LOVE BEYOND WALLS Series

I learnt a huge lesson recently, we have been speaking about reconciliation and restoration in church, and of course i’m not quarreling with anyone.. so in my mind, my heart was great!

But I was praying, and God started to remind me of all the times I had said ‘okay’  when I wasnt okay, and the next three months I had died from hurt. And of course my usual technique  is to just shift away, which in my head made sense, you hurt me even if you refuse to accept the wrong, I say ‘okay’ I say ‘its fine’ I say , ‘we don’t need to talk about it’ and I just forgive you in my heart but reconcilation is different from forgiveness.

I’ve learnt that reconciliation almost always demands a conversation.

Because I can’t pretend , so the next thing you know, i’ve withdrawn from the relationship.  What I never realized was ; when I withdraw, I also hurt these people and because they do not know how hurt I am, they just always wonder why i’m so distant , and they hurt, because they feel something is admist but can't place it.

I learnt my withdrawal hurts a person almost as much as the person hurt me, I had never seen it that way, but in prayers God brought it to light. And i’ve had to call people I left  without having a conversation and actually had a conversation.

I've also learnt that forgiveness is the easy part. Reconciling is the hard but necessary part.

ABOUT:
Oro is the founder of Morph Centre and Colors studio. She is also a great lawyer and public speaker.
#graceojayfeatures

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VIRTUE TO VALUE: REVELATION TUESDAYS

Virtue To Value
1 John 4:13 KJV
[13] Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
Once we receive the life of Christ we carry God on our inside in the person of the Holy Spirit and we are gods here on earth. Carrying the full authority, life and power Jesus carries.
Luke 6:19 KJV
[19] And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all. This scripture shows that Jesus carried virtue and everywhere He went virtue was released, in the sense that the sick were getting healed, people were delivered from oppressions and so on. And they sought to touch Him to receive such virtue.
Jesus carried the Holy Spirit and it was by the help of The Spirit that He fulfilled His ministry here on earth (Luke 4:1).
God's Spirit is the virtue on the inside, the Holy Spirit is the virtue, and we have Him, meaning we carry the virtue. We carry and possess all that makes Jesus who He is (Romans 8:15 KJV
[15] ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.).
Everywhere you go you carry virtue therefore virtue should be released and value added. Your presence in a place, contact with people, or speaking to people and things; virtue is to be released and value added.
Virtue is consistently released when we speak the word (John 6:63). Speak to things, situations, anything that seem not to fit your position in Christ speak to it.
James 3:2b MSG If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you'd have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.
Speak life to dead things, healing to the sick, restoration to that which has been lost. Speak to people, places, things. Speak to anything; house, car, job, gadget, course, just keep speaking and releasing virtue.
Luke 6:45 KJV
[45b] for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. You carry the Spirit of God, the virtue, therefore out of the abundance of that which you carry you speak, this meaning you speak virtue to add value.
Enjoy the love!
Lois Olagoke-Daniel

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THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION

REVELATION TUESDAY: THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION

The entire Gospel of God is centred around the person of Jesus Christ. The “Good News” for men which is an exhibition of the depth of God’s LOVE towards the world (humans and everything present on earth and the heavens) is FULLY manifested in the person of Jesus who was an embodiment of the Word (God) revealed to all men. It then follows that an understanding of the very nature of the love of God can only be discovered in the manifestation of the love (Jesus).
It is common knowledge amongst believers and unbelievers that there has been something wrong with the human existence, from when a baby is born and bites as a sign of anger to when an adolescence lies without being taught to when people fall sick and it seems inexplicable that medical practice has no cure for such diseases and basically the fact that sin reigns on the face of the earth. Scripturally this can be traced back to Adam in Genesis where He ate of the “Fruit” and He “died”. The death not being physical but something more to it as we see that Adam and Eve were still physically present after partaking of the fruit. What then died? The answer: The LIFE of GOD in them. Genesis 2:7 makes it clear that God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and He breathed into his nostrils a “breath of Life”- so the man became a living being. This means that man was a being before God breathed the breath of life into his nostril, that breath was the authority of God, the fullness of the Godhead into this being, THE LIFE, thus becoming a living being. This is what man lost when he died. He then became like every other being without life. This scripture reveals to us that Life is not in physical existence, but rather in the operation of receiving life from the author of life.
Regardless of the fact that Adam relinquished the life(authority) God had given unto Him, thus putting the whole of mankind in a deep abyss, God still desired to commend His love to these creatures that He took such delight in creating (mankind), that’s where our darling Jesus steps in.
John 3:16-19 makes it clear to us that “for God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. The one who believes in Him is not condemned; but whoever does not believe remains in his condemned state, because he has not put his trust in the name of the one and only son. Now this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world and men loved darkness instead of the light, because their deeds were evil.” This scripture reveals so many things, the first of which is that Jesus is the expression of God’s love and the only redemption plan, second is that by virtue of Adam’s sin all men were thrown into condemnation simply by being born and the sin nature reigned/s in their life, simply by coming from Adam, but as many that see receive God’s Life are redeemed from such condemnation (Romans 8:1 there is therefore no condemnation against those who are IN CHRIST JESUS who operate by the Spirit and not the flesh), the final revelation of this scripture is that nobody goes to hell because of sin, but rather because they chose not to receive Christ.
Now, we see that God commended His love to us in the person of Jesus and He(Christ) rescued us from pre-existent condemnation. A number of people ask why didn’t God just solve the problem from heaven, why did He have to go through all the stress of genealogy of Jesus and come as man. Romans 5:18-19 makes it clear that “through the transgression of one, condemnation came to all men likewise, through the righteousness of one came righteousness of life to all men. For just as through the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of one man, many will be set right forever”. Sin was a creation of one man “Adam”, so it had to be taken away by a man “Jesus”, furthermore, a deeper implication of this scripture is that men who came after Adam till date are DEAD ON ARRIVAL simply by virtue of being born and sin reigns over them not because of what they did wrong but simply because of whom they came from ‘a DEAD man’, so the only way to correct this is to receive life from one who could provide it. Who else but the author of life himself could provide Life? That is God (the Word), who became flesh and dwelt amongst men in the person of Jesus, what He did was that He set down His LIFE and picked up our DEATH so that we may have His life and He put DEATH to DEATH by rising up on the third day. Isn’t that amazing? OUR DEATH HAS BEEN PUT TO DEATH. THERE IS NO LONGER DEATH FOR THE BELIEVER. HALLELUJAH.
Finally, we know that for the love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that all those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for their sake. So from now on we regard no one from a human point of view [according to the WORDLY standards and values]. Though we have known Christ from a human point of view, now we no longer know Him in this way. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as saviour], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]. But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him] and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [so that by our example we might bring others to Him], that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people’s sin against them [but CANCELING THEM]. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation [that is, restoration to favour with God].
So I as an ambassador for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through me; I [as Christ’s representative] plead with you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God. HE MADE CHRIST WHO KNEW NO SIN TO [JUDICIALLY] BE SIN ON OUR BEHALF, SO THAT IN HIM WE WOULD BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness] (2Corinthians 5:14-22) HALLELUJAH!!!

