Thanksgiving/ Erntedank

#Grapes from our balkony – #a big harvest – #good and healthy juice and gelee

In Germany we are celebrating „Thanksgiving“ today. So I feel inspired to write and share with you some impressions. If we would directly translate the German Word for „Thanksgiving“, „Erntedank“ into English, it would be „Harvestthanks“ or „thanking for the harvest“. In early days in Germany, most people were farmers and lived from their own harvest. The „Harvestthanks“ literally meant thanking God for all the harvested produce. Nowadays, since very few are farming, and most of us not, what is our “Harvestthanks”?

I’m today reflecting on all the things God has blessed me with.

I’m so grateful for the gift of  life.

When I look at my two wonderful daughters, I’m so amazed at how God has created them, how healthy, perfectly formed, no missing body parts… When I think about the way I look at my kids and marvel at them, I am reminded on how God our heavenly Father, the creator of our flesh and bones is looking at us and celebrating His perfect Work of creation.

Then I can really meditate on that scripture in Zephaniah 3:17 „the Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.“

How often are we discontent with ourselves? How often do we rather feel stuck with our human flaws than see the many little things that are actually good? God who created us, rejoices over us His creation. He knows the real value of what he has created.

My little daughters have no idea yet how precious they are to me, and they might never realise why I can simply look at them and rejoice over their lives (even with their excesses). I think that this is how it is with our own lives. We have no idea how much value we actually have before GOD, the Almighty, the Sovereign, and ever Faithful.

The same with the things that God has blessed us with. Do we really know and see the value of it? How often do we compare ourselves with others in terms of what they have and we don’t? Let’s look at our own lives today and take stock of what we actually have?

Maybe the working place comes with a lot of stress and imperfections, but it has helped to pay the bills last year?

Maybe the apartment you are living in is not the dream house you have in mind, but you have an address to retire to with a roof over your head; a protection from all kinds of weather.

Maybe you have problems or conflicts in your family but atleast you have people around you that you can share life with and who form you?

Maybe you don’t swim in money but atleast you have s.th. to eat, drink and to dress everyday.

I think a lot of times we tend to evaluate our lives too critically and as a result miss out on the precious moments making up our daily activities. So why not take today and think about the things that you can be grateful for, reflect on those things that you have planted this year where you can already see some progress or even a full harvest?

And please remember it’s not about perfection!

Especially not in the way we see and evaluate perfection. It can really help to see things in God’s eyes. God, the only one who is perfect.

„For with you (God) is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.“ Psalm 36:9

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Nigerians

I’m deeply shocked about the horrible news about Nigerians all over the world and especially right now in South-Africa. How can IT be that a whole people Group is persecuted just because of some bad people of the country? Isn’t it that every country has good and bad people? Why are Nigerians mostly known for the bad, the crimes and we don’t hear so much of the good they do and produce? I wish there is a day to come when Nigerians will be known for who they really are. I pray, that the inheritance that Nigeria has will come out for good. When I came to Nigeria the first time in 2012 for three months, God spoke to me: “See these great people that I have created, see the inheritance I have given to them, see the great gifts and talents I put in them. Unfortunately they are not known for this in the world. There is a cloud right now above this country that covers the good deeds. But I want them to shine and go into all the nations and be known for who they really are: the arts, music, dance, rhytm, academics, Stage performance.”

Emmanuel and me

Nigeria

Through my Nigerian husband I’ve gotten to know many amazing Nigerians. First of all with my husband I could have not found a better match. He is such a wise man with all time a good advice, encouraging word and He is so helpful. I really like his personality and I can learn so much from him. He is Not a Matcho as many people think in general about african men. He likes to do the dishes, cooks well and helps me in the household. He didn’t mind to stay at home to take care of the kids when I was working full-time and He did such a great job even with their dressing and their hair. He always wants the best for me and encourages me to go out to grow in my calling. I have met through my husband also other nigerian men who respect women and help in the kitchen, household and the kids when they come for visit as I have not seen it from any other people group. My husband even sets an example for his football colleagues when he goes for football camps and washes his boots and clothes, puts the things in order, airs the shoes and clothes at the right spot that the rooms wouldn’t smell and cooks delicous meals for everybody. Besides that I’ve met a lot of Nigerians who are one of the best in their academics and bring a special flavor into the group because they think outside of the box. So, as you can see there are a lot of positive things I can mention about Nigerians. And it pains me to see when Nigerians are not entrusted and even persecuted because of some people who do bad things. Some might even not be Nigerians but use the nationality to hide their own. So please stop persecuting Nigerians, stop your prejudices against any people group on this planet. And I want to encourage all Nigerians to take heart and press into till it gets better. Let’s pray for Nigeria and all Nigerians who suffer right now persecution or who have lost one of their loved ones.

