Thread by @yomioyelami

Uncommon adversity birth uncommon opportunity

Let thhat sinkkk💡

Uncommon adversity birth uncommon opportunity

The story of @SAMIupdate...here Is where it all started👇
It started with this autobiography of Toyin Adesola @iamtoyinadesola

I will be doing this book review../1💪

..over the next 4 days to culminate on 1st September, which is 55th birthday 🎁 of the #SickleCell General @iamtoyinadesola.

And I trust it will be very impactful and exhilarating just like the review of #NelsonMandela's 'Long Walk to Freedom' that I did in July.. /2

..with the benefit of hindsight, @SAMIupdate launched out after the review of this book on the phenomenal Funmi Iyanda @Funmilola's New Dawn on @NTANewsNow.
The NGO turned 12 this year 🎉

I intend to make sense of the 104-page book in thread format

You will love ❤️ it

Go../3

First published in 2005, this book 'Still Standing', the compelling and courageous story of a woman's battle,with #SickleCell anaemia,
opened with a Bible quote (II Cor. 12:8-10 NIV) in its prologue.
I quote: 'three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But../4

'..He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you for My power is made sufficient in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness so that Christ's power may rest on me..for when I am weak, then I am strong'.

Powerful intro there, what do you think?.. /5

..Around 2 pm on a dull Thursday afternoon attended by regular power outages and the resulting sound of generators in Nigeria 🇳🇬,

(may this narrative change in my lifetime 🙏)

the author @iamtoyinadesola was home alone with clothes, papers, and others scattered in the room../6

..though willing to tidy up, she couldn't because she was hit by another bout of pains called #SickleCell crisis. Analgesics didn't provide much relief. Lying helplessly 3 days could lead anyone to depression and frustration, Toyin was not spared 'Oh Lord not again, why me?../7

..but in response, a song popularized by @eltonofficial flowed from her heart to the lips,

'I am still standing.
Better than I ever did.
Looking like a true survivor.
Feeling like a little kid..I'm still standing.'

She wondered how relevant that song is to her current state../8

..the Voice, that is, the Voice of the Lord came to her 'My dear child, despite the fact that you have been bombarded with all sorts of ailments, have you not survived. Despite the fact that you have had trials and challenges of crisis attacks and infections overwhelming you,../9

..have you not conquered them all? Despite the fact that you have had to be frequently admitted to the hospital have you not been victorious? Despite the fact that you have been knocked down several times(more often than not) by the devil, are you not still standing?..' /10

'..then my child why are you crying?'

As she pondered over the words, she remembered her paternal grandmother's favorite expression 'count your blessings, name them one by one..and you will discover what the Lord has done'

'This is my story', ..ushers us into CHAPTER 1

../11

CHAPTER 1-IS SOMETHING WRONG
'In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustrations, but be of good cheer(take courage,be confident, certain,undaunted) For I have overcome the world [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you ]../12

..The chapter opens with John 16:17B (AMP)

Her @iamtoyinadesola's first memories of something not right was at age 3 when she was often prodded by the large hands of a man whom she later got to know is late Olikoye Ransome-Kuti (former Nigeria's health minister, died 2003)../13

..then Head of Paediatrics at Lagos University Teaching Hospital

Oluwatoyin Ibidunni Adesola was born to surgeon father Akinpelu Oludele Adesola (now late) and nurse mother Oyebola Olabimpe Adesola (nee Sodeinde) on 1st September 1965 as 2nd of two girls,first being Foluke../14

..was diagnosed with #SickleCell at 18months following her admission in LUTH due to anaemia and localized joint pains. Interestingly, her sister had the AA genotype which sometimes she felt unfair

#SickleCell is a blood condition whose name is derived from the sickled shape../15

..of the red blood cells which make it difficult for the cells to receive adequate oxygen, causes paleness, lack of energy and low life span of the cells.
The condition i.e.#SickleCell is characterized by pains in bones, joints, and abdomen (popularly referred to as crisis)../16

..and other complications such as leg ulcers, osteomyelitis, jaundice among others
The pains(of #SickleCell)are indescribable as it feels like someone digs a knife into various parts of the body, continuously twists the knife trying to penetrate the bones without letting go../17

