PARENTAL PITFALLS: TWO THINGS PARENTS DO THAT SET THEIR KIDS AGAINST THEM

Thomas Wilson

The joy of every parent is to see their kids grow up into adults they can be proud of. This is why the average informed parent invest heavily on the upbringing of their kids. However, in the quest for giving the best to their kids, many parents take steps which eventually become the albatross of their aspirations for their offsprings.

Permit me to highlight herein two major areas where the modern day parents are at fault in the upbringing of their children.

1. AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP

It is now a symbol of affluence by the middle and upper class to send their pregnant wives abroad to deliver their kids in America thereby becoming "American citizens"!

Many parents believe that this confers an advantage on their kids as against those who were born in Nigeria. These kids will have uninterrupted access to the developed world, to move in and out at will, without any form of hindrances.

While this might appear like an advantage, I've been made to ask one of such parents which country he feels the child would like to eventually settle in when he grows into adulthood? 
Is it Nigeria where there is no constant electricity supply, where life means little or nothing to us, where the most lucrative business is politics, where anything goes, or America where things are organized and done the way they ought to be done?

Of course, the majority of kids with dual nationalities would prefer America or any other developed western nation to Nigeria over and over!

Only yesterday, I was with a very senior colleague who is about 80 years old. He has a very big hospital which is practically moribund. His first son, an American citizen, who studied Medicine in in the U.S. has refused to return to Nigeria to take over the legacy of his father!
As I spoke with him, I could see pains written all over his face and the prongs of agony piercing deep into his marrows. Right before his own very eyes, his investments of many years were going to waste, simply because his son preferred the luxury offered by "God's own country" to sustaining his legacy and many years of selfless input.

Looking around today, I can barely count the number of distinguished personalities in our today's society who were born in America or in any of the European countries! Yet some parents believe that until their kids are born in America, they may not do well in life.

While a few kids have dual citizenship and have yet taken their eyes off the allure of westernization to settle in Nigeria, the majority of such kids migrate to their land of birth and prefer to take up permanent residence there, while they visit Nigeria occasionally only to bemoan how ridiculously backward we are!

My sincere counsel is this: If you have a thriving business and look forward to your kids taking over from you when age eventually catches up with you, do not allow your wife to deliver such a kid abroad!

Give birth to the child here in Nigeria. Bath him with Nigerian waters. Let him breath the Nigerian air. Let him feel the Nigerian heat. Let him grow up to understand how 'difficult and disorganized' things are in this terrain. Then and only then can he be on the same page with the Nigerian reality and will fully understand how our system works and how to make a success of any enterprise herein.

2. PUTTING YOUR CHILD IN A BOARDING SCHOOL.

This is another pitfall of parenthood which eventually turns around to haunt them.

When a child is born, typically he or she is put in the crèche, from where the child gradually moves up through the kindergarten, the primary and then the secondary school. The secondary school is the stage where the child begins to form character. At this stage, the child congregates what he or she has picked from his environment, melting them into his innate characteristics. By the time the child is thus graduating from the secondary school, 85% of his character is already formed.

The secondary school therefore is the stage where parents are expected to catch in on the psychic readiness of their kids, moulding them into the shape of their expectations. If a parent thus looses this golden chance, such a parent may end up struggling to effect corrections rather than creating a path for such a child in life. And like the popular adage goes; it is far easy to raise a child than it is to correct an adult.

I therefore find it bemusing, when parents abdicate this sensitive period, handing it over to the school authorities and peers to determine which way the destiny of the child would be swayed.

The secondary school stage is the period when you entrench your religious, social and cultural values into the child. If the child is registered in a boarding school, such a child becomes a visitor to the parents, coming home only during holidays which is for just a couple of weeks, before returning to the school where the character condensation is eventually done.

These two pitfalls are areas where some parents have erred, causing them to raise kids with characters which run at variance to their expectations. I am aware that for every rule, there are a few exceptions. But that is what those rare cases are; exceptions.

I want to admonish parents to avoid these pitfalls in their quest for raising kids of their dreams. A child does not have to be an American citizen to excel in life, neither must he be a boarder to be committed to his studies. A child that will flourish in this environment must understand its terrains and appreciate our values inside out.

Dr. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese
Akure.

LET IT GO!

Last week, a patient presented to me in the hospital with a myriad of symptoms. 
For over a period of one year now, she has found it difficult to sleep at night. She has also lost about 7kg of body weight over time. More worrisome to her was the gradual loss of memory and the feeling that something was moving all over her body in a tactile manner.

