SHILOH 2016

The first day at SHILOH 2016 was really exciting. I had a great time and God's presence was so strong. The following day was also a continuum of what happened on the first day. My expectation basically, is to find direction. Almost like a sequential guideline of how my life should go from here. That's why I also got this book, 'Understanding Vision'. I feel like if you know where God wants you to go and how you should go about it; every other thing will fall in place.

I've had multiple SHILOH experiences. To me, SHILOH simply means an encounter with God. I remember the first time I came here; I was unemployed trusting God for a job. When I got here I got a word from Bishop David Oyedepo. He said, "You will get different jobs. People from far and near will be willing to employ you, and you are going to begin to employ other people as well." I keyed into this word and 2 to 3 months after, I got called for a job; 3 jobs in fact. I was now left with the option of choosing which one. 

I've had many diverse testimonies come out from here; testimonies on healing, breakthrough and even salvation. 

I started coming to Shiloh in 2005. At the time, I was an undergraduate. Now I have graduated, I run my business and things are going fine. But one thing about SHILOH is every time I come, it's a platform to prepare for the next year.

I remember SHILOH 2011 was a very significant one for me. I came back from NYSC without having a clue of what to do. I had some encounters at SHILOH that culminated in me starting my business in 2012 and from there the business has been growing and God has been showing Himself faithful. Also, spiritually there are some revelations that have been dropping here. It's a wonderful experience. I can't start highlighting them one after the other, but know this; this is a place to be.

This is my 2nd time attending SHILOH. It's been a time of pleasant experiences. And today I know by the grace of God I'm going home with all my answered prayers. Bishop Oyedepo has said it's a mountain of answered prayers and I believe him because I believe God and His Word. So, I'm full of expectations for this year’s SHILOH. 

I attended a public secondary school and throughout my time in school, I never saw a computer. We only did theory but never practiced with an actual computer. So I picked up an interest in computers and ICT. I had to fight my way through learning how to use a computer. I would sit in cyber cafes, watch people type and keep looking until I became pretty knowledgeable.

I attended the Daystar Leadership Academy (DLA) and Pastor Sam Adeyemi taught us a lot about helping and empowering people. My pastor also used to talk about reaching out to students so I thought I could impact them by introducing ICT to students in public schools. Before this period, I had already volunteered with some NGOs, so I understood what it takes to be a volunteer. I wanted to volunteer my own services and do the little I could to help kids. I approached one of the NGOs I had volunteered with before and told them what I wanted to do. They liked the idea so we started with 20 kids. I put them in an air-conditioned place to make them feel like ‘honourables’, away from their regular classrooms.

We needed about 20 laptops so we could give each child a laptop. Buying them was very expensive and a few friends donated some laptops. I repaired them and each child had a laptop to work with. A lot of friends volunteered, and we had them train the kids on how to use Word, PowerPoint and Excel. I had other friends who are professionals in their fields train the students on soft works, financials, project management, career development and so on. So besides ICT, we also trained them on other important areas of life.

The whole experience has been life changing for me, and I learnt a lot from the kids. These kids mean a lot to me as well as everyone who volunteered. After the training, the best male and best female during the training received their own laptop. We've got wonderful support from friends and family and even the church. Next year, we plan to move from 20 kids to 1000 kids. I’m confident we can achieve that goal.

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Contact details for Tech For the Street Initiative:

Email: info@techforthestreet.com

Phone number: 08027714171, 0809 484 3221

Website: www.techforthestreet.com

(Read the preceding part of this story on our website.)

(Part 2/2) In university, we used to have what we call the ‘Spiritual Week of Emphasis’ and prior to that I had listened to a tape from motivational speaker, Fela Durotoye where he talked about the ‘Spirit of excellence’. He talked about the seven Spirits of God in Isaiah 11. I started to desire the things I heard. Fela Durotoye was so descriptive about the role of the Holy Spirit in turning your life around. I was a year into my Christian walk at the time and said, ‘Lord, I want this.’

So I decided to go on a dry fast during the ‘Spiritual Week of Emphasis’, it was a three-day event. Each day we would have three sessions, and in-between the sessions I would go to the library to read. On the second day, because I was giving myself over to the fast, I wasn’t just fasting and chilling; I was fasting and exerting energy. By the second evening, I was extremely tired. I remember going for the evening session and I had to tell God to give me strength during praise and worship. It was then I heard God say, 'I have answered you' and that I should go and take a drink. I went downstairs to get a Ribena before the programme.

During the praise and worship, I knew something happened to me and from that moment everybody knew something had changed. This was before my first semester exams. During the exams, an exam that should last for 2 hours would be done for me in 45 minutes. The lecturers would tell me that, “If you don’t know what to write, sit down.” I graduated with a first class degree.

I believed in the power of the Holy Spirit - spiritual wisdom, understanding and counsel. I think counsel is key. It’s like divine direction. I literally know what I need to do and see clearly what I am to do.

(Part 1/2) I come from a Christian family, but I did not really understand Christianity. I did not enjoy church. When I left secondary school, I had a gap year before I went to university. It was during that period that I met a man called Brother Newton. He was the head of the youth church at the Redeemed Church my parents attended. It was a new church that I was settling into.