..once a month, @iamtoyinadesola undergoes haemoglobin and packed cell volume checks to ensure that she doesn't become anaemic.
She took a daily dose of folic acid to increase HB level and paludrine to prevent malaria.
Toyin was also found to have G6PD-deficiency, an enzyme../18

found to be deficient in blacks (in full, Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase deficiency)

Age 5, Toyin was enrolled at Sunnyfield Nursery and Primary School, Surulere, Lagos but since she kept going to the wrong class, she was considered too young and had to wait 1 more year../19

..to start out at University of Lagos Staff School. Here, she settled well but she often skipped class due to illness. Now, Professor Kuti had become a consultant, she had a new doctor, an Indian by name Dr. Ahmed in the LUTH paediatric ward

In school, she enjoyed biscuits../20

..mixed in the supply of milk.
She liked her teachers e.g late Mrs.Davies,late Mrs.Meshe,Mrs.Duncan.
Though she largely escaped teachers' punishment, she didn't escape that of two Mathematics teacher, Mr. Odede (notorious for beating back of pupils' hands with edge of ruler)../21

..and Mr. Ojo who punished the entire class for not doing homework. The pupils were asked to kneel outside while raising their hands. Toyin took part in the punishment despite not being around due to ill-health when the homework was given

At home, she and her sister played../22

.. a prank. They combusted a plastic cassette holder which could have been disastrous if the fire was not put out with help of nanny.
Alongside their German friends, they turned their beds to trampoline 😂😂
A doll's winder was destroyed,sang 'London Bridge is falling down'../23

..traveling was family recreation for the Adesolas but Toyin didn't take part in those that involved air travels due to high altitude. Some she did participate in was a 4-day return trip to the Equator in 'the Orient' ocean liner; a cross-border trip to Dahomey(now Benin 🇧🇯)../24

..;a trip to Osogbo(now Osun's capital)then part of Oyo state then to Ilorin and Kainji dam; and back to Lagos
In 1975, Toyin's dad, Prof. Adesola was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor in UNILAG thus the family moved out of Surulere to staff quarters.

Once, a students' riot../25

..broke out over the quality of food provided at subsidized rate.
'All we are saying give us good food' was their chant as they dumped a lorry load of rotten plantain at frontage of their official residence

The incident got the dad better equipped to handle students' issues../26

By 1979, Toyin @iamtoyinadesola passed the state's common entrance exams and was proceeded to Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, an all-girls school owned by the Catholic Church in the heart of Yaba, Lagos Mainland, Lagos.. /27

Up next... CHAPTER TWO

✌️CHAPTER TWO - WHY ME

opens with I Peter 4:12 'Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trials which are to try you, as though some strange thing has happened to you..'

With a mix of trepidation and anticipation, Toyin woke up to go to school on the first day../28

..She donned her starched light blue uniform with white collar and cuff around the arm,a navy beret, white socks and brown Cortina shoes

Morality and discipline formed focus of Our Lady's. Government took the school over at some point but returned to Catholic owners in 2003../29

..on one occasion, while she was punished with classmates, she saw Dejumo Lewis, king in the Village Headmaster TV series of the 1970s who came visiting with the principal
The principal released her upon sighting her to a mix of her relief and guilt but fury of some students../30

..however, she abruptly ended schooling after only the first year there.
By May 1979, a difficult time which led to fear,depression, anxiety,and anger began.
Toyin @iamtoyinadesola wrote 'By now I had begun to understand and get used to the disease a bit more. Besides seeing../31

..other children coping well with it, I felt things could not get any worse. How was I to know that my own situation would surpass the ordinary'.
Early hours of the night, a crisis attack began, which though not unusual, was severe. The efforts at University Health Centre../32

..did not suffice, she was moved to LUTH where consultants were present. Again, another students' riot calling for resignation of Minister of Education, Ahmadu Alli ('Alli must go' saga) occurred. It delayed swift movement of the ambulance 🚑 to the tertiary health facility../33

..however, getting there all was set to commence immediate care. She was greeted by a pity party 'Toyin you are here, Toyin sorry o'.
She was diagnosed with anaemia and right lobar pneumonia and subsequently given a blood transfusion.

A medical report revealed she had been../34

..given 'wrong blood and my arms were beginning to look like a drug addict because of all the intravenous injections I had to receive. Unknowingly as a result of the wrong transfusion, my system had become ravaged with septicemia resulting in osteomyelitis of the left tibia../35

..and septic arthritis', she recalled.

