Africa: A month into 2008: Hope, Dreams, Living · Global Voices
Paula Odhiambo

2008 is one month old. Different African women bloggers are going through different spiritual experiences. For many, this is just another year, exactly the same as 2007, and 2006, all the way back to the day they were born. For some, it began on a high note, with excitement and festivities; for others, hopes were dashed and disappointment could not be hidden.
One day, In the Midst of Her felt pulled toward the book of Jonah and discovered that she is not too different:
One night after wondering what to read, I decided to read the book of Jonah. I don’t know why I felt pulled to it, but I decided to heed the desire and do it. I love the bible because it tells of the character of God. Here is what I learnt from the book of Jonah; I learnt of myself… the Jonah in me…
Jon 1:3
But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
I think of how many times knowing what was desired of me, purposely gone the opposite way. I look at Jonah’s story and say, “if God ever called me to do something, I would run to it immediately. But do I need to physically hear God’s voice to have this passion?. Knowing the word of God is hearing the word of God and we should be quick to do everything the bible states.
Some Broken Heart is going through a see-saw of emotions, first grappling with the situation in Kenya:
my heart thumps…thumps…but only weakly
Shouls i be afraid of me, or of them?
Am I my greatest enemy or are they my greatest enemy. 2008, and am scared that life is passing me, afraid that i myt loose, all I have maybe to insanity, i dont seem to have feeling no more, am going numb inside…….
and then dealing with the loss of “Thomas”:
I believe I can find love again, am young, am not some old woman who has been married for 40 something years, who just cant bear to move on, but resolves to age lonesome in honour of her late husband. I am a young, beautiful woman who fell in love with you, had the best years of my late teens with you, and lost you when we were almost there, and now am having problem trying to get over you, death has no mercy.
and finally choosing to trust God in all things:
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rinsola, meanwhile, is grateful for a new year and confident that God’s grace will see us all through the tough times.
I'm so grateful to God for yet another year, i honestly can't thank Him enough, but i pray i would always be thankful to Him. I also pray that we'ld all have numerous reasons to be thankful to God this year. I personally i'm looking forward to being a recipient of His 2008 BLESSINGS, I'm going to believe Him and His words especially those things i thought to be impossible (EVERYTHING is possible to him who believes Mark 9:23) and i hope you all are highly expectant this year also.
To my fellow bloggers, lookerbys’ and readers let's walk through 2008 with God, believing Him, and that His grace, strength and love would see us through this year. Remember the challenges would come, but it is POSSIBLE with Him.
Faraja has determinedly decided to take the road of resolution:
I decided to call this my “year of surprises” figuring that if I just live my life with God leading me it would have to work and the end result would be more happiness because I’d taken the pressure of myself. Surprises can be more enjoyable than planning every minute detail…it was time for me to stop trying to control my life.
And Vee shares her longing to give birth to a set of twins:
I had a dream where I was pregnant with twins last night. I woke up so disappointed that I wasn't pregnant, which is why I'm freaked out! Like, how can I possibly want to be pregnant? I'm 25, shouldn't I want to hold on childishly to my independence and freedom? Shouldn't I be actually jumping for joy at the realisation that it was all a dream, and not be wallowing in self pity at the loss of my [phantom] pregnancy? Its official there's something wrong with me!… Abba, you know I really want to have a set of twins right? So when the time comes, please keep that in mind. But in all scenarios let Your will be done.
February’s already here, but we’re all still finding our place and getting our footing in 2008. It is bound to be an interesting year, and is already full of great expectations. Within the despair lies an indestructible ray of hope. Those who dream carry in them a longing for the fulfillment of their hearts’ desires. If we could see the future, we would all know what 2008 holds for each of us, but for now, we hope, and we dream, and we live on.