Your Dreams, Your Goal

     If you feel you dreams are going down or you can't get there, watch this and get motivated, and get your dreams come through

The Nollywood Philanthropist Williams uchemba

He needs no introduction in the Nigerian movie industry. The child actor we once knew, has become an accomplished movie producer, model, comedian, philanthropist, entrepreneur, motivational speaker and an actor with bias for comedy.

He needs no introduction in the Nigerian movie industry. The child actor we once knew, has become an accomplished movie producer, model, comedian, philanthropist, entrepreneur, motivational speaker and an actor with bias for comedy. 



The multiple award winning entertainer who has starred in such great movies as Sugar Rush and Merry Men 2, became more popular with his “Give Challenge,” that inspires people around the world to give alms to the poor and physically challenged. This he does through his NGO, the Williams Uchemba Foundation.

Through this organisation, he has successfully fed, clothed and housed hundreds of Nigerians, lifting them from misery and despondency.

As Christians celebrate Easter today and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for the sake of humanity, Allure spoke with William Uchemba who is not unfamiliar with the act of giving.

This was what the International Relations graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) said.

You started out as a child actor and grew before our very eyes. How has that journey been for you? 

It has been amazing. I got into the industry at the age of 8. It’s my 22nd year in the industry. At a point, I took a break, travelled out of the country to focus on my academics. Yeah, it has been a great journey so far.

Were there older actors who took you under their wings? 

I wouldn’t say I was personally mentored by anyone, but their various works inspired me to do more. I remember the first movie I did with Pete Edochie, who is a great, living legend of our time, I was overwhelmed with enthusiasm. He inspired me quite a lot along with others on that production set; Clems Ohameze, Hilda Dokubo and others.

How did you cope with acting and schooling at that time? 

It wasn’t easy, it really affected so much of my Junior and Senior secondary level. That was why I cut down production during my time at UNN. I believe anything worth doing is worth doing well, so I decided to give it my all.

How did you find your niche in the comedy industry?

It wasn’t planned, as a matter of fact, I have always been funny to the best of my knowledge. We are just a funny family. My dad, siblings, I never for once thought of taking it out of comfort zone outside. Because of my ‘status’, I thought when I go out there, I need to be cool as an actor. But when I realized the power of being yourself, it changed everything.

I started comedy when I was in California. I just tried out a video and people loved it and kept reposting. It got a lot of views.

One day, I received a message in my DM (Direct Message) from a woman who requested to speak with me. When she called, she was crying, saying ‘Thank you so much, you don’t know what you have done for us’.

She said her dear mother has been sick with cancer for over 6 months and she has not seen any reason to smile not until she came across my comedy and she has been laughing all through. That it got everyone emotional and they thought they should call and thank me. That was when I realized that this is not just what I do for Art but a ministry, especially in Nigeria where you have a lot of people who are going through so much. The least I can do is to release stress by humour. They say laughter is a good medicine. People call me a comedian but I prefer to be called an actor, because an actor can make you cry, make you laugh, can play around and that is what I consider myself to be.

You have touched so many lives with your philanthropy. What inspired this?

I have always been a compassionate person. But the “Give Challenge” project which brought me to the limelight, started in 2017 when I came back to Nigeria from the US. I was driving home from the airport and while I was on the Lekki express road, I saw a man in his mid 60s. I could tell his age because he was like my father’s age. He was selling this N50 ice cream and there was a traffic. So, I saw him chasing this particular car to sell to them but the traffic started moving and the vehicle started moving faster. Suddenly, he missed a step and fell into a car lane and an incoming bus who I believe wasn’t paying attention, hit and crushed him. He was killed on the spot and his blood spilled on his Ice scream. it was a sight I never thought I would see in my entire life. What really broke my heart was that this man didn’t die because he was caught stealing, or doing anything contrary to the law. He died trying to make ends meet for his family; and the thought that his wife and kids were probably waiting at home for daddy to bring back money for food, not knowing that daddy had died was something I couldn’t get over. When I got home, I couldn’t eat or sleep. The picture was on my mind. The next day, I went out and saw a lot of people in the market because it was Christmas period. The thought of that dead man was still in my head. I saw another man selling Christmas lights, I had dollars with me then, I haven’t changed to Naira. I gave the man $60 dollars or so. I said to him, you can take the money, I don’t want to buy lights just leave the road. He was like, oga God bless you”. What was on my mind at that point, was that I didn’t want another vehicle to hit him.

 At that time, I had about 1.2 million followers and obviously, I’m not that rich to help everybody. So, I decided to do what I now call “A Give Challenge Project and Tour”. I said, if I can give one person and post on my page, and encourage people to do same, if 10 percent of 1.2 million do same, I’m not only getting one person but about a 120 thousand people off the street. That was what started the “Give Challenge Project”. At that time, I gave to the extent that I almost gave out my flight ticket to go back to the US. I just realized something else happened when you start giving in that capacity. I was giving and I wasn’t getting broke. That was what inspired my giving.

How do you cope with the deep emotions that go with the individuals you help?

I always say to myself that it could be me. These are people who work harder than myself in Nigeria that are still living in horrible state. I always put myself in people’s situation; when I don’t like what I see, then I do something about it and get this person off such predicament. The smiles on their faces does it all for me. That’s why one of the foundation slogans is ‘Put a smile on someone’s face’. When I see those smiles, it means that my mission is accomplished.

In spite of the good work you are doing, some people have criticized your efforts as being exhibitionist because you film them. How do you deal with that? 

There’s actually nothing you do that people won’t talk about. It would shock you to know that the people I help off camera, are more than 90% of what you see me do on camera. It is my lifestyle. I wake up every morning, say a prayer, asking God to let my path cross with people who really need money. I hold up to N100 – 200,000 in my pocket not that I’m going to buy anything but because I know I would meet people who would need it. I have learnt not to think of what people would say. As long as my mind and My God is pleased with it, I’m okay. Besides, if people don’t don’t talk about you, then you are not doing something right. How to know if you are doing something right is when you get criticism.

Does it weigh you down? 

As a matter of fact it does not, but it can be overwhelming. What I am doing is an instruction from God. I have never seen myself lacking, or not being able to help people. But now, there is need for collaboration. What I do now is, if I put a project out there, I ask people if they want to partner with me or supply. Like right now, in this COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, I am sending food to people who were not able to stock up their houses. I am trying to get food for 1,000 people. If I have other people who want to add something, then there’s now a need for me to collaborate and partner with them.

How do you get funds to push your philanthropic projects?

 All you see me do, is from my projects, business, film. I believe that when God gives you money, he doesn’t expect you to spend the whole 100%. Yes, 10% goes to him, you can keep 25%, but the rest is not for you. You need to look for a channel to do God’s work. People are praying but God can’t come down to give people money. He needs human beings to give the money. But humans are greedy, when he gives you the money, you think it’s for you to consume. I have a written covenant with God that as long as funds keep coming in, I know the work I’m going to do with it, not just charity but Kingdom investment; building churches, National projects, International projects, going to places that need basic amenities to supply things for them. This is why we are human beings. People don’t care how much money you have or what you posses, but they want to know how you make their lives better. That’s why when a person dies, they only talk about the good works he had done. That’s the real reason we should live and exist.

Easter season is here, a time to give, what are your plans for the poor and needy?

 I think it’s a time to remember what Jesus did for us on the cross Love and love is giving. I don’t really have anything in mind but if I’m in a good place to do something, I would. Most times situation presents itself and I just flow with it. Like this Covid-19, nobody saw it coming. It is costing me millions to feed people.

You are quite close to AY? How does he inspire you and what made you buy him a phone?

