What if? (Some thoughts on Houses in Banana Island, well not really, but yeah!)

What if, true to all our claims, we dropped everything at the foot of the cross?

What if we really trusted God to take away all our pain, and brokenness, and insecurities?

As I ate breakfast this morning, I thought about Linda Ikeji– the Nigerian blogger who has recently acquired a luxury home for upwards of $3million. On her blog yesterday, she wrote about her very humble beginnings and how she her blogging passion has made her a homeowner in one of Nigeria’s most priced neighbourhoods.

That made me think about my life and sadly, my thoughts were mostly pessimistic, depressing, and sad.

Yesterday I spoke with a friend who told me her MCAT scores weren’t as high as she would have liked. While trying to encourage her, I humorously reminded her that Linda Ikeji did not change her life’s passion, but doggedly followed through, and is now living a life that existed in her dreams. I mentioned that Linda Ikeji did not desert her metaphorical Medical School dreams, but followed through up till her residency, and is now reaping the fruits of her labor.

Of course, we laughed, and being her cynical self, my friend commented that she did not like soppy stories. Whenever Linda Ikeji announces a new acquisition, she shares her grass to grace story about humble beginnings in poverty. She reprimands young women never to “sell” their bodies for money, and implores them to hold on because if God has been faithful to her, then surely, He still sits in His heavenly throne, and will remain faithful to those who call upon Him.

Sometimes life scares me. This has become a very recent and frighteningly frequent phenomenon. When I was in A Levels, I had all sorts of dreams. One day, I  dreamed of being a media mogul and producing Africa’s first musical series, partly because I was (THEN) absolutely obsessed with Glee. After sharing my dreams with my favorite girl, Priscilla, the next day, I was reeling out my plans for when I would become the President of my country. My friends Maimuna and Priscilla would humour me by calling me Madam President!

But today, somewhere in my heart, I nurse big ambitions that I do not let into the universe because life always conspires against you, and there are many people whose dreams have been crushed one too many times. Worse still, these people have emerged beat down, and with little will to try again. Will I ever find the strength to carry on when life’s inevitable trials come? Will I find the strength to call out to the friend of the Broken?

This morning, Priscilla shared something profound on her blog. She asked what if we plunged deeply into the oceans of our dreams, and completely placed our trust in the Master of the Ocean. That’s a terrifying image. I absolutely adore the majesty of the ocean, but I relish the peace and tranquility of a quiet beach. I am terrified of the water.

But what if I trusted God enough to follow Him in reckless abandon. What if I turned all my pessimism, cynicism, and insecurity to Him. What if I believed the promise in Proverbs 22:29, and simply worked hard to sharpen my innate skills?

What if?

What if, true to all our claims, we dropped everything at the foot of the cross?

What if we really trusted God to take away all our pain, and brokenness, and insecurities?

Priscilla said I should add the song below- I’ve never listened to it, but I trust her taste and judgement, so enjoy the song!

Image from here.