Vickie's Vibes

Every human being is created complete and perfect. A person embodies perfection, regardless of their abilities, circumstances, level of understanding, intellectual capacity, or how others perceive them. Unfortunately, society often pushes us to believe that those who have more—whether financially, intellectually, or otherwise—are somehow better than us. This is far from the truth. Human beings possess diverse abilities and strengths, which is why we cannot all excel in the same areas or to the same degree. Where one person is strong, another may be weak. We all have our own unique strengths, but they come in different forms and measures. You are perfect as you are, by God’s design. What you have within you is enough to be your true self, though you may not have fully discovered all of it yet. Sometimes, in admiring others’ achievements, we begin to feel intimidated, believing that these people are somehow better than us. The more we admire them, the more intimidated we beco...

We all have people we like and others we don't particularly care for, whether it's because of their personalities or what they have. Yet, we might still admire them. But what happens after that admiration? Does it stop at admiration, or does it lead to self-loathing and pressure to become someone you're not? I've seen people dress in ways that make them miserable just because someone they admire dresses that way. The fact that you admire someone or something they do doesn’t mean you should feel intimidated by them. You are not inferior to anyone just because they possess qualities you don’t. Identity runs parallel. Consider this conversation between A and B: A: "What’s up with your friend?" B: "Which one?" A: "Cynthia, of course. Does she think she’s the only brilliant person in the world? She’s just flaunting her success everywhere." B: "If she’s oppressing you, then outdo her with even greater success." A: "Watc...

Identity. It’s the essence of who you are—your personality, the core of your being. Selfhood, on the other hand, is the expression of that identity, the way you present yourself to the world. Think back to a time when you had to show your identity card. Do you remember the reaction of the person you handed it to? Likely, they nodded in approval, having seen all the necessary information about you on that card. Your identity, in that moment, was defined by the details captured on that small piece of plastic. But identity is more than just what's written on a card. It’s how you define yourself and how others perceive you. It’s the name you give yourself, the image you project, and the way people recognize you. Selfhood is often conveyed through three key aspects: - Dressing (Your Appearance) - Actions (What You Do and How You Do It) - Speech (The Words You Speak and How You Utter Them)  Dressing (Your Appearance) There’s a common saying: "Appearance shows the manner." Where...

  As a teenager, my late father and his wife left me at home one Saturday, entrusting me with the care of my younger siblings. What did I do? I locked the door and took my younger brothers to a friend’s house for some fun. After we had our fill of play, I decided it was time to head back home. As we approached our compound, I noticed a man standing under the teak tree in our yard. My heart started racing. I knew I was in trouble. “There’s going to be a lot of beating today,” I whispered to Deji, my immediate younger brother. That simple statement sparked an argument. “That’s not my father, jor.” “See this boy, you can’t even recognize your father from afar,” I replied, my voice shrinking with fear. “My father is taller than that,” he added. His words made me pause. I took a deep breath and reconsidered who I was seeing. “This is my father, isn’t it? His head, his eyes, his shape…,” I thought. Then it hit me—the man wasn’t wearing my father’s clothes. We both exclaimed with shared r...

They say I am not my past, nor my present. They say I am not my mistakes and failures. They say I am not my struggles and imbalances. They even say I am not what people call me or what I think about myself. If all this is true, then who am I? My dear, you don’t need to be confused about this. There is a definition of you, and it can only be found in one place. The world has its own way of defining a person—by what they eat, wear, say, by what happens to them, by their mistakes and failures, and by their life experiences. The world’s view of identity might seem reasonable, but it’s often misleading and confusing because the real you is not always visible. While the physical aspects of your life can offer some insights, they don’t reveal the full truth. The only one who truly knows your identity is God. Why? Because He created you. No matter what happens in life, no matter how you feel about yourself, who you are remains unchanged, and God knows and believes in who you are. Who you are i...

There is a strong connection between what we hear and what we think. What others say about us has a significant influence on our thoughts. How? The human brain is like a tape recorder, capturing everything it perceives. You have the ability to control what you hear and what sinks into your brain. Once something is recorded, it plays back in your mind, especially when you’re alone, and you start to dwell on it. However, when searching for your true identity, many people mistakenly believe that what others say about them defines who they are. This is a dangerous misconception. The truth is, it’s easy for us to believe the voice of man over the voice of God. Yet, no human being, not even you, can fully define yourself. So, whatever people say or whatever you think about yourself is not the real you. People might label you with negative or positive terms—bastard, fool, pauper, failure, ugly, arrogant, or even wise, perfect, beautiful, and talented. These labels might reflect what they see,...

Life is full of struggles that can sometimes make us feel imbalanced. Because of this, many people believe that their identity is tied to their challenges. Struggles and challenges are like winds that blow against a tree, causing it to bend left and right, making it seem unstable. But, once the wind calms, the tree stands straight again. Similarly, life’s challenges can push you in different directions, but you must not let them alter your true identity. No matter how long it takes, no matter how intense the struggle, or how hard life becomes, you should not allow these challenges to define you. **You are who you are.** Take, for example, the story of Joseph in the Bible. He was hated by his brothers because they saw his potential and destiny as greater than theirs, and they became insecure. Out of jealousy, they sold him into slavery. In his master's house, he was falsely accused and thrown into prison. For five years, he was a slave, and for two years, he was a prisoner. Despite ...

Multitudes of people who walk around the streets are full of lifeless hopes for tomorrow. Many people live on earth as if they do not deserve to be alive. Many who open their mouths in giggles have hearts soaked with tears, just from the loss of identity. What a world we live in! The rich also cry for identity. If the rich also cry, what on earth is the hope of the poor? By the way, is anyone born to be poor? Oh, fate! Is anyone's fate poverty? The majority of the inhabitants of planet Earth are unable to live to their full worth, and then they call themselves what they see themselves living by. What a world we live in! Even in our lifeless hopes, we wait as the sun rises and goes down each day for a better tomorrow. We say each and every day that passes by, "Better days ahead." But here we are—where is the better day? We look just the same! The way we saw ourselves yesterday is the same as we see today. We live in a world that seems like the junction where th...