Welcome to 2018- Reflections on 'the new'

01 January 2018- Reflections on ‘the new’ 

Art by Lara

As we step into the first days of the new year 2018, I thought it was the best time to write down a few thoughts. Not new year resolutions as such, but some pointers to ‘the new’ .

Being alive to witness January 1 in itself is tangible evidence of stepping into something new.

My thoughts are running along the lines of asking myself what I will do with ‘the new’ opportunities coming my way? In what ways can I embrace ‘the new’ and thus be aligned ever more closely to my purpose. Writing some of my thoughts down and sharing them like this is one. 

In 2018 I want to be kinder to myself and be even more self aware. These two things are powerful ways of being mindful and I believe this will take me to being intentional on new levels.

‘The new’ is another expression of Romans 12:2 which is a favourite scripture I come back to again and again because of the highly potent power of God that comes through His transformation, catalysed by continually opening up my mind to ‘the new’

And so my prayer for myself and all who read this today is that we will have realisations and recognitions that will bring us to making new choices for ourselves, and that this will make us develop ‘the new’ in every regard, in growth producing ways. Amen

Happy New year, and may all our thoughts be aligned with heaven’s purpose so that we will walk in it with boldness as we continually embrace ‘the new’

In addition- to hold on, stand firm and stick with it no matter what, so that we will be living examples to the glory of God, of those who have been blessed with abundant grace to endure for the sake of that which we have been called. 

Go conquer 👊🏾

I came to show Myself

I came to show myself
I came
I came to show you
How strong
You already are
Your heart is hid in me
I will always show off my treasures
For the whole world to see
That I am the one
Who has held you close forever
Who has never left you
Who shows you love unending
Did I not set the stars in the sky
And the ocean waves to roar
Did I not craft each heart
As delicate as a dew drop
But yet unbreakably strong
It is I who has never left you
Whispering my love
This is just the beginning
Of new times of joy unimaginable
Of a wiping away of tears
Of unfolding of eternity's space
🙏🏾🙏🏾🙌🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙌🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙌🏾


Lara Cookey
05 Nov 2017

A story of Hope- breast cancer awareness

I want to thank the team who gave me an awesome makeover and photo shoot to round off the month of breast cancer awareness. The article and lovely photos were published on the exact 6th anniversary date of my mastectomy surgery. I have blogged about the experience already in my 'Joblogs' which can be found on this blog, but this year's commemoration was epic. I think you will agree with me when you see the stunning photos in the link to the article below.
Okay, I will include just one here.
In this photo I am so excited to show off one of my scarf designs 'The Iya Onigele'. The company Noji Art was born out of the joy I received from painting on canvas again, and then started putting my drawings on scarfs. It has been a deeply theraputic engagement, and centre stage in the healing process. 

Omolara Cookey
photographed by @anny_robert
Styling @moashystyling,
Make up @makupbykofo,

I really enjoyed the styling, the make up and photographing process, and I am so honoured to be able to share my story in support of breast cancer awareness. Please check your boobies ladies, regularly and often, and see a doctor if you notice anything untoward. I count myself extremely lucky to have survived, as my fear kept me from doing anything for five long years. This was because I had just recovered from the disability and near death experiences from the previously undiagnosed auto immune condition called Myasthenia Gravis. Thus, I count myself a double survivor, praise be to Jesus.

Finally, my immense and unmeasurable gratitude goes to God for choosing me to showcase His awesome power and for giving me this beautiful life to live. I cannot but also give unending thanks to my husband , my children, in fact all my family and friends who stood by me in wonderful ways.
Any survivors out there? I am sending you my heartfelt love and well wishes.
Please click on the link below for the full article, so well written by Moyosola Jolaolu at Flourish Africa.

http://flourishafrica.com/2017/10/31/meet-omolara-cookey-the-breast-cancer-survivor-who-wears-victory-on-her-neck/

Manifested Power

Coming in to land in Tuscany

Stunningly beautiful terrain

In natural hues 

Of olive, earthy brown and dusky grey

Brought me joy that sprang up songs

Because of the evidence 

Of God's creative power

Put on display for me

Then I got to thinking

When I sing the chorus

Come down o Lord

And manifest your power

It seems to me that I am asking for something he has already done 

Should I not sing 

Thank you o Lord for your manifested power?

Our triune God manifests himself 

In more ways than we can imagine

It was all around me to see

In magnificent clumpy clouds

In the topography of the mountains

I came to an acknowledgement 

That even the breath of life 

Passing in and out of my nostrils

Is the manifested power of God

This, the most sophisticated 

Complex, operating system in the world

The human body, is a complete marvel

And for sure a sign 

Of God's manifested power

It is an interconnected, Interdependent plumbing, electrical and sensory circuit

Capable of amazing complexities

How the body works

Is mind blowing at the very least 

So, I am changing my song

I am changing my tune

Thank you o Lord

For your manifested power

Lara Cookey

Landing in Florence

16 August 2017

All of Creation is waiting for you

I was profoundly affected by a scripture I read yesterday because of a deep realization and understanding of its meaning. I found myself crying as I realized why I did not die from two deadly diseases. Oh my Father God!🙌🏾🙌🏾

 Glory and honour to you as I bow. I realized that this is a mandate to go all out with no holds barred to be what ALL of creation is WAITING in eager EXPECTATION to be revealed in me. 

