The meaning of Onneile is “gift” or “God has given”. It was a name given to me by a sweet and longlife friend I made while in Botswana, my sweet Bakang. Actually, meeting her was a gift in and of itself. In Botswana, almost everyone you meet has a special and unique name with a significant meaning. It’s really neat and beautiful the way that each person is so proud to share the meaning of their names and honestly they do a great job of really living up to it.
Recently, I feel like I’ve really been growing into and embracing Onneile. I was reminded just a few days ago of how in every season of our lives, we have these beautiful moments of sweet disposition, where things begin to align. We begin to take heed of the opportunities we’ve been presented with, the relationships we’ve been gifted and the small moments that add up to the big, significant and life shifting experiences that can only come from the divine—God.
Meeting Bakang is a perfect example of one of those moments. The story of how we met is nothing short of a divine appointment. A moment separated in time, long before we could have ever imagined crossing paths. Meeting was a gift on reserve for the both of us. This is exactly why it is important to step out into the unknown and embrace where God has you and where He is calling you to. You never know what you could be missing out on. If I had never decided to choose the path God had for me to embrace this journey, Bakang and I would have never met. If I would have never experienced the pain of divorce, we could not have had a relatable connection. If I had simply ignored or suppressed the importance of sharing my truth, I could not have helped or encouraged many of the women that I have encountered on this journey. It all matters. Everything that happens in our lives is not in vain. It is with great purpose. Embrace it!
Today, is my Sabbath. It is a time of resting in the Lord and there’s no real way for you to know this, but I never blog on Sabbath. It’s a hard “No!” for me. But today the Lord said, “blog”.
Someone needs to read this.
Today is a gift y’all. Today is a time to reflect and make changes in our lives if necessary. Today is a day to say “YES!” and embrace your present, so that you can begin to step into your future.
I honestly could have never imagined that I’d be in Italy someplace, contemplating what’s next for me. Where is God taking me from here? What does He have for me in this next season of my life? Can I still stand on the promises I feel that I have received from the Lord as I bloom where I am planted?
The answer is yes. I can. Because when I think about Onneile, the name I have been given, I think about the moments God has “given” me and how He wants to keep giving me more. He wants to keep giving meaning to my life, He wants to keep encountering me and gifting me moments to embrace in the here and now of where I stand. & He wants to do the same thing for you. Will you let Him?
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” – 2 Corinthians 9: 15
