Jesus is not a Republican

The presidential debate last night was a fiasco. Hilary was probably thinking how did I get into a debate with this orange cheeto burrito turned reality tv star.

Side note: Its actually ironic the republican party was the party that supported abolition of slavery. How times have changed. * Shakes virtual head*

 Donald Trump or " The Donald" as some call him is entertaining. He has always been brash, blunt, sexist, racist, bully. I would break into peals of laughter when he dealt with one of the contestants on The Apprentice. I also broke into peals of laughter when he first ran for president.  I was laughing at the beginning of the republican presidential debate. As you may have guessed, I have stopped laughing. Now I am petrified. Petrified that the "blacks" will be rounded up and sent to concentration camps to keep "law and order" a la the  Japanese after the Pearl Harbor Attacks.

I genuinely do not understand people that insist on a 3rd party candidate, or insist that they will write in their candidate. People that despise Hilary so much that they don't care if America is handed over to an over bleached Cheeto. I believe this harshness stems from the fact that she is a woman. She hasn't not done anything worse than another fellow male politician. Lied, check done by male counterparts. Cheated, check done by male counterparts. I am not excusing her, but please I don't understand why people put politicians on a moral pedestal they are not worthy off.

To be honest, I understand  how Trumps appeal to his base. He does not sound like a politician and prides himself on not sounding like a politician.  He played that "insider" vs "outsider" card during the debate and I believe it worked for him and his base. Notwithstanding, you cannot allow this man to run one of the most powerful nations on earth. My biggest concern with Trump is not the qualities I expounded upon earlier. My biggest problem is his limited attention span. This man will get bored with running a country. Best case scenario, he leaves the big decisions to "reasonable" trusted advisers and goes of to do whatever entertains him.

 I implore every one who can vote to vote and understand that if you vote for anyone other than Trump or Hilary, you have voted for Trump. If you dont vote then you also may have voted for Trump. PLEASE DONT STAY HOME. ARMAGEDDON IS ON OUR DOOR STEPS.

Now that the PSA is out of the way...I am a big believer in the separation of church and state. I disagree with religious leaders trying to influence the votes of their congregation. or urge them to vote for a certain candidate as  God's candidate.

There is no Godly candidate.

Most politicians in my opinion are morally bankrupt, politics itself is characterized by manipulations and machinations. It is rarely a Godly field. When christian religious leaders recommend a candidate,its usually the Republican party who have cemented themselves as the christian evangelical anti abortion party. Donald Trump is the only candidate where I have seen  a breaking away from the norm of just voting Republican blindly. Some evangelicals cant even stomach Trump. You cannot vote republican and close your eyes to the negative ideals that you are voting for. Would Christ vote for a party that perpetuates elitist systematic racism and favors the rich above the poor. In the same token would he vote for a party that believes that abortion is okay, or does not defend the sanity of marriage.  We have very two flawed political parties. One is not a Godly party vs the other. Both candidates  will say what is necessary to appeal to their base and secure votes.  The pulpit has immeasurable influence and power over the congregations minds and so religious leaders should be cognizant of that. I sometimes feel the Republican Christian leaning ideals are highlighted while the unpopular ideals are down played. As an immigrant, I find it difficult to vote for a party that supports every policy that supports kicking me out of the county.

Notwithstanding, can we have a candidate that is truly anointed  by God, and is Godly. Sure....Yes...
 Maybe....However I want to make the choice of voting by myself with my own God given brain. National politics and church, in my mind is like good and evil.  It makes me uncomfortable when its brought into church which many consider a sanctuary.

Church is not the place for politicking.

Granted, the civil rights movements did stem from the church and it can be a powerful tool if used correctly, ;however, I have not seen it being used correctly in recent times.


Until next time folks
Live Fearless !

