“The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:5-7)
By the grace of God I am a medical doctor by profession and a pastor by calling! Please read, meditate and pray about this information! During this lockdown many people battle with anxiety. My desire is to help you! Anxiety is a common feeling. it is an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future. When anxious, you see the future as dangerous! Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. It’s a feeling of fear about what’s to come. These are some examples of situations that can make you anxious: the first day of school, going to a job interview, giving a speech in public, being alone in a crowd, flying, your boss or pastor is calling you, you lose your job, going to see the doctor or the dentist…

Anxiety disorders are characterized by a variety of symptoms.
One of the most common is excessive worrying that disrupts daily functioning. You cannot be calm and you cannot stay focused! Because of worrying, you can’t work well! Other signs include agitation, restlessness (you feel like getting up and leaving the room), fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, tense muscles, trouble sleeping, social situations.

Don’t ignore anxiety! It is normal to be anxious but not over-anxious. When anxiety interferes with your prayer life, you reading the Bible or your worship, then it may be empowered by a demon. Fast three days! Pray asking God for mercy and deliverance! Pray for the courage and faith to confront that demon! Pray that the Holy Spirit reveals to you the entrance of this demon! You must ‘see’ the past door of entrance because the demon must leave thru exactly the same door! Pray in tongues! Be ready for freedom! God is with you! This is the time for your deliverance and victory! I testify that for more than 20 years I am ‘anxiety free’! This is the truth! God has delivered me from this spiritual poison! God can also do it for you! The Lord is near!!! Jesus Christ is Lord!!!!

After more than a month of lockdown, our daughter, Jemine and her husband, Matthew Oakes will re-open their shop tomorrow, 1st of May. They have a plant and flowers shop in Houston, Tx. It is called ‘The Flora Culture’. For the soon coming ‘mother’s day’, they named some plants using different mothers’ names. This one is called ‘The Malia’! That is my name-oh!!! (See me in the picture, with blue ribbon around… Am I not fine?). If you live in Houston, please ‘patronize’ them and go and buy ‘me’! I am only $37,50!!! The rest of you who live outside Houston, please pray for them! I use our children’s shop as a point of contact to pray for all of you who, after the lockdown, you re-open your businesses! As children of God, we can never lose! This is my work, to loudly unashamedly boast about my children! ‘A beg, helep my children-oh!!!’ Praise the Lord somebody!

https://www.thefloraculture.com/product-page/the-lia?fbclid=IwAR2MbcaA2IAwnZ6gVaSuRN0npnq4Kpx3Q9fJvFaH7F59s7Yh4PQh_UJS-Yg

This is a wonderful testimony from a daughter in Christ! She is married with two children. She comes from a wealthy family. After marriage, she had problems on how to adjust to a more humble life. She has tried many types of businesses but she could not achieve her heart’s desire. She is a committed Christian, wonderful wife and mother. I am a witness that over the years, she never gave up trying to improve her life! This morning, she sent me this joyful testimony! It is to the glory of God, to the shame of the devil and for the encouragement of others! Praise the Lord!
“Good afternoon Malia!
How are you Malia! I pray good by the grace of God.
I testify to God’s goodness and favor, in this period of Lockdown, I know and hear of complaints about this period, but for me I want to give glory and thanks to Papa God. This this period people have placed orders for nosemask, from 2, 5, 7, 10,24, to over 60, I felt joyful like a little child whose Father just gave the best gift a child could want. Malia this is my first time doing business, I am just happy, excited and grateful, yes I did feel a bit overwhelmed by the orders increased as they increased, but all I see is the grace of God upon me, cause I don’t have a shop or the manpower for it, or major skills, but God’s grace is more than sufficient for me.
Ma even I did a video on how to make a nosemask. To God alone be the glory I uploaded on youtube. The Lord truly has brought me a long way, by myself I wouldn’t have attempted it ( would have made some excuses as to why it’s not such a good idea), but thank God for grace to be bold and courageous ( Joshua 1:9).
I am still in the learning process and I know that I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me . I hope you like it, all comments and corrections are most welcome Ma.
Thank you Jesus. In all things I give thanks to Papa God for he is good and his mercies endures forever.
Have a lovely day Ma. Your daughter…”

“The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you!” (Ex 34:10)
This evening I received a wonderful testimony from a Christian sister I respect so much. Read and be encouraged! Please, encourage her too! (She will read your comments!)

