Completion

By Esther Solomon-Turay

Comparing life's realities with unexpected blessings, frustrations and compromising faith, we journey with Esther on a pathway to a place deep within ourselves where we learn to embrace what we cannot explain, understanding that completion is only accomplished by the Presence of God. Through uncertainty and fear, the Author challenges the reader's mind to see their own trials as an opportunity to become whole. Completion is about FREEDOM AND WHOLENESS understanding that no human being can fully satisfy our needs. This book is for those who are broken from the inside but smiling on the outside. God assures that He alone has the power to heal and restore in vulnerable and silent seasons. Every day is an opportunity for you to learn and grow, so remember that what God started in your life He will surely complete it - Philippians 1:6.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Esther Solomon-Turay
• Release date: Apr 5, 2024
• ISBN: 9781547280438

Esther Solomon-Turay

Esther is a Multi-Published Author, Writer, Blogger, Speaker, Workshop Facilitator, Business Ambassador for BIPC, Wife and the Founder of Authentic Worth Publishing. Esther supports aspiring authors and creatives to turn their stories into published books. She believes that a book is one of the best ways to stand out, add value in the lives of others and leave a unique legacy in the community.  Esther is an advocate for helping people to believe in themselves and was a Finalist for 'Social Value' from the Mayor of Lewisham Awards and awarded 'Christian Book of the Year 2022' from The Wise Women Awards Association. She has been given opportunities to speak on TV programmes, podcasts, radio stations, secondary schools and community centres to talk about her books, the journey of business and being invited to hosting workshops and seminars with several firms. Esther determines to continually support creatives and authors by giving them a voice to share their story authentically and further enhance their writing and confidence-speaking abilities in small groups and audiences. 

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COMPLETION

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From the Perspective of Brokenness

COMPLETION

From the Perspective of Brokenness

Copyright © 2017 by Esther Jacob

All rights reserved. No portion of this book without permission may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, photocopy, or recorded, without the written prior consent of the author as it is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author with specific direction to the original content.

If you would like to use material from the book for short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained on request by emailing the author on [e-mail]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken mainly from the HOLY BIBLE AMPLIFIED (AMP) VERSION. Other versions apply including NIV and NKJV.

Printed in the United Kingdom

Published in the United Kingdom

Blog address: www.womansworthconference.wordpress.com

Email address: [e-mail]

YouTube Channel: Esther N J

ISBN 10: 1547280433

ISBN 13: 978-1547280438

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

It is another great opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to Abba Father for the completion of this book. From my previous book; ‘It’s Time to Heal’ I am determined to continue on this journey of writing and impacting many lives.

My sincere gratitude goes to Tunji Ogunjimi; Book Coach Author and Danni Blechner; Book Journey Mentor.

I met Tunji and Danni in 2016, and they have both supported me throughout the starting process of writing and have been great mentors. Tunji has provided essential support, tools and resources needed to complete my previous book. He encourages so many other people who want to write books, and utilise their gifts to the best of their ability. His videos are full of wisdom and inspiration.

Danni has also been such a great encouragement and has given the opportunity of being interviewed at her previous Power Xtra Radio Show for my book: ‘It’s Time to Heal’. It was such a humbling experience, and I am excited for what is yet to come. Her passion, to see people discover their skill in writing and make it a reality, is second to none. She is a unique jewel that deserves so much more.

In particular, I acknowledge Kirsten Rees for her relentless effort in reaching out to me and providing the support needed to finish this project. She is inspirational and full of passion for those who want to succeed in writing and business.

Finally, I express my profound appreciation to my parents for providing me with unfailing support and continuous encouragement throughout my journey of writing and coming thus far. This accomplishment would not have been possible without them. To my special siblings and dear sisters and friends who have stimulated me in writing another book, I say a big thank you!

I know that this is just the beginning and my words cannot articulate how grateful I am.

In loving memory of my grandma, Margaret Orawie Jacob aged 96 who passed away on Tuesday 16th August 2016 in Nigeria (1920 – 2016)

INTRODUCTION

C-O-M-P-L-E-T-I-O-N! My question to you is what makes you complete? Do you attach your happiness to achievements or your possessions? Do you think being complete is about having good wealth or a promotion at work? Maybe it’s having a large network of contacts or lots of likes on social media, or maybe a spouse?  These are all bonuses, but they should not complete you.

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You come to a point where you think you’ve achieved everything on your list. Secondly, the acquisition when you realise even though you have met your goal, you are still wired to look for happiness elsewhere, because the human mind is never satisfied, so it craves for more and more. Lastly, when life changes and you no longer receive what you ideally wanted, you become miserable and keep looking elsewhere until you have run out of energy. Life always changes. Nothing is permanent. This does not mean that we shouldn’t pursue our personal goals, but we should never allow frustration to control the way we function.