Grace and Peace Multiplied
Gbolagunte Oladotun

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WE ASCEND

So here is this amazing poem written by this amazing friend. Enjoy!!!

WE ASCEND- BY EDWARD

Come up hither thou Sons
Elohim calls out to you
Come and see things brighter than the sun
Things that existed before you were born

The Spirit calls to you O daughter
If only you knew the chariots are yours
And the morning waits for the words you utter
O daughter come up hither!

There is a realm where the sun is the dimmest light!
Where the clouds are solid ground
Where there is no pain or suffering in sight
Where all battles are won, no need to fight

"Oh if you knew!", Elohim cries
That you don't need to die to see the heavens
O daughter, Zion calls to your eyes
You wear God's armor, Can you not see that you and God are the same size?

There is a path for you Son
Angels are not permitted to walk there
If only you knew that the time you were born
Was not the time that you were created

O come thou Children of the Most High
Zion welcomes you with rejoicing
The Angels welcome you with a cry
O come Sons as WE ASCEND on High

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HOW TO IMPROVE ON YOUR WRITING

Hello readers! It's been a while. We sincerely apologize for the break in transmission and we promise to do better. So today, I will be sharing with us, thoughts on how to improve on your writing skills as a writer. This topic was chosen based on popular demand by our audience. So sit back, read, enjoy, comment and share.

HOW TO IMPROVE ON YOUR WRITING (101🙈)

I have observed, quite keenly, that at the core of every human activity is the desire to be above everyone else. This desire, rarely mouthed out, is one of the most important reasons why man went to space and traversed the moon in the first place. America just had to send someone somehow to the moon once Russia scaled the stratosphere into space. It is as though we find purpose and then ourselves, when we are able to do things and stuffs in a way that separate us from the pack. But then do I blame a society that only names the first and numbers the rest? Of course not! After all, I too want to be described with adjectives prefixed by its superlative.

Further down my thoughts, along philosophical lines, I premise that no one is really born with anything called talents, at least not the talent of writing. I observe that what we call talents are mere potentials fanned into use. Fight me later on this, however, it is true that not a single person is born with the talent to write. But we are all born with potentials to write and we all do write, even if all you have ever written are essays and letters for WAEC and NECO. My point? Well... It is simple: writing is not a gift... It is at best, for all intent and purposes, a learnt skill constantly sharpened by habitual practice.

The only gift I have discovered that anyone needs to become a truly great writer is a creative mind that can truly negotiate the highways of imagination. And I submit, quite frankly, that every single human that breathes (educated or not) is blessed with this gift. It is an eternal right passed onto us by God and we do use it in so many ways, just that only a few really use it to write.

Still on my observation, I have experientially discovered that there isn't a writer on earth that isn't sensitive about his own work. We smile when we write something that tickles both us and our audience. We also recoil when we dish out an unsavoury plate of words.

Also, I am of the opinion that after God is where writers are; because writers are gods, writers are divine and eternal beings. We create, judge, control, destroy and recreate characters and the world they live in (whether fiction or not).

Now that all those are out of the way, the question remains how do I improve on my writing? And that is based on the premise that you have started writing already. At least you know how to connect and string letters together to convey sense and express a thought, which is writing at its basic and purest form.

Well, I dare not pose as an expert on this issue, however, I do know that a writer is simply someone that writes and a footballer is someone that kicks balls. Therefore, it wouldn't be a bad advice if we begin at this point: WRITE.

A writer simply writes
What makes Messi, Ronaldo and other footballers exceptional is not that they necessarily read a book that contained the mythical answers to becoming a skilled player. There's no such book and if there ever will be one, they would be the ones to write it. They simply kept doing the most important exercise to their trade; they kept kicking balls. So keep writing, keep writing and don't stop writing. Everyone gets better with more and more hours of consistent practice. So keep excercising your ability to write by writing constantly.

A good writer is a better reader and the best writers are great readers themselves
It is commonly known that one does not get a different result by doing the same thing over and over. Hence,  it is important that as a writer you are constantly evolving. And you can only evolve to the level which your imagination has been exposed to and what better way to expose your mind than by reading voraciously and extensively.  There are other writers that would have captured the message you're trying to portray,  even in better words. After all, great minds think alike so you can always leverage on the experience of other writers.

A great writer is irredeemably consumed by words
The walls of a writer's world are built in and out with letters of the alphabet strung up in definite patterns. So the more the words a writer knows, the larger his walls and degree of expression. Others may read books without a pen and notebook but not you. You should have a special journal that you store up words for later use. Remember it is only the amount in deposits that you make that you can withdraw when the need ever arise. In essence, writing is simply all about combining vocabulary with the power of imagination. So you may have great imaginations and creative stories and ideas and a shallow vocabulary will ruin an otherwise great piece of literature. So keep chewing up words until the point that you can conveniently use at least twelve synonyms for any given word.

