Putting one’s hope in politicians and political parties: The wrong way to go

In recent years, the world has seen a massive political upheaval. The uprising in Tunisia instigated by a frustrated young man spread to several Arab countries over several months and which we are now seeing in Syria and other countries. Many lives have been lost, both the guilty and the innocent. I see a trend as reflected through the media - citizens expressing disappointment in their leaders, citing ‘unsatisfactory performance’ of the incumbent ruling parties, dissatisfaction with new policies, policy changes and the listing of a host of “unfulfilled promises,” that were made during the electoral campaigns. Even as peoples have ‘fought’ for their independence, I wonder whether they have gotten what they were hoping to get. 

It is amazing how much hope and faith people have in politicians or their leaders and what they claim can be done to change people’s lives. Sometimes the political leaders are idolized as if they are “saviours” of their countries and to the extreme, “saviours” of the world. But they cannot do all the work alone, neither can they do everything within 4 years, 5 years, 7 years or whatever the constitutional mandated period for a ruling government is. Even if every leader served for 60 years, how much can he or she accomplish, considering the life span of the average human being? These leaders just can NOT meet each and every single citizen’s expectations. After all, they are not saviours or God, they are just mere human beings like you and me who happen to be serving in leadership positions. They can make a difference, but they can’t make the ultimate difference. Thus we need to realign our expectations for our governing authorities and be realistic about it. Misplaced hopes, a recipe for disappointment. 

To be continued...

Food for thought, 

Lady Akofa.

Words, please come back

Sometimes there are seasons where there are lots of activities

And milestones to mark on the calendar

The days run so fast

Sunset comes and I ask, “Where did the day go?”

There are seasons where there are few words to write

I am barely catching my breath after all the events of the day

So many thoughts and planned written words

Yet those words escape me

In the midst of it all, I feel very blessed

Indeed, I am blessed

I thank God for His uncountable blessings

The experiences, good and bad are a learning curve

I wouldn't trade my life for another

Indeed, I am blessed 

2 Popular myths that appear as if they are from the Bible…

… BUT are not. 

1.  Myth:  “God helps those who help themselves.”

Truth: God helps those who are helpless.  Throughout the Bible, it is evident that God has a special heart for the helpless and the vulnerable such as the poor, the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, etc. In the Old Testament days, God gave specific instructions for the care of such people. See Scriptural examples of God’s zealousness for the care and protection of the poor, orphans, widows and the foreigner below. The first example has really strong words of warning from God to the advantaged group.

Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless. Exodus 22:22-24 (NIV). 

He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. Deuteronomy 10:18 (NIV)

At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. Deuteronomy 14:28- 29 (NIV)

Do not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge.  Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this. Deuteronomy 24:17-22 (NIV)

When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.
Deuteronomy 24:19-22 (NIV).

If Boaz and his farm servants had not practiced the command to leave some of the barley sheaves behind them, do you think Ruth would have gotten food for Naomi and herself? (Ruth 2:1-23).

Under the New Testament covenant, Christians are expected to continue to care for the needy. To share is one Bible quote which for me, sums up the subject: 

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27 (NIV).

I believe this principle is different from fighting for or claiming what belongs to you as most people interpret the statement above. Even then, when one is at the receiving end of a twisted deal that goes against the person, God will come through for this person when he/she calls on Him. Read the example of the widow and her persistent petition to a godless judge, from Luke 18:1-8. 

2. Myth: “Money is the root of all evil”

Truth: For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, (1 Timothy 6: 10: NIV). Some Bible versions say, “a root” while other say, “the root”. Discussions about money seem to be a thorny issue for most people. Is it because there is never enough? I don’t know. There are many pastors who would rather not talk about money or preach about money in their congregations; they often condemn their follow pastors who preach the “prosperity gospel”. The “prosperity gospel” pastors seem to excessively preach about money and wealth to the point of disregarding the message of first import: the salvation of lost souls. These are the two extremes. But whatever position one stands for or whether a person does not have any position at all, money is a necessity that one can’t live without. Just know this… it is the love (greediness) of money which is the problem, not the money itself.  

May the LORD bless as all as we confound myths with the truth of God’s Word. 

Blessings,
Lady Akofa.

