You are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.

The past few days have been a  roller-coaster of emotions. Just pondering over the different things I have experienced in my life made me think about the many ways God has been faithful to me. Just like many children born in average families in Sub-Saharan Africa, I experienced a fair share of life’s challenges. However, the God of sees (El Roi) demonstrated His faithfulness even in my lowest points. As I ponder over the goodness of God, I also look back and sometimes wonder why there are so many unfulfilled dreams and desires. Who do I blame? Maybe, just like me, you have experienced life at its full score and sometimes you wonder why certain desires were not fulfilled. One thing I have come to know is that, I may still have wants (a million or over) but God always provides all my needs. Identifying our needs and wants help us to develop an attitude of gratitude even in the midst of piles of wants. Remember, not everything you want is needed!

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” (‭‭Luke 1:28)

One young woman, possibly a teenager whose story always inspires me, is Mary, the mother of Jesus. This woman was engaged to Joseph and before they could come together as husband and wife, she received an angelic visitation. Mary, like all the young virgins of her days, had high expectations for their life and marriage. However,  with just a single greeting, Mary’s life was forever changed. In Luke 1:28, we are told that Mary received a surprise visit from the archangel Gabriel. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” This greeting was unusual and Luke 1:29 makes us know that Mary was greatly troubled at the words of the angel and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. Indeed, this greeting was no ordinary greeting.

Mary received an assignment that changed the course of her destiny forever. At one point, she stood the risk of losing her husband but she was favoured. She had to travel by miles to another city while she was heavily pregnant. She had to deliver her firstborn son in a stable, yet she was favoured. She had to run away with her son and her husband to Egypt to escape Herod’s tyranny, yet the Lord was with her. Years later, she had to endure seeing her son disgraced, humiliated, ridiculed and ultimately killed. What kind of favour was this? However,  Mary also experienced the resurrection of her son. She was probably one of those who saw him and interacted with him after his resurrection. Favour didn’t take Mary away from the storms of life, she overcame all the storms and today, the church universally celebrates her as a woman who was greatly used by God.

As I ponder over my life, I know that like Mary, I am highly favoured and the Lord is with me. Yet, life has not been a bed of roses. There have been different seasons of my life, times of happiness, times of tears, times of uncertainty, times of worry, among many other experiences. Yet, God has been faithful through it all. The different experiences have given me different lessons. Like Mary, my own call has taken me places and given me different experiences. I know that God isn’t done with me yet. He has more in store for me. He will continue to lead me in life and ministry to fulfill my call. Therefore, irrespective of my current situation, I am still grateful for His great grace upon my life. I am favoured and the Lord is always with me. Do you also believe that the Lord is with you always?

A portrait with my daughters

As I celebrate an important milestone today, I consider myself not to have already arrived at my goal, nor have I obtained all things, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (‭‭Philippians 3:12-14). Yes, I am blessed and highly favoured! And the Lord is with me, yet I have a charge to keep and a call to fulfill. So help me Lord.
Happy birthday to me!

A portrait with my husband

NEW!

New Year’s eve is one of the most celebrated days across the world. Different people and cultures celebrate New Year’s eve differently. Among many Christian denominations is the popular 31 Night service or Watch Night service that ushers the congregation into the new year. These services begin in the year about to end and end in the new year. Literally, you enter the church in one year and exit in another.

Every new year presents different opportunities for us to encounter. We have the opportunity to start or complete a project. Sometimes, the previous year presents so many painful memories that it becomes difficult to begin something new without dwelling on the pain of the past. The Israelites also experienced such painful memories during the days of the Prophet Isaiah. The Lord admonished them that “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.‭‭” (Isaiah‬ ‭43:18‬). Dwelling on the past can be detrimental for the future. Even if the past had successes, we don’t dwell on that alone and forget to prepare and be ready for the future. We need to understand that every new year presents us with new opportunities and new doors.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43:19‬)

As the Lord admonished the Israelites through the Prophet Isaiah, He made a profound statement, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43:19‬). In the midst of the unpleasantness, the Lord was making something new. He was making the impossible possible; a way for the Israelites in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Wilderness and wasteland refer to barren and deserted places. These are areas of unfaithfulness and lack. They also refer to lack of productivity and progress. In these difficult places and situations, the Lord was making something new.

This verse is relevant for us today. Our wasted years, wasted opportunities, barren lands and missed dreams are part of our past. We might have entered a new year but there is a possibility of dwelling so much on the past and forgetting about the new blank templates we have been given. Do not dwell on the past! We have been offered brand new 365 days to make new memories and to create new opportunities. To avoid making the mistakes of the previous year, we should have a plan and we should commit our plans to the Lord. We also need to avoid procrastination and laziness. The year is NEW, make the best out of it. 365 days later, we will begin another. Let this NEW YEAR count!

Ruth: The wife of Boaz and the mother of Obed

Ruth experienced a roller-coaster experience in Moab. She moved from a young and happy married woman to a young and poor widow. If her hopes were in her husband alone, her hopes would have been shattered. The only comfort around her were other widows (mother-in-law and sister-in-law) who were also in grief. Life indeed gave Ruth lemons. Instead of sulking about how sour the lemons were, Ruth made for herself a lemonade. She did not settle at the widowhood stage. She knew that life in Moab wouldn’t be easy either. Ruth challenged herself and moved to Bethlehem with Naomi. She knew that being a stranger in a foreign land comes with its own challenges. But, she was determined to brace Bethlehem and allow the God of Naomi  to fix her broken pieces.  

