Ihe Neme (Things Are Happening)

• You’re thinking of plans on how to entertain the kids.
• Setting your alarm clock for an  earlier time to squeeze more things on your schedule.
• Considering how your currently terrible situation can be used as a testimony.
• Praying for others more than you pray for yourself.
• Writing down a reminder to buy thank you cards for the volunteer workers.
• Learning that the choosing your battles have become a part of your nature.
• Seeing the cool in what you’re even 2-years-younger self would have found embarrassing.
• Making a little extra dinner for your roommate out of want rather than obligation
• Simply deciding not to get a manicure because you’re on dish duty the next day and you’re okay with it.
• Calling your relatives because they would like to talk to you even though the feeling may not be fully mutual.
• Finding joy in eating alone once in a while rather than fearing it.

Call it whatever you wish, maturity, growing up, life, what have you. All I know is that it is here and although I didn’t even know when it hit realizing how it has slowly altered my everyday actions has made me more appreciative of the life given me. 

Still The Same (kinda)

While this blog is now called Anchors ‘n’ Oceans nothing has really changed - well except for the layout and a new comment box below! Although the name is no longer 20 And Some Change (20asc) I’ll still be posting some of the same content. In the time to come there will be a few new additions like more every-day stuff, guest bloggers, advice, and a little more creative content.

As for the name change, the reason for that was because I was looking for something a bit more… refreshing. I started blogging when I was 20 and a few months old, hence the name 20asc. Now that I am a bit older I decided it was the perfect time to go with the “out with the old and in with the new” motto. The name Anchors ‘n’ Oceans comes from my love for all things nautical and even more so my love for God. In my life I’ve moved around quite a bit but it was through all of that I realized He is my one and true constant - He is my anchor. When places change, people come and go, time rolls on, He holds me down with out ever holding me back. I guess you can say this then is an ode to Him.

So, without further adieu, welcome again. Stick around, check it out, subscribe down below (blue button underneath the archives) or press the follow button up above.

Happy readings,
Teniola.

The Ultimate Headhunter

"Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.’” -Luke 9:23-24

It’s a pretty tall order what Jesus asks of us. It’s not like you’re simply giving away your clothes to your siblings because you don’t fit in them anymore, or sharing the last slice of pizza with a friend. No. This is our lives we’re talking about. Jesus is telling us to drop what we’re doing to live a life for Him.

If we see further beyond our initial shock we are then able to see the greatness God has planned for us up ahead. What we usually fail to realize is that this is nothing but a win-win situation.

I saw these words the other day and oh how perfectly does it fit into what I’m writing about here today. You see, when Jesus asked us to drop our lives and pick up the cross, it was His own way of saying I have something greater for you. God created you as an individual, He created you with your own personal desires that He has not forgotten (Psalm 37: 3-4). Not only that but if you allow Him He can also give you a new desire for something you have never considered before. So whether it be your love for design, veterinary work, technology, cooking or what have you, He knows it all! The path He is leading you on is not that different from the one you currently walk on, the only maybe minor difference is that it is one billion times better (Jeremiah 29:11). He will show us how to use our passions to the fullest and not only will they better our lives but that of those around us.

Here comes the personal story:

I’m a lover of the arts. I enjoy a good design and I take delight in capturing moments with my camera - I enjoy these things so much that during my last year of college I even started a small business and it did pretty well. However, following my move from Oregon to Sydney I found it difficult to start it up again. Fortunately Jesus came in and blessed me with a job where I could do just that but on a more selfless level. Sure it was a weird transition but what stage in life isn’t? I now work for my church and in all honesty, I am so grateful. Once I got past the sting of losing my business to help others I found more joy in doing what I now do. Through that, God has given me more opportunities to design and photograph different things. Additionally, the people I have been lucky enough to call co-workers are people I can also call my friends. When God wants to bless you, with Him it’s either a “Go big or go home”
type of thing.

Just remember:

YOU WERE MADE FOR THE PLACE WHERE YOUR REAL PASSION MEETS COMPASSION BECAUSE THERE LIES YOUR REAL PURPOSE.

Living a life for God is not about obligation, it’s about loyalty. When you’re loyal to someone you do things you wouldn’t necessarily find yourself doing but because you care for the other you do it anyway. In Psalm 51:12-14 it says, “If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it… Sacrifice thank offerings to God.” God is calling us to live out a life of loyalty. While He does not need us to to live our lives for Him He would like us to. By sacrificing thank offerings onto Him we are saying I love you, I appreciate all the things you have given to me and done for me, and although there is no way to fully pay you back I’m going to do the things you have asked me to do. Sort of like these trees. I bet if they could talk they would say their days have not always been pleasant, with the rain, harsh sun and what not but because God gave them life and He renews them every season they stand unmoved. - Live a life filled with loyal love not obligatory actions.

Living a life for God is not about obligation, it’s about loyalty. When you’re loyal to someone you do things you wouldn’t necessarily find yourself doing but because you care for the other you do it anyway. In Psalm 51:12-14 it says, “If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it… Sacrifice thank offerings to God.” God is calling us to live out a life of loyalty. While He does not need us to to live our lives for Him He would like us to. By sacrificing thank offerings onto Him we are saying I love you, I appreciate all the things you have given to me and done for me, and although there is no way to fully pay you back I’m going to do the things you have asked me to do. Sort of like these trees. I bet if they could talk they would say their days have not always been pleasant, with the rain, harsh sun and what not but because God gave them life and He renews them every season they stand unmoved. - Live a life filled with loyal love not obligatory actions.

Living a life for God is not about obligation, it’s about loyalty. When you’re loyal to someone you do things you wouldn’t necessarily find yourself doing but because you care for the other you do it anyway. In Psalm 51:12-14 it says, “If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it… Sacrifice thank offerings to God.” God is calling us to live out a life of loyalty. While He does not need us to to live our lives for Him He would like us to. By sacrificing thank offerings onto Him we are saying I love you, I appreciate all the things you have given to me and done for me, and although there is no way to fully pay you back I’m going to do the things you have asked me to do. Sort of like these trees. I bet if they could talk they would say their days have not always been pleasant, with the rain, harsh sun and what not but because God gave them life and He renews them every season they stand unmoved. - Live a life filled with loyal love not obligatory actions.

Living a life for God is not about obligation, it’s about loyalty. When you’re loyal to someone you do things you wouldn’t necessarily find yourself doing but because you care for the other you do it anyway. In Psalm 51:12-14 it says, “If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it… Sacrifice thank offerings to God.” God is calling us to live out a life of loyalty. While He does not need us to to live our lives for Him He would like us to. By sacrificing thank offerings onto Him we are saying I love you, I appreciate all the things you have given to me and done for me, and although there is no way to fully pay you back I’m going to do the things you have asked me to do. Sort of like these trees. I bet if they could talk they would say their days have not always been pleasant, with the rain, harsh sun and what not but because God gave them life and He renews them every season they stand unmoved. - Live a life filled with loyal love not obligatory actions.

Word of God Speak

I love how God has the ability to talk to you through anything and all things.

_______________________________

"If you could soldier on, headstrong into the storm
I’ll be here waiting on the other side don’t
Look back the road is long, the first days of the war are gone
Take back your former throne and turn the tide

‘Cause if you never leave home, never let go
You’ll never make it to the great unknown
Till you keep your eyes… open my love

So tell me you’re strong, tell me you see
I need to hear it, can you promise me
To keep your eyes… open my love

Just past the circumstance, the first light a second chance
No child could ever dance the way you do oh
Tear down the prison walls, don’t stop the burden calls
Your chains will never fall until you do”

- Keep Your Eyes Open - Needtobreathe

_______________________________

Didn’t plan on listening to this song tonight but like always, He has better plans for me than I do for myself.

[gallery]

On Thursday my friend Nate had his birthday so a bunch of other friends and I decided to throw him a surprise birthday dinner last night. Needless to say, it went really well. We ate at La Mesa, a Filipino restaurant. The food was good and the company was great.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATE! I know I speak for all of us when I say we are so blessed to have you as a friend. As God adds another year to your life we cannot wait to see what else He has in store for you and your incredibly inspiring journey.

