The Co-Pastor of Word Alive Centre International, Mrs Chinyere Abba, has called on women to be consistent with their prayers, deliver themselves from celebrity pressure, and not allow their past to hinder their progress.
She made this call on Saturday during the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Gwarinpa Parish Women’s Guild conference themed “The Total Woman,” held in Gwarinpa, Abuja.
In her Keynote speech, she described a total woman as one who knows God, walks with God, and is grounded in the word, prayer, and faith.
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“Like Mary in Luke Chapter 1, Verse 38, who said, ‘Be it unto me according to your Word.’ Mary was a woman of the Word, a woman of prayer, and a woman of faith. As a total woman, you must be a woman who knows the Word,” she said.
However, she noted that while knowing the Word is crucial, prayer is equally important. According to her, if one cannot pray for two hours, one can start with 10 minutes but what truly matters is consistency.
“The consistency is what matters. It’s not about how many hours you pray or how many minutes you pray. Really, just that consistency. If you’re able to do 10 minutes consistently, God will hear you.
“And as you consistently pray for 10 minutes, a time will come that you will move up to 15, and then you’ll move up to 20, and then you’ll move up to 30, and then 40, 45. Before long, you’re doing one hour prayer.
“So don’t beat yourself up that one person is praying for one hour, and me, I cannot pray for one hour, and you condemn yourself because of that. No! Don’t beat yourself up. Do it faithfully, and God will motivate you,” she said.
Furthermore, she encouraged women to accept themselves and embrace their uniqueness, noting that not everyone can be tall, slim, fair, dark, or curvy.
“You’re beautiful the way you are. You’re unique. I’m not you; you are not me. I honestly cannot do the things that you can do, and you may not be able to do everything that I can do easily. That’s the way God created you,” she said.
She warned against body enhancements driven by societal pressure, noting that many women go for tummy tucks, breast augmentation, and body enlargement because they have not accepted themselves.
“Deliver yourself from celebrity pressure. They put us under pressure and make us feel certain things are natural when a lot of them have gone to do enhancements. Accept yourself the way you are.
“If you want to work on yourself, maybe go to the gym and work out. Other than that, I don’t subscribe to body enhancement. You are beautiful the way you are,” she said.
Abba also reminded participants that ageing and body changes are natural, pointing out that the body of a 60-year-old woman cannot be the same as that of a 25-year-old.
“Have you ever visited your grandma or your mum and you have seen her without clothes? You cannot fight it. No matter how much you try, you cannot fight it. Your breasts, or your boobs, as a 60-year-old woman, cannot be like that of a 25-year-old. Cannot. Let’s be truthful with ourselves.
“I must not have a flat tummy. I am not against a flat tummy. But I don’t have to do what I am not supposed to do to go and have a flat tummy,” she said.
Beyond physical appearance, she encouraged women to take full responsibility for their lives and future.
“A time comes in your life when you must say, ‘Whatever I have become is now my responsibility,’” she said, urging women to stop blaming their past, upbringing, or circumstances for their present condition.
She encouraged women to be proactive, especially in challenging family situations, insisting that a total woman does not fold her arms when faced with financial or domestic difficulties.
“My uncle is wicked. They are not giving us money. They refuse to help us. Okay? Do you not know that help comes from the Lord? If man refuses to help you, God will help you.
“If you need to go and carry cement, go and carry cement and make the money to salvage the situation. A total woman doesn’t sit down, waiting and looking, doing nothing. A total woman is a woman of action. She steps in and does what needs to be done,” she stated.
Additionally, she encouraged participants to conquer their past (failures, mistakes, abandonment, ridicule, maltreatment, rape, and mental abuse) and not let it determine their present and future.
“I was abused before, you know it. Okay. Sorry about that. It’s in the past. Leave your past in the past where it belongs and move on.
“Stop allowing your past to tie you down. Stop allowing your past to dictate the pace. The past is gone with the past.
“That’s where it belongs. Leave it there and move on into your future,” she admonished.