I doubted my abilities. I doubted my decisions. I doubted whether I could ever do anything truly good.
Whenever people complimented me, I saw it as an exaggeration. I believed they were just trying to be nice.
But on the other hand, I found it easy to invest in people. I poured into others, encouraged them, gave what I could, stood up for friends and even strangers.
Looking back now, I realize I was responding from wounds I didn't even know I had.
Growing up, I carried a lot of trauma responses with little or no complaints.
Deep down, I never really believed I was useful or capable of doing something meaningful, and those experiences followed me into adulthood.
I had unknowingly believed people's words more than God's Word.
Yet the Bible says, "I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14), and "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works" (Ephesians 2:10).
It took me years to begin believing what God had already said about me.
I kept investing in people, giving, and showing up for them, but many times I didn't get the same in return—or maybe not as much as I wished.
I doubted almost every step I took, probably because of the negative words and energy I had received over the years.
I longed for a simple thumbs-up from certain people, but it never came.
If you know me, you'll notice that I talk a lot about people. Oh yes, I am truly a lady of people.
Last year, I attended an online program called Esther Academy with the theme "Roar," organized by Miss Juliet Abimiku Daniels.
To be honest, I didn't concentrate much during the classes, but something else caught my attention—the books, the videos, the reflection moments, and the assignments.
They started touching places in my heart that I had ignored for years.
For the first time, they awakened the little girl in me.
The little girl who had been looking for answers.
The little girl who wanted to express herself without being judged.
The little girl who wanted to be loved without always trying to earn it.
The little girl who simply wanted to be surprised with love, gifts, and kindness.
Every day throughout that month, I took a few minutes to reflect on my past, my present, and my future. And most times, tears rolled down my face.
I stayed in my room writing in my journal, talking to my heart, speaking to the Holy Spirit, or typing into my phone notes.
It wasn't because I didn't have friends or family.
It was because I had so much to say, but I felt like I had no audience that would truly understand me.
At the same time, I had just graduated. No job. No clear direction.
And sometimes I felt like nobody would understand what was going on inside me without thinking I was overreacting.
People around me probably thought I had become lazy or strange because I wasn't naturally a quiet or stay-at-home person.
But in that quiet corner of my room, I found healing. Looking back, I can confidently say that "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3).
That room became my place of healing, where God gently started putting the broken pieces of my heart back together.
I felt like a little child who had cried for so long and suddenly ran into the arms of a loving parent.
Little by little, I started taking one step at a time. The first step was changing my words.
I began rejecting every negative word that had followed me for years because I realized that healing begins with renewing the mind.
Romans 12:2 reminds us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, and Proverbs 23:7 (KJV) says, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he."
Instead of saying, "I'm useless," I began saying, "I am useful."
Instead of, "I'm dull," I said, "I am smart."
Instead of, "I'm a fool," I declared,
"I am a woman of wisdom."
It was surprising how I could still remember almost every painful word that had been spoken over me as a child and during my secondary school days.
One memory never left me.
When we had just entered college 1, we were singing in class during break time when one of my classmates jokingly said, "Chisom, you should never go near a microphone in your life."
Everyone laughed. To them, it was just a joke but to me, it became a belief.
Years later, whenever I was asked to sing, I quietly turned it down. Not because I couldn't try.
But because that one sentence kept ringing in my head. "Don't go near a microphone." I didn't want to embarrass myself.
As I continued healing, I realized that healing wasn't only about forgetting the past.
It was also about choosing what would shape my future.
So the second thing I did was choose what I wanted and what the Holy Spirit was leading me to do—not what people expected from me.
I realized I had taken many wrong paths simply because I wanted to please people. But Galatians 1:10 reminded me that if my goal is to please people above God, I cannot faithfully serve Christ.
Now, I choose purpose over popularity.
Something beautiful also happened during that season.
Even while I was carrying so much pain and so many unspoken words, I somehow knew I wasn't the only one hurting.
There were people out there who were also broken, waiting, sick, discouraged, or silently fighting battles.
So during my prayer time, I intentionally spent a few minutes praying for them.
I prayed that healing would knock on their doors.
I prayed they would have the strength to keep trusting God.
I wasn't always consistent. But I was intentional.
Later, I understood why God was doing this. 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 says that God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others with the comfort we have received from Him.
My pain was becoming someone else's encouragement.
Then I started asking myself an important question, What do I really enjoy?
I remembered the little girl who loved reading.
The little girl who loved telling stories.
The little girl who paid attention to every detail.
I also remembered how much I loved talking with people and encouraging them.
Life had buried those gifts for a while. But they were still there.
That was when I felt the burden to speak to people who were hurting and walking through waiting seasons.
I may not know everything.
But as God comforts me, I want to extend that same comfort to others through writing.
So I reached out to a friend who helped me create a blog.
I started writing. I also started sharing my writings on Facebook.
Was I consistent? No.
Sometimes I got tired.
Sometimes I became overwhelmed.
Sometimes I made excuses.
Sometimes I disappeared.
But life kept moving.
Time kept ticking.
Instead of giving up completely, I kept coming back.
The fourth step I took was enrolling in a three-month tech training on video editing and web design. It was fun.
It reminded me that I could still learn.
It reminded me that I could still grow.
Today, I may not be where I want to be. But I am no longer where I used to be.
I may not understand everything. I may not have all the answers.
But I will keep taking one step at a time because I know that -
"He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).
I trust that "The steps of a good person are ordered by the Lord" (Psalm 37:23),
and I choose to "Trust in the Lord with all my heart... and He shall direct my paths" (Proverbs 3:5–6).
If you've been following my journey, you may remember my testimony, "God Doesn't Always Stop the Fire: Finding God's Presence in the Midst of Pain."
In that post, I shared how losing my mother shook my faith and how God met me in one of the darkest seasons of my life.
This testimony is a continuation of that journey.
It is the story of what happened after the fire—how God slowly healed my heart, renewed my mind, helped me rediscover my purpose, and reminded me that my story wasn't over.
If you haven't read it yet, I encourage you to start there before continuing this journey with me.
Meanwhile before you blame someone for not showing up for you, remember that everyone is carrying something.
If someone comes to your mind, pray for them. Give them a call. Or perhaps visit them if you can.
And if you have someone who keeps showing up for you—a friend, a sibling, or your partner—please appreciate them.
Don't take them for granted.
Their strength doesn't mean they don't have battles too.
Finally, if you are carrying pain, dealing with past trauma, or walking through a waiting season, this is not the end of your story.
God is with you. "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). "Fear not, for I am with you... I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you" (Isaiah 41:10).
Embrace healing. Don't allow your past to keep you stuck.
You can try again. You can start again.
You can build from where you are, no matter your age.
Abraham did not step into God's promise at a young age, yet Romans 4:20–21 tells us that he grew strong in faith, fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised.
You may not understand everything right now. But take the next step.
Don't wait for the perfect moment.
Start from where you are.
Are you encouraged? Please share to encourage others
God is not finished with your story.
It is well.
#abbasdelight
#modelofChrist
#christianladyvibe