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LIFE DOES NOT START WHEN EVERYTHING IS ALL ROSY: LIFE IS NOW! At some point, you will have to decide that NOW is a perfect time to be happy, complete and at peace.

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Do not focus on your tomorrow when you are still existing in your today.

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Be the highest and best version of yourself. Every stage of life has its own storms. You cannot avoid the storms of life, but you can position your mind to be complete regardless of what comes your way. Completion is a destination; it is a journey that never stops because you learn every day. When you discover the journey of completion, it will teach you about the importance of being patient. It is the patience that one has which is evident of a man’s inner strength. Our inner strength must be manifested in outward patience. Our inner man should be practising patience on a daily basis to develop a successful completion of the outer man.

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Can you list SEVEN attributes of how complete you are, not how you feel? There is a difference. Being complete in who you are is being able to accept the things you cannot change, however, not allowing it to define you because you are complete in what YOU SAY about yourself. Do not try and imitate someone else’s life; you are wasting precious time doing so. Do not allow anybody to tell you how to run your life. Do not allow the opinions of others to make you feel incomplete. Opinions are not facts. Take back your authority and be complete in the One who knows you more than you know yourself. His name is God, Yahweh, Jehovah, El-Shaddai, Elohim. He is the one that makes you complete. You are enough for Him, so allow Him to fix your broken pieces. He will do a thorough work in you and make you whole.

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). If the struggle you’re facing is slowly replacing your hope with despair, or the process is long and you’re losing your song in the night. You can be sure that the Lord has His Hand on you, safe and secure, He will NEVER abandon you; you are His treasure, and He finds His pleasure in you.

-—TABLE OF CONTENTS—-

CHAPTER 1: ARE YOU COMPLETE?                                                                            

Supernatural year of 2016        

It won’t happen overnight         

The time is now       

You are whole          

Peace is attractive                                                                                      

CHAPTER 2: BE PREPARED TO BE TESTED                                                                            

Comparison comes before a fall      

Level your ups and downs        

Adversity at every corner            

Limit your expectations       

Don’t be fooled – the silent treatment        

CHAPTER 3: YOU ARE GREATER THAN YOUR PAST

Your past has no power over you      

Don’t overdose yourself       

Slow down         

Share your faults        

Be yourself and do YOU!         

CHAPTER 4: IT’S JUST FEAR

Stand still         

Maintaining your character       

Stop over-thinking       

Where are your boundaries       

Don’t speak          

CHAPTER 5: YOU NEED HIS PERFECT PEACE

The test of forgiveness        

Accept and let go        

Breathe         

TRUST!         

It is wise to remain humble       

CHAPTER 6: DISCIPLINE YOUR MIND

Consistency         

Remain stable         

Do not worry about tomorrow      

Master contentment        

Don’t take offence        

CHAPTER 7: MIND YOUR OWN AFFAIRS

Set limits         

Don’t give me dirt overload       

Stop being nosey        

A private life is a happy life       

It’s not your fight        

CHAPTER 8: YOU ARE A DESTINED INDIVIDUAL

Keep your focus in check        

Do you know your purpose?      

You are on an individual race       

Determination is key          

Set realistic goals                                                                                           

-—CHAPTER 1—-

ARE YOU COMPLETE?

‘You are already complete. Do not feel insignificant in what you’ve lost, because what you lost is nothing compared to what you already have. What you already have is what God uses to prepare your future. Do not despise your small beginning. The person who is faithful in every little thing is also faithful in much; and whoever is dishonest in every little thing is also dishonest in much. (Luke 16:10 AMP, emphasis added). When you are Faithful with a little, God will expand it and show you great and mighty things through your small portion’.

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SUPERNATURAL YEAR OF 2016

The nature of God the Father is love. When I reflect on the love of God, I used to think it was based on my desires being met or how I performed. Now, I am not saying that blessings aren’t important because they really are! However, have you noticed that God won’t always give us what we ask for? Do you think He doesn’t love you because your request hasn’t been met? He won’t necessarily bless you in ways that are obvious. Instead, He will favour you in ways that make you more grounded internally. He will give you a better sense of self-worth because He invests in those He loves. He will give you clarity and knowledge. He will give you more opportunities to help others. And ultimately, He will give you peace of mind and a sound heart.