At end of second week in hospital after extensive bedrest on a spot, Toyin decided to help herself to a change of position
Grrrr, a snap, an unbearable pain, 'I knew I had broken something', and yes, upon x-ray, her hip was dislocated../36

..due to septicemia eaten away her hip cartilage. She was thereafter operated and her hip set in a Plaster of Paris cast from the waist down to ankles. She was discharged but healing lasted over 5 months

At home, she was assisted to change position in order to avoid bedsore../37

..when the legs itched, she used a radio aerial to scratch as much as she could. A therapist Molade Coker (then Majekodunmi) was engaged to cheer and keep her occupied. Aunty Molade introduced Toyin to book 📖 reading and craft works. Albeit, all-day bed rests denied her of../38

..family gatherings; the outdoor ambiance of sun, breeze, and birds chirping; games like ten-ten (traditional Hop Scotch😁), running 🏃 , etc. She wished for the old days but the hands of time cannot be reversed.

'As the days went by, my eating pattern began to deteriorate'../39

..and in order to keep my appetite up, I was introduced to a high protein drink which had various flavors' but soon Toyin was diagnosed with gallstones😭

Added to that, the bruises on the backside due to POP cast led to sores that were dressed for 3 months before it healed../40

..by now, her POP had become somewhat an autograph material for family and friends who visited her, she relished time spent with them
By now, Toyin had become an avid reader feasting on works of authors like Enid Blyton, Charles Dickens, Daphne du Murier, et al
By now also.. /41

..her dad was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin
For a while,she and her sister stayed with their aunt Mrs. Iyabo Ogundipe and family who resided at International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan. The Ogundipes had 3 kids -Toyin related well../42

..with the only daughter, Taiwo though younger than her.

In order to aid healing of her bones and get rid of septicemia, her dose of chloramphenicol continued for a long period plus the routine folic acid and paludrine

One night, Mr and Mrs Ogundipe were out on a function../43

..before they returned, Toyin had experienced such discomfort which made her irritable and created a ruckus which led to complaints of neighbors in the serene IITA environment.

Upon returning, the Ogundipes promptly took her to University College Hospital, Ibadan where she../44

..came in and out of consciousness and her blood test revealed she is 'B+ blood group'.She was transfused with packed cell blood (which is thicker part of blood once the serum is extracted)
It was also found that the chloramphenicol considerably dropped her haemoglobin level../45

..due to the G6PD deficiency. She stayed another 3 weeks in UCH, Ibadan. Her sister returned to Lagos to board in Queens College, her mother also, only Mrs. Ogundipe cared for Toyin since she worked as a nurse in the hospital.

After she was discharged, she moved to Lagos../46

They soon moved to Ilorin to join the father who has resumed as Vice-Chancellor but not before her POP was cut open to her utmost relief after 6 months.
Albeit,she was left with a fixed hip, her left leg shorter than right, and crutches to aid her movement../47

CHAPTER 3 TMORO..

CHAPTER 3-CROSSROADS
opens again with a Scripture passage 'When I lie down I think, how long before I get up? The night drags on. And I toss till dawn..' Job 7:4 NIV

The drive to Ilorin was 3 and a half hours trip. The city looked far different from the Lagos cosmopoly../48

..the roads were barely tarred, many houses we're covered in red sand, a number of persons used turbans and scarves, maybe due to religious piety or personal protection, Toyin could not tell for sure.
Their residence was located in GRA which was much better than the township../49

..the scenery was calm, the house was nicely built with large ground and variety of plants. Two house staff - Mr. Raji, driver, and Mr. Adefioye, head steward received them home
The house felt lonely because her sister, Foluke was away in Lagos as a boarder in Queens College../50

..Toyin was enrolled in Queen Elizabeth Secondary School but only attended few weeks until illness struck. She never returned 😩
Mrs. Abraham, the West Indian head of the school retained the relationship and supplied Toyin with books and assignments to keep up with education../51

..bedridden, Toyin continued to get intravenous fluids pumped into her on a regular basis.
Her backside was riddled with needle jabs so a nurse tried to inject her through the thigh. It proved to be an error as it developed into a deep pussy sore and took over a year to heal../52

..this error also led to osteomyelitis, an infection of the bone caused by microbe
Unable to go out, she feasted on more books, listened to the radio more especially @BBCWorld yet her feeling of loneliness didn't go entirely as only her parents and home staff were available../53

..Her dad often held dinners for his guests at home due to his position as VC. This was an opportunity for Toyin as she assisted the home staff in the kitchen
She also met an American couple, Clyde and Betsy Works who adopted a Nigerian boy, Steven during one of such dinners../54

..the couple were nice to her.

