... My Job

Many people have been asking me what I am doing, now that I am done with school and at times I feel the urge to lie because of the quantum of questions that will follow after my answer. 

But I don't blame them because, these are stories that I had heard before and I never knew that one day, I will be the one on the other end sharing the story. You see, God is one interesting guy and my journey with Him has had its sad times and its happy times - which are like most of the times because of the way things just fall into place when you depend on Him, still learning to fully rely on Him. Get this, His ways are not our ways. 

An simple example would be, lets say when you wake up, roll out of the bed and thank God for the beautiful day then go ahead and ask Him to make it lovely... trust me, He will. You may not notice it but that day, you would get out of the house in time, on your way to catch a matatu you meet a friend who ends up paying the fare for you (that's if you're a chic and this friend is a dude #justsaying), as you walk to the office, the guy who sells sweets by the road side smiles really hard at you and  drawls "madam, si ukona handbag poa!"(madam,you have a really nice handbag), I mean, don't you think your day has started off on a very good note!!!

God clearly tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that He knows what He's doing. He has it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Did I tell you how much I love love love my job? Let me take you back to where it all began. When I stopped being a child, when I stopped talking like a child, when I stopped thinking like a child, when I stopped reasoning like a child, when I put my childish ways behind me... OK, you get my point, 

when I finished high school, my parents took to me to a certain university to do a course on youth discipleship. I didn't have a problem with it because, I mean... you can never go wrong with God. I did not put much thought into it but I have to tell you, that was one of the best things that has happened in my life. 

It was during my time there that I got to fully decide to follow Christ with all my heart. It was a painful process but worth it, I come out stronger, having to get rid of so many things that used to give me 'pleasure'... having  to start life a fresh because that is what happens when you get born again. Being born again means getting born again. 1 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!" *

After graduating from that course, being all fresh and crispy, ready to conquer the world with the skills and knowledge I had acquired from Bible school, I was given an opportunity to be part of the youth leadership at my church. Being a leader, I can, but in church, I didn't think that was my purpose from God. I would rather have a human boss than God being my boss, can you imagine!! Therefore, I chickened out because I felt that that was a very huge responsibility that I was not ready to take upon myself plus other factors. And that my friend is what you call a Jonah moment. 

And we all know what happened to Jonah, if not, look for a Bible and then take a look at the book of Jonah. It's a very short story and I promise, it will take you a maximum of an hour to read, that's if you are a sloooooooow reader like me. 
After I was done escaping, I continued on with my life and I temporarily forgot what that was all about until the other day when I was done with school. It is normal to look for a job after finishing school. Since I did not want to be left out and  seem lazy, I entered the rat race. For some reason, I was not putting that much effort as my friends were/are or what the society expects me to. ( If my dad sees this, he will kill me because I made him get me internet so that I can tarmac online :-D ) 

In my quest for a job, my Friend who is a pastor asked me what I thought about ministry, not ministry of public works, but ministry for the Lord. Something funny, that morning before he called me up, as I was doing my morning jog, the thought of working in a church had randomly crossed my mind but I brushed it off because like before, I made myself believe that was not my purpose. I guess God was laughing at me knowing what was in store for me. 

So, I asked him to give me time to think about it because this is HUGE.  I tried to forget but it kept haunting me. I could not sleep. In that moment, I remembered listening to a talk show sometime back where a certain missionary was sharing a story of how one day she could not sleep for some reason and so, she decided to talk to God and after they were done conversing, she slept like a baby. Having heard that,I decided to try this thing out and see whether it would work, though I did not know what to say but when I started praying, I felt this peace in my heart.

 I remember asking God if this opportunity is really from Him, He should show me. And He did. Have you ever heard someone tell you something and you wonder where that came from?? That happened to me, and after i realized what was happening, I knew that was from God. I guess it was time my Jonah moment caught up with me. Thank God I wasn't swallowed by a whale. Yikes!
As I write this, it's my second week as a youth ministry intern and I can tell you, I think I'll be here for a while. And so for those who will meet me and ask me what I am doing and why ministry, all I can say is that, I was given an opportunity to serve God and therefore I am working for my Lord #kingdombusiness. 

