When a young man is ready to marry, he wants everything to be right, especially the relationship between his mom and his bride-to-be. Most young men are apprehensive if they sense any tension between the 2 important women in their lives. That’s exactly how Joe felt.

As an only son, his case seemed more sensitive. His mother had kept him by her side most of his childhood and teenage years. All Joe really wants now is that his bride-to-be, Lisa, can manage the strong bond between him and his mom, but he didn’t know if she could. And it’s kind of unfair to pressure her into it.

Joe needed guidance. What would be the best strategy to bring these 2 women together? God led Joe to TWGO where he got an answer of peace.

When mothers worry about their son getting married it is because they’re afraid of losing their son’s love, attention and commitment. Mothers tend to share strong bonds with their sons, more so if they have only one son. Such fear, is most times taken away if the bride-to-be makes added effort to accommodate and accept the mother-in-law to be, as she would her own mom. She would need to lavish her with love, gifts and attention, without necessarily putting too much pressure on herself. These actions are important because they assure the older woman that her son won’t be lost, rather she can gain another love …from her daughter-in-law.

Joe encouraged Lisa to go the extra mile to accommodate his mom a bit. Thankfully, this strategy worked for them. A few months later, Joe and Lisa were successfully married. Joe’s testimonies and joy have been awesome. His mom and his fiancee, now wife, have become best friends to the point that they sometimes forget Joe is around the house as they indulge in their ‘womanly gists’ His mom also gave his wife a special pet name.

Praise God!

Sometimes mothers refuse to accept that their sons would become closely bonded to another woman. So they consciously or subconsciously struggle with letting go. At other times, a mother may be genuinely concerned about the kind of woman her son is trying to bond with. Whatever the case, it’s helpful when both mother-inlaw to be and wife-to be are aware of the possible impact a decision to tie the knots can have on the emotional and psychological wellbeing of a mom, especially when her son is an only child or an only son. Where there’s a sincere desire for peace and harmony, this awareness will help those involved to make little adjustments to accommodate one another.

First published on ‘Grace Obomanu Blog’ on 11/12/2018.

Lisa is in her early 50″s and a single mom. She lives in Ghana with her only daughter and child Becky. Becky is almost done with high school, she hopes to become a lawyer someday.

Lisa is looking forward to seeing Becky’s dream of becoming a lawyer fulfilled. But in recent times she’s had some concerns. She’s uncomfortable with the kind of association her teenage daughter has been keeping of late. These new group of friends seem to occupy most of Becky’s time. When they’re not in school, they’re out partying or visiting with another group of friends. Lisa is very troubled. These associations could ruin her daughter’s future, but the young lady doesn’t seem to see it that way. The more Lisa tried to caution Becky the farther she seemed to be driving her away and more towards her friends. Lisa needed to talk with someone, and she needs to do that fast too. She came across ‘Talk with Grace Obomanu‘ (TWGO), an online Christian counseling group, and she decided to drop a message asking for help.

At TWGO, first we needed to get Becky’s opinion on her mom’s concerns. So we put a call across to her, and it was a different story altogether. Becky feels her mother is overbearing, wouldn’t let her socialize with her peers, wouldn’t let her visit them or them her. Becky said her mom shouts all the time and seldom listens to what she has to say. Becky says she makes deliberate efforts to stay away from her mom because of her behavior. She said she wishes her mom could be more understanding and friendly.

Apparently, daughter and child were seeing things from their different perspectives. Lisa doesn’t want to lose her only child to teenage deliquency and Becky doesn’t want to remain a baby forever.

This observation was communicated to both of them. Becky was thankful that TWGO intervened. She promised to be more understanding of her mom and to relate more with her to allay her fears. And Lisa accepted her mistakes promising to engage her daughter more rather than control her. Their relationship would heal and become better with time especially as they both also learn to fellowship more with God.

Praise God!

First published on Grace Obomanu Blog 10/12/2018.

One of the key functions of Grace Obomanu Foundation is to conduct outreaches to Communities, Charities and Groups of needy people. Our outreach to Badamia Home was both inspiring and rewarding.

