A lot of us have heard that famous West African gospel tune, sung in a call and response:
Call: "When Jesus says yes, nobody can say no!"
Response: "When Jesus says yes, nobody can say no..."
These affirming words probably resonate with a lot of us. We sing it with confidence, closing our eyes, smiling, and nodding our heads thinking of all the things we are sure Jesus is about to say yes to...and cheesing hard because we are just so confident in these "yeses"
Yes to the new job we just interviewed for.
Yaaasssss to the new bae we are sure God brought to us because of our fasting and praying.
Yes to the new flat we just know God opened the door to.
But while singing these tunes what we fail to realize is that YES, when Jesus says yes nobody can say no..but when Jesus says NO nobody can say yes!
We often miss the counterpart of this song. We are too busy rushing through doors we think are open for us and opening our arms to embrace "opportunities" that we think are set aside for us.
Let's pause and take a second to consider these words: when Jesus says no nobody can say yes..when Jesus closes the door nobody can open it.."
Yes, it's true. His no's and closed doors are just as marvelous as His yes. It's time we understand that His no's are guiding, protecting, and covering us - just as His yeses..
Consider these examples:
Disclaimer: some are real life personal examples, others are purely hypothetical ;)
Your prospective new job:
I recently scrolled through my old emails, coming across SEVERAL jobs I had applied for in the past. These jobs were seemingly sooo easy to get. I remember sending my resume in and interviewing for a Telefund position (whattheheck is that??). After the interview, I just knew I would get a call to start working there the next day. I was so sure. But Jesus' no was loud and clear!
Your new bae:
You've gone on 4 dates with this person after all of which you've stayed up all night planning your wedding and filling your Pinterest board with wedding ideas and baby names. Unfortunately (or fortunately) this failed relationship is another version of Jesus' no. A few months or a few years down the line you meet The One! Now imagine if Jesus didn't close that door???
Your new flat (home):
You find the perfect flat. Complete with a newly refurbished kitchen and freshly painted bedroom. On the interior, this place has everything you need. You're so ready to move in but suddenly 30 minutes before your second viewing, your prospective landlord calls you to let you know someone actually just moved in. What? When? How did someone all of a sudden move in? A few weeks later God opens the door for a much better place, less expensive, and closer to your brand new job (which you didn't have at the time you initially viewed this first flat)!
Turning 25 yesterday allowed me to sit back and reflect on my past and dream of my future. Believe me when I say His no's have truly been a saving grace. The last few months of 24 I experienced a period of NOs and slammed doors. Yes, y'all. Slammed and sealed, not just closed. What surprises me is the way in which these doors are slammed sometimes. For example, I'll be so close to an opportunity I thought for sure was set aside for me. Then that door will be slammed shut. No explanation. Nothing I foresaw. Just closed.
Let me pause and say that while 24 was indeed filled with amazing opportunities, renewed faith, abundant provisions, it was also filled with gaining a clearer understanding of my purpose. These no's and closed doors served to guide me and bring me to the exact place I stand today.
So basically, thank you God for seeing in me what I could notsee in myself. Thank you for your infinite wisdom in knowing how to prepare me for today. At 25 I'm ready and willing to let you lead. Thank you for protecting me from your "good enough." I'm ready and willing to put aside what I believe is good enough and accept what You know is BEST.
I urge you: trust God. Praise Him for the no's with as much confidence and as much joy as you praised for the yes. Lean not in your own understanding. Trust that all things are working for your good, in His time. Trust that He is simply not allowing you to accept "good" and wanting you to wait for the absolute best.
Here's to the person God designed, desired, and has determined you will become (in spite of those no's).
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As some of you know, I recently graduated with my master's in psychology and flew back to Los Angeles in time to bring in my 25th birthday yesterday :D
I spent the day at The Grove in LA and finally got to try a delicious Chai Tea Latte cupcake from the famous Sprinkles!! I was in heaven. I tried to save it long enough for a photo, but as soon as I licked the frosting it was a wrap!
I was so happy the weather was nice and hot for 25! As a February baby this is a rarity! I got to bring out my denim jumpsuit which I purchased from Topshop London several months ago. (If I find it online, I'll link it below)!
