At a particular point in time, I could no longer send my thoughts on individual basis because my list had grown to about 100. In 2002, The Biblepraise Newsletter was born when I registered it as a group on Yahoo. This was followed by the hosting of the website, biblepraise.org. The list began to explode and before I knew it, we had over a thousand subscribers on the list and the number has been growing still.
When I started the newsletter, I was going through a lot of challenges in my life. There were times I did not feel like writing but as each week began, God would give me something that would inspire me to write. One thing also kept me on; my unshakeable belief that God was in control of my life. The presence of God was always a place I longed to be. It was the only place I found real comfort and rest. As I struggled through life, I kept learning great lessons from God and kept sharing these lessons with my friends and later with subscribers on newsletter list. This was how this Biblepraise was born.
Two of my most favourite scriptural verses kept me moving on. The first one, ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.’ (Prov 3:5) To trust God is to look up to Him for everything. Sometimes we tend to trust in our wealth, position and even our exercise of religious observance but this verse explicitly states that the focus of our trust should be no other but God.
I have seen this verse of scripture become real in my life. As I trusted Him and continued to encourage others to do the same, God has proved Himself faithful in my life and has taken me through various challenges and helped me overcome. As I look back in time, I know without a shadow of doubt that I could not have made it without Him.
My second favourite verse is, ‘I can do everything through Him Who gives me strength.’ (Phil 4:13) The strength that has kept me going even through the vicissitudes of life has been through Christ Jesus. There have been times I have been at my wit’s end but remembering this verse has always given me the impetus to keep on moving.
One of the things I have enjoyed, being Editor of the Biblepraise Newsletter, is the friends God has given me through this ministry from different parts of the world. By nature, I do not make friends easily. Most of the friends I have today were those who I came in contact with through Biblepraise.
There were people God used to encourage me over the years since Biblepraise was born. One of whom is Irene Budzynsky who encouraged me to write and LaRose Karr who was there at the beginning to encourage me and is still my friend till this day. I remember Pastor Paul Wallace who hosted the Biblepraise website for two years at a time I could not afford to. Over the years God has raised many people to support the ministry financially and I know all these deeds are written down as a rememberance before God.
This month, we celebrate Biblepraise at 7 and I look forward to the future with great hope and encouragement. My desire is to keep on encouraging people everywhere in the world, of the life-changing power of Jesus Christ and also to encourage members of the body of Christ to keep their eyes on Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith.
Many thanks to all our readers, thanks for being there in your prayers, support and encouragement.
God bless you.
Steve O. Popoola
© Biblepraise Fellowship Online, March 2009
Steve Popoola is the editor of Biblepraise Newsletter and the webmaster of Biblepraise Fellowship Online at http://www.biblepraise.org. British by birth, He currently resides in Lagos, Nigeria with wife Maris and their children; Praise, Stephanie and Precious. He works as an IT professional in a bank. He presently serves as Church Secretary and Heads the Music Ministry in his local church . He loves to encourage and inspire through speaking forums. He is the Moderator/Editor of Biblepraise Newsletter. He can be reached through His email address, steve@biblepraise.org
One of the things I have enjoyed, being Editor of the Biblepraise Newsletter, is the friends God has given me through this ministry from different parts of the world. By nature, I do not make friends easily. Most of the friends I have today were those who I came in contact with through Biblepraise.
There were people God used to encourage me over the years since Biblepraise was born. One of whom is Irene Budzynsky who encouraged me to write and LaRose Karr who was there at the beginning to encourage me and is still my friend till this day. I remember Pastor Paul Wallace who hosted the Biblepraise website for two years at a time I could not afford to. Over the years God has raised many people to support the ministry financially and I know all these deeds are written down as a rememberance before God.
This month, we celebrate Biblepraise at 7 and I look forward to the future with great hope and encouragement. My desire is to keep on encouraging people everywhere in the world, of the life-changing power of Jesus Christ and also to encourage members of the body of Christ to keep their eyes on Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith.
Many thanks to all our readers, thanks for being there in your prayers, support and encouragement.
God bless you.
Steve O. Popoola
© Biblepraise Fellowship Online, March 2009
Steve Popoola is the editor of Biblepraise Newsletter and the webmaster of Biblepraise Fellowship Online at http://www.biblepraise.org. British by birth, He currently resides in Lagos, Nigeria with wife Maris and their children; Praise, Stephanie and Precious. He works as an IT professional in a bank. He presently serves as Church Secretary and Heads the Music Ministry in his local church . He loves to encourage and inspire through speaking forums. He is the Moderator/Editor of Biblepraise Newsletter. He can be reached through His email address, steve@biblepraise.org
