Growing up in Nigeria, one of my favorite Easter traditions was going to "Galilee" on Easter Mondays. It was always a celebration, celebrating the risen Christ and His victory over sin and death. This tradition of course had its roots from the bible when the disciples went to Galilee to see Jesus after His resurrection (Matthew 28:16). From spending time with friends and families to eating a lot of delicious food... so many beautiful memories! 

Moving to the United States, Easter traditions are different here. I remember my first Easter in the US, i seriously questioned why Easter Monday was not even a public holiday in the first  place! After beautiful Easter services on Sunday, life continued normally on Monday, schools, offices and businesses were back to the normal routine. What happened to going to Galilee after the celebration of victory on Sunday? 

I found that people had different traditions leading up to Easter Sunday, i was told about a family who always had their curtains down on Good Friday and Saturday, with just candle lights around the house which was to signify the solemness of Jesus's death and on Sunday morning, they rolled the curtains up offering praises to God in victory! Beautiful right?!.

Different countries, different Easter traditions... from Easter eggs to  Easter bunnies,  my new favorite traditions will be filling Easter baskets with goodies for the community food pantry and shelters and also watching my children pick up Easter eggs.

Traditions change,  but i am most grateful for the sacrifice that was made by the unchanging love of God. 

What are your Easter traditions?

Yours in the Walk... 

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you were just going round in cycles and nothing seems to be changing? A situation where you are just waiting for a different instruction on the next cause of action or a direction on how to do things differently?

I had found myself in a particular situation, where it seemed as if nothing was working and after trying so many different options to make the situation better, it just seemed as if it wasn't going to happen. I remember thinking and praying about it and an idea i had tried before came to me, my first response was 'but i have tried that before and it didn't work'. I had to take a step back and ask myself what it would cost me to try again the same way, i did try again and this time it worked! the situation changed!

This makes me wonder, how many times we have given up too early or stopped trying because we have tried the same method before?

Simon, a fisherman had done all he knew to do, he has used all his skills and expertise including his years of experience in fishing but he still got nothing.(Luke 5). And he was careful to mention this to Jesus that they had worked very hard and targeted the right time but still caught nothing...

In Luke 5:5 Simon told Jesus “...But because you say so Lord... " Sometimes, the instruction we are waiting on might not be different from what we have tried before or what we have received earlier, the most important thing required of us is obedience. We might have to do the same thing again and we would be surprised at the results that would leave us wondering what was different this time.

The reason why Simon caught such a large number of fishes was because God said so and Simon obeyed! God wants us to learn to trust his word even when it seems we are repeating a cycle and it doesn’t make sense or we have tried things the same way before. 

This time, things are going to be different because God said so!

Yours in the walk.

When God was going to create the heavens and the earth, He didn't just create man into a void space, God put a system in place. He made the land and the waters, the sun to rule the day and the moon to govern the night. God made the animals, male and female He created them, then He made man to work the system.

A system is a set of detailed activity or processes established to achieve a desired purpose. For example,there is a reason for a family system, there is a reason why companies and organizations operate in systems. Different departments and processes working to achieve a desired goal or purpose.

As we start a new year, let us take a moment to learn from the lesson God is trying to teach us; establish a system towards achieving your desired goals. Be deliberate, for example if your goal is to read more books,create a system around that goal, read a book when traveling and any free time you have. If you have a goal to spend more time in prayers, take prayer breaks during the day. You want to spend more time with your spouse? Go out on more date nights, do something new with your spouse, if you can't do weekly, start with twice a month, whatever works for both of you is perfect.

Look around you and establish a realistic system that works for you. Systems will make you accountable, systems will make you go the long haul, systems will encourage you to go all the way like in a marathon and not just the sprint, it will help you go through the 12 months and not just 1 month. 

Take time to evaluate the systems you have established, if it works, keep up the good work, if not, set up new systems, new systems of activities, new systems of processes that will propel you towards your goals.

Yours in the walk...