PRAISE REPORT

I Serve A Living God, Align Yourself

MEEEEEEEEENNNNNNN!!!!!! I swear to you guys that I don't make these things up. Where do I begin. In fact, this praise report cannot be as sweet as it should be in English. With the way my joy and happiness is over flowing, I am about to start speaking in tongues. Igbo actually, but as ya'll can't understand that, I shall do my best in the way I know how. In fact jam your beautiful voices and sing with me....

Bianu lee O, Bianu lee eeee, Bianu le onye ahu n'agwo oria, Bianu le onye ahu n'eme nma(2ce)
Ko kom, Ko Kom ti ti Ko Kom, Ko Kom ti ti ko (ogene, igodo and udu in chorus)
Come and See O, Come and See.......


People of God, Addy is back with another testimony. Help me to laugh the devil and his agents... HA!! HA!! HA!!!. Truly this God that I am serving is a miracle working God. He is the Alpha and the Omega, Isi mbido na Njedeba (the beginning and the end), Osisi n'ukwu eji eje mba (the walking stick and legs to go on a journey) I don't know if you guys are noticing, but it is beginning to dawn on me that indeed I am BLESSED. First it was getting this job in Santa Maria in the most sinister and oddest of manners that only screams of God's hands, among other little little things that have been happening. Sometimes one needs reassurances to solidify facts and I got some today.
A week ago, last Friday to be exact, I was down and depressed and upset over a situation I called 'immigration matter' (again that is just the code). I was so messed up that I forgot my phone at home, nearly locked my keys in my car and had no appetite for food or laughter. I had been given verbal assurance over the phone to go ahead with the certain documents needed and I took this person by her word without any question because she was the final authority on the matter. For the past 6 years I have been dealing with this matter, left and right, front and center. It is a very difficult matter and as such I didn't put too much hope in it. When I moved to California the odds became better so I tried again after getting this verbal confirmation. Finally everything came to fruition. The Lord had finally answered my prayers. As He promised to Sarah a child that she always wanted, He gave me something I had been looking for. But you know, the enemy hates to see God's children happy and was lurking around, waiting to be Killjoy. I had one more step to take on Friday morning, which involved calling the person I had that verbal conversation with to fax some documents to confirm. Why did she say she did not recall the conversation and that the information I had been working with, that I had been using to apply for this 'immigration matter' was wrong and ultimately false. Omo, my body come weak o. Blood come rush from by head but no network connection (originally used by a nigerian comedian before i am accused of plagiarism again) with the rest of my body so I come cold small come say 'Ehn....na wetin you talk?'. The woman come narrate policy for me. I was like but I spoke to you and you said this and that. She come talk say 'Sorry, but that's unfortunate and there is nothing we can do and we cannot make any exception.'. My people, na there crase wan begin catch me. Luckily for me, I didn't have to be at work till 2pm so I had the morning to sort this out over the phone between the east and west coast. Meanwhile, I had already made celebratory phone calls and emails all the way to Nigeria sef and how I go come rewind the tori to come enta the equation. Nna Ike gwurum O, that is ehn. I felt so helpless that I fell to my knees and started crying and praying. How can God do this to me? Could this be punishment for not paying my tithes and offering, not having gone to church for the past two Sundays or thinking about some bloke in an ungodly manner. I cursed and casted the devil playing tricks into the abyss and the bottomless pit. There was no room for him to interrupt my joy where this matter was concerned. I knew that there was nothing else to do at this point other than to be positive, optimistic and engage in fervent prayers and being someone that doesn't really do that very well I solicited all of y'alls. The Bible verses were GREAT. And believe me Prayers and Powerful. That Saturday, I fasted, I went to my car in the hot sun and prayed and shouted for 3 hours because my roommates were studying. If I can pray like this and get results, then surely life must be a piece of cake for some of you out there. Anyways, I wrote one begging email to the party on the east coast that gave me the wrong information, they gave me their suggestions but did not budge. The party on the west coast, same thing. I was like OK I guess all the 'passport-like' materials must be returned then. Kai the thing come pain me. I no gree, so I come begin dey pray and cry and sing some more. I had faith and I believed that what is mine shall be mine as long as it has been ordained from God. I believed that God would intervene and deliver me just as He did the children of Israel before the Red Sea. That was a difficult situation, an unchangeable fact, until the hand of God parted the waters and made way for His people to get to the other side. I pray that as the Lord has parted a way for me in my difficult junction, He would do the same for all of you. Anyways