Hey guys…
So, I have just returned from the gym and I never even baff, I just flew straight to my work space, opened my laptop and started typing, driven by the fear of a certain young woman called Toluwani Oladejo, aka Toolz, aka EA of life.
Haha.
Even though Tooooolz is my Exec assistant, she’s low-key my boss. I just told her now that I am dreading when she will wake up and start to harass me lol.
But really, Toolz is such a blessing to my life.
I still recall when Toolz joined my team. I loved her right away, especially cos she is Dee, another mentee of mine’s cousin, and she’s so beautiful too. I literally started telling her I love you from Day 1 and I knew it was uncomfy with her but I wanted her to be comfy with me, even if I had to freak her out first haha.
One day after a meeting with a certain group of ladies, I sensed very strongly that she was shrinking herself especially on account of her age. Literally everyone in that group was old enough to be her underage mom lol so she was drawing back more than I wanted anyone who would be working CLOSELY with me should. So, I called her on the carpet for that and I am like girl, don’t shrink. I don’t care your age but DO NOT SHRINK.
That was probably 7 or so months ago.
Today, I am FLAT OUT AMAZED at Tolu. I am so proud of her. I say she is a mini-E’, only better and I mean it. I have seen her even manage to get through to me when I am ANGRY. I have seen her BE HERSELF in full around me without feeling disrespected by her. I have seen her go for knowledge and then ask me questions that can only come from a certain level of maturity beyond her years.
I have seen her discern moments… know when to shut up, rise up or just observe while taking notes.
Having closely related with her cousin for a long time, I had an idea about Tolu and I wanted to make sure she never reduced herself to fit into a stereotype, or be more accepted.
And the more Toolz has risen to her full height, the more Toolz has risen to her full height.
Toolz is my personal testimony of what happens when you do not shrink. That is how I live my life and it is my desire to inspire more people to NOT SHRINK…
Which is why (contrary to what you may be thinking) this post is NOT about Tolu. It is about YOU.
I must say though, that this post is not really for everyone… It should be for EVERYONE though but a few of us are still in play mode. So this is for those who KNOW much has been given. The super achievers. The spirit-filled, very driven, very passionate, very goal-getters.
Those who take the time to INVEST in themselves and GROW like they should but may find themselves among people who are not investing in themselves and so want to drag them down subtly or blatantly by saying this or a variant…
YOUR OWN IS TOO MUCH
Girl, don’t shrink.
Girl, don’t shrink.
GIRL DO NOT SHRINK
Why?
Because if you shrink, you will be NOTHING!!!
If you shrink, you will be nothing
IF YOU SHRINK, YOU WILL BE NOTHING!!!
Let me tell you guys, if you think I am CRAZY, you have no idea the next level of crazy I have unlocked. I have drank the Jesus Kool-Aid and I am just CRAZY in my follow and obedience these days.
Let me paint a couple of scenarios in all areas of my life…
Btw, what does it mean to not shrink?
It just means be fully obedient to God and what you sense He is calling you to do.
Not shrinking is simply OBEDIENCE!!!
But first, it means I MUST know WHAT God says about and to me… Then live it out LOUD.
Fully.
First, this is something you steward internally before externally, so don’t think this is about showing off to people and letting them know you are all that.
No baby, obedience is first an internal thing and the God I know will first test your pants off in private before He makes you public, even if your public is 3 persons.
I will be sharing a few personal stories that I really will not share otherwise…
I came into this year with a CRAZY mental battle. I struggled hard last year for my mind and I knew I needed to fight this stupid giant and take it down.
Bam.
The Lord told me to call a personal fast.
I still recall that Pastor Sam was preaching when the Lord said that and told me to fast for 40days. Can I sincerely tell you that at that time, I HATED TO FAST. I was going to faint lol. I actually don’t fast for real. I mean, I am not even a foodie but I hate fasting lol.
40 days?
That was crazy but so was the battle so I refused to SHRINK aka be disobedient. I did it.
Phew.
This was something I stewarded internally and refused to SHRINK.
Ladies and gentlemen, that fast?
Phew. I have seen such crazy changes in my life from it that when my mama called a fast in march for us to pray for our husbands and kids, I jumped in again even though I was fresh off my own 40days fast. Anything less would have been shrinking and if I shrink, I will be NOTHING!!!
Or was it this time I felt incredibly betrayed by someone. I was deeply hurt I couldn’t cry lol. I picked up my Bible and journal and just poured my heart to Him. Then He gave me a scripture, told me a few things to do including be a blessing and sow into this person’s life. I just about died. My heart felt wrung. It was a pain in my soul but anything less would have been shrinking so I obeyed.