“Dear Malia, I have always desired a higher walk of faith in my Christian journey for some years now. Though l believed God’s word to be true, it appeared l was not really dependent on it. I trusted God for prayers on certain challenges but I did not follow through, definitely l allowed fear and doubt… But last year l made up my mind and prayed that God will help me take His word for what it says. I began to confess that l need His Power from on high to quicken my mind and for His word to renew my mind. I took the promises of God for myself and ask God go teach me to rely on His word. Whatever happened, l deliberately chose to dwell and received God’s promises. As long as it is His word, l believed it, not minding what l feel, see or hear. God’s word settles it. When I got challenges with my health and finances, God taught me how to trust Him. He has made my faith strong by allowing me to pass through difficulties. He always shows up at my wit’s end. He specializes in impossibilities with men. He always makes a way when l trust Him to the end. I have enjoyed this experience during this season. Nothing is impossible with God. His word is full of Power and fulfilment. I only need to trust Him!

l now realize that the Lord has brought me into a new season of Supernatural experiences. I believe that from now on l need not live a life of struggles anymore, but bask in Supernatural pleasant surprises . Ex 34:10, Hab 1:5, Is a 41: 8-20, Mk 11 23-24, Mk 9: 23. Jn. 11: 34-40. These and some other Scriptures God has imprinted on my heart in this season. And so l am full of Hope and divine aspirations in this my new age. Rm 15: 13. I am overflowing with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit!

Dear Malia! I have to thank you and Tali so much for always challenging us to let our faith rise. I can not fail depending on God. When l shall take a leap of faith, l can either fall into His hand, the most secure place, or He will give me wings to fly! Thanks again mum for your love!”

I had a wonderful childhood. This picture is about 60 years old. It was taken at the end of the school year. I just finished primary one and I took first in my class. The teachers gave me a certificate of honor. My parents gave me a big bouquet of flowers, you see that I carry in my arms! My father was the principal of the school and my mother was my teacher. This picture was taken in the old train station of Orsova, Romania. The old city is now under the water (The Government built a big dam on the River Danube. The waters rose and covered the whole town. We all moved to another town also called Orsova). My father, Prof. Albai Ion, is now in heaven. All I have left are priceless memories. I still remember how safe and strong I felt by his side. He was holding my hair because the wind was blowing and wanted to cover my face. I still remember how proud he was of my sister and I. He openly praised us and told us that we can achieve anything we want in this world if we work hard and stay focused. Before he died he gave his life to Christ. He prayed to ‘Jesus, the God of his daughter Lia in Nigeria’. When I told him that I want to marry Richmond, a Nigerian, he was very concerned. Initially he refused my request. But with time, he accepted my husband with so much love, like his son he never had. What joy it is for me to remember my father this morning…

TO DO YOU GOOD IN THE END
Do not forget God “who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions (COVID19), and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end” (Deut 8:15, 16)
This present lockdown is a form of wilderness. As the people of God needed to pass thru the desert, to arrive at the Promised Land, so we need to pass, thru some spiritual dryness. May we see God’s purpose in this season of our lives! May we cooperate with the purpose of God! To the children of God, I am saying that the faster we obey God, the earlier we shall be out of the wilderness. Many people complain when passing thru hard times. This I a question: What is wilderness good for? Wilderness is a place where you wander about waiting for God, you feel wasted and forgotten by God. It is a place where God teaches you humility. God appreciates humility in people. Read Deuteronomy 8.
In the wilderness God does two things:
*God teaches us the value of humility and the value of the Word of God (Deut 8:2, 3)! Never forget that! God appreciates humility in people. He gives ‘more grace’ (unmerited favor) but only to the humble (Jam 4:6). The evil spirit of religion produces false humility, which is an inverted pride! God never accepts that! The fruit of the Holy Spirit is genuine humility. You become humble like Jesus! God appreciates and rewards the one who is humble and who ‘trembles at His Word’ (Is 66:2)!
How do you know that you are genuinely humble? This is just one test: you totally trust God to provide for you everything you need (spiritually and physically)! You do not trust in your wisdom or in your strength! You trust only in Jehovah Jireh!
How do you identify false humility and the fact that you do not trust Jehovah Jireh as your total Provider? You complain and you boast about yourself!
1-You complain about His provision! You are not content with what you have right now! You are not dying of hunger, but you complain that you do! You lust after ‘the cucumbers of Egypt’ and you complain that you do not have them. You tend to focus on what you lack and not on what you already have!
2-You boast about the things you have (food, clothes, opportunities…) like you are the one who provided them on the table!
In other words, a humble person does not complain when he does not have and does not boast when he has! He lives by faith in God, with a grateful heart, giving thanks to God always!
*God allows us to pass thru the wilderness to prepare us for future blessings (Deut 8:16)! God wants ‘to do us good in the end’. In Hebrew, the word ‘good’ means to become better and to live in prosperity! This promise is for you and your children!
Think about this: What makes you complain? The food on the table ‘is not sweet’; the attitude of the Government; the weather is too hot; the words you hear, the circumstances… Never forget! Everything we have is from God! God does not owe us anything! Child of God, you must not complain! What about pride; the boast of life? Do you think in your heart: I am more beautiful than others… my job is better… Stop boasting! All you have is a gift from God! The wilderness reveals the deep things in your heart! The way you behave in the wilderness this is how you will behave in times of plenty!
As you can see, this lockdown has put a stop to fleshly attitudes. God is guiding us thru this spiritual wilderness so that He will bless us at the end. Do you feel His guiding hand? Did you thank Him that you are not alone? That even now, you are making progress. When we shall come out from this ‘prison’ we shall not go back to the way ‘life used to be’! No! We shall enter a better place of peace and prosperity! Do you believe that your future is better than your past? Then say so! Boast not about yourself but boast about God! He ‘does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles. He gives rain for the earth and water for the fields. He gives prosperity to the poor and protects those who suffer’. These are the promises of God: “From six disasters He will rescue you; even in the seventh, He will keep you from evil. He will save you from death in time of famine, from the power of the sword in time of war. You will be safe from slander and have no fear when destruction comes. You will laugh at destruction and famine; wild animals will not terrify you. You will be at peace with the stones of the field, and its wild animals will be at peace with you. You will know that your home is safe. When you survey your possessions, nothing will be missing. You will have many children; your descendants will be as plentiful as grass! You will go to the grave at a ripe old age, like a sheaf of grain harvested at the proper time! “We have studied life and found all this to be true. Listen to my counsel and apply it to yourself” (Job 5:8-13; 17-27; NLT)
Let’s pray: Dear Abba Father, I thank You, for who You are to me! You are my God, my Provider, my Guide in this life, my best Friend, my Doctor, my Lawyer, my Helper, my Peace and my Joy! You are my Life! Thank You for Your Word, for teaching me humility and wisdom! Thank You Lord that You are my Hope! My future is better than my past and present! I give You alone all the glory! I worship You! In Jesus’ name, amen!