They introduced her to the violin 🎻 and the teacher, Ms. Post, who taught their adopted son.

Toyin tried as much to practice the instrument but her arm and fingers hurt due to the cumbersome way of playing it, so she abandoned the pursuit../55

..Betsy Works also introduced Toyin to her niece, Michelle Kennedy(now Fowke) who lived in the United States they became pen pals,their relationship lingers
She developed the art of keeping journals.
Meanwhile her sister and confidante, Foluke traveled to England for studies../56

In the early 1980s,Toyin took ill again because another sore had developed in the tibia of her leg

Her love for books had soared but bookstores were not common in Ilorin so she begged the drivers to help her buy from Ibadan or Lagos but sometimes they forgot which upset her../57

..and the frustration of constant wound dressing always gets to her, 'Toyin, it is time for your dressing' or 'Toyin, the nurse is here' heralded the coming of the university health center nurse
Boredom increased daily, she prayed that her father will be transferred and, yes../58

'Wednesday, 11th February 1981, her journal read, 'I just heard that Daddy has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG. Visitors have been coming and phoning to congratulate him. I am really happy, although sometimes I don't know whether to be sad but I am mostly happy../59

They didn't move until March because the VC lodge was not ready.

Of her daily journals, @iamtoyinadesola noted: 'Writing down my feelings usually helped, it was the nearest I had to being able to talk with someone. It was my psychotherapy, my place of escape and many times,../60

..this process has saved me. Later on I was to know it was much more than that.'

During the delay, it was decided she would stay with her paternal grandmother, Beatrice Adesola but plans changed. Her reminisces of the woman was her being deeply spiritual, read her Bible, ../61

..sang and prayed in Yoruba, with her Toyin enjoyed pounded yam with peppery apon soup. The old woman would often encourage her 'Sisi my Toyin, my lady Toyin, always count your blessings' and then rendered the hymn 'Count your blessings name them one by one'

Up next ➡️
CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4 - COVENANT CHILD
'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you before you were born I set you apart, I appointed you as a prophet to the nation.' - Jeremiah 1:5 NIV starts this chapter

They returned to Lagos but made a brief stop at the Ogundipes in IITA to refresh../63

..Yet,UNILAG VC lodge not ready so they settled temporarily at UNILORIN guest house in Ikeja.Her mom and dad traveled to Hong Kong, she went to Gbagada to stay with Ambassador and Mrs. Basola Adesola.Her paternal grandmother recently lost a sister hence she couldn't go there../64

Her journal for Tuesday 17th March 1981 reads 'Mummy and Daddy have left for Hong Kong and I am at Aunty Busola's house playing with Sope and Bunmi. I am really having fun.'
She was able to go out.She sometimes go to Falomo Shopping Centre where the aunt operated a restaurant./65

She bought comics and books. Though her wound dressing continued, the flurry of activities took her mind off it. Plus she had been taught how to dress the wound

Wednesday 8th April 1981,her paternal grandmother, Beatrice Adesola passed away, she recorded it as 'saddest day'../66

..her parents had to return immediately to plan the funeral. The lodge was now ready but she continued in Gbagada
3rd May 1981, another loss occurred, this time, it was her maternal grandfather, Chief Dr. E.N.O. Shodeinde who passed aged 81
In weeks,both deceased were buried../67

..she soon started living in the VC lodge but her loneliness returned.