Over the past one year, she has been to several health institutions, ran series of tests, the results of which came out as normal. Yet she was sickly! At a point, she was beginning to believe that she was suffering from a spiritual attack. She visited a spiritualist who prescribed 'spiritual birth' for her in the middle of the night at the mountain top.

After doing all of these, the symptoms would not just go away. It didn't get worse, but it didn't go away.

We met casually at a social function where I was the guest speaker and exchanged pleasantries. The following day, she called and booked an appointment with me in the hospital. She came with a gamut of the results of the investigations she had done over the past two years. From hematological, urinal, sonographic to radiological investigations. Even those ones that the doctors did not request for, she did on her own accord and the results all read "normal"!

I saw worries in her eye balls and despondency in her spirit. I reckoned that she needed more than the conventional tablets, capsules and injections to get well.

After taking a detailed history and conducting a thorough examination on her, I inferred that her complaints were not in line with my findings, vis-a-vis the result of her investigations all of which indicated that there was no underlying organic disease entity.

But how do I tell a visibly 'sick' woman that she was not ill?

I paused for a while and decided to explore her social history. Perhaps I might just be able to come up with something useful. 
My patient had been married for five years with two kids. The husband worked in a financial institution while she is a civil servant. They were financially comfortable and met their daily needs. What that meant was that she was not passing through any major financial stress. I know that inadequate finance is a major social stressor that could present with myriads of vague symptoms.

I went on to probe her relationship with her husband, vis-a-vis their sex life. According to her, she didn't have any major problem with the husband beyond the 'normal' occasional frictions that exists in every home.

Seeing that enquiry into the home front was not giving me the lead I needed, I shifted attention to her place of work. I asked to know if she was having issues with her boss or any of her colleagues, to which she answered "no". I wanted to know if she had been transferred from her office to another office against her wish. Again, she said "no".

Then I asked to know if anybody had just been transferred to her office? At that point, her eyes balls propped out and I saw a discomforting look all over her face. 
A young lady had just been transferred to her office about a year ago who bore the same name with the kid sister of my patient. Whenever anyone called this lady by her name in the office, the system of my patient gets completely disorganized and she became sickly!

My patient has a kid sister who goes by the same name as this newly transferred staff. 
The immediate junior sister of my patient, was a student in a tertiary institution in Akure who took up residence with my patient, since her school was just a stone throw from where my patient lived with her husband and two kids.

Sadly however, my patient was informed by neighbours that her husband was having a romantic affair with the lady. My patient found it hard to believe but carefully watched them. Then came one Monday morning; she had taken the kids to school and left for her place of work, only to return home two hours later, to find her husband on top of her kid sister, on their matrimonial bed!

She couldn't stand the site and simply passed out. The husband hurriedly carried her in his car and conveyed her to a private hospital where she regained consciousness, minutes later. Of course, her kid sister did not wait for her to return home before moving her personal belongings out of the house.

Since that time, my patient hated her kid sister sore and swore to have nothing to do with her or anything in her shadows.

So, when a new staff who bore the same name with her kid sister was transferred to her office, there was an excavation of the incident afresh each time someone called that name to her hearing thereby precipitating a psychiatric condition known as psychosomatic disorder.

Psychosomatic disorder is a medical condition where certain incidents which happen around us affect our mind and present in our body as a tangible disease entity, manifesting with quantum symptoms. There are many people out there who suffer from this condition unknowingly. They would run from pillar to post, thinking that someone somewhere is using spiritual powers to torment them, since medical science would seem not to be able to explain the organic basis for their ill health.

So, having succeeded in getting to the root of the 'problems' of my patient, I told her to forgive her kid sister. That same day, she called her on phone and there was a physical re-union after a year of deep hatred.

Interestingly, my patient did not have to take any drug. As soon as she forgave and re-united with her sister, all the symptoms disappeared! 
I have her permission to publish her story, without mentioning her name, so that others can learn from her experience.

If you must enjoy a state of psychic and bodily well-being, you must learn to let go. If you continue to hold people who hurt you in your mind, you will end up doing more harm to yourself, for people will never cease to hurt you.

When people hurt you, learn from the experience and move on. Some people came into your life to give you a blessing, others came to teach you a lesson. Both categories are invaluable in the course of your sojourn to the promised land. Pick the lesson and move on. Do not hold them down in your mind!
For as long as you hold people down, you stay down with them.

Dr. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese 
Akure.