[gallery]

On Thursday my friend Nate had his birthday so a bunch of other friends and I decided to throw him a surprise birthday dinner last night. Needless to say, it went really well. We ate at La Mesa, a Filipino restaurant. The food was good and the company was great.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATE! I know I speak for all of us when I say we are so blessed to have you as a friend. As God adds another year to your life we cannot wait to see what else He has in store for you and your incredibly inspiring journey.

[gallery]

On Thursday my friend Nate had his birthday so a bunch of other friends and I decided to throw him a surprise birthday dinner last night. Needless to say, it went really well. We ate at La Mesa, a Filipino restaurant. The food was good and the company was great.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATE! I know I speak for all of us when I say we are so blessed to have you as a friend. As God adds another year to your life we cannot wait to see what else He has in store for you and your incredibly inspiring journey.

[gallery]

On Thursday my friend Nate had his birthday so a bunch of other friends and I decided to throw him a surprise birthday dinner last night. Needless to say, it went really well. We ate at La Mesa, a Filipino restaurant. The food was good and the company was great.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATE! I know I speak for all of us when I say we are so blessed to have you as a friend. As God adds another year to your life we cannot wait to see what else He has in store for you and your incredibly inspiring journey.

    Funny how no one really reads the old testament but if they did they would notice how much the stories of Moses, Samson, Rebecca, or Ruth actually relate to our lives. I remember this time last year -well I think it was around this time last year- when I had finally realized who my core group of friends were. I remember that day because I cried during church service. That moment of realization had been a long time coming. However, it was not long after that moment did I then realize that I would soon be moving half way around the world without my friends for school - it hit me hard. Here I was, the end of a 4-year wait for great friends only to start another wait all over again. 
  

   Fast forward to a few Sundays later and Pastor Wes was preaching on Abram. 
Now for those of you who don’t know the story of the first Good Ole Abe, it goes a little something like this: 
                                    

  Abram was a wealthy and well-known man in his town. He had land, money, family and friends - all one could need and more. However a day came when God told him to leave all that behind and travel to a distant land called Canaan. At that point Abram was like ‘Okay, God. That’s really funny but you I don’t think that’s gonna happen.’ (Who could blame him, that’s 500 miles of nothing but walking). Despite Abram’s disapproval God told Abram to trust Him and know that He would never do Abe wrong. With that Abram took his family along with some belongings and set foot for Canaan. Like God always has done, He followed through on His promise and  safely delivered Abe to a new land - the land of many promises.
    I too have to thank God for doing the same. God uprooted me from Oregon to live here in Sydney. You’re probably reading this and thinking, big deal, it’s Australia not social exile. Nonetheless, it was not the destination that was the problem for me. I was apprehensive at first because He was taking me away from everything I had ever known- I would still feel the same about moving to Washington. Fortunately, I have a God who provides no matter where I go and that is what He did. So if you took away all the good things that people love about Sydney at the end of the day I would still I feel extremely and utterly blessed to call this place my new home. I left Oregon not to let go of old but to gain a new - friends, memories, experience, and to follow the calling He has put before me.

To any of you who read this, I want you all to know that our God will never take you out to leave you. Trust in Him when He calls you because He’s calling you for greater. No doubt the transition will be a little difficult but that does not make it any less worth it.

    Funny how no one really reads the old testament but if they did they would notice how much the stories of Moses, Samson, Rebecca, or Ruth actually relate to our lives. I remember this time last year -well I think it was around this time last year- when I had finally realized who my core group of friends were. I remember that day because I cried during church service. That moment of realization had been a long time coming. However, it was not long after that moment did I then realize that I would soon be moving half way around the world without my friends for school - it hit me hard. Here I was, the end of a 4-year wait for great friends only to start another wait all over again. 
  

