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

Hung on the Word

Love is the strings I hear that held You bound to the Cross
Falling down a cliff, but like Mary, I hung on Your every Word
Lost, seeking to find my path through life
I dive in, struggling through the battles I strive.
Do I have the strength to carry me through?
Or the nerve to testify that You’re good?
Falling, I held on

Blood is the flood that washed me from every stains of death
Blinded with tears, I used grace to wipe my eyes of earth
Discovery! The blood didn’t stain, it made free of pain
How do I explain the great worth of death and its gain?
Does this sound wise or it’s just in my own eyes?
That grace bought what was redeemed from the many lies
Falling to my knees, I stayed

Hung up on the cross and down to the grave
Purpose You made, was to make me no slave
Freed! The Word is indeed real and complete
Let me be! In Him, I’m beyond defeat
Spoken, full of light and power to deliver
A token, on which to trust as I believe
“Fallen”, the Word was my stay.

@imanikel 080421 (c) Frances Kelvin Otung

Help!!! I’ve been pulled back

I just have to keep going, keep pressing on against the wind, against the sand in my face, through these sea of bodies. It’s a fight for survival. Everyone is doing it, so I might just get to the end of the race regardless of how my bones ache and my body is begging for respite.

Looking back, I’ve made quite some progress, nothing much to write home about, but at least I’ve left the start line and I’m in motion. That’s what it is, right? Everyone is in motion, therefore, I must count in that number. It doesn’t feel like much. As a matter of fact, I feel alone and left to struggle this out on my own.

Thought You said “You loved me?!”
“I’ll never leave you nor forsake you”
Where are You in all this?
“I am with you till the end of the age.”
Then why do I feel so alone?
“You are not alone, child, before you were born I knew you.”
‘Knowing’ shows intimacy, is this how You treat people You love? I heard that “Love gives!”
“I gave you Jesus!”
And where is He right now that I need answers?

I question the Answer as I run on, shooting down every response He gives to me. How can He be unmoved by all I’m going through?

G flies past me, no worries, I’ll catch up with you soon. O waves as he glides away, my heart sinks. Watching Z breeze easily away, was the last straw and then He stops me.

HELP!!!

Somebody help me! I’ve been stopped in the middle of my race.
Help! I’ve been pulled back by One who said He loves me. Don’t be callous, don’t race on as if you can’t see my situation. Does it not look awkward to you as I stand still, while others fly past? Can’t you tell something is wrong? Help! I’ve been pulled back by the Hand that was meant to assist me.

How sad 😦

• To fire a gun, the trigger is taken back.
• A bowstring is pulled back and the aim (target) in focus before the archer releases the arrow, so it goes further.

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

What If…

I’d love to box God into a corner if that were possible, put a gun to His head (or something else that my finite mind can conjure) and have Him answer me “When it will happen?”, “Why it hasn’t happened yet?” I’d love to seal every hole He’d want to escape from and have Him tied to the seat or handcuffed to a pole (I must be watching too many action movies lately) and “talked to” till He begs for mercy and gives me the answers willingly. But how do you hold down an Infinite God? How do you capture One whom WORDS (seen) and WINDS (unseen) obey?

Something nudges me on the inside asking me a simple and somewhat innocent question “What if it never happens, what are you going to do?” As I sit listening to Brian Courtney Wilson – I’ll Just Say Yes and sing along, I’m still wondering ‘how long’?

By the way, I had a discussion with Him yesterday, more like a MONOLOGUE and I told Him (as if He didn’t hear it for Himself already) what the heathen said “Where is your God?”

I know where You are, but how do I explain that it is beyond what You have done and I’ve entered into, it is beyond what You have finished and I’m yet to receive or experience. It felt good venting yesterday so today, I’ll just stick to saying “Yes Lord! Yes Lord!! My life is yours!!!”

By the way, I love You <3!

