THE ESSENCE OF BEING A BIG FISH-7/11/07

WHEN YOU’RE A BIG FISH IN A RIVER

WITH SMALL FISH,

BE HUMBLE

LEARN ALL YOU CAN

BE NICE AND HELPFUL

AND ALWAYS TEACH OTHERS

AS FAR AS YOU CAN

AND LEARN TO BE THE BEST;

NOT JUST BETTER THAN THE REST

FOR SOMEDAY, BIG FISH, YOUR

SIZE AND YOURSELF

WILL TAKE YOU INTO FOREIGN WATERS,

THERE YOU’LL MEET FISH WHO ARE AT HOME IN THE WATER

 YOU CALL FOREIGN

AND THEN, YOU TOO WILL BE A LITTLE FISH

BECAUSE YOU’LL NEED TO BE HELPED,

SHOWN AROUND,

GUIDED, DIRECTED AND TAUGHT

TILL YOU CAN FIND YOUR OWN

WAY AND ARE A BIG FISH TOO!

IT WILL TAKE WORK

LOTS AND LOTS OF IT

YOU WON’T HAVE IT EASY

YOU’LL FEEL LOST, DISORIENTED,

DISCOURAGED AND DOWN

BUT DON’T YOU GIVE UP

BECAUSE WHEN YOU TRULY

LOOK AT THEM, THEY’RE THE

SAME SIZE AS YOU

(YOU’RE EVEN BETTER BECAUSE YOU KNOW OTHER WATERS TOO!)

EXCEPT THEY ARE AT

 HOME IN THE WATER

YOU CALL FOREIGN

BUT REMEMBER THAT YOU

HAVE TO WORK, YOU HAVE TO

LEARN

NEVER FORGET THAT!

LEARN A BIT FROM HERE,

THERE AND EVERYWHERE

PUT THEM TOGETHER, AND BE

THE BEST THAT YOU ARE

AND THEN YOU’LL BE READY

AGAIN FOR EVEN BIGGER

AND MORE FOREIGN WATERS

BUT YOU’LL HAVE TO CARRY THE LESSONS ALONG

SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS

REMEMBER TOO THAT YOU

HAVE TO SHINE WHEREVER

YOU GO AND MAKE A

DIFFERENCE HOWEVER SMALL

BECAUSE THAT IS THE

ESSENCE OF BEING A BIG FISH

END OF THE YEAR-23/11/07

LO, THE YEAR IS ENDED

EACH DAY NOW BRINGS

THE END ONLY CLOSER

FROM DAY 1,

THE ALMIGHTY FATHER

HAS BROUGHT US THROUGH

ALL TRIALS, WORRIES

SORROWS;JOYS AND HAPPY TIMES TOO!

NOTHING WAS EVER TOO

BIG OR SMALL

BUT HIS LOVE ENFOLDED US

NO LESSON TOO BIG OR SMALL

FOR THE LOVING FATHER TO TEACH

ALWAYS, ALL OF THEM

WORKING FOR OUR GOOD

THROUGH ALL OF LIFE

HE HAS BROUGHT US HERE

TO SEE THE END OF

ANOTHER YEAR

AND TO THANK OUR

ALMIGHTY FATHER IN

HEAVEN

FOR HIS LOVE THAT SEES US THROUGH

FOR HIS CARE THAT HE

SHOWS EVERY DAY

REPENTANCE-2/9/10

Full of joy, I come

Repentant

Knowing I’m forgiven

Yet hesitant

But

Mindful of your love

Overwhelmed by your love

Amazed and flabbergasted

Thinking about all I had failed to do

But hearing you tell me you love

Me all the same

That you understand

That you are here-you hear and see

As always

That your grace is sufficient

And that you know

That your desire is for me to live

Before you unashamed and not guilty

Because that is what you have declared me

That I am redeemed, holy and sanctified and consecrated in your sight already because of Jesus

That I should only walk in that path

And I come because you have called me to your banquet and have consecrated me. Without one plea, full of doubts I come-in faith

Because you have called and have held my hand

Your grace is sufficient

FIRE-28/12/11

Burning, controlled- useful

Burning, uncontrolled-destructive

Like me I guess, emotion, expressed constructively, useful

Emotion, uncontrolled-destructive

God given, wisdom needed for governance.

