refinedone

Archive for the ‘Praise’ Category

The Other side of moi…

In Change, Choice, Confidence, Courage, Crisis, Death, Encouragement, God, Grace, Hope, Jesus, Life, Love, Me, Mercy, Ministry, Poetry, Praise, Prayer, Purpose, Relationship, Salvation, Self esteem, motivational on October 29, 2007 at 11:44 am

  www.refinedonelyrics.wordpress.com

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   The Breaking…  

From eternity to destiny in-between these; the seasons
Yes! You choose me from the creation of time
Yes! I was with you, in you, were you.

You birth me into this shell for you know the end.

In this shell you kept me, to minister for you care so much; you wanted to feel what I felt, to deliver destiny and redeem a generation.

 Ah! To be born into this shell and go through the seasons, learning, being broken and birthing.
Ah! How this shell has been knocked, bruised, abused, tossed and pulled … for the shell hates you!

it loves what it sees and wants more
it loves what it feels and wants more
it loves what it touches and wants more
it loves what it tastes and wants more
it loves what it hears and wants more…

But! Yes, I was in you from the creation of time, was with you and was you.

Alas! You are still in me to birth destiny (for you know the end).
The alabaster box was broken
The lamb was slain, so ….
You break and slay me daily, in seasons to birth destiny (for you know the end).

I am knocked but I get up, to be knocked again and again

But I get up quicker with every blow until I master how to block and dock the punches….
With each knock, a breaking, until you are poured out of this shell to birth eternity to destiny…

For you alone know the end! 

Author: RefinedOne   

…will not be putting any new post for a while, stay strong all  :)

  

Woman that do it for me…finale

In Art, Awards, Black History, Change, Charity, Children, Choice, Courage, Crisis, Culture, Encouragement, Family, Friendship, God, Grace, Hope, Kindness, Life, Love, Marriage, Mercy, Ministry, Motherhood, Music, Parenthood, Praise, Purpose, Relationship, Self esteem, Society, daugther, motivational, woman, worship on October 18, 2007 at 6:51 pm

images1.jpgCece Winans- When I listen to her music it always ministers to me, she comes across like one that is a true worshipper- one that loves the Lord with all her being giving Him the praise in every way. Apart from being an award winning artist (six times Grammy awards winner), Dove award winner, Soul train award winner and actress… she is also a teacher and mentor…Her album Throne room is my all time favourite, not just the melody but the words always bring healing and joy to my soul, I feel sometimes listening to her songs and feel like I am intruding in her personal time with God. I most admire about her is a passion for the youth, especially young girls. In Oct of 2005, Cece developed and hosted the Always Sisters conference which focuses on support for young women ages 13-26yrs, where she offered words of encouragement and self esteem was discussed. This is her passion that young women will walk in the fullness of God glory and self worth of their everyday lives. At the conference she presented the young ladies with tiaras as a token to the girl, She said…”My prayer was that they know God and know who they are”…”He is the only one that can really teach you who you are, how beautiful you are, how powerful you are, that you deserve the best and not to settle for less” This are the kind of things I like to see and hear..Older women mentoring the younger ones and empowering them on who (we) are as women/princesses and should be treated as one by ourselves and others. Cece has been married for over 21yrs with two children (boy/girl) Cece the wife and mother has managed to balance her personal and professional lives with relatives ease….this for me is a woman living a life with purpose. 

