BusinessDay 06 April 2018

3
BUSINESS DAY
‘Follow God’s purpose
and not yours’
OMILOLA OSHIKOYA
On Saturday 17th of March,
2018, we launched the
French edition of The
Richer Woman : La Femme
La Plus Riche, in Abidjan, Côte
d’Ivoire at a youth conference. All
the books we took, both French
and English were sold. I saw the
hand of God first hand. My printer
wasn’t able to deliver the books
before I travelled due to circumstances
beyond his control. We
had a strict deadline. The book
was translated in about 2 weeks
(it should have been a month)
and so I wasn’t sure if I was still
going to launch the books and I
therefore thought perhaps God
just wanted me to minister at the
youth conference.
Thank God for my husband of
great faith. He followed up with
the printer to ensure he delivered
the books that night. The dilemma
we faced was that we weren’t sure
we would find someone to carry
the books (this wasn’t a popular
route). The airline said they can’t
carry books unaccompanied and
also because people are very security
conscious, we also weren’t
sure anyone would want to carry
them. Plus it’s kind of not the
preferred option to ask people for
help at the airport. Plus books are
also heavy. We thought of sending
by cargo but the books won’t have
arrived till Monday. So my hubby
carried the books in a hand luggage
and went to the airport that
morning.
As he was walking, someone
called him. It was someone we
knew and they got talking. You
won’t believe she was going to
Côte d’Ivoire that morning and
carried the books on my behalf.
That angel in the form of a human
being is @nikemajek.living.
Like this could only have been
God. God had gone ahead of us.
It’s things like this that should
remind me to just rest in God
because #thericherwoman is His
book and He would do what He
has to do to ensure it gets to the
people He wants to reach, impact
and transform.
Oh Gosh! If only I had more
faith and asked Benosh to pack
more books. We sold out and people
were asking for more copies. I
hope this encourages you to trust
God and rest in Him. Ask Him
where He is at work and where He
wants you to join Him. There are
books in Heaven that God wants
to birth in the earth. Follow God’s
purpose and not yours.
On Sunday 18th of March, I
went to the main church of Burning
Bush Ministries for Sunday
service. Hmmm I didn’t know
God was taking me to one of
the most influential churches in
Abidjan. I kept asking God why
He brought me there. I was blown
away. The presence of God was so
real. I missed praise and worship
but even during offering, the move
of the Spirit of God was real. I was
wrecked. I couldn’t stop crying.
I was expectant because first of
all, I had seen a vision of burning
ATUNYOTA ALLELUYA AKPOBOME (ALIBABA)
Ace Comedian, Content Originator, Writer
trees before I went to Abidjan and
I didn’t know the name of the ministry
is Burning Bush Missions.
Also, the day before during lunch,
Marya had told me some of the
signs and wonders that occurred
during the war which ended in
2011. They were practically the
only church that opened during
the war. One day, rebels visited
the church and tried to break in
but couldn’t so they asked two
ushers to kneel down. They put
guns in their mouths and shot
but the guns wouldn’t fire. They
removed the guns and shot in
the air and the guns fired. They
put the guns back in the ushers
mouths and shot again but the
guns wouldn’t fire. They removed
the guns again and shot in the air
and the guns fired. At this point
the rebels ran away. They shared
even more amazing stories. There
is power like in the book of Acts.
Another profound thing is that
they have an orphanage where
they take care and educate hundreds
of children especially children
orphaned by the war. Marya
and her family are true daughters
and sons of God. I still don’t know
why God took me there. I feel like
He showed me His hidden treasure.
There are still people who
serve Him whole heartedly. Like
Moses I met God at the Burning
Bush Missions.
The Richer Woman book is the
true story of a young woman’s pursuit
of wealth, taking her on a journey
of career validation, personal
identity, marital conflict, adultery
and spiritual enlightenment, and
leading her to the discovery of
true wealth and purpose. The
autobiographical debut is packed
with wealth and life-coaching
tips to help every woman live the
Richer life: a truly well-rounded
life that is successful, without the
need to compromise on personal
relationships in order to gain financial
success.