AY is not only a friend but a big brother. I am the first son and he’s the first son. His parents passed on when he was young, mine are still alive, but I never had any elder brother to look up to just like him. Aside that, we have a lot in common, we think alike. We don’t like too much attention, our morals are straight. We don’t like vulgar words. There are so much, we just connect, work ethics etc. He’s a great guy. He is amazing. He could empty his pocket to help you not minding how he would get home.

Having a good spirit and a clean spirit is also one of the things that attracted me to him. AY is a brother and a friend. I appreciate him.

How is the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the entertainment industry?

It’s not only the Entertainment industry, it’s affecting everything. But musicians and comedians are using the internet platforms, to reach out to people and make them laugh. My prayer is for everything to be over, then we become stronger and better people after this pandemic.

How do you keep body, mind and spirit going staying at home? 

The good thing is, I have electricity, I have my phone. So it’s not really too difficult. I pray, I read, exercise and, challenge myself do some puzzles, tease the brain, it’s been good for me.

How do you cope with female attention, ever had a weird experience with a female fan?

I love my fans. But some people can be insensitive. Sometimes, they see you in a very serious place, they just come in and interrupt you. I’m used to it now.

How do you relax?

I like to worship. I put on a worship song or piano instrumental that can play for 3 hours. I just sit there and take it all in. Also, I like to see movies, go on Netflix, look for the ones that are interesting, get a snack, sit in front of my TV and relax.

Best holiday destination?

The thing about my work is that I get to travel a lot. After, I tour a little and  that travel becomes a holiday.

 What are your plans for the rest part of the year?

Honestly speaking, my greatest desire is for this COVID -19 to go away because if it’s still here, all our plans wouldn’t be achieved.

How to Live With Lyme Disease And Improve your Quality of Life

I

you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Lyme disease (also known as Borreliosis), you understand why it’s commonly referred to as an ‘invisible illness. Because it can’t always be detected by outward appearance, it’s an illness that’s often underestimated and misunderstood. The reality is that Lyme disease is a very real and very serious diagnosis. In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that approximately 300,000 cases of Lyme are reported each year. This is why it’s so important to raise awareness of this disease. While it’s curable in the early stages with antibiotics, it’s usually not an easy illness to diagnose. If undiagnosed and untreated, Lyme disease can worsen and become a chronic illness.

Lyme disease is spread through infected deer ticks. If bitten, the tick can cause a multitude of health problems. Early signs and symptoms include: rash, fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, and/or headache. We recommend consulting a physician if you believe you’re experiencing any of the symptoms of Lyme disease. These are merely suggestions to help you manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.

Get an Adequate Amount of Sleep

One of the many symptoms of Lyme disease is an affected sleep cycle. Many patients are unable to reach the NREM phase, which is the deepest level of sleep. Because of this, they’re bodies cannot properly heal. Lack of sleep hinders the immune system and affects recovery time. It’s important to try and get as much rest as possible when you have Lyme, even if that rest is interrupted at times.

Exercise Regularly

Because Lyme is often associated with joint pain and muscle stiffness, doctors recommend that patients exercise daily or as much as possible. Light to moderate aerobic exercise increases muscle strength and improves overall health. If you suffer from severe joint pain, try low impact activities like yoga or water aerobics.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Nutrition is a huge part of overall health and wellness especially for those with compromised health. Although it’s not a cure, it’s an easy way to accelerate healing and recovery. Many dieticians recommend that Lyme patients eat an anti-inflammatory diet that’s rich in nutrients. Seafood, non-starchy vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds are all nutrient dense foods.

Reduce Stress

If you’re living with Lyme disease, one of the best ways to fight against the illness is by reducing stress. An increase in heart rate and an elevation in stress hormones and blood pressure can seriously affect your body. And if you’re already suffering from the symptoms of Lyme, you don’t need the additional symptoms of stress.

