Share old photos of yourself. (DAY10)

Loooool. ewo. Are you sure about this?
well, lets do this!!
But let us stick to the less embarrassing ones.

\

These are the much I can find. I hope you are satisfied.

DAY 9:Whats in your purse.

Hehehehehe. The other question should have been easier for me o. Well, I don't have a purse o. I am not a big fan of purses actually. I just carry my bag and that's all.
But I can tell you whats in my handbag.

I have my 1D cards, my Idea Diary, House key, a spoilt watch, spoilt power bank and charger, some complimentary cards, handkerchief, my sunshades, and some small small papers that i don't know what I wrote in them sef , 😁😁 maybe phone numbers or quotes I don't want to forget.

Yah! that's basically it. nothing serious.

Currently reading anything? (DAY 8)

This is literally the greatest book on earth. Well, till I eventually write my own book. This book has everything you can think of . The book talks to you, you can literally just be having a conversation with the book. 

Its not just spiritual, it covers everything pertaining life and living right. You can call it ''A Guide To Life''.  If you build a robot and programme  this book inside it, that Robot is going to be the most awesome Robot ever.

So this is my 3rd time of reading the book back to back. Fortunately its a devotional, You read one chapter a day. 

All thanks to my Pastor! Doctor RIEL. He makes us read this book at the end of every year into every new year.  So we are currently on it and it has been great.

Get yours now.

Have an amazing week you all.

Earliest memory. (Day7)

Hmm. I'm not quite sure if you mean good memories or bad ones. But I will talk about the good one please.
Let me think.....
I think spending time with my Family this last Christmas and new year is the latest good memory.
It was a good feeling, Mr Kingsley came through and it became more fantastic.😆😆

DAY 6: something for your kids to know.

My kids should know that I Love them so much even if I haven't met them yet, and that I believe that they were specifically selected for me, by God.

They should know that I am working very hard to to be the best mum to them.. And I am taking my time to find out the best father for them. 

That's all for now.

DAY 5. Best advice i ever got.

I always thank God for A man Dr. Riel in my life. Right now i cannot think of any other source of good advice in may life apart from my Him.

I mean, my parents give good advice right? But my Dr. Riel is Just...... Great!

Best advice I ever got from my Pastor recently was (about my blogging): ''STAY''

He was basically saying that whatever i chose to do with my blogging, and however i chose to do it, i should not stop.  ''Alex Stay''!!
I hear his voice saying stay and the way he was hitting  his hand on the table while saying it.

And thats my wake up call.

My favourite blogs. Day4

:
Wow, I have been caught. LOL. Well, I must confess, I am not a devoted blogs reader as to have as much as 5fVourite blogs.
But you should my sister, My God! If there is an award slot for best blog reader of the heat my sister will be winning it back to back. Then my friend Precious. Those two read blogs for Africa.

Me I only used to read Linda Ikeji. Then at a point I stopped. But since I started my blog and started taking it more seriously, I started visiting more blogs. I read that one of the ways to grow your blog is to visits blogs and always comment. So I have been on that lately.

So here are my favorites for now, they might not be up to 5, but I'm on it. I would increase the number soon. Lol.

1. Www.thelmathinks.com
This is my best, I just love the way she blogs. She is very open minded and talks about everything. I wish to get to that level of open mindedness someday. I am open minded though but she is on a whole  better level.

2. Linda Ikeji blog.
Well, why not. Blogging made her rich!!!! That is a very favouritable(my new word) quality if you ask me. Business blogger, now a media house owner. She is living my dream partly so yeah, I stalk her blog.

3. Stella dimorkokus blog.
Wow. All thanks to my sister. She introduced me to Thelma thinks and Stella dimorkokus. In fact all the blogs I read is mostly recommended by my sister. This blog is so organized and that's what I love about it.

Well... That's it o. 3 favorites for now. Plus my own. Lol
I would appreciate it if you recommend any blog for me. Thanks a lot.



Thanks for stopping by.