RUN YOUR MOUTH, CRIPPLE YOUR DESTINY

Pro 13:3  He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

Several years ago, as a secondary schools student, I had a classmate who was very garrulous. He was noted by every student in the school as a talkative. He had something to say on every subject matter. Even when an incident did not happen in his presence, he would attempt to give a detailed account of it far more than those who were physically present there.

Initially, we enjoyed his exaggerations and his talkative nature, for there was never a dull moment with him. But while we enjoyed his unbridled verbal diarrhea , we never took seriously any of his pronouncements.

In our final year, when it was time to choose prefects to oversee the affairs of the students, news filtered into our ears that the name of our talkative friend was penciled down by the teachers as the senior prefect. Those days, students did not have a say in who becomes a prefect. That was the exclusive prerogative of the teachers.

Indeed Kolade, our talkative brilliant friend was cerebral enough to lead the students in any academic setting. But the majority of us detested him secretly because of his lack of decorum whenever it comes to giving expressions to his feelings!

One after the other, we expressed our reservations to those teachers who were close to us, and by the end of the following week when the final selection was made, the name of Kolade, the garrulous, was conspicuously absent from the list of school prefects. Not only was he dropped as the proposed Senior Prefect, he was dropped from the entire list of prefects.

When you talk too much, people think lowly of you. This is largely because often a time, you would end up making unguarded remarks that would diminish your reputation and cheapen your person in the eyes of your listeners.

It is not compulsory for you to comment on every subject matter. Choose the issues you would comment on and choose your words carefully. Sometimes, it may be necessary for you to express far less than you know on a subject matter.

One of those moments when one is tempted to talk is when one is very angry. When angry, one could say things that ordinarily would not proceed forth out of one's mouth. People have been known to say things angrily which they later regret when the tempers are down. So, it is wise to adopt the principle that; when angry, don't talk. It may be wise to take this a little further. When angry, don't take any decision because chances are that decisions taken in an angry state of mind are often jaundiced!

Another means by which people cheapen themselves is by the contents of their conversations on the mobile phones. If you are meeting a person for the first time, or you have been seeing the person from afar and seek to access the person more intimately, all you need do is to listen to the conversation of that person on phone!

Recently, I hosted a highly respected dignitary in my office. He had come to discuss an important personal matter. In the middle of our conversation, his cell phone rang. I was taken aback at his ringing tone. For someone of that status, I didn't expect that he would use the ringing tone that was more popularly with street urchins than elites!

He signaled to me that he would like to pick his call as it was coming from his wife. I had never met his wife before, neither had I visited his family. However, from the sudden mean expression on his face and the harsh tune with which he communicated with his wife, I had a fair idea of what manner of atmosphere existed in his home. His conversation on phone gave him away.

A few minutes later, another call came in and again, he begged me to allow him pick the call. This time, he didn't tell me who was calling, but from the tune of the conversation, the other fellow must be a business associate. He told the fellow that he should tell another business associate that he was not in the country and that his domicilliary account should be credited so that he could tidy up the transaction in China. 
He was in my office in Akure, yet he was claiming to be tidying up a transaction in the Asian country of China!

I didn't betray my emotions. I acted like i didn't take note of his conversations. But deep down within me, my heart bled. I wept because this was someone many of us looked up to as a trail blazer. At a point, I wondered whether he had forgotten that he was not alone in that office. The truth is, he did not have the knowledge that people's opinion of him would largely be colored by what he says and how he says it.

The words that proceed forth out of the mouth of a man determines the gross worth of that man. When you talk too much, you loose value in the eyes of the people. Even a fool appears wise until he opens his mouth to speak!

There is a principle I developed several years ago as a secondary school student. Before I speak a word out, I first speak it to myself. This principle has helped me tremendously over the years. I don't just talk. I first analyse the weight and possible effects of my pronouncements before making them.

In the event of contributing to an issue of controversy, talk because you have something to say and not because you have to say something!

This has acted as a safety valve for me and has largely prevented me from making remarks which i would later turn around to regret, for i have learnt that what people hear you say will colour their opinion of your person.

Agreed, I have goofed once or twice and have had to lick my wounds thereafter...

Yet in all, the knowledge and application of this principle is akin to the brake pad of a car. 
To set out on a long drive without the brake pad of a car functionally in situ, is akin to setting out per time, living without the safety valve in your mouth, for to run your mouth is to cripple your destiny.

Dr. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese
Akure.

A DIARY OF FAILURES

This week, I share with you a page in my archives of 'failures'.

