Annie Joy’s 2018 Diary

Greetings from Annie Joy to the world.

I would love to begin by thanking God Almighty for a successful and productive year. I honestly do not know how I lived this year, but His Grace I believe God took me through. This year has been a  package of wonderful experiences I can boast of in Christ Jesus. Indeed, it has been a long journey in which a day looked like thousand years as minutes and seconds ticked off. 

I also want to appreciate everyone that I had an encounter with this year. It was worth it and I value it.

I also want to appreciate the supportive prayer warriors in my life. When I talk about the Grace of God taking me through, there I know, it is because some people took it upon themselves to pray for me and with me. The principle of giving makes me understand that givers never lack. 

I want to share my 2018 diary with you because there are some vital key points I came across that I need you to know which can help you in your years ahead.  

I met a lot of wonderful people this year who played varieties of roles in my journey directly and indirectly. However, I ended up losing some good people because of my impatience and injustice decisions. I got hard on myself and asked a lot of questions to the extent of questioning my existence.

Then I knew that, in this life, you need to make mistakes to be good and better. I came to realization that, if there is no short comings, there wouldn’t be Glory. Why do I say this? These experiences have helped me to be a little more patient in my walk. 

My aspiration as a motivational speaker made it more painful when people came close to me and expected me to be all prefect, all knowing and all wealthy. Because of that, many ended up expecting too much from me and the end was not something to write home about. Therefore, with that experience, I have decided to make my imperfections known to the world by sometimes making some deliberate mistakes and some which were not obviously deliberate. 

I just decided to make the world understand that I am a work in progress, a human being like any other person with blood running through her veins, someone who is also learning to be good and is not perfect. Everything good takes time to be good..

This year, I learnt how to check up on people even when they don’t. That's because it’s my problem if I do not do so, not theirs. Do you know why? Because I came to realization that everyone is fighting battles that sometimes has got nothing to do with you. Therefore, a little thumbs up from elsewhere could be a source of strength to them. I hereby, use this opportunity to plead with you to inculcate the habit of checking up on people in your contact because it is not everyone that is able to express how he or she feels on any social media platforms including WhatsApp .

 I discovered that WhatsApp has introduced a standard whereby when you ask anyone, “how are you”, the person goes automatically, “I am good and you?” But calling those in your contact helps them express their emotions and heartfelt situations. 

Also, this year, I personally learnt how to welcome criticism and negative feelings to know how it feels. And honestly, it wasn’t healthy for my walk. I discovered that, people genuinely appreciate people that are doing well in their field of study but finds it difficult to express it because of a little bit of envy here and there and the thoughts of being second best.

 Welcoming these negative feelings nearly turned me into a monster. Therefore, I will urge you to make a conscious effort to design and program yourself in such a way that negative feelings and criticism won’t turn you into what I nearly became. By being positive for no reason and reassuring yourself that your dreams are important and that someone needs it to survive. Also understanding that, it is your vision and you are the only one viewing it. When you fulfill your vision, everyone is a beneficiary of your vision. Therefore, encourage yourself not to get bitter early.

One powerful tool I also equipped myself with this year, was forgiving myself first before any other person. In so doing, I realized that, in this life, I can never walk through as an angel because I am going to hurt people one way or the other. 

I should be able to take responsibility for that by accepting it as my responsibility and forgiving myself. After, seeking the forgiveness of those I have offended. It might as well give me peace and love.

Furthermore, I personally criticized people wrongly and hurt their feelings. Later on, I realized some changes in these people positively and negatively. Then I came to realise, I had to welcome people just as they are and love them as they are. Why? You only make a transformation by being an example. Because people do change and it will shock you that, the church girl of yesterday can become a party girl tomorrow and it’s vice verse. My point is, circumstances cause people to do the things that they do and act the way  they act. Therefore, you need to just focus on the good in them and with your example, you can be a transformation by being truthful to yourself. I took this Bible verse to heart: “Do not see yourself highly of another”

The Last but not the least, I have come to learn there are some mistakes you can prevent while there are some you cannot. But you can rather make them to better you. Therefore, before anyone can become a better version of himself or herself, then he would have to pass through some extensive process which could be painful, bitter, joyful and the likes. However, the process is not going to come from “animals” but "humans”. Therefore it is okay if perceptions go bad. You can only base on that to become good or bad which is a personal decision. Nobody can take that from you. Because your experiences are going to come from people and you are also going to give some back. Don’t hate yourself too much if it turns out to be bad. 

I consciously came to know that, this walk through life is never beautiful without God. Maybe I seek God more in my previous years but I can also boast in Christ that I earnestly seek Him more this year by making reference to Hebrews 2:11. In doing that, I got to realize the more that, this life is not about me. It’s about the people I can feed when my cup is full. The main reason why I need to strive hard by keeping on.The “One Another’s sermon” taught at Father’s House Community Chapel brought a new light to my world and I thank God for that.

Dear reader, I received your message asking me why I have been silence and you long to read from me. I was silent because God was taking me through the book of Hebrews 13:11; “No discipline is pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

I didn’t want to talk too much in pain to hurt me and hurt you. I needed to be conscious about Galatians 6:4; “Each one should take test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing."

What I am building needs a lot of attention and purposeful carefulness in order not to end up as a sign board and lead you astray. 

 I want to use this opportunity to appreciate everyone who played the Hebrews 3:13 in life thus “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “today” so that none of you may be harden by sin and deceitfulness.”

Thank You to everyone that played a role this year. Your support, effort and dedication was never underestimated. 

I conclude by saying, maybe you can relate to my 2018 Diary and then again, maybe not. Whatever be the case, kindly take note of the lessons.

When the storm is strong, do not stop to look into the cloud but rather continue walking through it.

Happy New Year in advance. We are about to do mighty things. 

#Getinspired #Getmotivated#Lifekeepscomingback.

Writer: Annie Joy