Equipping young women professionals with young families to find fulfillment, contentment and joy as mothers and home makers without losing sight of who they are as women.

Volume 12, Issue 33: Find Fulfillment in Work

There's something special about work. It's fulfilling. The days I am stretched the most and get a lot of work done are some of my best days.

I recently experienced a most frustrating day. It was a day when my laptop was acting up. But as soon as the problem was sorted the next day, I felt on fire tackling task after task, getting work done. It was a wonderful feeling.

Another day I spent a lot of time working in the kitchen, mostly cooking and baking I wasn't able to sit down for breakfast until after 1pm that day, having been in the kitchen from around 7am. Although the tasks took much more time than I had planned to spend on them, that whole time was blissful.

I enjoy working. Whether that's on my laptop crunching numbers and analyzing information, or in the kitchen cooking and cleaning or elsewhere in the house organizing laundry or cleaning or tidying up.

“The diligent find freedom in their work, but the lazy are oppressed by work.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12:24‬ ‭MSG‬‬.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 13, Issue 32: Respond Well To Correction

In the previous post, we saw that King Jehoshaphat responded well to correction when God confronted him for hanging out with King Ahab of Israel, a wicked king. Jehoshaphat continued to direct the people to worship God wholeheartedly. This trait was also evident in King David. When God confronted him of the affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah, David repented and accepted God's judgment.

One example of not responding well to correction that stood out for me in my Scripture reading last week was that of King Asa, Jehoshaphat's father. Asa started his kingship well by living right before God and expressing dependence on God. In one instant, when Zerah the Ethiopian went to war against Asa with a huge army, he prayed and asked for God's help. God defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah.

However, in the 36th year of Asa's reign, Baasha king of Israel attached Judah. Asa sent silver and gold to Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, making a treaty with him to help him get Baasha off his back. God was displeased with Asa for this action and sent a prophet to tell him so. Unfortunately, instead of repenting before God, Asa lost his temper and locked up the prophet and started abusing some of the people.

In the twentieth chapter of the book of Second Chronicles, we see Jehoshaphat turning to God for help when Judah faced a looming attack by a huge force of Ammonites, Moabites and Meunites. Shaken, Jehoshaphat prayed. He went to God for help and ordered a nationwide fast. God was honored by Jehoshaphat dependence on him and set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir as they were attacking Judah, and they all ended up dead.

These examples show us that a submissive and repentant heart is also one that expresses reliance and dependence on God. It's futile to rely on ourselves or on people. Reliance on God always delivers. Because God is honored when we rely on him, he goes to work on our behalf.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 13, Issue 31: Unconditional Love

While reflecting on my Scripture reading this morning from the eighteenth and nineteenth chapters of the book of second Chronicles, I was impressed by God's unconditional love for us. We learn from the first chapter of the book of Psalms that we are not to hang out with the wicked. But King Jehoshaphat of Judah, a God-honouring king was in this instant hanging out with a wicked man, King Ahab of Israel over a feast in Samaria.

The first part that impressed me was how God looked out for Jehoshaphat and protected him while he was in the company of the wicked. Jehoshaphat accompanied Ahab to war against the King of Aram, dressed in Ahab's kingly robe. At the battle field, the King of Aram ordered his commanders to only go after Ahab. So, they attacked Jehoshaphat, thinking he was Ahab. But God protected Jehoshaphat and a random arrow struck disguised Ahab instead and he died.

“When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “There he is! The king of Israel!” and took after him. Jehoshaphat yelled out, and the chariot commanders realized they had the wrong man—it wasn’t the king of Israel after all. God intervened and they let him go." 2 Chronicles‬ ‭18:31-32‬ ‭MSG‬‬

God remains loving and faithful even we are unfaithful. He doesn't withdraw his love and care from us when we fall short and go against his precepts. If he did, Jehoshaphat would have perished in Ahab's battle against the King of Aram, a battle that had nothing to do with him. If God's love was conditional on our behavior, we would be crushed over and over again, and destroyed.

We are more than fortunate to have a Father who loves us unconditionally. A Father who looks out for us and does us good even when we disregard and fail him. God was displeased with Jehoshaphat for cozying up with and helping Ahab and sent a prophet to tell him so after his return to Judah from Samaria.

Jehoshaphat must have repented when the prophet confronted him. Because we see him continue to do things that please God, and later on express his dependence on God to rescue him from his enemies. I'll write about that in the next post.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 13, Issue 30: Trust In God

There are times when we find ourselves waiting for something to happen. Do not be anxious in the waiting. God shows up on time. You may face a couple of denials and rejections along the way. Don't be intimidated by them. For they are a sign that God has something better in store for you.

Coming to terms with the end of an era and a major transition takes getting used to. It could be the end of a long job contract or retirement from formal employment. When you find yourself in such a position, take comfort in knowing that God hasn't been taken by surprise by what's happening in your life. He in fact allowed it because he knows you can handle it.

Be careful not to put your confidence in money in times of transition. Because your savings and investments can be wiped out in an instant if it isn't for God watching out for you. Rather put your confidence in God. Trust him to protect the wealth he has given you the ability to create over time.

Trust God to perform his Word on your behalf, seeing to it that there are no holes in your pocket. Trust him to keep you going even when the structure you have been used to for years is ending for now. Trust him to order your steps, and to open the right doors at the right time.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 13, Issue 29: Keep Knocking

Here's what came to my mind a few days ago. Should I keep knocking on a door I am hoping to stay open a little longer until it's crystal clear that it is closing? What do I have to lose by continuing to pray for something even when I know there's talk to give it to someone else? I think until the decision is communicated, I'll keep trusting God for it, asking Him to grant it if it's His will for me.

At this point, I know full well that I may not get the opportunity. In fact the odds are clearly against me getting it, given the writing on the wall. But isn't this the point to press in even harder? Isn't this the recipe for a great testimony in the making if God chooses to make things work in my favour?

I will keep seeking and knocking until it's clear that I have it or don't have it. Then, and only then will I shift my focus to pray for something else, for the next opportunity. Equally important, I will not be heartbroken if I don't get the current opportunity I am seeking. But I will not have regrets either for not giving my all in trusting God for it. And I will have built my faith muscle in the process.

When David's child from the affair he had with Bathsheba fell deathly ill, he fasted and prayed desperately for days for God to heal the child. As soon as he heard that the child had died, he got up, cleaned up and went to the sanctuary to worship God. He then went back home and ate. This is illustrated in the twelfth chapter of book of second Samuel from the fifteenth verse.

Even when the future looks bleak for what you are seeking, keep on seeking until it's clear that the door is closed. You never know what God might make happen in your favour. But prepare your heart for the possibility of not getting it, so that when all is said and done, you are ready to be grateful and upbeat irrespective of the outcome.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi