My name is Ebosereme Aifuobhokhan. But for ease of pronunciation just call me Ebos. I am 25 years old, and I am single.  I am a Nigerian, and I live in the southern part of Nigeria in one of the states called Delta State. I am the first of four children, and both of my parents are preachers.

I got into the wrong crowd and got carried away by the life on campus.

I entered the university at the age of 16.  The course I was studying took five years, but at the end of the day I spent eight years in the university.  At the end of my first year, I failed four courses and had to repeat them. In my school, you will repeat a year when you fail seven courses. I entered my second year and even though I was studying as I should, I was hanging out and partying with my friends.  I didn’t move with my peers who would have helped me study since we were in the same department. I moved with others, and I could not study properly.  After my second year I failed more courses and had to repeat everything again. Now that was one of the greatest blows I received in life. My friends had passed and moved on while I was repeating my second year.  I withdrew from everyone.  I cried my eyes out.  My parents were so disappointed, and life made no sense to me.  Suddenly I found myself without friends.  I was so, so ashamed.

Instead of driving me to God, my sin drove me away from Him.

I managed to pass some of the courses, and I entered my third year while my mates were already in their fourth year. At the end of my third year I failed again and had to repeat that year as well.  I felt my life was over.  I could not imagine why God allowed this to happen to me. At least for my parents He should have saved me. I was very angry at God. Some of my peers were already graduating, others were in their final year, and I was nowhere!  I went further into my shell; nothing made sense to me.  The worst part was that my parents did not know because I didn’t tell them.  I just couldn’t.  I had been two years ahead of my younger sister at the university and she was already in her final year.

I was nowhere.  I was alone.  I had no friends.  I had nothing.

 My family would have been with me, but I shut them out. I became an angry and depressed girl. Further failure would mean my withdrawal from the university.  At that point I knew I needed God. Maybe things got worse so that God could mean more to me. Maybe things got so bad so that He could show me that He is Almighty and nothing is too deep for His reach.  Maybe I had to get to the point where I wanted to die for Him to give me His life.  I went to God.  I didn’t expect Him to love me because I was a failure and too damaged, but I needed His mercy to help me pass and finish school.  God had plans for me.

On March 4, 2012 I gave my life to Jesus and that was the first day of my life!

I knew that I had met with God, and I was free from sin and failure; I was new.  I entered my fourth year with only one course from my first year to clear.  I had the most amazing experience because every day God overwhelmed me with His Word and the hunger to study. That was when I knew I was going to be a teacher of the Word of God. The devil fights greatness when he sees it. I got to my fifth year, and I finished by God’s grace and mercy. I completed all my exams.  I prayed and fasted. When my final results came out, I passed all except one course.  I died inside again and again. I was in shock for about one week.

I asked God, “I am now your child serving you, why am I still suffering?”

I could not understand. Tongues began to wag and some laughed and said a lot of things.  My greatest concern was my parents.  In Northern Nigeria where I was schooling, the Islamic extremist Boko Haram was predominant. There was constant bombing and shooting. My life was in constant danger. I have seen death several times.

But, God was my refuge. 

To go back to such a place for several months for just one course, I could not imagine why that was happening.

That was when God brought me to Love God Greatly.  I knew I was going to have some time on my hands so I went online to find a Bible study to help pass time.  Love God Greatly was about to start the 1&2 Peter study so I enrolled and downloaded the journal.  The study started on March 23.  The study was about enduring hardship as living stones in God. From the first day of that study I began to thank God that I was going back to the university. Yes!!! The first S.O.A.P. for that day completely changed my mind and thoughts about my situation. That study got me through and kept me sane through that time back at the university.

From that day until now, I have grown in God more than I can imagine.

 Today by God’s grace, I am a graduate of Medical Radiography and licensed to practice.  I own a growing business and have facilitated four Love God Greatly studies and have two Facebook groups.  I am a translator to the indigenous Nigerian language, Hausa, and a teacher and preacher of the Word of God.  Last Christmas I prayed for two Christmas presents from God; one physical and one spiritual.  The physical present was a tablet to make my work online easier (which I know God will answer very soon!) and the spiritual present was to be able to give women around me the Road to Christmas study. Together, with my mum who is an awesome lover of Love God Greatly, we were able to give 50+ women the study. I was beyond words to tell God how grateful I was.  Today, 11 months after joining Love God Greatly, I can tell you God is faithful!  I am glad for the problems I had to go through, otherwise, I might not have found Love God Greatly and the beautiful work God is doing through this ministry!

Psalm 73:26

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Ebos Aifuobhokhan, Delta State, Nigeria

Post written by Joan, LGG Leadership Team Member

Did you miss last weekend’s #WomenofLGG story? Read it here.

Sarah

Saved by grace. Army wife. Mom to two amazing boys. Team member at #LoveGodGreatly