purpose Archives - The Olive Branch

2024 The Year of Awakening

theolivebranchadmin — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 23:17:14 +0000

Disclaimer: This isn’t an end of year review.

“Awake sleeping soldier, your time is now…”

Dear reader,

This is my message to you in 2024, The year of awakening. I would love it if you kept it somewhere where you can always go back to it. Somewhere that is obvious. Let it be a reminder, let it always rejuvenate, and let it reside in you.

The year 2023 is gone, and a lot probably happened. Either good or bad. It may have been joyful for some and terrible for some. It may also have been the regular year. Whatever it was, the year is gone.
Personally, 2023 was a trying year for me. It was up, down, down, down, down, then up, and it sustained a plateau. Picture the graph I just described, and you can understand and maybe relate.
Everyone is going through something, and we all have that one thing that people can’t understand but only God can.

And this is the message I bring to you today.

The message of salvation.
The message of God.
The message of Christ.

You must have heard it before, and you may not have ever heard about it. The son of God who died for your sins over 3000 years ago. I know it doesn’t sound logical; your scientific brain cannot piece it together, but there is one thing I can proudly beat my chest and say: Jesus exists, and he died for you and for me.

‭‭2024, the year of awakening

John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

And to those who have heard about this Jesus before and think you know it, after all, you can say John 3:16 from your heart. You think you have given your life after all you said the prayer 5 years ago, but your life is still the same, with the inconsistencies between your actions and the word of God (the Bible). This message is also for you.

I bring you to the story of life that became man so that he could die and give you that life.
The salvation story to me is an oxymoron. Life had to die to give you life. To give me life.

The first step to your awakening is this salvation.
You can do your introspection and be honest; I am not watching you, and I am not seeing you. You know what you do in the open and in secret, and Jesus wants you to let him in. He wants to help you if only you just let him in.

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:20‬ ‭NLT‬‬
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”

Reflect on these words, and if you have decided within your heart that you’re ready, just say this prayer:

“Dear Lord,

I come before you with a humble heart, acknowledging my need for salvation. I recognize that I am a sinner and in need of your forgiveness. I believe in your Son, Jesus Christ, that He died on the cross for my sins and rose again. I repent of my sins and ask for your mercy and grace.

I invite Jesus into my heart to be my Lord and Savior. Please cleanse me, renew me, and guide me in your ways. Thank you for your love and the gift of eternal life. I surrender my life to you, and I choose to follow you from this day forward to shine your light in all I do.

In Jesus’ name, I pray.

Amen.”

Now the main matter. 2024, The year of Awakening.
Most of us have been hibernating, but that hibernation is gradually turning to deep sleep, coma, and now a vegetative state.
How long will you continue to remain in mediocrity? How long will you continue to bury those talents? How long will you allow your life to fade away gradually? No impact? No progress?
This is where most of us aren’t honest. If you’re a child of God, recently adopted or long-time, your destiny isn’t at the bottom of the food chain. You are meant and destined for greatness. In whatever place or capacity God has placed you. You are made for more.

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:14‬ ‭NLT
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”

As a child of God, your progress should be measured by God, not the world.
What is your God-given and God-ordained purpose?
Why were you born?

I apologize for my tone, but this is a charge that I want you to remember.
Aren’t you tired of going round in circles?
There is so much more! So much more!

You have wasted so much time writing down plans, with no execution.
This is the time to act! Wake up for goodness’ sake and take that action. Take that step.

And yes, this charge is also for me.

It is time to let the world see the power of God.

You might start January with so much energy, but then it’s June, and your energy level has dropped to -5, and you’re back to square one.
That is why this message will need to be inscribed in your heart.
It is God that will give you the grace for consistency, but you must choose and decide to act on it.
Let me say something else: I know life has given you lemons, I know life has dealt some horrible cards, and I cannot imagine the extent of the trauma, but there’s a secret I will let you in on: you have a choice.
Will you remain in this cycle forever? Are you going to keep blaming them? Are you going to keep giving excuses? You are not helpless.
There is a song I love so much, and that song helped me during a dark period of my life. A line from it says, “Holy Ghost, stay in me and do wonders.”

There is an endless possibility of what God can do through you, but the time is now. No more postponing, no more procrastinating.

2024, the year of awakening

The last sentence is my prayer to you:
Move in the name of Jesus!

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:14‬ ‭NLT‬‬
“For the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

From me to you with all my love,

Ayokunle.