Failure is not an experience many people would pray to have or talk about. Indeed, no one wakes up and prays that his venture ends up in failure. Yet, our world has been designed to accommodate the swing of fortune, that oscillates its pendulum across the twain strata of terrestrial paradox.

Several years ago as a teenager, just out from the secondary school, I walked the streets of Lagos with my shoulders raised at par with my ears. I was so proud of myself and so were my parents. Who would not, of a child who made the family proud by emerging with six distinctions in the West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations; the best in the Ikorodu local government area of Lagos state that year; in the days when "distinction" was truly distinction!

To me, that result was the key I needed to access a world of eldorado, the sphere of my long-held aspiration, a space in the medical school of a federal university. Everyone who knew me predicted that to me, the Joint Admissions Matriculations Board (JAMB) examinations would be a 'walk-over'. For a 'brilliant' chap with my kind of 'intelligence', a first attempt at the examinations would sure get me a coverted place in the ivory tower.

So, a few months later, I sat for the JAMB examinations. Like others, I wrote and exited the examination hall with great expectations. The result was released a few weeks later. Did I pass the examination? Yes. Was I offered admission into the university to study medicine and surgery? No. Out of a total score of 400, I had scored 204. That was over 50%, which by every fair standard was a pass mark. So at least, I was not disgraced. I passed JAMB, but failed the examination.

On the night of the day that I saw the result, I developed acute insomnia. Sleep and indeed appetite for food eluded me. How could I, with all of my celebrated 'intelligence' fail to score enough points to qualify me for a space to study the course of my dream? At 12.30 am, I left my room and sat under the mango tree behind my room, lost in thought. The serenity of the cool breeze and the drizzles from the cloud ushered me into a cerebral realm of quests.

That night, I enquired of myself two fundamental questions. Sincerely I asked; "what was I supposed to do that I did not do"? And "what did I do that I was not supposed to do"? I did study hard. Indeed I spent close to 20 hours per day, studying rigorously for that examination. So why did I yet fail. Why would I pass the WAEC examinations in flying colours only to fail the JAMB examination.

Finally, at about 3.30am, I had a ray dropped into my mind, a response to the quest that had kept me awake all night. The reason why I had failed the JAMB examination was because I went into the examination hall with a purely "ordinary levels" knowledge! The WAEC examination where I performed excellently well had its syllabus based on ordinary levels, while the JAMB examination was more of advanced level than ordinary levels.

Pronto, I returned to bed and slept like a new born baby. Now I knew why I failed. nothing taunts a man like failing and not been able to find the reason for his failure.

The following morning, I went about collating advanced level books in my preparations for the next JAMB examination. Having acquired these books, I studied them diligently, giving no room for pleasure until the day of the examination. I bought amalgamated past questions and answers and would create strict examination conditions in my room. I still vividly recall how I would cry my heart out whenever I marked those scripts and scored below the required points. How that my mother of blessed memory, would console me and persuade me to eat. How that I would refuse to eat until I scored an acceptable point.

And so, the date for the examination came and like other students, I went into the examination hall. I went, I saw and I conquered. Yes, I conquered because I scored 214 out of a total score of 400 points. Did I not pass? Yes, I did. But again, my score was not good enough to get me a space in the medical school. This time, I locked myself up in my room for two days away from the rest of the world, sobbing and searching.

Where again did I go wrong? Only a few months earlier, I had woken up in the middle of the night, under the mango tree, aided by the ambience of nature and fashioned out a winning-proof formula; at least so I thought. I had seen why I failed in my first attempt and made adequate preparations thereafter, improving on the identified shortcomings.

I thought victory was sure if one identifies the cause of failure. Has the rule changed?

On the second day of my self incarceration, I went to the beach side in Ipakodo, a serene enclave in Ikorodu and exhaled my frustration into the large mass of waters therein. The sight of the ocean ad infinitum, the cacophony of the melody generated by the splash of water waves against the shore, the dexterity with which fishes jumped out of the sea and returned into the water mass all condensed to give me yet another ray of hope. I certainly had not done all there was to be done. Or had I?

In my aided thoughts, I dissected. I 'failed' the first attempt at JAMB because I went in with a purely 'O' levels knowledge. The second attempt again was a 'failure' in spite of my acquisition and indeed diligent study of 'A' level books. In the depth of my rationalization, I came to the knowledge that I needed an external aid!

I had studied the relevant books diligently all these while on my own, in the confines of my study, with little or no interaction with the outside world. That did work for me in my preparation for the WAEC examinations. But this JAMB examinations appeared like a different kettle of fish!