In all this, I have come to realize that His ways are clearly not my ways and when He says that He knows what He's doing. He has it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for, HE WILL DO IT!!  Now I understand why I was not in a hurry to look for a job because at some point I thought I was missing the chase and that its my laziness that had taken over my body, mind and soul. I would like to encourage you who is reading this, that when the Spirit of the Lord convicts you, listen to it and obey. You may ask how one would know, I assure you, you will know when it happens. There is joy in trusting and obeying the Lord. It comes with a good deal for life.

P.s I slept like a baby too,when I was done praying 

*Amplified Bible
Lazizi

...MISSION POSSIBLE

This morning I woke up feeling like crap, bad (as if there is a good one) headache and a bit of a stomach discomfort though it all started yesterday when I was at work… yes AT WORK. I work these days, as an intern but I believe better things lay before me my friends. I feel like I am getting a cold from someone, who… I won’t mention because I think they might read this post. Just a random thought, would you want to be friends with your boss on social media?? 

Hmmmmm, my first instinct would be a definite NO but think about it…. I won’t tell you what I think. Anyway, I have to go see a doctor in the afternoon to check if all my organs are functioning well. We thank God for doctors, I remember when I was small I used to tell people when they ask me that I would want to be when I grow up, and I would confidently yell “A doctor!”, little did I know what stood a head of me. The sight of blood just freaks the hell out of me but don’t be mistaken people, I’m still gangster.

It’s just that blood…

I just started reading the book of Nehemiah (clap for me). It’s a short Story about Nehemiah (duh), he was a cup bearer of some Persian king who lived in those days, the Before Christ days. Copy pasted from Wikipedia,A cup-bearer was an officer of high rank in royal courts, whose duty it was to serve the drinks at the royal table. On account of the constant fear of plots and intrigues, a person must be regarded as thoroughly trustworthy to hold this position. He must guard against poison in the king's cup, and was sometimes required to swallow some of the wine before serving it. I am having mixed feelings about this whole cup bearer thing, it would be fun having to eat what the king eats but what if the food is poisoned….Oh my gaaaaad!! 

So now, Nehemiah was neither a priest like Ezra nor a prophet like Malachi. He served the Persian king in a secular position before leading a group of stubborn Jews (oh my word, the Israelites walikuwa vichwa ngumu, God knew why I wasn’t their Moses or Joshua) to Jerusalem in order to rebuild the city walls. “Nehemiah’s expertise in the king’s court equipped him adequately for the political and physical reconstruction necessary for the remnant to survive." Under Nehemiah’s leadership, the Jews withstood opposition and came together to accomplish their goal. Nehemiah led by example, giving up a respected position in a palace for hard labor in a politically insignificant district. He partnered with Ezra, who also appears in this book, to solidify the political and spiritual foundations of the people. Nehemiah’s humility before God (see his moving intercessory prayers in chapters 1 and 9) provided an example for the people. He did not claim glory for himself but always gave God the credit for his successes.

For those of you on facebook , I’m sure you’ve read that  #stolen update about who knew a young black boy whose  grandmother came from… would become the president of the most powerful and all that yidi yadi yada. If you haven’t seen it, lemme know, I’ll post it on your wall! I am sure Nehemiah did not ever think that he would one day lead the people of God in a very strategic and significant way. Nehemiah recorded the reconstruction of the wall of Jerusalem, Judah’s capital city. Together, he and Ezra, who led the spiritual revival of the people, directed the political and religious restoration of the Jews in their homeland after the Babylonian captivity. Nehemiah’s life provides a fine study on leadership. He overcame opposition from outsiders as well as internal turmoil. He exercised his administrative skills in his strategy to use half the people for building while the other half kept watch for the Samaritans who, under Sanballat, threatened attack (Nehemiah 4–7). As governor, Nehemiah negotiated peace among the Jews who were unhappy with Persian taxes. He exhibited a steadfast determination to complete his goals. Accomplishing those goals resulted in a people encouraged, renewed, and excited about their future.