If you gave your life to Jesus or rededicated your life while reading this post, If you also have questions, contact us at our email: theoliveebranch0@gmail.com

Other write-ups by me are here

The post 2024 The Year of Awakening appeared first on The Olive Branch.

Let the waters flow

theolivebranchadmin — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 11:13:25 +0000

Many years ago, In a distant faraway Utopic Land, there was a baby girl given birth to in the stream of happiness, she was birthed with so much love and faith that she had no idea what the future held for her. All she knew was that it would be a life filled with joy.
She grew up with the naivety of life but the love of a family and then like all stories go, tragedy struck.

20 years later, she’s on the streets, tough and defensive but still with a little faith trying to make ends meet. She no longer remembers home, she barely remembers family. One day, she gets hit by a car and the driver takes her to the hospital. He falls in love with her and decides to marry her. They get married finally and he takes her to his hometown.
The prominent chief sees her and realizes she looks just like his wife. Eventually, they find out she’s their long lost daughter who was kidnapped many years ago. There are tears and reconciliation and everyone lives happily ever after.

Can we skip to the good part?

I can continue this story, you can too. I’m sure you knew where this was headed. You already formed the conclusion in your mind.
“Forming a conclusion” is the easy part. How you arrive to that conclusion is the tricky one.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

As a 90s child ☺️, i can say to an extent, i had a balanced childhood. I played a lot, played outside and inside. We had a lot of games that time and i also knew when it was time to read.
I didn’t know what i wanted to be in 10 years, i wanted to be a lawyer then a shop owner then a doctor, they changed because i only knew that i wanted to be something in life. I didn’t know what exactly.
So along the years, the shapes changed, the colors changed and the picture changed.
Someone once told me that if we knew what it would take to get to a destination, we wouldn’t want to go there at all.
Before i entered medical school, people told me how it wasn’t easy to become a doctor but they just told me. If i had probably experienced it in my mind, who knows if i would have gone ahead with the journey.
As i grew older, the painting started looking like something that made sense and very soon, it became a landscape painting of one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.
Painting for me doesn’t come easy but i had to paint and I’m still painting.
(This is just a metaphor for saying my future is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, it’s dependent on what you see your future as).
I had a determined end for that story, the girl would find her way back home and she would live happily but there are a million ways she could have gotten home. I could have written that 100 times and it would still get to that same end.

What next? I really don’t like that question

“Many plans are in a man’s mind, But it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand (be carried out).”
Proverbs 19:21 AMP

I’m not going to tell you not to make your plans but make sure your plans are from God and on God. You cannot attempt to lean on your own understanding.
Imagine the way i wrote that story. The character was possibly wondering what exactly was going on with her life and she may have tried one or two ways to get out of her situation. They may or they may not have worked but i, the writer was weaving a very beautiful story that made it all worth it.
That’s how God is to us and even far greater because i can make mistakes while writing, even misspell or use the wrong words or context but God is perfect in his ways and thoughts and he knows the ultimate best for us.
The purpose of God for your life won’t change. The plans may and they will but there’s already an end, promised.

It’s not as easy as it sounds but it gets easier the higher you go. What do you think you know? How much do you think you know?
You need a map and you need clarity on next steps so what makes you think you can figure that out on your own. This isn’t an adventure movie, it isn’t Pirates of the Caribbean or Chronicles of Narnia( all beautiful movies) but God isn’t there to give you hints. He’s not a passive character or an observer. He wants to help you completely. Why don’t you let him?

Get ready to swim

The moment i typed the first word of this article, i had no idea how i was going to pass along what i wanted but i knew the message i wanted to pass across and i trusted God and the holy spirit to write this.
So, I don’t know if you’re like me, discovering purpose and figuring out the ultimate plan or maybe you’ve already discovered purpose, you know what’s next but you’re scared to take that next step.
A dear friend of mine will always tell me;
“How do you know you can walk on water if you don’t step out of the boat”.
Step out! Come out! Come out of it with the faith of a child that believes in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy.
It will be so beautiful to watch at the end, no more holding back. This is the sign that you’ve been praying for. Catch your sub eh.
Let those waters, let your waters flow and let your life move with the fluidity of an unhindered wave.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6 NLT

The post Let the waters flow appeared first on The Olive Branch.

7 years!

theolivebranchadmin — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 10:27:28 +0000

Dear Olivians,

It’s been 7 years since we went live and public but a longer time since we had the dream.

