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 44: We Get What We Settle For

At the start of 2023, most of us set aspirations of what we wish to achieve. We set goals to strive for in the year. But as many new year resolutions fall by the wayside shortly after they are set, what we strive for sometimes ends up being very different from what we settle for.

We may strive for a 10 in a health and fitness goal for instance, but end up doing up to say a level of 4. That is what we settle for, and that is the achievement level we end up with when the curtains draw to a close, unless we do what it takes to hit the mark we set.

I, for instance strived to write and post 52 articles this year, but it's very likely that when the curtains for 2023 draw to a close, I will have settled for a number close to 50. Why haven't I hit the mark I strived for? Because I settled. I didn't push myself hard enough to hit the mark.

And so, I agree with James Clear when he says that "You won't always get what you strive for, but you will definitely get what you settle for. You won't magically outperform your standards."

Are you happy with the standards you lived by this year? In what ways did you settle? In which of your goals did your performance fall short of what you strived for? Now is a good time to reflect and consider how we want to show up in 2024.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 12, Issue 43: Just Ask

Ask and you will receive. Who do you ask? Who is this that you can expect to receive from when you ask? The giver of all good things, our Heavenly Father. Oh, how he loves to give good gifts to his children.

Today I experienced one of his extravagant gifts. I have been dissatisfied with something this week. But I didn't think I could get what I wanted. I knew I couldn't just ask the people who hold the key to it because the only other option they knew was too costly. Fortunately, towards the end of the week, I gained the courage to ask God for it. I asked him to make it happen for me if it were possible.

Today, while out on my walk in the morning, God ordered my steps to a certain location. And while there he led me to a new establishment. It turned out to be exactly what I wanted, and at a cost that could be accepted. Then I made the call to the person calling the shorts and she said Yes! Oh, wasn't I excited. I was jumping up and down, and I don't remember the last time I did that.

Is there something you really want? Is there something you thought you lost your chance at having? It's never too late to ask for it. Our loving Father delights in giving good gifts to his children, if we ask in accordance to his will. So go for it today. Just ask.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 12, Issue 42: Navigating Change

We all deal with change differently. For someone who thrives in sameness, I thought I was poor at dealing with change. However, I have found that even people like me are just fine in their dealing with change if they are afforded an approach that suits their temparament.

For people who "don't like" change, they handle change just fine in the comfort of time to weigh the situation. On the other hand, people who immediately jump at an opportunity for change don't require time for consideration.

I don't adopt to change easily. But as information sinks in bit by bit, I slowly gain the courage to start making adjustments. Starting from last month, I have been consuming a healthy daily dose of information on matters health and the human body. As such, I have started to adopt and change.

I have found that if you are the planning and rigid type, you struggle with immediate change decisions. However, you get on well with abrupt changes when you get a little bit of time to get used to the coming change.

I usually want everything to work out perfectly. So it helps to have a little bit of time in my hands to navigate an upcoming change. If I have to give an answer to a change right away, my automatic response is usually negative. But if I have a little bit of time to think about it, I find that an affirmative response is usually looming around the corner of my mind.

Interestingly enough, people who are reluctant to change often end up being more excited about an upcoming change once they have had time to consider the change than their counterparts who are instantly open to change. As such, the former are likely to benefit more from change than the later.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 12, Issue 41: Reflection and Gratitude

Being away from home for an extended period of time this season has made me come to appreciate having a family and a home way more than ever before. When I was preparing for this trip, I couldn't wait to get on with it. But now that I am here, I am still grateful for the opportunity, but I miss my family and home life.

Although I have found that weekends are a bit hard in managing homesickness, I am glad about the things I am learning about myself on this trip. I am now so grateful about the mundanity of homemaking. I now realize even more that that's my life. That's who I am. I am a homemaker. I am the person who does things for my family.

I thought I was taking a break from homemaking - doing things for my family. But what I have found living abroad is that when I go back home, I will cherish my home life. I will cherish homemaking and having my hands full with doing things for my family.

Having been away from it, I am grateful to wake up to messy seats to tidy up. It's a sign that I have a family who enjoy the comfortable home I provide. I am grateful for finding bread crumbs on my kitchen countertops. For it means that I have loved ones enjoying the food I provide.

It's nice that here, I don't have to clean anything. Not floors nor dishes nor bathrooms nor clothes. But I am grateful to have those things to do when I am at home. Having to clean frequently means that I have people in my home, in my life. When I go back home, I will do those things with a full heart every time.

I am eternally grateful for the gift of a family, and for the gift of a home. And I am grateful for all the work that comes with having a family and a home. I am grateful! What are you grateful for at this time of the year?

For His Glory ,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 12, Issue 40: Emulate The Chief Giver

Christmas is a time of giving. It's a time when fathers and mothers give special gifts to their children, and friends and family exchange memorable gifts. But the greatest giver of all is our Father in heaven.

God not only gave his son Jesus Christ who was born at Christmas time as savior of the world, He continues to give us gifts throughout our lives. Sometimes the gifts from God to us are practical, and sometimes they are extravagant. Don't you just love it when God surprises you with just what you need, when you need it, even before you fathom the courage to ask for it?

Just a few days ago I needed rescuing with my food storage where I am staying currently away from home. My fridge wasn't working well, so there was a good chance of my food going stale over the ensuing night. To my amazement, my caring and practical heavenly Father came to my rescue in the nick of time. Without my asking someone to store my food for me, God arranged it that I got a phone call about the fridge after I had gone to sleep, and a few minutes later, they sent someone to come pick my food and take it to their kitchen freezer. Isn't that just beyond amazing!

This is just one of the ways God gifts us throughout the course of doing life with him. God also gives to us through the ideas he drops into our minds and hearts. He is constantly guiding and directing us on the course to take regarding practical aspects of life.

As such, as you consider the kinds of gifts to give to your family and friends this Christmas, consider how you could emulate the way God gives and replicate the same to your family and friends. I believe such gifts are the most valuable than any material gifts we could ever give to our loved ones.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi