When you reflect deeply on reasons why someone with so much will have such passion and zeal to touch, transform and impact lives, you will realize that the satisfaction you get from seeing others happy is compared to none.
Permit me lead you into the world of someone with several caps. An individual who has made it a responsibility to put smiles on the faces of orphans and widows in her community. During an interview with Hovareigns Connect, she told her very touching story as clearly outline in the following paragraphs. Read and be inspired.
- Tell us your name, occupation & organization?
My name is Evodia Kalu Ndi, ( EvoInspires). I am a Registered Nurse in Spain, and recently managing the family’s real estate business in Nigeria, Africa. Alongside this, I am an author, an Evangelist, a Marriage & Christian Life Coach and founder of a nonprofit organization named “International Widows and Orphans Humanitarian Organisation” ( INWOHO) where I advocate for orphans and widows in our community. I am also the host of the “Evoinspires Talk Show”.
- What motivates you?
I am passionate about inspiring motivating and helping others discover, live and fulfill their God ordained purposes. Being a leading voice for widows and orphans also inspires me thus the name “Evo-inspires”
- What are your unique values?
My unique core values are honesty, integrity, discipline, kindness, respect and compassion. These to me are the fundamental core values that we need to do all our best as humans to exhibit. I believe that everyone should be treated with kindness irrespective of their race, age, culture or gender. God wants us to be kind hearted towards one another.
Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you”. The Good News is: We have been forgiven of our own sins; the least we could do is be kind and forgiving to others. It’s literally what Jesus would do.
- What are your hustle habits?
Anything I set my heart on, I never give it up until it comes to fruition. Perseverance, patience and resiliency are my watchwords. I believe that nothing good comes easy, but when you confront any challenges with resilience and perseverance, you are sure to succeed in whatever you do.
- How do you push through your worst times?
In difficult situations, I acknowledge them with a heart of gratitude and joy. The word of God has already made it known to me that there will be difficult times. So I turn to the Word of God because it gives me hope, clarity, confidence and joy. His Words say that I should consider it all joy when I pass through diverse tribulations (trial moments of all kinds) because these times come as a test to examine my faith and when tested, I shall become more armed, prepared, mature and complete; not lacking anything to run the race. James (1:2-4) I believe in the saying that “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”
- Can you describe a time when you thought you hit rock bottom?
Life has not been easy; a lot of ups and downs but to God, I give all the glory.
There was this moment that hit me in 2011. It was when I lost my senior sister. The one I immediately follow. We grew up as friends apart from being sisters. It was a point when suicidal thoughts came to my mind. She wasn’t the first person I lost. Prior to that, I lost a sister in 1992, another in 1997 and my only brother who was like a father to me in 2002. I grew up as an orphan and he played the part of a dad to me. I lost my dad when I was 6 months old.
Then this loss in 2011 made me think God had turned his back on me and my family. It was the 4th loss. I started questioning if God actually exists. The pain and anger was too much to bear then suicidal thoughts came in. I was ready to go to hell; I did not even care if I went there. The devil started sowing seeds of doubts in my spirit. He suggested that if truly your God exists, why does He give you painful moments always? Isn’t He the one to take care of orphans and widows as said in the bible? Why has He kept quiet while you keep on burying your sisters and only brother one after the other? Isn’t this enough to show you that God doesn’t even care about how you feel? Has anyone died and come back to tell if there is hell? Kill yourself and be free from this constant pain; but then, I was alone with my 2 kids at home. They were very small then and my husband works overseas. I told myself that it was just good for me to go. The world was so dark and wicked, I had nothing to lose. After all, I have been serving God and yet, it’s always pains and pains all through. Then I looked at my kids playing in the living room and asked myself “If I die now, who will inform my husband? The kids couldn’t make a phone call and by the time the neighbours discover that I am dead, the kids must have gone days without food”. These negative suggestions kept coming in. I turned and looked at my innocent kids, and then a soft voice told me not to. It told me “the kids will suffer and they need you”.
