BOOK REVIEW: Till My Change Comes

Author: Hadjet Gbolabo Oso

I got an e-copy of this book from tebebabooks.com and was amazed by the simplicity with which the book was written.

Reading through it, I could see the author’s personality. It was as if she was discussing with the readers. It’s so natural and not lengthy.

I am not too surprised by the excellent command of English, which is commendable because the author has her first degree in English Language. She displayed a good mastery of the language.

The book has ten chapters: Time, Storms, Waiting, Hope, Faith, God the Promise Maker and Promise Keeper, You are Waiting not Wasting, There is a Purpose for Waiting, The Presence of God in Your Season of Waiting and When Change Comes.

The graphical representation at the beginning of each chapter is fantastic, and the nuggets from each chapter are unique. I will only talk briefly on chapters 1 and 2 of the book.

1st Chapter:

In life, God’s time is always the best, even if it does not soothe us. God can neither be too late nor too early. What He does is always perfect because He makes all things beautiful in His time. We, as children of God, are meant to be like the sons of Issachar who understood the time and season (Chronicles 12:32).

God has a timetable for all of us and does His things decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40).

The prayer is for us to find our timing in the calendar of God. We will not miss our timing in God’s agenda in Jesus’ Name.

That popular Eccl. 3: 1-8 summarises everything about life in times and seasons. “For everything, there is a season. A time for every activity under the sun”. The author said God’s time is timely. Whether now or later, whenever he decides to answer our request, it is timely.

I like the phrase in the Bible, which says, ‘and it came to pass’”. That situation that looks daunting and seemingly impossible will pass; just be patient, and the story will turn to glory.

2nd Chapter:

Storms can also be called sieges or tempests. It comes and goes. No storm has ever come to stay. Storms are permitted in our lives by God for a purpose. At times, it could be to serve as checks and balances; at times, it could be to draw our attention to something or to delay to avert a pending danger. Nobody prays for storms, but the reality of life is that at some point in one’s life, it will come.

Some have it early, like the case of our author’s early days of marriage and infertility; some at mid-day, like mine – loss of a dear husband, joblessness; some in the evening of life, loss of a grown-up child, ill health or disappointment. All these and many more may want to break us. But the good news is that storms can only bend us; they can never break us.

James 1:2: Count it all joy when you fall into trials, for the trying of your faith works out patience in you. I pray that anytime the storms come our way, we may never take our gaze from the Lord, who is the author and finisher/ perfecter of our faith. He is the only one that can sustain us in such seasons of life.

Storms

The author concluded that storms reveal your true nature.

Many lose their faith during storms, and some get stronger in faith. And everything boils down to the foundation one has in God. No matter how strong the storm or tempest might be, God can calm it, and it will be “Peace Be Still”. He is the Master of the storm.

All we need to do is to cooperate with Him. Heb 11: 40, “God has prepared better things for us, but they without us cannot be made perfect”. God needs us to partner with Him to calm the storms in our lives.

If He calmed the storms in the life of Jesus Christ, Joseph, David, the author of this book and many others, He will do likewise for us. Trust Him, and it is settled.

Prof. Olumakaiye is the Wife of the Former Archbishop and Bishop of Lagos Diocese (Anglican Communion)and a Consultant on Public Health Nutrition