...EVER CHANGE

“There is a constant battle between the fear of failure and the hope of success. Which party wins is a result of the choices we make.”

…buf akpan

“…….all the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change comes”

(job 14:14)

It is sometimes very difficult and out rightly unthinkable to believe that some situations can or will ever change. It becomes even more unimaginable when one cannot find a hiding place in the midst of association of experiences (i.e one is unable to find a comparism of their present situation in other individuals both past and present). At that point, you are simply alone in the world. A young believer going through this phase can easily go in search of other way around or the other path that can guarantee freedom from deadlines, anxiety, pain and disappointments. These seeds or siblings of trouble have caused many in times past to doubts the promised change and so they bow to pain and close their eyes in death, they bow to doubt and are robbed off of their glory. Many that remain in the battle with a fixed mind of an assured victory are loosing their grip on faith by the day.

Just few minute before I decided to pick up my pen and write this piece, I was caught up between two opinions and a thought dropped in my mind; “why not just put down that book and forget the Bible you are holding? Its not working out as you thought”. In other words, I was advised to give up my faith. Have you ever thought this way?

You should ask yourself, how come it took God about eighty (80) years to answer the cry of help when the children of Israel were afflicted in Egypt?

God watched and waited on Moses for forty years in Egypt and it took another forty years in the wilderness to prepare him and let him know that he was born to be the leader of a new nation (Ex 2,3 and 4).

My father has a love for plants, especially flowers and I have watched him nurture several little young plants to full bloom since I was but just a kid. Till this day, he still likes to plants and water flowers and enjoys seeing them flourish WITH TIME.

As a child, it had simply been about watching my father thrust fragile little plants in the earth and pouring water from time to time. Now, as an adult, I began to notice and consider the time and patience he puts into nurturing this things. It all began when he notices specie of plant that he doesn’t already have, he’d consider it for a while then ask the owner if he could break off a little part of the plants and then he’ll take it home and begin the process of nurturing. All the while I wondered what is he trying to do? Why can’t he just go to the nursery and buy a whole plant? But then, who would think of buying flowers when there was not enough to eat in the house. But inability to buy grown plants never altered my father’s passion for plants, he simply bred them on his own.

In short, I walked past those flowers day by day like every other familiar thing and it seemed the same but now I know that was simply because I never took my time to look deep into the soil, but one day, suddenly, I’d walk past the corridor where the plant always sat and there it is, full bloom, having it’s own roots and I hadn’t even noticed even though I’ve been in that same house all the while. Perhaps I was busy thinking of how to buy my father a plant from the nursery while a growth was taking place right under my nose.

Had I not been in this business of waiting myself, then it would have been easier to write on this subject of an awaited change, but we seem to be on the same boat.

I believe in change, because the word of God says it will come (Hab 2:3).

By way of testimony, let me share with you that my immediate younger brothers (twins- the last set of my parents eight (8) children) just graduated few weeks ago from a private university where they each pay a huge amount of money per session besides transportation and upkeeps. This with the fact that my family started out in one room apartment and we had countless days when there was no food to eat and mom even had to breastfeed these same Twins on an empty stomach. Today, we are all graduates. To God be the glory.

Don’t let your present state in life cloud your judgment of the future, because change is real. It just takes a process like every other thing (cooking, schooling, e.t.c) and always keep in mind the promise of God for they that wait upon him (Isaiah 40:31)

His word is living and powerful.

I love you but the Lord loves you more than I do.

Yours at-all-times

buf akpan (meet us at face book; search for SPF )

speap04@gmail.com

+2347026701087, +2348025480882

DARK SKIES

Someone once told me that the darkest hours are few hours just before dawn…

Often times, we find ourselves in situations where we think its too bad to hope for a change. People carry around heavy hearts while trying to figure out situations that seem impossible to solve. The question is; can there ever be a situation that won’t pass away?

We tend to say: I’m so caught up in this messy situation that I don’t know if I’ll be able to get out. I’ve gone around in search of a solution, I even try looking for a way to avoid facing it from time to time but it keeps hanging right over my head. And sometimes to worsen matters, everyone seems to be singing the same song.

While trying to tend to my own heavy heart just few days ago, I was told of a lady whose father passed away just three (3) days to her wedding and she’s torn between simply putting off her guest and well wishers while she tends to her wounded heart or smile to the world like its all right while her father lays fresh at the morgue.

What testimony is in the heart of a young lady who fails her final exams and lost her mom to leukemia at the same time? Yet she has to face the reality of picking up the responsibility of bringing up and catering for her young siblings.

While planning a condolence visit to her, her Pastor said to a friend, “the church will have to support and encourage her more now” while in his heart, he’s thinking of how he’s been trecking to church for meetings and still has to arrange transportation for members who can’t afford it just to make sure they have no hindrance to attending church meetings.

Thinking of how to encourage this people, I discovered I could only come up with tears and these words “its dark everywhere, hmm”

Reflecting on those words later, I concluded that the darkness is not a period that can be wished away but it is one that comes to everyone. While some people hide behind sleep or cringe away in fear of what comes with the darkness, others look beyond the darkness and prepare for the morning light which is sure to come. (Psalm 30:5). Morning may serve to remind some people of their troubles and it may bring to you hope for a change, but I have good new for you, you can determine what the morning brings to you.

Keep in mind that darkness (dark skies) can mean two things:- Its nighttime and a new day is soon to break or its time for rain and the harvesting season is near. Here’s the crux of it; the thicker the darkness, the closer the sawn and the darker the cloud is, the heavier the rain and the more bountiful the harvest.

Even though I really don’t know anything, I do know that; there is One so faithful enough to see you through; He will give a meaning to your present situation.

I Love you but the Lord loves you more than I do.

Yours at-all-times

Buf Akpan

...WHAT LIFE DEPENDS ON YOU?

“I think am part of the school of thought that strongly believes what an individual believe determines how far he/she will go” …buf akpan
Many are just passive, while many will move in whatever they know will encourage life: many prefer writing down how they lived their lives immediately it is confirmed their days are numbered, while others (few) will write down how they will live their lives if given additional five years in what the doctor says but they sometimes seem to be wrong having had faith in God and I want to ask: do these people who sometimes hold unto God kin’ of gamble with the fact or God just decide to let them down?
Hmmm! A prominent man some few years ago born into a Christian home once had his faith in God and while his twin brother was sick, he prayed, fasted and believed his brother whom he loved so much will be saved from death by the prayer of the saints but the opposite was the case as his brother stopped breathing and became one of those due for six feet below in flesh and because of this, he lost faith in all things and died in the belief that God is far from being real.
Even though many have tried and attempted answering this question which exists almost in the heart of all men, they only end up adding more to the confusion many find themselves in. Yet, God is not the author of confusion but He just decides to be silent in some things while sometimes, He speaks but because we are carried away viewing things the way we are and not the way they really are.
The way things are
Our imaginations can only comprehend what we’ve been exposed to, but there are a lot more greater things we can attain if we believe;
“By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen”…Heb 11:3
That’s why I believe there’s something beyond fate and that’s faith. Many only decide to believe what the doctor has to say and too many times they easily give up on life. Am not an advocate of stupidity but I know what you decide to hold on to determines how long you can dominate and live a fulfilled life even with the evidence of difficulties until you see your desired result.
Recently I was sharing with my friend how I held unto God’s word for a particular area of my life for nine years until what I believed came to pass. The very first year I never knew the result will be seen at the ninth year, but I knew for sure God’s word can never fail even if I fail.
At a point in my life I saw my self as an epitome of poverty, lack, rejection and dejection but I can today say that God is faithful without been sorry to anyone, I can preach about the knowledge that God is constantly sitting on the case of anyone that depends on Him at all times (My last article really focused in this direction of total dependence on God).
At this point I can confidently say that often times, many that finds disappointment in God only decide to give up too soon to fear rather than facing the challenge or the possibility of His Faith changing their situation, not knowing they have nothing to lose if they try to believe they could actually become a reference to someone somewhere who might find him/herself in their present situation, therefore setting themselves up for disappointment because of their expectation.
So, what life depends on you? Just wait one more day for your deliverance will come.
I believe so much in you. I love you but the Lord loves you more than I do.
Yours at-all-times.

buf akpan

When all anxieties cease

“Our faith determines our experience in the unlimited power of God”

…Revd. Oniya

“It is a life of life to the man his desire are met”

…buf akpan (derived form Prov. 13:12)

“I believe the reason man has problem and experience pain is because of our ability to think when it’s not well used”