   Fast forward to a few Sundays later and Pastor Wes was preaching on Abram. 
Now for those of you who don’t know the story of the first Good Ole Abe, it goes a little something like this: 
                                    

  Abram was a wealthy and well-known man in his town. He had land, money, family and friends - all one could need and more. However a day came when God told him to leave all that behind and travel to a distant land called Canaan. At that point Abram was like ‘Okay, God. That’s really funny but you I don’t think that’s gonna happen.’ (Who could blame him, that’s 500 miles of nothing but walking). Despite Abram’s disapproval God told Abram to trust Him and know that He would never do Abe wrong. With that Abram took his family along with some belongings and set foot for Canaan. Like God always has done, He followed through on His promise and  safely delivered Abe to a new land - the land of many promises.
    I too have to thank God for doing the same. God uprooted me from Oregon to live here in Sydney. You’re probably reading this and thinking, big deal, it’s Australia not social exile. Nonetheless, it was not the destination that was the problem for me. I was apprehensive at first because He was taking me away from everything I had ever known- I would still feel the same about moving to Washington. Fortunately, I have a God who provides no matter where I go and that is what He did. So if you took away all the good things that people love about Sydney at the end of the day I would still I feel extremely and utterly blessed to call this place my new home. I left Oregon not to let go of old but to gain a new - friends, memories, experience, and to follow the calling He has put before me.

To any of you who read this, I want you all to know that our God will never take you out to leave you. Trust in Him when He calls you because He’s calling you for greater. No doubt the transition will be a little difficult but that does not make it any less worth it.

    Funny how no one really reads the old testament but if they did they would notice how much the stories of Moses, Samson, Rebecca, or Ruth actually relate to our lives. I remember this time last year -well I think it was around this time last year- when I had finally realized who my core group of friends were. I remember that day because I cried during church service. That moment of realization had been a long time coming. However, it was not long after that moment did I then realize that I would soon be moving half way around the world without my friends for school - it hit me hard. Here I was, the end of a 4-year wait for great friends only to start another wait all over again. 
  

   Fast forward to a few Sundays later and Pastor Wes was preaching on Abram. 
Now for those of you who don’t know the story of the first Good Ole Abe, it goes a little something like this: 
                                    

  Abram was a wealthy and well-known man in his town. He had land, money, family and friends - all one could need and more. However a day came when God told him to leave all that behind and travel to a distant land called Canaan. At that point Abram was like ‘Okay, God. That’s really funny but you I don’t think that’s gonna happen.’ (Who could blame him, that’s 500 miles of nothing but walking). Despite Abram’s disapproval God told Abram to trust Him and know that He would never do Abe wrong. With that Abram took his family along with some belongings and set foot for Canaan. Like God always has done, He followed through on His promise and  safely delivered Abe to a new land - the land of many promises.
    I too have to thank God for doing the same. God uprooted me from Oregon to live here in Sydney. You’re probably reading this and thinking, big deal, it’s Australia not social exile. Nonetheless, it was not the destination that was the problem for me. I was apprehensive at first because He was taking me away from everything I had ever known- I would still feel the same about moving to Washington. Fortunately, I have a God who provides no matter where I go and that is what He did. So if you took away all the good things that people love about Sydney at the end of the day I would still I feel extremely and utterly blessed to call this place my new home. I left Oregon not to let go of old but to gain a new - friends, memories, experience, and to follow the calling He has put before me.

To any of you who read this, I want you all to know that our God will never take you out to leave you. Trust in Him when He calls you because He’s calling you for greater. No doubt the transition will be a little difficult but that does not make it any less worth it.

    Funny how no one really reads the old testament but if they did they would notice how much the stories of Moses, Samson, Rebecca, or Ruth actually relate to our lives. I remember this time last year -well I think it was around this time last year- when I had finally realized who my core group of friends were. I remember that day because I cried during church service. That moment of realization had been a long time coming. However, it was not long after that moment did I then realize that I would soon be moving half way around the world without my friends for school - it hit me hard. Here I was, the end of a 4-year wait for great friends only to start another wait all over again. 
  

