Dear February…

I know we started on a ‘pregnant’ note. Suffice to say your month brought so much my way. Now, I’m not sure where to start from 😐 😕. But for one, I’m honing my craft, and I’m thankful for the many celebrations of life… happy birthday again to all my friends and family members. I travelled a bit to a mix of environments. One takes away my patience😧, and the other restores my soul 😌.
We had an African birthday thanksgiving…it was worship without borders🎼🔥 with Amb. #TheChair.

When you found out it was a leap year, what was your plan? 🤔 I had some friends celebrate on the 14th, feeling cool. No beef guys, but if you do your calculations well, you’ll discover that people like me were products of love shared on Valentine’s Day or around then. Let the counting begin. You will land in November 🤐. Having said that, I got the sweetest of love notes… should I share? Maybe not. But it was dripping so much love ❤️ that my initial vexation dissipated. 😉 😜 😘

Extra warm hugs from me and Abba to my beautiful Big Sis as she experienced the 24th. She’s loved, and she knows it. 🤗🤗🤗

Thank you for being the month, I joined the MBS30 challenge with @rebidahosa, and I’m intentional about my Mind, Body & Soul, and will continue till my birthday.

I stayed awake, loving on God and doing the Hallelujah Challenge… it was amazing. Expect to hear from me about this. You just know how to end the month, as I danced into today with Ministers Efe, Dunsin, Mercy and Pst Nath, during the 82 hours marathon praise for Daddy GO and guess what, I’m a partaker of the 82 blessings. Chai! You too much.

I’m already looking forward to March. But let’s enjoy today and Glowreeyah’s River Flow.

I Am IMAN – I Manifest Adonai’s Nature
#UnapologeticallyMe
#Iman #imaniking #imanwrites #imaninspires

@imanikel 29022024 Frances Kelvin Otung (c)

Dear January…

Dear January,

Are you shocked? 😲 Well, don’t be.
I bet you weren’t expecting to hear from me, neither did I think I’ll do this – it was totally unplanned. But as I ruminate on what you brought to the table this year, I must say, “You get nerve!”

Funnily enough, it didn’t surprise me. I knew you would just play out what has been ordained for you. Don’t expect me to score you, I’ll let others do that. But one of the things I’d say is by His grace, I’m on the 31st with you, and so much has happened, but we are here.

Thank you for the beautiful people I got to celebrate their special day and moments with. Some I didn’t, but I’m glad you gave them that opportunity to feel loved regardless.

As for this breeze, abi nah harmattan, I no understand, but it’s here, and we hear it’s bad for the health. Could you please let us know on time when next you decide to pull such stunts.

By the way, the little garden we started is blooming. It was no fun putting the stems tenaciously into the ground, but when I saw it bud, the joy 😀 was not to be compared. I look forward to watering it now or having someone do it 😋 🤔 😅

There may be complaints about how you roll, I think we all should be used to you by now and not let December deceive us into living each day without plans, spend all we have in that euphoric atmosphere and then blame you in the long run. 😉

By the way, after all the promises of a better 2024 and a happy new year, it’s been one tale after another from the skipping prices of PMS to the increasing insecurity and power being withheld just because they can (of course, they’ll defend it and blame it on something) you bin no gree.

I remember those who have transitioned and the bereaved, 💔 😔 my heart goes out to them. May the God of all comfort, surround you with a peace only He gives. Amen.

I’ve resumed reading, a new craft and mentoring the Heritage and Wana, so they can share their own generational thoughts with me and others. It’s a good thing to have one’s mind expanded. I’ve heard many great songs 🎵 ‘Emperor Of The Universe’ by Dunsin Oyekan and Theophilus Sunday, ‘Mmedi’ by Progress Effiong, ‘You Are Great’ by Moses Bliss and the gang and more this month and they are in my head all the time. Thank you.

As much as I’d like to voke, I can’t. Even the dramas I encountered were lesson periods 🙃 😅. One thing that has been constant is the truth that I’m loved 😍 👌 ❤️ and Abba tells me that all the time in the sweetest of ways. You guys know yourselves… as always, I yob you.

I Am IMAN – I Manifest Adonai’s Nature

#UnapologeticallyMe

@imanikel – 31012024 Frances Kelvin Otung (c)

Palm Sunday

I’m not a pastor, though surrounded by many and married to one. I just love the Lord and the way we do relationship is via words and deeds. He speaks and sends me messages, I understand and respond lovingly to Him…sometimes, I obey, other times I rationalise. But He knows me and understands me…what more could a girl ask for?! God is awe-amazing!

