“I understood faith as a lifestyle this year” – Lizzie

How did I meet Lizzie? One day, I was working on some document, and all of a sudden, my iTouch started buzzing like every other minute with notifications I knew were from WordPress. I knew I didn’t upload anything on the blog that day so I was wondering what the novelty was about. After I’d heard the 16th buzz, I peeled myself from my seat and picked up the device. The entire screen was covered with ‘Lizzie liked a post, Lizzie left a comment, Lizzie reblogged this post…”, there must have been 40 notifications at once!

Ahh. I googled her o. Then I checked out her blog. And I fell in love with her. But it took me a full day to catch up with replying all the comments she had left! By the time she was done, she had read EVERYTHING on this blog, about 320 posts, in just under two weeks. I have never been that flattered in my entire life; nothing else comes close.

We spoke, and it was funny that she was completing my sentences, from things she had read here. Cute, cute, cute! 

Lizzie’s a Pastor’s child like me; she’s got a beautiful heart, and it is an honor to have someone who knows me in and out on the blog today. And I am looking forward to meeting her, it’s definitely on my to-do list for 2014.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, for the 29th day of my #31days31writers project, Lizzie!

I haven’t had a year like 2013! No, I haven’t. To think I’d someday grow to the point where I can consciously evaluate and chronicle my year and even share confidently, not just in a diary. Hmm…one word; progress!

Hi! My name is Elisabeth Ezekiel. I’m Nigerian and a final year student in the university, fulfilling requirements for a BSc degree in Sociology. Seems I’m the youngest of the lot (career wise), who ‘does’ people for a living.

Yes, you read right; I’m inexplicably intrigued by people and this intrigue forms the template for career options I would pursue in the nearest future. Up until what I do for a living can be categorised conventionally (or not), I ‘do’ people for a living – serving, uplifting, reaching out. It’s who I am. Essentially.

2013 started on a high note, in fact, the “word” for the year was, “uncontrollable exhilaration” meaning events, people and situations would always be orchestrated as reasons for laughter. I did find reasons to laugh no doubt, however more in the lives of others than mine. Ironic…no?

As the year wore on, I found myself balancing school work, fellowship and other commitments, perfect smokescreens for the high & low pendulum my life swung to and from. In fact by the time I wrote my first semester exams, I was so depressed, I entertained bargains with God that bordered on Him taking me home as I was just tired and didn’t think I would be sorely missed…lol.

Well, as you can already tell, He didn’t take me *smile* My guess, no scratch that, I’m convinced, the timing wasn’t right and more importantly, He’s got an ultimately GOOD plan for my life that He’s unravelling by the day.

By the second half of the year, ASUU struck. *mirthless chuckle* and morphed into what would eventually be a long, approximately six month break from school, ultimately extending my stay in the university to 2014. Oh, we moaned, sighed, complained, joked, shook our heads, the works. Alas! Our Ogas At The Top couldn’t be bothered.

Disappointments and self-deprecation followed this period, but I decided to see the good in all of this. I needed to, for my sanity.

As 2013 draws to a close, I’m thankful for the ‘interesting’ experiences and the realities that came home to me. In a sense, 2013 seemed like a year of years to me, you know, like I lived a number of years bundled up in one year; I would eventually come to understand that as catching a glimpse into God’s timelessness, His eternity.

In all of this, I learned this year that I matter. More than that, I learned that I am not the sole member of the appreciation committee, that my life was worth being celebrated by others too. I saw ME through really cool glasses this year. I understood Faith as a lifestyle (understanding and living in God’s will for me always) and not just a ticket to material resources. The meaning of CHIMAMANDA also came home to me this year, I experienced God’s Love-Commitment to me.

Oh, I’m most thankful my writing mojo came back, after a long time. It helped me put myself out there, learning to live life wholly, full & free. I’m grateful for blogs, relationships, good health and music this year. They literally saved my life.

What would I do differently? That’s easy, I would redeem the time. I won’t be caught napping when unexpected surprises come. I lost time this year sadly, but I press on. I would take more risks, exploit the power of alternatives, stay connected to the rhythm of my source, maybe trust more and by God, I would leap over walls in 2014.

Thank you FGS!

Rockstar!!! Can’t wait to meet you babe!