A great writer is relatable
Many readers love stories they can relate with. Make use of practical life examples and scenarios to convey your message. Also, let your writing be properly structured. your points must flow in a logical order so the minds of your audience can follow through without any disruption. If your writing is not coordinated, your readers will lose interest easily and will not want to go any further. Hence, ensure your introduction captures the essence of your writing and make it as alluring as possible to keep your readers locked down.



A greater writer writes daily
Skills are built by habits. It is an essential pivot on the balance of excellence for daily routine of writing and this takes a lot of discipline. But the good news is; you couldn't have possibly observed faithfully the previous three points and have a bad time at this one. Among many things, the ability to write over writers' block, is what separate great writers from mediocre ones.

A greater writer is not afraid to tell a story
No one becomes great by hiding in the shadows. So it is possible that you don't need any of the preceding counsels but this: show yourself to the world. It is important that your works are read by others, whose reviews, critiques and evaluation will always help you get better. So after writing a piece, spread it across to a decent amount of friends and groups on WhatsApp. Show yourself out there and take your place as a writer. After all, Chinua Achebe never knew he had written some world class literature until he decided to share  'Things Fall Apart' to the world...



_____

#winks.

WRITTEN BY :Kingsley Dominic
EDITED BY : Ogundipe Jesunifemi
© PURPLE WRITERS

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JUNGLE JUSTICE : A PROSE

JUNGLE JUSTICE

Emeka was a mean son-of-a-bitch. He was 60 years old and a Biafra secession supporter. He never hid it either, chewing on a wad of tobacco and telling anyone who would listen about how glorious Biafra would have been, about how Awolowo was just a back-stabbing snake who betrayed Ojukwu by not seceding the South-West Nigeria as well. His teeth were permanently a red-brown and his breath would qualify as a chemical weapon under the Geneva conventions. He was as callous as they come and spent his days cruising the side streets of Ojota in his beat up peugeot 504 and spent his nights listening to Igbo highlife music. Predictably, he didn’t get along well with his neighbors, the Bellos. Usman Bello and his family were yoruba muslims, who to emeka’s archaic sensibilities represented the worst Nigeria has to offer. Consequently they got into several large arguments between the two of them. The last fight they had was a scene to behold. Emeka was screaming obscenities while trying to stop blood flowing from a head wound Mrs Bello had apparently inflicted on him. I say apparently because she still held the omorogun in her hands and she was challenging him “Don't ever talk to my children again! Come and try yourself again! Me I go fight you, old bastard!”
Emeka was red in the face from rage and if the landlord’s son wasn’t holding him back, I have no doubt he would have beaten her and the timid Mr Usman. The argument lasted over two hours and culminated with Emeka beating up the landlord’s son leaving the boy with two black eyes. The landlord had to kick him out which was a surprise to no one but Emeka. He swore up and down to deal with the whole lot of them but I think secretly everyone was happy to see the mean old man leave.

A week later, little Sikirah Bello, the youngest child of the Bellos went missing. It was a heavy blow to the community because she was this lovely amazing kid who always laughing like she knew some great secret the world wasn’t privy to. After two frantic days of searching Mrs Bello collapsed in the middle of the road and wept. Usman, his usual mellow self gone, was sitting next to her, his hands upon her shoulders with tears streaming down his face. The neighborhood gathered at Mama Cass bar in a glum mood, reminiscing about the days when the streets were safe, sharing touching stories about Sikirah or making further search plans for adjoining neighborhoods. As i sat there thinking it may be too late, I heard someone mumble my name “ Brother Taju”, I turned and looked into the bruised face of the lanlord’s son, Akin. “I know where Sikirah is” said Akin “What? Where? How you find am?” My loud excited voice attracted attention from other tables and soon a crowd gathered. I had Akin tell his story again. He spoke of how he overheard a girl crying in Emeka’s new apartment, some 15 minutes from his old place on the next street. Akin told of how he heard the girl sobbing and heard Emeka speaking harshly to her. As soon as we got the address we set gathered a crowd and set off to recover Sikirah. The indignation of the crowd was palpable and we gathered several more people who wielded a variety of homemade weapons like broken bottles, planks of woods and braided ropes with shards of metal. One enterprising individual even hefted a cement block over his head. The scene playing out around me and it's inevitable conclusion filled me with elation. We were going to get him! To stop the unpatriotic child molester who had been festering in our side and who had preyed on Lord knows how many children.

We arrived at his house in an uproar, burst through the door without any warning then pulled Emeka out. With the blood lust of the crowd egging us on, we proceeded to beat Emeka bloody. His screams and pleas for mercy went largely ignored and only served to fan the flames of our anger. Sticks and stones and anything that could be wielded to cause pain fell on Emeka’s shirtless body opening up numerous wounds and gashes. “Get back!” I said, a quiet confidence filling my voice. I wanted to see the look in his eyes when he realised his days filled with heinous crimes were about to come to an end and his precious Biafra would not save him. This may seem callous but I harbor a deep and abiding hatred for people who hurt children. I pushed the mob back and readied my weapon of choice, a plank studded with nails. As I hefted it above my head, I saw our friend with the cement block dash forward and smash the block down on his head. There was a sickening crunch as his skull caved in and his eyes started bleeding. At this point, the elderly who could not physically take part in Emeka’s judgement came out from his house with a little girl in tow where they had been searching for Sikirah. They came back in celebrating that they found her in the bathroom. The angry,hateful mob turned joyful, laughing and dancing over the dying body of Emeka. I lifted the little girl up on my shoulders and carried her to Mrs Bello. My joy sputtered and died as I saw the look on her face. “That’s not Sikirah” she said “That's not my child! Where’s my Sikirah?” I gently pried the girl from my shoulders and took a carefuul look at her. While she had the same short afro Sikirah did, she didn’t have her cute button nose or the birthmark on her shoulder. With a creeping burden in my heart, I asked her who she was “Kelechi” she said through sniffling tears. “Kelechi? Ok. it's ok, Why are you here with this man? Why were you in his bathroom?” “He’s my uncle Meka. My mommy said I should stay with him while she goes to market” She peers past me and sees Emeka’s still form on the floor. “Uncle Meka!” she cried “Uncle Meka get up! I won’t cry about bathing again! Please! Wake Up!” Those words would follow me for the rest of my life. I let her slip past me and she ran to him, patting his head and crying even harder when he wouldn’t listen to her entreaties.

