Intuition

Can I put it to you that there is no such thing as a coincidence? And that the majority of our structured and measured decisions have an intended end beyond that which we ourselves intended? Can I?

Not having ready access to the internet over the past few weeks, I've had time to think through the next couple of postings. The issue of coincidences and God-incidences continued to surround so much of my being, and I kind of figured that I must talk write about it.

I'll start with one of my claims to fame, my sister Abidemi Sanusi. I remember when her book God has Daughters Too was published, I ordered about 10 copies and gifted them to friends. Practically every single person that I gave that book to spoke about how it was a tremendous blessing. In fact, a friend was visiting Ghana for the weekend at the time and I gave her a copy of the book. Two days Iater she rang me from Nigeria to thank me for the book and to say how she so much needed to read the book - it has provided answers and comfort for many of the challenges she was presently going through.

Of course I mentioned this to Abidemi. Her response? It's amazing how God works. He lays it on your heart to write a book, you write it, forget about it and move on to the next project, and then three years down the line hundreds of people tell you the book was written for them.

Coincidence?

I remember three odd years ago I was in Freetown on a short assignment. 7.30pm. Work is done for the day and I am in my unremarkable hotel room. And I am thinking, I need to make better use of times like this. After weeks of thinking how that might be, I decide to embark on an MBA course. A few weeks ago I am giving a presentation on an assignment using all the knowlegde and insight I had gained from the Making Policy module of the MBA, and the participants spoke to how 'on the ball' the presentation was. And I thought: (i) thank God and (ii) coincidences.

The last one for the road. I am currently out of Ghana on assignment. Before I left Ghana all the horror stories that you hear about the country I find myself in threatened to keep me from action. Nevertheless I take the step. I arrive. In absolutely every area that I had had sleepless nights over, a colleague who had earlier arrived from Cameroon readily and with good grace assisted me on every step. Having had to go through those same logistical issues himself, he knew where and how to go about every 'settling in' issue I had. Talk about a forerunner.

Okay, this is really the last one for the road now...

An on church? Well, my church in Ghana has a branch in this city. The only thing is, the branch is far, far away from home and work. So I figure, well, I might only be doing church on Sundays. The week I contact the church office here to find out the logistics of getting to the church, I am told that a mid-week service is being launched in the area where I work - 10 minutes drive from my workplace in fact.

Coincidence? God-incidence? Intuition? None of the above?

Parenting

Mummy Dearest
Not being a parent yet myself, I can’t say I know what it is like to be a parent, but I do know that almost every time I see or speak to my mother on the telephone I feel her unconditional and absolute love for me. Ever attentive, ever concerned, ever caring. Ever ending each telephone conversation with those three little words: I love you.

To be honest, I have always taken that love for granted - and even those three words for granted. Of course she loves me: I am her daughter, for goodness sake! But now more than ever I do realize that, as odd as this may sound, she does not have to love me – many women I know have estranged relationships with their mothers. Fact is though, even though she does not have to, even though we see each other only two to three times a year, her priority is always to let her children know the depth of the love that she has for them.

We remain her priority – our hopes, our dreams, our health. I am thankful to God for her, and I am craving to reciprocate and appreciate her love even more.

Stretching the borders of life
At quiet time this afternoon I thought how often I worry, fret and go off on a tangent with God when I am concerned about whatsoever. I then I realized that the reason that I go off on a tangent is because, frankly speaking, I don’t trust God enough to deliver on His fatherhood responsibilities, for if I did, I am not sure I would fret as much as I do sometimes.

Then I remembered my mother’s love and tried to perceive God’s love for me within this context. I determined that I had to totally trust and obey Him.

People with their minds set on You, You keep completely whole, Steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don't quit. Depend on God and keep at it because in the Lord God you have a sure thing. Isaiah 26 verses 3 and 4