Here is the scripture:-

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 

Romans 8:18c-19 | NIV

I also understand why a song by @nkmaduforo, beautifully rendered by her at church stirred my heart as I listened to the lyrics and watched the awesome  interpretations in modern dance that was going on as Nk sang. 

To anyone reading this. 

The world is waiting eagerly for you to be revealed. I pray that you get a clear revelation of who and what that you is, that is yet to be unveiled. May you have a sense of fulfillment as you do your purpose walk entering into new levels of expression, and enter into a place of joy and contentment. 

Amen 🙏🏾

Gratitude

GRATITUDE

Game changer, awesome Father

You have given me 

A beautiful garment of praise 

Today I thank you Lord 

For your faithfulness

You have answered  and given

Exceedingly abundantly more

I cannot begin  to tell how much

I am strengthened within

Because of who you are

Double portion giver

Restorer of locust eaten places

I bow, I worship you 

In gratitude

This day of my birth

Lara Cookey

20 July 2017  

Cumulative explosion- hidden angst

Continuing on from the post about my outburst at the supermarket, the Holy Spirit spoke these words into my heart this morning. I titled it 

CUMULATIVE EXPLOSION

Sometimes when someone snaps at you, it has very little to do with you or what triggered the snapping. It could just be a culmination of accumulated issues from the day, or deep rooted angst that is unresolved. 😇😇😇

 So the question is 'what unresolved angst are you and I harboring, known and unknown?' Can we invite the Holy Spirit to show us? Will we allow 'The Lord of our hearts' room to work these things out?  My thoughts are that this is the road map to getting rid of 'non growth producing ways' God being mine and your helper. Amen 🙏🏾 

The Holy Spirit showed up at the supermarket on Sunday

Straight after church service, hubby and I went to a supermarket to pick up some fruits for dessert after lunch. I was standing in the queue in front of the cashier when a tall man came to stand a few inches away from me with his basket. He was just too close for my comfort and I was irritated, and the narrative in my head was talking about how Nigerians lack discipline and don't respect personal space. Nothing wrong with that but I was surprised at what happened next , because I flipped. 

I yelled at him and asked him to step back and wait his turn. The person behind him echoed this too and I felt justified in my outburst until the Holy Spirit showed up and convicted me. As I was paying for my items I heard so clearly that I must not leave the supermarket with this issue open ended. I must apologize .

So I swallowed humble pie . Then I  turned to the man and said something like  ' I am sorry for shouting at you just now, I just wanted you to know that you were standing too close, and just for you to know that some people don't like this' The man looked at me with such calm and understanding and said ' I appreciate what you have told me'

I walked away profoundly affected because I am not in the habit of snapping like that and yelling at people. But the 'Lord of my heart' became my vision and sent the Holy Spirit to prompt me to apologize. This seems like a small thing but I came away smiling because the Holy Spirit visited the supermarket and thus we know that God is interested in the minute details of our lives.

That we may stumble but He will send the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Be thou my vision

'Be thou my vision o Lord of my heart' are words from one of my favorite hymns. It stirs me deeply because it is a heart felt prayer. It is an answer to what I have been thinking about over the last few days. These words tell me that my heart must be submitted to the Lordship of Jesus and thereby given 'vision' that is Godly because, aligning with God's vision makes me align with 'growth producing ways'

When I looked up this hymn, I discovered it is an 8th century Irish hymn which was first translated into English in 1912 by Eleanor Hull and published in 1919, after which it was set to the tune called 'Slane'

The words convey eternal truths that were true in the 8th century and these words are as true today, in resonance with this our God: the same yesterday, today and forever. 

May the Lord be the ruler of our hearts and thus direct us to see ourselves first as he sees us, so that we will be clear in our purpose and walk in it. 

Amen 

Asking Questions

I was reflecting on the half year gone past and crossing over into the other half of the year tomorrow . I have never received prophetic messages in old English before this. I am not a KJV or even New KJV person except for occasional cross referencing. My job is to obey, so I went ahead and drew this image that was imprinted on my mind, it came with the words 'wither thou goest?' I believe this means something to someone today. The ancient of days is asking you and me, to pay attention to decisions we make at this crossroads season. May the Lord help us . 

Parting ways with non growth producing decisions and behavior

So, I kept my mind on asking The Ancient of Days about me and what decision I should make in response to His 'old English ' question 'whither thou goest?'  The question was in the back of my mind all day as I went about my normal activities. I am hearing words like 'be still' and 'abandon all non growth producing thoughts, attitudes and behavior' It all came gushing out in this piece. How wonderful it is to come to realizations and recognitions. I pray the power of 'recognizing and realizing' for someone today. Is that someone you? Receive Liberty as I have . Amen 🙏🏾 

Be still

Be still and know that I am God

Being still is something I find difficult sometimes. My mind wanders all over the place. I think that the same impetus that gives me great insights in life on the one hand and inspiration for my artwork  on the other, makes me vulnerable to not being still. But yet this is a crucial requirement in hearing from God.

