Good morning from a chillier Nigeria.
Well, the thermometer still says 22C but that feels chilly to me! The mangoes are falling off the trees faster than we can eat or process them, I have been enjoying guavas off the tree for breakfast and the passion fruit vines are blossoming and bulging with bounty!
God has been blessing us in other ways too over the last couple of weeks. We took a week off from work and had a mini “staycation” last week. Our upstairs neighbours did the same and so we did some fun activities together with them and had some takeaway food (yes, there are places in Jos that offer takeaway!) and just generally took it easy! We also had our 17th wedding anniversary on Sunday, 17 years through which God has watched over us and been faithful to us.
More blessings! Some of you may have seen the UK Blessing video on You Tube. Well now there is a Nigerian one! https://youtu.be/lewZ8ZhZB3Q It features a few of the 500 odd languages spoken in Nigeria and has a lady speaking out the names of all the Nigerian states. I hope you enjoy it! The state government has now entirely lifted the lockdown in our state, Plateau, so we are free to come and go as we please within the state (apart from a 10pm to 6am curfew). However, the number of cases is still rising so we are treating this with great caution. Our office building is not being reopened yet so we are all still doing our best to work from home. My (Ali’s) headaches have also been lifting, thank you so much for praying. I am still getting them on and off but generally less severe and not for as long. We thank you all for the outpouring of responses to our last message, especially regarding Tim’s state of not-so-well being. He has had good conversations with a counsellor and he is moderately burnt out and only has mild depression. Burnout is often a precursor to depression and Tim is working with his supervisor to make some adjustments to work exceptions to allow Tim down time to recover. Here are some of the brilliant verses that folks shared with us.
He has written your names on the palm on His hand, and your walls are ever before him. Isaiah 49
Let him who walks in the darkness, who has no light, trust in the Name of the Lord and rely on his God. Isaiah 50:10
You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. Matt 5.3 NIV/MSG
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8: 28
Lord, even when your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have! You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way.Your authority is my strength and my peace.The comfort of your love takes away my fear.I’ll never be lonely, for you are near. Psalm 23:4
We also have some hard news to share. Tim’s Grandma Ruth (his Dad’s Mum) has been diagnosed with bladder cancer which has spread to her kidneys and the doctors say that she likely only has a few weeks left. We are praising God that her husband and both her sons have now been able to visit her in hospital (which was proving tricky at one point). Please pray for a peaceful, joyful last few weeks for her and for comfort for the whole family as they process. We are also so thankful that she is a Christian and so we know that this is not truly going to be an end for her but rather a beginning!
Praise Better understanding of what Tim has been struggling with Easing of Ali’s headaches Many years of faithful blessings from our Father in heaven Prayer Tim’s Grandma Ruth and the rest of the family Continued healing and refreshment for us Wisdom on how to deal with the lifting of the lockdown
