Dear Friends,
I am writing you all with excitement and anticipation as during my 10 day vacation to Africa turning 40!
That’s right, I am 4 0! I am grateful to be alive and I feel so blessed to be walking into my 4th decade of life. The past 3 months has caused me to spend a lot of time reflecting on the past 20 years of my life in ministry, as well as planning the next 20! .As I have been gathering wisdom and discerning God’s Will for my life it brought me to remember how I have become the man I am today. I realized that at my core, I have my parents to thank for the person I have evolved into. They laid the firm foundation that I still build upon today.
My mother and father are truly the biggest blessings I have received in my life thus far. They are truly the best parents any person could ask for. That may sound cliche and I could be slightly bias, however the following reasons are what led me to realize the Lord blessed me with the greatest parents.
They Live Disciplined Lives :
When it comes to serving Christ my parents are always very intentional. They never attended a lot of parties, always set boundaries, and included the family in their ministry workMy parents worked hard as a unit to ensure a Godly home that would cultivate spiritual fruit. They went as far as to read the Bible to me and my siblings almost every morning. Most people turn into their parents, and I am proud to say that morning Bible reading is definitely something that they instilled in me.
Sharing Wisdom:
My mom and dad are some of the wisest people I’ve ever known. They have never been perfect, but have always moved in wisdom. I appreciate that they strive to build others up and have never been afraid to spread their knowledge. They are helping educate over 900 kids in the schools they’ve founded and they each have closely mentored people in their local communities. My dad has mentored pastors and he holds them accountable to their discipline and integrity. Likewise, my mother has mentored women and aided them in becoming godly wives. I love their selflessness and dedication to others.
Passion for Prayer:
Prayer has always been a seen as a necessity in the ministries that my parents lead. They are strong advocates for corporate prayer publicly and privately. I often remember us praying over family struggles and situations that we were going through. It always baffles me when meetings don’t start with prayer or when it is treated like a last resort. Coming second only to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, my parents are unmatched and amazing. We should all strive to instill strong values in our children and future children as my parents did for my siblings and I.
The fruit of their faithfulness touches so many people all across the world. The impact they are making on this Earth through allowing God to use them is amazing. Even though they were ultra strict, I hope to be parents like them when I have a family of my own. My siblings and I have all become self sufficient due to their guidance. We are the luckiest of children because we have great parents.That is why for my birthday, I spent time in Nigeria with them. I want to continue soaking in their wisdom and showing them how much I value them.
I urge you to reflect on you parenting and spiritual life if any of these points stood out to you. Have a great week and please let me know if there is any way I can be praying for you. Respectfully,
Pastor James Owolabi