I had attended churches previously where you were judged on how you dressed. The hypocrisy would push me away. However, in this new church, there was love, there was an attraction; and I gave myself to it. It was the love of Christ in these people that brought me close. I found a family in this youth church. I joined the choir, started baptism school, started studying the Word, started reading purposeful books and started hearing God clearly.

From that moment, I was being led and I began discovering more of myself. It became much greater because of the type of university I went to (Covenant University). I was in a Christian environment and I learnt from the best of the best as it were. I got to experience a lot and my Christian life took a new turn. But one remarkable thing happened. Right now my colleagues, friends and classmates see me as a smart, passionate, driven and focused guy, and I think I can attribute everything to what happened in my first year of university.

(Read the concluding part of this story on our website.)

THE EXPERIENCE 2016

We don't have too many worship concerts like this in Nigeria. There's a scripture in the bible that says we should not forsake the gathering of the brethren. So, besides church, we see this as an opportunity to worship God with other Christians from different denominations. 

When we saw the theme for this years’ Experience 'Revealing Jesus', our expectations became more specific. We're here to meet with Jesus, to get to know Him more through worship. There's really nothing like that personal experience with Jesus, nobody can take it away from you. It's yours, it's yours! 

I’m an instrumentalist at my church. I have a deep love for music. This is actually my first time at the Experience. I've heard so much about it. I'm here to enjoy God's presence through different ministrations. 

There's more to being a Christian other than practicing religion, and not just doing things the way every regular Christian does. I was at the Experience last year and it was life changing for me. My eyes were opened to a lot of things; I can’t even explain. But I’m really excited.

I am always amazed at everything that happens here; the sound, the artists, the ministrations. I always experience God here. And I've been blessed by God through this medium. There's always an experience at The Experience.

This is my first time of attending the Experience, but my friend is a regular here. I've heard so many testimonies from here like the sick being healed. Not that I'm sick or anything but we're here to meet God in a different way. To experience Him and feel His presence. Personally, I've had a lot of encounters and I enjoy His fullness. Truth be told I like praise and worship more than prayer. Yes, prayer is important, but praise is too. I realise I receive faster when I praise God. 

(Read the preceding part of this story on our website.)

(Part 2/2) I needed to see a Life Coach to handle my insecurities. She said to me, "Your life is stuck in looking behind you, listening to and believing the voices behind you. You have to start looking forward." So she made me do different exercises.

We had a session where I just talked and told her everything I’d experienced and those deep feelings I had never actually told anybody. She told me my feelings were valid which I needed to hear because for the longest time I didn't think they were. I remember her saying, "Now that you’ve finally said everything, how do you feel?" I felt free. I felt like I’d been keeping all this baggage in me: anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, lack of loving words growing up. Even when my daughter passed away, I couldn’t deal with the pain of losing her because I was focused on my past insecurities. I felt, “Oh people will laugh at me. This means I’m a failure.” The fear of failure plagued me. I felt like I’d failed as a mum. So many people had babies and they survived so why didn’t mine?

When I started talking to the Life Coach, I got to talk honestly and deal with all the emotions. The more I talked, the more I could think clearer about who I was and who God had created me to be. That period birthed, “My Light House”, a platform for ladies that have dealt with pain of some sort, including loss. I had never felt that free before and I just wanted to do the same for someone else. The more I gave, the more I was healed from all the things that plagued me.

Now I don’t need my husband to tell me, “You’re beautiful.” I realised I needed to find my validation from God, so I can believe it when my husband tells me I’m beautiful. I can be amazing and a great success and do the things I want to do because I now know who I am in Christ. I think that’s where the power is.

I'm still on a journey, but every day I feel more confident. I want others to know, "You are good enough." Christ makes you good enough.

(Part 1/2) I grew up in a polygamous home. I never lived with both parents. I lived with my mum till I was 7 years old and then moved into my dad’s home with a step mum and new siblings. Between my parents, I’m the only child and that made me feel like I didn’t really belong anywhere because other siblings had somebody else that was from the same mum and dad, and so I often felt alone.

Though my step mums didn’t treat me badly (they were actually quite lovely), I was always insecure, trying to be heard, trying to be loved, because I just didn’t feel like I had it. For a long time, I didn’t even know if I deserved any kind of love. I was just the most insecure person. I went through life like that and became quite careless.

In university, I would party and have boyfriends. I made so many bad decisions. In the midst of all my partying and stuff, I started feeling tired. I became miserable. I’d snap at everybody. I wouldn’t talk to anyone. I just didn’t want people around because I was so lost and frustrated. I started losing friends. My dad’s Muslim and my mum’s a white garment Christian, so my idea of God and having a relationship with him was so convoluted.

One day, I decided to go to church. I went the first time, and the next and then every time they asked people to come forward if we wanted to be prayed for, I’d always go forward. This happened every Sunday and people wondered what was wrong with me, but I felt like I had lived such a life that I had to keep going forward to ask God for forgiveness.

On one particular Sunday, I felt the burden lift and experienced God's love. I began reaching out to my friends. I started becoming a bit more secure but I still had work to do. When I started dating the man who is now my husband, I felt I wasn’t good looking enough, and no matter how much he told me he loved me even in my most natural state, I just had a problem believing it, because nobody had ever really told me before. I couldn’t see myself as God saw me – beautiful and the apple of his eye.

When I got married and lost my daughter, my insecurities really came back.

(Read the concluding part of this story on our website.)