This morning I saw a little light, at the media stand, shining in the dark sanctuary. I went closer and I saw brother Shammah at the laptop. He came to do some ‘editing’. Can you imagine this type of faithfulness? Nobody called him. It must be the Holy Spirit! People worry about C-virus and complain about the politicians. But this brother came from home to do ‘editing’ for our messages. When all things are well, people like him pass unnoticed. But now, this humble brother was the only star I saw in the darkness. I was blessed! God surprises me every day. His work and His worship can never stop. Even in the middle of this ‘lockdown’, even if it is done by little men, rejected or ignored, in hidden corners, God’s work and worship must continue. God is changes things. The hypocrites are scattering… But God’s remnant will surely be gathered! I have seen it again and again! The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot quench it! Brothers and sisters, may your little line shine! Lift up the name of Jesus! God will reward you! God bless Brother Shammah and many others like him! Praise the Lord!

This morning I received a letter from a brother in the church. He is about 40. He is married with children. In the past, he struggled with his walk in Christ. He comes from a ‘rough’ background. He fell sometimes. But thru it all, he got up and started all over again. That is why I like him. Read his letter and be blessed. He will read your encouraging comments. God bless you all!

“Good Morning Ma’am! Greetings in the name of Jesus my Lord and God, I send you this message to give Glory to The Father of our Lord . Through the power of the Holy Spirit, my wife and children are all fine… a lot to say about but God’s goodness to me and my house, God has surrounded my house on every side
Deep inside me I desire most above these blessings is to be Holy, desperately want be clean and faithful to God in life , each day I make a mess of it and fall on my kneels to ask for forgiveness, desperately cry and feeling better filled with the Holy Spirit vowing never to fall again, whenever the day ends again I find myself unworthy to even call His Name or for Him to fellowship with me,I cry over this in worship and prayers but still needs to be filled at the end , I want to overflow with His presence, being unable to live continuously on that level of anointing of His presence, I get so empty desiring to be filled with the Holy Spirit…. I am miserable in this pursuit… counsel me Ma’am… Please counsel me, Ma! Scold me; rebuke me… I respect you so much in Jesus… Other than that, we are safe to the best of our knowledge, my faith in the Lord to keep us safe from the C19 increases faster than the fear . I do go to work daily to look after my poultry and come back before 1pm everyday. I ensure to keep safe distance, washing my hands as much as I can. It is in the Lord I put my trust because I believe Jesus is the answer for the world today. I also believe that you are safe, and I trust Tali is on top of things being safe I enjoy our radio station a lot… God bless you Ma’am! Shalom! I am your son… “

This is my answer to him:
I want to say that your letter made me happy. You sound like a man who is truly seeking God. You have made mistakes in the past, but you are not a fake. You are genuine. That is good! This seeking God is not easy at all. Most people do not want to enter that road because it is so difficult, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. But once you enter, you sense the power of the Holy Spirit pushing you on, in a way that, even when it is hard, you cannot stop seeking God. The grace of God shall be revealed to you. With time you shall discover that it is not you who lives, but Christ who lives in you, who does the work inside your heart. Keep this in mind: Our Lord said this! If you seek Him, you shall find Him and His fullness. Meditate on these scriptures: Matthew 7: 7-11 and Jeremiah 29: 11-14). God bless you and your family! Love in Christ alone, Malia!