 images2.jpgOprah Winfrey- Born January 29, 1954 is the American multiple-Emmy Award winning host of The Oprah Show, the highest-rated talk show in television history. She is also an influential book critic, an Academy Award -nominated actress for The Color Purple. And a magazine publisher of O, The Oprah Magazine and O at Home. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century, the most philanthropic African American of all time, and the world’s only black billionaire for three straight years. She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world {} raised in rural poverty by her grandmother, born out of wedlock by a mother who was a housekeeper and father a coal miner, at the birth of Oprah, but later became a councilman. Regardless of background and a challenged home life she was able to rise above it all at 13yrs received a scholarship to attend Nicolet High School in the Milwaukee suburb of Glendale, Wisconsin after which she won an oratory contest, which secured her full scholarship to Tennessee State University, a historically black institution, where she studied communication. This is a woman that has accomplished so much in the world of media I could go on, but what I would like to spotlight and truly admire is her Leadership Academy for Girls  in South Africa, she intends teaching a class via satellite. Oprah is not married, but instead has been in longstanding relationship of over 20yrs with partner Stedman Graham. She never had children of her own but had this to say about the girls of her Leadership Academy….”I never had children, never even thought I would have children. Now I have 152 daughters; expecting 75 more next year. That is some type of gestation period…I said to the mothers, the family members, the aunts, the grannies — because most of these girls have lost their families, their parents — I said to them, “Your daughters are now my daughters and I promise you I’m going to take care of your daughters. I promise you.”   

I found doing the research for this list quiet reflective and it sure did reinforce things about myself that I am absolutely sure are no coincidences anymore… all the women that I admire, truly sum me up …Out of the box, Passionate, Motivational, Strong, Natural nurturers, Called to run “their own” race, Unique with a large heart of service to others and effective to their immediate society and the world!

 None of these women are perfect and have made mistakes in their lives, they have had their share of challenges and adversity, but it never stopped them…

Life must have purpose!

Who inspires you? 

Who do you admire?  

 And Why? 

Women that do it for me…

In Africa, Art, Awards, Black History, Choice, Courage, Culture, Divorce, Encouragement, Family, God, Grace, Hope, Human rights, Kindness, Life, Love, Marriage, Motherhood, Nigeria, Parenthood, Poetry, Praise, Purpose, Relationship, Self esteem, Society, daugther, motivational, woman on October 7, 2007 at 3:31 pm

 As part of Black history month in the United Kingdom, I would like to present Seven Black Women I admire and would like to celebrate …. 

1- img005.JPGMrs Clara Onelum, You may not all know her but I do, she is my “mummy” She is an inspiration and note worthy.She is passionate and devoted to her children and family, an example of a woman, Classy, hardworking and committed. My mother has always been my first role model. She worked in the bank for 16yrs, refused promotion so as not to be away from raising her then very young  children, So to keep herself busy and fuel  her entrepreneurial spirit, she qualified as a hair dresser/stylist from Revlon in the States, opened her own salon first in the house and then later expanded it to a shop next door with a dressmaking section to it…she had a wholesale distributorship too all she did from home…no matter how busy she was we always sat together for our meals which she cooked ( that left a lasting impression on me) she was able to be a mom and also be productive and fulfilled…she later went to catering school and qualified as a chef which she did in the UK until she retired 5yrs ago…but that has not stopped her. I could go on but will stop there :)

 2-  nike-davies.jpg  Nike Davies Okundaye – Now when Vanity Fair was looking to have “African” Icons on its cover why was Nike not part of it I say! She can only be described by me with one word as an enigma! She is naturally talented and creative. She is one of Nigeria’s most successful contemporary artiste, and the very few to gain international reputations as an artist and designer, all this from a woman with no formal training. At a very young age learnt indigo weaving and dyeing ( Adire) from her great-grandmother. She refused an arranged marriage and ran away with a theatre group. To read more about how she gained independence and escaped the violence and abuse of her first husband and how she has developed a centre of the arts in Lagos, Oshogbo in Ogun state and Ogidi in Kogi state of Nigeria and also how she is helping rural women gain financial freedom as well as build up their self esteem by training them in the arts of Adire. http://nikeart.com/main.htm  and read her biography http://blackartstudio.com/Nikespage.htm  