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

 

A good word

A good word a day, keeps confusion away! Whether scriptures, general info, or just gist, I love it when I hear a good word that sets things in order or pushes me to desire, seek and want more.
Listened to a few messages today, I got these.

If they ain’t saying anything good to you, Scroll, Select and Delete…that’s how you handle negative people.

David threw one stone and knocked Goliath out! You don’t have no stone…David had a stone, but the Church has the ROCK! On Christ the solid Rock, I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. We throw stones, but stand on a Rock. In the Old Testament, David was fighting for victory, but we already have the victory.

• Refuse to listen to negative people.
• Recall past victories.
• Be comfortable in your skin.

– Dr. Jasmin Sculark (Giants Do Fall)

 If God said, you are here because of me, then you can only live for the One that put you together for this life…I took time out to especially put you together for what it is I want you to do…then I will dictate what you do…and if you don’t do what I want you to do, than I didn’t put you together, because whatever I put together, does what I want it to do! That’s why you are losing some friends cause they don’t fit into God’s plans.

Formed for His purpose, not yours! God has to get the notion of your purpose out of you to get His into you! Ask Moses…

God saves Moses from Pharaoh, but He put Moses in Pharaoh’s house (all of the decadence of Egypt now becomes a part of Moses’ life, before Moses becomes aware of God’s purpose). Moses spend 40 years in Pharaoh’s house, God takes 40 years in the desert to get the 40 years of Pharaoh out of Moses and then he puts in 40 years to get Israel from Egypt. God was working in your past to make your Presence more powerful!

Anything God purposes is challenged by the enemy! The gift of God is shrouded in Mystery. The enemy can’t attack God but you. Once you get the gift it opens the door for attacks on your character. If the enemy can destroy you, you won’t use the gift.

– Bishop Noel Jones (The Fire Won’t Go Out!)

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

Levels of Deceit

Listening to Matthew 4: 1- 10 audio bible play, I discovered that the tempter came to Jesus uncertain how to reach out to and deceive Him. Deceiving Jesus was a given, but the method in order to achieve ‘success’ was varied. First of all, we see him (the devil) try to use doubt by saying “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” Through Jesus’ response, the devil discovers that He replied using the Word, crafty devil – that one, attempts to use the same method to reach Jesus. Hence in vs. 6 the devil says, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.”

Did Jesus move away from the Word? No! He used a commensurate Word to counter this deceit. It takes one who knows, understands and has experienced the Word to be able to know which word to use in every situation. Trust the tempter not to get tired, saying to himself ‘if words won’t work with You, then sight should.’ But when you know what the Word says, no matter the avenue the enemy tries to come through to deceive you, you should be able to resist him and leave him no trophy. He can seek his trophy elsewhere and if we keep shutting him out, he has no choice but to return to hell where he belongs. So which will it be?

I’m shocked at how subtle the devil is and can be. But then, I’m comforted knowing that the WORD has the ability to keep him down. Glory!!!

Picture Source: http://www.truthliesdeceptioncoverups.info/2013/09/the-voice-of-america-and-shades-of.html
http://www.jarofquotes.com/view.php?tag=he%20speaketh&page=2
http://likesuccess.com/topics/802/deceit/7

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

#WQWWC – Trust

It’s Writers Quote Wednesday Writing Challenge co-hosted by my dear Colleen and Ronovan and today’s theme is TRUST. I decided to give them two for the price of one. So here’s me attempting a fiction and what I love, poetry! http://silverthreading.com/2016/03/30/writers-quote-wednesday-writing-challenge-trust/

 

Reaching out his fingers, it nestles safely in Momma’s hands, smiling back at her knowingly as he puts his right leg forward, “I need to hurry across, I’m almost late for school. Mrs Allen had promised chocolates to everyone that came in before the bell rang today.” Grrrrrgghhhh, honk honk and swash as the car skidded towards the other end, Momma pulls me back to the kerb. “That’s a Zebra crossing for goodness sake! What’s up with you, dude?!” She yelled after the passing car.

