My husband Solomon is Nigerian and I am British. Although we have been living in Germany long enough to become acclimatized to the German culture and language, we still enjoy connecting with our cultural and linguistic roots when the opportunity arises.

A few weeks ago, Solomon ran into an old friend from Nigeria in the nearby city of Essen. The friend declared that he was now the pastor of a church for African ex-pats, and consequently invited my husband to attend their upcoming church service that Sunday.

Solomon's happy anticipation of home-grown worship and fellowship was very much realized that Sunday. After the church service, Solomon walked to the main train station with a group of African men from the church. They were chattering and exchanging pleasantries, when a lady walked past them and yelled, "Hey, Corona people!"

The group was dumbstruck by this unprovoked verbal attack. One young man in particular was very upset. "Why are we being randomly targeted as harbingers of the COVID-19 virus?" he asked the others, dumbfounded. "Why be unnecessarily cruel during such unprecedented times, when we all are suffering? And, who are 'Corona people' anyway?"

Instead of expressing their own hurt, Solomon and the others comforted the young man. They assured him that the lady was probably feeling the stress of the Corona pandemic and was thereby projecting her fears and anxieties onto them. They reminded each other that as believers of Christ, they could forgive this lady, just as Christ had forgiven them their transgressions. Their fellowship, at first carefree, had turned earnest, and they were grateful for the spiritual support that they could provide each other in both types of circumstances.

As they parted ways, the men prayed that the lady would be able to experience the same peace and freedom that they did, by putting their faith in the Lord.

This entire experience was a reminder for Solomon of how imperative it is that we as Christians continue to be a light to others during these unprecedented times. Where fear and anxiety reign in people's hearts, where prejudice and postulation override common sense and sympathy, God's love needs to be a beacon that cuts through the darkness to offer revelation and encouragement — not only to those who do not know God, but also to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Prayer: Almighty Father, we do not know why mankind has been struck down with the COVID-19 virus, but we do know that You make all things good with Your perfect timing. Until then, comfort us in the knowledge that Your grace goes before us, and enable us to shine with Your love so that we may be a light to others and encourage those around us in this dark world. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

I love cooking and baking. I enjoy perusing recipes, learning new cooking techniques, and expanding my culinary repertoire through experimentation with different flavours. As I have health issues, eating healthy food with fresh ingredients is also an important aid in my recovery.

A favourite fare in our home is my homemade condiments. This summer, we have been enjoying eating pesto alla Genovese that I make with fresh basil leaves from our garden. Tossed with zucchini noodles, mixed into a salad dressing, or drizzled over roasted vegetables, the fresh cheesy, nutty, and herbal flavours add a lovely, creamy zest to our meals.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, including our stock of homemade pesto. Therefore, I went to the supermarket the other day to buy some more green goodness to tide us over until I could make my next batch.

However, instead of the neat rows of glass jars that I was accustomed to seeing in the pasta and sauce aisle, there was an empty space. No pesto!

For a moment, I was disappointed. However, that feeling quickly dissipated once I gave myself a reality check: What was my temporary hankering for a condiment when millions of people around the world were starving every day? How insignificant were my culinary concerns when thousands were falling ill daily to the COVID-19 virus?

With gratitude, right then and there in the supermarket, I thanked God silently for His provision and for putting my heart into the right perspective.

Yesterday, I was in another supermarket, and lo and behold, I saw a plethora of pesto jars in various red and green hues! Not only was I able to obtain one glass, but I bought two glasses in two different flavours, which I hadn't anticipated. I had received a double blessing of pesto!

Later, while I was reading in the book of Job, I felt like the Lord drew me a parallel between the protagonist and my double pesto purchase. Despite losing his children, servants, animals, crops, and even the sympathy of his friends, Job remained faithful and grateful to God. Consequently, the Lord restored Job's fortunes and blessed him with double of what he had lost.

Of course, my pesto deficiency was only miniscule in comparison to the troubles that Job endured. However, I was grateful for the lesson that it taught me, that God is sympathetic to our struggles, no matter how trivial. Through faith and a grateful and humble heart, we, too, can be open to receive His blessings, which will be double in relation to our troubles.

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You sympathize with us in the midst of our adversities. Thank You, that with faith in Your goodness and with a grateful heart, we can look forward to a double portion of Your blessings. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

A few months ago, I had a memorable encounter with a lady who taught me the value of second chances through her act of forgiveness.

I had just left a doctor's appointment and decided to pop into a shop that was adjacent to the doctor's office. When I am in public places, I always have headphones on, as I suffer from social anxiety and am particularly sensitive to noise. However, as I had removed my headphones for my doctor's appointment, I didn't think that it was worth donning them to make a quick purchase.

I was perusing some items on a shelf when an unexpectedly loud cry made me literally jump in the air. I clutched my chest and felt my heart beating a staccato rhythm underneath my ribcage.

I turned around slowly to discover the source of the noise: a mother was standing near me with a three-year-old girl in a stroller. The toddler was upset, which was evident through her loud cries and flailing limbs, complete with tightly clenched fists.