3 ‘Randomities’ of the First Quarter of 2013

By the title above, I’m not in any way saying that I’ll bring you ‘Randomities’ for the second or third quarter or whatsoever. I couldn’t think of any better title, that's all.

Sad but not sad, sad: Earlier this week, I decided to keep up to date with my blog reading and read an update from Google that  Google Reader  was going to be discontinued in July. “Oooh Google Reader!” was my response. :-( But whatever, I decided to check out other free RSS readers and found, The Old Reader. It’s simple, less colourful compared to Google Reader but good. I’m currently in a looooong import queue. Are you in the queue too? Crazy mad rush!  

Blessed and very blessed: New job, new environment, new home (coming soon!), …everything is just new. Well, at least in my rose-coloured world. I cannot thank God enough for His mighty works and goodness.

Hair Secret that Works: I discovered a secret ritual for permed hair that prevents split ends and it’s working well. So I don’t always have to trim my hair at every retouch. My hairdresser is famous for her scissors; she loves trimming hair. Not sharing, not yet, you gotta ask to know. : -) 

My random thoughts. 

 Can I bow out now?

Thank you,
Lady Akofa.

My Scriptures for 2013

So these are my Scriptures for 2013, as given by the Holy Spirit in December (mostly paraphrased). As I meditate on them and read the Bible, I’m seeing more verses that relate to my current circumstances. I’ve been digging my nose or should I say my eyes (?) in the Bible these days. It’s like eating the Word in its raw state like one would eat raw, organic veggies. Salad, anyone? :-)

This was certainly, adulterated salad, lol! I was trying out a new salad cream and just had to splurge.

2 Peter 1:3-4 – God has given me everything I need that pertains to life and godliness through his very great and precious promises…

Ephesians 1:8 – God has already blessed me with wisdom and understanding in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19 – God will provide ALL my needs according to His riches in GLORY in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:13 – I can do ALL THINGS through Christ Jesus, who strengthens (who gives me strength).

Philippians 4:6-7 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in EVERYTHING, by prayer, petition, with thanksgiving… peace of God will GUARD your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.  

Philippians 4:8 – Whatever is pure, lovely, admirable, true, noble, right, excellent or praiseworthy … think on those things.

Isaiah 54:17 – No weapon … shall prevail/prosper. 

Direction/Guidance – Psalm 32:8-9, Isaiah 48:17, Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 30:15, Isaiah 26:3

Psalm 23- the LORD is my SHEPHERD, I need no thing or I lack nothing. Goodness and mercy shall follow me – ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE.

Romans 8: 28-32 – All things work together for my good… to the glory of God.

Psalm 34: 17-19 – Promise of protection and deliverance

Psalm 91 

They may or may not make sense to you, my dear reader. Or some  or all may speak to you. But that’s okay because they are meant for me in the season of life that I’m in now. Some speak of protection (physical, mental and emotional), deliverance, direction/guidance, the certainty of my future, (which is good), empowerment to do what I’ve been called to do, provision (past, present and future), etc. In essence, my security and my future are good and assuredly granted in God through Christ Jesus. I need not fear or be concerned about the uncertainties of tomorrow. 

What I really want to encourage is the habit of asking God to speak to you about whatever is on your mind or whatever concerns you through His word and by His Spirit. The Holy Scriptures are solid and firm. You can, like a lawyer, always refer to the constitution (the Bible) to justify your petitions, requests or claims. Again, like a lawyer, you must have studied or prepared in the specific area before you stand before the Judge. But even if you are unable to, you can always start as a baby would in simple, imperfect language and the Holy Spirit will teach you to stand on God’s word. Step by step. It’s a process. Nobody grows to be an adult in a day.

Little by little, eat the Word,

Lady Akofa.

Please click here to read part 1 of this post.

... I walk with Him always

I have been meditating on Psalm 23 and I keep thinking, “Wow, David (the composer of the Psalm) really knew what he was talking about. He had such a deep relationship with the LORD and had so much revelation!” 

