In the manner in which a child is formed in the womb, I am adding another year.

 

On this day toward the close of the millennium, a woman went into labour-  pushing, sweating, crying, and praying for her second child. As an answer to the prayer of family, friends, and acquaintances, our slithered a dark, grossly underweight boy with curly hairs- those typical of sacred children-  The type that took Pokuwaa to her black hen in Woman in her prime.

Days afterward, the child became sickly. It took a pound of faith to christen the boy on the seventh day.  But the mother's faith was dogged. While performing her mothering duty to the baby, she would go: "This one is my son. I got him from the Lord and not from any god or man. He will live..." In the clangs and clashings of prayers, intensive care, and drugs- both herbal and prescribed- some overdosed and overused, the child grew. The tiny legs became strong enough to carry a toadly toddler. The scrawny eyes were now replaced by piercing deep-seated, intelligent ones. The only testament of a sickly childhood was brandished milk teeth- a proof of heavy iron intake which was soon lost in the development of permanent teeth.

The child became school age. It was not easy for the mom to leave the caring of her child to a stranger - but what other choice does she have. "The Lord has kept him. Not me." He took his class like a storm- being better than his colleagues. Primary school came and went. A teacher asked why he rarely smiles and is always weak. The simple answer was "He is not fine!" This brought me to this observation. Children are not dumb. They are biological recorders. Be careful what you say to them, how you say it to them and what you do to them. Even if they do not tell anyone, they still do remember.

Time for Grammar School in an overpopulated and less supervised public school- bullying, booing, and brash behaviour were unchecked and so encouraged. Having grown around loving, caring and supportive people, he had his first episode of what then he does not have a name for which makes him think less of himself. Not feeling good enough and not down up to his right. (I am sure you have a name for it already.) -Yes, low self-esteem.

Senior school came with its own set of challenges - wanting to fit in, trying to impress the girls who obviously are not impressed, breaking all the rules, and questioning the status quo. He got roped in a crime that if not for God and the support of men would have brought a soil of name. I won't go into the details of it now but it left a scar that is still healing and that will continue to heal. This scar is a trademark of trusting overtly which at all costs he has been avoiding by building thick walls and thickening them daily.

The loss of a brother was not easy. He was young, vibrant, and handsome. They were very close. By six months, they were inseparable. Then it happened. Everyone was consoling a mother for the loss of a baby. No one remembered that siblings also have bonds. This loss sat deeply. A loss that made him lock out loved ones because one day, they will die as the brother did.

One important thing that has kept him going is that the faith of his parents has been passed down. The same faith that they held unto for this survival during those years of sickness and slim hope- the faith in Christ as both Saviour and Lord. As a Father and a Friend. An Arbiter and a Confidence. A King and a Lamb. Through the teenage exuberance, there was always the nudging of that Friend and Father.

The boy broke the stereotypes, strode over the hurdles, and is learning to continuously trust in that Lord and Saviour. Crushed low self-esteem, beat down depression, broke habits, is learning to love genuinely and express it.

To the boy whose name He(God) knows and who is trusting, learning, striving, and becoming who He has made him be, this compressed bio is written.

It is hard right now but the yesterdays which are now part of the war stories were hard too. Find hope. Keep the faith. It will go into the archives.

Footnote: That boy is me and he added a year today- April 4th, 2022.

      Standing the ground

2 Samuel:23.11-12(NIV) 
 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.

2 Samuel 23:8-39 is the highlights of the deeds of  David's mighty men. Men who were in the vanguard of David's military strength. 
 Shammah is one of those men. Men who were marked to be mighty among David's numerous ranks. 

   What special thing did      Shammah do?
 The simple answer to the question is found in 2 Samuel  23:12- "But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory." 

 He stood the ground. As simple has this task seem. Just standing. It's no big deal... 

Let's look at the peculiarity of the kind of standing he stood. 

-> It was in the midst of a raging battle; the ground he stood was not during a military parade. If it were that, every soldier can do that. That would not be enough to bring him among the "mighties". 
-> Again the ground he stood was not during a battle that was walkover. It was not a battle that they were winning. This is a battle where the captain had blown the "retreat whistle". Everyone is falling back.  Colleagues are gone. Some have been slaughtered. Here are the garrisons of the Philistines after their lives, in a fierce pursuit. 
-> He stood in the midst of the ground: he stood in a place where giving up/ retreating is impossible. He placed himself in such location of prominence. He was not in camouflage. He was not hiding the way Peter was following Jesus from the distance. 

Just because of the standing of a man at the right place(not in a compromising position), "the Lord wrought a great victory" 

God is not in the lookout for quitters. He is not in the lookout for compromisers. He is not in the lookout for conformist. God is in the lookout for Men who will put their lives on the line for his will to be done. Men who will see the lentils and see the need for its defense over their lives. Men who will be battle axes. Men who will hear the retreat whistle from people of "their captain" and still stand. He is looking out for a man who will Stand the ground in the midst of the field. Men who will stand out. 

But before you do the 'standing', you need to put on the whole armour of God.(Ephesians 6:10-17)

For God to wrought a great victory over the Philistines, the Philistines of worldly passion/affiliations invading the Church, he need Shammahs. 

_*Will you be the Shammah?*_ 


   Christ cares

Depression: a menace

 Depression is a mental state in which a person has feelings of great unhappiness.  It is an emotional disorder characterised by series of profound sadness.

  Who can be depressed?

 Anyone can be depressed. Depression is no 'respecter' of men.

  Type of depression:

- Mild depression
- Moderate depression
- Severe depression .

 Signs and symptoms of depression-

- Sad countenance and mood
- Inability to enjoy things one used to enjoy
- Sleeping disorder
-Poor eating habit
- Always pessimistic
- Feeling of worthlessness
- Withdrawal from the society
- Touchy and defensive
- Suicidal thoughts
- Schizophrenia , etc.

 Causes of depression

- Academic difficulty
- Wrong choices
- Drug abuse
- Alcoholism
- Impatient with life
-Greed
-Peer pressure
- Inability to positively visualise the future
- Lost of loved ones
-Low self-esteem
- Self hate
- Environmental/political stress
-Debt
- Ignorance
- the internet
- Chief of all,  the Devil

Effects of depression
1. Unfulfilled destiny
2. Loss of human resources
3. Disoriented family
4. Bleak individual and national future
5. Rise in crime
6. Gross economic downturn
7. Unhappy and unproductive church
8. Delay in the work of God

How to handle a depressed person

1. Encourage them to talk about their problem
2. Encourage them to confide in their parents, their spiritual head and trusted friends. If you're confided in,  keep it confidential.
3. Encourage them to read about other sufferer
4. Encourage them to engage in sports or community services
5. Encourage them to listen to good music
6. Encourage them to make friends.( Becoming more socially active)
7. Encourage them to seek professional advice
8. Take it up as a project. Be deliberate and be passionate about helping the person.

How To prevent depression

1. laugh a lot; find the lively aspect of everything
2. Be optimistic about life
3. The God factor
4. Avoid spending lengthy time alone
5. Limit time with the internet
6. Accept yourself the way you are
7. Don't compare yourself with others
8. Be your brother's keeper
9. Always remember that whatever you're going through, some have gone through worse ones and come out victorious
10. Always have a plan B.
11. Deal with failure as part of life.
Remember, love and sincere love is the only way of helping a depressed person.


A seminar delivered by Dr(Mrs) Fashina of the department of microbiology, O.A.U  on the 2nd of November, 2019 during a night alive seminar organized by Student life movement O.A.U 
                            

                         Christ cares

Welcome Address

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