What I am reading - Gone Girl Phenomenon

I actually have some time in third year to read something besides medical literature, text books. Despite the fact that I am on night float right now, cranky and tired.
* God I Just want to go home and sleep in my bed!!! *
I am committing to blogging at least once a week. Hopefully from a bonafide commitment- phobe this will last. * shrugs shoulders*

Anyway I recently read "Girl on the Train." I saw the trailer and was very intrigued. Although I do roll my eyes on the  new "gone girl genre." It just seems like there are a series of psychological thrillers  with "girl" in the title being released in the past two to three years with close similarities to Gone Girl.

For instance,

Girl on the Train
The Good Girl
Luckiest Girl Alive.

You get my drift.

The hook of the these novels always includes something like this "Hailed as the next Gone Girl, with a breathtaking, mild blowing, gripping, "insert another overly dramatic description here."

Please yall publishers need to stop this;. Stop it. Stop it.

It just sets these other novels for failure because the reader is going into the novel with expectations that sometimes cannot be met. You aint Gillian Flyyn.

Its actually interesting how we all try to duplicate success or be associated with it.

As my fellow Nigerians would say "Please God make me a point of reference. Make me a Gone Girl."

I read two novels in the new "girl" genre. Girl On The Train (GOTT) and The Good girl.

Let me start with the good. I read GOTT a few weeks ago, so its not as fresh in my brain. GOTT is told from the POV of three narrators, Rachel, Anna and Megan around the same time period.  Rachel in my opinion is the more central point of view because the novel starts from her perspective. However it was intriguing to me because she is a troubled woman that is an alcoholic so her narrative perspective cannot be trusted. She lost her job and to hide the fact from her room mate she takes the train everyday at a certain time and then rides it back "after work." Its profoundly sad and cra cra at the same time. The train passes  Megan's  home everyday where Rachel spies on snippets of her seemingly perfect life. Then a murder happens, and Rachel becomes entangled in the investigation.  I really was intrigued by the premise of the novel and that is  why I  over rode (if that's a word) my "cheap skate" gene and bought it.  The whole premise of spying into a seemingly perfect life where nothing is as it seems is very relable to me. I constantly remind myself that Instagram life is not real life, its a seemingly perfect overly rehearsed snap shot that I have to stop comparing my life too. But that's a post for another day. GOTT got me guessing till the very end and I would like to think I am very good at figuring out the "whodunit". I figured it out right before the reveal.  I really enjoyed the extra layer of unreliable narrators because as the reader I could never trust that what I was being told was an accurate narrative. I know other people find this problematic but for me its quite enjoyable. GOOT was a solid novel, not quite Gone Girl but close.  The only con of the novel for me would be the ending felt rushed and although it was a psychological thriller the ending wasnt particularly uplifting. It was borderline depressing.


Now moving on to The Good Girl  

Mia is the black sheep daughter of wealthy Judge Dennett. She meets a guy Colin at a bar and goes home with him, thinking he will be a one night stand as there is a palpable attraction between them. It turns out he was sent to kidnap her by some unsavory characters who plan to demand a ransom from her father.  Colin decides to have a guilty conscience midway in the kidnapping (terrible timing) and takes her to a deserted cabin instead of the designated drop off. The story is told from the pov of Eve (Mias mom), Colin and  Gabe (detective assigned to the case.) The pov alternates between before and after the kidnapping for each character. This could be problematic for some readers but I didn't have a problem with this. However , I kept reading the novel hoping for the "twisty roller coaster" twist that had been promised by the novel description and the the reviewers. By the time I got to 3/4 of the book I didn't care and when the "twist" came I was only mildly surprised.  I also did not particularly relate to any of the characters ; as a result, I was not invested in them. The Good Girl was not as good as  GOOT and Gone Girl outflanks the novel in all areas of comparison. Maybe it was a little bit to slow to warm up for me....actually the novel never warmed up it trudged tepidly to the climax at the end.

