Rayo turned again in her bed and pulled the Ankara bed cover over her legs just in time. She had just prevented a day-old mosquito from landing on her ankle with its proboscis. She closed her eyes and tried to resume her sleep. But something was just not right and she kept on closing and opening her eyes, desperate for sleep.
RECITATION, a Mount Zion movie written, produced and directed by Damilola Mike-Bamiloye, was yet to be released and was being premiered at my roomie’s church. I had to jump on her invite. You know, anything to spice up my outwardly boring life during the short school break. It was my first time at a movie premiere, and for a Mount Zion movie, I had expectations. The famous “The Winlos” were among the cast. I just had to see the movie for myself and prepare a befitting honest review before everyone had access to it on Youtube. So, brace up, you’re about to be barraged with spoilers.
My Daddy Longlegs resulted from careful journaling and awareness of what was happening within and without. I gave a lot of deep sighs trying to write this review. In my head, impulses of “I have a lot to write on this” kept shooting like stars, and I knew that a dense mass of something in my chest needed to unwind. I have a lot to say, but each point looks irrelevant, and I can’t articulate it yet.
This story is not about mosquitoes and their blood-sucking colleagues. It’s neither about demons. It is about humans and their emotions. It is metaphoric, like some of the parables Jesus told.
Humans will always act as humans, whether in the church, mosque or some other secular places. In a world which is our temporary home, we have to keep getting transformed because of our human nature.
Church calls out to you, but you’ve been out of it for a while. So you don’t want to ‘show face’ there. In the past week, you thought of things that won’t happen. Your body might be in Ibadan, but your mind had wandered ten thousand miles in circles. And your parents wondered, voicing out their worries. “Why is your body hot? Oh, is it a fever? Why is your fever this severe? Don’t tell me you want high blood pressure at this age.”
Blood sucking demons, church chronicles
Blood-sucking demons focused on a guy at the receiving end of hurt from a human he attended the same church with. Even in church, we are still humans. And church hurt is not going to be something if human emotions weren’t involved.
People say that happiness is free. You are indeed responsible for how you react to external stimuli ( whether it can or cannot be prevented) However, the actions of people who have a field day trampling over others especially when they are of the household of faith should be curtailed.
If we continue to ignore issues like “church hurt” or just blatantly say there’s no such thing just because we haven’t walked a mile in their slippers, we’ll keep having to deal with people who fall out of faith because of the way those whom they regarded as family treated them.
As we try to win more souls for the kingdom, we should not negligently allow those that are already in to backslide. While most people will endure suffering that stems from Church by focusing on the author and finisher of our faith, and allowing the Holy Spirit to work out their character in them (Rom 5: 3-4), some won’t. And when they fall out, you shouldn’t expect them to keep calm or just be neutral about Christianity. Many of such are people who publicly oppose Christianity. Whatever you tell them so they can come back to the fold, will fly over their heads. It is not about their lack of knowledge about godly virtues, but because their emotions have been tampered with.
Jesus declared, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’…
matt 22: 37-39
The first and greatest commandment involves emotions and thus, applies to all believers since we are all humans.
From Aunty Feminist Goes to Church review, something was written concerning emotions. Emotions have to be important for them to be something you can love God with and sacrifice when needed.
Concerning Church hurt, the one on the giving end keeps doing one or some of those things that can make his brother fall. Unfortunately, he is also going against the great commandment, which is loving God. And how can one love God without loving his brother as himself?
To the one on the receiving end, loving your neighbour like yourself means you love yourself enough to forgive your neighbour. Forgiveness is more to your benefit than the person you forgave. It will bring health to your bones and allow for joy in your heart. And of course, you were sent as sheep among wolves for a reason.
If you were to ask believers if they wanted to be like Abel, they would be mute. But neither would they want to be like Cain.
You have to be innocent as a dove and as shrewd as a serpent because you cannot be another Abel. Whether we like it or not, we’ll continue to be among wolves, in the world and the church. Hence, there has to be a balance of innocence and wisdom. Don’t suffer unnecessarily, except God has a purpose for your suffering.
Because, no matter how different we are as human beings, we are still one body; the Bride of Christ, making herself ready for the marriage of the lamb.
It is understandable now that we are in women’s history month to talk about a woke subject–feminism.
It was scary and somewhat brave to broach this topic, as it is a sensitive one that is more often than not spoken about among church ladies. It’s not for a lack of them not being aware of these things, but it’s more of being selectively mute about it in church. Yeah, the Church is not a circus where everyone speaks of whatever comes to their minds and makes it a rowdy place. But then, these issues are being discussed everywhere else.
The story started with a simulation of what people call capital tongues from the prayer cord. Yeah, just like the stereotypes, he is a guy. And from the concave lenses of Sayo, the story continues. We see a beautifully dressed female chorister take the microphone to lead the worship. Only later did we know the gravity of that action of merely taking the microphone. The prayer cord had set the congregation on fire using the same microphone, and it was to be used to project the wership of Jeezes, according to Mumcy Precious, the female chorister.
E don tey wey me and you don jam for this space. Na exam I write write write oh. I say I no get time to dey write again. For how many months wey he be like that? I con tell myself “After exam, you go con resume.” Na wetin I think be that. But after we finish exam, I try. I try but he con be like say the plan of say I go dey give back to back stories like layer upon layer of cake, but na only rest I dey rest. Birthday issue still don enter. Na then I know say that week don commot too. You know, person go fit pray and do many many things sotey usher imself into a new year. Na so week dey climb on top week for my eyes. E shock me.
By Precious Olaleye
Confession:
I love God with my whole heart,
I love God in the good times and even during the bad times I believe that God’s words still stand
I’m living my best life.
Freshly squeezed bitterleaf juice in one hand, thoughts of recent events in my head, and the soft melody of soothing voices from my radio kept me snuggled in the corner of my bed. I watched the rays of light that I hoped would touch my yellowing philodendron bounce off and on the multicoloured rechargeable torch on the window instead.
Church Chronicles is currently on its 7th lap. That means we have seven whopping stories with “Church Chronicles” as its umbrella.
But right now, we’re taking a short pause to reflect. It’s just right to say we’re on Sabbath.
We want reviews of any of the Church Chronicles to date from you, our reader. Don’t keep those awesome thoughts and discussions you’ve had about the series to yourself. You can send your reviews here.
After then, we can see if we can continue with the Church Chronicles series.
Xoxo.
Check out the Church Chronicles Series