Momma (my grand-ma), rarely called someone a ‘dude’, except in admiration or exasperation and this didn’t feel like no admiration, Momma was angry. I hate to be the one on the receiving end. Thump, and off she heads to the sky blue Mercedes-Benz that had come to a grinding halt. The driver was clearly agitated and afraid that he had hit me, oblivious of my grand-ma walking furiously towards him waving her weapon – the nude clutch bag my dad gave her for Christmas, before going off-shore. On sighting me somewhat shaken, standing on the school side of the road and staring down at my shiny black Clarks, the Mercedes-Benz driver heaved a sigh of relief; goes on his knees, shoulders bowed, he began to weep.

Out came the frustration from the sack letter he got last night, another from the quarrel with his wife (of 15 years) over his forgetting to buy milk for Missy and Jerry (the cats) on his way from work. Out came his anger at God for letting things go terribly wrong on his birthday…

“Why God? Why? You could have chosen another day You know!” he sobbed.

Momma stopped in her tracks, lowering her raised bag, the words dropped in her spirit; from a heart filled with compassion for one that nearly knocked down her grandson, Bennie, she says to him “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. – Job 13:15. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10″ and walks back to Bennie whose mouth was open in amazement at what had transpired. “Let’s go get some chocolates, dude!”.

—END—

Trusting You
Coming at me from above and everyside
Finding no place to hide, I take it in stride
How long can I hold up this fight
When everything in me says ‘flight’

Whispers so soft and clear say “wait,
In Me, you need not pursue haste.
I had promised to be with you till late
How else can I get you to walk in faith?”

It’s hard I can see, my past testifies
Though the storm rages, and fire flies
Though stretched and pulled in all direction
I’ll trust You alone, it’s my life’s mission!

Picture Source: http://faithwriters.com/blog/2010/08/25/wednesday-word-trust-and-obey/

©2016. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

#Writer’s Quote Wednesday on a Thursday

I’m thinking aloud, so loud that you can hear my thoughts and I’m asking you…are your feet BEAUTIFUL?

Certainly!

The finest ever!

Dainty…pristine like that of a princess.

And I ask the next question, do preach PEACE?! Can someone, anyone point at you and say that’s a PEACEMAKER. In a world going bonkers with everyone wanting to be heard whether what they say is okay for all (to a great extent) or a select few. Do you seek peace?

And I’m also wondering how many beautiful-footed writers we have; those who delight in peace? Well, I was hoping not to say much today, but to get you to think whilst you do what you do best.

As you have a re-think and probably refocus how you preach what you preach, Colleen and friends have something they want to share with you and it’s all at the #WQW

(c) 2015. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

#ThankfulThursday – Sound Doctrine

For the words you speak that breeds life, gives peace, removes doubt and brings bliss, I’m thankful ❤

© 2015. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved

#Writer’s Quote Wednesday on a Thursday

Listening to Dr. Cindy Trimm preach the word titled “How big is your Faith?” She made this comment “We understand from a quote ‘that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world’. But what happens when the hand is broken? What happens to the world?” and it set me thinking about how we can easily take care-givers for granted and also our seed.

I will deal with the issue of the HAND. Back in school, we were taught that ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’ and I liked the power having a pen would give me. Over the years, it has moved from pen to typing on the keyboard, but one thing was constant and that is projecting on paper what I want to see in reality. I do not have rose-colored glasses on, but I simply love life and believe in God and in the creative-abilities He has given to each of us. However you choose to utilise yours is up to you! I have friends who engage their creativity towards bringing about CHANGE, check one here; others use beauty to make you want to stay alive via their pictures!

Like Dr. Trimm says in her quote and I add, its up to you to maximize every potential in that seed that is in your care. Listening to her as she concludes, “If you don’t want to see it in your future, don’t talk about it now.” I’m not sure how I’ve inspired you today, but I’m sure you will find more at Colleen’s treatment room and others like you there #WQW

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtrimm

© 2015. Frances Kelvin Otung. All rights reserved