Sometimes, our blessings are not obvious, and for this reason, I have witnessed the supernatural hand of God in the year 2016. The blessings we receive are not based on how financially stable we are, or receiving a promotion on the job, or having a mansion with an expensive car. I am talking about the blessings which include the gift of life, His peace, His joy, knowing that we have clothes to wear and a shelter over our heads, and most importantly His acceptance of who we are in Him. I told a dear friend of mine that if we are not wise, we will fix our minds on things that won’t add any value; instead, we will be slaves to it. Knowing that all we have is not from our doing but through the supernatural works of our Father is the best way to live because you learn to remain humble. I know that all I’ve attained is not my by my power but only from the Father.

All the decisions I’ve made to become a better Esther came from a thought, and I am still learning and growing each day. It did not just happen overnight; I had to look back over my life and highlight the areas of my weaknesses, where I failed, how I reacted towards situations, how my emotions controlled me at one point and realised that this was not the life I wanted to have. To even have some of my heart’s desires met at a certain stage made me a patient individual. I realised that for all the delays and detours, God was teaching me about the process of being meek. Moreover, I learnt to celebrate my seasons of dryness and not only my successes. Through the frustration of life’s rejection, I gained wisdom from the Holy Spirit teaching me about the beauty of waiting. It is a powerful contributor towards completion.

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; they will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not grow tired (Isaiah 40:31 AMP).

I don’t mind waiting on the Lord because through my patience, He speaks. He doesn’t speak when we are in charge of our decisions or try to control things the way we want. We can only hear the voice of the Lord when we truly surrender to Him, not just in part, but ALL. Our decisions, thoughts, emotions and plans for the next 3-5 years are in God’s Hands. I don’t want to always feel that I have to take control over everything that happens in my life.

For every attack, I want to rest assured that I can hand it over to the Father, and He will take care of it. I don’t just want to seek God when I am in need, but even when I am overjoyed, I still desire to seek Him in the secret place. It is very easy to celebrate life when our desires are met, but what about when your plans scatter, how do you react to that? I have realised along the way that it is not what I lost or gained, but rather how I used what I already had and made the most of it.

I disciplined my mind to think positive thoughts each day to ensure I was not going off track. I fought with pride and humility at the same time, but they both worked out for my good (Romans 8:28). I say this because when we receive good news, we are eager to tell everyone, but not realise that God gave us the power to obtain the blessing; we are very quick to advertise it on social media and tell our close friends. When situations hit like this, I have to really question my motives as to why I put confidential business up for everyone to see. Is it really giving God praise or people to acknowledge me? At the same time, I knew that humility was something God was teaching me to practise, so my lesson was to remain humble until He was is ready to exalt me.

Ladies and gents, not everyone needs to know about your life history. It is not as necessary as you think it is unless you know it will benefit or be of help to someone else. I personally do not feel that I have to put all my information on social media, because we are all in our various seasons. Some are in seasons of brokenness, whereas others are in seasons of harvest and reaping. It would not be sincere if I talk too much about my blessings and not my struggles without first checking my heart.

Our blessings should remind us how faithful God is and therefore humble ourselves to seek Him wholeheartedly and allow Him to be in the centre of my heart and mind. Behind every successful blessing is a secret struggle that we all face. Now, only you know what struggles and scars you’ve had to face, and I can honestly relate that it isn’t easy talking about what you have been through, but I guarantee that it will start the inner healing and bring completion to your life internally and externally.

I personally know the struggles I faced in the past, and I won’t allow them to define me. Instead, I use it as an opportunity to serve and help others who are struggling in one area or the other. I’ve been taught about the maturity of transparency; being free to express my pain and hurts without being misunderstood. Over time, we will get to different stages where God will allow our vulnerabilities to be known, not to break us but make us aware of what others are facing and how we can relate to them. I have truly been blessed with a few people who expressed how they felt about their life, and what they gained from their season of silence. This is part of the completion process because when two people are broken, they can find different ways to strengthen each other and bring out the best.

Proverbs 17:27 AMP:

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion].

When one is weak, the other is strong, and I truly stand firm on this. At the start of 2016, I honestly did not know what to expect. I was made redundant in January from Dorothy Perkins; from then I was unsure where I’d be heading next. I knew my next step was to apply for several jobs, but I wasn’t going to make the same mistake of worrying about rejection as I had in previous years.

2016 did prove itself a supernatural year, although it was inconsistent and frustrating as I was in and out of jobs between the months of January to March. But for some reason, I wasn’t heavily affected by it because I knew my trust was stable in Him and that He will come through. I was also surrounded by people I could vent to about the situation, so that helped very much.

In that year, I used it to challenge my thinking and to test my Faith to see whether I had enough strength to trust the Father to see me through. I had to come to a point where having all my answers met did not make me complete. It was all part of God’s process in keeping me broken so that I will remember to seek Him first rather than trying to figure out everything on my own. This is my word of advice for you too; you are not responsible for fixing all your problems. The best way you can help someone is by encouraging them to change their way of thinking, and allow them to do this in the way that is suitable for them. Therefore it allows God to step into the gap on your behalf to help.

