Adventure. Writing. Impact. - amarannajiwrites

Bookofbiblestories

When Your Unmet Expectations Finally Get Buried

The Spice Girl’s Mental Health May tiptoed down the corridor and opened the door slightly. She was being extra cautious not to wake anyone as it was a good hour before the dawn – she didn’t need any dissuasion or what her father termed common sense. Stepping into the courtyard, she felt the chill permeate through her clothing. For although it was early Spring, the weather was still trying to extricate itself from the throes of winter. The security guard at the gate dipped his head in a bow as he closed the gate behind her. Long years of service in this family had taught him the vital lesson of staying out of May’s way – especially when she acts weird like now – no sane female from a respectable family should be out by this

24/03/2026

Bookofbiblestories

The Customs Comptroller Who Was Held Up At The Borders

Zakari glared at his phone as it vibrated on the table right in front of him. This was the third time it was pinging, yet he ignored it. He was still seething from the aftermath of the meeting which he has recently dismissed The monthly meeting of his regional Comptrollers – officers who controlled various ports across the country This particular session turned out to have exhausted him emotionally in addition to its usual mental exhaustion Both the ministers of Trade and Finance had read him an ultimatum during their meeting last week An ultimatum which left him no choice – clean up your house or risk being tossed out with the bath water Three of the core Commands under his jurisdiction were not turning in enough taxes – and two of them, headed by his own people It didn’t

21/03/2026

cook adding egg to heap of dough scattered on table

Hot talks with Coffee

The Night God Didn’t Wait: A Lesson in Unleavened Bread and Unexpected Acceleration

A wry smile tugged at my lips as the irony of the moment settled in. There I was, greasy fingers scrolling through a devotional while waiting – impatiently – for my bread dough to rise. Two hours had passed already, and the dough still looked like it needed another hour. I was tempted to shove it into the oven as‑is. After all, why should it take so long? “Why am I even making this bread?” I muttered, half‑annoyed.I wanted to be at the seaside, not babysitting dough. Then the question dropped. “Why do you think it is called unleavened bread?” Without hesitation, I answered,“It had no yeast.” “Why did it have no yeast?” That one stopped me. My eyelids scrunched, my brain rummaging for the obvious answer like a student whispering exam questions to herself, hoping the answer would magically

13/03/2026

A feather weighs more than stone depicting how a defenceless Tamar stood against her patriach

Bookofbiblestories

When a Woman Fights for Justice: A Contemporary Bible Story

Introduction Some stories refuse to stay in the past. They rise again in our present lives, exposing the quiet injustices we’ve normalised and the power imbalances we’ve learned to excuse. The story of Judah and Tamar is one of those stories. It is ancient, but painfully modern: a man with authority, a woman with no options, a promise broken, and a moment where truth confronts power so sharply that even the powerful must bow. This contemporary retelling is not just about a woman named Tami and a respected community leader named Jide. It is about every space where spiritual language is used to mask irresponsibility, every room where a woman’s dignity hangs on the decisions of men who claim to know God, and every moment when integrity demands courage from the vulnerable and humility from the powerful. Some stories are

25/02/2026

street ministry volunteers in action outdoors

Bookofbiblestories

Part 5 – Revelation, Restoration and the Fire Reignited

THE TIMOTHY SERIES A Journey of Faith, Manhood & Calling Part 5 — The Return of Pastor Pee: What Really Happened in His Silent Season A Knock at the Door That Changed Everything It happened on an ordinary Tuesday.Tim was preparing notes for the youth meeting when he heard a knock — slow, deliberate, familiar. He froze. His grandmother called out from the hallway.“Timothy… someone is here for you.” And when he stepped into the sitting room, the world seemed to tilt. Pastor Pee stood there. Thinner.Grayer.But with the same fire in his eyes THE TIMOTHY SERIES A Journey of Faith, Manhood & Calling Stories of a young man raised by women, mentored by fire, and called by God. The Silent Season: What No One Knew They sat together under the mango tree behind the house — the same place

15/02/2026

a woman and a young girl praying together

Faith & Identity

Part 4: When God Interrupts Your Plans

Part 4 of the Timothy Series — Surrender, Calling, and the Cost of Obedience Two Years Later…….A Plan That Made Sense… Until It Didn’t This was two years after that fateful night. Tim was playing Scrabble with two younger boys in his room. The boys were two brothers whose family had moved into the neighbourhood within the last year. And in no time, they had gravitated towards Tim, like most of the other boys. Tim’s house has become a melting point for them. And his grandma delighted in seeing the boys gather. In the last two years since pastor Pee left, Tim’s life has changed drastically. From that unsure boy who was struggling to stand up to his peers, a Daniel has emerged. And recently, he began to get a leading that God was leading him to bigger things. Things