The hate in the group, that blinded misguided hate we held dissipated and congealed as horror, shame and disgust at what we did. We killed an innocent man. For no reason stronger than our natural dislike for him and someone overheard a girl crying. Sirens sounded in the distance and the group scattered leaving me and a couple of stragglers too stunned to run. I sat on the ground next to Emeka and watched his still form. I would have carried her but I didn’t want the stains on my hand and my soul to rub off on her. As i sat there, waiting for the police to come and mete out “justice”, I wondered what would have happened had we ever stopped to consider why we felt we were qualified to judge anyone.


Written by:
Ede Edokpolor
PURPLE WRITERS

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GOD IS FOR YOU : REVELATION TUESDAYS

GOD IS FOR YOU

In our discussion today, we are going to examine Ephesians 5:21-33, to be fully and truly blessed by what God is letting us in on. So pick up your bible, or your bible app on your phone and have a look in there.
Having read our text today, we discover that the relationship between Christ and the church is one that had been foretold right from the beginning, God using Adam and Eve as an allegory to convey this mystery across to man. Genesis 2:24 clearly states that “therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh”. It means that immediately Adam awoke from his sleep and saw the creation of God named Eve, they were “one flesh” existing in two bodies as Eve emanated from the bone of Adam, and they were equal before God. Thus, if A was equal to B and B was equal to A, that means A was B and B was A.
In the scripture today, the great Apostle Paul having restated Genesis 2:24 (in Eph. 5:31), goes on to state that this relationship that existed between Adam and Eve is a great mystery of the relationship between Christ (Jesus being the head) and the Church (You and I), he however admits that he does not understand the fullness of this great mystery, but that what is clearest to him is how Christ treats the Church and how the Church and Christ are one.
If that be the case, that simply means we are one flesh with Christ, and if A is equal to B and B is equal to A, that means A and B are the same. Following that illustration, A being Christ and B being the church, that means that we are Christ. Hallelujah. YOU ARE CHRIST! Isn’t that amazing? You are a representation of the Godhead here on earth, the manifestation of the display of the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in heavenly places. (Galatians 3:10).
Furthermore, having established that we are one body with Christ, “no one abuses his own body does he? NO, he feeds and pampers it. That’s how Christ treats us, the Church, since we are part of his body”. (Ephesians 5:29 MSG) This simply means that God is never going to inflict pain on us deliberately. Sickness, sorrow, affliction, poverty, oppression, disease are not from God. Why? This is because if God is inflicting you with such, that means He is inflicting Himself with the same thing. Nothing bad emanates from God. Christ is for you, Christ loves you.
“Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything He does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness” (Ephesians 5:26-27 MSG). Wow, isn’t this just marvellous? All Christ says about you and does for you is designed to bring the best out of you. His thoughts towards you are of good and not of evil, to give you a great hope and a bright future. This is God’s plan and expression to all Christians, YOU AND I. God is good and nothing evil emanates from him, because he isn’t the progenitor of evil. Evil and the works thereof are inconsistent with the character and nature of God. God is light, and in Him no darkness is found.
Brethren, learn this, if the gospel you hear doesn’t sound too good to be true, then what you are hearing is not the true gospel. If salvation and God’s love came by the works of law, then Christ died in vein.
If there is anything we are to learn today guys, please learn this, God is love, you are Christ by adoption through the blood of Jesus, and above all, God is for you. God bless you. Hallelujah.

Grace and Peace Multiplied

Gbolagunte Oladotun

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KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE

FOCUS ON THE PRIZE. THE PRIZE IS CHRIST.
I've heard people say: "If you want to achieve a particular result, keep your eyes on the prize (The Desired Result )" e. g you want to make a first class,  constantly remind yourself it's a first class or nothing. Whoosh...
Let me tell you today,  the Prize is not the result you think you want to achieve.Christ is the prize .
We are all products of God's experiment otherwise known as THE CREATION PLAN. In other words, we were created for His glory and His glory alone not yours.
Shortly after the creation, we became a mess caught up in our own nest so God gave us an ULTIMATE PRIZE which is CHRIST. John 3:16
Hence, anything you want to achieve,  anything you want to be outside Christ is a mere sham, a facade. The Bible says "looking up to Jesus,  the author and finisher of our faith... "
I used to be that kind of girl who was focused on results, always wanted the best of everything not necessarily for people's applause(although in my subconscious, that was part of it) but more because I cannot settle for less, don't know how to be comfortable with average performance. So I always worked hard, strategize and kept my eyes on my goals but many a times,  I was disappointed. I did not always get the results I expected. In fact, when I worked harder was when I sunk lower. It was frustrating trust me. I began to doubt my abilities. I lost my self confidence because I was focused on the results I wanted to achieve, forgetting God has bigger and better plans for me. Most times, we hinder God's plan for our lives by being bent on our own myopic self-absorbed plans and goals.  When you're focused on your own plans and goals, you cheat yourself out of God's plan for you and you miss both ways.
Now,  I no longer look at my weaknesses, I look at Christ's strength .
I no longer focus on my limitations because I know Christ is limitless.
I no longer brood on my disabilities,  I brood on Christ's abilities .
I no longer worry or fret because I know Christ won't make me sorry.
In the good times and bad,  my eyes are fixed on Christ... All day long.
Christ in me, the hope of glory!