Invest in Essential Oils

Because the only true treatment for Lyme disease is oral or intravenous antibiotics, there’s been lots of research on alternative medicine. Essential oils are just one of many alternative treatment options. These oils can be diffused, added to bath water, placed under the tongue, or used as nasal spray. While there’s no real medical or scientific research backing this treatment, many Lyme patients have tried essential oils and experienced relief.

See a Physician

The best way to take care of your health is to schedule an appointment with a physician. Whether you have yet to be officially diagnosed with Lyme or have been suffering from Lyme for weeks, months, or even years, visiting with a medical professional is always a good idea. They can provide you with the advice and resources needed to promote long-term healing.

Stay Educated

Lyme disease is a preventable illness. But to prevent it, you must be educated on it. Deer ticks, which cause Lyme, usually live in wooded, bushy areas. If you’re going to be in these types of areas, take precautions. Use insect repellents, cover up, and check your clothing and body after being in these types of areas. No one is immune to this disease.

Take Care of Your Mental Health

Living with chronic Lyme disease is hard. The constant fatigue, the aching joints, and the plethora of other symptoms can be debilitating. But what’s even more debilitating is the misconceptions about this disease. It can be discouraging to fight an illness that many don’t consider to be “real. But there are millions of others living with disease. Reach out to a therapist, friend, or fellow Lyme patient so you don’t have to fight this illness alone.

Connect With Others

Because Lyme is an invisible illness, patients often feel very alone. Luckily, we live in the Digital Age. We have 24/7 access to the Internet and social media, meaning we can connect digitally with others who are suffering from Lyme disease. It can be therapeutic to talk to other people who are affected by this disease and understand what you’re going through.

Be Your Own Advocate

Always be prepared to be your own advocate because you can’t always rely on others to do it for you. I say this because this is a disease that’s frequently misdiagnosed. You know your body better than anyone else. If something feels off, do your research and advocate for yourself. Keep learning, questioning, and educating others on this disease.

How to Spot an Energy Vampire

watch and learn how to invest your time and energy positively, that when it grows, it becomes positive for the future.

Seven Steps To Finding True Love

There is probably no topic which has captivated people throughout the centuries and from most every culture than the topic of love. We put a man on the moon, broke the speed of sound, and mapped the human genome, but love remains a complete mystery. Science has not been able to explain it. Mathematics cannot predict it. Poets still wrestle with adequate words to describe it.

It may have been more than two millennia ago, but Plato’s words have never sounded more true, “Every heart sings a song, incomplete. We are all looking for love. At any given moment, we may be far from it but we never stop hoping the next opportunity is just over on the horizon. We are all looking for true love.

One of our frustrations with love is our complete inability to keep it. Like sand slipping between our fingers, the harder we grasp the faster it seems to fall through. It would be nice if love was as simple as baking a batch of cookies or building a bird house for the backyard; a simple set of ingredients, a logical list of steps to take. But we all know the truth; love cannot be manufactured. It cannot be bought or traded. It cannot be forced. It cannot be controlled. It cannot be plotted on a map or broken down into a checklist of to do

But, it is possible to find true love; even unconditional love! Here are seven steps to finding true love:

1. LOVE REQUIRES YOU TO REVEAL YOUR TRUE SELF TO ANOTHER

The famous author, C. S. Lewis, puts it best, “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one. Lewis is right. What makes love so hard, and sometimes painful, is the vulnerability that always seems to accompany it.

“True love goes beyond the passion of romance and even finding a partner for the sake of being married.

We use the word love to describe a lot of things. We love food. We love music. We love a good joke and we love having a good time. Using love to describe such simple things makes the word seem a little safer. It is safe because we are not exposed. A great cup of coffee cannot reject us. A song from our favorite band does not leave us feeling useless. But when we choose to share our life with another person, we inevitably make a choice to become vulnerable. Unfortunately, vulnerability leaves our defenses down and often we get hurt.

