I can't say precisely the year, I was either in Secondary school or after my secondary education.
I was meditating when the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to my family tree.
My heart was enlarged to see the pattern in my maternal and paternal families. I picked up my note book, wrote down names of all my family members and I saw a bad common trend.
No Wedding Celebrations since the time of my mom and dad's traditional wedding!
No University graduates produced ever! Ha!
The best my family produced was petty traders and artisans
I was alarmed. What kind of a family is this? I was sad. I gave it a thought, What is the root cause?
It all started with PRE-MARITAL SEX!
Down to TEENAGE PREGNANCY!
Drop Outs from Secondary school...at the junior level!
Ended up Single Mothers! they are fortunate to move in with the man if he accepts the pregnancy.
Thank God I have given my life to Christ before then.
I worked out my Life Plan to pray against the pattern and draw my action points. NO SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE. I MUST GET IT RIGHT. MY GENERATION MUST HAVE NO REGRET!
The completion of my secondary school education was a strange testimony to most of my people.
But I knew the journey is farther than SSCE.
One of my aunts asked me the kind of trade I would learn, I just smiled and told her to give me time to think through my choice of trade.
Nobody saw me till after my graduation from the university. In fact, majority of them saw me on my wedding day.
Jesus engraced me to break the jinx.
And He placed my feet in an unusual course. smiling
All along I carried my younger sister on, passed the baton onto her.
I tried doing same for some of my cousins but I can't disciple someone who reject Christ.
Another one like it, years ago, I happened to counsel a young lady who said her parents are separated. The mother got pregnant early in her life, has 4 children for 4 men. Father had a child by another woman, her elder sister was with her 2nd man and a child for each
The young lady expressed her fears... After leading to Christ, I told her PRAYERS MUST BE BACKED UP WITH ACTIONS.
Pursue your dreams and let boyfriend wait if you don't want to repeat history.
I did all within my power to raise her.
But unfortunately She settled for boyfriend business and started having sex...
I always tell myself "You can only guide people, they make their choices and you can't live their lives for them"
In recent times, I have counseled many Single Mothers in their 40s and I noticed a trend common to each family.
Getting pregnant outside of wedlock, drop outs from secondary school, move in with a man who stopped loving them the moment they announced their pregnancy, the men refused to formalise the union, the heartaches of these women grieves me. I wished I could give them a clean slate to relive their Single life.
But nobody can re-do the past.
They are all lamenting! Regretting the decisions they made in the morning of their lives.
They are seeking counsel to raise their children not to repeat history but the sad thing is that the circle continues until a generation without a regret will emerge.
A generation without regret is a people who have a pact with Christ.
People who confront their roots in prayers,
Who are wise to learn from the regrets / mistakes of others,
People who are ready to bear the pain of discipline!
People who will dare to be different and break the jinx.
The parents went astray and live their lives wishing the children would make better choices and decisions.
The children are towing the same path messing up their lives, ending with regrets and wishing the next generation would be better, when this circle continues it won't be long before people named it a family curse.
This message is for some people here.
You understand this message deeply
You are aware of the path your father toured,
The way your mother lived her early life,
Traits that are peculiar to your family.
Don't just PRAY
Confront your roots with God's Word
Draw your LIFE PLAN
And ACT!
Stop making wrong choices!
The new thing will start with your generation in Jesus name!
" Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.”
Ecclesiastes 12:11
Elefin Joseph Olorunfemi
Elefinjoseph4actor@yahoo.com