Black People bring colour!!!

Listen to this version of the song ‘Good Father’ by Chris Tomlin

This video inspired me to write about ‘why I love black people’!

The first thing that comes to my mind, which basically summarises everything:

Life WITHOUT BLACK people is LESS COLOURFUL!

I believe the Lord created the black man on a very good day, probably on a Sunday, when He had a lot of time. Just because of the fact that HE placed so much creativity and talent in these beautiful human beings. Besides, isn’t it that the very first human beings: Adam and Eve, were black!? So, we all actually carry the DNA.

When five years ago for the first time I set foot on this beautiful continent, ‘AFRICA’, more specifically ‘NIGERIA’, the very thing that just hit me and stuck out the most was: BLACK PEOPLE ARE TALENTED – Let me even say, for me, they are the most talented people in the world when it comes to MUSIC, DANCE and anything with rhythm. Somehow, we all know that. But when I watched these young people performing at a concert in Nigeria, I felt like the LORD was releasing a cry in my heart and saying: “see! that’s how I created them to be, powerful, dynamic, most talented ARTISTS. But that’s not what they are known for in the world. They are rather known for bad things like corruption, criminality, drugs, laziness and prostitution. But I want them to go back to their calling and shine all over the world!!!”

Believe me, BLACK PEOPLE, that is not even all! You are not just simply entertainers!!! You are called to RULE the world! When people accept or appreciate you, then they like you at least for your entertainment. But unfortunately, my experience in Germany so far has been that you are likely not to be given the top positions as leaders. And I’ve been wondering WHY? Because being married to a great and talented nigerian man of God, and also getting to know other great Africans in Europe, I’ve noticed that you’re not treated equally. This act is something so hidden that most white people are ignorant of. Little will they realize that this is discrimination. I have wondered if this is because of the root of slavery? or is it because of Fear? or is it that the media paints the wrong picture? or because black people still carry their own slave mentality and don’t take their stand. There might be different reasons that I hope to, from the revelation of the LORD with time, be able to address in the proper way to help us cast out every stronghold concerning this topic.

What I want to say is, that I also see that our community would be ways more richer (in wisdom, integrity, morality, “holy” success, …) if we would embrace, trust and give the platform to our black brothers and sisters. The LORD put consciously specific qualities in every nation that in the TOGETHER we would be made perfect. There is so much to learn from every nation and there is no one who has it all. At the same time, I could write a whole page on the qualities that the LORD put in Germans. But I think that is something for another day.

So, what are the qualities of black people besides arts?

It is the FAITH that they have in God. It is their fighting spirit. Their prayer mentality. Their heart of worship. Their positive mentality. Their positive thinking: believing that everything is possible through HIM. Their TRUST in God. Their dependency on HIM. Their ability to DREAM and not just think realistically in their own abilities rather, their believe in our ALMIGHTY GOD. Their easiness and how they take their time. In their perseverance and ability to wait on GOD! Their knowledge of the WORD of GOD and how they really believe and practice it. Getting their values and discernments from the word of God and NOT from the world. Perhaps, why they’ve got lots of WISDOM! Practicing leadership and discipleship as it is taught in the bible. Intelligence and smartness that can compete all over the world. Black people can be educated even when they might not have the same high standard tools to teach in their university. But interesting enough, if they have the possibility to study in our western universities, they can easily adjust and compete very well. Black people are not illiterates as many people think!!! And they are also not just poor people!!!

I feel so privileged to be called Mrs. Agbike. I thank God that the LORD put me in a cross-cultural marriage with a mirror that challenges me, that forms me and brings me in a better shape, that helps me to identify cultures and see how they differ from the kingdom culture.

There is no better or worse culture. There are just DIFFERENT CULTURES that GOD created for a reason!!! So let’s treat each other like that, as equals. Simply, people of God made to glorify HIM with the things that HE has put in us! We can learn from each other, We can live with each other without superiority or inferiority mentality!