S3 Ep. 221 Journey of a Gospel Star: Noella’s Story

Speaker 1: I'm not, don't worry, I'm excited, as usual. Super energy, uh, yes, always exciting coming in here and having amazing discussions. So before we do anything, yes, we need to start with those words good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good, everything, wherever you are on the surface of the earth joining me on the world cafe live show. You know it? Yes, why? This is the space where we come in to lean on one and others experience, to forge a positive path, and I've come with positive energy today. I have an amazing, amazing, amazing episode today. Do you know why? Because I'm not alone. Yesterday I have a guest on the show. Uh, she's been here before. You've not seen her face maybe. You've seen her face maybe, but we are excited having her here. You know how we do it on the show. I'll just say one or two things about her and I will call her in and we'll start talking and she will introduce herself and we'll pick it up from there. Yes, her name is Noela and she's a singer and she's a minister of the gospel and she's everything good. That's the truth and welcome to the show. Speaker 3: How are you? I'm very well. Speaker 1: Good to see you again on this show. I know the last time you came it was virtual, but I told myself no, now that we are in a physical space, we need to have her back on the show. Thank you, I feel the show. Thank you, I feel so honored. Thank you, the pleasure is ours , it's ours. So who is this personality called Noela? Let's get to meet her. Speaker 3: Whoa. Okay, so who is Noela? Noela is a Christian, believes in Jesus Christ, believes in the Trinity, believes in the virgin birth, believes in the second coming of jesus. Gospel minister, gospel music minister and recording artist. Um, I'm nigerian and I was born here okay um, travel to two continents outside of the african continent. Okay, and, and I would say, my journey has been quite an interesting journey. Yeah. And I can only thank God for sustaining me up until this point. Speaker 1: Beautiful. Speaker 3: Because, when I look back, I just imagine that the enemy just wanted to take me out , and it reminds me of a story that my dad told me once. I think I was about three or five months old and there was a rainstorm and he had kept me on the bed in the bedroom to rush out and go and do something. And then, when he came back and picked me up, barely five seconds after he did that, a rock, a large rock, came crashing from the roof, wow, and landed right where you were I was lying, you know, and you know, every time I remember that story and I remember what my journey has been like. I'll be like, okay, god surely does, does have a massive plan that the enemy is obviously aware of and he keeps trying to, you know, intercept or stop. But you know we are more than conquerors, through Christ and and it's been quite a journey, but I thank God that I'm here and I'm still burning on a shining light for Jesus. Speaker 1: Amazing, I like the way you'm here, good, and I'm still burning and shining lights for Jesus. Amazing, I like the way you put it. I like the way you put it, like you know who you are and you know whose Whose I am, yes, you belong to. So that gives you that confidence and it's good. Speaker 3: Thank you. Speaker 1: You did a song, you redid a song, rather, recently. Mortal man Mortal. Speaker 3: Man, Awesome God. Speaker 1: Awesome God. I know that song has been out there. Guys, go listen to the song, you know. But I want to start from there. Speaker 3: Okay. Speaker 1: The story around that song. You know there are certain songs you hear, you know it. They are not just classics, they are timeless. They are like capsules encapsulating that energy and each time you open the capsule or you open that whatever container, there's this fragrance that exudes from it and that's what it is. So tell us about Mortal man Awesome God. Speaker 3: Oh, mortal man, Awesome God. It, and that's what it is. So tell us about mortal man, awesome god. Oh, mortal man, awesome god. I believe that that was just um , a sound that I was privileged okay, you know to receive. I believe there are several heavenly sounds that a number of us, god's children, especially those of us without songwriting and singing talents there's a lot that we can receive when we rightly position ourselves. So I would say Mortimer Nelson, god is one of such sounds, because I don't think, as at the time I received it, I realized or I knew the magnitude of what I had received. So the Bible says that we have this treasure in earthen vessels , that the excellency of the power be of God and not of us. To you know, explain to everyone , or to teach everyone who listens to it, that you know, without God you're just mortal. But when the awesome God comes into the equation, you know, just like the scripture I quoted , that the excellency of the power will be of God and not of us. Something happens when we allow God into our space, into our minds, into our lives, into our hearts. You know, in scripture, because I believe in the second coming of Jesus, the Bible