2018 Family and Ministry Highlights

On the mount where Abraham was going to sacrifice his son of promise-Isaac before he was stopped when he heard God’s voice. (Genesis 22)

A ram substitute was provided after the altar was built and Abraham renamed the place “Jehovah-Jireh”, which means: “The Lord will provide”

I find it interesting that Abraham didn’t rename the place “The place of suffering”, “The place of my trial and joy” or something negative.

Despite the challenging request from the Lord to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham chose to see the whole situation in a positive light by calling the place “Jehovah-Jireh”, which means: “The Lord will provide”

Having been in and out of the hospital more than 3 times in just this month and having experienced major health challenges this year, my choice today is nothing but thanksgiving. 

I bow my knees and glorify the Lord and declare “ I serve a God who is good and whose mercies endure forever.

As i come to the end of 2018,  I’m so thankful and my praise belongs to my Maker alone. To Him be glory, honour, power and dominion, forever and ever.

I thank God for journey mercies throughout 2018.

I’m grateful for my families (Natural and spiritual)

I’m grateful for my husband- Joshua-Debo who turned 60 this year.

I’m grateful for our children, Emanuel and Angelique.

I’m grateful for my twin brother and his wife who came visiting Australia for the 1st time since we’ve lived here. I’m also grateful so for my younger brother ’s ministry trip to Australia from Manchester

I’m grateful for my mom and my mom-in-law

I’m grateful for my siblings and their spouses

I’m grateful for my in-laws

I’m grateful for our Every Nation Oceania Family

I’m grateful for our Every Nation Worldwide family

I’m grateful for the many new connections God gave us this year, both locally and internationally.

Giving my thanks to the extravagant God!

“I will proclaim the name of the Lord; How glorious is our God! He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!” (Deuteronomy 32:4)

Looking forward to a greater 2019.

Here are some family and ministry highlights 🙏🏼💖

60 years old! A New Circle!!

💥60 years old! A new circle ⭕️

60th birthday is a major milestone so I’m going to try to write 60 things that I remember about you over the past years. I wonder what you think about them. You might need 60 days to read all of them though.😂

Happy 60th my forever friend, lover, husband, visioner, father of our children and many others who call you dad and Jesus-lover. 💖🎉

