Interview Thursday: "A just world is a world where God exists..."

She is 100% of God and Zero Percent of herself. She emerged the winner of Naija Blogger Awards as the most Inspiring Blogger I was nominated along side her and I wondered who nominated me in this category that has a clear winner? She is the first of five kids. The God's lover grew up in Nigeria but now studies in the United States of America. I have the privilege of intervewing our one and only Ms. Jaycees!

Congrats on your Naija Blogger Awards, how does it feel to be a winner?

It is so encouraging to know that what we do or write about can change many lives all over the world. Before I even talk about winning the awards, when I saw that the Light Her Lamp blog was a nominee, I was ecstatic! And then, when I won two categories I was really happy. In my (fake) red carpet speech, I mentioned something that is very important to me: the entire blog is all God's doing, sometimes when I look back and see what people are being inspired by, I know that it could not have been me doing anything. It's just that God has decided to use that medium to bless as many lives as He can right now. To show people that He is real, and that He listens and cares about the smallest things about our lives.

Your posts are truly inspiring, how are you able to keep at it?

I never plan to write any of those posts. I just go about my daily activities and all of a sudden I observe something or someone, maybe on the bus, train, or as I'm driving...maybe something in nature or someone's characteristic or desire, and then a topic comes to mind and as soon as I get home I start typing. Another thing is that I am learning how to read the Word of God every single day (either in the morning, or at night before I sleep), so sometimes if I see something I've never seen before (or read a verse in a different way than I've read before), I get hyper and all of a sudden I want to share my findings with the rest of the world. Let me tell you a secret I learned from a great teacher: when you're reading the bible, don't read it like a typical boring bible reading. Instead, act like you're actually there as a witness, participating in all the activities they are describing. In other words, feel the emotions of the writer. Transport yourself to that time. This way, you will understand that the writers of the bible also had diverse emotions like we all do in today's world, and that there's more to the Word than what meets the eye.

Is there any distinctive difference between being religious and having a personal relationship with God?

Yes, there is definitely a difference. Religion is just a bunch of rules and regulations. But when you have a relationship with God, you begin to do things naturally because God becomes a part of you. If you see evil, you turn in the opposite direction. No one tells you that it is bad, but your own spirit just gets irritated. In other words, you become transformed into somebody else when you understand who God really is.

Who is Jaycee?

Actually, I'm very bad in describing people, including myself! When I'm describing someone I usually stop at something like, "Ms. A is tall, light skinned, and has freckles on her face." Come on, how many people fit into that description? LOL. I am a student working on completing my graduate degree, and I am someone for whom WRITING has become a passion that I can no longer do without. I am 5'6 (maybe a little taller, I'd like to think), I like natural hair styles (I joined the natural haired ladies like two years ago), and I love anything ROMANTIC (woohoo). Oh, I love eating THAI FOOD...and I really want to learn how to make different types of Thai food...not that I'm abandoning Nigerian food or anything sha...

Does Jaycee have emotions like anger, fear or disappointment? How do you handle these emotions?

Yes, I do. I get angry when people act in the opposite way than the way I think they should be acting. I get angry when I think people understood me, but it turns out that they don't. I get afraid when I wonder how my career is going to turn out. I get disappointed when something does not go the way I planned it to go. How do I handle these emotions? God helps me figure all these things out.

- On my anger, God tells me: do not let the sun go down on your anger. And then I realize that the only person who's affected by my anger is ME, so I will be wasting my time if I don't move on. Also I have learned that people are imperfect, and so they will always be annoying sometimes, just like I also annoy other people sometimes too. 50/50 no cheating...he he.

-On fear, God has said in his word that "fear is not of God." Fear is crippling, it makes a person resistant to take the first step. So, due to experience, I've learned that when God gives me a dream for my future I should not be afraid to take a giant leap towards that path.

-On disappointment, I believe in the proverb that says "every disappointment is a blessing."

What is a just world to you?

Actually, I don't believe we live in a just world right now. A lot of bad things happen to innocent people. The reason is that this world has a prince ("the prince of this world" i.e the devil) and he's not exactly a just being. A just world is a world where God exists, and He does exist among those who believe in Him. He will not give us a stone when we ask for bread.

Is a just world possible?

Only in God.

What are the steps we need to take as individuals to have a just world?

1) Believe in God

2) Believe that whatever God says is true, because He does not lie.

3) Believe that there's something much more than this world...and that death is not the end of eternity.

What do you admire in blogsville?

I like blogsville because of the amount of good knowledge one can accumulate just by reading about the experiences and thought processes of other people.

Any admired blogger(s)? Who are they?

I like specific bloggers for different reasons. Every one is unique in their own way. But I will try to construe a list...

1) Kafo: she's just brilliant. I like reading about what she thinks about life, the human struggle, and mostly about God's word. She's very real. She says it just exactly as she thinks. It's like she transports her honest thoughts of the world onto paper (or onto her computer, lol).

2) Naapali: I like the way he writes, although his blog is no longer accessible. I liked the fact that he is a medical doctor who puts his family first.

3) Solomonsydelle: It seems like everyone loves what she does on blogsville, but I loved her FIRST (lol...just kidding). I always tell her that I want to be just like her when I grow up, and I also want my children to be a little mischievious so I can tell stories about them just like she does...LOL. I love reading about her kids and I think she's a wonderful mother and wife. I don't want to leave out the fact that she's also very sensitive to Nigeria's needs. I know that the change Nigeria needs lies in the hands of this current generation, and she's a role model that we can be part of this change. Check out her Nigerian Curiosity Blog.

4) Jaja: although, I don't know if I have anything in common with Jaja. I just know that if he writes a book, I'll be one of the first to buy it. He inspires me to want to write in such a way that people will marvel. I like his selection of words and also the way in which he transports his reader to his own world...be it when he lived in Port-HarCourt, when he took some random trip to an island after his NYSC (if I remember clearly), or now that he has travelled overseas to the United Kingdom. He really has good knowledge of the English language, and I learn from writers such as himself. I think he should keep it up and possibly write a book soon.

5) Reverence: she's a true gem and a great friend to have outside blogsville. I admire her because she keeps it real. If she falls, she will say that she fell...but she's always willing to become a better person. Even when she's doing great, she aspires to become greater. She's dedicated to God, and I love that.

6) Believer: She's exactly what her name is, and she's an intercessor. She prays for crazy things that no one else will ever think about praying for. Her blog really inspires me to want to be a better believer.

7) Remi: I admire her for her "dedication" to TEACH. She is a great teacher...she usually writes about several topics, but the way she breaks it down is phenomenal. I think she is probably a great speaker too.

8) Vera: I will never forget the day she talked about flushing her pet fish down the toilet. She's just hilarious, and she deserved her "Best Everyday Read" NBA award. LOL.

9) Simeone: I think he's just a great person, and it shows in his blog.

10) Chichi: another very real person. She tells people about her true life experiences and encourages them to learn from those experiences.

There are so many other bloggers I like, but I'm sure you guys will break my head if I continue. I like Shubby doo, Mimi (she's just a darling),Rita, Seye, Danny Bagucci, and many others who are not coming to me right now.

Thanks for sharing with us.

Thanks so much.