Friday 06 April 2018
WOMEN’S HUB
Susan Hilburger,
brain cancer survivor
My name is Susan Hilburger.
I am 40 yearsold
and a native of Buffalo,
N.Y. This is my story of how I
received a life altering diagnosis,
made a drastic career change,
and overcame all odds by surviving
brain cancer and becoming a
wife and mother.
Prior to being diagnosed with
brain cancer, I worked as a computer
engineer for PepsiCo in New
York City for 11 years. After leaving
NYC, I moved to Las Vegas to work
as a technical project manager for
a large casino company.
I always maintained a healthy
lifestyle with good nutrition and
exercise. My project manager
position was stressful at times,
but I accepted the stress as part
of the job.
On Super Bowl Sunday 2011,
I had a grand mal seizure. My
parents were visiting from out of
town and immediately called 911
for assistance. The paramedics
arrived and transported me to
the emergency room. The doctors
did a CAT scan and found a brain
tumour on the left parietal side of
my brain.
The medical diagnosis hit very
close to home because my sister,
a mother of three young children
as well as my grandfather both
passed away from a glioblastoma
(GBM) brain tumour. After
watching two people that I loved
go through their battle, I was
ready to face the challenge ahead.
I knew the severity of the disease
and the extensive medical treatment
that it would require.
At the emergency room, an
ER doctor referred me to a highly
regarded neurosurgeon, Dr. Kelly
Schmidt. Two days later, Dr.
Schmidt performed a craniotomy
and removed a tumor on the left
side of my brain. My tumor was
approximately seven centimeters
in diameter. I stayed in the hospital
for five days after the surgery
was performed and then began
a rehabilitation program that
lasted about two weeks.
Shortly thereafter, I was referred
to Dr. Anthony Nguyen,
medical oncologist and Dr.
Matthew Schwartz, radiation
oncologist at Comprehensive
Cancer Centers of Nevada
(CCCN) for chemotherapy and
radiation treatment. My doctors
at CCCN sent my pathology
reports to MD Anderson
and UCLA Medical Center for
further review. Upon receiving
the results, it was determined
I had a grade-4 glioblastoma
tumor (GMB). Glioblastoma
tumors spread quickly and are
the most invasive type of brain
tumor. Due to the severity of a
GBM-4, we needed to act immediately
to keep the tumour
from spreading.
I immediately started a
chemotherapy plan, which
consisted of Temodar and radiation
treatments that lasted approximately
six weeks. Temodar
is used for combatting glioblastoma
and is often paired with
radiotherapy for optimal results.
After radiation, I continued to
use Temodar for approximately
two years.
In May 2013, my treatments
ended and my cancer was in
remission, but I continue to see
my doctors at CCCN for periodic
brain scans and follow-up
appointments every three to six
months.
After experiencing such a
life altering diagnosis, I quit my
job and decided to focus on my
two passions, yoga and nutrition.
Currently, I teach yoga at
various studios, corporations
and gyms throughout Las Vegas.
This includes The Caring Place,
which provides no-cost services
such as massage, yoga, reiki,
healing bells, support groups
and so much more that help
empower and educate cancer
survivors and their loved ones. I
was a patient at the caring place
when I was diagnosed, and one
year later I was blessed to be
able to teach yoga to other cancer
survivors. I have been teaching
there for the past five years.
I am also very happy to say
that after going through this
battle, I met the love of my life
and married my husband, Juan
Carlos, in the fall of 2014. On
September 13, 2015, I delivered
a beautiful and healthy baby girl
named Gianna. I call Gianna
my miracle baby because after
weeks of radiation and enduring
years of chemotherapy treatments,
I didn’t think having a
baby was possible. I was a high
risk patient, but my pregnancy
went well and I didn’t have any
complications. I taught yoga
throughout my pregnancy up
to two weeks before Gianna was
born. She is now 8 months old!
I am extremely grateful for the
excellent care I received from my
neurosurgeon, and oncologist,
radiation oncologist and staff at
CCCN. They were like family to
me. They worked so hard to help
me beat this disease!