Pastor Tobi Odukoya, the daughter of the late founders of Fountain of Life Church, Pastor Taiwo and Bimbo Odukoya, has recounted the passing of her parents.
December 10, 2023 made it 18 years since her mum was involved in the ill-fated Sosoliso plane crash in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, which ended her life the next day, December 11, 2005.
Tobi's father remarried in 2010 but lost his wife, Pastor Nomthi Odukoya, after a two-year battle with cancer in November 2021. He also bid farewell to the land of mortals on August this year.
In a lengthy post on Instagram, Tobi said that she blamed God for the death of her mum.
She wrote, “I was 15 when I lost my mum, and for the years that followed I struggled with my faith. I was angry with God. I blamed Him for what happened. I found it difficult to find joy in the things of God and in my heart, I turned away from Him. My anger prevented me from processing my loss during that time.
“18 years later I lost my dad. This time around my grief process felt different. For one, I had learned that while blame was a natural reaction to loss, it did a huge disservice to my healing. Blame changed my perspective of God. I saw him as unjust and this made it difficult to experience His goodness."
(Pastor Taiwo Odukoya. Image source: Instagram)
She added that her decision to trust in God gave her comfort. She also encouraged others who are going through trials that God is always there to see them through.
In her words, “Deciding to believe God is good in all things helped spark curiosity in me to find His goodness in the loss of my dad. I would sit in silence as worship music played and listen out for the voice of God to help me work through my grief. I experienced God’s comfort. He gave me peace.
“The Bible says in Psalms 23:4 that when we walk through the darkest of valleys these experiences won’t drown us because God will be with us comforting and protecting us. God’s goodness is not experienced by going through life pain-free.
"His goodness is experienced in how He shows up for us in our pain. He says He will give us peace, strengthen us, and lift us up. So know this today, you will get through whatever pain comes your way with God by your side.
“If you don’t have a relationship with God, today is a good day to start. Say this simple prayer: Dear God, I need You. Thank You for giving your life to me so I can be saved. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
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