So, it’s Palm Sunday and many things have been said about today. But one that stood out for me was listening to Pastor Ifeanyi talk about the colt being tied up in an obscure place. It had never been used before, probably always ignored because according to the be-it-and-know-it-all, he doesn’t have anything to offer. Imagine, me (that colt) being called up, and prepared because the Master has need of me…omo! Small, ignored me being sought-for, hmmm…the Twitter world will get all the hashtags and I will trend as #TheColtJesusDrove #TheColt #NoLongerTiedUp #FreeToBeUsed #Untied2023…and many more.

As I listened to her give different scenarios of the many things that keep us tied, things that give us limited movement. Things that when we engage, we get pulled back into the same spot. I thought of the ones that have happened in my world and I gave God praise. So when Jesus has called for me and I am being led to Him, imagine the exhilarating feeling of freedom, only to leave my limited movement position and get into confusion in the name of a CROSSROAD, the place where two roads met.

When does it really end?

Will I ever be free, as in totally free to enjoy this liberty!? Well, the sooner I realise that being untied is not about me, but the One who needs my services, the better for me.

I’m off now to serve Him, as you lay your palms for me to walk on, I will keep raising my PALMS to Him in worship, in sweet surrender to the One who knows my end from my beginning.
I’ll keep raising my PALMS (hands) to the One who knows that this week will definitely be different and end with sounds of jubilation.
I raise my PALMS to the One who gives life to the many seeds that has been buried and given up for dead, because Sunday is going to be the time to RISE!

Happy Palm Sunday to you!

@imanikel 02042023 (c) Frances Kelvin Otung

Happy #IWD ❤️

What would the world be like without women? I wonder.
Lacking lustre without a doubt, on these I will not ponder.
Say not that I praise her because I am one…
But then you may not be far from the truth dearest one
Known for her ability to multiply seeds and bring ease
The world stands to benefit from her and find peace
Little wonder the Proverbs 31 woman may sound like myth
Yet a simply search and you find her in every midst
We’ve heard it said, “why so many days celebrating women?”
Deep down they realise what bore it would be with just men!
Don’t think for a second we would have it otherwise…no way!
With the men around we roll on all sides and sway!

Celebrating women everywhere and the men who are not afraid to have us in their space. It is not a man’s world, it is not a woman’s world.

It’s simply OURS!

Happy International Women’s Day

#EmbraceEquity

@imanikel 080323 (c) Frances Kelvin Otung

I Manifest Adonai’s Nature
#UnapologeticallyMe

Remembering Uncle Sam ❤️

“Remember” is not the word you use for someone unforgettable! You simply don’t go a day without reminiscing over something they did or said and even when you do, your life by default responds to what they would have said given the situation you find yourself.

Uncle Sam is present! He is not just present by being here through the legacy he built in lives and communities, for Kingdom and humanity, he is a PRESENT, a gift that we will always be thankful to God for.

When you passed on last year, I couldn’t bring myself to cry, I still haven’t. I went into shock because we had plans about uniting the family, rebuilding broken down altars and changing the few negative narratives around our families for good. Sometimes, when I think about our several conversations from my teenager years – how you encouraged me to speak up, how we would negotiate my ‘punishment’ because I dropped the ball concerning something you had said not to do…I smile. I’m always in your defence, telling all who cared to listen, that you are not a difficult person to live with as long as they obeyed your instructions. But they don’t believe me and truly never did stay long with you, but I did and our friendship (despite the age gap) grew till you passed on.

Being a voracious reader with no TV to watch back then (because you didn’t want one contaminating my values), I remember the look of disappointment on your face when you ‘caught’ me reading a James Hardley Chase! If anyone knows a “Chase” book, you would recall that the cover would definitely be that of a semi-clad woman. But like I told you in my defence, that it was a thriller and had no sexual thingy in it..and boy, I love thrillers! You still felt, the pictures were suggestive and would pollute the mind. You bi Deeperlife Pastor, what did I expect?! I particularly didn’t like the pictures either, but I needed to read the stories. So I resorted to taking off the back…or covering them with used calendar to avoid-stories-that-touch. I think eventually I stopped reading them whilst with you so I don’t feel guilty.