Talk about provision:  The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want

Talk about rest: He makes me lie down He leads me beside still waters  

Talk about calm & peace: He leads me beside still waters

Talk about emotional healing: He restores my soul

Talk about guidance: He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name sake

Talk about the glory/honour/reputation/character of God: for his name sake

Talk about discipline, comfort and guidance: your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Talk about protection and deliverance in the darkest hour and lowest valley:  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil

Talk about God’s guaranteed presence: for you are with me

Talk about a banquet/party (physical or spiritual feast): He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies

Talk about vindication: He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies

Talk about being consecrated/set apart by God for the banquet: you anoint my head with oil

Talk about overflowing joy or a generous pouring of drink: my cup overflows

Talk about continued abundance of good things (physical or spiritual) and mercy: Goodness and mercy shall follow me ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE

Talk about your own commitment to God for all eternity: and I shall dwell (live/abide) in the house of the LORD, forever. 

Lots of goodness in this famously recited Psalm! If it doesn’t blow your mind, then I don’t know what else to say...

May the LORD be your Shepherd, 

Lady Akofa.

Please click here to read the first part of this post.

The LORD is my Shepherd...

The LORD is my Shepherd,

I walk with Him always.

He leads by still waters, 

I walk with Him always.

Always, always

I walk with Him always.

Always, always

I walk with Him always.

I woke up in morning with this song (above) in my heart sometime last week. I let it play in my mind as I relished the memories of the times I sung it at Sunday School and with my sister and cousins at home when we were kids. Then I took out the electronic keyboard and managed to find the rights keys and played it. Worship mode: activated.

This is a song that I haven’t sung or heard in years.  No, we don’t sing it (not this version) in church these days. And I don’t recall hearing it sung in Sunday School in the past five or so years, now that I teach Sunday School. Lesson preparation in this song: activated.

The song is based on Psalm 23. It is one of the Scriptures God gave to me at a friend’s wedding. And it’s one of the most recited prayers in churches, Christian gatherings and schools (even public schools) in Ghana. It is usually learnt in KJV. I figure, most kids can recite it in their sleep, lol! : - ) I remember, a lady in our church gave a testimony  of how God led her sister to pray aloud the Psalm while she was in labour. Wow!

Interestingly, there are many musical renditions of Psalm 23, check out youtube.com and you will see.

to be continued...

Please click here to read the second part of this post. 

God’s Word: My anchor in 2013

So I was at a friend’s wedding about 3 weeks ago. I arrived late because I got lost on my way, so I sat at the back. Fortunately for me though, I got in just in time for the vows. After the vows, the pastor preached the salvation message while sharing a few thoughts on marriage. 

As I sat there, I had several things on my mind, mostly major decision issues. I needed clarity and direction from God as the New Year was fast approaching. While I listened to the pastor and agreed with much of what he said, suddenly several Scriptures (not related to sermon at all!) started flashing through my mind in such a fast pace that I quickly took a notepad and wrote them down. As they came up in my mind’s eyes certain phrases and words jumped at me and flooded my soul with light and filled me with renewed purpose. 

God has spoken to me through these specific Bible verses over the years at different points and in different circumstances in my life. However, this time, it felt like God was giving me a cumulative collection of Scriptures for 2013. Each verse countered each anxiety or concern that I had. Indeed, I could add on more Bible verses to the list and create a little pamphlet out of them. 

I don’t know what 2013 holds for me, but I’m so comforted that God has already given me divine tools to work with in the days ahead. His words are my anchor for 2013. 

I pray that God will speak to you also and that you will hear Him speak to your soul. A new day has come!

Afienhyia pa!

Lady Akofa.

Please click here to read part 2 of this post.

Be careful what you ask for

Throughout the year, Ghanaians have been praying for peace before, during and after our December elections, Christians, Muslims and traditional believers alike. Many persons and groups have campaigned in various ways to advocate for peace; celebrities, school children, religious leaders, etc. It was overwhelming to hear of the many churches/denominations and Christian organisations who organised prayer-fests or prayer marathons, for the peace of the nation during this critical time and how Christians eagerly responded to the call for prayer for the nation. And there were peace concerts, peace walks and other events organised as well. I was amazed to watch a documentary in which grandmothers were admonishing the youth not to undermine the peace that Ghana had enjoyed over the years. In the unlikely case there is war, it’s usually old folks, children and the vulnerable who suffer the most, so I get the drift. 