Since this lockdown, I have been praying for a deeper spiritual understanding of this present situation. I am praying for myself, my husband, our children (natural and spiritual). This word applies to all believers but especially us, the members of Father’s House Bible Church, Warri/Effurun, Nigeria (and it’s ‘branches’). The truth is that the Holy Spirit has been rather quiet to me. I have been waiting in silence… This week, the Holy Spirit gave me a word: ‘You are on time out!’ At the beginning I did not understand this word. But soon, the revelation came with it. I remembered my time as a mother to our three children. I will teach them what is good and what is bad. I will correct them when necessary. If our children disobey my command, I correct them. If they continue in disobedience, I warn them to obey it, if not, there shall be consequences. If they ignore my warnings, then I must discipline them. Sometimes, words are not enough. I have two options: 1-Active punishment (to flog them) and 2-Passive punishment (going on Time out!). I believe that in this season, God has put us on ‘Time out!’. The virus is not in charge! God is!
What is ‘time out’? It is a form of parental discipline that ‘works’ very well. When your child loves his toys more than you, the parents; when he becomes rude to you for the sake of playing, then your child must be disciplined. When two children fight over a toy, then the toy is removed from them and they both must go on a time out (in different corners of the room, not together in the same place). Time out applies to younger children. The older the children get, the more they understand words of counsel. Time out is a period of two to five minutes when the child is forcefully removed from the middle of his toys and entertainment and put on a chair facing the wall. At the beginning, he will cry and complain. But he must learn to ‘cool down’. He must learn to stay still. As parent, what do you do? You ignore his cries, you continue your work, but keeping an eye on the child, so that in anger, he will not hurt himself. If your child says that he needs to go to the toilet, you can take him there, and you bring him back to face the wall. The child must learn that his cries and lies do not have the power to manipulate you, the parent. The purpose for this ‘time out’ is for the child to learn wisdom, self-control, to stop being selfish and spoiled. When he has nobody to talk to and nothing to play with, he will learn to love and appreciate his parents and his siblings more than his toys. In other words, the child will learn wisdom and true love!
Spiritually, this forced lockdown is a time out! God is teaching us wisdom and love during this season of ‘time out’. The earlier we cooperate with His loving discipline, the faster we shall come back to ‘normal’. We cannot deceive or manipulate God! We shall discover that God the Father is in charge! We must do His will, not ours! This is one of the spiritual purposes of this painful lockdown. Children must behave as their parents. God’s children must behave and talk like Jesus! I heard it said that during storms of life, God’s children run to their Father. They miss their Father. They want to see their Father’s face. They want to feel their Father’s presence. They want to hear their Father’s voice! But the children of the devil, behave like slaves. They take advantage of the storm and run away from home. Remember that God chastises only His children. It is a sign of love. Sometimes we need ‘tough love’. The chastisement is not ‘sweet’ now. It is in fact painful. But it will produce the good fruit of spiritual maturity, wisdom, and true love! God wants us to share in His holiness not in the world’s lusts (Heb 12:1-11). We are God’s children! Let us run back to God the Father’s everlasting arms!
Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father, we ask for forgiveness and for mercy. You are right! You are always right! For a long time, we have ignored Your warnings. We fell in love with this world. We started loving Your gifts more than we loved You, the Giver. We stopped being grateful… We complained against You and became careless with Your Word, with prayer and with the worship. We started quarreling with our brothers and sisters in the church. We lost our testimonies as children of God… Thank You Abba Father for taking us to ‘a time out’! Since we have been in this lock down, facing the wall, not able to go to Your sanctuary, not being able to serve You in your house, we are now humbled. We thank You for Your loving discipline. We thank You for this ‘time out’ away from Your blessings. We thank You for teaching us how to love You! We thank You for helping us to be like Jesus! We trust You to bring us, stubborn sheep, and foolish lambs, back to the fold. We miss the fellowship of Your Spirit and the assembly of our brethren. Have mercy on us, Father! You are our first love! To serve You is a privilege! We vow that by Your grace, we shall obey You always and worship You in humility, faithfulness, and truth! We love You, Father, Son and Holy Ghost! In Jesus’ name we pray, amen!

My Garden has many surprises. God is using the plants, the butterflies and the birds to talk to me. This lockdown, with its quietness, has only helped me to better hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. When we moved to this house, my husband and I planted a beautiful garden in the backyard. Everything in it, including the plants and the decorations, are ‘made in Nigeria’. As you can see, I love my garden. My husband designed some hanging baskets. They were welded on the ‘street lights’. We decided to fill the baskets with artificial plants. This is because I was not sure that I will be able ‘to climb’ every day to water them. It has been like that for the past four years. This evening I observed that on top of our artificial (dead) plants, a fresh living plant is growing!!! Nobody has planted it there. Nobody has watered it there. There is no soil there… God really surprised me today! All my fears of not being able to care for the living plants have disappeared in a minute. Is this not wonderful?

