SMILING DEPRESSION PART TWO.

I am so excited I am back yippee. It has been one year I wrote last and I have missed this space. 

It is amazing the things that can happen in one year. 

I posted mostly on Facebook but I decided to space my posts on Facebook for now and concentrate on my baby right here.

Part 2 of smiling depression.

I remember when Robbie Williams was said to have committed suicide, it came as a shock to many.

You can be doing all that needs to be done, looking all perfect but dying slowly inside.

Perfectionists are also people who need to be looked at closely, or if you suffer from approval addiction ( wanting to please everyone)

Some common symptoms of smiling depression are feelings of anxiety, fear, anger, fatigue, irritability, hopelessness, lack of enjoyment in pleasurable activities, loss of libido. Experience varies per person so it is possible to feel just one, more or all of these.

You can also liken this disorder to wearing a mask, to the outside world, all is well but underneath the mask they are suffering from panic attacks, sadness, low self esteem and sometimes suicidal thoughts.

Smiling depression can be more dangerous because those suffering from this disorder have the energetic ability to plan and follow through with their suicidal thoughts.

Good news is help is available.

It is said to be one of the most treatable mental health problems.

It is possible to successfully come out of this state of mind and be freed from sadness.

Find a counsellor,therapist or your pastor.

People start to heal when they feel heard. 

Sometimes the crown gets heavy, weighed down by a myriad of responsibility, expectations and illusions. You feel you have worked hard to earn the right to out it on your head, but some days it is too heavy, you want to take it off and let it drop to the ground, but you remember you've got little queens watching. So you just sigh, close your eyes, squeeze a few tears out and you put the crown back on your head, weight and all. You remember you are an heir to a promise, the daughter of a king. So you wear that crown and rule as He wills.

Thank you Sifa for this last paragraph I wrote, because when I took this picture I had a whole lot going on and needed to talk to one person who will not judge me or laugh at me, then someone walked up to me with problems of her own and I had to put on my crown and wipe my own tears.

Put it back on.

Psalm 40:1-3 

Meditate on this Matthew 11:28

Mostly culled from psychologytoday and Sifa Gowon

SUDDENLY..

The Halleluyah challenge was the one of the best things to happen to me this year. God bless pastor Nathaniel Bassey for leading us to do this, I could just see God beaming with pride every midnight when the party for Him is thrown. 

I didn't miss a single day from the moment I joined in and I also recorded a few testimonies.

Looking forward to another...

Suddenly! We are back to writing.

#halleluyahlifestyle #Godcultureoverpopculture 

CORE VALUES

I honestly had no clue what my core values were until 2017 and if I had known my core values early ,there a lot of things I would have avoided in life.
The one that tops my list is LOYALTY. When I consider you my person, i stay on your lane, I may get angry with you, and even abuse you but I will let never let anyone cheat you or abuse you.
You are my own, i will look out for you and I honestly expect the same. Now if you don't have that as your values, you and I will constantly have issues.
Especially with marriage. If loyalty is one your core values and your partner is a cheat, are you going to have a tough marriage because he or she doesn't value loyalty.

So for me, I make a conscious effort to have people like that around me. There's a saying that you are average of the five people you hang around.

So what are your core values?

NAME THEM ONE BY ONE...

Instagram has taught me a lot of things and one of the things I learnt is'the gratitude Jar'.

Every time something good happens to you, you write it on a sheet of paper and then on the 31st of December you open it and give thanks to the One who has done all these things. It is a practical way to count your blessings. I started a few days ago and already three major things have happened to me in 2017 I'd want to be eternally grateful to my God for.

Psalms 103:2

NO DISTRACTIONS JOO

A few days ago, someone I respect and like a lot said a few things to me that hurt and disappointed me. As she was speaking, I had composed an acid dripping speech as reply but when I opened my mouth all I heard was 'I apologize, I had no idea you felt like this and it wasn't my intention to make you feel this way.

As I walked away, I was asking the Holy Spirit what happened, because He knows that person was wrong na and He reminded me of my spiritual goals and told me in plain words, 'Tega you do not need that setback, you have a destination and this will stall some things'😧. It Reminded me of pastor O's words. It is well.

If I've never declared love for you Holy Spirit, I declare my deep love for you. You are indeed counsellor, thank You for saving me from myself. 

John 14:26

DOES CHRISTIANITY PROMOTE POVERTY?

I've had this on my mind for so long but ive been careful not to be misinterpreted but my pastor spoke my mind today.

I met an old friend of mine who has become atheist and my heart bled. Not just because he's atheist now, but because we Christians haven't done a good job in making Jesus appealing to the ones we are talking about Him to.

One of the things that stood out in all he said was that Christians are poor and that's not the kind of life he wants. 

Many of us spend our time in church in one program or the other praying for breakthrough then forget to work. The days of manna are over babe. 

My husband said if mark zuckerberg gives all church folks in nigeria all the money they need, the church pews will be empty. I was angry with him,I felt he was mocking Christians even though he is a Christian. But I can't help but agree with him.

God wants us to be fruitful, He didn't say money should be our God but He definitely doesn't want us to be beggarly. 

These days things are changing though, a lot of pastors are also life coaches who teach you to become excellent in every area of our lives. Teaching us to make impact in our spheres of contact.

Many of the richest people in the world are not Christians, this shouldn't be so, our God owns the silver and the gold, the cattle on a thousand hills belong to Him, He made Solomon sooooo rich that no one has ever seen such riches. He said He is the one who teaches us to make wealth. Did you hear what He did with Abraham? Did you hear what He did with Jacob? Did you hear how Isaac was able to reap 100 fold in famine? The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Tega. 

Haba na, you no dey vex? 

If this is the God we serve why are we not representing? Imagine working smart and having God.

I am happy about Mrs Folorunsho Alakija. It is close to home, She makes me know it is possible to have Christ and have wealth.

Father use me as your signpost of your word being yea and AMEN!

Psalms 35:27

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

I've never looked forward to any year like 2017. Most importantly I never looked forward to any holiday like the 2016 Christmas holiday.

I spent it sharpening my gele skills and with family.

My brothers little girls are the sweetest things on earth. Very intelligent and hospitable as young as they are.

Toluwani is a real first child, just turned 4 but extremely responsible and understanding, na my first fan and follower for life be dat girl. She followed me everywhere, except when I had to take a bath. Very inquisitive also.

Toluwalase my firebrand baby. When I hear people say they started singing at age 2 , I give them the 'sideeye' but now I believe it. That girl loves to sing, what woke me up most mornings was her singing. ( the lyrics is another matter o).

Now those children love their parents to the envy of anyone watching but the relationship with their father is another matter. it taught me how we should love God. He can rebuke them for a wrong act this moment and they are running to him still for the comfort they need.

My brother, his wife and I were in the house talking about something and the girls were playing outside, and we heard the frantic cries of "daddy" and we ran out. Thank God they were safe but what struck me was the fact that despite the number of times he had warned them to not play in that area, when they got into trouble they called him and of course he came to their rescue.

Do you know that God can always come to your rescue? Do you know He loves you unconditionally? Do you know that even when you sin, you can and should cry out to Him for help? Do you know he won't tell you to stay in your mess because He has warned you? 

You may get hurt but He will bring you out of the mess.

Give your all love to Him today. 

Happy new year, let's make this year count in our spiritual lives.

Psalm 18:6