We all know the feeling: rejection, humiliation, desperation. Opening our heart to another person, only to be rejected, is one of the most painful experiences in life. It hurts the most because in love we are most vulnerable. It’s worse than physical pain because it shakes us at the core of our identity, our hopes, and our dreams. Love rushes us to the mountain-top, and when lost, sends us careening back to the valley below. We cannot help but feel empty. We cannot help but feel worthless. We cannot help but feel hopeless.

2. FINDING TRUE LOVE CAN BE DIFFICULT

The Bible has a remarkable story about a woman named Leah who discovered that finding true love was difficult. Leah was the daughter of a wealthy and manipulative man named Laban. Leah also had a sister named Rachel, one of the most beautiful women in the whole region. Leah, was described as, “weak in the eyes. We do not know exactly what that phrase means, but it is not hard to guess. Even without the side-by-side comparison to her beautiful sister, Leah was not drawing much attention.

One day, Rachel was herding the sheep when a young man named Jacob came to the well. His journey’s purpose was to find a wife, so it did not take him long to notice beautiful Rachel approaching. He rolled away the stone over the well, and watered the sheep for her. Learning he was her father’s nephew, she ran home to tell Laban the news. Already head-over-heels in love, or call it love-at-first-sight if you wish, Jacob stayed on with Laban. When asked what his wages should be, he immediately asked to marry Rachel. Laban made Jacob an offer. “Work for me, seven years without pay, then I will give you my daughter.

“What makes love so hard, and sometimes painful,is the vulnerability that always seems to accompany it.

It is starting to sound like a romantic story for the ages! Jacob was so madly in love that he did not hesitate. Seven years he worked, everyday focused on his prize. One day he would finally be able to marry the woman of his dreams, Rachel. The Bible records the event with all of the poetry we would expect from a great love story. “Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

After seven years of labor, the wedding day finally arrived. The party must have been massive. When night came, Jacob and his new bride, probably wearing her wedding veil, went into their tent.

The next morning Jacob awoke, the Bible says, “and behold it was Leah!” Jacob had been tricked. Laban had switched his daughters on the wedding night and tricked Jacob into marrying his oldest, Leah. Why? Laban wanted another seven years of free labor before he would allow Jacob to actually marry Rachel. Still madly in love with Rachel, Jacob agrees and works another seven years to marry this younger daughter.

We like the image of Jacob! He was willing to submit himself to over a decade of manual labor as an act of love for Rachel whom he considered to be his soulmate. Like a great Shakespearian tragedy, we want desperately to find that kind of love, too. We want to know that someone would make such a sacrifice for us. This expression of love is the deepest craving of our heart. But allowing ourselves to be quickly carried off in the ecstasy of the moment misses the real heart of the story for Leah.

Leah had never been able to draw much attention. She had always been the hopeless romantic. But now things were much worse. Leah was married to a man who never for a moment loved her, and manipulated by a father as payment for help around the farm. Leah was not loved by her husband, nor even her father. She was used and discarded. When she was most vulnerable she was rejected.

“Each of us wants to find a way to open up our hearts and lives and know that in that moment of honesty we will be accepted and not rejected.

What happened next is subtle, but important for us to understand our own struggle with love and rejection. In Leah’s first century world, women cared deeply about building a family, especially having sons, to which they could pass on their family name. A father’s proudest moment was the birth of his first son. Soon after being married, Jacob wanted a son. Leah saw an opportunity! If she could be the first to give Jacob a son, surely then he would love and appreciate her. Leah must have been excited to find out she was pregnant, and even more excited when she gave birth to the family’s first son, Reuben.

Leah believed in her heart that God had blessed her with this son so that now her husband would finally love her. But nothing changed. Leah gave birth to a second son, she named him Simeon.

Again she believed God had seen her rejection. Now, surely her husband would love her. But nothing changed. Leah had a third son, who she named Levi. She honestly hoped that now her husband would care for her and love her. But again, nothing changed.