11/02/2026

Faith & Identity

Part 3 – Chloe, Choices, and the Crossroads of Manhood

Part 3 of the Timothy Series — Temptation, Integrity, and the Cost of Influence When Familiar Faces Stir Forgotten Feelings Chloe was never the problem.It was the way she looked at Tim – like he was the answer to a question she hadn’t asked out loud – that unsettled him. Ben and Steu thought it was harmless.“Loosen up,” they said.“You’re a man now.” But Tim knew better. Both his grandmother and mother, Yunis, had taught him that the words ‘loosen up’ are merely a taunt to test one’s beliefs when said in certain situations. He remembered the stories of Daniel and his friends – Shedrach, Meshack and Abednego – and how the other servants at the palace wanted them to loosen up. He recalled Joseph and how Potiphar’s wife derided him to catch a little harmless fun And shockingly,

09/02/2026

Faith & Identity

Part 2 – The Disappearance of Pastor Pee – When a Mentor Goes Silent and God Steps In

Part 2 of the “Timothy Series” – Faith, Mentorship, and the Making of a Youth Leader THE TIMOTHY SERIES A Journey of Faith, Manhood & Calling Timothy felt his skin break out in goosebumps as the presence filled his room. He recognised immediately and whispered “Thank you, Holy Spirit” Then, almost simultaneously asked out aloud…….almost like a belligerent child……..”Where is Pastor Pee? Where have you sent the old man to?” “To the field” he heard “Where?” Timothy was beginning to sulk “What do you want him for? He has done enough work with you and others need him too” “But he didn’t say goodbye” “It was not expedient. You are now in charge, here” A light knock sounded at his door – it was his mother – leaving for work. Missed Part 1? Click this link https://amarannaji.com/timothy-the-making-of-a-young-man-of-destiny-part-1/ Rumours, fear,

05/02/2026

An image of young timothy being taught by his mother and grandma

Faith & Identity

Timothy: The Making of A Young Man of Destiny

Part 1 of the “Timothy Series” – Faith, Mentorship, and the Making of a Youth Leader Raised by Women. Shaped by Fire. Called by God. Tim turned eighteen yesterday. But as dawn crept through his curtains in thin, trembling lines, he already felt the weight of adulthood pressing on his chest. He lay awake, restless, replaying the events of the night before — the surprise party, the laughter, the noise, and the one face he wished hadn’t been there. Chloe. His grade‑school crush.His childhood almost‑love.The girl who still leaned toward him like a flame seeking oxygen. Ben and Steu meant well, but they didn’t understand.Not the way SY, his best friend, did.Not the way SY’s father, who treated Tim like a son, did.And certainly not the way Pastor Pee, the old man who had become his spiritual father, did. But

03/02/2026

Spirituality

The Old Man and the Hangman’s Dawn

In a dim prison cell, an old man races against time to finish a letter that could save a young man’s life. Between ink, prayer, and the weight of unfinished work, he discovers again the grace that holds him fast.

26/01/2026

Spirituality

Philemon Reimagined: The Most Daring Return in the New Testament:

The guard sat up bolt right as the first knock sounded at the gate. He wasn’t sure he heard well or the wind playing a trick Then a second knock. This time a bit more assured. Determined. The first guard caught the eyes of the second one as their eyes asked the same question; “Who could be knocking at such an ungoldy hour on a harsh winter’ night with the streets slippery with snow and ice? “Who is there?”. The watchman whispered through the peephole. Both men had drawn their swords “It’s I, Oníṣe” the once-familiar voice curled through the mist “Oníṣe?”. Which Oníṣe?. The guard enquired as his befuddled brain spat out the word – impossible “The same Oníṣe. G’adi, open the gate please, I am freezing” Onise at the gate Gate opened, both sentries stared at him incomprehensibly.

25/01/2026

Spirituality

The Battle Is the Lord’s — But You Still Have to Show Up

Many of us want God to fight our battles, but we don’t want to take the first step. We crave divine intervention without personal participation. Yet Scripture keeps whispering (and sometimes shouting) a different truth: God fights for us, but He rarely fights without us. 1. Setting the Scene: A Battle Bigger Than the Kings of Judah and Israel King Jehoshaphat is one of my favourite biblical kings. If you overlook his questionable “collabos” — alliances that nearly cost him his life — you’ll find a man with a steady head and a sincere heart. (If you’re curious about those alliances, check out his near‑fatal partnership with King Ahab in 1 Kings 22, and his later entanglement with King Ahaziah in 2 Chronicles 20:35–37.) But the story that grips me most is in 2 Chronicles 20. Jehoshaphat was minding his

24/01/2026

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FEATURED BLOG POSTS

When Your Unmet Expectations Finally Get Buried

The Customs Comptroller Who Was Held Up At The Borders

The Night God Didn’t Wait: A Lesson in Unleavened Bread and Unexpected Acceleration

When a Woman Fights for Justice: A Contemporary Bible Story

Part 5 – Revelation, Restoration and the Fire Reignited

Part 4: When God Interrupts Your Plans

Part 3 – Chloe, Choices, and the Crossroads of Manhood

Part 2 – The Disappearance of Pastor Pee – When a Mentor Goes Silent and God Steps In

Timothy: The Making of A Young Man of Destiny

The Old Man and the Hangman’s Dawn

Philemon Reimagined: The Most Daring Return in the New Testament:

The Battle Is the Lord’s — But You Still Have to Show Up