What’s on my mind is a personal story. I’m usually wary of sharing but I think someone needs to change their attitude like I have.

For the past two years plus I have been grumbling about where we live and all the inconveniences associated with it. You see we live in a ‘village’ as I call it, we didn’t get connected to the grid for over 4 years, so we were on inverter and generator for that period. It’s a personal house the Lord blessed us with and we’ve been here for 10 years.

I grumbled about the bad access road, grumbled about the neighborhood, grumbled that all my friends are in town, grumbled that we were far from civilization, every trip is a journey. I grumbled that my children didn’t have a social life because it’s quite tough arranging to get them to be with their friends. Their friends can’t visit etc. I grumbled that we as neighbors couldn’t come together to improve our neighborhood significantly because most people didn’t want to spend a dime , even though they are landlords. I grumbled at the mentality of some. I grumbled that we are not in a proper estate where you can go for a walk without mud or almost tripping during the rainy season.

I have tried several times to get my husband to move to town, back to rent till we can build or buy an apartment in town, but you know this Benin man 😀. It hasn’t worked o. I remember a few weeks ago threatening that he will come home one day and find that we have all left the house. His response ‘ I will come and join you there’. He has refused to go back to rent.

We moved into this place just as our firstborn was going to Uni. Since then it’s been fees upon fees, so embarking on another major project of a home has not been feasible. As an aside, for those in Nigeria where we really don’t have a mortgage, try to settle the matter of a roof over your head if you can, before the children go to Uni, or else it’s quite tough. It helps to do some of these things early.

Back to my story. I kept grumbling but telling God ‘you know I’m not ungrateful’ , I just want more. I remember the Lord saying ‘but you chose this place then, you could have been somewhere else. It’s a product of your choice. Believing me for a home here is the same thing as believing me for a home somewhere else.’

This morning it was like I had an epiphany. I love this merciful God more and more. He said ‘ have you thanked me for this house recently? You have not had to bother about rent for the past 10 years. If you want to rent a building like this, how much do you think you will spend? Do you know how many are older than you yet still have to contend with rent? What about the peace and quiet you enjoy here? Look at your kitchen! This is my blessing and you should never take it for granted’. My husband has been saying this to me in so many words but you know, when you are married to a preacher sometimes, it’s like pls don’t preach to me, I am not your congregation 😎.

I have been house hunting with my daughter who needs an apartment and I know the substandard apartments we’ve been viewing and the rent figures are so high!

I had to apologize and change my confession. I thank you Lord, I appreciate you for this house. Thank you for the peace we have enjoyed here. Thank you for the love in this home. Thank you because my daughters have been launched and grown from this nest and are doing amazing. I do not take your goodness for granted.

Grateful child.