3-mayaangeloularge.jpg Maya Angelou- She is a woman of great substance and elegance a true beauty. She is one of many of the contemporary voices of literature…Her poetry, like one of her own many titles are just “Phenomenal” (Phenomenal Woman is my all time favourite poem of hers) she is an historian, bestselling author, play write, civil-rights activist and I hear producer and director too…The beauty of her words and lyrical flow just blows me away..Her original name is Marguerite Johnson. Her book I know why the caged bird sings was about her childhood,  spent between her grandmother in rural, segregated Stamps, Arkansas and St.Louis, Missouri where her mother lived, her rape at 8yrs by her mother’s boyfriend  to age sixteen and with the birth of her son, by the time she was in her early twenties she was a Creole  cook, a streetcar conductor, a cocktail waitress a dancer, a madam and unwed mother, the following decades saw her emerge as a successful singer, actress and playwright, an English-language magazine in Egypt, a lecturer and civil rights activist. In 1993 Angelou gave a moving reading of her poem On the pulse of morning at Bill Clinton’s Presidential inauguration which gave her wide recognition

Poetry break….

Phenomenal Woman
 
  Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a womanPhenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
‘Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Maya Angelou

3 down 4 to go… ;)

Who am I?

In Change, Courage, Crisis, Encouragement, God, Grace, Hope, Life, Ministry, Poetry, Praise, Prayer, Purpose, Relationship, Righteous, Self esteem, motivational, woman on September 30, 2007 at 2:16 am

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I’m more than your daughter, your sister, your wife, your mother, your friend your lover, your confidance
I am of royal lineage and a priestly one too.

The evil one comes cunning and whispers words that lead to strife, worry, low self esteem
NO! You choose me from the creation of time; I’m whole, of purpose and of excellence.

I’m more than your……

I was made, created, fashioned, cultivated, planned (not an after thought) and supervised by God to be ezer (helper) to the kingdom.
I am valuable to God, I am somebody not to be used and abused….
Capable, intelligent, virtuous I am; who can find me? Only in Christ, for God’s glory.

I’m more than your……

The evil one whispers….your too short, too tall, too fat, too skinny, too loud, too quiet, too shy, too out spoken, have an accent, not qualified, too qualified, too old, too young……have nothing to offer (A LIE) for I’m adorned with glory, power, majesty my true beauty ……the essence of me.
In me is trust, peace, love and life.

I’m more than your…..

Greater is in me……..
I have so much inside, to be birth, walked out, excised and then refilled; my assignment? Gods plan, to use this ‘building” for His Kingdom.
Setting my affection, looking to the Kingdom first my lord provides all, all that I would ever need.

I’m more than your…..

For when you see me you see Him in all His glory; when I speak you hear His words cutting and dividing the word of truth, as it should.

For I AM MORE! I AM MORE!!!
I AM OF ROYAL BLOOD
I AM OF A ROYAL FAMILY
I AM OF A ROYAL KINGDOM AND A PRIESTLY ONE TOO.

Author: Refinedone

This is what 10yrs investment looks like…

In Birthday, Children, Family, Love, Parenthood, Praise, Prayer, Purpose, daugther on September 7, 2007 at 4:29 pm

 I would like to give my baby girl a shout-out as she celebrated a land mark Birthday on the 30th of August..She is my little miracle baby, born 6weeks early weighing 1.9kg. I am so proud of you…My Ruchelle Aisosa Chizoba aka Ruchie, you are the best first born I could have had, you are such an example to your younger brother and sister, and also a great help to me. I find it so sweet how your beautiful dark eyes water (gets teary) any time you’re a paid a compliment, your smile, so captivating, not to mention your intelligent and creative mind…

PS: congratulation on making school council :)

Happy 10th Birthday my Ruchie-girl

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 We love you and pray all of God’s blessing in your life.

May you fulfil your purpose and walk in the 

 fullness of your destiny in this lifetime.

Amen!

Love always,

Digby aka Daddy, Mumruch aka Mummy, 

Lijipoo aka Elijah-baptiste

and  Princess Jo-jo aka Jeunelle.

