Are you feeling lost amid life’s endless
distractions and competing voices? Do you
struggle to make life-changing decisions
that align with your dreams and values? If so,
you’re not alone. In today’s fast-paced world,
staying true to yourself and following the
path that’s meant for you can be challenging.
But fear not, this inspiring and compelling
book is a beacon of hope and guidance.
In Making Life-Changing Decisions, the
author takes you on a transformative journey
to help you discover your purpose and seek
God’s will for your life. Through personal
stories and practical advice, this book offers a
roadmap to navigate the twists and turns of
daily living and decision-making. It shares
valuable insights on dreaming big, pursuing
excellence, waiting on God’s timing, and
maintaining faith in uncertainty. You will
discover the power of making firm decisions
and staying focused on your goals, even when
the road ahead seems daunting.
Whether you’re standing at a crossroads in
your career, relationships, or personal life, this
book’s timeless wisdom can help you make
confident choices, take bold steps toward
your dreams, unlock your true potential, and
live a life that honors God.
“You were born like your parents, but you will die like your decision.”
—A N O N Y M OU S
Life is indeed a series of decisions, and we are shaped by the decisions that we make, as well as the ones made on our behalf. One crucial aspect that we have no control over is the family we are born into, which is determined by factors beyond our control, such as genetics and circumstance. However, there are many other aspects of our birth that are the result of decisions made by others: where we were born, the hospital we were born in, and who delivered us. These decisions can have a significant impact on our early lives and shape our future. Ultimately, it is up to us to make the most of the circumstances we are given and to make decisions that will lead to a fulfilling life.
I remember the unique story around my birth. I am the seventh child out of nine children born to my mother. My younger sisters are twins. I was told the story of how the doctors advised my mother after she gave birth to my elder brother to stop having children. According to them, she had had enough, and they sternly discouraged having more children in the family. But apparently, my parents wanted more children, or perhaps I had to come into my family. So when Mom was pregnant with me, she would not go to the hospital because she was afraid of the doctors. She enrolled in the Faith Clinic, which was built and operated by the church my family attended at that time. The clinic was known for adhering to strong faith, instead of administering medical drugs during pregnancy and delivery. This was a very unique method. I was born in that clinic without complications. Glory be to God! However, after many years, the clinic was forced to close down due to complications that had become common among mothers. In short, I had no say in where I was born.
Life comes in phases. In the early phase, decisions are made for you. You are not a mistake. Your family is not a mistake. God decided that you will be born into that family for a purpose. Perhaps Moses wondered, understandably so, why he was born into a Hebrew family, yet, lived with the Egyptians. This was all orchestrated by God. Moses was born at a time when the king of Egypt decreed that all newborn males be killed. However, the godfearing midwives refused to kill the babies, so they were told to just throw them into the water. When Moses was born, his mother tried to hide him for three months, and when they couldn’t hide him anymore, he was tossed into the water. It was not a mistake. Instead, it was a calculated move that was made to ensure the child’s safety and ultimate destiny. From the natural perspective, he appeared to be tossed into the water of the Nile River, but in actuality, he was tossed into the king’s family. Moses was thrown into the river on the very day the princess was there. He was later adopted, not just into any Egyptian family, but into Pharoah’s (the king’s) family. Moses’ adoption into this family was neither by happenstance nor mistake. It was divinely orchestrated. Moses needed access to Pharaoh’s family because many years later, he would be sent there to deliver an important message to deliver God’s people from slavery. He had to learn the Egyptian language to communicate that message to Pharaoh.
Despite the circumstances surrounding your birth or your present situation, like Moses, you are not a mistake. God planned your life, even before you could make decisions. Now, reaching God’s designed destiny for you depends on the decisions you make when you are at the age to do so. As you progress through life, the number of decisions you have to make tends to increase gradually. While it’s often said that we can confidently make random decisions by the age of 25, it’s important to note that the brain is continually developing and changing throughout our lifespan. As a result, there isn’t a specific age at which the brain can be deemed fully mature. However, some areas of the brain reach maturity at different times during adolescence and early adulthood. For example, the prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making, impulse control, and emotional regulation, continues to develop until the mid-20s. But different individuals can have different rates of brain development and maturation. It is also important to note that many important decisions are made during early adolescence to the young adult age. During this period, you need to be very careful with your decision-making. These life-changing choices can have a significant impact on your future. Your future harvest depends on the seeds of decision you have sown.
Our God is unlimited and timeless. Yet, He gives every man the right to choose. In recent times, young people have argued why God gave us the right to choose when He knows the end from the beginning. This concept has been misunderstood by many who have taken to media platforms to ridicule God’s plan for humanity. But the simplest way I explain this to young people is by likening the creation of God to the mastermind of an online video game. The one who made the game knows the end of every path. But the end depends on the player. If you play well, make the right decisions, and take the right path, you will have a good end, but if not, you will lose your life. Imagine the maker of the game standing next to you. Once you make a wrong decision and go on the wrong path, I’m sure he will warn you. Why? Because he knows your path will lead you to the wrong place. God knows the end of every path you can take. But He leaves you to make the decision. If you listen to Him, He will guide you to the desired destination. If you refuse to listen, the outcome will be undesirable.
King Joash was allowed to decide his future when he went to meet Elisha on his deathbed. Elisha instructed him to open the window and shoot. Then, he told him to shoot the ground. However, the king only fired three times before stopping. Elisha was furious because the king did this. He had a blank check but did not use it to its fullest potential. This serves as a valuable lesson to us all about the importance of maximizing our chances and making the most of the resources we have been given. Everyone will be given opportunities to make choices. What you do with those opportunities depends on you and the choices you make. The choices you make determine the path you take. The boy (popularly known as the Prodigal Son) decided to take his inheritance from his father and relocate to a strange land. His father respected his decision and gave him what he wanted. How do we know his decision wasn’t the best? The outcome was bad. The Prodigal Son realized he had made the wrong decision when he saw the desolate condition of his life. Hence, he changed for the better.
“The outcome of your life is a reflection of the balance between the good and bad choices you made.”
The truth is we have all made wrong choices at one point in our lives. But we can learn from our mistakes and use them as steppingstones to success. The outcome of your life is a reflection of the balance between the good and bad choices you made. I can recall many regrettable choices I made, but I learned several lessons from my mistakes. They helped to shape my principles for future experiences. One of those days in high school, I decided not to go home directly after school finished. I had become a little more independent and I thought I could decide when I should get home after school. So, that day, I chose to follow my friends to play some soccer on a nearby field. I didn’t realize that the environment was not safe. As we played, we were suddenly surrounded by hoodlums who hung around the field to drink and smoke. Before we could say much, we were stripped of valuable personal belongings. I knew I had made the wrong choice and never repeated it.
The point is that the decisions we make have a significant impact on the outcome of our destinies. Therefore, in the upcoming chapters, I will delve into each factor that can impact our ability to make sound decisions in critical moments. By exploring these factors in detail, we can equip ourselves to make wiser choices and fulfill our divine calling with confidence.