I felt sorry for the girl, as well as for her mother, who was visibly at a loss as to how to soothe her child. I fervently hoped that the lady hadn't noticed my involuntary reflex in response to her child's outburst. Unfortunately, she had.

"You don't need to behave so distastefully towards us!" she barked at me. "My goodness, she is only a child!"

I was so embarrassed. I turned to the lady and tried to explain my predicament, and how I felt no animosity towards her baby.

Oh, why didn't I just put on my headphones? I lamented inwardly.

Still offended, the lady stormed out of the shop. I felt just awful. I was about to look for the lady outside, when she suddenly reappeared.

"I apologize," she said gently, "I've had a hard day with my girl. I heard you when you said that you had health problems, and I felt sorry for you. I had to come back and tell you that."

"No, it is me who should apologize!" I exclaimed with relief. "Raising a child is hard, and I so admire you! I wanted to find you and tell you that!"

We spent the next thirty minutes talking, and I was grateful for the second chance that this lady offered me to make amends by forgiving me.

This experience was an important reminder for me that God forgave us for our sins through the blood sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ. His gift of salvation is our second chance at eternal righteousness with our heavenly Father. Thank You, Lord!

Prayer: Merciful Father, thank You for forgiving us for our sins and offering us a second chance at eternal life through Your gift of salvation in Jesus. Help us to forgive others as You forgave us. Amen.

One of my favourite experiences in church is praise and worship at the beginning of each service. Our church worship team plays contemporary songs with concert flair, complete with visual effects and loud beats, which enhances my worship experience. I love it!

Last week, the worship team played "Be still" by Hillsong Worship. In the past, I had found the song encouraging and the lyrics poignant, but I didn't ruminate past these initial impressions. However, on this day, something shifted inside of me as soon as the first words of the song reached my ears:

Be still and know
That the Lord is in control
Be still my soul
Stand and watch as giants fall

These past few months have been extremely difficult for me healthwise. I have experienced a severe relapse in my convalescence from burnout and depression that has left me feeling emotionally drained, physically weak, and spiritually vulnerable to lies and accusations from the enemy about who I am in Christ. I found myself questioning whether I will ever be able to take part in social interactions or even laugh out loud. I was frightened that I will always be watching others enjoy their lives, while I waste away.

And yet, when I heard the words of this beautiful song, I felt like God was telling me to stop what I was doing — to stop feeling melancholy and afraid — and just be still in His presence.

I won't be afraid
If You are here
You silence all my fear

God assured me that He sees my situation, and He is working in it. He reminded me that when I had faced adversity in the past, He had been there to support and guide me. Every time, He had brought me out of the valley.

God had been in control then, and He was in control now. He is the God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I did not need to be afraid.

Hearing this message in the heightened atmosphere of corporate worship instantly comforted me. I felt like the doubts and fears that had slithered into my head were silenced by God's reassurance of His love. Out of nowhere, I had a sudden surge of hope that everything would work out for the best. It was an unfamiliar sensation to experience — and yet, it felt comforting.

Surely love and mercy
Your peace and kindness
Will follow me

I learned an important lesson — for both me and you: we need not search for God's love, mercy, and kindness, for it is always within our reach — in fact, it follows us. It is a gift that God gives us, together with His peace, which transcends all understanding.

All we need to do is stop, be still, and rest in the Lord.

He will take care of the rest.

Prayer: Loving Father, thank You that we can find true rest in the stillness of Your presence. When troubles overwhelm us or we feel doubtful and afraid, help us to remember that You are in control. You will not fail us, nor forsake us. Amen.

This past month, I have known little peace. It feels like one thing after another is changing in the lives of me and my husband. Each day brings something new to deal with, and I feel like my head is spinning uncontrollably in an effort to keep up.

I understand that God is leading us through a series of transitions in order to bring us into a higher understanding of Him, as well as to bring us closer to fulfilling the dreams that He has put in our hearts.

However, this month, I have been too pre-occupied with the here and now, with the challenges that are confronting us. I have not been able to think about the future benefits that our transitional period will make possible for us.

Yesterday afternoon, I went out to my garden with my little one-eared pussycat to catch the last rays of sun for the day. The wind was blowing gently in my face and I drank in the tranquility and stillness that my green oasis always gives me.

I watched my pussycat stretch out on the grass and close his eyes contentedly; above him, a few doves had landed on the neighbour's roof and were drinking from a rain pipe. People across the road were laughing as they hugged each other goodbye. Everyone in my direct vicinity was at peace and allowing things to happen as they came, except for me. How could this be?

Then, I felt like God told me to take a breath — just take a breath and allow Him to make the changes in our lives that He wanted to make. He loves us and will make all things work together for His good. I need not be afraid, for we are safe with Him.

So, I did what God asked me to do — I took a breath, breathed out, and gave Him permission to do what He needed to do in our lives.

When I woke up this morning, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. I had been holding on so tightly to what God wants to change, that I had failed to see that He had been holding tightly on to me this entire time. By handing my insecurities and anxiety over to Him, He had given me peace and renewed my faith.