My children would run to me and ask me not to cry; they would wipe my tears etc. I decided not to die but never to serve God again. On The contrary, I stopped praying, going to church or observing any spiritual exercise like fasting, etc. I started drinking alcohol, went clubbing and became so rude to my husband and anyone else. The anger and pain in me was too much and I expressed it through rudeness to my world. I wasn’t living a Christ-like life. My husband will beg and pray for me to forgive myself; he will beg me not to blame God. I didn’t want to hear anything about God or prayers at home. My heart was so hardened in spiritual things.
From that 2011 till mid-2015, I was living like an unregenerate spirit. It got getting worse by the day. I remember my husband would pray for me and beg; he will remind me of God’s immense love for me but mentioning that only added more rage, bitterness and frustration. I questioned God’s love for me. I even gave all reasons why I think He doesn’t even care or think about me.” A true father does not allow pain to befall His children” I would say.
Then around Sept 2015, a strange thing happened. My husband was called up for a job we had been waiting for since 2013; it was an offer that would change our lives completely. It will turn our lives 360degrees and make all my dreams come to reality. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I started feeling LOVE; gratitude filled my spirit. I started being sober and by the end of 2015, I started having the desire to worship God again. There was love shown abroad in my heart. The kind of love that only the Holy Spirit can give. I felt so much love and my mind was at peace. I started recognizing that God indeed has never abandoned me. He still loves and cares for me. I gave my life to Christ again early 2016 and this time, I promised I will never backslide again.
I repented of all the things I said about God, I acknowledged my weakness and decided to learn more about God; not just as a mere Christian but to know Him more. I decided to study theology and that was when God revealed to me who He really was; my faith was built into a giant one. I understood how He works and why people die and where they go. The Holy Spirit taught me all the mysteries of the kingdom of God. I reconciled with Him and made a decision to tell the world about His marvelous love unto mankind. For He so much LOVES us that He sent His only begotten son to save our souls from perishing.
Today, no matter what happens, I know God is still in charge. He will never forsake us. My less knowledge of him made me a victim of the devil and this is why the bible says “My people die because they lack knowledge”. The absolute and precise knowledge of God will help especially in trial moments. Knowing God is so important because it will help us make the right decisions in trying times.
I lost my immediate followers in 2020 but this time, my faith wasn’t shaken. I knew exactly what and why this was happening. I was even stronger in the Lord. It never broke me as it did before. This was because of the knowledge I had acquired with the help of the Holy Spirit.
I thank God for my life and for all that happened. If not for Him, my souls would have perished. He preserved me when I turned away from worshipping Him, forgave me and showed me love. He then called me to be the witness of His LOVE to the world.
All I can say is that, no matter what happens to one in life, they shouldn’t lose hope; trust in God. He is the all-seeing, the Alpha and Omega. He is God all by Himself and what He cannot do doesn’t exist. It’s indeed an honour to be loved by God. He changed my life and story.
- Have there been any failures that made your life better?
I don’t see setbacks as failures but I see them as stepping stones to get more experience that leads to success and success makes my life better. It increases my faith to push even harder to achieve more success.
- Do you have any steps or events that transformed your life?
Life has really taught me a lot and they say “experience is the best teacher”. The loss of my sisters and brother as explained above have helped in changing the way I see and react to things. It has transformed my life.
- Do you believe there is some sort of pattern or formula to becoming successful?
I believe that an intentional positive mindset, consistency, perseverance, patience and being conscious of the fact that God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings and given us the Abrahamic inheritance increases our faith which in turn pushes us to work, leading to success. For “faith without works is death”.
- Any inspirational quote or motivational statement that keeps you going?
While there are a lot of quotes and motivational statements that keep me going in the many stages of life, this verse taken from the book of Phillipians 4:13 says ” I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” has indeed been my power house.
Really informative blog.Really thank you! Will read on…