I learnt many things in the season of my life when life threatening sickness and disability was my experience. 

One of the most important things I learnt which I must add that I see now only in retrospect, is to be still. 

Even doing 'good things' like being constantly occupied with kingdom work may also be detrimental to the important discipline of 'being still'

Being still means being quiet on the inside, consciously, and intentionally shutting out all else to create an environment for 'listening' . Listen I must, if I am to be truly led along the right path of purpose and service. Busyness is detrimental to being still, and yet there is so much to do in God's vineyard, there seems to be a shortage of time and people to accomplish it. 

I have written about the 'God DNA' deposited in us in earlier blogs. It is vital that we realize that being still is key to connecting with ourselves, the part of ourselves which is God himself deposited in us. This needs careful nurturing and an enabling environment to grow. This is because it is the part of us that connects us to eternity and values that will never perish. The most important part of us which requires our stillness is 'the image of God in which we were created' It is when we connect with this part of ourselves that we have the experience of looking in the mirror of our spirit man and seeing the true reflection of who we are in Christ Jesus. Here we have confidence, we have true identity and in the stillness of these moments we see and hear God. So today I thought I should take a look at detrimental actions to being still.

They include the following: 

1. Being on my phone far too much

2. I am sometimes like Martha preparing and organizing the home

3. My thought life 

4. My attitudes and motives

5. Entertaining my fears and anxieties

6. Laziness

7. Many activities (even church ones)

So, what is the way forward?

How can I be still as described in Psalm 46:10 ?

.... "Be still, and know that I am God;I will be exalted among the nations,I will be exalted in the earth."

 

Psalms 46:10 | NIV

 

My thoughts

1. It takes PRACTICE

2. It requires being INTENTIONAL

3. It requires being SENSITIVE in the spirit

4. It requires practical things like REARRANGING our schedules

5. It requires RECOGNITION as to when to shut down

6. It requires DISCERNMENT as to what is detrimental 

7. It ultimately requires ROMANS 12:2 

 

In short, in order for me to Psalm 46:10, I must first Romans 12:2 my life so that 'we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.'

 

2 Corinthians 3:18 | NIV

 

So help me God.

Amen

 

 

 

 

Abraham and Isaac up on the mountain

I just read Genesis 22:1-12. 

I am trying to imagine what I would be thinking had I been a fly on the wall when Abraham heard he was to sacrifice his son . This is his only son, the one born to him and his sweetheart after many years of waiting, even beyond the fertile years of Sarah. A miracle baby, a precious baby, one that defied science when there was no IVF. 

And then there was the matter of the promise that Abraham would be a Father of many nations.

This story appears to raise more questions than answers. How was Abraham going to be the father of many nations after he kills his only son and heir? 

If it were in this present day, I wager his family would call on the psychiatric community to have Abraham sectioned and we in the body of Christ would all be binding and casting and denouncing every plan of the enemy. The social media waves would be bursting with compelling messages, calling for all of us to pray 'against the plan of the evil one' . The message would go something like this. 

Dear Christian brothers and sisters, please read this message to the end, it is vital and important that we take action and pray in one accord. You all remember Elder Abraham and his wife Mummy Sarah, and how they shared their testimony about the fruit of the womb after waiting over 30 years? 

Sources close to the family ( this was leaked by their house help ) reliably informs us that Elder Abraham is about to kill that baby who is now in his teens. He said he heard from God that he should sacrifice Isaac aka Oluwa pamil'erin .

Everyone should say this prayer and pass on urgently to all your chat groups and networks, to forestal the machinations of wickedness in high places

Dear Heavenly Father , we come before you on behalf of Daddy Abraham and Mummy Sarah's family. We bind every plan of the enemy to destroy your precious fruit of the womb Oluwa pamil'erin ( God has made me laugh) 

We say that all the evil forces surrounding them should die by fire! 

Protect the life of  Oluwa pamil'erin , send your waring Angels to protect him and fight for him. Restore Elder Abraham to his right mind in Jesus name. We declare that no weapon fashioned against this family shall prosper..............etc etc etc 

Thankfully, we learn from Abraham's actions that obedience is more important than anything else , that God's sovereign will triumphs over all. That God will make a way where there seems to be no way.

That God is a miracle working God indeed.

That trusting God will never take us to a place outside His will.

That our perspectives on life may be at total loggerheads with God's plan and His plan may appear to go against all logic.

I am not sure that I would have obeyed in this manner, I am sure I would be rebuking the enemy and would not have recognized this instruction from God. Abraham did, what about you and me?

What is God asking us to sacrifice, something so precious that he has gifted us with after a long, long wait? 

Are we tempted to try and align sovereign will with our own logic spurred on by what we want? 

These questions are scary to think of, but it is clear from this scripture that I must, so help me God 

Other things I have learnt:

1. There is no limit to the extents to which God will call you and He dictates the 'how' 
2. God is the giver of our lives and He alone has the power to direct its path.