Only the house staff were readily available, one of whom is kitchen staff Aunty Iyabo Teriba (now Koleoso). By spending time with Aunty Iyabo experimenting for oil-less stew that can suit her condition,../68

..Toyin believed her flair for cooking grew. She also kept up reading, started stamp collection, listened to radio shows like Dave Lee Travis-hosted 'A Jolly Good Show' which featured Top 20 tunes on the British chart.
All of these broadened her mind despite no formal school../69

..but seeing others finish secondary school, gain university admission while being stuck at home made her unhappy.
She experienced occasional crises, though her health improved. But another case of osteomyelitis on right tibia led her to National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi../70

..where a surgery, which she considered 'one of the most harrowing experiences I ever had' was conducted in the leg.
But the infection didn't get better despite the antibiotics and surgery and following a severe crisis, she was admitted to Lagos University Teaching Hospital../71

..where blood transfusion process too graphic for me to describe was successful only with Folabi Lesi.He was a paediatrician who understood how to get veins as tiny as Toyin's.Her cousin,Akintayo Ojo came around unexpectedly.He donated blood to replace the one given to Toyin../72

..she coped with her longest stay in a hospital with a perfume-scented handkerchief to avoid the smell of urine on the bed of other patients; the friendly nature of Nurse Folake Ogunkoya (now Obisakin) who later changed career to law; and the regular visit of house officers../73

..who considered her good case study for their profession. Toyin would joke that she could write a whole book out of her many large case files in LUTH
One born again Christian house officer gave her a booklet which became her first book about God and Christ that she finished../74

..Toyin again had to be operated for tonsillectomy. Some days after surgery, a pharmacist who had known her on her frequent admissions said 'Ah, Toyin you are here again. God really loves you' which she pondered how God can love her yet allow her to go through her ordeals../75

..there she met two friends; Osaretin who got discharged before her and went back to Benin but they promised to continue to talk, and Tolu diagnosed with leukemia who unfortunately passed away soon after her departure.
Toyin found a bosom friend in Tamara Clark (now Egede)../76

..when Tamara went out of town for university study, she didn't have any peer to relate with which affected her.
One day, out of frustration, she attempted suicide using valium but by Sovereign Hand, she took only 3 tablets which only calmed her down instead of killing her../77

..Isaiah 28:18 was fulfilled 'your covenant with death will be disannulled, your agreement with the grave will not stand'.

By 1985, an Economics graduate, Mr. Igbinoba was employed to take Toyin in personalized lessons which enabled her to write her WAEC and JAMB exams../78

..on first attempt, Toyin passed 3/out of 5 WAEC papers including her favorite Economics.
She took it twice again so as to pass the compulsory Maths and English. Then she wrote JAMB to gain admission to Lagos State University. Her journey to formal education began

CHAPTER 5 ➡️

CHAPTER 5 - IT'S A MIRACLE
'Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the LORD delivereth him out of all of them' - Psalm 34:19 KJV
That's how the chapter opens

By August 1987, Toyin @iamtoyinadesola was matriculated into LASU. On her first day, she recalled how she had../80

..to make it up 3flights of stairs to get to the top floor with her crutches 💪
Puffing, panting, with inner strength, she got to Room 1010 already full to the brim with students taking a class from the lecturer.
After about 10 minutes of standing in anguish, a male student../81

..offered to stand so she can sit on the wooden chair. She learned never to come late again
The first year was relatively smooth with friends like Jide Adekoje, Niyi Kosoko, Tayo Ogunbekun and Mojisola Awaye
The school being non-residential, Toyin had to come from home daily../82

The second year was a bit hectic because once the car dropped her in the morning, it returned and she had to hang around for the driver. Sometimes, she hitched a ride with with Tayo Ogunbekun

By third year, the population of students had reduced so it's easy to get seat in class

..by now, there was a big relief in the domestic scene as her dad, Prof. Akin Adesola was rounding up her second term as Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG. Their home was robbed one of those days and the thief carted away her N700 made from her cake business which she sold in school../84

..still, in the third year, she fell sick and made her miss some exams. Thus a 4-year course took her 5 years. This made her sullen because it wasn't like she failed.

Her dad completed his tenure and the family moved into their personal house in Surulere while he traveled../85

..on 1-year sabbatical to McGill University, Montreal, Canada. By summer of 1989, her mother joined him for the holiday while Foluke, her sister also joined from the United States where she studied
Toyin was not allowed to go and this pained her. Her maternal stepgrandmother../86

..but it proved favorable as she and the old woman chatted a lot. She often said to Toyin, 'Toyin I am waiting for your book' which she would laugh off thinking she didn't have what it takes to write a book. She attended a computer training program then, paid for by the mama../87

Sometime in 1990, her friend Tamara invited Toyin to attend a healing program held at Chapel of Christ the Light in UNILAG, she reluctantly agreed to attend
A blind lady named Sister Rosa reputed for her healing gift ministered. She prayed for Toyin, told her to walk unaided../88

..to her seat without her crutches. She did. But after the service, she collected the crutches again to avoid her parents' anger.

