JUST BECAUSE...

No special occasion. Only because we’re together. Sometimes, you just choose to stop and intentionally acknowledge you’re with someone, and bein' together is good.

Kuekue

Today, a mutual acquaintance asked me “what did you see in him?” I could only respond: “Eweka is visionary… I saw a man that’s headin' for somewhere that is clear to him.” I should have said more, but I couldn't. Now that I've taken time to ponder on that question about the man I am in love with, I admit that I do not know every quirk in his personality, but here are a few things to know about him:

Annoyin’ as he could get sometimes, he has a sense of humour that can calm the highest level of rage. Just as he personifies friendship, Osagioduwa and zeal are interchangeable to me; he’s the most zealous person I know. He can have a million brilliant ideas in just one minute and his insight is incredible! He is relentless in the pursuit of his dreams and never settles for less than absolute best. In the same way, he inspires me and others to be better in every way, to dig deeper and shine brighter.

He is the very embodiment of the phrase: “where there is a will, there is a way”. I am yet to meet someone else with a stronger will than this guy. His lips are soft enough to smile and firm enough to say no. His love is so wide, it takes the whole of me and others in. He is big enough to be gentle and brave enough to be thoughtful. He is generous and helpful; Osagioduwa would give you the shirt off his back…literally. I’ve seen him give so much of his time and energy to people, things and worthy causes.

He is a gift that keeps on giving. The two years plus that we’ve been together have been the least inactive, most productive and greatest growth season of my life. He seems to always know what to do or say. And with a drive like his, he is unstoppable and surely runnin’ the race he was born to win.

I know this boy is not perfect, but I know that his heart is given to a perfect God, the same God to whom I've given mine. I wish that somehow Oduwa would read this, but he doesn't even know I'm doin' this. Sometimes a girl just has to brag on her man, right?

So... in conclusion, I ask you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury to declare my Osagioduwa Eweka amazin' because... well, he helps me bloom.

INSECURITY

Insecurity is defined as uncertainty or anxiety about oneself; lack of confidence; self-doubt; worry; unease. Most of us struggle with insecurity on some level or another; questionin’ and doubtin’ ourselves. We tend to look outwardly for acceptance and affirmation to somehow establish some sort of identity. When we can't find it in others we just fake it until we make it, hidin’ behind the facade we've created with the hopes that no one will see the insecure person behind the mask.

I have battled with insecurities all my life and if there is one thing I know for sure, it is that if you are strugglin’ with insecurity, you are most definitely strugglin’ with other issues and when we get down to the nitty-gritty of it all, we find that it's root cause is rejection. As a young child my teachers would choose other kids over me because I was shy and inexpressive. It left me feeling rejected. Then when it came to men and dating, I was extremely insecure. "Will he leave me too?" "Maybe, if I do this or that he will stay with me." You see that cycle? Fast forward some years and I can go on and on about the different stages in my life where insecurities were a stronghold in my relationships; with men, with friends and even my own family. And the thing about insecurity is that it ruins your relationships. Not just the one you have with others, but also the one with yourself.

The fact is, we cannot base our security on our spouses or boyfriends bein’ faithful to us, or our girlfriends bein’ loyal to us, or our parents bein’ present in our lives. I mean, what if they die? We need to know that God is our security, that he does not change even when everyone else has. We need to know who we are, more importantly, who we are in Christ.

In Him, we are complete, alive and set apart. Therefore, we do not need to question and compare ourselves to others. Recognize that you can never compare to anyone else and no one can ever compare to you. He didn't design us that way. He created us in our own unique and beautiful way. Embrace it and work on being content with your portion. Let go of insecurities and bloom.