What I blog about: Day 3

Well, just like the name, IJE, I blog about The journey of life from different perspectives. Yours and mine. I blog about life, death, love, faith, lifestyle, art, poetry, fiction, Everything.

Aim is not only to entertain but also to inspire! And to challenge my readers.
Key word is "Learn, Connect, and share".

I hope this does it

Meaning of my blog name. (DAY2.)

Well thank you very much for this opportunity to talk about the meaning of IJE.
IJE is an Igbo word which means "journey"or "movement" Or anything that involves moving from one point to another.

I am supposed to expatiate, i.e why i chose that name and connect the whole idea but then that would be doing tomorrow"s task.

However, my heart is so heavy and I don't even know why.
I am here thanking God that today's task does not require a heartfelt write up, because my heart is currently on leave.

But i hope that You are having a nice day?. Because at the end of the day, (you see i was about to write a really inspiring quote here) but its not coming because like i said, my heart is on vacation. Until it returns, Try and have a wonderful day because i'm trying.


bye.

31days blogging challenge. Day1: ''Intro and a recent picture''

INTRO:
Hi, my name is Chioma Alexandra Cynthia Okalla, I just embarked on this blogging challenge because sometimes, I lack what to write when I really want to write. So yah! I pledge to be committed and faithful till the end of this course and I hope..I know, you''love it.

RECENT PIX:

So this is from my snap chat. I wanted to put my age in my intro, I wrote 23, then I decided to just check oo, just to be sure. I do that all the time, I don't know why I always forget my age. like, mix it up. So i went to my calculator I typed 2016-1992 (That's how I was taught to check in my primary school) Lo;! I saw 25! I was like ''realllyyyy?!! I didn't even realize that I said it out loud, my boss had to ask me whats up? and I shared my surprise.
Summary: I AM GETTING OLD. like 25???????? But I feel young sha. Okay lets forget it.

Still on recent pictures:
I went to buy boleh (roasted plantain) for my boss, and by the time I came back, There were two cute kids in my office. Cutest kids I've ever seen please. (my boss said Its because I have never traveled abroad. Issoke) because they are white kids.
hiiiiiiiiiii what your name? I asked in excitement. That was when I found out they could not  speak English, ''just Italian and Dutch'' said their aunt.
Anyways, I took a picture with them and as at the time of this post,  I haven't still gotten over their cuteness and fresh skin.

I gave the girl my shades, and the brother got angry and took my colleague's own.

OMG i couldnt stop blushing.

Enjoy the view of the boleh.

And that's it for today! Day 1 done and dusted.

31 Day Blogging Challenge. Wish me Luck. + Ichallenge for this week.

Its Monday!!
Hey people, kjdfavhulLNHSVhjb,fvnj,m>fk.k m CMVl fvkhbjn!

That's me not knowing what to write. This is not new, It happens to me sometimes, you open your word pad and just stare at it, not knowing what to write. Most times I would relax, and wait for when it starts flowing.
But yeaaaahhh! I just might have a found  cure.
I came across this blogging challenge online and a little voice said to me ''This is just what you need''

Make sure you read, and comment. I am literally begging. the ratio of views/comments I get on my blog is like 90:10.
I keep wondering why somebody will come and read a really awesome piece and not drop a comment. likeeeee, whatsup???
But its okay though, I'm really grateful that you guys actually read at all. Sometimes I look at my screen and just scream in excitement because of the views. Thank you all.

Soooooo lets do this!  Come with me to the next post for Day 1. You would enjoy it.

For IChallenge this week, well, I challenge you to challenge yourself. Whats that thing you would love to do but always find yourself procrastinating? writing, praying, reading, calling,  ETC. Ichallenge you to improve on it. See, no time o! DO IT! START DOING IT! JUST DO IT ! I have started my own, and its a good feeling trust me.


Be good!

WAEC QUESTION: Give this story a title.