Having discovered yet, what I ought to do that I did not do, I set out early enough as soon as JAMB forms were up for sales the following year. I registered in an extra-mural JAMB class in Yaba, several kilometers from Ikorodu, where I resided. That institution was one of the first to open for lectures that year, hence my patronage of their facility, when many others yet tarried.

I remember how I would arrive class much earlier than those who lived around the vicinity. How I studied diligently and interacted with my tutors. I came to realize that indeed, there were things I needed to know, formulars I needed to under-study, shortcuts I needed to learn. I came to the realization that never could I have gathered that chunk of knowledge on my own, in the confines of my room!

Finally came the examination. I wrote. I passed. I was admitted ! 
I scored 248 while the school of medicine, University of Benin fixed their cut-off at 245 that year.

By the time i was offered admission, some of my classmates whom we finished secondary school together were already in third year in their various universities.

Some of those who mocked my resilience eventually turned around to celebrate my emergence.

But I was not blindly resilient. I did not hold God responsible for my 'failures', I did not hold the witches and wizards in my village responsible. I held myself responsible and consistently worked on myself until my dreams became a reality.

The truth is, many successful people have a record of HIDDEN failures than they have of celebrated successes, for failures are the blocks with which the mansion of success is built.

So, do not be afraid to try. Do not be afraid to fail. But look inward and make every failure a stepping stone to your dream land. For failure is the block with which the mansion of success is built.

Dr. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese
Akure.

DON'T STOP DREAMING

Thomas Wilson

The magic of a dogged soul...

This is one of the SADDEST stories ever told in Hollywood. His name is Sylvestar Stallone. One of the BIGGEST and Most famous American Movie superstars. Back inthe day,Stallone was a struggling actor in every definition. At some point,he got so broke that he stole his wife's jewellery and sold it. Things got so bad that he even ended up homeless. Yes,he slept at the New York bus station for 3 days. Unable to pay rent or afford food. His lowest point came when he tried to sell his dog at the liquor store to any stranger. He didnt have money to feed the dog anymore. He sold it at $25 only. He says he walked away crying.

Two weeks later,he saw a boxing match between Mohammed Ali and Chuck Wepner and that match gave him the inspiration to write the script for the famous movie,ROCKY. He wrote the script for 20 hours! He tried to sell it and got an offer for $125,000 for the script. But he had just ONE REQUEST. He wanted to STAR in the movie. He wanted to be the MAIN ACTOR. Rocky himself. But the studio said NO. They wanted a REAL STAR.

They said he "Looked funny and talked funny". He left with his script. Afew weeks later,the studio offered him $250,000 for the script. He refused. They even offered $350,000. He still refused. They wanted his movie. But NOT him. He said NO. He had to be IN THAT MOVIE.

After a while,the studio agreed,gave him $35,000 for the script and let him star in it! The rest is history! The movie won Best Picture,Best Directing and Best Film Editing at the prestigious
Oscar Awards. He was even nominated for BEST ACTOR! The Movie ROCKY was even inducted into the American National Film Registry as one of the greatest movies ever!

And do You know the first thing he bought with the $35,000? THE DOG HE SOLD. Yes,Stallone LOVED HIS DOG SO MUCH that he stood at the liquor store for 3 days waiting for the man he sold his dog to. And on the 3rd day,he saw the man coming with the dog. Stallone explained why he sold the dog and begged for the dog back. The man refused. Stallone offered him $100. The man refused. He offered him $500. And the guy refused. Yes,he refused even $1000. And,Believe it or Not,Stallone had to pay $15,000 for the same,same dog he sold at $25 only! And he finally got his dog back!

And today,the same Stallone who slept in the streets and sold his dog JUST BECAUSE he couldnt even feed it anymore,is one of the GREATEST Movie Stars who ever walked the Earth!

Being broke is BAD. Really BAD. Have You ever had a dream? A wonderful dream? But You are too broke to implement it? Too tiny to do it? Too small to accomplish it? Damn! I've been there too many times!

Life is tough. Opportunities will pass you by,just because you are a NOBODY. People will want your products but NOT YOU. Its a tough world. If you aint already famous,or rich or "connected",You will find it rough. Doors will be shut on You. People will steal your glory and crash your hopes.You will push and push. And yet NOTHING WILL HAPPEN.

And then your hopes will be crashed.You will be broke. Damn broke. You will do odd jobs for survival. You will be unable to feed yourself. And Yes,you may end up sleeping in the streets. It happens. Yes,it does.

