Peju Abuchi felt held back from reaching her full potential because she was constantly looking for the approval of others. She started speaking out the truth from Scripture, and this is what happened…
I never understood the power of my words until I really started paying attention to their impact in my life as an adult. I grew up in a society where children were meant to be seen and not heard. The most important words in that context were spoken by parents, teachers, elders and authority figures.
Speaking up or questioning them would be seen as being rude which would incur a consequence, so I learnt from a young age to bottle up, stifle and swallow a lot of my words. I needed to be careful about what I said, when I responded and who I responded to.
Discovering the comfort of journalling as a preteen was a gift.
Discovering the comfort of journalling as a preteen was a gift. This was a very safe and secret space where I could pour out my dreams, anger, disappointment, hopes, frustrations, opinions and doubts, without any repercussions. It was an exhilarating feeling!
As powerful as my writing felt, I didn’t realise that my fears, insecurities and people-pleasing nature had created many limiting beliefs in my mind which had silently become strongholds in my life.
I felt held back from reaching my full potential because I was constantly looking for the approval of others. Unbeknown to me, I had given the words of others more power over my life than my own words, resulting in a lack of trust towards my inner voice.
Finding the courage to speak up grew slowly over time as I encountered a God who I knew loved the sound of my voice and championed my authenticity. Our God is passionate about words. He, more than anyone, understands the power that lies within them.
Unbeknown to me, I had given the words of others more power over my life than my own words, resulting in a lack of trust towards my inner voice.
Through spoken words, he created the universe and every living thing in the air, on land and in the sea. Genesis 1:3 “And God said, Let there be light,” and there was light. This phrase, “And God said….” is repeated throughout the story of creation, leading up to Genesis 1:31 where God proclaimed that all that he had made was very good.
Through the power of his utterances, God brought forth so much goodness into the earth and since we are made in his image and likeness (Genesis 1:26), we also have the same power to bring forth good from our words.
Armed with this realisation, I started to fervently personalise the scriptures and proclaim them aloud, both in prayer times and throughout my day. This made the scriptures come alive and powered my words with a divine truth that is unshakeable and impenetrable.
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For example, from Jeremiah 29 :11, I would say “For I know the plans God has for ME, plans to prosper ME and not to harm ME, plans to give ME a hope and a future.” Or from Psalm 34:5, I would call out repeatedly, “Peju who looks to the Lord is radiant, and her face will never be covered in shame.”
As I noticed my faith growing, my mind was renewed and limiting beliefs began to dissipate, I continued what I was learning by speaking words of truth over family members and friends so that they could also experience breakthroughs and see strongholds start to lose their power in their lives.
This journey has led me to write my first book, incorporating poetry, prose and proclamations in what I hope will be a transformational journey where more people learn to choose their words kindly and wisely. To repeatedly sow, grow and flow more goodness in their lives, spilling over into the world around them.
Peju Abuchi’s book of poetry, ’A Poetic Odyssey of Proclamations: 31 ways to sow, grow and flow goodness into your life’ was published December 2023.
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