This is not fiction. Its a real life short story I wrote and posted on Facebook last year. I have decided to upgrade it to a blog post just because Doctor Riel Read it and loved it, and it made him laugh. Its a great feeling for Dr Riel to love your piece. 😁😁
However, I lack a title so i have decided to throw it open to the house, you know like those WAEC Questions.

I am coming back from school. So tired. I am gathering my last strength to walk, in my mind I want to just manage and get to my hostel so i can collapse there.. it will be better.
My slippers is not helping matters, why is it so heavy? I can barely raise a foot.
Halfway to my hostel, some one calls my name from behind. I keep walking, I don't want to turn because I have already programmed my mind and my legs are just following, turning to greet somebody was nowhere in the programme, but I just turn, it might be somebody important, I see Macfray sitting at the small corner where they sell fishroll. Hot fishroll.

Immediately my intestines start to party, or quarrel, whichever but the aroma of the fishroll spars off an activity in my stomach.

I get to Macfray who is my church brother and greet him.. still managing to keep a strong hungry-less attitude, he wants to start a conversation, but i cant alter the programme twice, so i resist. I ask him to buy me fishroll, he does.

I badly want to start munching this hot saviour called fishroll but I am thinking; it wont look very good on me, i already look crazy with tiredness Let me not worsen it.

Few minutes later, this time, I can sight my hostel, I feel like a winner, a winner for reaching the finish line and the hot fishroll the star prize. All of a sudden, Helen is standing in front of me, where did she just appear from?

"Heyy Chiomzy how far now? What happened to you? You look pale!
I manage to flash a weak smile..
Helen looks at my hand, sees my star prize and grabs it..
My mind is yelling. "NOOOO" but i am too tired to speak..

"Chioma lemme take naa please. Thank you thank you.." she zooms off.

Everything stops. I look back,I am screaming Helen's name inside but couldn't speak out.
I just got robbed..
My star prize is gone. I don't have cash, and no strength to cook, how worse can it get?.

I am almost in tears. The mixture of tears and sorrow that hangs around your neck like you have goitre... mine was larger than goitre.
I finally get to my hostel. And collapse on my bed.

I should have put my star prize in my bag.

It doesn't Make sense; It makes faith. - Facebook Friend.

My Facebook Friend wrote this really amazing piece and shared on his wall, i read it, and loved it so much I wanted to share it a million times till everybody that uses internet in this world reads it.
Here it goes;


I always smile when I read a post by my atheist friends which begins with "Read and Receive Sense" or its cocky equivalent.

Those better educated people don't realize they are the butt of their own jokes.

Sense.

That's the irony.

Sense.

That's why I would never bother arguing with an atheist.

Because they deal with sense. I deal with faith.

Planets apart.

Does it even make sense to you? they would ask.

No.

Because it is not supposed to make sense. It is supposed to make faith.

For the just shall live by faith.

The justified by Jesus live by faith.

The world says seeing is believing.

The bible says "only believe and you will see the glory of God"

The world says if you have no money, you are broke.

The word says, Let no man glory in men for all things are yours.

(All things are yours so give God thanks)

Jesus looked at ten lepers, and said 'Go show yourselves to the priests'

It didn't make sense. You only Go to the priests when you are cleansed. Not before.

But God calls those things which are not as though they are. Because God is a faith God.

Jesus said to Thomas, because you have seen me you have believed.

Translation: Because I came down to your sense level, you are forming faith. This is not faith.

If you wait to see everything sorted out before you declare, 'All things are working out together for my good, ' Jesus is saying, Because you don chop belleful you dey form God is my provider abi?

Atheists mock: The Lord is not my shepherd, sheep are dumb, I am not dumb, I am not a sheep.

Because they don't understand the key word is not sheep but SHEPHERD.

There will always be times when we just cannot form ironman, lone ranger, big bad wolf. We will be looking for that person who knows better than us. That person we can trust with our lives. That person we can sag our weary bodies against.

Even common sense would tell you we all need shepherds.

We are all sheep whether some people want to form sabi pass or not. We know nothing. We only try to theorize things to make ourselves feel better. Safer.