In spite of a few skirmishes here and there, overall, I believe God has answered our prayers. We asked for peace. God has given it. So everywhere you turn, this or that person is saying, “peace that” and “peace this.” To say that I’m grateful for this peace is an understatement. But note what is being said, “... for the sake of the peace of the nation” and NOT “... for the sake of the people of the nation.” Who or what is more important: the peace or the people? Maybe I need a teacher to take me into another level of learning, haha!

So, I’ve been wondering, what if Ghana had prayed for say, “transparent, free and fair elections”? Wouldn't that have prevented claims of election rigging?  While, I’m not for or against any of the major political parties, I think that any persons or parties that have  evidence to prove in court that the election process or results were manipulated should freely do so. That is a true test of our democracy; people should be able to seek redress in the constitutionally viable manner, without hindrance from any opposing person or group.

Ghanaians, particularly Christians, should realise that this same God, to whom they fervently prayed for peace, is a holy, righteous and just God. I do not suppose He will overlook the injustice and sweep it under the carpet like human beings do. But then, I don’t know how God will work justice out for those who seek redress except through Jesus Christ; He is such a big God for my small mind. Hear me well: Be careful what you ask for. More importantly, know the Person to whom you are making your requests.

Peace!

Lady Akofa.:-)

How times have changed!

Before the internet days, I mostly read books, cover to cover and thick books like Condensed Readers’ Digest Collections, often one at a time. But now, a considerable amount of reading is done online, and they tend to be short articles.

My reading habits are not structural. I fail at my goals to complete one book per month or whatever. Instead, I read several books in a month but do not finish them. So what does it mean? Perhaps, two half-read books make one? Haha! I tend to reread old articles that I’ve printed from the internet as inspiration for personal growth. I often take notes, when I get an insight every now and then. I also save articles in PDF or download free e-books and read them straight from my laptop. So if, I regularly read 1,500-2,000 word articles… how many would I have to read to be considered as a full book? Haha!

Anyway, what I find myself doing often when I’m online, is noting recommendations or reviews of newly released books and noting those that I would like to buy someday. That way, I can ask a family member to purchase them during his or her travels for me.

There is also a booming market for both motivational and Christian literature in Ghana, so I often go the noted Christian bookstores in Accra to check out what is in stock. To be in the midst of books, either at a library or in a bookstore, gives me pleasure.

Now the challenge is to be an author too, haha!

“Of making many books there is no end,…”
Ecclesiastes 12: 12b; NIV

Books, books, books!
Lady Akofa.

Confession: I’ve not always loved reading.

My sister was the one who loved reading. Growing up, she almost always had a book in her hand; in the kitchen, in the car, while eating, walking from the dining room to our bedroom, etc. Our shelf was full of books. I probably owned 0.05(!) of them. What a pity.

My mother noticed my apathy to reading and sought to do something about it. I was about 8 or 9 years old then, I think. She encouraged me to read and decided to reward me with money for every book I read and gave a verbal review of. Sounded good to me; I wanted the money. So I’d read one of my sister’s books and would tell her what I read. I would ‘earn’ money, come back with more reviews and then ‘earn’ more money. But the interesting thing was since I was young and didn’t have many financial aspirations at that time (I already had lots of toys and a bicycle), I would always give the money back to my mother for safekeeping, which I never claimed. At some point, I stopped reading for money because I was reading several books per week! Another reader in the family had been born.

But then, in my early teens, my father felt I was not reading enough African literature (remember: Sweet Valley High, Baby Sitters Club, etc.), so he gave me couple of African books that, I think were difficult for my age at that time… or maybe not, only he knew what his intentions were. But his approach demanded more: unlike the tales I would narrate to my mother of which book I had read, I was to write my review of each book, write all the unfamiliar words I came across in my reading and learn these new words by finding out what they meant from the dictionary. And he did make sure to mark my homework (or do we call it, daddy-work?), of course, he is a professor of Ghanaian and African literature!

So in my living abroad experiences, I’ve always been a card holder of public libraries. It’s fun to walk into a library and surprise the old lady volunteer (they have mostly been old ladies!), when I ask for the bestseller section and she provides me with her take on a few of them. I would check out a variety of books each week and return them often before the due date. I intend to keep this habit, should I have the opportunity to live abroad again in the near future. Perhaps, I will return to Ghana with a ship full of purchased books for consumption and to be given as gifts, lol! I also have an ambition of owning a bookstore. My wish might just come true. But first, I need to add to the collection of books of this world. So help me God.  