She returned to school thereafter and her friends, Moji, Tayo, Tamara, and a musically talented Toyin Orefuwa encouraged her towards salvation../89

On 14th March 1991 after attending a late evening Living Spring Fellowship, she gave her life to Christ. Getting home late, her parents were angry and she let out her pent up emotions and thereafter wrote a letter to her parents on her reason for attending the meeting../90

..the next day Toyin Orefuwa prayed for her to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and handed her pocket-size New Testament Bible.
Though had an extra year, she participated in her friends' convocation taking pictures with their gown and scroll.
The extra year was successful../91

, she didn't miss an exam, wrote her final year project on 'Non-oil Exports in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects' by God's Grace.
Some faculty members like Mr. Yinusa, Mr. Momoh, and Mr. Pinheiro(Faculty Administrative Secretary) helped her through. She had a Second Lower CGPA../92

.she didn't even collect her certificate to date.She later found Mr. Pinheiro obituary in a newspaper to which she screamed. It took her mom to calm her down

She proceeded for the mandatory 1-year NYSC having got an exemption due to health to do it in her state of residence../93

..on 3rd November 1992. She didn't stay on the Iyana Ipaja orientation camp either. She reported there daily. While she wanted to work in a company like Price Water, her father didn't allow,so she worked in his company which is at home. It allowed her grow her cake business../94

..her final day of NYSC was attended by a downpour which drenched her thoroughly because the driver didn't open the car in time. She had a mild crisis that night. The driver was fired.

By now, her good friend Tamara Egede was working as a lawyer with Chris Ogunbanjo & co../95

Her spiritual life gradually took a footing. From Christ Chapel International to Household of God then to @rccghq Apapa parish pastored by Dr. Tony Rapu where she settled well. The church moved to Eric Moore, Surulere closer to Toyin's home where it was renamed Freedom Hall../96

..here, she had her water baptism conducted at Lagoon Water Front. She joined the workforce and served in the publications department
On a special program at National Theatre where Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor ministered, she again went forward for healing ministration. She didn't../97

..go back home with her crutches. It took three days for her mother to discover and asked 'are you sure of this'. Pastor Tony Rapu also asked if she wanted it back which she declined.
It is a miracle.Her spine didn't come out worse against doctors' predictions.Glory!
CHAPTER 6 ➡️

'Unless the LORD built a house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand in guard in vain'- Psalm 127:1 NIV
opens CHAPTER 6-NOT BY POWER

She gradually adapted to walking without crutches. One day, a guy met her 'aren't you Toyin'../99

..and she replied 'yes'. He told her how she is a source of encouragement for he was also at the meeting where Toyin left her crutches.
By summer of 1993, her opportunity to travel was botched because her visa was rejected. Other family members did. Her dad compensated her../100

..by building a kitchen/office for her confectionery business, Amai Confectioners (Amai is sweet in Japanese 🇯🇵)
On 6th August 1994 when her sister Foluke married Dayo Ogunbekun, the brother of her school friend, Tayo, it was her opportunity to make her first wedding cake../101

Now and again, depression sets in because her friends had moved on- some for their Masters, some got a job, some are married -this affected her health. She broke down in tears many nights.
But one day she learned the power in thanksgiving and praise which helped her greatly../102

..later, she was posted with a group to start another @rccghq parish in Isolo. The distance took a toll on her healthwise though remained in publications department and having learned desktop publishing, she could design bulletins herself.
She wrote a letter to be relocated../103

..to Freedom Hall. Meanwhile, her friend Tamara (changed to Hephzibah)'s husband Edwin asked her to join them to found another parish.
And so, a group of 9 including her founded @rccghq Lily of the Valley Chapel
But Toyin continued to overwork herself to be able to 'keep up'..104

..with friends' success despite a prophecy that had come for her that she will be a 'blessing among nations'.She jumped on any project
By 1999, she began to fall ill frequently. By August 2002, she underwent laporectomy because of pains in her pelvic area. Nothing was found../105

..except alight abrasions. It's a miracle. That was her last surgery.

Still, out of worry, she expanded her business to include a cafe and she almost lost all but for grace. 'My grace is sufficient for you', voice of the LORD always told her.