1. Born on the road while your parents were on a trip from one city to another. (😄 As usual, In a hurry to see the world and get things done. Right?)
2. Patriarch of the Opadiya’s family. (Doted on and respected so much)
3. Both of us had played together as toddlers without any memory of it. 😂
4. We met for the 1st time as undergrads during a long vacation job
5. Found out our parents had worked together many years before (explaining why we had played together as toddlers. 😲)
6. Attended Alaafia Nursery and Primary School, Ibadan
7. Attended Ibadan Boys High School.
8. Attended the premier University of Nigeria, University of Ibadan.
9. Asked me to marry you on our First Date. 😳👊🏼
10. Travelled several times to visit me at my Uni campus
11. A DJ for many years💥🎧(« Who do u think u are Mr Deejay? »)😂
12. Loved the beer and cigarettes for many years
13. Besties and lovers from our last undergrad year till we married four years afterward.
14. Graduated in the same year but from a different Uni but managed to take graduation pics together😏
15. Actually got called by our imaginary child’s name by our friends ever before we ever married and had kids. (Daddy Nimi and mommy Nimi.😳🤣Nimi is short for Oluwalonimi meaning « I belong to the Lord »
16. I wished we had married immediately after you proposed to me on our first date. 😂That would’ve saved us from an unforgettable regret. Just saying😴 (But thank God for His mercies)
17. Did your National Youth Service in Uyo, Cross Rivers’ State.
18. Did your Masters’ degree in Entomology at University of Ibadan while teaching at some local high school.
19. Got married to your bestie (me of course) in Owo
20. Lectured at the faculty of Science in LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY (LASU) for 6 years
21. Had your firstborn son in 1989
22. Best Dad ever
23. Had a dramatic life-changing experience and committed to following Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour and serving Him.
24. Immediately asked to lead the Prayer department of the Chapel of Glory, under the mentorship of ps Sam Aiyedogbon
25. Attended TRIFAB BIBLE COLLEGE in Lagos.
26. Moved to Innsbruck, Austria to work with a Scientific Research Team
27. Lived in Austria for over 5 years
28. Undertook a PhD research in ecotoxicology under the sponsorship of the Austrian govt.
29. Had your firstborn daughter in 1995
30. Bagged a PhD in ecotoxicology from the Technical University in Austria
31. Moved to Australia
32. Pioneered a church plant under His People Christian Church which later became Every Nation Church.
33. Attended the EVERY NATION CHURCH PLANTING AND PASTORS’ SCHOOL in Nashville Tennessee USA.
34. A new era! University lecturer turned Pastor!! Became passionate about telling people how to meet Jesus!!!
35. Passionate about raising godly leaders, especially young adults
36. Oversees the Every Nation Congregational church organization in Sydney
37. Serving as the Hub Leader of the Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Papa New Guinea and Fiji.
38. Been married for 32 years.
39. Selfless
40. Best servant-hearted husband award
41. Best servant hearted leader that I know
42. Best servant hearted dad that I know
43. Patient and forgiving
44. Best servant hearted in-law award
45. Exuberant and energetic
46. Lover of coffee and sweets 🤨
47. A great visioner
48. Compassionate and kind
49. Adventurous
50. Friendly (world smiler award)
51. Hardworking and determined
52. Never afraid to tell me off😎
53. Easily wants to repair and make up for any selfish behaviours
54. Loves to smile and jest (with some weirdness to it😂)
55. Never mock around with your sleep
56. Ardent follower of American news/politics 
57. A follower of home and world events
58. A soccer/football fan
59. Loves your « me » times 
60. A man of harmony

💥🙏🏽🙏🏼😍May your years be long and healthy. May your desires to see nations come to The Lord be realised. May your light shine brighter and brighter. May nations come to the light of your shining and may mighty kings come to see the brightness of your rising. May your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren be mighty in the land. May we grow old together in divine health and still advancing God’s kingdom here on earth.

All these and much more do I wish u today my love.

Happy 60th Birthday🎉💥💯💖💝😍🤗

2016 the year dad passed on to eternity

So it's the last day of the year 2016! Wow!! 

I guess first and foremost I must give praise to the owner and creator of my life for ensuring that I witness the exit of another year. So join me as I give God praise and ascribe all honour, worship and adoration to His Wonderful name! "Thank you Baba God!"

Sitting here this afternoon, thinking of the so much water that has passed under the bridge of 2016, all I can say is "thank you Papa"

In Jan 2016, Joshua and I were with our families in Nigeria for 4 weeks. It was a lot of fun, a great opportunity to bond and hug one another, especially our old parents. 

Little did I know that it was going to be the last time I would see my hero dad. So really it's my 1st Christmas without calling my dad to say "Happy Christmas. 

Dad passed on to eternity in August the month of our wedding anniversary. Dad lived a long and fruitful life and exited at the age of 93. To God be the glory! Nonetheless, we miss him so much already! 

We also went home for the burial ceremony in September making it our 2nd time in Nigeria in 2016!

Our 30th Wedding Anniversary

Joshua and I hit the 30th wedding anniversary on August 9. All these years of living together as husband and wife! All glory to God without whom it wouldn't have been possible. We are so grateful to God for His grace and the love we still have for each other.

Our Son Emanuel  turned 27! Praise God! While still chasing his music dream Emanuel has added "Scndlus Clothing", a Clothing brand he just released. He had a successful 'Pop Up Shop' in the city last October. Right now he has an online shop. 

We are hopeful that 2017 will bring better and greater opportunities for Emanuel and most importantly that he will be planted in the house of the Lord.