The lord is my Shepherd and i don't give a fuck what anyone else says about it.

I think that's why christians suffer depression. Because they wander away. Because they switch off from their source of faith. Of strength. Jesus said, Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy ladden and I will give you rest.

Why are you depressed instead of rested? Because you are not looking unto Jesus, you are looking unto man. And woman. And papa and mama and James and John and Daddy G. O.

Jesus said, Peace I leave with you, my peace i give unto you. Not as the world gives do I give unto you.

Jesus acknowledged the world will give peace. Then he goes, but the peace i give you is not the same as world peace.

World peace is when everything is falling into place. When you are at a beautiful beach, no stress, drinking fine wine.

The Jesus peace that passes understanding is when things are not working out yet, but you are still radiant and smiling. Only Jesus can give you that.

It doesn't make sense. Because it is not supposed to. It makes faith.

Dear Christian, if you mind those 'common sense' practitioners, you are on your own.

God will not always make sense.

God doesn't always make sense.

God doesn't have to make sense to you if you believe.

When you start applying sense to the things of the spirit, you start walking in carnality, in your own wisdom, in your own natural abilities. You start backsliding.

Backsliding doesn't necessarily come because of sin. But unbelief.

So, dear Christian, be bold in your 'foolishness'

Let them craft fine grammar. Let them call you names. Let them insult your generation.

The bible says, be not deceived, God is not mocked.

Nor can His children.

Nor should they.

-Hymar Idibie David

Chinyere Ifediorah talks about Herself, Her writing career and Her Novel; Little People.

Meet Chinyere Ifediorah, the author of ''Little People'' She is quite an interesting young lady, emphasis on

''interesting'', or how else would you describe some one who enjoys sitting in a crowded park and just watch

people go about their  normal lives.

She said she could make up a story by just watching people, imagine what they

are saying and who they are to each other.

She is a Lawyer, from Awka, Anambra state.

Here is one fascinating thing about her book, ''connection''. Its almost like magic, the way the characters all have

something in common with someone you know in real life. I'm serious. You would practically be alive inside the book.

As for me, I took it personal. If you know me you would think I was the main character,😊

because we had so much in common. And Kas (The main character) motivated me to take my blogging more seriously.

Enjoy the interview. And make sure you get the book.

So tell me about your book, How long did it take to come up with the title?

To be honest I cannot remember ever wondering what title I will give the book.

The name little people just came right from when I started writing the story. I title most of my stories right from

when I start writing them

What inspired the story?

 I love writing you know and little people was one of the many stories I was writing side by side.

Then one day I sent my friend the first few pages of Little People alongside another story I was also writing then and

she just loved Little People, she said I should drop the other one and finish Little people so I took her advice, it is

just one the many stories I would love to tell you know....the life of the Nigerian young person, from our own

 perspective without any coloring.

Yeah, you did a great job with that "without any coloring" because I could relate to every

single feeling and situation in the book.

Yes, I wanted something any young person who grew up in this country can understand and relate to,

dreams we must have all dreamt and road we must have passed

Is it your first published?

Yes, it is my first published book. Even though it was written early 2014, that is almost 3 years

Why didn't you publish in 2014 then?

Little people was not the first book I tried to publish. In secondary school I wrote a novel and took to a Roadside

printing press near my house that I read "publishing" in the sign post outside his office.

He told me he was not a publisher and I went home and that book was never published. Then in 2013 I finished

another novel shortly before I started Little People and I tried my best to submit it to publishers, They all rejected

that one and some offered to publish it if I can pay, that is self publishing. So when I wrote little people I didn't

submit it to many places like I did the first one, the few I submitted rejected the manuscript too and rather

requested that I pay for self publishing if I felt strongly about the story. I didn't have the money then so I equally

abandoned it. Then this year some of my friends that read the book kept asking me what happened to it and

why I haven't published it. So I finally decided I would go ahead and publish it, I sourced for a publisher and

found one in Ibadan and that was how I was able to finally publish my first novel.

