#SquadGoals

I like Toolz Oniru-Demuren.

I think she is sweet and, to the best of my really lil knowledge, has a pure heart.

When she got married, I went to search pictures via IG hashtags and I bumped into this.

I thought ‘what a COOL concept.’

I think I must have seen someone say #SquadGoals in the picture and it never ever left my consciousness. Plus we know #SquadGoals is a popular social media lingua today.

I am neither endorsing or ‘anti-ing’ Toolz and her bridesmaids ooo. I am just using an image that captures IN THE PHYSICAL the term SQUAD GOALS for me.

Now let’s pick out FOUR Stories in the Bible that have given me LEGIT #SQUADGOALS. Feel free to pen prayer points from this Post as I did…

1 Chronicles 11

Everybody knows David gives us legit LIFE goals but let’s see Dude’s baaaaaaad Squad for a mo’

Vs 9 says David became greater and greater, for God was with Him AND these STRONG men greatly supported him in his Kingdom.

Jashobeam slew a 100 people AT ONCE

Eleazer slew the enemies with a sword UNTIL  HIS HANDS SUPERGLUED THE SWORD!!!

One even slew A LION in A PIT on a SNOWY DAY!!! (Still can’t figure this out please. HOW???)

In verse 17 these CRAZY men braved DEATH just because David openly wished for water from the enemy’s camp. They now went to the Philistine garrison just to get water for David to drink.

WATER!!!

Whatever happened to the water IN THE BROOK NEAR THEM?

Even David no believe say these men go do that kain thing. He called it BLOOD water and would not drink it.

Please what kind of LOVE did these men have for David? What kinda SQUAD is this?

Definitely SQUAD GOALS for me!!!

The enter Gideon in Judges 7 and 8.

And his ridiculous 300 men.

Ridiculous qualifies them because they were going against 135,000 Midianites!!!

Even when they were 32000 men, they were outnumbered already. Yet God reduces them to 300!!!

But these 300 men had a quality we overlook sometimes (aside being CRAZY enough to even follow Gideon that is)

Judges 8:4

…Gideon and his 300 men EXHAUSTED YET STILL IN HOT PURSUIT!!!

Selah…..

Phew!!!

When God was pruning ahead, He knew what He was doing ooo. if Gideon had carried all that ‘Igwe mmadu’ , they would have been EXHAUSTED, plenty would decide to REST and make the unexhausted ones REST with them and compromise the battle.

Don’t let me preach, but just allow God to keep pruning your Squad. You need the crazy committed ones who even when they are EXHAUSTED, if it is NOT THE END, they do not QUIT ON YOU!!!

Definitely SQUAD GOALS FOR ME!!!

Before I give the final two Squads from Acts, allow me to share these two stories that are NOT squad goals for me.

Or you!!!

1 Sam 13:8

To summarise, Saul had his Squad ooo. Only they were just not *hashtag SquadGoals*

Because of small delay of the Prophet, they started abandoning him and being a People pleaser himself, that now pressured him to go and do the sacrifice reserved for Samuel. And you know God didn’t joke back then. One strike and you are OUT!!!

You would think Saul had learnt a thing or 2 about Squads but by Chapter 15, he commits another offence because of THE PEOPLE…

Vs 19

Why didn’t you obey the Lord?

Vs 24

I have sinned and violated the Lord’s command. I was AFRAID of the men so I gave in to them…

And that my people was how Saul’s Squad made him lose his Kingdom.

Just goes to show that you too have a part to play in this whole Squad Business ooo.

No absolute delegation!!!

Oh and the last 2 SQUAD GOALS I highlight is in Acts

Thankful for a Squad that would stick with you through fire literally.

The Disciples especially Peter and John had it in Acts 4

Vs 21 shows us that after their arrest, they were released because of THE PEOPLE!!!

Their Squad!!!

Meaning the people were ready to run riot for their own. Keep Calm for wha’??? They were not going to leave them just laidat and let God come down personally and fight the Battle. They stuck to Peter and John. Those crazy officials could do nothing to them so they released them.

By verse 23, they returned to THEIR SQUAD, and they together presented the matter to God. They prayed soooo hard that the place shook and the Holy Spirit did an encore…

Ah, see SQUAD GOALS OOOO

How wonderful it is to know that I do not have to fight life’s battles alone, but I have a crew with whom I can fight AND WIN!!! They can hold my hands through the process.

Good Lord!!!

And finally, enter Brother Paul.

Now there is a place where your Squad prays with you but there is ANOTHER LEVEL where your Squad prays for you because mehn, life has thrown you a really hard one!!!

So even when you are too exhausted to pray FOR A WHILE, you have a Squad that HOLDS YOU UP in persistent prayers!!!

Acts 12:5

So Peter was kept in Prison but FERVENT PRAYERS were made for him PERSISTENTLY by THE CHURCH!!!

These people were praying ALL NIGHT while Peter was sleeping and then Angels got to work and released him and led him home.

Dude was even sleepwalking through it all but his Squad were tarrying.