   Fast forward to a few Sundays later and Pastor Wes was preaching on Abram. 
Now for those of you who don’t know the story of the first Good Ole Abe, it goes a little something like this: 
                                    

  Abram was a wealthy and well-known man in his town. He had land, money, family and friends - all one could need and more. However a day came when God told him to leave all that behind and travel to a distant land called Canaan. At that point Abram was like ‘Okay, God. That’s really funny but you I don’t think that’s gonna happen.’ (Who could blame him, that’s 500 miles of nothing but walking). Despite Abram’s disapproval God told Abram to trust Him and know that He would never do Abe wrong. With that Abram took his family along with some belongings and set foot for Canaan. Like God always has done, He followed through on His promise and  safely delivered Abe to a new land - the land of many promises.
    I too have to thank God for doing the same. God uprooted me from Oregon to live here in Sydney. You’re probably reading this and thinking, big deal, it’s Australia not social exile. Nonetheless, it was not the destination that was the problem for me. I was apprehensive at first because He was taking me away from everything I had ever known- I would still feel the same about moving to Washington. Fortunately, I have a God who provides no matter where I go and that is what He did. So if you took away all the good things that people love about Sydney at the end of the day I would still I feel extremely and utterly blessed to call this place my new home. I left Oregon not to let go of old but to gain a new - friends, memories, experience, and to follow the calling He has put before me.

To any of you who read this, I want you all to know that our God will never take you out to leave you. Trust in Him when He calls you because He’s calling you for greater. No doubt the transition will be a little difficult but that does not make it any less worth it.

Dear Mom, Ma, and Dad,

           The other day I came across the verses Psalm 44:1-3. They go as follows:

"We have heard it with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago. With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our fathers; you crushed the peoples and made our fathers flourish. It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm and the light of your face, for you loved them."

With that I just wanted to take the time out to say thank you. I take a look at my life now and marvel at the length and depth of it all. I rejoice in the years spent on this earth. Some of them were tough to get through but nonetheless, I am stil here. With God’s grace and everlasting, all-consuming, unfathomable love I am here. Which brings me back to you three. The reason I have been blessed with knowing such a love is because I was raised with it and in it. You also raised me with a truth that was attached to this love. You showed it to me from such a young age that it became a part of me. I knew nothing from it.

       So as I left the nest and ventured off on my own I had nothing to fear. Yes, I admit to being nervous and a bit apprehensive but it was the examples of Christ in your lives and and the stories told to me through you all that allowed me to forge on on my unpaved path - the one I still walk today. I walk boldly in the face of my future because I know that a set of parents that believe in me whole-heartedly also stand behind me. And behind them is a God who would die for me and did; a God who would fight for me and has. I know He stands rooted behind me and you - all of us.

"I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory… in God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever." - Psalm 44: 6-8

As a child, albeit a 21-year-old child I think that is one of the greatest gifts, lessons, advice, you could have ever passed down. You didn’t have to but you did.

So with that I say, ese ati mo dupe fun parents bi ti yin.

Always + forever

Mamma T. Teeni. Teniola Taiwo.

God is such a groupie (and other things I learned from #HillsongConf 2013)

To say last night was amazing is… well, I don’t know. All I know is that amazing just would not cut it. To better describe the last night of Hillsong's 2013 Conference one would have to use words like inspiring; revelation; mind-opening; surprising; emotional; humorous; love-filled; spirit-filled; infinite; you know, something along those lines.

However, because it is physically impossible for me to rewind time and bring you with me, I suppose I could just give you the key points I received from Pastor Judah Smith's all-those-above-words-and-a-bit-more message.

1. John 3:16 + Romans 5:6-8 are alive and real because God is love. (1 John 4:8). It is literally impossible for Him not to love us and everyone including the bad people because He knows no other way. He is love and He will always be love

2. God is a groupie. For example, look at Justin Beiber and his groupies. A bunch of people willing to do anything to meet, see, and hear Justin Beiber no matter the cost. They follow him to all - if not, most - of his shows; they dream of the day that he will be theirs; and every thing he does they hope it’s for them even though they know that there’s a strong possibility that won’t ever happen. Hence, God is our groupie. He longs to be with us, to hear us, to speak to us, and to see us even though He knows some will reject Him. God longs for our praises and will never stop looking for them.