Sometimes, the only way to step into your destined future is to have faith in God. Faith without deed according to James (2: 20) is dead. Ruth took a step of faith when she followed Naomi to Bethlehem. Her relocation was very instrumental. While she remained a widow in Moab, she was of no use to the guardian-redeemer. However, when she moved to Bethlehem, she met her destiny helpers. In the previous post, we saw that Boaz promised Ruth that he wouldn’t relax until the matter of her redemption is settled. True to his words, Boaz met the closest guardian-redeemer at the town gate. Witnessed by the elders of the town, Boaz laid before them the case of Naomi and Ruth’s redemption. Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.” At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.” (Ruth 4:5‭-‬6).

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.  (Ruth 4:13)

Boaz, being the next guardian-redeemer, took charge. He announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!” (Ruth 4:9‭-‬10). Thus Ruth and Naomi came under the authority and care of Boaz. “So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.” (Ruth 4:13). 

Ruth gained a home, a husband and a son. She received double for all her troubles. Many sons were born during the same period but the son of Ruth was different. He was no ordinary baby. “The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.” (Ruth 4:17). The son of Ruth was the grandfather of king David. Jesus Christ was a descendant of king David. 
“This, then, is the family line of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.” (Ruth 4:18‭-‬22)

The blind beggar at the roadside of Jericho couldn’t see but his spirit could transcend to the ancestry of Jesus. “He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”(Luke 18:38). Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. (Luke 18:41‭-‬43). 

Naomi saw bitterness but Ruth saw a future and a hope. What you see determines how far you can go. Look beyond your pain, loss, grief and illnesses and see the good future the Lord has for you. Take a step of faith and move into your newness. Don’t stay longer in the Moab of your life, move to Bethlehem, that is where pleasantness is found. May God restore unto us a double blessing for all that we have lost.  Ephphatha…we can see victory in Bethlehem!

It is more blessed to give than to receive 💵

Dear friend, 

I hope you are doing great. Throughout this month, I have been sharing with you on money matters. To tell you the truth,  I am amazed by the truth the Lord is revealing to us through this study. It has answered most of my questions about God’s desire for our financial well-being. As overwhelming as it can be, God wants you to prosper both spiritually and physically. Yes, He desires it. One of the things I always pray about when praying into my finances is for God to send me destiny helpers. It has been my prayer for all those I constantly pray for including you. But, as I desire to receive, the Lord recently reminded me that it is more blessed to give than to receive. 

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”(Acts 20:35)

I have read this scripture countless times, but it makes more sense now. The financial principles we are going through are for our financial growth and freedom. Guess what? When you give to others, you invoke the principle of multiplicity: “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38 NKJV). No wonder the Apostle Paul preferred to labour to provide for his needs and to support the weak.

I pray for an understanding of God’s values and principles about money. Remember that we are to put our trust in God alone. However, while seed time and harvest time remains, we should be committed to work so we can be a blessing to others. 

Have a fruitful weekend and hope you get some rest.

Yours truly, 


Mary Agronah😍

The Lord bless you! Happy Birthday prayer

The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: “ ‘ “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ’
Numbers 6:22‭-‬26 NIV

I celebrate my birthday today. I bless the Lord for His grace and mercy upon me, my family, friends and my readers. As we walk into our new level, may we receive the priestly blessings each day. The priestly blessings is for us because we have become the priests of God. We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9). Thanks for reading and sharing this blog post. Celebrate with me the faithfulness of the Lord.

May Goodness and Mercies follow and overtake us. God is faithful. Happy Birthday to me. I am grateful for life.

Go tell everyone about Him!

There are days we experience the unimaginable presence of the Lord. Such experiences live with us always and remind us of God’s goodness and mercy. Mary and Elizabeth had promised children in their wombs. While Elizabeth’s son was going to prepare the way for the Saviour of the world, Mary’s son was the Saviour. These two babies had a divine encounter and this encounter led to Mary’s hymn (popularly known as the Magnificat). Out of the overflow of her heart, Mary composed a song to glorify the Lord.

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour (Luke 1:46-47 KJV).

Mary experienced the magnitude of carrying the Saviour of the world. She praised the Lord and rejoiced in God who has given her such a privilege. She identified her humble state and rejoiced in the fact that all generations will call her blessed, “for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.”(Luke 1:48‭-‬49). It has been over 2000 years since Jesus was born. We cannot talk about the birth of Jesus without acknowledging the role of Mary.

It is now our ministry to sing hymns of praise to the ever living, always powerful Saviour. We have the Gospel handed down unto us and we are the bearers of the good news. It is a great privilege to be given the task that Mary, Elizabeth and all the church triumphant had. We have been called to proclaim to the world the saving power of Jesus. We have been chosen to go to the mountains, the hills, the valleys, the plains, the countryside and proclaim that Jesus saves. If you cannot go in person, be gracious enough to support missionaries to send this good news to everyone. Indeed, the Saviour has already paid the price for salvation.

Sing along with me…
Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

While shepherds kept their watching
O’er silent flocks by night
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a Holy light

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New year!