What Do You Want?

It is true that we are,  most definitely, responsible for the things that happen to us, either directly as a result of the choices we made, are making, or not made at all!

I got this great book for a gift sometimes ago, I read a few pages, got bored and put it back in my shelf. (strange, considering I looooveee to read!).

Fast forward to a year and half year later (yes o, one and a half whole years after!), I sat in on this amazing meeting with this group of amazing women, and they began to talk about this same book! The name of the author sounded vaguely familiar, but anyway, I went searching for it the very next day but couldn't find it. Can you believe that I ended up in a book store and hung around for an hour while they searched and searched for it? I told them I wasn't leaving without it. They never found it.

Well, I went back home, leaving my mobile number for them to call me as soon as they have the book. I went straight to my bookshelf, lo and behold Jack Canfield's How to Get From Where You are to Where You Want to be was sitting there, cooling looking at me! Hardcover edition no less, just the way I like my books.

Yorubas always say "wetin dey for Sokoto, e dey for sokoto" meaning that thing  you travel all the way to Sokoto to find, is right there on your person! You have it on you! Reminds of Gen 30:14 (I paraphrase): 'this commandment that I command you....is not hidden from you, neither is it afar off..it is not in heaven...it is not beyond the sea...BUT the WORD is very near to you, in your mouth, in your heart....' (I rest my case.)

God, has given us everything we need. Every ingredient to succeed, to make it, to live in good health, gbo gbo e, we have it. Problem is, we do not realise it. I had gold in my bookshelf and I never knew it.

Anyway, to the histoire d'aujourd'hui (gist of today): there is this quote by Ben Stein, an American actor in Jack's Canfield's book that said: The indispensable first step to getting the thing you want out of life is this: decide what you want.'

It rang so true, it was so apt, I couldn't resist writing about it this morning.

I am sure that if majority were asked to ask one thing they wanted, right off the top of their heads, they couldn't.

I always thought to myself that if God were to show up wearing a red hat, ( it is likely I would miss Him if he came as anything but, am just saying!!) and asked me, Zainab, tell me one thing I should do for you, right off the top of your head'...Ha! I couldn't o, I would need a few minutes to reflect and sort through the myriad of issues that make up my life to decide just which one should be sorted right here and now, and if sorted, would have a ripple effect on the rest!

But I believe that if we were in sync with Him, if all we really wanted were the things that He wanted, it wouldn't be so difficult. but it is!! It sooo is! In this present age, it takes concerted effort to keep an eye up there and think only on the things that matter; feeding the poor, helping the needy, being kind, compassionate, thinking about others before ourselves, Rev Sam Adeyemi says that the essence for ministry 'is to change people's lives'. But hey! (pouting), I want to wear good clothes! I want all those shoes! I want to eat well! I wanna travel! I wanna live in that duplex, sorrounded by trees, with lots of grounds (green), a garden (cultivated with my own hands), curtains up so sunlight can  flow into the house, lots of scented candles and incense, have that cute patio where I could sit and have my tea...I want!!!!! Sigh. However, I came to the conclusion that if my purpose were in sync with His, if he wakes me up like Solomon to asks 'Zainab, tell me what I should do for you', (oh, blank cheque!) I will not miss it, I surely wouldn't miss it. (I am trying to remember the definition of Prayer that Pastor Sunday Adelaja gave, (see? Learn and forget), something about understanding/knowing (asking Him) what God wants, taking it back to Him in prayer and expecting Him to do it...how awesome.

Solomon didn't miss receiving The Blank Cheque because he asked for that which preoccupied his mind, and which 'in syncally' was exactly what God wanted for him: leading the children of Israel right. See the 'jara' that followed that one single request?

People, W-H-A-T do you want?

Be free oh.