It would be inconvenient for you to tell them what options to take, if they have not experienced what you have faced because not everyone will encounter the pain someone else has been through. Although at times it can be seen as support, on the other hand, it is important to understand that people are different as they adapt to several situations in their own way.

That is the true beauty of change, because it is inevitable. Yes, it will be uncomfortable, but the end-result will prove itself effective. However, change is not meant to be done by you alone. No matter how much effort you put into something, you will realise that you did not make it by yourself. I strongly believe that God puts people in our lives for different reasons and seasons. Some, He keeps, and others He takes away.

The real challenge is when God takes someone out of your life, someone that you really loved and trusted; how do you adapt to that? You may have developed a strong relationship along the way, only to realise that their chapter in your life is over. Over time, you can look back and say it was good you met certain people due to the lessons learnt from their friendship or relationship and how it has impacted your life.

There are some people that God places in our lives to contribute to personal growth. I use this to my advantage because where I am today in each season has a closing chapter and although I may not speak to the same people I met a few years ago, it has re-positioned and made me aware of change. Change is good if you are willing to go with the flow; not just change from an emotional state but also from a spiritual state; at times, you will realise that God will interrupt your plans in ways you would not expect.

At one stage in your life, there will be a time of reflection where what you used to enjoy doing won’t be fun anymore. There is always an end to everyone’s story.

We all need each other, and this is why building and maintaining relationships are so important. God also uses people around us to support our visions, but we need to be honest about where we are, not being ashamed to ask for help. I’ve learnt how to ask for help because I would rather look weak and eventually get the answer, than to look strong and suffer inside. You will become non-existent because you chose to be in your element of comfort rather than being real and honest that you won’t always understand the seasons of life.

I’ve learnt to roll with the punches and keep it moving because I cannot control change, and if I am not cautious, change can control me. I have learnt not to be stagnant or complacent, but to move when circumstances move. For this reason:

My greatest weapons have been prayer, focus, a calm spirit, discipline and self-control which I perceive as the fundamental tools of life.

God continues teaching me about these tools; not to worry about the next step of life, but to continually keep walking and trust in Him. Whether I had it all or not, I determined in my heart that I am already complete with or without my plans being met. My mind was steady and had to constantly remind myself that it wasn’t dependent on a stable job with a good salary, but to embrace the gift of life. It is very easy to wake up, pray for a few minutes and start your day, but when have you really taken the time to sit down, reflect and ponder on His goodness and faithfulness? The fact that you are reading this book today is a blessing. You have sight, you can hear, feel, touch, and smell.

In my season of silence, the Father was teaching me to develop great Faith, because Faith enables God to move swiftly. It was not, however, just having Faith to solve my problems and finding a solution to prevent them from happening again.

We live in a generation today where we only call on God when we have a problem; for this reason, we define God as a problem-fixer. Although He is, we should not only call on Him when we are in need, but even when our plans are going accordingly. Although, if I am honest with you, you will experience God in your painful tests more than your greatest triumphs.

2016 has really opened my eyes to take risks, even if that includes money (coming in and out) or not getting as much support as I have given to others, but to understand that God will provide and replenish the input given.

What concerns me in today’s society is how we handle our problems; we are quick to vent our anger towards people, and not take the initiative to run to the Father. 2016 really challenged my Faith to trust in Him on a level that I have not been tested on before. I would not have been able to testify about the goodness of the Lord. The year taught me to not put so much dependency on myself and others because my thoughts and words were causing me to stay in the same position. He taught me not to worry about those who fall out with me.

He keeps reminding me that people will eventually drift away, and though it can be painful, I must brace myself and keep it moving. It is not wise carrying dead-weight on your personal journey. If you have a friend that is afraid of change, you can either do two things:

Convince the person to follow you to the unknown believing that it is the better route to take.

Let the person make their own decision, and if they don’t follow, you won’t allow it to hinder you.

When something is triggering you, it is an indication to adapt to change. As the years pass by, we understand that change occurs including the people in our lives. I am learning to let people go freely which grants me a new level of peace. Not being able to justify but knowing that you are doing it from a good place is healthy. Do not ignore the way you feel about something. If a friendship or relationship has expired, don’t try and revive it. There is a reason why God cut it off. If it is not allowing you to function, don’t entertain it. Choose peace over worry and trust that God will bring the authentic few.

Proverbs 21:18 (AMP) it says that:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.

There is power in the words we speak, whether you are finding life hard at the moment, or you are enjoying the generosity of God’s love and goodness, you will still encounter some tests. These tests determine your next move, whether it starts from your thoughts, to your actions, to your words.