I would want my children to develop a love for reading much earlier than I did. I know an older woman in my church who taught her grandchildren to read by the age of three years. When she told me this, I exclaimed, “Wow, three years!” Then I understood why her grandchildren were proficient readers among their peers in my Sunday School class and why her own children, who are my peers, had been avid readers when we were growing up. I’ll need to go back to learn some skills from this woman on how she accomplished this in her family. In recent years, I’ve started building a collection of children books. I try to select them with care, so that I can answer questions when they come up, but you never know, kids always ask the most unsuspecting questions, don’t they?

I’m grateful to my mom, who sparked the fire for my reading craze. Yaaay, it’s my hobby now! Although I did not catch it earlier, I’m beginning to see why it is not healthy to have an appreciable understanding of one’s own local literature and I believe that is one on the things my dad had been trying to teach me in my teen years. I’m always amazed at how much my dad reads despite his impossibly busy schedule. I’m also grateful for my sister, her personal library became mine in those early years and I was never for want of books or have never been because I still get to borrow her books.

Now, I love reading!
Lady Akofa.

Why I love reading

I’ve been reading a lot lately. And that’s because I’ve a lot of time on my hands to do so without much distraction. I’ve several unfinished books, including a John Grisham book from 2009 or 2010 (I think?), which I started reading on a flight on one of my work trips. The next time I picked up the book, I couldn’t remember who the main character was and what the plot was about. I put the book down, because it would mean starting all over again and I wasn’t ready for a fresh start yet.  I’ve found that while I’m hoping to finish reading those half-read books, I’ve been adding new stacks of books to my ‘to-read list’ by moving unread books to from my shelf or my sister’s shelf to my bedside table or just about anywhere in my room where I can have easy access to them. 

I’ve just finished reading an insightful blog post targeted at Christian men on how they can grow in their faith. At the end of my reading, I felt my heart soar and I thought, “Wow, this is really uplifting! Even though men are the target audience of the article, look at how blessed I am too! I love reading and wish everybody loved to read just as I do!” And that has got me thinking, “Why do I love reading? What do I get from it?”

I love to read books or articles that stimulate me to think critically about life, God, my beliefs, my values, health and nutrition, the world, social change and justice, hot bottom issues - some of which are not ‘issues’ in my country, Ghana (at least, not yet), etc. 

Through my love for reading, my worldview has been shaped largely by Christian literature, well… that is mostly what I read these days, lol! When I was younger, I would read all kinds of stuff: Baby Sitters Club (anyone?), The Pacesetters, Sweet Valley View, Sweet Valley High, Enid Blyton books, etc., and some romantic books, that I was warned not to read. I found a love in Mary Higgins Clark, John Grisham’s works, Condensed Readers’ Digest Collections, among others and I had friends with whom we would exchange our latest findings or purchase. As I grew older and especially when I got born again, I lost interest in such books. Apart from my Bible, I was hungry for Christian books for the most part. However, I do light reading (newspapers, magazines, blogs, comic stuff) as well but I’m selective about what I read now.  My worldview about relationships, marriage and family, work, my faith, politics, health, etc. have been shaped by a combination of both what I’ve learned from the my walk with God, at home, at school and through what I’ve read. Oftentimes, the literature gives explanations or scientific evidences for why, for example, my mother would let not me run off to play immediately after eating lunch or supper as a child or why, it is good to drink water first thing in the morning. 

There are a lot of things that I know about this beautiful world and life not as a result of classroom/lecture sessions or because my parents or a mentor taught me but because “I read it somewhere.” Oftentimes, in a conversation a friend would ask how I know what I’m saying and if I couldn’t remember the exact book or article, my response would be, “I read it somewhere!” Despite the best efforts of the government, the regulatory agencies and teachers, I think the educational system in Ghana is unsatisfactory and one needs to back up school lessons with self-motivated, individual lifelong learning. Reading is just one of those avenues for learning.