Our Daughter Angelique 

It was a great joy to see our 'baby girl" turn 21 in May 😄 

What's more, she finished her Bachelor degree in Psychology too!🙏🏽😄😄. We couldn't be prouder. We are grateful to God for his grace throughout her Uni years.🙏🏽

Go girl! God is good. No limits!! 

Ministry 

*Outreaches to Western Sydney Uni Campus

*Outreaches to Kingsgrove High School through our "Breakfast Club" and "Emotional Quotient Workshop initiatives

*Hosted the 10-day mission team

*Outreaches to Liverpool and Kingsgrove communities 

*Some Water Baptisms

*Many marriage counseling sessions with positive outcomes

*Several Church events including Kids Church Volunteers' Training, Youth Camp and Victory weekends.

*Discipleship/Leadership trainings, Strategic Church Health, Meeting.

*ENSydney Building Fund Dinner.

*Oceania Cluster, etc.

*We also hosted many guest speakers from the EN World.

Major Ministry Trips

*Asian Leadership Team in Tokyo in March

*Oceania Leaders Cluster in Gold Coast.

*Mission Trip to Nigeria 

*2016 World Conference in Cape Town

*Joe's wedding in India

Joshua and I are so thankful for your support of this ministry. Without you, we could not reach Australia and the world with the message of hope to those who need it most.

May 2017 be blessed for you. May God lead you to new big oasis, bless you with His favor and love and bring you to greater heights in all areas of your life, in Jesus' name!

Joshua and Yinka Opadiya

2016 Highlights in pictures. 

With my twin brother and his wifey

With my precious mother-in love

My Hero dad and I back in the day!

Adieu Dad!

30 years and counting

Emanuel our Champ

Angel turned 21 PTL!

Marking another birthday!

Connect. Seize the moment. Spread the love.

😄Every September 31 I get loads of kids and their parents knock on our door asking for lollies. Some dress up funny and some 'scary-looking'.
Couple of years ago I decided to seize the moment and I started some connections. I give out these sandwich bags full of lollies and a verse spreading the love.
Some parents actually came back to say 'thank u'. #littledrops#halloween#seizingthemoment#connect

                         

Another Father's Day, love to my hubby and my dad

It's Father's Day and time to celebrate two of my favourite dads.

7 things I love about my husband as a father to our children 

1. The most loving dad ever, right from their birth.
2. The most caring. I love how he cares for our children. He was and he is still involved with their everyday life, home, sports, recreation, studies, church, etc. 
3. The most accommodating. He accommodates their faults and he's always gracious to them.
4. The most encouraging. He encourages our children through their struggles and life challenges.
5. The funniest. He always finds time to crack jokes with them, tease them, laugh, go out with them, even though he's capable of putting them in their places whenever necessary. 
6. The most hard working dad, by far the strongest, the humblest and most helpful in our home.
7. God-fearing, Jesus lover, fun-loving and nominee for passionate dad award 2015  :)

----------------------
And my dad... 

1. Very caring. He looks for us and loves to connect with us. We are his world.
2. Very jovial. Dad is 93 years old and he cracks me up (makes me laugh) every single time I speak to him.
3. Lover of God. He brought us up to follow and serve Jesus Christ. 
4. Big lover of education and fame. One of the great legacies he gave us is education.
5. Lover of people. Dad loves to make friends. He's able to engage with all sorts of people, no matter their tribe and tongue 
6. Very intelligent and an orator. Needless to say he's a great historian-he's 93 years old (lol)
7. Great singer and lover of music. Inside out artistic. I don't know any of us who doesn't have this trait too. (Even his grandchildren and great grandchildren) 

****************


Ich liebe Euch :) Je vous aime, mon mari, mon père.... love uuuuuu!!!

Family Christmas Letter 2012

Dear family & friends,

It's that time again!