ONE Body…ONE Voice…One God!

In Culture, Encouragement, God, Hope, Kindness, Love, Music, Praise, Relationship, Video, Yoruba, worship on June 28, 2007 at 8:39 pm

….just got this in my mailbox from a friend :) Enjoy!

Nothing is  impossible in Christ Jesus!!

This is what true Christianity is!

When we come together to give Him all of the praise and worship.

When we come together in Love as One Body! black, white, yellow or red!

Every tongue, Nation and Tribe!

…not arguing over doctrine!

Jesus is Lord….Saviour… King of Kings…God all by Himself!

Father’s Day 07 @AfricanLoft

In Children, Encouragement, Family, Father's Day, Life, Love, Music, Parenthood, Poetry, Praise, Relationship, Uncategorized on June 14, 2007 at 9:11 am

Who’s your daddy?

Why do I love my Father aka Dadddyyyy! So?

I’ll tell you….

He was the first man in my life and showed me how I was to be treated in the future, with love (yes! Official card-carrying member of “daddy’s pet club)  Sitting at his foot, looking up at this man with his strong arms that made me feel protected, wide smile (mine is just like his) He was my template for the future of what I would desire in a man… (Husband) strong manly man, loving, intellectual and God fearing.

Listening to highlife music takes me back to the times of innocence, when he would wake up at the weekends, wearing his silk like, gold and brown patterned morning coat over his brown pj’s sitting in the veranda with his morning coffee, black with 6cubes of sugar, 2 boiled eggs with some salt in the side ( now I see why I love the smell of coffee so much and why browns/gold are my favourite colours) all this he did while reading his morning paper and sometimes talking to neighbourhood electrician or one of the other neighbours that live in the compound.

Now I know why I love music so…cos he opened our ears to a varied type of music… with his LP collection from Bobby Benson , Art Alade, Marian Makibe, Mayanka belle, Nat King Cole, Sinatra, and all the classic like Mozart to Handle, what did he not have in his collection?..Ah! Not to forget Fela, Voice of the cross…whoa! It brings tears to me eyes… Why should I not love this man that contributed to the making of Me! …No one is perfect… and he is not…. Nevertheless, he is my Daddy! And I love him so.Happy Father’s Day … Daddy!Want to say alittle something about your Father…check out http://community.africanloft.com ….go on say it in words, picture or video!Father’s Day 17th of June……

Only The Fathers Love…Praise Break #2

In Children, Courage, Encouragement, Family, God, Life, Love, Music, Praise, Relationship, Self esteem, Video, worship on June 11, 2007 at 7:15 pm

God the Father, in His joy we are made Strong!

No matter what we must have gone through or are going through God the Father makes all anew with and in His Love, Mercy, Grace and Forgiveness.

God the Father, Loves, Protects and Provides.

Praise Break!!!

In Encouragement, God, Hope, Life, Love, Praise, Prayer, worship on June 11, 2007 at 6:02 pm

You are welcome in this place and every part of my being.

Thank you God!

You are the Rock on which I stand.

Eko ile! ….you just got to luv her

In Lagos, Life, Love, Poetry, Praise on May 14, 2007 at 11:01 pm

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She is beautiful, erratic, crazy (some may say)

….I say she’s maverick dancing to her own drumbeat.

She can be unpredictable, full of history (her-story) yet fun, alive and vibrant.

In her run rivers of black gold.

She takes no prisoners and suffers no fool, she reminds you to “shiny your eyes”

Like an untamed garden rich in nutrients just waiting for the right gardener to prune, cultivate and nurture her.

She is one of many, in a household of a mighty family, a giant of it’s time! 

It is said “out of a little acorn grows the mighty oak tree”

like “kiriku” she is small but mighty!