tells us that when he comes, that immortality will swallow up mortality. But the good news is, while it is perfected, when he comes again, it begins now for everyone who receives the life of Jesus, his eternal divine life. You know, the Bible tells us in john 3, 16 that for god to love the world yeah, he gives only begotten son that whosoever, whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. So I think, or not, I think, I would say that encapsulated in that song is the pure message of the gospel. Yeah, and you know, the message of the gospel is one is one message that god will ever bless , the message that jesus came yeah to save you is a message that will, wherever it is preached, it is blessed yeah you know, and I and I believe that that is the the secret behind um , how far and why that song has gone, and the impact, because whenever I read the testimonies you know I go on my youtube channel and I and I read testimonies I'm always so humble that I know it's not just really about me yeah you know, it's about the message that you have vowed to bless wherever it is, it is taught, wherever it is shared, whether it is in word or in song, true, true you know so amazing. Speaker 1: I know that song is more than 15 years old, because that's not it. This is not the first time we're hearing it you know, this is not the first time. Speaker 3: It was released in 2013. That was when I launched my album. I launched it in August 2013. And then I did not release the video or release the song online until 2015. Okay, yeah, so my, my papa I call him Papa Chris Morgan. He was very. I can't tell the story of this song without my papa. I call him Papa Chris Morgan. He was very. I can't tell the story of this song without you know, without mentioning his name, because I had an eight track album, okay, and I was. I met him in the studio where I was working on the songs and he he suggested that, okay, let's have one or two promo tracks from this album. I will listen to it and suggest which of the tracks we will promote ahead of the album. Okay, you know. So he listened to the track and he chose two songs this mortal man or some god, and one other song, which happens to be the title of the album, is called wealthy places. Okay, you know. So we went about, you know, distributing the promo cds, you know, in in radio stations and and all of that. And whenever I got the opportunity to minister live, I will do that song. So god started to, you know, cause it to spread um. And then when the album fully came out you know pastor chris was pastor chris morgan was also instrumental in mass producing the cds then it wasn't such a popular thing, you know, to publish your song online on digital streaming platforms, you know. But I think god just granted me favor with him yeah and his wife. You know um and when it was time , we shot the video. Yeah. For the first time in 2015. Okay, but you know like it is with a lot of first time ventures. The song was loaded, but you know that song couldn't play on a lot of TV stations because of the quality. Yeah, they couldn't. You know they couldn't play on a lot of um tv stations because of the quality. Okay, yeah, they couldn't, you know, they couldn't really use it. I remember one of the scenes we were in a very sandy place and sand got into the lens of the camera. There was nothing they could do , so we just, you know, shot the the scene like that. So we had that limitation with the first video, but it kept on blessing lives. People watch it and they will talk about how the song had blessed them, you know. And the harassment holy harassment began when people started to reach out to me we need to have a remake of this song. We need to have a remake of this song, something that captures the contemporary sound. And you know your growth over the years, because if you watch the first video and you watch the newly released video, there is a huge difference, you know. You can tell that I have grown. The straw that broke the camel's back was when we had an Afro pop concert in our local church. Speaker 1: Is that a stage? Speaker 3: Yes, local church, Sunday Bible church. Yes, yes, that was. That was stage and you know it attracted a lot of people music, gospel, music artists. You know lovers of Afro gospel, Afro pop and Don Sam. I know a lot of us. You may not know his name, but you know his song. I this kind God, another one who do you know. So he accosted me and said my sister, what is going on? When are we going to do this song again? You know, and you know when he had a conversation with me. Honestly, if I was partially convicted about taking a step that made it 100%, that made me 100% convicted, and because I wanted to be accountable. Luckily, my friend who was with me captured that moment on video and I posted it on Instagram and I said I'm putting this here so that I can remember that I owe God and his people something that's good, you know. So that was how we started. We started with the plans. In fact, everything about the execution of that project was a testimony, because by the time the invoices came in, I was like what this is serious. But you