This is a lesson for all: Don’t limit God! In the midst of dry tears, unspoken fears, lost hopes, timid limitations and even death itself, the power of resurrection pushes thru, reminding us all that God is in charge! That morning dawn when Jesus rose from the grace, death itself feared! (In Warri we say: ‘Death shocked in’).

This is my prayer for you: May the God of miracles visit you in your lockdown! May the barren women become pregnant! May the singles get married! May the sick be healed! May the oppressed be free! I don’t know how and I don’t know when! But I believe God can do it! In the name of Jesus! The cloud of darkness, poverty, loneliness and pain is moving away. Soon, we shall gather again, and worship our God! Jesus is Lord!

“I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for Me? (Jer 32:27)

“O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!” (Ps 8:1)

This is a picture I took from my balcony, in Effurun/ Warri, Nigeria. It is now raining season. Can you see the beauty of God’s creation? Can you see the sky? It is like a painting! Glory!

Nigeria is my adopted country. I live here since 1980. This is my observation… Many Nigerians hate their country and want to go abroad, anywhere… so far is ‘abroad’… to find ‘greener pastures’. They think that God has forgotten Nigeria. They have lost hope for a change. Look at this picture… what do you see? This glimpse of the sky over us here in Effurun is a reminder that God is everywhere. He is the Omnipotent God! This is not ‘a second hand’ sky! This is not ‘a faded’ glory!!! This is not ‘okrika’ beauty! I know that there are many problems in Nigeria. But I also know that God is bigger than all our problems! Therefore, I have hope!

This picture is a reminder that God is in Nigeria and that God loves this country, I live here and I am a witness to His presence and to His love for the people. I am a pastor in Nigeria, at Father’s House Bible Church! My flock is made of Nigerian sheep and lambs. I am the only ‘oyinbo’ in our church but that does not matter. I am their ‘mummy’. We are one in Christ alone! Let’s praise the only Living God! Let’s acknowledge His presence in our midst! Make some noise my dear Nigerian brethren! Let’s hala! Shout: Oluwa! Jesus! Jesu!!! Sing unto the Lord a new song! Praise His holy name!!!!!!!! God bless Nigeria!!!!!

MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEEDS!
“And my God will supply all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19)

This testimony is to the glory of God, to the shame of satan and for the encouragement to the brethren! This is a time of trial for all people but especially for the children of God. We must trust in God! We must trust in our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ! If we say that we trust Jesus for the salvation of our souls, then we should trust the same Jesus for the keeping of our bodies. If your faith works only in good times and not in ‘bad’ times, then your faith is dead. Child of God, examine yourself, if your faith is the living miracle working faith! Bellow, you see part of a conversation I had with a sister in Christ, thru the inbox. She is a born again sister, faithful wife and mother. But because of the lockdown, her faith was shaking recently. She became afraid that she and her children will die of hunger. Of course, that is the devil’s attack thru the evil spirit of fear. You must identify the enemy and reject him in the name of Jesus! Thank God this sister obeyed and believed my word of rebuke! That was three days ago. This morning she sent me this note that God has answered our prayers. Thank God! I use this conversation as a point of contact to rebuke every child of God for doubt and to be filled with the Holy Spirit again! Fear not! Jehovah Jireh is in charge! Praise the Lord somebody!!!!

Sister: Good evening Ma, We just prayed that this extra two weeks hungry will not be able to kill us mostly our kids I pray in Jesus mighty name amen

Me: Look to the future… do you see you and the kids dead because of hunger, buried in the cemetery? Is that what you see? Let’s say in August, are you dead or alive?

Sister: Alive Ma!

Me: Then stop talking foolish talk that hunger will kill you… that is a lie! God provides food for His children! Speak faith, not fear! In Jesus’ name!

Sister: Amen thanks ma you have given me the food of the Holy Spirit

Me: Be strong! come back with the testimony how God has helped you! Fear not! Only believe

THREE DAYS LATER…
Sister: Gud afternoon ma praise the Lord , God has answers my prayers oooooo I was just sitting down with my husband thinking of what do so that the children can eat,to God be the glory my sister in law just call that she have send money into my account and she said l should use the money for food, just this efternoon I saw an alart in my phone it was about 30,000 mum God has done it again oooo I love you Jesus oooo!!!! God is always faithful to his children him alone is worthy of my praiise… Thank you Ma for your encouragement! Jesus!!!!

“Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength” (Ecc 9:10)

Some time ago, a young sister in Christ, has told me that she is learning how to paint. She is a graduate waiting for a job. But she decided to learn how to paint as a hobby. She bought some water and oil colors just before the lockdown. For the past three weeks she has done two paintings (as you see in the picture).

What is the lesson? This is an idea, to invest your time and your hidden talents in something you always wanted to do. Don’t say that you cant do it. That is a lie! You can never know until you try it! Do not waste your time, even if you have to stay indoors from morning till night. Don’t sleep too much; don’t eat too much! Be creative! Try something new! Do not listen to what negative people say! Don’t do it just to sell it. Do it for your pleasure alone. Make yourself happy! Trust God to help you learn a new skill. You can do it! May God bless the work of your hands!

