Photo Credit: Dreamstime  |  Michael Zhang

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