Esosa Osunde is an indigene of Benin in Edo State. She is a 17-year-old extrovert who loves people. She grew up without a father and had always wished to have one. She shares her experience on Alpha and her newly discovered father.
WHAT WAS LIFE BEFORE YOUR ALPHA EXPERIENCE?
I had a rather strong spiritual Bible-based background. I have always been in the Church. I also went to a Christian School which made me even more grounded. All my life I had a Christ-like orientation and upbringing.
However, there was a Spiritual drain that resulted from being in school for a while and not having enough time to pray, study my Bible or commune with God. When you don’t see God on your phone, social media, academia (with all the pressures), you tend to just get diluted. At that point, I needed a revival.
Then I heard about Alpha from a Friend, Ayomikun, who had gone through the course and had an awesome experience. She mentioned that I could benefit from it as well. According to her, Alpha wasn’t the usual Christian fellowship. It talks about real-life situations that strike the cords of an average teenager who has literally limited God to Church, a being that knows nothing about the emotional and other issues we deal with on day-to-day bases; while affording you the chance to talk back and reflect on what you have heard. So, I decided to attend.
“According to her, Alpha wasn’t the usual Christian fellowship. It talks about real-life situations that strike the cords of an average teenager who has literally limited God to Church”
YOUR ALPHA EXPERIENCE
The sessions I was privileged to be a part of were so rich because you hear people talk about God in their everyday life and how they have been impacted by his presence. I heard how God healed a cripple after a simple prayer. Hearing about such Miracles just reinvigorates my faith and reaffirms my belief in God; that he is with me in every circumstance.
The Holy Spirit day away was one of the most wonderful days of my life. It renewed God’s influence in my life. It was like a new revelation of the person of God and his love for me.
Remember I grew up without a father and always wished to have one. On that day God revealed himself as my caring Father. His presence was so real and palpable. I didn’t only know God, at this point, I could literally feel him in ways I really can’t describe. I cried at the realization of just how much God loves and cares for me and is willing to listen to everything I had to say; willing to be there for you when physical people are absent. It was overwhelming but in a good way. It was the best feeling ever!
“Remember I grew up without a father and always wished to have one. On that day God revealed himself as my caring Father. His presence was so real and palpable. I didn’t only know God, at this point, I could literally feel him in ways I really can’t describe. I cried at the realization of just how much God loves and cares for me. It was the best feeling ever!”
POST ALPHA IMPACT
After Alpha, I found it easier to Pray and read my Bible. Also inspired by the Alpha Youth film series I was able to bring the word into my everyday life. As I observed in the videos, their lives revolved around God and his word.
Also, I was writing an exam then and usually I rather depend on my efforts and IQ to pass rather than involving God. On that day I involved God in every aspect of my life including my Academics. Afterward, I saw an immediate jump in my benchmark of like 1300 in my SAT to about 1500. It was glaring to note that when the Holy Spirit is involved in your life, he will give you the grace to outdo yourself, much more than your self-reliance ever could.
Emotionally I am so enriched. Previously, I was in a relationship where I sought affirmation, love, and attention. The thing with most people my age is their inability to define their identity. They search for love and validation from the wrong source and keep hitting the rocks for it. I have come to realize that Until such a time when you know yourself based on a deep-rooted relationship with Christ, your effort to define yourself through someone else’s perception of you, will be futile. All I wanted was to hear the words “I love you, you are beautiful” and so on. Someone who would be there for me and hear my problems. In a way, I was actually looking for God in Man. I was trying to find and define myself in someone else whereas God was all I needed to be truly satisfied. Right now I am not ready for any relationship because I am still basking in God’s love for me and believe you me it’s more than sufficient.
So, the Holy Spirit totally transformed me and gave me the ‘reset’ I truly needed. Now all I want to do is to share Christ with my friends. My calling has been reaffirmed and because of that I always find avenues to engage people and talk about God. Through my social media handle, I started writing inspirational words every morning to my contacts. And I am so fired up to use Alpha as a tool to share Christ with more friends.
“So, the Holy Spirit totally transformed me and gave me the ‘reset’ I truly needed”
