THE APOSTLE OF JOY_PIDGIN SERIES 1

 Abeg...I don come again. Make we talk truth again today.

E don tay small since we yarn—and I know say many of us don enter that zone where the dreams wey we carry for January don begin to look like distant relatives wey only show face for funerals.

But wait.

Before you pack am up and throw am for dustbin of "maybe next life," make we reason small.

You see those people wey dey shout "Trust me, my guy!" anytime you carry matter reach them? Dem go tell you "2026 go be your year" with so much chest beating, you go think say dem get direct line to heaven. But my brother, my sister, their own heaven get population control—and their earth don begin to shake since last Tuesday.

Dem go promise you coconut head today, tomorrow dem go come give you garri without sugar. Dem go say "No shaking, I got you," only for you to shake alone when trouble show face.

Meanwhile, God no dey promise and forget. He no dey send "Sorry, I just saw this now" for 3am when your heart dey race and your mind dey do gymnastics.

2026 still dey wait for you.

Not because the road go be smooth like butter. Not because man no go try to discourage you with their "be realistic" sermons. But because the One wey hold the calendar no dey sleep.

Him eye dey your matter—even when your own eyes don close from tears wey don choke you.

You think say Him forget the dream wey He plant for your spirit? The one wey make you wake up at 2am with fire for your bones? The one wey your friends call "too ambitious" but your soul call "assignment"?

Him no forget o.

Na only man forget. God? His memory na eternal SSD—no corrupt, no crash, no "system failure."

So enjoy your real friends this season. Celebrate even the small wins wey your don get so far. Even if you think say you never win anything, at least na you dey read dis one now. E mean say you still dey here, you still they breathe for the land of the living. E mean say hope scatter for ground for you!

I wan advice you small today: laugh until you forget say you get age. Eat the last gizzard without apology. Flush all the jagbajantis wey dey your mind comot one time. Your mind too precious to dey fill am with junks. No worry, you go level up!

Anoda tin, abeg celebrate the ones wey still dey there through your many character revolutions—because na small proof of God's goodness. Na glimpse of how God love you: with evidence, with blackmail material, and with shared madness.

Drink laughter. Eat joy. Enjoy with wicked enjoyment—the kind wey no dey shame, the kind wey make your enemies wonder "Who be him sponsor?"

Make I yarn you the ultimate truth today,...anchor your ship for God's dock.

Because honestly—why you go trust man wey dey call you "brother from another mother" just because una share one plate of suya, when your actual brother nor even pick your call?

Man go still be man. Dem go change, dem go shift, dem go forget. But God? His number nor go change, His presence nor get low battery, and His promise na eternal data plan with no downtime.

The only Ally wey no send "I dey busy" when your heart dey race at 4am. The one wey never ever disappoint.

Man go promise you light, but na God dey give the generator plus fuel when NEPA take light.

Man go tell you "I go stand with you," but na God dey stand when everybody don siddon.

So this season, celebrate.

But no forget say na God dey make the friendship sweet, and na Him hold the umbrella when rain of disappointment fall.

And that dream wey don dey sleep since January? Wake am up. Dust am. Talk to am. Because 2026 no be promise from man—na appointment with the One wey never miss a single date.

My friend, where the thanksgiving dey happen this month?

Make we go praise the One wey never fail us, even when man don fail us reach syllabus.

The One wey still dey hold your 2026 with hands wey no dey drop anything wey belong to Him.

Your portion dey secure.

Your season dey come.

No shaking.

Amen and wicked enjoyment to your spirit! 🕊️

— @theapostleofjoy

A BILLBOARD OF GRACE

 A BILLBOARD OF GRACE 

Life often confronts us with the stark reality of our limitations. We see our weaknesses, our past failures, and the gaps in our knowledge or ability. It’s easy, in these moments, to feel unworthy of any meaningful purpose or to assume that our contributions are insignificant. Yet, the truth is startlingly different: God delights in using ordinary, flawed people to accomplish extraordinary purposes. In essence, our lives can become living billboards of His grace—testaments to His power at work in us, despite our shortcomings.

The Scriptures are filled with examples of ordinary men and women whom God elevated to do incredible things. Moses, for instance, doubted his ability to speak and lead, claiming he was “slow of speech” (Exodus 4:10). Yet, God chose him to confront Pharaoh and deliver the Israelites from bondage. Gideon, hiding from enemies and questioning his own capability, was called “mighty” because God’s strength would work through him (Judges 6:12). David, a young shepherd boy overlooked by his own family, became the king through whom God would establish a lasting legacy (1 Samuel 16:12–13).

These stories are not just historical footnotes—they are living reminders that our limitations do not disqualify us. Grace, not perfection, is the currency God uses. When God calls, He equips. When He chooses, He empowers. What seems like weakness becomes the stage on which His power is displayed. Paul makes this point profoundly in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Being a “billboard of grace” means allowing God to work in and through us so that His glory, not our abilities, shines forth. It means surrendering our fears, excuses, and self-doubt. It means stepping forward even when we feel inadequate, knowing that God’s presence amplifies what we lack.

Our modern lives are no different from the biblical narrative. Perhaps you feel too inexperienced, too broken, or too ordinary to make a difference. Yet, God’s message remains the same: yield yourself, and watch how His grace transforms your ordinary existence into an extraordinary testimony. Ordinary hands can feed the hungry, uplift the downtrodden, and spread the message of hope and love. Simple words spoken with sincerity can heal hearts, encourage the weary, and ignite change.

The invitation is clear: stop measuring yourself by your limitations and start living as a vessel of God’s grace. When you allow His Spirit to guide your steps, your life becomes a testament to the truth that what God touches flourishes. Every act of obedience, every willingness to serve, every surrendered dream becomes a visible reminder that God’s grace is sufficient, even for the most ordinary among us.

In a world obsessed with human achievement, let your life proclaim a different message—a billboard of grace that says, “Despite all my weaknesses, God can use me.” Let the story of your life testify that it is not by might, not by power, but by His Spirit that the impossible becomes possible.

No matter your past, no matter your fears, or perceived inadequacies, God invites you to rise. Yield yourself fully. Allow Him to write His story through you. And as you do, you will become a living, breathing billboard of grace, proclaiming to all who see you that God’s power is made perfect in weakness and His love knows no bounds.

© Pastor Emmanuel Obu 

Monday June 8th, 2026