Leah’s story teaches us that finding true love is difficult. True love goes beyond the passion of romance and even finding a partner for the sake of being married. While romance and having our needs met for provision and security are important, there is more that we must discover.

3. YOUR NEED FOR TRUE LOVE REVEALS YOUR NEED TO BE LOVED UNCONDITIONALLY

Leah’s life was controlled by the hope that she could somehow make herself lovable. She was desperate to find a way to earn her husband’s attention. Her broken heart and desperation to be loved teaches us a deeply personal truth about our own search for true love. We inevitably all feel the crushing weight of trying to earn it.

Marketers sell us the idea that if we were just a little bit more attractive, a little thinner, and a little better dressed, then someone would finally take notice and we would feel loved. But we do not. Culture pressures us to set aside our prudish reluctance and instead give away our bodies; it promises us intimacy leads to love. But it does not. Honestly, true love has never really been about romance or passion at all. It is about truth and value. It is about vulnerability and acceptance.

The harder we try, the more desperate we become to find the magic potion. We believe that with the poison tipped arrow of Cupid in our hand, we need only hit our target and watch as love and intimacy explodes into a vibrant life of confidence, fulfillment, and passion. But, that is not real life. So, we end up settling for watching it play out in movies and dreaming about it in novels. Our own experience feels more like crawling our way through the dunes of the Sahara Desert, desperate to find an oasis with water. Just when we think we have finally found true love, we are crushed with the reality that it was just a mirage and we have nothing to show for it.

Leah helps us realize that most of what we call love and our search for it, is really a desperate expedition for evidence that we are valuable enough to be loved in the first place. We want to feel like our life is worth something to someone. We are desperate to be known, not just as a body, but as a soul. We want to be vulnerable and in that vulnerability to be accepted. We want to be loved unconditionally.

This is where we find the great struggle of looking for true love. As one author puts it, “To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. Each of us wants to find a way to open up our hearts and lives and know that in that moment of honesty we will be accepted and not rejected.

We all know the risks, so we tend toward pretending. Too nervous to share the truth, we morph into whatever seems most desirable. But that is empty. We know it and we just do not know what else to do. We feel like we have to keep the show going. After all, what is the alternative? If we open up with the whole truth, we face the risk of being ridiculed, rejected and thrown away.

Honestly, true love has never really been about romance or passion at all. It is about truth and value. It is about vulnerability and acceptance. It is about wholeness and finding peace. It is about discovering a foundation on which we can build our lives and on which we can place our hope and confidence. It is about feeling like we are worth something. It is about sharing vulnerability and in the midst of it, feeling loved unconditionally.

4. TRUE LOVE IS COMPLICATED BY OUR SELF-INTEREST

Let me tell you a secret that you probably know already but are not willing to admit. Unconditional love, the kind that pours meaning and significance into your life, is hard to find in another human being because we are all too self interested and too self motivated. Our hearts are bent toward protecting and promoting ourselves. It is not hard to see! We live in a culture that constantly measures every relationship by what we get out of it. We stay married only as long as it is benefiting us. We commit to a relationship only until something better comes along. The success of our relationships is measured by our need for love being met, instead of seeking to meet the need for true love in others.

The Bible speaks clearly to this fact. It calls our bent toward self-interest sin, and it was neither the way humanity, nor the world was created originally. Adam and Eve were the first to experience love and it was much deeper than what we call love today. Adam and Eve’s relationship was perfectly woven together with one another, with God, and with the enjoyment of creation around them. There was no self-interest. Instead, their whole lives were shaped by caring for each other, caring for the world around them, and thanking God for the experience. Neither Adam nor Eve ever felt a moment of fear, rejection, or failure. “You will never find or experience the true love you are looking for in this world alone.