know, god is faithful and we started to take baby steps of faith. You know baby steps of faith and I just trusted God that, regardless of whatever baby steps we took, that he will bless it and amplify it, which is what he's good at doing anyway, you know, and we shot the video Towards. When we shot the video, I started to have health issues. Both of my parents had strange illnesses. I began to suck up my resources and that was the period that we had. What was this thing that happened? I don't remember what happened that day, but there was limited movement that period. Speaker 1: That was within the city of Abuja. Speaker 3: Within the city of Abuja. So in fact, some of the people I invited for the live recording that day, they said they will not be able to make it because they wanted to observe the security situation. So I said, okay, god, we're just going to go. You know, moses said when he was going to lead the children of Israel from Egypt to Canaan. He said all I want is for your presence to go with me. If your presence is not going, I don't want to go. And honestly, the reason I continued with that was because I was so sure that God had sent me on that assignment. I saw it like an assignment. I didn't see like just another project. I saw it like an assignment and everything that was happening. My voice was under attack. Okay, I was taking everything. I took ginger, I took cola, I took lozenges, I took all sorts of things, you know. But I still had that. There was this roughness to the voice and I said whatever it is , lord, I just know that so long as you're with me, we'll be okay. You know, and we had that amazing time. I know like it is with live recording. Sometimes the producer will say cut, let's start again. I never felt like, ah, this one that we just had. I was so anointed. No, I just knew that the spirit of God was within and upon me. No matter how many takes we had , it will come out powerfully because we were not acting, you know so that was were not acting . Yeah, you know, so that was how it happened. Speaker 1: Great, Now I know you each time you talk about your story. Speaker 3: Yeah. Speaker 1: You know this is a huge piece of it. Speaker 3: Huge piece, yes. Speaker 1: You know and I remember I don't know if you like to talk about that Noela story there's something that always, each time you talk about Noela- for those of us who know her. She's been through, but she doesn't look it. Speaker 3: Yes, would you like to talk about it on the show? Yeah, absolutely, yeah, so, um, so it's been so amazing. So, um, my, my album was launched in 20, 2013. That was the same year I got married. Okay, yeah, I got married. In fact, I got married. I launched the album in 20, 13 august. My traditional wedding was two weeks after and then my church wedding was like another two weeks after or so, so it just seemed like a lot of good things were happening at the same time , you know. And then I relocated from kaduna , where I was and where I launched the album, and I relocated to binwe state, where I started to make my home with my husband. And then, you know, we had wanted to wait, you know, and not have children, so that we could, you know, acclimatize to one another. And before we started having children, so, eight months into the marriage, he passed, unfortunately, and you know the how do I say? Amazing now, I don't know whether that's the right word to use, but six months into the marriage, I took in. So I was two months in when he passed, but around the time he passed, I started to have signs of threatened abortion, you know . So I was trying to contain the pregnancy, of course through the help of doctors and all of that . That was the period he was sick, you know, and that was the period he passed. I still continue to have that bleeding, heavy bleeding, and you know, obviously I had to go for the burial. He was a young man and didn't want his you know cops to lie around for too long before he was buried. I went for the burial and came back again to continue treatment and to be examined by the doctors and we're like, sorry the baby didn't stay. Everything has, you know, left your womb and, honestly, that period was um, I don't know how to explain it in english language and that period was. I felt like why me? What have I done wrong? You know? I felt like why me? What have I done wrong? You know, I felt like God. Why have you let this happen? You know, all my life I have served you. I started how did I find my singing gifts as a child. My father, you know, my parents were diligent in training us in the way of the Lord. We were exposed to Sunday school sing along music. I started to sing. My parents noticed that I had the singing gift, you know, and I started to sing. In Sunday school I started to sing do special numbers in the parents' church and I continued that way all through secondary school. I was part of musical bands. In in the university I was part of, um, yeah, a musical band called young gospel singers, and okay, no, no. In the university it was seed of greatness I remember seed of greatness, before I became the music director and the fellowship