Do not focus on what you want to be, the first class you want to graduate with or the house you want to own or the car you want to ride. Focus on CHRIST,  he knows how best to give you these things. Focusing on all these things only place unecessary pressure on your shoulders, burden in your heart and misery in your soul because guess what,  it's not about being the smartest or the most diligent,  sometimes it just doesn't work out no matter how hard you try. Ecclesiastes 9:11
"The race is not to the swift
or battle to the strong, 
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant 
or favor to the learned; 
but time and chance happen to them all".
And the truth is we desire all these things not for the glory of God but for our own vain glory and applause of men.1 Corinthians 10:31 instructs us to do EVERYTHING for the glory of God,  everything...
When you focus on CHRIST (THE PRIZE), you are directing all your worldly pressures and earthly cares to Him.The burden rests on Him not you anymore and have you ever heard or read anywhere that Christ failed? If He has never failed then you can NEVER fail.
He will take care of you. All you've ever desired and all you will ever desire, you will find in Christ .Talk about wealth, riches untold,  talk about fame,  spread across nations, talk about peace,  insurmountable peace. You find everything in Him.
Matthew 11:28-29 -Come to me you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,  for I am gentle and humble in heart. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

1 Peter 5:7 - Cast all your cares(anxiety) on him because He cares for you.
Shalom!

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REVELATION TUESDAYS (OBEDIENCE : DIGGING DEEP)

OBEDIENCE: DIGGING DEEP
Hello guys, today we speak about obedience.
Obedience is one of the kingdom principles that is fundamental to the journey of life of any Christian. This is of course on two levels. The first is obedience to authorities, both spiritual and physical, and the second being obedience to the voice of God.
Today we will be speaking on the latter, obedience to the voice of God. We will see how obedience is an evidence of your belief of the word of God, and how obedience of that word will save you when the waves of life start crashing down on your plans on account of the word that came.
Let’s examine a scripture, Jesus was speaking, and He said, “whoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like; He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on the rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat VEHEMENTLY upon that plan, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.” (Luke 6:47-48). What Jesus was simply saying here is that obedience to His word that we constantly hear provides depths for us to lay our “houses” (lives) on a secure footing. The secure footing here being the rock. Another striking revelation this scripture brings to bear is that the rock is not found on the surface. The implication of which is that the stronghold of any man’s life, ministry and relationship with God is in His level of obedience to the instructions of God.
Another truth that this scripture reveals is the fact that the storms of life will come crashing down menacingly on any structure which is built in light of the word heard. Such structure could be finances, ministry, relationship(s), family, etc, but as far as that structure is built in the blueprint of the word, a flood will arise and the stream will try to collapse the “house”. However, as far as such structure/house is firmly affixed into the land, having created depth in the earth by obedience, the floods will not prevail.
This parable as given by Jesus indeed shows us why many persons in the body of Christ are not victorious. This is as a result of the fact that indeed they come the come, they hear the hear, but fail to do the do. When God lays plans in our hearts, and shows us what to do in dreams or visions, how many bother to ask God what role we are to play in all this, and actually obey?
What has God placed in your heart today in regards to that great future of yours? And what has He told you to do in respect of same as revealed through scripture? Are you following through with his instruction? If not, do so today as that obedience will form the depth upon which you will discover a rock which will hold that plan, vision or dream firmly. God bless you.
Grace and Peace multiplied
Gbolagunte Oladotun

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BIG FOR YOUR BOOTS (EPISODE 2): LUCKY BENJI!

CHAPTER 2
I would love to say from that moment on we became best friends but that would be a lie. While I did like Ben, his parents lack of concern about PG ratings and his collection of corny horror movies, I knew from the get-go that being his friend would lead to complications. I am a simple man. Movies, food and an internet connection would keep me happy for about as long as can be. I am generally averse to anything that would interrupt the peace and quiet of my life and after that first afternoon with Ben, I was sure those sweet nothing-filled days were coming to an end.

Ben was the typical igbo boy, fair skin, light brown eyes and a head full of dark hair with sideburns to match. Although we were the same age, he was always a bit on the heavy side. After middle school, Ben got into field athletics: shot put, javelin and hammer throw. He was good at it because he was strong like a cow and had the lack of focus to match. His entire pre-competition prep was making sure he knew where to aim the shot. Other would practice their technique while Ben would eat a half bunch of bananas, memorise the field and nod thoughtfully at anything his posse (i.e. me) would have to say.
“Okay Ben, you got to keep your elbow up. For the follow-through you know? Get all the height you can. And don’t aim at any people”
“Uhun. i got it”
“Really? Because that’s what you said last time and you beaned Mr Okoro in the leg from 50 yards out. So one more time just for posterity, remember that you don’t get extra points for hitting the man with the tape rule”
“I dont?” he replied with an incredulous expression on his face “So why does he wear red? Like a a bonus target?”
“Not a bonus target you sweet stupid boy. He wears red precisely so no one would throw something at him.”
After nearly a minute’s consideration, he replied “Well its a stupid rule.”
“That may well be but it doesn't change the fact that you don’t aim for Mr Okoro. And also stop eating the peel, you look ridiculous”
“But I heard its a great source of potassium.”
“The banana is! Not the peel Benji”
“But isn’t the peel part of the banana? You know for all your smart talk, you sure are dumb Luck”
And with that he would stand up, pat my shoulder like I was a “special” kid and walk out of the preparation tent.