One of our favourite pastime were our conversations! You would ask me what I did during the day after school, write about my holiday when I returned from Port-Harcourt (it was in one of my “How I spent my holiday” that you learnt what I had been up to as I would give details) poor child, what did I know. I was just being myself, saying it the way it is. But these are the values I learnt from you, speaking the truth at all times and with boldness. Our conversations even after I had gotten married, was one that Oba couldn’t interrupt. LOL. He had his own special time with you.

I remember on one of your visits to see Daddy, you said to me, “you guys are still ‘disturbing’ popsie” and I responded, “you know your brother, he doesn’t know when to stop because as far as he is concerned, we will always be his children”. You continued that he still treats you guys as little brothers too even after marriage and children (and I wasn’t even married then) and we laughed conspiratorially because that’s Daddy for you.

Your commission to Ini and I to gather information and write about the family was never done. Will we do it? I don’t know, but one thing I do know is, I will keep sharing your values, the Word, listening to your VNs and reading the few chats I have left of you and remembering the Uncle who became a 2nd father to me.

Happy posthumous 70th birthday to you Uncle Sam, I miss you so much!

@imanikel 02032023 (c) Frances Kelvin Otung

I Manifest Adonai’s Nature
#UnapologeticallyMe

Watching as you Celebrate

Celebration is a time to let go and lose your mind (in a way). But there are certain Celebrations you have to watch, as you do. “Which ones”, you ask, I leave that choice to you! Thank you Colleen

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

#TuesdayThoughts-Appreciation

I hear it’s my birthday today…No, I was told, I was born today many years ago…REWIND…It’s my birthday today…Yippeeeee! Doing the dance and loving it! This is me saying thank you, I appreciate you and I yob you (like my daughter used to say when she was a baby).

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All right reserved

#WQWWC – Unity

It seems that the Universe always connives (positively) to celebrate with me personally. What better time to talk about Unity than now?

Two days ago we had the movie premiere for 93 Days at The Rock Cathedral. A gripping story of sacrifice, fight and victory against the spread of Ebola in Nigeria and it was tagged #Collaboration.

This week’s #WQWWC is on Unity and so I will try to capture the collaborative efforts in my poem. Let me know what you think about it.

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

 

Celebrating my 3rd year

So I turned 3 today on WordPress.

I’m wondering like I always wonder on my birthdays, “what’s there to celebrate about?” But then, my other being which is always finding something in the midst of nothing begins to count and remind me all I should be grateful for.

I have made virtual friends and real ones. I believe I have touched lives positively, made a few laugh, some ponder and possibly retrace their steps (I hope). I have shared King-Earl’s ‘business’ here and his drawings, Imani’s too. My love for God, Oba, family and pictures is difficult to hide. I have tried to keep up with inspiration from my President FK, Colleen, Pst Wally and his memes LOL…you are in there somewhere too and you know it!

So this is me saying to you, thank you for always being on the other end of the line and for your responses. Thank you for the followership and faithfully reading even when I don’t make sense. Thank you my ‘Silent readers’ that never make a comment, yet complain to me when they meet me asking ‘Why I haven’t written lately’?.

It is because of people like you that the fun doesn’t stop! For these and more, I’m grateful and thank you ❤

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

Celebrating Oba

I’m given to words easily (I’m a writer remember), words that I mean from my heart. The challenge therefore is when I lack words to describe what my heart feels, to paint the colors, design the picture, craft and create the atmosphere, so that all that read or pass by may experience what I felt, I’m feeling and will continue to feel as long as it is shared with one who knows the rhythm of my beat.

Does our beat always sync with the lyrics, flow with the beauty of petals wet with the morning dew or become like the smoothness of the covering dusk allowing stars shine through regardless of twilight? Does the storm say “I’ll just overlook these ones, they are too much in union and I can’t afford to disrupt that? No, my love.

Happy Birthday babes…
Today, I celebrate you for the gift that you are to me (no one needs to understand), what we share and the life that God daily loads you with. I celebrate the you that is yet-to-be-seen but I’ve experienced, I pray that this new year will bring you fulfillment in so many ways. May wisdom lighten your path and may the creativity that burns in you be expressed without inhibition. In all, may the One who loves us so, take the glory. I yob ❤ you and you know I’m truly nuts about every bit….

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved