My name is Ekeka Ende and I existed beneath the shadows as a child. I was that girl that wasn’t noticed by anyone, no friends to play with or family members to understand my silence. As a result, I became an angry teenager, always frowning even in the midst of celebration just to garner some attention.
I was so angry with everybody and hated my younger brother specifically because everybody loved him, bought him things, took him out whilst they shouted at me when I asked for those things he got freely.
I started keeping to myself when things happened, I locked up and stayed in my room, fuming and destroying things due to this bottled up anger. I lived through this stage and went on to high school.
High school was worse. I started lying and stealing from my parents in a bid to be accepted in school. I didn’t want to continue being that “unnoticed girl”, I needed desperately to fit in as one of the kids from a wealthy home… maybe then I would be accepted and considered important. Life continued like that until I attended a teenagers camp meeting and met Jesus.
I know this sounds cliché, but yes, that is what happened. I mean I was brought up in a Christian home, taught morals and all of that, but this encounter was different. I was made to understand that Jesus was aware and actually cares about my every thought and action and for the first time I really saw Christ in a different light; thanks to Aunty Lucy. This was the first time I really felt loved and the change that occurred was mind-blowing.
After that experience, I started developing a relationship with Christ and He revealed some giftings deposited in me which had previously gone unnoticed. He started speaking to me during my personal prayer and bible study time by giving me words to write.
One day, something profound happened. He told me specifically to go to the children’s department and become a Sunday school teacher. Wow, this girl who was a nobody,? “What do I know to teach them?”, I thought to myself. I felt so shy and unqualified that I refused to go.
But isn’t God just amazing? This is what happened afterwards.
I was in church one day and was pressed. On my way to the toilet, I noticed kids playing around instead of having bible study. There was a quickening inside of me and I just couldn’t afford to walk away anymore. I called them together and began speaking and that was another big leap in my life’s journey.
To say I felt good afterwards was an understatement. I felt like I was made for something, I wasn’t going to be that “inconsequential” girl anymore. I found purpose.
Anger was swiftly replaced by love and people, especially my mum began to see the fruit of this new found love.
Today, I am a fulfilled writer, worshipper and teacher.
I cannot even believe that the very aggressive girl tearing things down was me. I found purpose in the Christ’s warm and loving embrace and pray for the grace to not make the same mistakes my parents made when I start raising my future kids.
Ps: God bless you for sharing this story. It made me ponder over the tangibility of God’s love.
“When people enter true relationships that nurture the treasure in them, the scenery changes. The gospel of grace in its radical form offers you the platform to relive life. This life is found when Love is found” -Simeon Edigbe
I therefore encourage you to open up your hearts today to the love of Christ and experience true love that not only makes you smile, but makes you fulfilled by walking in God’s purpose for your life.
Say this prayer to (re)dedicate your life to Christ:
Dear Jesus, thank you for reaching out to me today, thank you for your everlasting love. Lord I believe you died for my sins and rose again on the third day. I ask you to be the Lord of my life now and forever. I choose to walk with you. Amen.
Please make sure you study the Bible, pray and associate with people of the Christian faith by attending fellowship/church service to stay ablaze for the Lord.
God bless you for reading once again. Don’t forget to share😃.
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