That Squad was REAL even though they clearly didn’t think they had prayed enough because when Peter appeared, they doubted it was him. Lol

But mehn, definitely Squad Goals.

Where people gather to pray for you when you can’t do same for yourself at the time?

Heaven!!!

 

Writing this post has given me legit prayer points. I have a pretty decent Squad but we all can do better in upp’ing this Squad’ship!!!

Our Squad remains very important so we have to be careful as we choose and do life with them.

While I would love to talk about making wise friends and all, I believe we already know that so I would prefer to share even more ways we can diversify and beef up our Squad!!!

So now let’s talk about choosing/finding your own Squad.

I would say the FIRST thing to do as you seek Squad’ships has to be PRAY and let God lead you.

The beautiful thing about being led by God has to be how He leads each and every one of us differently. So I can’t go and copy nobody or their Squad.

I have to sit before God, listen for His voice and be led by Him in building and nourishing mine. I wish I could share how various people in my Squad came into my life. It has been incredible.

Some I went after them, some went after me, some happened accidentally (or so we thought), some came with gragra, etc. but every single person in my Squad, especially my Inner circle Squad, has been such a blessing.

And guess what, you do NOT have to have a personal relationship with everyone. Nah.

They can be part of your Squad from afar as you drink from their wisdom and lean into their lives.

I get quite a number of emails and messages from people who want to be my friend, close friend, and so on. Frankly, I am so thankful there is something in me that draws yawl in but the simple truth is I cannot be BEST friends with everybody in that way as much as I want to. I don’t respond to some messages sometimes because I do NOT even know what to say. I wish I could.

I really wish I could be Besties with everyone, but you and I know it is impossible.

There is just ONE me. But I can live my life in such a way that you glean wisdom that enriches yours.

Which is why I LOVE this blog and the platform it provides.

I write as I am led and I pray as I write, some things I write answers the very question in your heart and fills a void. I even pray that somehow my effervescent nature helps you to build and nurture friendships intentionally as led by God.

I LOVE it absolutely when I get feedback that comes with details of exactly how a Post ministered to you. When someone says,

‘oh so I just thought of how E’ would react here and so I did that and XX happened.’

Ah, the joys!!!

I haven’t exactly sat personally with you but I have affected you in a way that is very personal.

Sometimes, all I NEED to do to inspire you and be a part of your Squad is just to LIVE MY LIFE in the best way God has called me to.

It is ENOUGH!!!

That’s what I see with Christine Caine. I want her to be my best friend and momma too. But she can’t. I can write her thousands of mails and mention her in tweets but she most likely won’t respond.

AND I WILL NOT FEEL BAD!!! I will continue sef because a response is not my goal…My goal is to let her know that she is truly impacting me all the way here in Nigeria so keep going mama…

How many of us will she respond to individually?

How many Persicope/FaceBook live sessions will she have to do to respond to everyone?

But I can assure you that all that feedback she gets works because

1. She knows that she is really making an impact, and people the world over are connected so she has to stay repp’ing Jesus well
2. She can include such persons/requests in her prayers. She does NOT have to always pray for you individually but when she goes on her face before God, she can recall your requests and raise them together.
3. She reflects all that feedback in her future messages, books, IG posts, etc. That way, it ministers and answers your questions directly.

And that goes for many of the Teachers in my life.

Priscilla Shirer, Lisa Bevere, Heather Lindsey, Joyce Meyer, etc.

They are VIP members of my Squad and we relate in  ways that makes me happy.

I follow very closely and I see that pattern to the 3 points I listed above. And guess what, I emulate.

I will still tweet at them and comment on IG. If I wanna say something major, I will still send a mail.

And I WILL NOT FEEL BAD OR FEEL LIKE THEY ARE BEING PROUD BECAUSE THEY DID NOT RESPOND.

Instead, I pray for them that they continue to live the life because the best form of reciprocation they can give to me for all my love and stalking is just TO LIVE THE LIFE.

Frankly, it is ENOUGH!!!

If they reply me, oh AWESOME!!! For example, I love when Lisa Bevere replies me and even carries a conversation for a tweet or 4. But if she doesn’t, NO WAHALA!!!

So that’s it for members of our Squads that we may not have one-on-one access to for now.

And I say FOR NOW because, who knows what the future holds.

E.g. for me now, that I will NOT meet Heather Lindsey in this life is a LIE!!!

A BIG FAT LIE!!! Chris?

Shirer? Joyce? Lisa? Of course!!!

There is also some timing to this Squad business. And it still boils down to hearing from God.

Some persons are #SquadGoals for the future.

Let me go back to Chris.

One of my besties introduced her to me in my final year or NYSC year. She kept raving and saying she reminded her of me and I would LOVE her. I downloaded that video she sent to me and I never went past 5mins of full concentration.

WE JUST DIDN’T ‘CLICK’

I just kept her somewhere at the back of my mind.

Fast forward to 2016 January and I encountered Chris again. And she seemed like a totally different person. Ah!!! I couldn’t believe it.

I ADORED her!!!