3. He’s got a bad case of the so-loves. I mean just look at John 3:16 for example. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have everlasting life.” With that then comes so many other things: 

For God so loves us that…

• He continues to forgive us EVERY time we stuff up (1 John 1:9)
• He helps us find our way when we find ourselves lost. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
• He wants nothing but an awesome life for us. (Jeremiah 29:11)
• makeup, muscles, clothes, and looks don’t matter to Him. (1 Samuel 16:7)
• He will NEVER forget you - even though it feels as though He has. (Isaiah 49: 15-16)
• His loving ways will remain the same forever - (Hebrews 13:8)
  

There are so many other cases where His love is evident. It’s not only the Bible that will show you them, just look back at your life ad see the proof! It’s unbelievable to think such a great being can work on such a microscopic level too.

4. He is the Hosea to our Gomer. If you flip through the book of Hosea, you will find a story of a wealthy and prominent man in society who was told by God to marry a woman of lesser value, a prostitute (Mind you, back then that had got to be one of the most embarrassing and awkward things you could do). So Hosea married her and they were living  a pretty good life with their 3 kids until one day she ran out on him. Hosea looked everywhere for her only to finally find her back in the slums selling herself again. It was after he had seen his own wife in her demoralizing position that God told Hosea, take her back (Hosea 3:1). God wanted Hosea to forgive her and have her come back with him. (Just hold on, it gets crazier). Not only did he have to take her back, he then found out that he had to buy her back - his own wife! Being the man he was, Hosea bought her from another and then proclaimed his love with a new set of vows (Hosea 3:3).

    Imagine that, having to buy something that you didn’t lose, that you cherished, that you loved, something that was already yours. That is what God did with us. We were His until sin took us away. He then had to send His only son to die for us as a wage to get us back. If that is not real love I do not know what is.

The message given by Pastor Judah went a bit deeper than what you just read but the whole point of it still remains. We are loved so much by God that it’s too crazy to wrap our heads or hearts around it. In short, we are loved by God.

I just want to end this post with some of the last words Pastor Judah said:

          This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  - 1 John 4:10-11

Red Bottoms, Sports, and Jesus

Jesus is like your favorite sports team in the midst of a winning season. For every point they scored you would probably post about it; for every game you attended you would instagram it; and when they finally make it to the championships and win, I bet your twitter feed would be longer than Dick Vitale’s. Your love for the team would probably cause a few of your social media followers to be slightly annoyed but you still wouldn’t care what other people think.

Or maybe Jesus is like buying a pair of Louboutins that were on half-off. Wouldn’t you be so excited you would want  to tell everyone about it? You too would be instagraming and tweeting about those red bottoms as much as possible to the point where anyone that didn’t have a pair would probably find it a bit excessive.

For me, there is no other way to best describe Jesus. I love Him so much that I can’t stop talking about Him. Only this time the chatter is not limited to a good sale or the on-season for whatever team, it expands to all areas of life. Whether I’m catching the train to class; hanging out with my friends; spending time by myself; eating breakfast; watching TV with my family; finding the perfect outfit for the day; whatever have you, I find God’s grace in everything. So it is with everything that I will bring my attention to glorify His name. I am so thankful for my life and all that lies within it because I know that none of it would be possible without Him. Too much good has happened for it to be a mere coincidence. As for the bad, I still find myself rejoicing because I know it’s not the end but a glorious beginning (James 1: 2-4).

So I leave you all with this: Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed to praise Him, to thank Him, or to talk about Him. Doing that is the most normal and natural thing to do to anything or anyone has done you good - it should be no different when it comes to Jesus.

To whom much is given.

For the first time in a long time I don’t feel homesick in the slightest. I have my my aunt, uncle, cousin, and a few close friends to thank for that. Thank you guys. Thank you God. I love you all.