Reading gives me fodder for writing. When I read, I often get ideas for how to write; “Oh, I like the way she skillfully constructed that sentence,” or “Wow! See how the author brilliantly uses the two adjectives to describe the dog!” I also do get ideas for what to write, “This aspect would make a good insert in a short story,” or “The issues raised in this article about child-labour will make a good story. It’s amazing how children are lured away from their homes and schools into force labour!”

I’m sure there are more reasons why I love reading, but the above are what immediately come to mind.

Read! Read! Read!

Lady Akofa.

Counting my Blessings

1. Literally rolling on the floor with laughter, repeatedly shouting and clapping, “He has done it!” at a retreat. You’d think for a while yours truly had gone mad. But that was a confirmation of things I had been looking to God for. Even before it’s in my hands, the proclamation had been made, “It’s done!” Amen; So be it!
2. Vinesong, UK ministering at my church. Love, love, love their music and ministration.
3. The sweet presence of the Holy Spirit drawing me to lie flat on the ground before God during worship time at a prayer meeting.  How I wished that I could be in His Awesome Presence all day!
4. My Bible Study Group and what God is teaching us about the Glory of God, the character of God.
5. Seeing a mustard seed once again. I always marvel when I look at it.
6. What God is teaching me about faith in Him, the Hebrew 11 kind of faith and receiving from Him.
7. The people I work with and for. It’s a blessing to get to serve each one of them, including my diligent boss.
8. My family and …
9. … friends and…
10. ...my church family. Each one of them is a blessing to me.

What will you remember Prof. J.E.A. Mills for?

I first got to know the late Prof. John Atta Mills as a secondary school girl at my church (yeah, I’m that old). We were in the same Bible study group, he and his wife, along with some lecturers and university students. I was the youngest in the group at that time. Those days, he hadn’t gotten heavily involved in politics and hadn’t yet been nominated as Vice-President to former president Jerry John Rawlings.

It may sound cliché because just about everybody is saying the same things, but I knew him to be a humble, modest and... very intelligent. I say intelligent because my church Bible study is structured in the group discussion format, so I get to rub shoulders with sharp minds as we grapple theological issues and how they apply to our modern, everyday life. He was one of those who would offer insightful comments during our study times.

Even after he became Vice-President, Pres. Mills was still the same simple man. He attended church services with an unmarked car and a casually dressed bodyguard, not an entourage, and sometimes would “hide” in the congregation so as not to draw attention to himself.

When He became president, he was always honest about his challenges as leader of the country the few times he visited (he wasn’t regular in the past 5 years or so) and was sincere in his request for prayer support. However, I disliked how the presidential entourage took up our parking space and how the security team were a source of distraction as they did their work before and during church service.

I believe his wife and close family members will have deeper things to say about him, however, humility, simplicity and sincerity are the 3 things I will remember him for. 

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints, (Psalm 116:15; NIV).

Rest in God’s strong, loving arms, Prof. Atta Mills. That’s where you belong.

Amen,
Lady Akofa.

Prof. Atta Mills! Damirifa due!!!

You may have heard Ghana’s sitting president, Prof. John Atta Mills, died 2 days ago.

I was in the office when my boss walked in with two of our workplace drivers talking about the announcement of the death of somebody. I didn’t catch the name but I already knew who they were referring to. I had seen President Mills on television news a few days prior to his departure and passed on a comment to my mother, “It seems Atta Mills has lost some more weight.” My mother agreed with my assessment. Whatever it was, we knew this was the reason he sought medical attention prior to his 68^th birthday.   

While Ghana is in grief, President Mills’ death has brought a sense of unity among Ghanaians. The voices of his loudest critics and ‘haters’ have turned into a mournful, “Oooh!”  There is nothing more to say, is there?  Political parties have suspended their campaigns as a mark of respect for him. Lots of Ghanaians were seen clothed in black or black and red as a sign of mourning the day after the announcement. Flags were flown half-mast as directed by the newly sworn in President, John Mahama. 

Conversations and news seem to revolve on two things:

     1. How good, humble and modest President Mills was, as tributes and condolences pour in, of course, not without tears. 

2   2.  Who killed him?  The sickness? Work? NDC, his party? Himself via self-sacrifice? Ghana? Or the devil?