Was publishing the only challenge you faced or were there any other challenges you would love to share?

I think another challenge is the problem of money, it is not easy to focus on writing when it is not yet paying

you because the bills will keep coming and you have to work to pay your bills while juggling writing.

How did you deal with writers' block while writing Little People and generally?

I have not published everything I have written so writers block is not really my problem you know, but even when I

am in the middle of a book and I can't just get through I go on a road trip, I discovered that seating down in a

moving vehicle for hours really opens my brain and makes me want to just write...another thing that helps me is

 watching people, like going to Jabi lake on Saturday morning and just watch the milling crowd.

Little people is one of those stories that kept pouring, I couldn't get it all out faster...like my mind was making

up the story faster than my hands could type.

What drives you? Your motivation around the whole writing thing?

When I was little I thought books were created by God, then one day I learnt there were people called authors who

write the books, since then I have always wanted to be one.

Quote of the year. lol! Apart from writing, what else do you do?

I read...I swim...I watch people.

What are your ambitions for your writing career?

I want to be read. I want to publish more and I want to write more.

I always thought the books I read growing up shaped me and influenced my life and I hope to be able to influence

and entertain my generation and the ones to come with my writing

I know you're a lawyer. How do you manage work and writing?

I manage well I guess...writing is the passion/hobby, law pays the bill, so I try to find the balance.

Okay. So which writers inspire you?  And whats your favorite book?

The late Sydney Sheldon and Chimamanda Adichie are my best of the best, at to my favorite book, I found a little

book that belonged to my boss titled 'you have got to cry to laugh' by Peter Enahoro, and it has been my favorite

book for a while now, I am not loyal though, I will soon find another book.

What would you say is the hardest and easiest thing about writing?

The hardest is publishing and getting your work out there.

The easiest is thing about writing is the process. All you need is just you and your laptop and you click away

and a book is born!

What do you like the most about books? What is being written or how its being written?

I think it's the story and the characters and places it paints so vividly, like I could get all romantic about Venice even

though I have never been there just because some book have told me a lot about Venice.

How has the review for Little People being so far?

It has been awesome, unbelievable even, a girl in ss3 who I have never met had her father who was a friend call me

so she could ask me if there would be a sequel and why I didn't explain what happened to Kas...it is like the book

has taken a life of its own and different people have different opinion about what happened to Kas and what the

title meant etc...so far so good I must say.

So how does it feel to finally have your novel published?

My publisher sent like 5 copies first,When I opened the pack and brought my book out and held them in my hands

for the very first time I had this flood of emotions I cannot even describe. It was as if my heart was breaking from

too much happiness. I think that might be what mothers feel when they hold there babies for the first time.

I was overwhelmed and beyond happy.

Do you feel like ''that's it, i am done?

Nope, this is just the beginning.

What were the mistakes you made in this your first writing and publishing that you"d look out for in the next ones?

I will definitely use an independent editor aside from the one the publisher will provide.

Advice to writers and young people in General

If you want to write, read, readers are leaders so yeah...we all should read, then keep writing, whether short stories or

articles or full length books, just keep writing because that's one way to be a better writer, by writing. And then

Make sure you read Little People and when you are done give your friend to read too!

hahaha! Smart move. Thank you very much for your time Chinyere. I really appreciate.

You are welcome.

You can download ''Little People'' on Amazon: https://goo.gl/BtwWNH

Or Call Chester Ugochukwu on 08039307673 to order.

**************************************************************************

I picked a lesson from my conversation with Chinyere. The way she says ''one of my friends said....'' ''Then my friend 

said....''

I noticed that her friends pushed her a lot, and each time they push her, something good comes out lf it.

My Question is, Do you have friends who push you?

Thanks for reading, don't forget to comment and share.

Married vs Single Life poll. (Interested people Please get in touch)

I am doing something very exciting. I am doing a project, or should i call it a poll, on Single vs Married life.