BUT NEVER LET THEM CRUSH THAT DREAM. Whatever happens to You,Keep Dreaming. Even when they crush your hopes,Keep Dreaming. Even when they turn you away,Keep Dreaming. Even when they shut you down,Keep Dreaming.

NO ONE KNOWS WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF EXCEPT YOURSELF! People will judge You by HOW you look. And by WHAT You have. But please,Fight on! Fight for Your place in history. Fight for your glory. NEVER EVER GIVE UP!

Even if it means selling all your clothes and sleeping with the dogs,ITS OKAY! But AS LONG AS YOU ARE STILL ALIVE,Your STORY IS NOT OVER. TRUST ME.

Keep Up the Fight. Keep your dreams and hope alive. Go gerrit.

Surrender is the Heart of Worship

Jessyca Ezeugo

Surrender is an unpopular word, disliked almost as much as the word submission. It implies losing, and no one wants to be a loser.

Surrender evokes the unpleasant images of admitting defeat in battle, forfeiting a game, or yielding to a stronger opponent. The word is almost always used in a negative context.

In our competitive world we're taught to never quit trying, never give up, and never give in - so we don't hear much about surrendering. If winning is everything, surrendering is unthinkable.

Yet, the Bible teaches us that rather than trying to win, succeed, overcome, and conquer, we should instead yield, submit, obey, and surrender.

And by surrendering to God, we enter into the heart of worship. This is true worship: bringing pleasure to God as we give ourselves completely to him.

Surrendering is best demonstrated in obedience, cooperating with your Creator. You say "Yes, Lord" to whatever he asks of you.

God is not a cruel slave driver or a bully who uses brute force to coerce us into submission. He doesn't try to break our will, but woos us to himself, so that we might offer it freely to him. God is a lover and a liberator, and surrendering brings freedom, not bondage.

When we completely surrender ourselves to Jesus, we discover that he is not a tyrant but a savior; not a boss, but a brother; not a dictator, but a friend.

STAND FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS

By Kunle Olabode

The angel of the lord told Gideon two things that got him confused- 1. He was called a man of valor .2. He was told he was enjoying divine presence. The declaration elicited a profound response from Gideon,'If God be with us, why then is all this befallen us'. The Israelites were being oppressed, nevertheless the Angel of the lord made it clear God was in the picture.

There are 2 basic lessons to be learnt here- The presence of God doesn't prevent challenges from coming our way; the Bible says we shall experience trials but we shall overcome. Secondly, God is always in the picture no matter what we,re going through. It doesn't matter what the predicament is, God won't leave you nor forsake you. When the Hebrew boys were placed in the fiery furnace, the lord joined them and rescued them. Don't lose hope, it gets very tough at times, the devil is putting pressure on you because of your tomorrow. Remain focused, stand for righteousness and God will see you through, for whosoever shall call on the name of the lord shall be saved. Hallelujah!

THROUGH IT ALL

By Andrae Crouch 

I've had many tears and sorrows,
I've had questions for tomorrow,
there's been times I didn't know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consolation,
that my trials come to only make me strong.


Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God.

Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word.

I've been to lots of places,
I've seen a lot of faces,
there's been times I felt so all alone.
But in my lonely hours,
yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus lets me know that I was His own



I thank God for the mountains,
and I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I'd never had a problem,
I wouldn't know God could solve them,
I'd never know what faith in God could do

If these words have blessed you leave your comments and let us know. For counseling and prayers call +2348062451455, +2348035908376 or email us: jesusonlyislordofall@gmail.com

JESUS IS THE ANSWER

Written by Andrae Crouch
 
Jesus is the answer for the world today
Above Him there's no other, Jesus is the way
Jesus is the answer for the world today
Above Him there's no other, Jesus is the way

If you have some questions
In the corners of your mind
And traces of discouragement
And peace you can not find

Reflection of the old past
They seem to face you every day
There's one thing I know for sure
That Jesus is the way


I know you got mountains
That you think you can not climb
I know that your skies have been dark
You think the sun won't shine
In case you don't know

I'm here to tell you
That the World of God is true, yeah
And everything that He's promised
I tell you He would do it for you
Let me tell you that


http://www.songlyrics.com/michael-w-smith/jesus-is-the-answer-lyrics/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uZJiHb2ENU

If these words have blessed you leave your comments and let us know. For counseling and prayers call +2348062451455, +2348035908376 or email us: jesusonlyislordofall@gmail.com