If you are familiar with the Bible’s story of the first sin, you will remember it involved a simple proposition. Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat from one tree in the Garden of Eden. As Eve passed by, a serpent whispered a temptation. “Eve, if you eat of this fruit you will be like God. It is strange that the serpent did not tempt Eve with how delicious the fruit looked. The real temptation had nothing to do with appearance. Instead, the Serpent did something more subversive. He offered Eve a thought about herself. Eve asked herself a question she had never wondered before, “What’s in it for me?”

This moment of self discovery came with massive consequences. Eve ate the fruit and passed it on to her husband who ate it as well. This act of disobeying God led Adam and Eve to the startling realization they had been naked this whole time. It is as if they had been so enjoying one another, and the world around them so much, that they never thought to look down at themselves. For the first time they felt vulnerable and ashamed. They made clothes to cover and protect themselves.

God discussed their disobedience with them, because He knew that all of their relationships were falling apart as a result of their self-interest. Eve blamed the serpent for tempting her. Adam blamed Eve for giving him the fruit and then even went so far as to blame God for giving him Eve in the first place! Neither one wanted to take the blame but was concerned only for their self-interest. It is starting to look more like the world with which we are familiar!

The consequences for disobeying God were the loss of relationships. Adam and Eve would never be allowed back into the perfect garden world. They lost everything. We know their new world of self-interest and self protection, because we carry with us the same sin bent reality. We long for real love, because we were created to love and be loved unconditionally. This is probably the most important point in this entire article. You will never find or experience the true love you are looking for in this world alone. Each of us and the world around us is too soaked in sin. The great news is that there is One who is the very definition of Love and you can be in relationship with Him!

5. THERE IS ONLY ONE SOURCE OF TRUE LOVE

Let us return to Leah’s story for a moment. Leah was caught up in the struggle to earn her husband’s love. Three sons later, she was still clinging to the hope that one day he would wake up and start to appreciate her. She kept waiting and waiting. Eventually, Leah gave birth to another son, her fourth. Leah named him Judah and announced, “Now I will praise God. Judah’s name means something special. It means to praise, or be thankful to God. But, how could she praise God when her outward circumstances had not changed? Jacob did not rush home with a bouquet of roses and an apology card. Leah was no more loved now than she had ever been. But somehow, she was now worshiping and thanking God.

With the birth of her fourth son, Leah had a life altering realization. She realized that while her husband refused to love her, God was present in her life! God had noticed every pain, every sorrow, every moment of rejection she had ever experienced and he was pouring blessing into her life. God loved her unconditionally!

You need to realize something important, as well. You may feel completely neglected and empty, but God is paying attention to you. You would not be reading this if that was not true. Right now, the God of the whole universe is trying to show you, there is a greater love and acceptance being offered to you, than you ever thought existed. That love is God’s love. He loves you unconditionally.

Leah did not realize it at the time, but Leah, and her son Judah, were ancestors of a man named Jesus. This is the Jesus, whom Christians worship and who the entire Bible anticipated. It is a fitting end to the story, because no one would ever offer greater hope and love than Jesus. He would offer exactly what Leah was trying desperately to find.

The Bible tells that Jesus was not merely a man, but the son of God Himself, who came to earth. Jesus knows better than anyone who you are; the good and the bad. He knows, because He took your place. He has already paid the price for your sins, and He did it before you ever paid a moment of attention to Him.

He did so because God was not content to leave us in hopeless despair and rejection, stumbling our way through life trying to manufacture the love that had been lost all the way back in the Garden of Eden. Even though our own selfish hearts had blinded us from God’s love, God was determined to lead us back to it.

Jesus knew all too well this pain of rejection. He was rejected at times by His best friends, His own family, and in the end, by the world around him. Jesus lived a perfect life, never out of self-interest but always doing the will of the God the Father, and offering Himself to serve and help those around Him. But no one recognized what He was doing.

They saw it as weakness and sentenced Jesus to death, and crucified Him. Jesus satisfied God’s justice, but was not rejected by God or there would have been no resurrection!