Are you resisting changes that God is making in your life? Do you crave peace during this period of transition? Spend time with God in prayer and ask Him to help you to let go of what you're holding tightly on to. Trust that all things will work together for God's good, because He loves you.

Prayer: Loving Father, thank You that You always meet us in the midst of our insecurities. Forgive us when a lack of faith makes us hold on to things that You want to change in us. Teach us to let go and trust in You, for You make all things come together for Your good. Amen.

My husband Solomon and I have been living in Germany for many years as expatriates. I am British and Solomon is Nigerian. We are well integrated with the traditions and social intricacies of the German culture, and we speak the language fluently.

In the past few years, I have become increasingly concerned about the growing presence of xenophobia in Germany. A few months ago, my husband was personally confronted with racial prejudice.

Solomon was entering a train, when a young man stepped forward and barred his progress. He looked angry, and his hands were balled into tight fists.

"Hey, you, foreigner," the young man said gruffly. "Go back to your own country, and stop taking our jobs!"

Solomon was sorely tempted just to ignore the man. However, he saw that his persecutor was pale, gaunt, and poorly dressed. This individual had clearly gone through some hard times. Solomon felt sorry for him.

Smiling at the man, Solomon replied, "I can see that you're angry. But I am not your enemy."

Taking advantage of the man's shocked silence, Solomon continued, "Anger and resentment are costing you your health. Turn those negative emotions into positive thoughts that can change your mindset and ultimately your life."

Suddenly, the man's mask of bravado evaporated. He admitted to Solomon that he was unemployed and living below the existence minimum. Out of frustration, he had joined a right-wing political party that cultivated animosity towards foreigners by targeting them as the cause for the country's socio-economic problems.

Later, when they both disembarked from the train, Solomon told the young man about how a relationship with God and an application of thinking positively had changed his life around, and he wrote down the title of a book on the subject that could change his life, too.

The young man took the piece of paper from Solomon eagerly, promising to read the book. Gone was the former anger and bitterness; instead, the young man's face was now full of hope and encouragement.

What if my husband had perceived this act of persecution as a threat and not as an opportunity to share God's love and to set someone on the path towards a relationship with Jesus?

In today's verse, Paul writes that we should bless those who persecute us. The next time someone mistreats us, let us try to react to them as Christ would — with love and forgiveness. From personal experience, I know that it's not always easy, but it is worth striving for, in order to further God's kingdom on earth.

Prayer: Wonderful Father, You tell us in that we are not to be surprised when persecution comes (1 Peter 4:12). Help us to react with love to those who mistreat us, for You opened out Your arms to give us Your redeeming love when our transgressions had made us Your enemy. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Going through ups and downs in my convalescence from burnout and depression has been a stressful time for me. When my circumstances start to change and I experience growing pains, it can affect my ability to see the situation for what it is — as God testing and purifying me so that He can prepare me for the next level of His wonderful plan for my life.

At such times, I hand the situation over to God, but emotionally, I can't help but see changes in our family's circumstances as portents of doom. I admonish myself constantly for allowing my fears to overpower my faith.

My husband, Solomon, on the other hand, is the kind of person who can always tap into God's joy, despite what is going on around him. He interacts socially and generally enjoys his life, while I sit at home lamenting over what I perceive as a downward turn of events.

In order to cheer me up, Solomon encourages me to go out for a coffee with him or to meet up with friends. However, I get too caught up in the cinema playing in my head to take on his suggestions. In such times, my husband reminds me that the joy of the Lord is our strength. God knows our current dilemma and is preparing us for promotion and blessings. In the meantime, we should rejoice in each day that God has made.

Maybe I am not as spiritually mature as my husband, for I have never really understood what Nehemiah meant when he told the Israelites in today's verse that God's joy strengthens us.

Then, a few days ago, I watched an online sermon that gave me a revelation of this Bible verse.

The pastor preached on Psalm 23:6, where God prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies. As I listened, I began to understand Nehemiah's words better. Sure, life would be more joyful if I could foresee how we were to persevere through our adversities, but true joy comes from the strength that only God can give me.

Revelation rained down on me: God takes joy in me as His child — I am loved, cherished, and protected. Though changes may be whirling around me in a chaotic cyclone of fear and doubt, I can be confident in the presence of God's joy, fortified in the knowledge that He has my back.

With this in mind, I will heed Nehemiah's words to the Israelites to eat, drink, and not grieve. I need not fear change, nor should I condemn myself for feeling it. Instead, I should lift my eyes to Jesus and remember that my joy comes from above. God will do the rest.

Are you currently finding it difficult to experience joy in the midst of your present circumstances? Is God leading you through a period of transition, which is making you anxious and worried?

Remember that your help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth! In prayer, ask God to show you how you can tap into the strength that comes from the joy that He feels for us, His beloved children.

Prayer: Wonderful Father, thank You that You love us and take joy in us as Your children. As You lead us through changes, help us to remember that Your joy is our true source of strength which overcomes fear and doubt. Amen.