Here's a short story about how I started attending @cci_lagos & subsequently @CCI_Abuja

Sometime in 2018, I met this really beautiful girl at the New Afrika Shrine (Fela's Shrine) at Ikeja.

We became really good friends & she invited me over to her house one lovely weekend.

I had stayed over for the night & in the morning, whilst smoking weed in her kitchen, she started streaming a live church service on an app called @mixlr

She asked me if I knew @pst_iren & I said no. She said he went to CU at about the same time I did.

So I said she should show me a picture - which she did & I screamed "Emma!!! I know him na... Na my guy that year for school".

I never knew Pastey was a pastor. We were always cordial with each other but I was always an outcast so I never really got to know him deeply.

As I smoked my kush & as the sermon went on, I was drawn to all that @pst_iren was saying. He was saying the truth!

Before then, I had stopped going to church for 3 years. I was not encouraged by the lackluster behaviour of my previous churches. I wasn't learning anything

I even went as far as telling my family members & all who cared to listen that I wasn't a Christian anymore, but that JESUS was always going to be my saviour.

I remember THE HOLY SPIRIT telling me that He'd lead me to a good church soon. But it had been 3 years & I'd backslided.

Anyways, after that beautiful sermon in June of 2018, I asked the babe to please send me the link to the Mixlr app so I'd be tuning in for service every now & again. And that's how my journey began.

After a few sermons, I downloaded @outburstmusicg "Kerygma" album & listened!

The lyrics "I am a new man in Christ JESUS" changed my heart completely. I'd listen to the album while driving to shrine to go smoke.

Later on, my friend told me that @cci_lagos was on the same street as Fela's Shrine & I was like "GOD, is this one a sign or something? "

By September 2018, during the month of "The Supernatural", Pastey would come to @cci_lagos for midweek service, and then go back to @CCI_Abuja for Sunday service.

THE HOLY SPIRIT nudged me to attend but I was scared & ashamed. I was literally smoking in my car when this happened

"How would they receive me" I thought. My eyes were red. I was smelling of marijuana & besides, I didn't know anyone there. Nobody invited me + I was wearing my studs.

I sat parked outside @cci_lagos for about 15-20mins contemplating whether to enter or not while streaming.

After a long hard conversation with THE HOLY SPIRIT, I took off my studs & walked into service with no Bible or notepad. I was high!!!

But that day changed my life completely. I began attending midweek services all through that month & attended my 1st Sunday service in October.

By November 2018, I was a regular. I'd smoke in shrine & as soon as it was time for service, I'd stroll into church with my head held high.

I knew my habit didn't align with the life Christ had planned for me, but I knew it was going to be a process. So I proceeded regardless.

Sometime in November 2018, while Pastor @MayowaSanni was teaching us how to hear from GOD while praying, he instructed us to pray in tongues & listen to what THE HOLY SPIRIT had to tell us. He said "write down whatever you hear". So I did.

As I prayed, I heard " #Abuja2019"

So I pulled out my phone to write it down & immediately I saw a message from a friend in Abuja (whom I hadn't heard from in a while) asking if I could come to Abuja as soon as possible.

THE HOLY SPIRIT said I should reply yes, so I did. Next week I was in Abuja for a meeting.

And exactly 20 days after this encounter, my sibling & I got an apartment in Abuja. It was wild!

My life's never been the same since I encountered @pst_iren & @cci_lagos & @CCI_Abuja

Old things have passed away & I have become a new man in Christ Jesus.

Only a handful of people know this story & it's way longer than this #thread. I've never even told my dad, @pst_iren about this. I just always smile when I see Him because the journey I've been on & I'm still on has been the greatest testimony of my life.

I've said all of that to say this;

GOD has been & continues to do great & mighty things through CELEBRATION CHURCH INT'L.

Chains have been & continue to be broken. Sicknesses healed & generational curses broken for good.

My best friends are all from CCI Global. I love it here!