This whole story kept me thinking about myself. Has God place me somewhere strategically in order to fulfill his purpose? To be honest, that idea has NEVER crossed my mind, not that I live my life aimlessly. Don’t get it twisted, I do know I’m on a mission in this life but some things are nowhere in my RAM but I am glad that God has placed this one. And I hope you too, get to think about it. Do you think you’re in that work place coz of the skills you acquired from school and you need money, money, money, money? Do you think you’re in that church coz it is your needful act as Christian to attend church on Sunday? Do you think you were born in that family coz it is nature that your parents did the needful to act on God’s command to fill the earth?  Do you think you’re friends with some people because some forces made you become close? Or don’t you think it is God’s design for you to be strategically place there, so that you can fulfill his purpose. 

May it be that house help in your house, who always reads the Bible to tell your children about the stories that God has written in his Holy book so that they can grow up respecting God and you, the parents. She might be intimidated that she is just the help, but God gives her the strength to continue with the mission of spreading the gospel. You might feel like you’re not significant in so many ways, in your family, your church, your work place, your circle of friends, your Bible study group but I have something to tell you. You are significant in God’s eye. He installed a GPRS system in you the moment you decided to belong to Him.

 And whatever you do to glorify His name like giving that blind guy who normally plays hymns on his harmonica a ten shilling coin (not One bob, coz 1 bob cannot buy anything, Mr. Berry ilipanda bei, it’s two bob these days, just in case you didn’t know), it is significant.

Everyone is on a journey, to same, it may be a bed of roses but to some, it may be the thrones in the rose bush. I always say that in this life, nothing is permanent. It will reach a time that you will be on the roses or on the thorns but all in all, lets always have in mind,God, he will make your mission possible. I need to tell Tom Cruise that…ha!

Be blessed :-)

... it's who I am

I finally decided to revive my blog because so many people have been asking me what happened. I had been trying to ignore that whole part of me but it keeps haunting me like a house sleeper cells. *sigh

Makes me feel sad about myself because it is who I am, I always give up. I gave up writing because I thought it's only my friends who would read it because I would tell them to but I came to find out that other people actually read. Not to flatter myself but that kinda shocked me and at the same time made me happy! Some random guy from church who I didn't know was my friend on Facebook because I'm those people who would accept a friend request if you have at least one mutual friend of which, I discovered is a dangerous move. *yikes

asked why I stopped writing. Anyway, lemme stop digressing, my main reason why I decided to come back to one of my loves is because I decided to make a choice to change. One wise man told me *ehem my boyfriend... that we tend to make excuses that we have weaknesses yet it is who we are. Excuses like I am not so good at this and this because of this and that, oh I can't do this because of whatever reason but its actually who we are. and I'm sure some are wondering "..is that a problem?"

I think it is. I would tell people that one of my weaknesses is that i always give up on things if they don't go my way, or I tend to relax on my zeal for God when things become good, when i don't have issues. Don't you think that is a problem.

Yes!!! I've always wanted to use this..hehehehe. anyway...back to what I was saying. I think its a very big problem if you have things in your life that you need to change. For example me, being less aggressive on having hunger and thirst for God's word affects my relationship with God, and that's a HUGE problem. This decision should be personal, not because of what other people would say but because it is your own choice and that it would make you a better person :-).

I have decided to start blogging again, because my personal journey with God had started to digresss and blogging used to make me think alot about God all the time because I would always look forward to telling guys about what My Lord has done for me and this kept me in check. So, to the people who've been asking me about my writing, you have been haunting my heart and I thank you and guess who's back!!

Pray with me, as we continue with this journey. I had missed you. Food for thought, 

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” 

― Leo Tolstoy

Till then lets spread the word of God like Christ did. Be blessed .