I will appreciate prayer and a word of encouragement for this sister. She will read your comments. God bless you all!

“I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished…” (Phil 1:6)
One of our daughters in Christ sent me this note. Long ago, she decided to learn how to make a rug. She started it and then, she abandoned the work. Before now, she was too busy to finish her project. But now, with this lockdown, she went back to it and finished the rug today (see it in the picture). She is very happy!!! Me too, I am happy with her.
“Dear Malia, I just completed the rug I started some months back. I actually left it for sometime but I had to go back to it during this lock down. Thank God for helping me press on even when it looked like it wasn’t going to finish. grace to finish projects. I am happy and grateful. Thank you Malia for always encouraging me to move on! Your daughter… ”
This is a reminder to us all that God does not have ‘unfinished projects’. On the Cross, Jesus said: “It is finished!” When God starts something, He always finishes it, to His glory and for our own encouragement! As children of God, we must do the same.
What is the lesson? You have now enough time to go back and finish abandoned projects: that prayer, that work, that song. No more excuses! You cannot stay indoors just for the fear of C-virus. The evil spirit of fear is worse than any virus! It weakens the body and the mind and damages your faith in God. We reject that! In the name of Jesus! You must keep busy by reading the Bible, praying, exercising your body and working with your hands. God is still in the business of blessing the work of your hands!!! This lockdown does not stop God in blessing you! The angels are still around you to protect you! The Holy Spirit’ realm has not changed. There is still ‘peace’ in the air! God will give you creative ideas on how to use your hands during this unconventional season. Send me more testimonies! I say to you: be strong! Be happy! Be healthy! God will surprise you with fresh blessing from heaven! Peace to you all!

“The glory of the Lord appeared to all the people” (Lev 9:23)

I just took these pictures from my garden. It is 18:24. Beautiful sunset over Warri/Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria! Is this not wonderful? I take this picture of golden blanket as the Holy Spirit covering His people! Fear not! God is in control! The sun is not too early in the morning and not too late in the evening! From the rising of the sun until the going down of the same, Ley everything that has breath praise the Lord!!! Jesus!!!!!

(I am not a professional photographer. I took these pictures with my phone. I can’t take any credit. The beauty of the sky is God’s)

“Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord (Jn 20:19, 20)

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up” (Ecc 4:9, 10).
“Pay everyone what you owe him… respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due” (Rom 13:7)
I recently wrote my testimony as a wife and a mother, living in Nigeria for the past 40 years. Somebody commented: “Malia, thanks for the admonition through your testimonies. Apart from the Holy Spirit leadership, I perceive you being transparent, flexible to adjust to any situation and truthful”. Others told me that it is a miracle how I adapted so well to the Nigerian culture and still retaining my identity as a ‘Naija wife’ (meaning an Oyinbo or foreigner wife). I thought about it… I often learn from people’s comments. If the comments are positive, I give glory to God. This is because if people see something good in me, it is not a natural gift. It is Christ in me, the hope of glory, the work of the Holy Spirit. That is why I cannot take any credit for any qualities you admire in me. God takes all the glory! If the comments are ‘negative’, I do not just delete them, or insult them. I always pray about things people say about me that I do not like. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit says that I should ignore them. Other times He tells me to pray for that ‘negative’ person, that he has a problem with misdirected anger. In other cases, I gain wisdom by correcting my behavior or at least my attitude. I’ve learned to use everything around me. I do not waste spiritual or natural resources. I have learned that from the Holy Spirit! Little is much when God is in it! I have often found diamonds in the trash can. My hands may become dirty, and my nose filled with some bad odor. But this is a small price to pay for redeeming a pearl of great value found in a most unexpected place.
Lastly, I want to add that marriage is a teamwork. I am sure you know that! Next to God, my husband (Pastor Richmond Leigh) must take the credit for my testimony as a happy wife living in Nigeria. The Holy Spirit has empowered my husband to be a true leader and teacher to me. He is the one who thought me 99% of what I know about the Nigerian culture and how to respond to it. He is also my pastor and my spiritual leader. When I came to Nigeria in 1980, I could not speak English. My husband speaks Romanian fluently. He helped me to learn English and ‘broken English’. He is always challenging me to improve my language. He is the one who advised me to write books and letters on Facebook. I am shy by nature. My husband encourages me to stand in public (in the church) and preach to Word with confidence! We talk about the Bible and how best to apply the lessons so that many will benefit from them. We try to practice what we preach. My husband has never manipulated me, and he has never forced me to bow to the Nigerian culture (or any culture). He patiently explained to me again and again, what is expected of me, not just as his wife, but as a ‘our wife’ living in Nigeria. He gave me the guidelines and then, he trusted me to apply them as I think best. He is the most wonderful teacher as many other people in our church can testify. He trusted me to behave well within the boundaries of Nigerian culture. He also trusted me to retain my originality and creativity; in other words, to still be myself. For that, I will be eternally grateful to him, as my husband, the father of our children, as my pastor and my teacher. This story is a work in process. I made many mistakes. Sometimes I will be tired of ‘Naija ohala’. So many times, my husband will encourage me to keep going, saying that ‘I am trying’ and I can do better next time. You see, my testimony is in fact, OUR TESTIIMONY! I use our testimony as a pint of contact to pray for the happiness and success of your marriages! I also pray that the singles marry well, led by the Holy Spirit. As you can see, a true marriage is ‘made in heaven and enjoyed on earth’.
This morning, I give honor to my husband, because this honor is due to him! Please pray for him and ‘greet him for me’ when you talk to him! Glory to God! Thank you! God bless you all!
(In the picture, my husband and I as newly weds, In Romania, about 1975 and as we are now (2020). To God be all the glory!)

