A GRATEFUL HEART

Hello everyone,

This is going to be a vulnerable post.

It’s my birthday today, and if I’m being honest, I’ve never really been someone who gets excited about birthdays. The truth is, I don’t particularly enjoy all the attention. I usually do everything I can to keep it quiet and spend the day reflecting on the year that’s gone by.

This year feels different and it’s not because I’m especially excited. Many of the goals I set for myself on my last birthday are still waiting to be accomplished. Single parenting is a lot, and on the career front, I sometimes feel like I’ve hit a wall. My default thought has been, “There’s really nothing to be excited about.”

Almost every day, I catch myself wondering how different life would have been if Adeola was still here. I absolutely love being Darasimi’s mum, and I count it as one of the greatest privileges of my life. But the truth is, carrying it all alone can be incredibly heavy.

Yesterday, I found myself in a particularly gloomy mood because so much wasn’t going according to plan especially because I came into 2026 on a high. Then the Holy Spirit gently reminded me that while a lot isn’t going as I hoped, a lot is going well too. I decided to deliberately shift my focus from what is missing to what is present—from what hasn’t happened to what God is already doing. Here are just a few of the things I’m grateful for.

I am grateful for my faith in God. It remains the anchor of my entire existence. No matter how difficult life becomes, I have a safe place to retreat. People often ask me how I keep going. The answer is simple: “By my God I can leap over a wall; by my God I can run through a troop.” He has been my strength when I had none of my own.

I am grateful for my family and friends. I honestly cannot count the number of times they have shown up for Darasimi and I without me even asking. On the days when I felt like I was dropping the ball because I simply didn’t have the strength to hold on any longer, they stepped in and carried us. Everywhere God has taken us, He has raised people who became more than friends—they became family. I can confidently say that we do not stand alone; we have the strength of many.

I am grateful for my current job. While it isn’t where I ultimately want to be, it has given me something priceless—peace of mind. I’m grateful for the flexibility and favour that allow me to be present for Darasimi when she needs me most. I’m also thankful for the wisdom to care well for my patients and the emotional resilience to carry the weight that comes with the work I do.

I am grateful for good health and a sound mind for both Darasimi and I. I’m especially thankful for Dara’s health. As every parent knows, schools are wonderful places for sharing germs! I’m grateful that we haven’t had to spend our days moving between the GP surgery and the Emergency Department.

There is so much more I’m grateful for, including many blessings that are too personal to share here. But I simply want to say this to the world: God has been so good to us. Even when the enemy would rather have me dwell on what I don’t have, I choose instead to focus on the abundance I do have and the countless daily miracles that often go unnoticed.

If you’ve read this far, I have just one birthday request. Please say a prayer for Darasimi and I. Also if you’d like, leave me a birthday message too. I’ll be reading every comment and saying a heartfelt “Amen” to every prayer.

Love and Revelational Light,

YJ

P.S. Although birthdays don’t usually excite me, Dara is the complete opposite! She has more than enough excitement for both of us. She has already planned today’s activities—including painting my nails—and she still can’t understand why I had to go to work on my birthday!