Reason being that I have been getting very top notch advice, the kind that you pay for and attend seminars outside the country for.😀
And because Facebook has not stopped rubbing it on my face that most of my friends are married.
Friends I went to school with, even some of my juniors that would run errands for me in school are now mothers. 😮😮likkkkkeeeeeee! That some hard core reality.

Sometimes, when 1 see their pictures, I admire them, I always imagine: how are they coping? How have they evolved? There is this expectation the society places on you as a married lady/mother, I wonder, how are they meeting up? Is it fun? Do they miss being single? How does forever with one man look like? what exactly are the differences, what have they learnt? How do they see life now as opposed to when they were single? I imagine a lot of things!!
I imagine things a lot and i try to fit in and just then I snap out!😏
So I have decided to ask them. This poll is going to last for a while, Maybe.

I have already talked to some of married friends and they loved the idea.
so If you are single, and wondering the same thing, you should never miss this episode. Tell your friends about it too.

If you are really married, please you write me through ijeonline@gmail.com

So in the absence of Ije Love segment for today, lets appreciate God for little things like Feeling the big stone before crushing it with your teeth while eating beans. People think its just luck to feel the stone and then quietly spit it out, its not luck o brethren, its a miracle. Its GOD telling you that he still loves and care for you!

Enjoy your day!

Ichallenge: To worry is human, To stop and speak the Word is Divine.

Yes! here again.
How is the new year going for you? or are you still trying to figure it out? Me? I got into the groove very quickly. However, I have been doing a lot of thinking, thinking about life generally, How i'm getting older and how 19 year olds are the ones running the town now.

Years of walking around feeling cool is gradually ending, Years when I didn't have to explain every action I take because people are going to let it slide with the excuse of  ''it's her age, leave her'' Nowadays, i have to be very careful, and copiously explain all my actions.
The future I thought and talked about last 5 years is here. All those books I read, all those advice I got, all those seminars and leadership meetings I attended, they are all finally making a lot of sense. so much sense that I feel like there is more to it than were recorded. you know?

And then there is the big question- ''What are you doing with your life?
Now, this question 5 years ago would have been another motivational quote that is supposed to spur me to sit up and do something. I would have written it down in my word note as a very catchy rhetorical motivational quote.
Fast forward to now, 😃That question has got to have an answer to it! like practical! That question is supposed to produce at least a 1 page answer. I ask myself that question unconsciously every time. One of my friends would always ask the question in between conversation as a deal breaker, usually in Igbo; kee ihe iji ndu gi eme?. I would always answer passively as if the question is not a big deal. But inside i know that i am supposed to give an answer to that on serious note. 😭

But on a second thought, I realize I am just worried, or scared, or just being paranoid. like.. Relax chioma!
What did the bible say about worrying? and who did the bible say we should cast our cares on?
The truth is, I don't ever want to look at my life 50 years later and realize I haven't made a life time statement or achieve my dreams.
 I don't want to ever find myself in a situation where i start using 'my mates are....' or a situation where my mum or my parents would be using it on me. I want to live out every single purpose that God has placed in me, I don't want to be occupied with the wrong thing. I want to make God and my parents proud.
It is absolutely unspiritual of Me to get myself to this level of thought because they do not correspond with the part of the bible that says;

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. or the one that says:

Do not be anxious about anything... 

LOL. To be Honest, I never even thought that I would be worrying about these things, I thought my knowledge of the bible would automatically make me immune to worrying but NO, I realized  its at that point of worry that the word comes alive and makes so much sense.
To worry is human, to catch yourself and speak Gods word is divine.
So if you ever find yourself at this level of thinking, You are worrying, and you have to stop. and scoop the word. And see how peaceful you suddenly will be.

However, I am thankful to God for the gift of life and abilities.  Wow so many things to be thankful for! I am alive. with my full 5 senses alert and working. I have God.

Ichallenge you today, to stop all those extensive thoughts of yours. make efforts to stop them, we cant continue to like this, the year is still young, we have more than 300 days days to go and we cant be carrying heavy load upandan when we have a big God.