The way ahead is to keep pushing forward, not backward. Do not look back, just keep moving! If you must look back, it must be to learn lessons from the falls, pits, and mistakes of the past. Abraham Lincoln said, “I walk slowly, but I never walk backward.”

Never get stuck in the past. There are many obstacles you will run into when you keep pushing and refuse to stagnate. Many people are stuck because of opposition to their growth, daring to step out. I speak from experience because I have encountered this so many times in my life. You cannot depend on people. Very few will be committed to seeing you grow. The Almighty should always be your source of strength.  Hear me, you should become your own champion and your best encourager too.

Nehemiah faced opposition but he had the boldness and tenacity to weather the storm. People can discourage you when you are trying to do a good thing. Either they are jealous, intimidated, or just plain evil. Some people, it would appear, cannot handle others progressing in life.

Nehemiah was able to weather the storm because of his strong dependence on God and his backbone! If you do not have a backbone, opposition will stop you dead in your tracks. You will end up on dead end street going nowhere.

There are a lot of “Sanballats and Tobias'” lurking around. Pay them no mind, do not entertain them, cut them off! They do not have your best interests at heart.

People can make you second guess yourself because they do not have the capacity to handle what God has placed inside you. You might rather be oppressed into silence because you are too much! Why, because in some cultures, like mine, we are yet to become very savvy at empowering one another.  It is a long, long, work in progress (tongue in cheek – hmm, I should empower you so you come and pass me).

Without opposition, you will become mediocre, lacklustre, and without any growth, stuck! This may sound like a contradiction but your “Sanballats and Tobiahs'”, are  the agents of  your change. They will spur and motivate you to greater heights. Nehemiah refused to back down. The wall was built in fifty-two days! I charge you, keep building your wall. Let no Sanballet or Tobias stop you!

My final words to you, “When Adversity comes, the only way forward is to keep pushing.”

Yaa F. Attobrah