I would always watch his matches from the north side of the field because it gave the perfect view of the throwing fields and the emergency exits. This may seem paranoid to you but after 3 years of being Benji’s friend, it was prudent information to have. I could see Benji talking to a couple of cheerleaders while waiting for his turn to throw chunks of metal through the air. I took the time left to me to regard my progress in the gym in the reflection of the mirrored glass in the office window next to me. I was still a couple inches shorter than him. At 5”7” and 157 pound I didn’t think that was too shabby. I was still a long way off the greek statue physique I would have liked to have but thankfully far from the soft pudgy child I was. The low-cut fade with the obscure rock band t-shirt, steel rings glittering on my fingers, black steel frame glasses and my favourite pair of vans on my feet, I looked like a nerdy punk rock biker. I liked the sound of that and resolved to update my instagram bio. The sound of gravel crunching behind me startled me into turning around and straight into the right haymaker of Funsho Ibitoye. While Benji was big he was far from the biggest in Caleb College, that honour would go to the neanderthal in front of me. Funsho was a startling 6”3” with a near-constant 5 o’clock shadow around his ridiculously supervillain-like chin. Funsho wasn’t your typical bully in the sense that he wasn’t some cowardly boy who didn't get enough love as kid who handled it by lashing out. I remember the last kid who suggested that to his face, his teeth flew like popcorn from a dropped bag. Funsho whooped his ass like a father to a disrespectful child which ironically enough was how he viewed the rest of the school population. He believed he was better than everyone and was apparently not scared of getting expelled which would honestly never happen as his father was a major donor and sat on the school board. All this ran through my head like a wikipedia entry as his fist smashed into my face and threw me to the ground. From previous experience, I knew it was easier to stay on the ground rather than lash out.
“Ooowwwww. Good evening Funsho, did you want something?” “You know what I want Lucky boy. Hand over those nice shiny rings and I can be on my way”
“That’s it? That’s all you wanted? Why didn’t you just ask?” “I’m detecting a hint of impertinence in your tone but i’ll overlook it for now. I hit you simply because Fred here reminded me that I haven’t laid hands on you in almost a year and because of that you’ve started weight training to take me on?”
I peered around Funsho’s considerable bulk to the weasel that was Frederick Yakubu. His small beady eyes looked on in malice and glee at my apparent downtrodden state.
“Well no offense Funsho but you’re like a building with feet. No amount of training would make me comfortable about taking you on. And Frederick is a malicious little moron with delusions of grandeur. You want the rings? Take them.”
Getting painfully to my feet, I tugged the rings off my fingers and placed them in Funsho’s outstretched palm. Without warning and no noticeable change in his demeanour, Funsho swung his other fist behind him and hit Frederick square in the temple. Poor Freddie had no chance, he dropped like a sack of potatoes.
“Despite what the general consensus may be, I’m not some mindless brute. As long as everyone knows their respective lanes and pays due homage, all will be well.”
“Yeah well my jaw begs to differ”
Funsho’s booming laugh hit me like another punch “For what it's worth, I didn’t want to hit you. But your ego had to be checked. Well now you’ve learnt your place, there’s no need for further violence. Am I not a generous ruler?”
Still laughing he walked off and the rest of his goons picked up Fred and followed like obedient puppies.
I leaned against the window, closed my eyes and worked my jaw back and forth to loosen it and hopefully prevent swelling. As I was trying to determine if I heard my jaw click or not, I felt a shadow across my face.
“Look Funsho, I dont have anymore rings” “Why do you keep letting him do that to you?”
Hearing the calm in Benji’s voice immediately pulled all the tension back into my body.
“Look Benji, it's fine okay? This way is better for everyone and see its not even a problem”
As I was talking I pulled an identical set of rings from my back pocket and shuffled closer to block Benji’s view of Funsho sitting on the stands  behind him.
“ I always buy more than one set for stuff like this. And pain is an old friend so never mind it okay?”
“You could take him. Like you did David in JSS 3…”
I flinched at the name of the boy whose life I ruined. I had to pause for a while to regain my composure.
“No” I said softly “I won’t do that. Never again”. I stuck the new rings on my fingers and walked towards the car park. With an audible sigh, Benji fell into step beside me.
“How was the competition? Did you break your record?”
“Yup” He beamed proudly but his face fell immediately after “I couldn’t get the bonus points. There was a man in yellow this time and he was so quick! I threw three times but only clipped his heel once”
I looked at the great daft lummox, sighed and put my arm around his shoulder
‘You’ll get him next time buddy”


Written by :
Osawemde Edokpolor
© PURPLE WRITERS

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HOW TO DEAL WITH DEPRESSION; SUICIDE IS NOT AN OPTION!

Hello dear readers and guests! Today we are going to be talking about a sensitive subject that is fast becoming a trend : DEPRESSION
First of, let me erase the myth that Depression is only for the whites(oyinbo people). This is a fallacy, anyone can be a victim! Your neighbor, kid, sibling, classmate, parent, that weird boy on the street, that aunty that is always frowning, etc.

Depression is a form of deterioration in mental health. It is a sad feeling of gloom and inadequacy. Depression drains energy, hope and drive, making it difficult to do what you need to do to feel better and it is more worrying because people around don't seem to notice until it becomes manifest in form of suicidal attempts or physical breakdown.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES?

• Psychological traumas, if not properly attended to by counselling can lead to growing depression.  Every human being has latent depressive symptoms, our drive to life and to achieve which is our greatest strength is also the source of our greatest pain. Lack of achievement brings lack of fulfillment, lack of peace and thus Depression.

• Over thinking can also lead to Depression. Those that over worry or over process things tend to get depressed because they keep replaying their failures and regrets in their minds. It's like a circle they cannot break out from and this leads to Depression.

• Victims of Depression often feel like the whole world is against them. Nobody cares, nobody understands, nobody sees nor hear them. They feel invisible, inferior and inadequate, some due to past horrible experiences and others due to negative thoughts.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Depression is a psychological issue and because of this,it is not easy to identify at its early stage. So many depressed victims go about smiling and acting normal because they have developed what I would term an ADAPTATION TECHNIQUE. They put up an act while in the midst of people but once they are alone, they feel lonely and dejected all over again. A good example of such is the great comedian, Robin Williams. He was a succeed actor, made people laugh, had loads of money, had a good life but was seriously depressed to the extent of taking his own life. This goes to show that Depression cannot be cured by mundane things like wealth and fame.

The worst set are those people who are in DENIAL STAGE; they are depressed but don't realize it or they do not want to admit it. They vent out their anger or depression by being unnecessarily fussy or mean or by bringing others down. They are always in a bad mood. Hope and faith are the greatest cure to Depression.

SIGNS OF DEPRESSION

How Can We Identify People Suffering From Depression?

The general common symptoms include:

Ø   Isolation and Avoidance; withdrawal from the public

Ø  Loneliness (wanting to be alone)

Ø  Addiction (to drug or sex or a habit)

Ø  Sudden change of attitude or mentality

Ø   Lack of interest.