The older women should ‘teach the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God” (Tit 2:4, 5)
My husband and I are married for 46 years. We have three adult children and seven grandchildren. I live in Nigeria without any interruption (except for short vacations) since 1980. I worked as a medical doctor for twenty years. My husband and I are the founders of Lily Clinic, Warri. I work as a pastor for the past twenty years. My husband and I started Father’s House Bible Church, Warri/ Effurun. All these are the achievements of God’s grace and not mine! To God be all the glory!
My testimony as a wife and a mother is based on my understanding of the Word of God. It is also influenced by the Nigerian culture. My husband is a Nigerian and I have lived here in Nigeria for the past forty years. Because I lived here more than I lived in Romania, I understand the Nigerian culture and ‘flow’ with it more than any other. To God be all the glory!
This testimony is just a part of the bigger picture. In Nigeria, the responsibilities of a wife and a mother, as the ‘manager’ of the household, are bigger than in Europe. I had to adjust to that mind set. During all these years, I needed help in the house, especially when the children were still little. On and off, as needed, we hired nannies, gardeners, drivers, cooks, ‘house-boys’ and ‘house-girls’. We treated all of them with dignity and respect, as members of the household. Some were faithful to us and some were not. That is not important now… God always gave us the grace to move on no matter the challenges we had encountered. As a wife and a mother, one thing was clear to me: this is my work and responsibility given by God! I am a steward and a servant of Jesus Christ, and He is my Boss! I must give account for the choices I make and the things I do. I have always seen my work at home as a ministry. Because of that vision, God has promoted me and blessed me in so many ways! Another thing I have decided: to be jealous over my home ministry. I pray daily for wisdom and strength to do it ‘as unto the Lord’. I do spiritual warfare as the Spirit leads. Please listen! I’ve never abandoned my home to any man or woman from outside. These people worked as our helpers, not as our leaders. In the kitchen, I never stopped deciding what we shall eat or how to prepare the food. I can learn how to cook new dishes but at the end, it is my recipe that stands, not the cook’s. The nanny can help but it is my ideas of how to bring up children that stand, not the her own. I can listen to advice about the traffic and danger in different parts of the town, but it is where I want to go that matters, not where the driver wants to go to. When it comes to cooking for my husband, I never delegate that ‘holy work’ to nobody. (There was a time of transition, when I came to Nigeria. I had to learn how to cook the Nigerian dishes. God bless my mother in law, now late, Mama Apopo Leigh, who thought me the basics (and the spices) of how to cook Nigerian Itsekiri dishes, especially how my husband likes them! Since then, I took control over the matter. Thank God for His grace!)
It was my decision that I should never ‘retire’ from doing household chores. I have never abandoned my skill to clean the house, cook for my husband and wash his clothes. This keeps me busy and it is a good exercise for the body and for the mind. I can handle a broom and a mop with as ease as I can teach Bible studies. You may laugh now… but it is the truth… It is my privilege and my pleasure to be ‘a full-time housewife’. This title is not related to time only. It is a spiritual position that it’s mine alone. God has entrusted me with the well being of my husband, spiritually and physically. I must answer to God for all my decisions and actions, including the little details like what we shall eat for dinner. Now, with this lockdown, I need to be wiser, to always have a plan B in mind. But the principle remains the same! In this way, we are both safe and happy.
Finally, let me say this: It is true, that some women are incapacitated one way or the other and cannot do what I recommend here. I understand! God gives different levels of grace to each one of us. Obedience, even to a good advice, must not be legalistic. But try to apply these ideas in your own home. This advice is spiritual and general. Be flexible! Be encouraged too! God rewards our work in the home. Don’t look down on yourself or on your work. Let it be a labor of love! I mean love for God, for your husband and for your children! For example, I can wash the dishes with a frown on my face. The dishes do not mind. But the Holy Spirit minds. So, I do the dishes with a smile on my face, listening to praise and worship music in the kitchen. It is so much better! Frustration has no place in my home! Holy Spirit, You alone are welcomed! Dear daughters, natural and spiritual, may God bless you, your families and the work of your hands! In Jesus’ name! Amen!
(In the picture, I and our older daughter, Alina, ‘gisting’ happily about life in general)

