By Rev. Segun Ikuemonisan
It’s a huge privilege to be here today to review The Paradox of Promise by our precious Reverend Sola Adebawo – whom we all know and fondly refer to as Revo. This is my second time having this rare privilege, and I must confess I significantly struggle to stay with the book instead of talking about Revo himself, because of the immense blessing that he is.
Revo stands at that critical intersection between depth of intellectual prowess and depth of spiritual walk. Not many people can navigate both well – typically one suffers while the other thrives. But the way he straddles both, making it look effortless – that’s grace. He is truly worth celebrating!
Now let me give you just enough taste of this book to leave you with enough thirst for this book. The Paradox of Promise (with the subtitle “Navigating the tension between God’s word and your reality”) explores the challenging yet essential task of reconciling God’s promises with our often-difficult human experiences.
Here’s why these matters: Many people in their faith journey reach points of significant struggle where their inability to reconcile spiritual truths with their reality leaves them either neutralized or damaged. They’re present physically, but something inside is broken. Sometimes we are them. Like the man at the Beautiful Gate whose life was a contradiction – at the beautiful gate yet not beautiful.
People typically respond in two extremes: unfounded optimism that ignores reality, or settling into their problems so completely that even when help comes, they can’t receive it. This book opens by acknowledging that fundamental tension – divine promises existing alongside suffering, disappointment and unanswered prayers.
The paradox isn’t proof of God’s unfaithfulness or that His Word is invalid. It’s part of our faith journey. And when people can’t reconcile this, they often turn the frustration inward: “Maybe I’m the problem.” While sometimes there are issues we need to address, wearing that “problem identity” badge is itself crippling.
One of things you will experience as you go through the book is the blessing of context. You may not have the answers, but context helps. Perspective is key – we might be pushing a door when we should be pulling because we lack context. This book provides that crucial perspective shift. It doesn’t solve all mysteries, but positions you to have better conversations with God about your situation.
One more gift you will see from this book is the power of commonality and communality. Commonality comforts because seeing others face similar struggles reduces that feeling of being uniquely targeted. It demystifies the pain. But communality goes further – it’s where we share the vital context that actually helps, like when Revo shares his personal journey through these tensions. It is so reassuring and refreshing when you read the experiences of a person who has walked through what you’re dealing with and has come out with testimonies that inspire hope.
What makes this book special is the author’s vulnerability. If you know him, you know he’s one of the realest people. Where others put up fronts, he shares openly. That’s why his words land with such power – he writes not as a detached teacher but as a fellow traveler who knows what you’re dealing with. His vulnerable and authentic, yet scripture-rich approach makes this an essential reading for any believer navigating the gap between promise and reality.
Many people are stuck trying to force their life story to follow some predetermined plot. But this book helps you stop struggling to control the narrative and instead partner with God in the paradox. Like Isaiah 45 where God holds Cyrus’s hand in battle – the battle remains, but now there’s divine advantage.
Rev. Adebawo ends the book with a stirring call to legacy-building faith – measuring success by faithfulness, not outcomes, and impacting generations through persistent trust in God’s promises.
This book is a profoundly practical guide for maintaining vibrant faith when life doesn’t match expectations.
This is why I’m so excited to present The Paradox of Promise – a book for all seasons, but especially crucial for today. If you minister to teenagers or Gen Z who have questions religion has silenced, this provides the connection between their reality and genuine faith.
With great joy and honor, I present this gift to the body of Christ – Reverend Shola Adebawo’s The Paradox of Promise. Please, do everything to get your copy. Thank you and God bless you