Ø  The Cage – you feel trapped inside yourself,see yourself as disgusting, helpless and worthless

Ø  Self destructive signs; wanting to harm yourself or inflict injury.

These are just few out of many.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

Of course we have physical and medical drugs to help reduce Depression called AntiDepressants but these have their side effects when over used.

The greatest cure to Depression is LOVE. 

We cannot always know or tell when someone is depressed but if we are always nice to everyone we meet, friends or not, whether we like their faces or not, then we can help them overcome it. Some people just make cutting remarks or hurtful comments without caring about how the other party feels. Your words can either destroy or save. It may be a simple genuine loving compliment that you would give to a depressed victim that would save him from committing suicide, conversely, your hurtful words can also be the last straw that would break the camel's back. How would you feel if they tell you the person you were so mean to the day before just took an overdose and died? We should think carefully before we talk. It costs us nothing to show kindness and love.

Your love should not be SUBJECTIVE; for a selected few only then the others can rot. You have no clue what the person next to you is going through. Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Show love to ALL.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

To really reduce this rate of Depression, we all have a role to play. That friend you have not heard from in a while, have you called him or her? When last have you visited your loved ones? Social media has taken the place of actual face-time friendships. Love is all we need.

And if you are reading this right now and you are actually going through Depression or you are seeing tendencies, you often sink into a sad and lonseome mood, you think and worry a lot, feel inferior, feel no one cares or understands? You are not alone dear. Here are few things you can do to overcome it:

1) Reach out and stay connected to supportive people. When going through Depression, you tend to withdraw and push people away but just try and reach out to people. Talk to someone, anybody. If talking to a stranger will make you feel more comfortable, then see a counselor.

2) Do things that make you feel good even when you don't feel like it.

3) Decongest. Stop over worrying or overthinking . You are beautiful just the way you are.

3) Read good positive motivational books that would help boost your self esteem.

4) Go out often. Take a walk,go to places and social events.

5) Challenge negative thoughts. The world is not against you.

6) Find a new hobby. Look for new interests. Spark up new flames.

7) Meditation is a great therapy. Whenever you get the feeling of loneliness, rejection and dejection, just pray. Talk to God because He truly understands and know exactly what you're passing through. The word of God also helps to restore your confidence and joy.

So dear friend, you are not alone. Here are some commentaries from live victims of Depression that have overcome it:

"I can trace the beginning of my depression back to my junior secondary school. I had never felt the absence of my parents before then because I had a very loving grandma. Going to boarding school faraway in ile-ife changed that. I got no visits from family and my parents and my brother were abroad. I had a guardian that showed me as much love as I could ask, but you're not allowed to 'keep' them in school. I was often bullied by verbal abuses and mocked by classmates and seniors. They knew my parents and sibling were abroad and I was the only one in the nuclear family left in Nigeria, so they'd often say I'm adopted or too ugly to be taken along, or that my parents were ashamed of me. I was about 10-11 and this continued through out my junior secondary school. My dad used to come home every now and then but his idea of how love should be shown wasn't my expectation of what love could be like. I had a lower pocket money and often smaller provisions than my colleagues, so I was often mocked for living less than people that didn't even have relatives abroad. As the words continued I started believing them myself, wondering if my parents cared of of I was adopted. I started to feel unwanted and uncared for, like a liability. I was forced to live with an aunty I disliked because she was strict and 'liked' beating me. For most of my teenage years I couldn't go out to visit friends, the one time I tried I was beaten to stupor. By then everything just felt like I was mistreated or abused. Maybe I wasn't, but the way my mind had been conditioned made everything seem that way. I saw myself as low as a house help in my aunt's house, I cooked, washed the dishes, washed the clothes, swept, all that. I saw how they treated their children and it made me feel like I never had that kind of treatment. I never got the kind of attention or love I wanted. I just wish my parents would have told me why they were so faraway, call me saying they missed me and wished I was with them, and ask about how I'm doing, what I want and all that. There was no one to talk to when I was happy, no one to talk to when I was sad, No one to make me feel happy. I had brief moments of liberation on social media. Talking to unknown people and building relationships with people I had never met, the moment I met someone who understood how I felt and felt sympathy for me I attached to them, unwilling to let go. That was the first time I felt like I mattered. I attached my worth to twitter followers, retweets, and shoutouts. I mattered there so it became an addiction. I would say things, do things, lie, fake, just for the attention, because this was what I lacked all my life. Friendship, communication, relationship, attention and acceptance from the right people. I don't know when I stopped being depressed, probably a year after I got into the university. I had made friends like me, I was talking to my mum more and was getting money directly from my dad. I no longer needed social media to feel like I mattered, I had people to show me that in real life, I had my first real girlfriend in the university, and it felt like she was the first real person to accept me. I'm grown up now and I understand why my parents couldn't take me and what all the situations in my life had been about. So the foundation for my depression has been broken. What caused my depression was lack of communication, feeling of rejection and unimportance, lack of the proper attention and miscommunication of love. Now I communicate effectively with my parents, I know their intentions, I've influenced lives so I know I'm important, I've built deep relationships and friendships, so I don't feel rejected, and now I understand love the way my parents speak it, ignoring how I expect it to be spoken, so I know I'm loved".

               - Olalekan Micheal     

"Hello friend,

It's been a while. I see your smile has faded and your strength is waning. Yeah, I can see it even though you try to mask it with a grin and forced dance. I see through your act and I understand.

I know because I have been there and on occasion I visit.

But today I smile because I have found joy to last for days and enjoy the nights. So Take my hand, friend. Let me show how much joy God wants you to have.

You see, your mind has convinced you that you are all alone and no one cares about. But that's not true. Jesus counts you so worthy that He emptied the vaults of his empire to purchase you from death and despair. So please let go of the weight you are carrying. You are not alone. Sing and make melody in your heart. Rejoice, shout and dance and Watch as your brain cells get infused with supernatural joy. A joy that is not determined by the things around you. This joy is in the Jesus and Jesus is in you. Simply believe. Stop listening to the devil's lies”.