Our hearts are full of gratitude.
Our Maker and God has seen us through another year!
All glory to His majestic name, alleluia!
We are grateful for life and abundant life at that!
We are grateful for you, our families and friends.
We are grateful for the rain and the shine.
We are grateful for the smooth and the rough times.
We are grateful for the honour and the opportunity to serve God in 2012.
We are grateful for all our God has done in our lives and in your lives too. His mercies last forever!

We are grateful to God for our daughter, Angelique. She is 17 years old.
High school was full on for Angelique this year as she worked hard for series of assessments, projects and tests. She finished her HSC/year 12 in November and will start University next year.

We are grateful to God for our son Emanuel. He is 23.
(Aka J. Dwight), Emanuel continues to evolve as an artist- writing, singing, and performing at different levels. He has added more single tracks and mix-tapes this year. His group "Dream Big Music" is made up of talented young artists with great enthusiasm. They also work as solo artists showcasing their individual styles and trying to make headway in the music industry.

We are grateful to God for our siblings and parents in far away home and in other countries. It will be 20 years next year since we left home!! 1st to Austria and then here in Australia where we have been since 13 yrs! Grateful!

Hopefully, we will travel home again next year to be with them.

We thank God for the ministry. God has also been faithful despite the challenges we faced in 2012. Emphasis is still honoring God, loving people, sharing the gospel, making disciples and training leaders for nations' transformation. We are thankful that a lot was done in this direction this year and we continue to see positive responses. To God be the glory!

We have settled down into our new location at Kingsgrove. Indeed, having a permanent structure has helped put systems back in place.

We are so thankful to God for everyone who constantly supports us in various ways.

Our West church is doing great.
We are grateful for the dynamic team that's in place at Liverpool, headed by Paul and Ezinne Chibukwo. Praise God!

We have made some more connections in the communities. We started a breakfast club in a nearby high school. We have been asked by the school authority to put up a mentoring program for the kids in the club. This can only be God's doing and an answer to prayers. PTL!
We are taking it one step at a time.

We are still so grateful for the privilege of serving on the Apostolic Board of Every Nation Churches in the South Pacific region.

As we celebrate Christmas, we think of you, our families and friends. We really miss you!

We remember those who have lost their loved ones, especially in recent times. May the Lord of Christmas, our Saviour Jesus Christ, comfort them all. May their mourning be turned into dancing again in Jesus' name. May the peace of the Lord flood their hearts and home in this season.

As I stop here permit me to share some excerpts of Boney M's version of "Long time ago in Bethlehem" with you.
"Hark now hear the angels sing a King was born today and man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day...(...)For a moment the world was aglow all the bells rang out there were tears of joy and laughter people shouted let ev'ryone know there is hope for all to find peace".

Be blessed in this season and also in the year 2013.
Love you!

Joshua, Yinka, Emanuel & Angelique Opadiya

Bon anniversaire Cheri. De tout mon coeur.

Bon anniversaire Cheri. De tout mon coeur. 

Every year gets better than the last. 

Feels really good to be loved by youuuu!

Depuis 26 ans, on a essayé d'etre le couple parfait 

And we will still keep up the effort, surement avec l'aide de Dieu 

Et voila pourquoi together, nous sommes heureux et béni. 

I pray there'd been more time

Pour moi, de t'aimer, mon amour. 

Our marriage is made in heaven! Haha! 

So much time est déjà passé, my love, 

Since we met and married. 

Mais Le 'feeling' est toujours là. 

I cherish ton amour et ton friendship . 

Please stay near and love me more as I love you 

Mon Dieu! Je te remercie 

For my amazing and wonderful husband 

Qui Tu m'avais donné il ya 26 ans 

J'en suis reconnaisante. 

May you bless the rest of our lives together 

Comme mari et femme. 

Aujourd'hui and always!

"Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. 

  Wherever  you go, I will go;

  Wherever you live, I will live.

  Your people will be my people

  And your God will be my God" (Ruth 1:16)