The Uni Experience

Uni Experience: Encouraging yourself in the Lord

Gina Aggrey

It’s been a while. Hope you’re all being consistent in time with the Lord 🙂
In the last few weeks I have learnt some serious life lessons. In the next batch of messages, I’ll be talking about my walk with God whilst in uni. University itself can either be your making or breaking and I truly believe it will be my making. (Everybody say… Amennnnn!)
Moving to university has been both terrifying and exciting at the same time. At the beginning of the year I started to feel quite demotivated and full of doubt, as anyone would. There have been many times when these emotions have tried to get the better of me. Occasionally they have and I ended up in a bad place thinking thoughts of failure. I got tired of it. Wallowing in self-pity is never the answer. I learned to recognise that these thoughts were not of God. How could they be? I am called to be a light: ‘Live as children of light’ Ephesians 5: 8. How can I do that when I’m so down and depressed?

So I’ve been learning how to encourage myself in the Lord. I knew I had to find a way to stop negative thoughts and cynical feelings from loosing my focus. I pursued knowledge.

I’m currently reading Joyce Meyer’s ‘Battlefield of the Mind‘ and it is a real eye opener. I highly recommend it to you all because the mind is so precious in determining failure and success in anything. We have all heard about ‘Mind over matter’ right?
Dictionary definition: The use of willpower to overcome physical problems.
If in society we recognise the power the mind can have over how we feel and act then how much more power can the mind have with God’s influence? We all need that willpower to commit to not letting any demotivating thoughts enter our heads. We have control over our bodies, we have that power to control what we think about. Remain positive and always see the good in all situations because those tough times grow and build you into the person God wants you to become.

This is a hard one to master, believe me. There are times when I want to start work and then my mind wants to drift away, or I start worrying about how much I need to do. I have to, (still do and will continue to do this), literally tell myself ‘Gina those thoughts are not from God’. I remind myself of Matthew 6: 27 – ‘Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?’

Battlefield of the mind has helped me to recognise ways of thinking that should not become ‘normal’. I am particularly focusing on worry, fear and doubt because these are some of the easiest ways in which the devil can get to us. It’s all part of his plan widen that gap between us and God.
I had a moment where I actually questioned God. I thought God you’ve brought me here for what? Am I even capable of this? How can you bring me here when there’s a high risk of failure?

That was a low point for me. I needed a way out and it came in the form of an opportunity. An opportunity arose for me to give an encouraging word on how to persist in maintaining our relationship with God. It was the perfect chance for me to study the bible about coming against fear and doubt. I thought of an activity to help me do this and I’m going to challenge you to do this as well:
Preliminary – Be in a comfortable place where you are still at rest so you can concentrate.

  • Grab a piece of paper an pen and write down 3 scriptures that have helped you through previous tough times.
  • Write down the tough times and how God changed it around for you.
  • Using those same scriptures, apply them to any current situation your in now.
  • Apply them by thinking about them, repeating them out loud and in your head.
  • State with faith that God is turning it around for you.

Say those scriptures any time you feel that fear, doubt and unbelief kicking in.

This is all part of renewing your mind. Forcing your mind to ponder on what God has done and the good that has come of it, will continue to build you in faith that He can do it again. God will never fail us. Even David had his moments and he thought of the good God did in his life:

‘So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me dismayed. I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done’  Psalm 143: 4 – 5

Find your encouraging scriptures ladies and gentlemen and…

Blossom into…

A Conqueror.

Gina 🙂 x

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A Young Person’s Perspective: Peer Pressure

Gina Aggrey

Peer Pressure

I decided to have my own little praise and worship session in my room the other day and it’s amazing how God can put an idea concept into your heart when you remain in His presence.

I was thinking earlier this week… ‘What should I blog about?’ I knew I wanted to blog but I didn’t know what about. I don’t ever want to blog just because I feel like I haven’t published a message in a while. I know it needs to come from the Lord, so I waited on the Lord and lo and behold I’m back with something I have dealt with, am still dealing with and will deal with for time to come. The dreaded peer pressure.

Remember our centred scripture for this series of messages?… Let me remind you:

‘How can a young person stay on the path of purity?’ By living according to your word’ Psalm 119:9 (NIV)

Being part of the generation we are in, we are bound to be harassed by peer pressure in some way, shape or form. Why does peer pressure even arise in life? It’s because the ways of the world form our opinions and society’s perceptions are imprinted in our minds. My personal peer pressure battle is the fact that whenever there is a night out I get convinced into going. I know personally that this is a hindrance on my walk with God because I behaved very differently in those environments. I was never conscious about God within a club, I was too busy dancing, trying to act like how I ‘should’ according to the ‘norm’.  But I believe God has met me at this point in my life for a divine purpose which I’m trying to figure out. I’m trying to get across the fact that we have to be conscious of the image we give off. If we call ourselves Christians, the Holy Spirit is meant to guide us and we are meant to search for what the word says about certain activities we engage in. We need to pursue righteousness.

Following the Lord will require you to make certain changes. Some changes will cause constant battles for you. You have to encourage yourself in the Lord. To be a follower of the Lord, you have to take risks. Dare to be different and not venture down the path everyone else goes. Find yourself in Christ.