where I was winners campusner's Campus Fellowship, okay, you know. So all my life I had, you know, dedicated my life, you know, and my gifts and my talents to you know, singing, singing to God, ministering to Him, singing the Word, and I couldn't understand why God would let it happen to me, you know. So it was quite a trying period but, you know, with what I know now, I know that that didn't come from God. That was entirely the work of the devil. You know, and maybe I was naive , I was just a good, good Christian girl, but you know this is warfare. So it's not just about living a holy, sanctimonious life, it's about understanding that you have an enemy yeah and that enemy is not happy that you're doing what you're doing, yeah, and you would, you know, want to contend, you know. So I started to learn all the things I could have done, like arresting thoughts, taking authority when you have dreams that don't align. You know, I'm not just. Anyway, let's just say that God has helped us on this journey and we are not where we used to be. Okay, you know, I would say that on this journey, god has helped me to be stronger and I have better understanding of the things of the Spirit. I have better understanding and you know, by and large, you know. Scripture tells us that if he had known that would happen, he wouldn't have crucified, the king of glory he doesn't know everything he only knows what he knows yes, exactly, he only knows what he knows he doesn't know the mind of Christ, he's not omniscient we also know in part but I do know that what God is working out. Yeah. He's so glorious. If he had known, he probably would not have. Speaker 1: I love that. So a lot has happened in your life that somehow, when you look at the story called Noela, yeah . There are different parts. Speaker 3: Yeah. Speaker 1: Moving parts, yeah, but when you look at them carefully, you see an image so glorious yeah, that is coming out every day. I know you're using what has happened to you as a platform to talk to single ladies yes, single men, and even men, you know, I like it to speak to that because some people would say but we know that lady to be, she's into single whatever. And now she's a singer or whatever. So speak to that, speak to that . Speaker 3: Okay, thank you so much, sir, for this. You know, when people I don't like to limit myself because I mean mean everything that god has put in me is for the benefit of somebody you know, and when I think of david, I think that he was a psalmist, okay, he was a musician, he was a shepherd boy at a point, he was a warrior at a point he was a king, so um we all have described. Speaker 1: I described david as an eclectic, eclectic I love that word. Yes, any style of music. Yeah, he's into, he's into it. So it displays the prophetic, it displays the priesthood yeah, kingship it displays the shepherd, the shepherd. So you know, you want jazz, I give to you. You want hip-hop, I give to you , you want hip hop, I give to you you want. He was an eclectic. Speaker 3: Come on, you know so and you know God is so multifaceted I mean, just look at the world around you. When we look at the world around us and we see the diverse creatures big, small, different colors, magnificent, microscopic, you know and you're like you can't live in that kind of God when he has breathed his life into me, you know. So, um, this, uh, last year, maybe 10 years that my late husband you know that was his 10th memorial and somehow I started having a passion for for singles. Actually, I had received a prophecy, you know, that I would have a passion for singles. Actually, I had received a prophecy that I would have a ministry for singles. I always thought that we don't live by prophecies, we live by the spirit of God. So in my spirit at that time, when I received that prophecy, I was like, okay, it actually there was a witness, there was an inward witness when I got that word. But I thought that that ministry would unfold when I get married. You inward witness when I got that word. But I thought that that ministry will unfold when I get married, you know, when I remarry, you know. Speaker 1: So I just prayed about it and I had always been passionate about relationships, you know, you know my relationship with Pastor Ochoa and Pastor Julia for your information, pastor Julia has been on this show and, for those of you who know him, he's our go to person when it comes to relationships, marriage and all of that. He was here with Coach Ibuka and we spent an amazing time. Speaker 3: Amazing, amazing. Speaker 1: Go on. Speaker 3: Yeah. So when Pastor Choli's ministry launched in 2015, I was privileged to be part of those who were there, and we've been on that journey up until now. I always knew that I had a passion for relationships and all that, but I didn't, like I said, I didn't know that it will happen while I'm still single. Honestly, I don't consider myself too qualified because I feel like what are you teaching when people can still see you're single? But then again, I cannot deny that there is the wisdom of God that is at work in me, wisdom that I have gleaned from his