“She will never spoil” a chant from one of her many suitors, one whom has won her heart (but for the moment) 

In her I call home and is at peace, with a calm only one who has suckled on her breast could ever understand.

 Eko ile! (lagos my home!)

The God of a second chance…He saved!

In Change, Choice, Courage, Crisis, Encouragement, God, Kindness, Life, Life after Death, Love, Mercy, Poetry, Praise, Purpose, Relationship, Self esteem, worship on April 19, 2007 at 2:12 pm

As I walk in this season of my life, I am just overwhelmed with the different extreme of emotions I am going through… form one minute feeling like giving up, of shame, despair and then excitement that it’s not all over, but a chance to “do over” a chance to make it better, sweeter and greater!!

So I thank the God of a SECOND CHANCE!!!

Loosed!

Devil you should have killed me when you had the chance…. 

When I walked out of God’s plan, out of His purpose and destiny for me, and let myself get tainted, diluted and separated from Him……to the point that when my Lord went looking; could not find me, only to see me bound and chained by my own habits that did not glorify Him….

 I was ugly and in dispair I was without the glory my Lord had put on me….Yet He came and paid the costly price to release and save me. You saved me, cleansed me, and started to prepare me. With my head down you lifted me.You told me (reminded me) who I was ….

You gave me beauty for all my ashes, joy for all my pain.You clothe me with your righteousness again!

You stayed with me to teach me how to walk with you, again! You restored my purpose for you loosed me!

 Devil you should have killed me when you had the chance….

‘Cos now, I am loosed! and set free!

Amen!

Authour:  Refinedone

It’s turning around in my favour…

In Change, Choice, Courage, Crisis, Encouragement, Forgiveness, God, Life, Love, Mercy, Praise, Purpose, Relationship, worship on March 23, 2007 at 11:10 am

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…This blog was not meant to be a personal journal like most out there, it was to be a means of service, and a stepping out into a place I have not been before…why am I saying all this, well cos I am about to share like a journal which this blogsite is not, but I have such an overwhelming feeling to share with all what is happening to me at this very moment …I feel the presence of the Lord to do this.

Coming out of a season and place that I would never have thought I would walk…and the mercy and grace of God have been Oh! So! Amazing…

Just when I think I have seen all of God in my life He shows me another dimension to Him…

At the moment what I am listening to is- Youthful Praise with James Hairston …and it is just speaking my heart every single song is just ministering to me, healing my heart and just putting in that place to hangout with God again.… (Worship for me is the way I fellowship and connect with my father and the lover of my soul)

I did not intend writing about this… but I just feel like shouting of God’s awesomeness in my life… No matter how I fall or fall short He still loves me…He will truly turn what the enemy plans to use to destroy/embarrass/cause pain that can sometimes be irreversible, all for good and the glory of Him!!… An incredible God deserves AN INCREDIBLE PRAISE!!!

The battle is in the mind for real…the distorting of truth that would cause the wrong decision to be made which would determine destiny… whoa!!!

I am all about DESTINY!!! and to allow destiny to nearly be destroyed by wrong decision based on the mind…  God, I thank you!!! You’re Incredible and I bless you.

 

 {praise break}

I love you lord with all my heart ….I thank you for mercy and grace …again I  say  you’re an INCREDIBLE GOD!!! 

During healing you’re very fragile… and start thinking your personality is to blame … No!  I am unique and God has made me so… you say to yourself… so if other takes advantage/ dishonour or take you for granted  cos of that,  is for them to deal with …

I am a very open soul… I easily take people in to my heart, so when that is bruised, it makes me question my personality…which in turn makes me lot more guarded than I would normally not be…

So why am I saying all this.. to be honest I don’t know,  just was so excited that when  I feel  low, sometimes so disappointed in myself ..That there is a God that loves me sooooo much and who’s forever forgiving, faithful and loving… so all I can do is to give Him PRAISE!!

 

And say Shabach to the rock!!! (Praise to the Lord !!!)