Through these, she understood../106

..the words of the LUTH pharmacist about God's love for her. She had survived all manner of sickness and disease. Her life stood as encouragement for friends like Tessy Ileka, Hephzibah (I.e.Tamara) Egede, Ori, and others.

One day, her parish pastor, Emeka Orji handed her../107

..a letter announcing her as a deaconess.
In August 2003, she joined 2000 others to be ordained deaconess at @rccghq camp.

In the following months, she left striving for business success, choosing instead to take each day at a time. A friend wrote about her in @SunNewsng../108

..@iamtoyinadesola was also featured in @GuardianNigeria for her business. She began to realize that no experience is a coincidence. She wrote 'life is not full of coincidences but of purpose and destiny. It is left for us to choose what is right.'

Her step-grandmother../109

..passed away on 14th February 2005 without seeing her fulfill the request for a book
With encouragement from a TV program, Against All Odds and her journal entry where she wrote 'I have finally decided that I must finish writing my book, I think the problem with me is that../110

..I feel I have to establish one major thing before I think my life has some meaning. But I have learned better, I figured that is what the LORD has been trying to tell me but I didn't listen'
So aged 40, Toyin wrote her book with the conviction 'I'm still standing'

CHAPTER 7 ➡️

CHAPTER 7 - LIFE LESSONS
Here she shared her troughs on various life issues based on her personal experiences.
1. Friendship - Ecclesiastes 6:14 - friends are an integral part of life. A man isolated from the world is a man destined for a psychological breakdown.
She wrote:../112

'It was through the help and association of true friends that I was able to overcome adversities that tried to encompass me'.

2. Mentoring - just as important as friendship. She didn't have a specific person but a number of people she looked up to and admired

3. Failure -../113

..never dwell on your failures. Never look back for 'a life that makes mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent in doing nothing' - George Bernard Shaw.

4. Purpose - Ecclesiastes 3:18 - Always know God's purpose for your life. Without vision or../114

..purpose you will end up going in circles. It is never too late to find out your purpose, 'the soul which has no fixed purpose in life is lost, to be everywhere is to be nowhere'-Michel de Montaigne

5. Contentment - be content with how or where you are. This does not mean../115

..you should not have ambitions, dreams, and desires to reach greater heights but never let it become a poison in your system that it begins to overwhelm you and push you away from God's will.

6. Success - Success is not determined by how rich you are but how well you have../116

..managed to run life's race. 'Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.' - Henry David Thoreau.

7. Knowledge - Hosea 4:6a
Acquiring knowledge is an important aspect of life. Knowledge brings freedom. Knowledge brings direction. Reading culture../117

..is just as important as what we eat.

8. Miracles - There is a tendency to believe that miracles come in big packages but they also come in small packages. It is good to look for the bigger miracles but never despise the smaller ones that come your way. It might just be a../118

..stepping stone to better things.

9. Self-worth - 'if there is one thing that I believe it is that you must have faith in yourself through Christ', she wrote. Never allow anyone to bring you down no matter what.Remember,if no one appreciates you for who you are, Christ does/119

10. Weaknesses - God always gives you something to compensate for your weakness. Let His strength be made perfect in your weakness.

11. Be Thankful - life may seem to have played you a bad hand but nothing happens by chance. There is a purpose for everything. Count it all joy..

EPILOGUE
Toyin Ibidunni Adesola @iamtoyinadesola closed her book 'Still Standing'.
I copy this verbatim, 'Life is filled with ups and downs, therefore facing one challenge or the other is inevitable. To think otherwise would be foolhardy. Nevertheless, it is how we choose../121

..to handle those challenges that matter. Are you willing to rise above your failures and turn them to successes or are you going to submit yourself to defeat? It is that which tries to kill you in life that will make you stronger'

There is someone you can lean on who will../122

..stick closer to you than a brother. His name is JESUS.

Call on Him and He will answer, if only you believe.

I encourage you to give your life to Him today and He will walk you through the storms of life.

Never forget:
Uncommon adversity birth uncommon opportunity.../123

..But you must transit your mind from adversity set to opportunity set
Adversity is trying to break your resolve but no, you will not allow it

With God's Grace, you will turn the situation and you will find your opportunity in there

HAPPY 55th @iamtoyinadesola
cc: @SAMIupdate

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