Thanks be to God!

On feelings and other such thoughts

We are young men and women
sons and daughters of the king
set apart for his work
Yet with  feelings, desires, wishes and
hopes like other young men and women
And sometimes, it seems cloying
all the laws our Daddy has concerning feelings and desires
Deep down, we know they're for our good
But like children, we still chafe at them and are sometimes stubborn
Yet lovingly, even when we're facing consequences
He draws us to himself and renews us for his work
Because we are his children
Angela Azumah Alu 30/1/11

A call to holiness

Called to be holy

The Matthew five way

Living each day

Like Christ

Called to depend

Solely on God in a

World that continually

Screams the opposite at us

Called to mourn for

Sin and evil in a

World where

Everything is relative

Called to be humble

In a world which

Despises humility and

Considers humble

People weak

Called to hunger and

Thirst for righteousness

In a world that encourages fulfillment

Of every desire but that

Called to be merciful

In a world that

Doesn’t know the

Meaning of forgiveness

Or mercy and is all

For vengeance

Called to be pure

In heart in a

Corrupt world

That wants to

See everything

But God

Called to be

peacemakers in

a world that

can accept all

religions  but

that of the Son of God

called to be persecuted for

righteousness

sake in a

world where

the persecution

has entered and

comes so subtly

we may not even recognize it

called to be salt and light

called to be different

called to love

called to go the extra mile

called to be citizens

of the kingdom of God

journeying in this evil world

called to live

an impossible kind

of life- a life

we never can

live except for

the grace of God

called to be holy

Father in heaven,

We have heard your

Word. Greant us your

Grace to livethe

Holy life you call

Us to-every waking

Moment of our life

Angela Azumah Alu 30/1/11

On weeping and other such thoughts

Whoever said weeping may endure for a night but joy comes with the morning must have meant it figuratively not literally.

Some weeping is unending and joy never seems to come forth

I don’t know if they meant you had to call it forth or just make a decision

But guess what, sometimes, knowledge is not just enough and it even sucks

Coz you know you should rejoice in the Lord always but seriously how do you do that when every moment gets you teary and so hurt you don’t even feel like living

What do you do when you keep doing the same things over and over again and you keep going round and round the same mountain and can’t ever seem to make progress?

What do you do when you are so confused it’s ridiculous and you just can’t make yourself believe or even trust?

What do you do when you just can’t believe, no matter how many times you hear and read, that God loves you just as you are and knows all about you-mistakes and all and has a wonderful plan for your life?

What do you do when you just don’t seem to know what to do with yourself and your life and don’t even think you know what you’re good at and rather see only negatives? What do you do when deep down all you want to do is just cry and never stop-at everything

What do you do?

Sometimes, you can’t do anything but pray, no matter how hard it is and count your blessings.

And remember that you are worth more than five sparrows

And remember that when you can’t feel God, that’s no matter-coz that’s when He’s carrying you and besides we aren’t supposed to live by just feelings anyway.

So go off and watch sparrows and grass if you must-if that will help

Go off and watch funny movies or maybe even laugh at yourself –for allowing these little problems to get the better of you!

And never forget the Father in heaven who is ever faithful and true-He probably just needed to remind you that it’s not all about you.

And besides who said life was all roses and ice cream and cake?

Sometimes, you must have bitter bile to-reminds you to be grateful and makes life so much more balanced.

Smile at someone, God will really appreciate it and it’ll be a sign that you’re growing up!

Always remember God loves you!

Angela Azumah Alu, 27^th January 2011