Badamia is home to about 20 boys (and young men) who were picked off the street as orphans. The Home, a non-governmental organization located in the city of Port Harcourt Nigeria has been housing and rehabilitating vulnerable children providing not just accommodation but also education, social support, and vocational trainings. In partnership with other groups, the Home has helped several young men become detoxified, educated, working in paid employment, while others make a living from skills acquired from the Home.

On the 17th of October 2021, Grace Obomanu Foundation visited Badamia Home for an outreach.

During our visit, we taught and discussed the Word of God with the young men. We gave every child a bible and an evangelistic tract. We shared cooked food to everyone (staff and children), and we dropped some foodstuffs for the Home. It was a very rewarding experience.

We found Badamia boys and young men to be brilliant and intellectually sound. They were bold, confident and well-mannered. They nicely shared their views on some scriptures as well.

The young men took turns to thank us not only for the gifts that we brought them but with emphasis on the fact that we considered them important enough to come and spend time talking and listening to them. This left us with deep appreciation for the work that the administration is doing. The staff were warm, welcoming and courteous.

I am looking forward to future visits to this Home when we can find time to engage the boys on their future plans and aspirations.

If you have ever considered mentoring or supporting a child through school or some form of skills acquisition, I strongly recommend Badamia Home boys. Please reach me using information on my contact page.

I am deeply THANKFUL to all those that supported this Outreach financially and otherwise. May God bless and reward you abundantly. And I am thankful to the Foundation Team for their hardwork and commitment towards the success of this Outreach.

‘And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’’ Matthew 25:40 NKJV

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As Erica listened to Hope narrate a horrifying experience of how a neighbour’s dog attacked and wounded an innocent child who was playing around their home, it dawned on her what great deliverance she’d experienced few weeks ago.

Dogs are not Erica’s favorite pet. She can barely stand them. On this blessed morning as she took a walk, she suddenly came face to face with 3 giant dogs who’d sighted her from a distance and ran towards her. Play or fight, these dogs didn’t look friendly. And she’s stranger to them. What does she do now? Run, shout or stand still? If she tried to run from them, they’d outrun her and possibly harm her. She stood still as they reached her. God must have this under control, she thought.

Erica lived in a quiet serene neighborhood. It was still too early for anyone to be outside by 6.30am. Dogs don’t stroll casually and unattended within the estate, these ones must of sneaked out without their guards knowing. She started talking to the dogs, stroking their bodies. Was this the best reaction? Judging by the dogs incessant growling around her m, probably not. Running away wouldn’t be a right choice either. Erica started shouting for help. But none came. She tried chasing the dogs away but they looked even more angry and dangerous. One, two, three, five minutes and more, the dogs were still around her, just moving around her and making angry sounds, also jumping around her. For some strange reasons, they didn’t bark, maybe that would have drawn some attention. But not today, these angry looking creatures refused to back today.

As Erica thought about how this could end up, fear took hold of her. She suddenly heard herself shout ‘JESUS’ and in that instant the 3 dogs walked away from her.

What a deliverance!!! Not even a scratch on her body.

Praise God!

The Name of Jesus did it!

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First published on ‘Grace Obomanu Blog’ 09/12/2018.

“[Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler.”
Psalm 91:4 AMPC

Rita has been married for 17 years with 2 teenage children. The last 5 years have been anything but beautiful for her. Her husband James has been abusive (physically and verbally), he stopped her from working, he wouldn’t do any work himself either. How do they eat? Family, friends, any form of goodwill. James claims he has a call from God and spends most of his time chasing people around to sow seed into his life.

Rita had tried many times to leave her marriage but he wouldn’t let her. She didn’t know what to do. Life hasn’t been fair to her neither has God.Then someone directed Rita to our online counselling group, Talk with Grace Obomanu (TWGO). Rita’s story began to change from then.

A look at James’s family history revealed that his father was exactly as he is. He was abusive, lazy and irresponsible. So obviously James’s problem was more complicated than it seemed, it had familial roots. This makes Rita’s case even more difficult, but God has a way.

