December 2011, Nashville, Tennessee~

Greetings from me in this season of miracles!! 

I pray everyone is doing well; if not, I will be praying for those who are facing trials or need a touch from God.  As for me, things could not be any better!

I have officially been declared cancer-free!  Yes, I have hit the five year mark and I do not have ANY cancer anywhere in my body!!  I did have bone cancer (osteosarcoma) back in 2004, but I am happy to say this journey has come to an end.  I did end up losing my leg, but I am able to get around under my own power and by wearing a prosthetic leg; I get around so well people oftentimes forget I even HAD cancer or they dont know I did.  :)

I have been working at the Stylin' Curls Beauty Boutique here in Nashville for the past two years now and I enjoy my job very much.  I love making people look pretty and I love talking to them!  I have made a lot of friends though my job and I have great co-workers, not to mention, a wonderful boss who truly cares for her employees.

I am still living here in Nashville, Tennessee, with my twin sister, Yamala Abinele (she's the older twin); we are closer than ever.  We get along very well; it is a rare thing when we get cross with each other.  She works too; she works at one of the local libraries; she works behind the desk, where she checks out books and does other duties.  She loves her job, too.

I go to church every week.  I go to Christ Community Assembly of God Church (as does my sister).  Over 1, 500 people go to our church; it is a big church compared to most, but it isn't as big as some: I have heard of churches who have memberships of 5,000 people or more.  So our church is small by comparison.  

Our church is nondenominational, meaning people of all faiths are welcome to come to worship with us.   I have gone to Christ Community Church for the past five years and I love it.  They have a wonderful pastoral team and the people who go there are so loving and on fire for the Lord!

This coming Sunday, the adult music and drama ministry team is having their annual Christmas Cantata.  I am in it: I have to be.  I sing in the choir.  I pray the message we perform reaches the hearts and minds of the people: so many people in our world (even in our own back yard) do not know Jesus, and my heart grieves for those who are lost.

I was saved when I was a little girl back in my native Africa.  I was born in Nigeria.  I was something like six or seven when I answered the call for salvation; my life has not been the same since.  God has blessed me abundantly, even in times of illness, uncertainty, and pain.

God continues to show His mercy and grace upon my life and in the lives of my twin sister and our friends.

As an example, my twin sister's daughter, Promise, was told by doctors she would never have children.  Just last month she had a child, which was a miracle.  She named her son Josiah Emmanuel.  He is the sweetest, cutest little boy; I just love my nephew so much!

And then you have my healing from cancer.  What more can be said?  I might have lost my leg, bu tI live a relatively normal life and I enjoy what I do.

I have plenty to be grateful for and nothing makes me happier than singing my praises to God because let me tell you something: God IS worthy to BE praised in ALL things!

Well, it is too early for me to be up, so I am going back to bed.  (I am off today, so I can sleep in.)  Later today Yamala and I are going Christmas shopping and tthe day after tomorrow is my rehearsal for the Cantata, which is on Sunday.  Busy, busy weekend.  I will write in here again soon; sorry it has been so long since my last entry! I hope you forgive me! I am terrible at writing!  LOL

Until next time, this is Yemoja Arinyalure saying so long; may God bless you as much as He has been blessing me and my sister!  And Merry Christmas to you and yours!  May it be your best Christmas EVER and don't forget the REAL Reason for the season!

~Love, your friend in Tennessee, Yemoja.  :)