…buf akpan

Sometimes God is agonizingly slow in solving the problems we bring to his notice but I have never seen a man that has ever received his request from God in a rush and ever appreciated it, uh-oh!
Someone is asking if it is because we should appreciate what we receive from God that He sometimes prefers we face trials before we receive anything from Him?” The answer is NO, but what I passionately believe is that God wants each and everyone of us to get to that level where we place all our trust on Him and that’s when all anxiety cease because we have reasons to be relaxed when we are conscious of the fact that He’s is control even though many do not get to know who they really are until they encounter a set back।My life is an example of those set of पीपुल.
i staarted Speakingpeace publication that now have access is over ten thousand people across the world during my worst nightmare. Just at the time I thought I was the worst God has ever created was when people kept on calling to tell me my one page news, letter has been a blessing to them, like someone said to me just a day before that he keeps those news letter in a special file and reads them often and often to receive encouragement even though encouragement is from God, it comes through a medium. Someone (Carol) dropped this comments to my blog: “Great insight. My best friend passed away leaving behind a two year old daughter. God is the source of hope for us all... Thank you for writing it so beautifully...”. To even think that I have over two thousand subscribers of which some have decided to be seeking for my counsel whenever they want to take a step and some of them often encourage me time after time is enough to cease all anxieties.
I believe now, that when someone knows where he/she is heading, there is no need for a rush. Many wants to kill themselves on the work or dream that has been committed to their hands by God Himself and I know that nobody will be sent on an errand without being giving the necessary things needed to accomplish the same but when we tend to want to move faster than the one that counted us worthy to commit the same into our hands, then pain and suffering is inevitable. I have told myself several times that Speakingpeace is not about me but about Jesus who is the prince of peace Himself and why will I be presenting myself to know better than Him or the step to be taking. He knows all I need to publish and speak peace and if actually He committed the same into my hands, then he has to make the necessary provision to reach out to the people. He will lead us to, without mixing things up because He has a better vision.
Beloved, the major purpose of this thought is to let you know with God, you can pass through your most difficult moment with ease. Am not among those that will promise a life without trials, it isn’t biblical but we can live everyday of our lives in peace, with ease depending on your awareness on the way God operates, which enables you to still put on a smiling face even in difficult period, which in turns give glory to God because reasons will be made available to you to praise God.
Am only interested in the need to believe the best is available to you no matter how terrible things become, a life of peace is worth living, a life without anxiety is worth living always giving glory to the Source of all things and people will keep asking why you still find reasons to be joyful even in the midst of troubles and the secret of this is when we all learn how to show gratitude to our Maker.
Wallaced D. Watlless have a better way he described it;
“The whole process of a mental readjustment and atonement can be summed up in one word, gratitude.”
He also put it in another lovely way;
“It is easy to understand that the nearer we live to theSsource of wealth, the more wealth we shall receive: and it is easy also to understand that the soul that is always grateful lives in closer touch with God than the one which never looks to him in thankful acknowledgment”.
He continued by also saying that;
“Gratitude alone can keep you looking towards the All, and prevent you from falling into the error of thinking of the supply as limited; and to do that would be fatal to your hopes”,
He also said that; “the grateful mind is constantly fixed upon the best, therefore it tends to become the best, it takes the form or character of the best, and will receive the best and give the best”.
I believe when some of us listing to peoples testimony, we will even be asking for forgiveness from God because we realize He has been faithful to us. Let’s learn how to hold on to God at all times without any doubts because His deliverance is never too late. Anxiety can cease only when we know God has the best for us. You can become someone’s hero of faith by the life you decide to live from this day on and the real fact and the truth is that, it is until all anxieties cease that God moves more on our behalf because it encourages trust and helps Strengthens our Faith.
Remember that “the labour of the righteous leads to life”. Proverbs 10:16a
Finally, if you should loose anything in the quest for survival, let it be yourself, loose yourself into greatness, loose yourself into immortality by putting off mortality in your mind that will automatically influence your attitude. Loose your cynicism. Loose your doubts to faith in God which becomes grater than fate. Loose your unbelief. Empty your day of search for security; fill them with passion for service. Empty hours of the ambition for recognition that produces frustration, but fill them with the aspiration for achievement that only gives glory to God. Empty your moment of need for entertainment, and above, loose your anxiety that will set you free like the wind, the moon and the sun.
I love you, but the Lord loves you more than I do.
Yours at-all-times.

Buf Akpan

www.dupsolutions.blogspot.com

Hope Written In The Sky

I looked at Mercy, so innocent and full of life, with the confidence of a glorious future all written on her face. It looked so Ironical to me, comparing her look to the present reality; being a little girl who lost her father when she was barely six months and her grand father few days after she clocked a year, even though grand dad was 75. What about her mom who had to leave for the National Youth Service, popularly known as NYSC in Nigeria, where any newly graduated individual had to serve the nation, before he/she can be considered a graduate seeking for a job; And mommy had to go to fit into the society properly, to at-least secure what I call a programmed future, leaving Mercy in the hands of a bigger sister, who also had her challenges to face.