James needs to make a total mind and behavior change. But how do we reach him considering it’s Rita coming for help?

Rita would have to make a decision at this point about her marriage, to leave or to stay.While leaving may seem the easier and more attractive option, Rita didn’t want her children growing up without their father.Staying meant she needed to do more work, on herself as well as for James.

First she must identify the things she does that upset him at least to forestall further physical abuse. She must identify her weaknesses and strengths as well as James’s. With a personality like James’ it can be trouble flagging his weaknesses, at least not at him. To get him to be more productive, his strengths have to be accentuated and he needs to be regularly reminded of them. That’s exactly what Rita did. She also moved back into the bedroom she once shared with her husband. Additionally, she resumed her wifely duties (not doing it for James but as unto The Lord). She located her Bible wherever she tossed it. She must rebuild her relationship with God and trust Him to fix her marriage.

As nicely as these may sound, these are not easy changes. But are possible when you do them in God, when you understand that agape means loving the unlovable unconditionally.

Rita took up the challenge, made these drastic changes and within one week her testimony was different. Her husband has never been as happy, calm and loving as she sees him now. He’s told her to go search for another job and he’s going to do same. He suddenly seems to have brilliant business ideas too. They even now pray and plan together. Rita is grateful to God and to the TWGO Team for intervening in her situation. Praise God!

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First shared 07.12.2018.

Rains are significant because they bear a newness and freshness to them, especially after a period of drought. In which circumstance rains would indicate or symbolize a washing away of the old and regrowing of something new, something better. 

Winning faith is the faith that believes a thing, speaks it and takes actions towards manifestation of the faith proclamation. This is a way to put an end to the season of drought that has pitched tent around us for so long. We believe by faith that an end has come to the period of drought, we proclaim that the rains are here, and just like Elijah, we bow to the ground, put our face between our knees and pray, wait, remain expectant, check 7 times and over, until we see the cloud…even its smallest bit. Halleluyah!

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NKJV

Your life may seem so bad right now like nothing good is happening around you. Truth is you may not always be able to control the things happening around you, however you can determine your reaction to them and choose not to let unfavourable circumstances weigh you down.

In John 16:33, just before His crucifixion, Jesus exhorts His disciples to not lose heart. Jesus was undaunted in the face of death.

I think that if only the disciples had a fore knowledge of the intensity of troubles coming their way; from Jesus’s crucifixion, to their times of trials and persecutions, maybe they would have asked Jesus to speak some more.

The world constantly pushes troubles, distress, temptations, trals, sorrow and frustration towards its inhabitants including believers. Jesus says; Be of Good Cheer.

‘Be of Good Cheer; I have overcome the world, therefore nothing it brings can successfully harm or hurt you, unless you allow it‘.

Be of Good Cheer…

You can enjoy my peace in the face of tribulations (John 16:33).

Be of Good Cheer…

There is no need to be afraid, for I am with you (Mark 6:50).

Be of Good Cheer…

My body was broken for your healing, by My Stripes you were healed you. So take up your bed and walk (Matthew 9: 1-8, Luke 8:43-48, Mark 10:49-52).

Be of Good Cheer…

I have overcome the world, I won the victory for you and I AM IN You, so you are more than a Conqueror (1 John 4:4)

Be of Good Cheer

Be confident and certain that you win always in Me. Be fearless and courageous because I am with you, I will never leave nor forsake you.

Be of Good Cheer

You say you believe in God, Believe My Word also. Speak My Word. Confess My Word always. Walk in My Spirit and let the love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness rule in your life.

Be of Good Cheer for I have overcome the world and I did it All for you. You are more than a Conqueror!

The Heavens tell of His glory, creation showcases the works of His hands. The dawn of a new day and its embrace of night reveals His power. The sun, the moon, the stars tell of His glory. All these though silent yet communicate louder than words, transmitting their message throughout the world to all mankind (Psalm 19:1-5), to all who care to think, listen, and see.