word, wisdom that comes to me through the inspiration of the holy spirits, and wisdom that has come to me through the life I have lived as what I will call a secondary single. Speaker 1: A secondary single. Speaker 3: Yes, I was single, got married. I have tasted singleness after marriage ended. Unfortunately, it was not our plan. So I would say I have seen the different sides and I have experienced a number of things, both personally and things I have seen. I have seen people that I celebrated their marriages with. Today they are no longer in those marriages. It's very painful to see those things, but again, you can see lessons along the way, things that could have been done, things that could have been corrected. So what actually broke? The camel's back me and this camel's back today. So I was on threads and I saw a lady that I know personally you know, talk about. I think I remember what she said . She said she was complaining that she's a very busy person, a self-driven woman. Yeah. And she's in a relationship and she's putting in efforts in the relationship to make it work, despite the tool that her personal life takes on her, and her partner in question is interpreting it as desperation on her part. And her partner in question is interpreting it as desperation on her part and she was so hurt that why will her effort that is not as if she cannot just so-called her energy in her personal ventures, but why will her effort into putting her relationship work be interpreted as desperation? So I was like, come, come, come , come. There is surely a gap somewhere . Yeah, you know, men obviously interpret certain things differently and women see things differently a lot of times from men. So we need to have a forum where singles come together and let's just talk and let us bridge this gap. Okay, you know so that all of this because something that you can be doing sincerely as a woman can be sincerely wrong- or misinterpreted. Misinterpreted, so sometimes we need to understand ourselves to be able to flow better. Speaker 1: It takes two actually to tango. Speaker 3: Yes, it does take two to tango. So I just said okay, singles, let us have a meeting and we'll talk. And the title of that first meeting actually was what is going on? Okay, yeah, like I just branded it what I was feeling like what is going on, let's come together and talk. So while we were planning for that meeting, I started to sense like god will have me continue with monthly meetings, oh yeah. So I had reached out to someone else who come and take the next session, because I'm not really . I only host, I don't facilitate okay, I moderate, you moderate okay yes, and I invite people who I sense have wisdom yeah, in a certain area that has that is relevant to singleness and single to come and speak. So I'd reached out to the next speaker and while we were having the first meeting, um, in that first meeting we had two guests. So the male guest was saying, while he was praying, you know, to wrap up, he said he senses that and he prays that this meeting continues. I was like, wow, this is a confirmation. So after he was done with the prayer, I I said to everyone I said listen, we already have the date and the guests and fly ready for the next meeting. And this has just confirmed that God will have us continue what I had initially thought to be a one off, so I can just talk and rant and come to an agreement on how we should conduct ourselves, you know. So this CMA will make it one year of constantly having those meetings and I would say that it has been a blessing to me personally, you know, gleaning from the wisdom of the people that we have invited. You know, I know that God has helped me a mighty long way, but it is also a blessing to just sit and have someone speak specifically to your, your, your unique circumstances as a single. Yeah, you know, not a generic thing, okay, you know. So, um, yeah, that's how the journey has been, and I get inspiration from the holy spirit to write pieces, you know, from time to time and just share and and when people read it they talk about how it has blessed them. You know, and you know the funny thing. You know, when you are into family life practice, I've noticed that you have a lot of Nicodemus followers. Of course, you will Not many people want to identify with the fact, because not everybody. I just say people just like to keep that part of their life private, the challenges they have. So you see, somebody who read your posts. They may not even say anything until maybe some months later they'll see you physically and be like hi, you're doing such a great job, your posts on this, on that session, on this, and this was such a blessing. But you will not see them engage the posts online. So if we had to follow that one , maybe we would have closed them. But we are not doing it for the likes and the comments. We are doing it because we know that this has been spoken concerning us and, at the end of the day, what you want to hear is well done thou good and faithful servant, amazing, amazing. Speaker 1: so we, you know we live in a generation where we have a lot of counseling