Live Fearless Folks, until next time.
On to night float :( *Screams in agony*

'Intelligent" Modern Christian Woman

The "intelligent" christian woman is an oxymoron of sorts in itself.  The fact is, most times christian women are not portrayed as being intelligent in the media. We are not portrayed as being complex characters with wants and needs that are mildly ambiguous or multi dimensional.

Or are these not adjectives that should be used to describe  a christian woman?  

Perhaps I should choose only descriptions from Proverbs 31.

However when I analyze the description, I do think the Proverbs 31 woman IS intelligent, driven and ambitious, or maybe that’s what I would like to thinkBut why are we not portrayed like that? And why do we not find representations of ourselves like that even in christian media?

Maybe I am not looking hard enough.  

Personally,  I have struggled with my somewhat unorthodox approach and pattern of thinking that tends to see the negatives. What everyone else sees  as excellent or moving is borderline mediocre and boring to me. Granted I am not that person who is “full of spice and everything nice.” I’m more like a coconut,  with the sweetness exposed after cracking the hard shell. I also think its an underlying arrogance within me that I am more aware of and I am working on to change. This is a sin the God particularly detest. James 4 vs 6

However I haven't been challenged to grow with what Christian  media has offered to women. Nor am I overly inspired by it. Maybe I have not done my homework and not searched for thought provoking christian female centered media.

Yes I am spiritual but I don’t want to be spiritual all the time. I want to read a magazine that deals with spiritual warfare  but also has an article about the woman making it her life's mission to provide clean water in Africa. Or where I could get the best Mac makeup deals. Or style choices for date night. Or the story of the unsung single woman (another blog for another day.) .

I think stories like this do not exist or if they do I can't  find them or I am not looking hard enough.  

Or if they do exist I can’t  find them all in the same place.

I have not fully worked  it out in my head. My questions are ...

Who is the intelligent Christian woman.

What does she read?

What does she want to see more in the media ?

How does she feel?

How do I strike the right balance between spirituality and frivolity?

Is it wrong she wants to spiritually grow in God and that she also knows Princess Riri has a new album out?

Intelligent christian woman is almost a misnomer.

Does it even exist in pop culture?

Are we ever portrayed as multi faceted women with many interests viewpoints and opinions? Are we ever portrayed as powerful.

Or are we portrayed as mousy women with no opinions, whose favorite pastime is to have our head buried in a bible.

Are we portrayed as women who hurt? Who bleed? Who are hurt by our christian and non christian brothers alike. Who have assistant boyfriends and associate boyfriends when we are not supposed to. Who fall? Who sin ? Who get back up again?  Who are feminist? Or is christian feminist a misnomer? Who are passionate about something? About anything? Who have dreams aspirations goals outside of getting married. I believe christian woman are a sum of different parts.

I have struggled with the definition of the intelligent modern christian woman. Maybe because I  have been guilty of having a one dimensional view  and unrealistic view  of the ideal  Christian woman myself. An extremely holy, perfect, fire brand type of woman whose wants, needs, desires and life revolves around God, the church and family.

I do know that I have seen a singular story told for the christian woman not necessarily by the christian woman.

I haven't been particularly consistent with blogging at eniolaprentice writes. I have found every excuse under the sun, valid and invalid to excuse my lack of blogging. I have to decided to go in a new direction and at the same time be committed to blogging.

To share the stories of these powerful strong women of God  I know exist on my new blog Christian Power Girl.  To write the multifaceted stories we should talk about. To write even fluff lifestyle  pieces that any christian woman  can relate with and laugh about before she heads for work.

 To celebrate women making the proverbial appearance before the king even in the smallest steps and trusting God that they will not be killed.

Believing that God will catch them when they fall.

I chose the name Christian Power Girl, because I would like to think of the modern christian woman as me,  a reformed rebel  and flawed lover of God that sometimes does not realize her own power.

I would like to think someone other woman can relate to that.

I have decided to live fearless...

Write what you want to see and stop thinking about it.