Our rebellion and self-preference is disobedience to God, and that keeps us for a relationship with Him. We are not interested in His plan, we want our dreams to come true. So we reject Him and chart our own course. We ignore His instructions and believe whatever feels right to us. We turn down His love and try to replace it with romance and passion because it makes us feel good temporarily. This is the most remarkable part of the Gospel. God did not wait for us to call out to Him for help or love.

He blessed Leah even when she was caught up in trying to earn love for herself. God does not wait for you either. He chose to act on your behalf while you were still lost in your sinful and selfish ambitions. God took all of the punishment, that your disinterest and rebellion deserved, and He poured it out on Jesus, His only son. Jesus stepped into your place and accepted the punishment, because He loves you.

The real struggle for love, is our desire to be fully known, and yet fully accepted. When you hear the phase, “Jesus loves you,” this is not a Christian cliché, but rather the truth of unconditional love. Jesus knows better than anyone who you are; the good and the bad. He knows every secret, every pain, every sin, and every wrong. He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows, because He took your place. He has already paid the price for your sins, and He did it before you ever paid a moment of attention to Him.

Do you realize what that means? In Jesus, you are fully known andstill fully accepted. Jesus is under no allusions. He knows exactly who you are. His love is not something you earned or deserved, yet here He is offering it to you. No one knows you better, and no one could possibly love you more. He gave his life for you. And now, He is willing to take the journey with you, from where you are, to where you need to be in Him; so that you can experience true love.

6. ACCEPTING JESUS’ LOVE OPENS THE DOOR TO A NEW LIFE

The good news of what Jesus has done for you is not just salvation from a coming apocalyptic destruction but accepting Jesus’ love, will begin to transform and fill your life with purpose, strength, and value. Like Leah, you will be amazed at the realization that you have discovered true love! You can thrive in the amazing joy of worshipping Him with a thankful and pure heart regardless of what is going on around you.

Your value and your identity is secured for all eternity with Jesus, who loves you so passionately that He gave His own life. When you understand that truth, it transforms the way you think about love. No longer is love solely a romantic relationship that meets your desperate need to find significance and value. You are able to approach every new relationship, already possessing a full grasp of your significance. Living in God’s love and following Him places you in a position of strength for you know, to whom you belong and who you are. You do not need love to prove your self worth or value. God is yours and you are His. 

Understanding God’s love fills you with the stability and confidence to face any rejection or loss, and to know, no matter how much it hurts, your identity and value can never be shaken. You are secure in God! Without the need to use another’s love, to salvage your self worth, you can finally start to enjoy and appreciate all of the people and experiences that surround you every day. You can enjoy your life and your relationships the way God that intended.

Learning to live and grow in the love of God can be a process, as you throw off the old nature and ways of thinking, and put on God’s love and right way of living. The world around us is constantly trying to challenge you, and to pull you back. But, every single day, Jesus continues to express His love as an alternative. All that is left is for you to make a choice.

Are you ready to make a life changing decision to follow true love and to be loved unconditionally? God is the source of our value and our hope. Nothing you face in this life will shake loose the love of God.

“With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? . . . Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture. . . . None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us,” (Romans_8:31-32, 35, 37-39,

7. YOUR SEARCH FOR TRUE LOVE BEGINS WITH THIS SIMPLE PRAYER

Your journey for true love and to be loved unconditionally begins with a simple prayer. Would you read and believe this prayer with me?

“God, right now I’m experiencing deep hurt and rejection. I realize that I have spent much of my life trying to find love and value in the wrong places. I don’t want to go on living like this. Forgive me for trying to find my own way. Forgive me for neglecting You. I thank you that even before I was aware of it, You were demonstrating Your love for me in Jesus’ death. I thank You that His death offers me a way to know You and to experience Your love. God, fill my heart with a sense of your love. Help me to realize that you are the source of my worth and value. I trust you with my life and my broken heart. Heal it. Help me to turn to you, and worship you. Amen.