The day I heard the news, I was so sure that God had revealed President Mills' death beforehand to one (or more) of His prophets but I didn't know who. As of the time of writing this blog post, I know of one young man who says he had dreamt of Pres. Mills’ death about 2 months ago. The dream made him depressed but the good thing though is that he prayed and shared the dream with a few others to pray along.

So here is my take on the issue number 2:

1. Sometimes God reveals a person's death so that it can be prevented.

2. Other times, God reveals a person's death so that we (the person and his/her loved ones) can be prepared for the heavenly homecoming when it happens.

3. Sometimes, when God wants to save an unbeliever prior to his/her death, He may choose to reveal it to a Christian so that the Christian will pray or even evangelize to the dying person. 

God alone holds the keys to life and death, I strongly believe this. Since President Mills is gone, I believe it was God's will to call him home. Even through the sickness, God could have kept him alive but He didn't. It's not sickness, or work, or the devil that took Pres Mills home, IT IS GOD who took him home. He was a dedicated Child of God and as such ONLY God could say, "Come home, my son."

I figure, if he had been alive till the elections, I suspect people would have kept on saying, "Atta Mills didn't achieve his Better Ghana Agenda" and all the negative things they used to say. I think God has preserved Atta Mills' reputation in his death. And I will attribute that to Atta Mills being a Christian, who truly loved the LORD. And that is a really good thing because God gets all the Glory. 

We do not know who our next Vice-President will be, although a few names are being tossed about in the airwaves. And we don’t know who our next President will be after the December 2012 elections, but I would encourage Christians in Ghana to keep on praying for leaders after God's heart to rule this nation. That’s the way to go.

Rest assured that good will come out of this (Romans 8:28) and God’s glory will be shown in the days ahead.

*** The photo was NOT taken by me. It's a public image being circulated in his memory.

Let God’s glory be seen in this loss,

Lady Akofa.

How come you've NOT read the whole Bible before?

This quarter, my church has been focusing on the theme,  Renewal in the Church. Yesterday, a visiting preacher, Rev. JFK Mensah preached on the theme, Renewal in the Church: Emphasis on the Word. He is such a fiery preacher, who has such an undying passion for the study of God’s Word and wholehearted commitment to God. You cannot expect to leave his presence without critically making some life-changing decisions. He doesn’t mince his words.

So he did little exercise in the beginning and requested the whole congregation to close their eyes. With our eyes closed, he asked, “Raise your hands, if you’ve read the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelations before.” Hands went up and he counted.

Next, he asked one of his sons and his wife to each give a 5-minute talk on what the Word of God meant to them and what it had done for them before he preached his sermon.  His son talked about his indifference to the Word of God as a child. However, he has recently come to love the Word for himself (I think, he’s in his late teens or early 20s now). He talked about being set free from sin through the Word.

His wife talked about how God’s word (book of Job) comforted her when they lost their first daughter.  She also said her reading of the whole Bible had given her an appreciation of the Old Testament (OT) and a deeper understanding of concepts in the New Testament (NT) that had its foundation in the OT.

I was intrigued, because I have experienced some of what they both mentioned.

Bible Reading: Cover to Cover
Now back to point one. He expressed disappointment that in my church, he counted about 30-35 hands who indicated they had read the Bible, cover to cover.

In his estimation, we are the “most literate church in Ghana” so he was expecting more from us. I was surprised that he would think that my church family was the “most literate church in Ghana.” Yet on reflection, he may be right because:
1. My church family is made up of mainly academics or children of academics, professionals in the formal sector, many adults who have at least a tertiary degree (university, polytechnic, some professional training, etc). And we are based on one of the university campuses in Accra.
2. He frequently preaches in other congregations and would be able to give a fair assessment of our ‘literacy level.’

I was also surprised that only a few people had read the whole Bible in my church. What happened to the initial hunger of the Word of God when one becomes born-again? Wouldn’t that compel new Christians to read the Bible and say, “I can’t get enough of this, I want more!” Ever since my first and second Bible 90-day reading challenge, I’ve been telling friends about it and encouraging them to read the Bible and to take it as a challenge. I even e-mailed and distributed printed copies of the 90-day reading schedule to these friends. I don’t know whether any of them has actually taken up the challenge yet… maybe I should make a few phone calls to find out. I won’t be surprised if none of these friends bothered to take up the challenge. But, it amazes me, this apathy to the God’s Word.