going on. You know counsel culture and all that, and we have people who are at crossroads. Speaker 3: Yeah. Speaker 1: It's like, confused and what do I do? But like I always encourage myself and whoever cares to listen, god, not a order of confusion yeah if you're confused, it's not of god. So we begin to have people within the body around us who begin to shine their light to take away that confusion yeah bring clarity, bring, and that is what I think you're doing, added to what you've been doing. Like I said, people, we know how to be a singer, but again, this is God now telling you beyond the singing, she has this activity or this assignment. I have for her, which is also fulfilling, and the truth is, the impact is being felt. You know it's being felt and, uh, I know you're very busy if we, like I. Before we started I told you talking or discussing certain topics, time freezes and, before you know it, time is time is gone and all of that. So what's the plan for the future? Maybe we'll end with that. Speaker 3: A plan for the future . Honestly, because of how my journey has been, I don't like to talk about plans for the future because God just has a way of shocking somebody. But in the immediate term, I will release at least one more song this year. Speaker 1: Oh good. Speaker 3: Yeah, I feel I have been through a journey and I think that God will have me sing more to that. All right. Yeah, having its roots in the world, of course, but I will sing that song. Speaker 1: Okay. Speaker 3: I have sung it, it will be released, and the title of that song that I'm referring to is Let them Talk. Speaker 1: Then go talk, but let them talk. Speaker 3: Yes, good, let them talk Good. I look forward to the release of that song. Because, that song has blessed me personally, so I think I will just keep it at that. Let me not say too much. Okay. So people can look out for that. All right For that song All right. Let them talk With singles time out. I mean, we have a clear path ahead of us. Our monthly meetings will continue and I encourage everyone who gets to watch this. Great If you're single, follow us, great. If you're no singles, tell them to follow us because there is a call. Great, yeah, thank you sir. Speaker 1: Amazing guys. We've been discussing with Noella and, uh, you will agree with me, it's been an genuine vulnerable. There's this what I describe it energy, positive energy that comes out of it when you get in touch or contact with it. You, you, you are imparted upon and that's what noella has done on the show today with us telling us about her journey, her her musical journey, how challenges has taught her, has opened her up to the truth and wisdom of God and she's been navigating and all of that. You will agree with me, you are , I am, all of us encouraged with this story. But before I let her go, I'd like you to look into that camera, speak to that person, that person who is watching now, that needs to hear those words ok. Speaker 3: So whoever you are that is watching right now and you feel like your life has no meaning and you feel like there are words of prophecy spoken over you and you're wondering how will these things be? I'd like to say to you that God has never failed anyone and we have countless testimonials and testimonies. I would say keep your eyes on Jesus, keep your eyes on his word. Fix your gaze on him, because once you start to observe the winds and the storms and the circumstances surrounding you that seem to be contrary, you will lose focus and begin to sink. But you won't sink because right now you're listening to me . All you just need to do is to call on jesus and ask him to help you. I can bet you that your story must turn around, so don't give up. There are several destinies that are tied to you, and for the sake of those ones that will look one day with hope and say it's because of you that I am standing today, do not give up. God is with you and he won't fail you. Speaker 1: God bless you you hear that he is with you and he won't fail you. How do I end today's show? It is pretty solemn. Yeah, today's show is solemn, but listen, it is in those quiet moments we hear the whisper of divinity. Those quiet moments we hear him clearly. You know, and that is what has happened on the show today. Well, I wish I could keep her here for the conversation to go on and on, but I need to. You know, let her go and, uh, wherever you are on the surface of the earth listening, go ahead , follow us. You know, I will say this before my producer will give me a knock. You know, our social media handles are there facebook, instagram, uh, what else now? Tiktok linkedin. Youtube is our channel. You know, follow us. And again, go listen to that song mortal man, awesome, awesome, god, trust me, trust me , you jump. If you're sitting, you will jump. If you're lying down, you will jump. If you're jumping, you keep jumping. That's the truth. Alright, then, till I come here again, you know how we do it on the show. This is the place where we come in to lean on one another's experience, to forge a positive path. Till I come here again. My name is Amakri. Amakri Sobo.