Mercy never seems to be asking the question, “Did mommy have to go leaving me in this cold world she just introduced me into?” I have on the other hand, never stopped pondering on series of questionable incidences around the world, Just like you have never stopped asking questions about life, future, seeking the right direction to go and sometimes blaming God or the people around you for your present state without considering the fact that there were those times you were like Mercy, when you never had to worry about how you were going to eat or be clothed, not because you knew people were responsible for it, but because it was only supernatural for a provision to have been made, even before you were brought forth.

Yet you worry as if you can think better than the Provider, as if your being has been kept by your knowledge.

I was scared to realize that hope was written in the sky for Mercy, which is why she could smile, and I saw it (hope) reflected on her face.

Look up to the sky, what does it say? “It is over for you or there’s surely hope, there is surely better days ahead”.

No matter how dark the cloud might be, it will brighten up again. No matter how long, it can never be darkened for 24 hours.

If Mercy has hope, beloved, you have no excuse because “God having provided some better things for us….” Heb. 11:40.

I love you but the Lord loves you more than I do.

Yours at-all-times.

Buf

NOTHING BEHIND

Nothing Behind

It’s so good to be out here, feeling the freshness of the air but imagining what the people God cares so much about are going through just some miles away from me in Kenya; asking myself, will the present situation turn to war? While many were shown on Euro News and MBI (Minaj Broadcast International) fleeing their place that used to be a comfort zone, some others were stoned dead and its been confirmed about 300 are now dead, while about 70 have been displaced from their homes, yet others were seen looting. Kenya used to be one of the most peaceful nations in Africa but is today facing troubles carried over from 2007 and no one knows how long it’s going to last.

I woke up on the other hand this morning with a heavy heart without knowing specifically what was wrong even though I went to bed on top of the world sensing my life between May 2007 and December 31, 2007 was like a tale of a talebearer who suddenly finished the sad part of his story, opening another page of another chapter with hopes, blessing, grace, and love. But with these evidence of a better day still filled with pains and a sorry heart of how His creator felt about his imperfection(s), the creator who still decided to lift him in his mistakes; tears sliding down continuously, wanting to carry the burdens of those around him but with an echo in his heart saying, “move forward, move forward, move forward to great beginnings, move forward to the fullness of His (God’s) glory.

2007 is gone and gone forever, there’s sunshine now. The sun has risen and only risen to shine. Wipe your tears because after your tears is a glittering face. Yes I know what it means to make mistakes, I know what it means to be delayed, I know what it means to be called names, but I also know a heart full of desires is better than a heart full of regrets—so am neither going to think about my failures nor my success but on my visions and dreams.

“A man dies when regrets takes the place of dreams”

…Anonymous

Welcome to a whole new year, many almost made it: is it about the young man that was shot dead on the 31st or the young woman that was caught up in a car crash on the 23rd of December, seen by my fiancé besides the express way with blood all over her, or those we saw at the hospital on the 24th lying on their sick bed without any hope of celebrating the festive period with their families (I mean there was no single bed empty but all filled with casualties) and all I could say with passion is, thank God they still have their lives.

If a tree is cut down, there is still hope it will bud again, but is there hope in the grave? Throughout my life have been waiting for the change that will and has surely manifest(ed) because I believe; making all things possible for me.

So welcome once again to a whole new life. If you have read to this point, then step into the glory of His fullness, making sure you pass this message across to as many as you love to see a change in their lives and if you get this message please request for your free gift: AS A MAN THINKETH IN HIS HEART SO IS HE, by James Allen. All you need do is send a blank mail to the email address bellow. It’s my own way of saying happy New Year. Remember,

“There’s nothing behind, so keep moving”

…Buky Odu

I love you but the Lord loves you more than I do.

Buf akpan

bufonly@yahoo.com 
www।speakingpeace.bravehost.com, www.godsremnantassembly.org

…an attempt to Understand

“Men are disturbed not by the things which happens, but by the opinions about the things”
…Epictetus

Have been away for some time now trying to learn balance but my heart never left you for a moment, more so, for many that wrote to find out what has become of buf in recent times. I really want to say I appreciate you even more than you can ever imagine. You make me feel so great and important. Thank you.

Moreover, I’ll like to announce to you that Speakingpeace is not about me but you, that’s why I believe your contributions or thoughts will go a long way to save a dying strength, a dying hope, a dying faith and trust if only you decide to reach the real you or share experiences that will make us know how much we need to hold unto God.

Meet friends, receive and give counsel while building an online family with prayer chains, meaning Speakingpeace has grown with your help to becoming a place where problems are solved together, for no one will judge you until there’s joy in your life.

