UPSIDE DOWN

Turn the script upside down, the scriptwriter commanded. As simple as it sounds, that statement triggered up some memories and got me thinking...

My name is M.r Godwin Martins, I hailed from the eastern part of Nigeria

At the age of 24, I was already snowballing in riches and visibly registered  mouth-watering properties to my name, not only in Nigeria but also in the diaspora

I was living a life labeled with many titles— spick and span, the youngest billionaire of our time, and on like that.

Things were moving smoothly fine like the fresh surface of the sky...

At the age of 27, I had an encounter with Christ, and that marked a big difference in my life, I began to picture life differently, I must say this, I was galvanizing under the indefatigable wings of Christ

Like a tree planted by the riverside and is constitutionally commanded to flourish in its season, so was the exact description of my life

Jesus is sweet ooo, that was the song I composed because accepting Christ into my life did open many doors of victories — my life was an embodiment of miracles and testimonies

The life I lived drew many unbelievers to Christ and the experience was nothing short of ecstasy

I was feeling on top of the world. Ok, allow me to call the life I lived “higher life”. Indeed, it was an expression of higher life

If I am not mistaking, I had this cozy and intriguing experience uninterruptedly for solid 25 years until Tsunami capsized the smooth-running ship of my life and things turned upside down

The explanation to give to that sudden grey experience was a puzzle that took me years to pinch the formula

That day, I would call it a dark day, I just finished putting a conference that had a stark record of dignitaries and potential stockbrokers to bed.

It was a big deal for me, I never knew, it was a big deal that would switch to a big deep shit for me. My phone rang, oh it was my wife, I didn't even allow the caller to speak, oh sweetheart, I would soon be home, then a frog voice boomed and asked, am I speaking to Mr. Godwin? Yes, you are, I dourly responded

Your presence is needed…

Your presence is needed at life gate hospital, I will shoot the address to your mobile digits—he concluded

My wife, my children— Peter and Chidi, oh Jesus, I was shaking like a tree being tossed to and fro by an angry wind

Oh Jesus, don't allow my sky to be painted with grey color— I whispered in prayers

Kasali, take me to the life-gate hospital right away— that was my driver's name

The doctor kept calling, tears kept dropping and my heart was panting...

Nigeria's hold up, oh my God! I screamed! We were stuck up inside the traffic jam, we were there trying to make a way out of no way, and of course, we are not God, the holy one who has absolute power to make a way where there is no way

At a point, I removed my jacket, rolled up my trousers, and sincerely I knew I was going crazy. Oga take it easy ooo, everything will be fine — Kasali's consolation

Humanly efforts were ceaselessly made to solve the puzzle of the road but it seems this time, Devil got the formula. In other words, the formula is inside the belly of a beast called Devil

3 hours passed, we were still inside the traffic — oh God, you never told me I would be encountering this, you sat down in your heavenly place, watching me being dished with a bitter wine of life— I ranted

An idea silently popped up in my mind and the idea was to go by bike. Eventually, I settled on my thoughts

I asked Kas to automatically roll up the glasses and lock up the doors*  *The next available bike, we took and the price to be charged, we couldn't negotiate

I wish I had a kind of superpower that could make me disappear, like the one Jesus activated when he was about to be stoned but it's quite unfortunate, I never had one

All I had was my Bible, while the waves were blowing our hair on the bike— I remember my first encounter with Jesus, the Bible was given to be read, day and night, I began reflecting on my relationship with my maker...

His words, I could hardly quote

Like a catastrophic old man wrapped up in an old coat

A single verse of his words, I couldn't quote

Every single vibe of the world has ever been my quote...

A little cruise of life has drifted many away from his heavenly quotes...

Kas sensed my deep reflection and his single touch didn't fail to snap me out of my state

Finally, we got there, I opened my wallet, wrapped his palm with 7 notes of our highest currency, and fled to life gate …

Like two criminals, we fled

Dodging the invisible bullets of death was our aim

We were told, the glorious seeds, we planted...

Is being twisted and raided by the deadly touch of the beast himself

In tears and fear, we fled

To be saved, from the words we failed to live and preach

Now the life, we live is bleached

For, we had broken the bridge

It's a pity, the oil is dry and the strength is gone like a gun empty of tearing bullets

Our conclusion, just a little cruise of life, makes us forget the name…

The name we confessed to preach and live

It's a pity, it ends in a sulphuric flame and utter shame

The galvanizing cruise of life left us in eternal bruises

I quickly called the number and I  was directed to the doctor's office...

I don't want to go to the doctor's office— I ranted.*  *Allow me to see my lovely wife and children and the Nurse responded, calm down sir

Hey stop telling me to be calming down, I am not your baby — Can't you understand simple English, all I am asking for is simple, my wife and my two promising children— I retorted!

The expression on the nurses and doctors' faces meant one single thing, my life has ended

I managed to gather some momentum, straight to the doctor's office

Mr. Godwin, have your seat, the doctor calmly stated and I gently obliged

He speaks on; you came late, we did all we could do, we lost your wife and a son and the last one is still breathing under the tutelage of a life-supporting machine

My feet were ordered to where my boy was and lo and behold, it was Peter

Dear God, I know I've failed you, I know I have allowed the cruise of life to drive me away from your saving Grace

But God, my child is innocent, remember how you still loved Peter, even though he consecutively denied you 3 times, please save my child from the sharp sword of death

I was bathed in my tears

I dropped to the ground, with my feet perpendicularly kissing the ground, with a mixture of tears and sweat all over my body

Dear God, my life has been turned upside down due to my carelessness come to my rescue...

I kept on chanting Mercy. In a nutshell, His mercy speaks and is still speaking and my life welcomes a new breath of hope

The enticing craftiness of this world has made many lose focus of God in its full measure...

The only anthem on the minds of many is I must make money by all means; good or bad means, I don't care

The salvation of many have been substituted by the hype of money

Is making money bad? No, but things go bad, the moment it becomes the most precious thing on your mind

In all your doings, get money, don't be desperate, and secure your salvation

“To be desperate for money is to be desperate for hell”

The most precious asset a man could earn is the reward of the heavenly prize

To make heaven, goes beyond wishes, it is evaluated through our earthly deeds. (Think heaven, don't only think of Money)