I was like WHERE HAS THIS WOMAN BEEN ALL MY LIFE?

Timing!!!

I was not ready for Chris then but now, ah!!! Yawl know my heart for Christine *no middle name* Caine.

She has shaped my life in a crazy way.

Definitely a HUGE member of my Squad!!!

Someone else who just joined my Squad is Marshawn Evans.

I recall a friend last year saying I should check her out and that she does exactly what she feels I would do with my life.

Let’s just say it has taken me over a year to finally adopt Marshawn into my Squad.

2weeks ago or so, the Holy Spirit just told me

‘Check that lady Stephanie Obi mentioned to you’

And I did!!!

And I was BLOWN away!!!

Been stalking her BIG TIME ever since.

Watch her on YouTube, that Chick is doing EVERYTHING my Spirit has been telling my mind and body. It is C R A Z Y!!!

This video has been the craziest for me.

I watch and watch and I am like

NA WA OOO How is Marshawn both teaching, mentoring and then copying what is in my mind?

You see?

She is another Squad member and a primary one at that.

All in the right timing.

I also believe we can pray that God brings someone into our Squad especially IF WE HAVE THE RIGHT MOTIVES!!!

If it is just to snap with her/him and upload to Social media and show off, please Repent. I am talking that you believe you and this Chick/Guy should be doing life together but err, no connection yet.

Start praying. Pray that the wind of the Spirit blows them your way.

The funny thing is that I started doing this too with some CRAZY Chicks I need in my LIVE Squad please.

I am talking BEST FRIEND kinda thing.

Go on Girl trips together and just have fun while worshipping Jesus. Ah!!!

I have started ‘lambano’ing’ those Chicks in the Spirit, while putting absolutely ZERO pressure on them in the physical.

I don’t have to LIKE all their pictures AND RETWEET ALL their tweets. Nope.

I just follow the Spirit’s leading as I lambano it.

And I am beginning to see fruits small small but still, NO PRESSURE!!!

Haha.

Oh gosh I am really laughing because at least ONE is reading this blog atm. (I would neither confirm or deny anything please. Don’t ask!!!).

Now let me tell you a funny story.

So I recently met this Chick that I didn’t know had finished ‘lambano’ing’ me in the Spirit.

Ah!!! One day as I prayed, God just told me

‘Call XXX and ask her to do life with you in XXX way’

Hmmm I KNEW it was God ooo but I feared small.

I am like ‘…that’s a bit too much, I don’t really know her, etc…’

Funny thing is this Chick had tried, in the flesh, to connect with me in the past and every effort failed.

Haha.

So she went spiritual.

Anyways, 500days and 24 Angels prodding me on, later, I ask for her number and ring her.

Very awkward but as I spoke and was saying

‘…Please, NO is a very valid response ooo bla bla bla’ ,wham, Chick interrupts my ramble and says

‘Eziaha, I am NOT praying about anything. This is an answer to prayers I have been praying since…’

And when we finally meet and begin life, I have just been BLOWN away about how GOD works with and IN His Children.

Guys, LAMBANO your Squad as you are led by God and have a PURE HEART. Soon God will blow them your way.

Trust me!!!

Not every good Christian Chick has to be your friend ooo.

BE LED!!!

So just to reiterate my SQUAD GOALS,

1. Deep rich authentic friends with whom I do life with intimately. We have a personal relationships and it is REAL on many levels e.g. my 4 besties Valerie, Eniola, Dumebi and Ayomikun (permit me to use their real names biko) and MANY MORE ooo
2. People that I have LAMBANO’D in the Spirit and so are waiting in my future. E.g. XXX and YYY (to be unveiled in the fullness of time, WITH PICTURES please J)
3. People whose lives, lived richly and authentically have blessed and inspired me so much, even if we don’t have a personal relationship YET or EVER!!! E.g. Joyce, Chris, Lisa, Heather, Shirer, Marshawn, etc.
4. The Teachers and Mentor figures with whom I have the privilege and gift of access. E.g. my Rev Albert Oduwole and Pastors Kingsley and Mildred Okonkwo, etc.
5. My mentees and Protégés who just give AND GIVE into my life. Gosh!!! I am beginning to see LOVE in a way that pushes me to my knees. Ah!!! And just so I don’t get into trouble, I won’t call names. Hahaha

And something else with Squads is that they have to stay nourished or they can die so take care to not just create but also NOURISH right… Amen!!!

Oya, your turn. Share with me your Squad and #SquadGoals and if any of what I said here has happened to you. Please I wanna know and learn ooo. if you have achieved all your Squad goals, don’t be stingy. Epp us to achi eve ours too.

Tainzzz.

And yup, my second video on YouTube is up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNQK1-4PCAo

I share more tips on how I have managed to stay same weight and then some of the challenges we had in Week 1 of our Online weight loss class

Like. Share. Subscribe. Enjoy.

And hey, August is OPEN!!! Let’s get you Shredded

and ‘Waisted’ this August…

One LOVE my People *in 2baba’s voice*

FruitfullE’