I do know that people easily lose track of reading the Bible in 1 year, I’m a typical example. However, reading the Bible in 3 short months and seeing it as a personal challenge is highly motivating.

“You say, 3 months/90 days? Why not?! Dude, I'm up for it!" 12 months sounds long and dragging… in my opinion. But hey, if you choose to do it that way and will be committed to such a pursuit, do so.

What the Bible has meant to me
Just like Mrs. Mensah, I also have come to appreciate the Old Testament more. In fact, I’m always looking out for connections between the OT and the NT in my Bible reading.

Before I became a born-again Christian, I didn’t know how unhappy and depressed I was until I tasted joy from God’s word. I would constantly read the Psalms –I love the Psalms!- whenever I felt unease in my heart. And I’d often beam with joy and peace after a reading session.

God’s word has often pulled me out of anxiety about "this and that", things I’ve no control over (Phil. 4:6).

God has broken the cords of habitual sin in my life through His Word and He continues to do so.

I’ve been transformed in my thinking through God’s word and it continues to today.

I’ve seen God’s faithfulness: As have I obeyed His instructions from the Bible even when it was difficult and God has responded accordingly, just as His promised.

I have come to understand this world better and do not take world news as seriously as a news junkie or an atheist would. I have a different perspective of life. The ‘little skirmishes’ as God has called it in a prophetic word all over the world, do have a divine purpose.

There are many more things that God’s word has done in my life, but these are just a few that immediately come to mind.

I just can’t live without the Word of God. It’s my lifeline.

My conclusion
*If you can read and write, You’re blessed. Don’t take it for granted.

*If you can read and write and you’re a Christian, what’s stopping you from reading the Bible from cover to cover, if you haven’t done so already? You have no idea, how illiterate Christians yearn to read and write so that they can read just one verse for themselves!

*There are some things you won’t know for sure till you practice it. Reading the Bible is not enough but it will facilitate your rich experience of life as a Christian. And that’s how you’ll be able to testify how good and faithful God's Word is. 

*If you’re up for a challenge, click here to explore the website.  A pdf schedule can be found here.  Don’t wait till January 2013, you and I know it won’t work :- )

*Finally, people... if you're going to do life as a Christian, you must as well do it well. (Note: I did not say, "perfectly.") The Bible is the guide to that life.

What is worth doing, is worth doing well.

Start now! Let me know, I'll cheer you on,
Lady Akofa.:-)

Not-so-Happy Mother's Day

I love Mother’s Day because it gives me the opportunity to celebrate my mom …and me: a future mama. : -)

But this season tends to remind others of their unfulfilled dreams. Arms that never carried their own baby. Full hearts that ache to pour out love into children they can call their own.

“Why does she get pregnant and have a baby within 9 months of her wedding and I don’t?”
“Oh, God… what more prayers do I have to say before You’ll let me carry my own child? Just one baby will do, that’s all!”

It gets very uncomfortable in church settings when a baby is brought up to be dedicated to the LORD by parents.  “But what about me, God?” At family gatherings, your name is left out when grandchildren are being introduced.

And there are those who had children out of wedlock, who have had to struggle and are struggling to cater for their child(ren). The other half who contributed to the conception of the child is nowhere to be found, even if he’s around, he doesn’t care… or so it seems.

And there are those who are single parents because their marriage broke down. But the children still need to be cared for.

And there is yet another category of mothers who are widows; the ill-timed enemy called death came and took away their husbands.

How about those unmarried women who long to be mothers?

For some strange reason, I’m burdened for those who are yet to be mothers (married or unmarried) and those who are mothers but in less than ideal circumstances, this Mother’s day.

There is a Bible chapter that I want to share, with those who find what is supposed to be a joyous occasion, a reminder of what is yet to be or what could  or would have been. I’m not going to offer my thoughts on it but I’d say… prayerfully read, Isaiah 54, and let God speak to you.

Sharing in the pain, yet standing in faith that God does impossible things (Matthew 19:26).

Blessings,
Lady Akofa.

... on Patience

To wait upon God is the perfection of activity. ~Oswald Chambers

Patience is the companion of wisdom. ~St. Augustine