I recall that the Lord told me I had passed a test and that when more came in the future, I would be able to navigate it well. From then till now, its like hell’s forces have been released in my direction when it comes to relationships. I have handled it plenty better all because I didn’t shrink then.
If I had shrunk, I would have been nothing when the other battles came.
Or was it when I had saved me a TIDY sum of money in seven figures last year and at Upstream, I heard the Holy spirit ask me to sow it, who to sow it to and even told me what to call that seed. I did. That money was out my hand before I even got my thoughts together. I had and still have needs but I didn’t shrink.
January, a month when people complain of low sales and more, the Lord BLEW me away with CoachE’Squad income that month. February came and I realised that I didn’t just reap my harvest in income last month, I started to see fruits in my life for stuff I had PRAYED and STRUGGLED with in the past.
Obedience. Obedience. Obedience.
Painful at the time but always worth it.
I share all of that above to show you that this shrinking thing is personal FIRST.
I have more gist but let me stop now…
So now let’s turn the battle outwardly…
If you are remotely close to me, I must have told you that one of the mandates the Lord has given me is Apostolic, especially after the life of Paul. In very simple English, a lot of things I have been called to do is HARD. Like VERY HARD.
Some days as I am doing, I am crying.
For example, my coaching style is different. I don’t kiss ass. I tell you the truth that would set you free but sometimes even when truth is spoken in love, it can still sting hard enough to be misinterpreted. So, people kick back at me. Oh gosh, it can hurt but for God.
I recall when I did this post called PICKY EATER or LAZY MAMA on www.coachesquad.com/blog I struggled with calling a mama LAZY but I sensed that the Lord would have me do that. I saw a bit of the backlash then the Lord had me take steps to shield myself from it.
Boom!!!
From that post, I have received a couple of emails telling me how reading it changes something in their feeding as parents. They moved from LAZY mama to SPIRIT LED mama and their kids’ nutrition became better.
What if I had shrunk? Would these testimonies be recorded against my account in heaven?
Gosh I have many stories like this.
Phew.
Sometimes it is even funny like this Squaddie I had who was with me for 4weeks private coaching which costs N25,000.
At the end and to my shock, she didn’t re-subscribe. Most of my private clients do and she especially didn’t seem like she was ready on her own.
I felt the Lord tell me to ask her to re-sub but I shrunk cos I didn’t want it to look like I was after her money. 2 weeks later, she is back and talking about being depressed cos she was gaining weight since she left me.
Jeez I repented and told her what I thought and how she needs to remain with me for at least 3months. She agreed and wham, we back on track.
If I had shrunk, I would have missed out on the opportunity to help another woman bring healthy back. Plus, missed out on my financial blessing too cos even that is from Him.
Or is it times when I feel like the Lord has a Word for you through me which I should tell you? I shudder at the times it has looked like I am ‘goddamit’, poke nosing in your biz but I share with you and wham, its another life saved from hell.
Speaking of which, can I round this up with spiritual/ministry gifts? The Bible tells us that we all have gifts – ministry gifts – all given to everyone of us with the intention that we fully manifest and utilize them so the body can grow and mature fully. I’ll let you search yourself .
Some of you have teaching gifts, some healing, some prophetic, some evangelistic, some working of miracles, some tongues and interpretation, some apostles, some teachers, some encouragement, some pastors, etx, But THE BODY IS NOT FULLY MATURE cos you have SHRUNK your own gift, thinking who are you, or of the sins you have committed and all that, forgetting that it is a GIFT.
You could never work hard enough to qualify for it.
My sister, fix your personal issues and manifest your gift. This is a matter of life and death.
All the pressure cannot be on the pastors and those in pulpit ministry. As a Fitness influencer, I can reach some people Pastor Sam cannot.
Very typically, I get feedback like these from my clients… Let me just share some screen shots. It is APOSTOLIC. You may say my own is too much but I am in obedience ma.
J am a MARKET PLACE APOSTLE sent to the Fitness world. If I play my part fully and without shrinking, and you play your part and we all play our part, do you KNOW how powerful the Body, the CHURCH would be?
It is all this shrinking and what will people say that is causing such a skewness and weakness in our world, especially as Christians today.
I love this verse and I would round up with it…
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-13 NLT
Girl, do not shrink. Not internally and certainly not externally. Be all in with obedience to ALL that God has called you to be.
If you shrink, YOU WILL BE NOTHING.
Love,
Eziaha (with our March reads this month from church)