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I have a love/hate relationship with birthdays. In addition to them being a joyful time to celebrate life, to spoil yourself, to reflect on blessings, for me birthdays are also a time to measure how far I've progressed. I know I just turned 24 (yaay!) but for some reason I feel so OLD! I'm knocking on 25 and 30 is only around the corner! Yikes! I've experienced so much in the past year. 23 for me was a year of growth. A year of figuring out and realizing who God wants me to be...& how He desires to use me..So 24 needs to be a year of progression & preparation to step into my role. I've spent the past few weeks mulling over a mental to do list of realistic things I want to accomplish before I hit the big 2 5 - and in writing these things out (and sharing them with you all) I can only hope it will help in keeping me accountable!
- Earn my master's of science in Psychology
- Make a financial plan! (savings plan, budgeting plan..etc...the future is closer than I think!).
- Learn about investing my money (stocks, shares...all that jazz).
- Stay organized! Discipline my self to religiously write down life plans, business goals & career goals....As a student and passionpreneur I'm definitely organized now, but as more things come I think it's imperative that I form a system that will not only keep me organized but also keep me accountable.
- Perfect 5 go- to meals...I like to think I can throw down in the kitchen...but I need to perfect 5 Nigerian meals before I leave my father's house..ha! Jollof rice, pepper soup, egusi soup, stewed meat, my mother's fried rice!
- Create a 5 year plan...I'm all about writing down my goals- but now it's time to write out where I see myself in the next 5 years...one year at a time (Yikes! So scary to think that I'll be 29!!! Lord, be a fence!).
- Attend more conferences! (women's, business, culture...etc)
- Perfect 2 go-to hairstyle that I know I can rock!...I love experimenting with my hair..I'm a fan of changing my hairstyle every other month & can switch from faux locs, to crochet braids, then back to a wig in a matter of weeks! But as I get older I think it will be beneficial to just switch between one or two hairstyles...(no fun!).
- Own at least 3 go-to outfit essentials.
- denim jeans/blazer
- little black dress
- interview outfit (preferably a chic black dress)!
- oh..can't forget classic "nude" & classic black pumps!
- Learn how to make my make-up "on fleek"....I'm a fan of makeup but hardly a pro...it looks nice on people but I just can't be bothered with spending time to fill in my eyebrows and contour my cheek bones!...gotta do better so I can be "shine shine gal" (Naija accent)!
- Be beautiful..be confident...be fierce...not that fake confidence or that fake beauty...not the one where I look cute on social media but am actually a mess in real life. But the kind where I can step into a room and not be afraid to speak my mind, the kind where I'm bold enough to share my opinions, the kind where I'm not hesitant to let my personality spice up a conversation..and the kind of fierceness that will make me believe that my beauty is authentic.
- Learn a new language...like almost every Californian I took Spanish in school and can speak the basics. I currently live in Europe...so I told myself that I can't leave this continent without learning a new language! Oh & on that note I need to practice my native tongues! (Yes, tongues..lol..I'm Ijaw so my family's native languages are Ijaw, Obolo, and Igbo..ya girl has lots of learning to do..pray for me)!!
- Visit a foreign country...by myself....get immersed in another culture, interact with new people..lose myself in the midst of newness..be brave...take risks... As Paul Coehlo said: Nothing can substitute experience. And what greater an experience than taking a risk (but a cautious one) on my own?
- Take on more challenges..whether that's hiking up an incredible mountain, speaking in front of a crowd, serving God in a way I never expected or planned...
- Be on time and stick to a schedule.
The best thing about a to-do list is being able to cross items off once you've accomplished them.I'm excited to look at this list daily and track my progression over the next several months! (Inspired by my fab blogger friend Vic Styles)!
Outfit details:
Y'all know I had to step into 24 with class and a little sass! I wore this number to afternoon tea in Marylebone (London's West End) to celebrate my birthday :D
Soft Pink Midi BodyCon Dress: Miss Selfridge, London | Can be found here: Miss Selfridge
Floral Print Pumps: Primark, London
Clutch: Consignment shop in Santa Barbara, CA
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