April is National Poetry Month! We appreciate all of our gifted artists in songwriting, poetry, spoken word, and more! I recently was introduced to a brother in Christ with a unique story in singleness and wanted to share one of his pieces with the BLISS fam! Meet Osagie Osareniye!
A native of Nigeria and raised in Dallas, TX, Osagie (O-sah-jay) is passionate about positively impacting society. He has been a minister of the gospel for more than 22 years. He is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Clinician, Mental Health Coach, self-published author, and spoken word artist. Osagie’s publishing company, Voices of Zion, LLC, comes from his confidence that Yahweh’s heart is clear through His people as vessels.
Osagie is known for sharing his journey as a 41-year-old virgin, encouraging others to overcome the hardships of life, and identifying and cultivating healthy relationships. “My journey of being a believing Black single man should be a TV series,” Osagie shared. “From being stalked twice to almost marrying a witch–who should receive an Oscar for playing such a convincing role as a believer–I should be in the madhouse of single brothers who did not make it!”
“One piece of advice I would give to any single is CHOOSE obedience to Abba over obedience to your flesh! Yep, my disobedience placed me in those scenarios I shared. ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus…’ Yes, may we trust and obey Him above ourselves, this fallen world, and our unseen enemies in Yeshua’s name. Grace to us all. Shalom.”
Osagie also volunteers in various ways in the community, including his passion-driven service with the Texas Juvenile Justice Dept. (TJJD) State Schools and halfway houses. Osagie has mentored youth in TJJD facilities for over a decade through his outreach ministry, G.A.I.M. (God’s Authority In Me). He also serves incarcerated adults as a volunteer with the Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).
By The Most High’s grace, he is a 3-time Presidential Volunteer Service Award recipient. He also serves as a voice for the voiceless enslaved in human trafficking and became further involved as a modern-day abolitionist through volunteering with TRAFFICK911, a Texas-based NGO existing to free youth from sex trafficking through trust-based relationships for a decade.
A more recent ministry he has aligned with for the past four years is Brenda’s Babies, an orphanage in Kenya, founded by Evangelist and Psalmist Elder Brenda Ellis. For Osagie, life is like a writing pad, and he is leaving an indelible mark pointing to The Great Creator who marked him.
Let’s get into one of Osagie’s poems which fits our platform here so well.
Black
Black-
Black, Bold-
Black, Bold, Beautiful Black Woman.
Your essence is celebrated in the heavens and though mere earthlings try—you can never be cloned.
Your presence embodies YAH’s DECREE and DECLARATION that man should not be alone. So Black woman sit on your throne. Embrace Ancient of Days’ wisdom and release fire from your bones and never ever ever tone- down- your blackness!
Your blackness is brilliance, brilliance uncontainable, immeasurable, untouchable—
Your blackness is graceful.
Your blackness soothes my soul like hymnals.
Your blackness ignites me.
Your blackness invites me to riot spiritually and wail upon a wall for your safety because I— I wasn’t there— I wasn’t able to stop the officer from slamming you to the ground. I wasn’t there to take those bullets that left you leaking on the ground. I wasn’t there to use my bare knuckle fists to plummet that molester, that rapist to the ground. I wasn’t there to save you, to protect you— even if it meant my death— I wasn’t there.
I have no time machine, but I wish in all sincerity-
I wish— I wish I could multiply me and send myself into your past, present, and future and secure your deliverance, but I’m not the Messiah- just a humbled messenger being transparent.
It is apparent that we are in need of Healing Ointment due to our first parents.
The Balm of Gilead— He dwells in eternity’s past, present, and future and
He is the Rescuer.
He is the Restorer.
He is the Resurrector.
The benefactor bestowing blessing upon you black, bold, beautiful Black woman.
Black-
Black, Bold-
Black, Bold, Beautiful Black Woman.
Copyright ©️ Osagie Osareniye 2019; Edited 2023
Thank you, Osagie, for sharing your story and work with us! If you want to connect with Osagie or see more of his works, visit his YouTube Channel and connect with him on Instagram and Facebook. Osagie also has a published book of poetry called The Journey of Love, available on Amazon!