Hmmm!

It took troubles; it took pains to know the right direction to go.
Just at the time I was beginning to feel all is right, even though I didn’t consider my success was affecting my relationships, my time was continuously stolen away all in the name of striving for survival and riches, operating in the realm of what I could comprehend (physical) as I started living on the finances I could generate despising the great grace of the Father…

I have learnt within this short period that only the Father, who should be our source will hand you riches with one hand and your time with the other hand because He gives in the beauty of all times. The perfect way of having or living in abundance is receiving from Him.

I love my life, I love my experiences for, the same way I love your life and experiences.

One thing all human seek after is the blessing of abundance in time, money, life, health and wealth. All men seek a better day or better days in life but only few seek after a relationship with the only real source of those things.

The Source is not even considered or remembered neither appreciated the moment man thinks he has enough to fill the Tommy, a shelter to protect from the scourge of the sun and the rain, cold and a means to ease himself in the time of heat but the moment his pleasure is threatened, a little time he seem not to understand his state then he learns how to go back to the Source of all things and for those who will never be humbled enough will declare it’s their right to have a good life, so the Source seem not to be reasonable or make sense.

“As water wears away stones, And as torrents wash away the soil of the earth; So you destroy the hope of man”
…Job 14:19 (TM leadership Bible)

So! Can man ever strike a balance in his ways as an attempt in seeking Understanding?
Can man ever learn the best path to tread as an attempt in seeking understanding?

When will man understand he is the joy but could desire to be sorrow depending on the meaning he/she gives to the things that happens to him/her?

Sometimes I am anxious to attain a desired end but fail to understand beauty has to be present for my desired end to be a blessing. Yet only One can give beauty because He’s the source of all things, even as you read He speaks to you right there.

It’s an attempt to understand, why not drop a comment for us on my blog……………so we can understand.

I love you but the Lord loves you more than I do.

Yours at-all-times.

buf akpan
+2348077662191

MAY BE YOU’VE SAID GOODBYE

“…you want to know how rich I am? Wait for His timing, the time of life, and then judge me”
…Dr ‘Tayo Brown

Why do I have to be chosen in much suffering? I thought God should be able to stop my difficulties, because am faithful to His commands, doing the right thing with prayers and fasting but my pain and agony is not measurable. Sometimes I feel I should fly away form shame even though I sometimes also have the strength to believe God’s faithfulness is guaranteed, but another time the hope of at least a better day fades away like smoke and my whole life is so blurred in the darkness of confusion—what will it take God to just grant my desires? Even though anytime I open my mind to consider the numerous trials all around me, I feel have been unfaithful not to have said “I bless you Lord in my situation”.

Imagine a three month baby lost her father in the process of making sure the baby grows up to call him a responsible father; he struggled in labour all the days of his life to make life a place for his baby—what will this baby ask her mom when she’s of age, I looked at the mother recently and all I could say was “God you understand” but how do I tell her God is faithful with pain written all over her, faced with the responsibility of taking care of her baby as a single parents and pressures from families, she said with a sigh “are these things actually working for my good? ”

Her expression shows she’s about saying goodbye, she’s given up on hope, faith and trust but waiting to be told there’s hope with the assurance of beauty in His (God) timing but you are also about saying goodbye without considering she needs you to tell her there’s hope.

Indeed it is difficult to give when you think you don’t have but I believe your hope shall be made more revealed when you give hope to others. A perfect model is when Jesus gave hope to the saint at the right hand on the cross (you could call him a thief) even when people thought it was over for the Messiah (Luke 23:43).

Hmmm! I saw an old friend recently, looking terrible and desperate to receive money from me but I thought what I had was even too little for my immediate need and never gave to him, but with few steps forward my heart smote me in pain and regret; why didn’t I give to him but he was immediately out of sight and ever since then God has never stopped emphasizing that am a solution even when you have to give your life for others in money, time and substance.
Your difficulties are just there to let you know how it feels for people out there going through the pains you’ve gone through. How many more will say goodbye if you say goodbye.

It’s not time to say goodbye but a time to share the hope of His (God) faithfulness:

“the problem of pain indeed has to do with how individuals allow any experience to affect him/her. The most difficult experience can likewise bring joy into our heart only if we allow joy to flow and flourish within”
…buf akpan

My love there’s joy in the morning, search for your morning even though the weeping is, it’s just for a little time and until there’s joy I will not judge you.

I believe in you.

I love you but the lord loves you more than I do.

Yours at-all-time

buf akpan