In the present
there is abundance,
there is joy,
there is favour,
there is divine,
there is mercy,
there is grace,
there is peace,
In the present
there is fullness.
Be present in your present.
©
Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha
Author: jacquelineobyikocha
A wordsmith with a vivid imagination, an eager mind and a burning desire to carve out tales. As I journey with my muse to that land of all possibilities and self discovery, I hope my personal evolution will serve as a beacon of inspiration for anyone who chooses to stop by.
Speaking with Proficiency
I love learning new languages and believe that I have an ear for it. I find it amusing that Linda gave us language as our prompt for SoCS because I was just finished looking at my test result.
I took my French Language evaluation test in March and the result just came back from Paris yesterday. My result makes me feel like a Top dog. For a language that I haven’t used consistently for years, close to 10 years now – after spending five years of my life, learning, eating and breathing the French language, my result is absolutely great.
Phew! What a relief! I must tell you that I was a bit concerned before the exam, during and after.
I just couldn’t afford to fail – ha, ha! I’m not sure how I would have explained to my children that I failed a French language proficiency exam when they always look at me as a guru. Thank God for small mercies.
As for other languages, I speak Igbo, which is my mother tongue, a smattering of Yoruba, Hausa, and Spanish. Now I am experimenting with Arabic. Who knows, maybe by the time I leave The Middle-East my command of Arabic language would be un peu passable.
Bon weekend à tous 🙂
Jacqueline
Invitation To Partner Up
A lot of times, we need support from others to get where we need to be and this leads to a mutually benefiting partnership.
Would you consider being my strategic partner?
I am sourcing for blog partners who are interested in renting prime advert space on my sidebar which will be at a very nominal fee and arrangements can be made for convenient durations of 6 months, 1 year…
What are the benefits?
It will be a growth focused team effort.
A mutually beneficial endeavour.
The blog’s logo/URL will be hosted on my sidebar under the title ‘My Strategic Partners’and a click will take reader’s directly to your site.
Regular promoting of partners blog.
An interview to introduce you.
The possibility of more visibility.
As I search for more room for growth, I take you along with me.
It will support me to maintain my blog.
So, what do you think? You can reach me through my email: Jacquelineobyikocha@gmail.com
I look forward to working with you and to your support.
Jacqueline
Darling Baby Pinks of May
I saw the lovely pink blossoms and simply couldn’t resist capturing them with my lens. Aren’t they pretty 🙂
Deadly Silence and Inner Demons – Writer’s Quote Prompt
Last week Oneta’s Writer’s quote and her beautiful story made me remember an old song that my mother sang a lot back in the days:
Why worry when you can pray
trust in Jesus and he will guide your way
don’t be a doubting Thomas
just place your trust in Jesus
why worry, worry, worry?
It’s such a simple song but anytime I am inundated with worry and struggling to have my way with certain things, it pops into my head prompting me to offer it up to God and I have learned that prayer is indeed the master key.
For this week’s prompt:
‘my writing is a struggle against inner demons. I use my words to paint my thoughts and win the battle in the recesses of my mind.’ Jacqueline
Jacqueline at http://www.Acookingpotandtwistedtales.com
Joan at http://www.familyparentingandbeyoned.wordpress.com
Oneta at http://www.onetahayes.com
We are continuing the same format here and that is: there are no rules to follow. Either make up your own sayings or use a quote from a famous author that you find gives you inspiration.
Each Thursday, we will post the prompt and all you have to do is participate!
Come and join in the fun.
Sharpen and Shaped
My days,
I must shape
with a sharp blade.
To cut
wasting good moments,
and losing many edges.
©
Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha
QUIT WORRYING OVER LOSING SUBSCRIBERS
What’s Your Reaction To Losing Subscribers?
Are you one of those who spends days in angst wondering why a subscriber unsubscribed or do you shrug, smile and move on?
One of the common challenges that bloggers face is losing subscribers. Naturally, our goal is to gain subscribers, to keep them, and not to lose them and when we do lose subscribers we may feel inclined to know why.
I remember my earlier days of blogging when it seemed as though my eyes were permanently glued to the subscription stats and watching it go up and down was not the better part of how I spent my days. I learned that my focus is better spent on developing my blogging skills, networking to the best of my ability and worrying less about every Harry and Jane that left the scene.
I will categorically tell you that you shouldn’t over think subscribers choosing to stop receiving your updates or following you because worrying over it is not worth the sweat. Instead, concentrate on gaining new readers/subscribers who would stick with your random blather.
Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Worry… Read more
Divine Provision
The past few months have been challenging in more ways than one for me, more so financially that these days I am truly learning what it means to live by faith and obtaining Divine Provision.
I am often reminded of Matthew 6:26 and 27:
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?
Who out of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifespan?…
Learning to keep my eyes on the positive things and to leave worry that adds nothing extra but its own anxiety to my life is a journey that I undertake every day. Some days I can’t help but ask ‘Lord, I don’t understand why you are taking me through this route and what lessons I am supposed to learn here? Anyway, since you want me to pass through this bumpy side, I guess you have your sandals on to keep me company while I find that way that you’ve designed for me and if I fall, I am trusting you to catch me.’
I share my innermost thoughts to encourage anyone who might be going through rough times.
There are certainly dark days when you wonder what comes next. There are certainly trials that would leave you numb and at loss for words, that all you want to do is to withdraw into your shell and wait out the storm. But, I say to you, it is in these moments that you should hold on to the promises of God.
It is in these moments that you should count your blessings even if you need a microscope to search and find one. It is in these moments that your gratitude must be amplified because the Lord inhabits the praise of His people and silent gratitude is heard by no one. You can interrupt that anxiety with gratitude.
Blessed be.
Jacqueline
If you wish to participate in a gratitude challenge, there are several gratitude/thankful platforms in the blogosphere that you can tune into and get your ithankful going on. I can’t express in words the enormity of Joy and fulfillment that comes from having a heart of gratitude. Please check out Maria’s blog, Colline’s blog and Bernadette’s for thankful/gratitude challenges.
Dhows Ahoy!
There are moments when you stumble on picture perfect opportunities. Like these men working on their Dhow.
All I know – My Thinking Corner
- All I know is that when the day is done and you stare at the beautiful, deep orange blush of the Sunset, your heart knows thanks for having yet another opportunity to live a day such as this.
- All I know is that even when you think that all is lost, you must take a second and third look, there’s something to be found.
- All I know is that the quieter your soul becomes, the more truth it can hear in clarity. Search fervently for those quiet moments. Pause the consistent running on the treadmill of life and linger in the meadows for a while.
Do check out my latest video. It would be worth your while.
a cooking pot and twisted tales 