the past few days went by, I had been sending emails to the alternative solution, not knowing whether the west coast people would accept that solution. The person in charge was like she would have to take the matter to the higher ups and the powers that be and lay the case to them and let them decide. People of God, when the Lord says YES, no man can say NO. When Jesus lifts you up no one can bring you down. He is the Lord who said ASK and it shall be given unto you, good measures, pressed down and running over. This afternoon I got a phone call saying that this was a 'strange matter' and they had never dealt with such of this nature, but that they will accommodate the solution because the documentations needed for my matter were stellar and 'over-met' the requirements. Can you believe that? In fact, BELIEVE IT and forget about calling me Adaure, Ada or Addy. From now on start calling me by my middle name, CHIAKA, God Decrees/Dictates. He made a decree upon my life and as you can see, man made policy set to stone had to bend to His voice. PRAISE THE LORD!!! I nearly broke down over the phone. I was elated that there was a solution and all it would cost me was a mere $200. I look at that as 'Egunje Policy Fee' sacrifice so no shaking. As in I can't tell you how elated I am. I mean words cannot express. The hand of God is truly in my life. I don't need to be broadcasting my business like this, but if this would be the way that I will win souls for the Lord, by testifying about His goodness in my life and making believers out of any who doubts, then I shall not hesitate to run my mouth, or fingers as the case may be. If not that, then someone who may have given up will be encouraged to keep trucking and toiling and trusting in the Lord as I have done. Not saying that I am perfect, in fact I'll be the first to say that I don't deserve God's favor because I am still struggling with my demons and have been a 'new christian' for far too long, but at least my eyes have seen and heard and my mouth will speak about this Great God because that's just what HE is. I just cannot contain myself tonight. I am sure I will need a glass or two of Merlot to calm me down a bit because I am to hyper and have practically turned my room into a one member church. AARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!! Unfortunately I don't have the voice to sing angelic hymns or notes so I am barking and croaking praises, and that's OK because it is still a joyful noise to God's ears.
So what do we take away from this life lesson of today other than the fact that God is the Omniscient one who never fails on His promises, that Faith moveth moutains and the Prayers of those who believe works(like joke like joke y'all, I am gradually, slowly and surely turning SU). The other key thing that I take from this is that when it comes to matters affecting ones life, important life changing issues, NEVER NEVER take anyone for his or her word alone without also getting it in writing. Imagine a marriage proposal without a ring or a keg of palm wine and kolanuts as the case may be, can't take the fellow too seriously. God is the only one whose word is steadfast, and even He put all his promises to His people in writing, in the Bible, so that there would be no questions or doubts. If some one tells you something or makes a promise but you don't have it in writing, there are no guarantees that a few days, weeks or months they will be singing the same tune or remember what was said. If someone promises you something and refuses or doesn't want to put it in writing, then that should answer your question about trusting the person or the deal. You may even need to enter a contract to guarantee your own stake. While you should be weary about all contracts and agreements, there are some that are just necessary. See Yetty's post on Contract With the Devil. Anyways, I learnt my lesson but I was blessed to have the Lord on my side. While He will always be by my side, I'll be more meticulous next time (which I usually am on things like that) so that I don't cause Him any more headache because He has a lot more pressing matters to solve, such as World Peace, Poverty and Aids, than to be interrupted by my little snafus.
Thanks again for all the prayers. Thanks for the special emails,IM's and calls (Ndi, Kulutempa, Beedee, Mo-ho, Oyin, Bella etc) God Bless you back the way you have blessed me by including me in your prayers, praying along with me and wishing me well. Yours shall come in double, triple and quadruple folds, even when you don't ask for it. That goes for the 'danger-mouses' that have been leaving negative comments as well. Keep it up, because some days a little negativity can be fuel for the drive to the prize. HA!! HA!! HA!! Ya'll enjoy this special praise selection(Thanks Bella for getting me all nostalgic about Church in the my Village with your post on Sunday. I can just feel Xmas and New Years Day in December already... me dragging the goat or carrying a tuber of yam to the altar). I'M BACK TO NORMAL NOW BLOGVILLE!!!!Just had to recharge my battery with the Spirit. One problem though, I can't promise a consistent ANTM wrap firstly becaus ethis season seems like it would be boring and secondly I will have to start going to church on Wednesday nights instead. We shall see.