                  -  Dami

Thanks for reading this long but worthwhile post. Please share with as many as you think would need this, you just might save a life! If you would like to share your experience with us and inspire others on how to overcome Depression, feel free to comment below in the comment section or send us a mail at officialpurplenigmers@gmail.com. you can also join the movement by  following our IG Page @_purplenigma_ as we will be having a series on this topic for the next one week. Shalom!

Written and Compiled by : 

Ogundipe Jesunifemi

CEO PURPLE MOVEMENT

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FICTION : BIG FOR YOUR BOOTS!

CHAPTER 1

As the flashing silver sword rammed into my chest, the only thing I could think about how much I hated broccoli. Now i’m pretty sure that’s the weirdest statement you’ve heard in awhile but bear with me for a moment, where is the rule that a near-death experience must have some cliche flashback of your entire life? Considering that I was just a 16 year old kid with no real skills, no life experience and average at best on FIFA, I had no real reference point with which to determine an appropriate reaction. So forgive me. Or don’t. I don’t much care anymore. But seeing as how you’re here, I may as well tell you why I’m about to die.

This is a bad story and all bad stories in my life usually start with Ben. Chisom Benjamin Okehi, Ben to anyone who knew him was charming, funny, my best friend and the bane of my existence. Very dramatic huh? Well trust me, if you were me, you’d know Ben had earned that name a thousand times over. Ben has that easy smile that makes so many friends and a floating mind that would happily depart for the heavens (both metaphorically and literally) if I wasn’t around to keep him grounded. People said we were such good friends because Ben was a ship’s engine and I was the anchor. That’s a delightful sentiment to teach a 10 year old right? Sigh. Sorry. I’m getting sidetracked with all these negative emotions because of the impending death and all. Let’s start again…

I woke up last week Wednesday and immediately decided that i wasn’t going to school. There are some days when the sun is at the perfect temperature, warm and inviting, when sky is so blue and clear it stretches into eternity. The cloud so white and puffy, bringing light and pleasant thoughts, the mouth-watering smell of pancakes and sizzling bacon drifting up the stairs. This was too good a day to spend with those heathens at school. I got my phone and texted Ben that school was a no-go for me today. The reply came three seconds later, “Ayy bro. I’m coming to yours for breakfast. Boot up the playstation”. No questions, just simple loyalty. Ben could be a treasure sometimes. I headed downstairs to appease the powers that be namely my older sister Millie. Millie isn’t your typical edo name which is fine because Millie was no typical edo girl. She was a critical part of a team that discovered the origin of the broken symmetry which predicts the existence of at least three families of quarks in nature. She won a Nobel prize for that. Don’t ask me what a quark is, I memorised that from her Wikipedia page so I’d have something to tell strangers who asked about her. You guys who think your siblings are perfect got it easy. Not only did my parents think she was perfect, the smartest minds on the planet agreed with them. You’d think she would be a pain right? Well you’d be wrong. She was an absolute angel. My confidant. My first partner-in-crime. Yes she was a genius but she was a better sister. As I walked into the kitchen, I heard her yelling on her phone in Japanese. I snagged a piece of bacon and watched the 5”3” tornado that was my big sister go to work. 

“Iiwake shinai! Anata wa ima kore o shūsei suru!” 

Which loosely translated to “fix this or I put my foot up your ass buddy”. Ben came in through the backdoor and hi-fived my sister as she left the kitchen to head into the study all the while alternating between two languages and nibbling from the plate of pancakes balanced on her forearm. He cuffed the side of my head while grabbing for the plate full of bacon. “What's good son”

“Everything b. Tis a glorious day to live and let live”

“Oh man. Please tell me you didn't watch Perks of Being a Wallflower again”

“It is such a good film!”

“That may be but it definitely gets you in this weird globalsexual mood”

“What's wrong with loving the world?”

“Nothing if you’re a character in a tv show but real life isn’t all that fluffy”

At this he adopted a solemn look which was somewhat spoiled by the streaks of maple syrup around his mouth and bare chest..

“Duuuude. Don’t drink it out the bottle. Why would you even- you know what? I won’t do this. Nope I won’t let you get to me. Not today Satan”

At this I grabbed the a plate of food and headed into the sitting room to watch a low grade horror movie I downloaded last night. Horror movies are arguably the best thing to happen to this planet (after Jesus and plantain) which was something Bob had in common with me. That’s probably why we became friends. We bonded over a carton of 80’s horror flicks that his grandfather cleared out of his old house. He had a yard sale when we were 13 and went to the same secondary school. Caleb College which was somehow more terrifying than every high school story ever. So there I was, this sullen dark haired kid, kicking rocks at this stupid yard sale I was dragged to so my father could look at old coins. He was this uber nerd who had a collection of civil war coins and money. Everyone in my family knew he was a dork but we all loved him so we didn’t care. And then I spotted the water-stained carton and the treasures inside it. I was sorting through the box when a glob of jam fell on a pristine copy of “The Shining”. I looked up into the face of the boy I would later call my brother and asked as calmly as I could

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I stubbed my toe earlier this week but its better now. And also there is this weird thing growing under my left arm…”

“Wait. What? What are you talking about?” “You asked what was wrong…”

“ I meant why are you pouring sugary snacks on cinematic classics?”

“Oh.” Peering down with an especially blank look on his face, he noticed that the end of the sandwich he was holding was leaking all over the box.

“Sorry about that” he said. “There’s wipes in the kitchen. And a tv so we can watch it.”

“Are you sure your parents will allow us watch it here? It is supposed to be scary”

“Issokay. There’s also a great big frying pan that I can use to protect us”. With that he made a cross on my forehead with the jam on his fingers, licked said fingers and strutted towards the kitchen.

“But- but, that’s now even what…did you say frying pan?..It’s the blood and gore not real monsters..” This was the first time that Ben’s special brand of idiocy would stump me, but as i walked along behind him I had a feeling it would not be the last.

The story continues....kindly subscribe to posts for daily updates. Thank you!

Written by :
Ede Osa-Edokpolor
charredelephant.wordpress.com

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