We want to use this anniversary to encourage someone out there to fulfill purpose.
Purpose is not what your parents tell you to do, it’s not what your friends are doing and it’s not what society expects of you.
Your purpose is what God has sent you to do.
The answer to the question “why am I on earth?”

“You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail”. (Prov 19:21 NLT )

Olive branch has gone through it’s highs, lows, uncertainty and a long pause but we were sure of one thing, we were never going to stop writing.
We were never going to stop sharing those writeups and articles and we were never going to give up. I wrote something earlier this year that writing was as natural as breathing for us and this meant, no matter what, we could never stop.

We want to thank the people who have stood by us for 7 years, the people who joined along the way, the people who gave us feedbacks, commented and shared our posts. We think about this sometimes and we almost cry tears of joy because this love can only be God given.
In our own lives, we’ve also gone through the highs, the lows and the uncertainty. We have learnt, still learning and also unlearning and we are doing our best to fulfil our individual purposes on earth.

We hope you truly learn things from us, we hope our words are impacting you one way or the other and we hope we are reaching out. After all, that’s been our mission all along.

Thank you everyone! This is still just the beginning of greater things to come.

Yours with all the love we can muster,

Ayo, Esther & Asma’u.

The post 7 years! appeared first on The Olive Branch.

I Have A Dream

theolivebranchadmin — Sun, 17 Apr 2016 09:22:59 +0000

I have a dream of living a life beyond limitations and stereotypes. I have a dream of discovering my true purpose and embracing my uniqueness in a world that often tries to define who we should be. I have a dream of becoming more than expectations.

This was written on a random day, when boredom set in. I began to think of my life and actually examine it in every aspect. There are sometimes when we don’t feel we are meant to be where we are. There are times when we question the norms of this world and just want to stand out. I wrote this to just let anyone who is feeling that way or who is in my shoes know they are not alone. So enjoy, and please drop your comments below.

Uniqueness is what makes us human. Our different personalities make us who we are. Growing up to see and experience life has been tough. We have made mistakes and regretted some actions; we have wanted to take back our decisions and have decided to move on from people in our lives.

I always wished I was not African. I wished I were from a different country so I wouldn’t have to live my life so stereotypically: the same triangle every single day. It’s not like I’m not proud of being Black or being African, but to be truthful, the thought lingers in my head sometimes, and I’m not the only one. I always wanted to travel the world with people I love: I want to go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower. I want to go to Italy and Venice and Florence and see the beauty of art. I want to go to Australia and experience a new lifestyle. I want to go skydiving and water skiing and scream like the whole world can hear me. I want a whole new life of adventure and just forget all your worries. No worries about exams or mid-semester tests; no worries about the crush you like that doesn’t like you back; no worries about your girlfriends gossiping about you or anyone backstabbing you. I have a dream of becoming more than what society expects.

I Have a Dream of Living Beyond Stereotypes

All people care about now is what others think of them; they give up on themselves and forget who they really are. They put on a false appearance of confidence and keep leading themselves to deceit. Why can’t we be ourselves and just put what others think behind us? We cover our uniqueness with being a stereotype {doing what everyone else is doing}. I want to stand out, I want to be different, and I want to be great. This is why I have a dream that refuses to be silenced. In spite of where I come from, I want to be known like every other successful person on this planet. I don’t want to just die and not leave anything behind. It is called legacy: I don’t just want to come and pass through this world like every other person. I believe I am different; deep down inside me, I know I have the capability to do so many great things. I believe in myself even if others don’t believe in me.

People just read my poems and just think I am dreaming; some just look at it and think for a while, then keep doing what they do. My stories and poems are the only way I can communicate with people. And only a few can understand. Some don’t even see why a medical student should be writing; some believe I should just read and get a degree and then find someone to marry and get a good job and then have kids. That’s part of the myopia of where I live, the shortsightedness people have: Why people can’t see the bigger picture. Why people don’t believe in change. Why people eventually end up being feminists. Holding on to “I have a dream” keeps me focused on purpose.

I am not going to just marry, get a job in a hospital, and have kids, then grow old and die. I am going to be more than that. I know it will happen one day even if I have to wait till I’m done with school. I am going to be forever young with my soul evergreen and longing for success and knowledge and wisdom. I won’t be 50 and brain dead. I will be 50 and more alive than ever. I know people will antagonize me; I know I will lose friends; I know it’s going to be tough. Nothing good comes easy. I have faith and like Martin Luther King Jr. said: I have a dream……