THE 24TH, MY 24TH!

IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!!

A few years ago, I was reading Tracie Peterson’s “A Lady of Secret devotion” and I read Cassie Stover telling Mark Langford that she had a birthday coming which would be the only time the date of her birth would be the same as the age she would turn on that day and of course I loved it. At the time, I had 2 years to go before that would be the case for me and I began to anticipate my 24^th birthday from that day in 2021.

And today, it is here, the only day in my existence where I’d be the same age as the date of my birth. I remember reading that that was a significant birthday and I eagerly waited for it. Now it’s not a milestone age, no jubilee attached or anything but I’ve been so glad because of the fact that today will never come again and I knew that if I didn’t make the most of today, I’d be regretting that for a long time. In fact, I’ve been so excited for this birthday that I’ve been counting down to today for a month!

And as the days grew closer to my birthday, I began to attempt defining what making the most of my 24^th birthday would mean to me. Initially, I wanted to go out or do something but then as more days went by and the day became closer, I realized that all I really wanted to do was have a quiet birthday. Now, I’ve always wanted a quiet birthday; a day where I could just stay completely indoors and enjoy the day in serenity but my birthday was always falling when school is in session so I’ve never gotten that. But this year, thanks to the elections and the break NUC insisted on, I got my quiet birthday. Ultimately, I decided to stay in my room and just quietly spend the day. So for anyone asking me, I didn’t do anything grand this year, I basically stayed at home, read a Brooke St James book, watched, or pretended to at least, a movie, slept, prayed and thought about my life.

In the days leading to my birthday, I spent a lot of time reflecting. I went through the last year, and honestly told myself the truth about the last 24 years of my life. I think I’ve never been as brutal with myself as I have been in the days leading up to today, in fact that’s probably what influenced my decision to have a quiet birthday. But I reflected over my life and thought of the changes I need to make, I was very intentional and specific in my prayers because I didn’t want this year to be a disguised repeat of all the others and so I prayed! You know this song “I will pray, I will pray oh, I will pray; if I don’t pray, Satan will make mess of me”? That was me in the last week: there was an urgency in my Spirit concerning this year and believe me I prayed!

The most poignant lesson I learnt this year was the importance of writing your requests and keeping records. I had talked a while back on keeping an archive of the victories God gives you (it’s a post titled ‘stories from before’), and one way to keep track of these victories is to keep a record of the struggles you were trusting God for. As I began to go to God concerning this year, I went back to the requests I made to God just before my last birthday and guess what I found? He answered requests I didn’t even remember making! Some things I found out were answered were things I honestly didn’t even remember praying for! Now I had been feeling some type of way but as I went through my prayer journal, I realized that not only did God answer my requests; I had grown in the last year even though it didn’t feel like it. Some things I wrote down were struggles I had since moved past to the extent that I didn’t even remember that I had been struggling with them at the end of my 22^nd year! So let this be an encouragement to you: pray! God hears and He answers! Of course, the answered prayers from last year gingered me to more intense prayers this year!

I’m going to end here by encouraging that you spend time at the turn of every year, to reflect on your life and seek God’s face. It’s important! The thing is God loves to have us come to Him and when we do, He answers us speedily and with our best interests at heart.

So, that’s that about that as far as that is concerned. I’m so happy today and the devil tried to take the happiness away but God pass am, one day I gist about how dem wan run me street for this birthday. Whenever you read this, know that I’m telling you today that I love you and I’m grateful that you are in my gist corner.

 

Love,

Achenyo.

P.S I'm attaching the picture with the most comments on for this birthday, enjoy!