If you honestly want to beat peer pressure you need to constantly remember why the Lord has put things in place. For everything there is a reason. God’s master plan is salvation for all and your another piece in the jigsaw. God will use your life to impact others for His greater will. In this process He will bless, exalt, and remain faithful to you in all that you ask of Him according to His plan for your life. Don’t think once you’ve stated ‘I will not do this or go here’ that all the problems are over. You need to reinforce your declaration whenever it arises to trouble you. It is a constant battle, but you will overcome. The devil went away and came back to torment Jesus multiple times but we know that because Jesus stood firm in faith, he overcame the evil. Remember, it’s not going to be easy. We will have to fight against sly comments, criticisms and funny looks, but greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

I could honestly talk about so much but I will keep this relatively short. I will leave you with some scriptures to reflect on. The book of Ephesians is such a great book of the bible. I personally love it because it provides straight forward, easy to understand statements on the ways we as young people should conduct ourselves:

‘You were taught to, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness’ Ephesians 2: 22 – 24.

‘For you were once darkness, but now you are in the light in the Lord. Live as children of light ( for the fruit of the life consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.’ Ephesians 5: 8 – 10.

‘As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of the world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient’ Ephesians 2: 1 – 2.

I heard a song that summed up the current situations I’m in and it sends out such an important message to Christians, specifically to us in the younger generation who are more susceptible to be influenced by worldly vices.

Jonathan McReynolds – No Gray.

Listening to the lyrics is the most crucial thing.

God Bless you in your journey to seek His glory.

(P.S. if you have any questions, feel free to ask, just post a comment down below. It’s good to discuss things, someone could provide that answer you need).

Blossom into…

Believers who stand strong against temptation.

God Bless,

Gina 🙂 x

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Making the conscious effort to know God

Gina Aggrey

What are your new years resolutions?

Tis’ a new year Ladies and Gentlemen.

I’d like you to take this opportunity to give God praise. What in the past year are you truly grateful for?.  However big or small, God deserves praise. This is the only debt we owe Him.
In the past year, I thank God for getting me through stressful coursework and exams mainly. Amongst other things, I thank God for the fact that I am in university, growing and learning to become more like Him. God has come to meet me at the point of my need for every situation. The most important thing we have to thank God for is for His divine protection upon our lives. It is only by God’s mercy that we have come to see the end of 2014 and the beginning of 2015. All Glory is His forever and ever. Amen.

So…..What’s your new years resolution? Some people want to eat healthy, others want to focus on work, some want to join a gym.  Despite these, I bet I can give you the best resolution. How about drawing closer to God this year? How about actually thinking ‘So what is God about?…How does he work?..How do I see His work?’

When I speak to Christians, many say ‘Yeah I’ve already invited God into my life’. Okay..So what have you done to consciously signify that God has come into your life? God wants you to take action before He works within your life… you know that right? If your longing for God to come and bring a change in your life, ask yourself…What have you done for Him lately? (Yes Sister Act was very accurate singing this phrase).

Adopt good habits this year. To start building that foundation with Christ, you will need to do the following:

  1. Read more of your BIBLE.  Your bible adds to your knowledge and understanding about the wisdom of God. The same wisdom that will give you an idea about what God wants you to do to step into His will and fulfill your purpose.
    (DISCLAIMER: You are allowed to question what is in the bible in order to gain knowledge and understanding!! You will not understand things. When this happens it is important you pray for insight first and then you can ask a man or woman of God, your mum, dad, anyone you know of faith for some clarity).
  2. PRAY. Prayer is a conversation between you and God. Speak to Him. Just open you heart and tell God all your hopes and fears, dreams and doubts. He understands:‘Do not be anxious about anything. But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God’ Philippians 4: 6
  3. Make God a PRIORITY. To make God a priority, you need to be disciplined. You need self-control. Put a certain time of the day aside for God. Remain consistent with it. Even if it means meditating on what you want from God and what God has done, that is great. When you put in that effort God sees. You will be rewarded.
  4. SACRIFICE. You wanting to make changes in your life, is the result of all these things manifesting in your life. When God comes into the equation, there’s no way that things can remain the same. You will come to realise that there are changes you need to make in order to access more of God’s glory in your life. This is the stirring up of your own zeal and hunger for God. You will be able to recognise that your soul is hungry for the Word of God for spiritual nourishment.

So, I’ve listed a number of things to do…..Why should you even do what I say? First of all, I believe what I end up writing about is not by my own accord. The Holy Spirit dwells within me. It is a form a communication from God. Someone has read this and been effected. That I know for sure in Jesus Name, Amen.
Deuteronomy 28, is a chapter that always stays stuck in my head. It states both the blessings for obedience and the curses of disobedience. At this very moment, to all my fellow Ghanaians, I can prove that we can quote scriptures. Think about every time you have been prayed for. Now think about that one statement every asofumaame says:

‘You will be the head and not the tail”
This derives from Deuteronomy 28: 13 : ‘The Lord will make you the head and not the tail.”

When I first realised that it was actually a bible verse I honestly laughed so hard. But Praise be to God, for He elevates those who seek His righteousness.

So in summary my brothers and sister in Christ: Read your bible, pray, prioritise and sacrifice. Begin now and watch your 2015 be a fantastic year.

Blossom into…
Seekers of God.

Gina 🙂 x