Water Can Still Turn into Wine

Navigating a life defying all odds, to the unlikely one, this is for you.

Jul 29, 2023

Stay the Course, Rest is Promised Eventually

Navigating a life defying all odds. This newsletter is dedicated to those who always end up where they need to be in spite of the odds. I’m speaking to the unlikely ones, those who may have felt overlooked at various stages in life. Or those who have felt like their journeys have been quite challenging. Rest is promised eventually.

I don’t see this rest as perfection where our lives are free of challenges on the journey. I see this rest as coming to a place of perfect peace, knowing everything is working together for your good and you will certainly become all you have been intended to be despite the battles.

To the person who feels like giving up, please don’t it’s not over. As I type this, I think of the verse Psalm 65:11.

‘You crown the year with your bounty harvest even the hard pathways overflow with abundance’.

Take note of the phrase ‘even the hard pathways’. This verse reminds me that no situation is a lost case. Every aspect of our lives which appears barren, and fruitless will not remain that way. I’ve seen this happen countless times in my life and I’ll share a bit about my career journey to explain.

I mentioned in my first newsletter that I studied Law for my undergraduate degree, and most people know how competitive this field is. Throughout my first year, I did everything that was suggested, from online career dinners due to COVID, to attending open days, and virtual internships, everything I had the capacity to do really. My second year came and it was time to apply for summer vacation schemes. I was quite optimistic and started to hit the ground running then the rejections began to trickle in. One after the other and I had so many questions. I wondered, will anyone give me a chance? Why was I receiving repeated rejections despite all the effort I had started to put in from my first year to secure this opportunity?

Navigating Closed Doors

It wasn’t until later on in the application cycle I realised, securing this opportunity was not about all I had done previously but more so, timing, God’s timing specifically. Rejections are part of the process, not all open doors are for us. Some doors shut to point us in the right direction. Don’t get me wrong, taking practical steps for opportunities we desire is certainly important! But there comes to a point where you’re humanly tired and God truly is the only person who can open up doors for you. I had come to the end of myself at this point, and this is an excerpt from my journal when I was done.

8th February 2022, 10:48 pm ‘It’s harder when you know a place is for you but you’re not seeing open doors. But rejection by man isn’t a rejection on my destiny. I’m learning to hold unto God’s promises even if things don’t unfold as I wish’.

This was truthfully a difficult yet humbling time for me. I realised that I had tied so much of my identity and worth to a legal career and found it hard to detach myself from the rejections I was receiving. This period of time taught me that there is so much more to me beyond a career.

Fast forward to February 2022. I had let go of the idea of a summer internship in the UK but God had other plans. Someone had reached out to me on Linkedin. He had found my profile and told me about a summer internship opportunity with a law firm.

The Most Unlikely Ones are Arising

Honestly, at this point, I wasn’t interested as I was so tired from all the rejections I had received. But I spoke to a friend about it and she encouraged me to recharge and try again. I must emphasise here, surrounding ourselves with the right people in trying/defining seasons is so key! But this is a topic for another day.

Eventually, I got the internship! You can imagine how elated I was. This was my first day at work and I was so happy.

This process was about me becoming the version of myself that was content and whole even without an internship before the opportunity sprung up. Why have I chosen to share this? Because I truly believe the most unlikely people are being pushed into the forefront. The ones who think it’s over, or have never imagined themselves entering into certain spaces. You’re the perfect person. One of my favourite stories in the Bible is that of David. He was young, tending sheep, yet God chose him to be king. He was the least likely person, but God’s choice, how beautiful. Stories like this remind me to always see people beyond their present circumstances because anyone’s story can change at any time. It’s important to honour and respect people regardless of their situation.

When I think back at my journey so far, I always say to myself I could never have thought of this life for myself. It’s all been fruit sprouting from pursuing alignment with Jesus and watching my story transform into something beautiful beyond my imagination.

Hold on A Little Longer

It could be you reading this who feels as though nobody has given you a chance, or you’re unsure of what you have to offer to the world. I’m here to remind you that you so much has been deposited within you and your time is coming. As you’re envisioning walking into those opportunities, begin to prepare, carry yourself as though you’ve already entered those spaces you dream of. Your preparation today will determine how you show up in those rooms and how long you will last there. I titled this newsletter, water can still turn into wine, to remind you that nothing is impossible. It’s inspired by the story in the Bible where Jesus turned water into wine when there was no more wine at a wedding. He performed the miracle just in time. When it appears that you have been labouring but you’ve seen no harvest, know that it will surely come and you will reap at the right time. I touched a bit on this on an instagram live I hosted, feel free to watch here.

Remember, you will not be forgotten, everything will align perfectly and lines will truly fall in pleasant places for you.

As I wrap up this newsletter, here are some points to ponder on:

You will rest eventually, life is in seasons. Some for labouring, others for harvesting, trust that your time is coming and when it comes, take it all in.
In spite of the odds, you will end up exactly where you need to be. Challenges, rejections, failure etc are all part of the process. But one thing is for sure, you will overcome and defy the odds.
Everything is working together for your good. Our lives are a journey, in the highs and lows remember a unique tapestry is being written through your story.

Resources 💌

Here are some amazing resources that shed more light on what I’ve touched on:

Video: Embrace the Shift by Stephanie Ike: this video is honestly soo good. She shares how the most unlikely people are truly coming to the forefront and the importance of embracing change.
Book: Tamar, Destiny Attained Against All Odds by Jumoke Adenowo. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Mrs Adenowo’s books and this is amazing. She shares the story of Tamar in the Bible and how her life truly defied the odds. She also shares practical principles to follow.
This scripture from the Bible summarises this newsletter
“The smallest family will grow to a thousand. The least important of you will become a powerful nation. I am the Lord, and when it is time, I will make these things happen quickly.”
- ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭60‬:‭22‬ ‭NCV
‬‬I hope this newsletter encouraged you, your situation will change for the better. It could take time, but you will experience a beautiful turnaround. Yes, you reading this! I’ll love to hear your thoughts. Have you ever felt overlooked? If so, how did you navigate that phase? You never know who might benefit from your perspective, so share below!