SATURDAY PRAYER MEETING

For almost two years, as we gathered for our Saturday prayer meeting in the church, we declared that we are living in the season called ‘Shalom’. In Hebrew, this is a great word. It means peace, coming alive at the end of a war. But this word means more than just peace. It is the benefits that come with living in peace. War time requires a particular mind set. You are ready to fight every day. But peace, is different. During peace people fall in love and marry. They have children. They go to church to serve God. They buy lands and build houses. The word Shalom means supernatural health, supernatural wealth, friends, favor with God and man. We declared that we live in this season of supernatural prophetic peace and prosperity! No man, no demon, no virus or parasite can change that! You brethren who believe in these prophetic declarations, even now, in these challenging times, you must be healthy, wealthy, make many good godly friends and be favored above others, by God and by man! Selah!

The very last time we came for Saturday class, we declared that we have entered in our season of vindication. Jesus Christ was betrayed, suffered, died on the Cross and He was buried. He rose from the dead and ascended to heaven as the glorious Son of God and Son of Man! We are one with Him! We too died and rose with Christ! In Him, we share in His sufferings and in His glories! “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory” (1Tim 3:16). Halleluiah!

We defined vindication as God’s proof that what we said and did in the past, in His name, was right and true. After people said that we are wrong, God, the Holy Spirit, shows that we are free, cleared from all guilt, accusation or blame. We said that vindication is a very powerful spiritual reality. For example: a student has been blamed of cheating by his classmates. They are jealous of his progress. They falsely accuse him to their teacher. The next day, when the teacher comes and declares publicly that he did not cheat, that is true vindication! Please note that if the teacher says he is not guilty in private, that is not enough vindication. His reputation must be cleared in the presence of all his colleagues who accused him of cheating. Open offense must be cleared in the open court! Any innocent man who is said to be guilty of a crime longs (from the bottom of his heart) to be vindicated!

We said that Almighty God is the Great vindicator! “For the Lord will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants, when He sees that their power is gone and there is none remaining, bond or free” (Deut 32:36). Sooner or later, you shall be vindicated! You have suffered much injustice from devils and men. But God speaks at last. God will vindicate you and promote you. In Christ we declare that “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” (Is 54:17). God has answered your prayers! If the devil likes it or not, your God given dreams will still come true! To the glory of God, to the shame of the devil and for the encouragement of the brethren! In Jesus’ name, amen!

Let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, we come to You in the name of Jesus! You commanded us to give You thanks always and in all situations. With a grateful Spirit filled heart we say Father, thank You! For who you are; for who you are to us! There is none like You! No one compares with You! You are the eternal fountain of all wisdom. You need no counselor! For You alone are God! We worship You! We thank You for taking notice of us. We have suffered much injustice in this world. We trusted in You alone to judge all people and all circumstances. Thank You Lord for assuring us that this is our season of Shalom (peace, health, wealth, friends and favor). Thank you also that You have granted us the special grace of vindication. When people accused us wrongfully, You have made all things right. Help us to see it! Thank you for restoring back to us our testimonies, that we are Your children and Your servants. Thank You Abba Father for restoring to us what we have lost in the past. Like the way you blessed our brother Job, thank You Father for blessing us now, more than ever before. We command every evil spirit of doubt, depression, debt, divorce, lies, poverty, sickness and the fear of untimely death, to go away, in the name of Jesus! We command you evil spirit of Jezebel, Ogbanje, Mammy water, false prophets and empty religion, to pack your load and go away from us! In the name of Jesus! Holy Spirit please come afresh! Revive our bodies, souls and spirits! We cover ourselves, our families, our church (Father’s House Bible Church) the people in Warri/ Effurun, Delta state and Nigeria, with the Blood of Jesus! No demon, no virus can penetrate the blanket of the Blood of Jesus, ‘that speaks better things’ of faith, love, comfort, courage and hope! We declare that during this time of quarantine and staying indoors, no one will die untimely, and no property will be lost! Father, God, You have done it many times in the past! We testify to Your mercy, grace and to Your power to do miracles! You will do it again! We long to come back to the sanctuary and to praise Your name! See our hearts! We have faith 100% in the power of the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord! We vow to give You alone all the glory! In Jesus’ name we pray! Amen!

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Is 55:9)

God never imitates anyone! He is the uncreated eternal Original! He always behaves like Himself! He is always faithful to His own self! God reveals Himself to man only through Jesus Christ! It is my privilege to know God’s name and His higher ways!

In Christ I declare:
I shall pay the price to know God as a Person and to understand His ways! In Jesus’ name, Amen!