I Shall Again Praise Him!

Psalm 42:5 says “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God”

It’s incredible how God leads us in and out of the seasons in our lives. And with each new season; He prepares us for what it is we may need to face. I would say that the last 10 months or so have been an extremely trying season in my life in the area of my job/workplace/career. It has been marked with a lot of frustration. The entire time my prayer was for God to open new doors of opportunity and to rescue me out of that situation. Of course, there was no radical rescue plan that came from above. In about October 2015, I felt as though I had reached my breaking point; and I thought surely God this has to be it. I can’t do this anymore. Still no rescue/exit plan… I remember telling a close friend of mine that I guess God was not yet “releasing” me from this situation. And by His grace I guess I was given enough wisdom to not try to make it happen for myself. I’ve learnt in my life experience especially in the last 12 yrs that it is so important to allow God to lead where he desires us to be. When we make our own plans; they are almost guaranteed to lead us down a path that takes us away from what God has intended for us.

So I closed out 2015 with a lot of stress; a great level of complaining; even more frustration that my situation was not changing and God was not doing anything to “get me out” of this thing that was causing me so much angst.  I felt under immense pressure. Leading a small business I felt as though the staff were against me. I felt myself becoming a sort of “Boss-zilla”, being very short with people; lacking patience, and generally not really being the person Christ has called me to be. Though I was praying; remaining in the word; listening to great teaching; I was becoming the person Paul describes in 2 Timothy 3:5 “…having the appearance of Godliness, but denying its power”(ESV). 2016 rolls in, and I decided to take a week’s break and recalibrate as it were; and prayerfully ask God what he desired for me in terms of my work/career. And also ask Him for forgiveness for the bad attitude I had developed over the course 2015; and wanting to have a refreshed outlook for 2016. On the 10^th of January 2016 Pst Vusi Nkosi preached a convicting and challenging word on Brightening the Corner where God has placed you. Two weeks later Pst Kevin  Ward preached on Vessel of Honour. In his sermon he spoke of work as tool design to fashion us; shape us; reveal our heart and mould our character. “The enemy of success is ease”. I took both these sermons to heart and as I had started at the beginning of the year continued to prayerfully seek God and his plan concerning me in my workplace.

On the 28^th of January 2016 I had to confront the biggest challenge of my short career to date. Something that on the surface had the power to unravel me and all that I had achieved in the past 9 yrs; something that was going to ruin my reputation. It felt as though I had been coasting along and suddenly the ground had given way and in front of me was a chasm which I could not cross. My initial reaction was one of stomach-churning-fear. A state of mind where every horrific scenario imaginable starts to play out in our minds. I had hit the proverbial “brick-wall”. This lasted for 3 days. On the 3^rd day; feeling all cried out and emotionally spent; I remember waking up early to pray; and at the end of that quiet prayer time; I felt a new resolution. Though I was in a crisis; one could say the crisis of my career; I decided that I would face it head on; and through the Holy Spirit and grace of God I would encourage myself in the word, and remind myself of what it says. That morning was a turning point; a turning point in a heart attitude and a turning point in my outlook.

The last month, I can only describe the happenings in my life so far as my work is concerned as a BATTLEFIELD! The Spiritual War that we often hear spoken about from the pulpit; the Ephesians 6:10- 21 battle; the 2 Corinthians 10:4 battle. It has been the storm of Mark 4:35. As I type this I am extremely grateful that God’s grace is sufficient and that His strength is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). I am grateful that he has reminded me that the battle is not mine, but it is His (2 Chronicles 20). I am grateful that “...by day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life” (Psalm 42:8 ESV). That I have been able to continue to declare his praises in spite of how I feel, and what I see. Even as I type this; my situation is not yet resolved; the chaos still swirls around me. I am especially grateful that in His wisdom he has systematically been a laying a foundation in my life through his word. It would seem that almost every sermon I have been listening to in the past few months has been a word in season. I have come to realise that so often we pray amiss; because we are clouded with frustration and angst; we are not effective in or prayers because we do not willingly choose to go deeper in the things of God where He is able to aid us through his Holy Spirit to discern what the real problems actually are; or their root causes. In the past week I have come to appreciate that we can pray for the symptoms of a circumstance to change; the tangible aspects; yet I believe that God would have us rather pray for the things “which are not seen” to change. The underlying issues that give rise to the circumstances. And when we avail ourselves to this “invitation” I truly believe that is when we shall see the truth of James 5:16 – That the fervent prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (ESV)

I have decided to pen this short snippet of my journey so far today because I believe that as I testify even during my storm (because it is not yet over); I shall overcome through the words of my testimony (Revelation 12:11) Exodus 14:13 says “Fear not, stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today…”. Often times we only want to testify at the end of the storm; when we are victorious on the other side. Yet I believe that God desires for us to see and be grateful for ALL the victories along the way; and testify as we continue to walk, and continue standing firm in the power of his might. Sometimes the victory is not about how the situation/circumstance is changed; but more about what changed in us as we were faced with such situations. I have come to realise the truth of what we’re taught from the pulpit that what matters most is the condition of our hearts. Who are we becoming as a result of the situations God allows in our lives to shape and mould us? I can’t purport to know how the physical circumstances of my particular situation will / will not change. I am praying and trusting God to resolve it in a way that will best bring Glory to Himself. BUT I do know that the Holy Spirit is working in me to change ME as result of them. I do know that every day I am consciously present in making the decision “Faith vs Flesh”. I do know that as I look back over recent months, God has been preparing me despite my foul attitude for such a time as this; so that He can be glorified in and through me. I can go on and on about how enriching this experience has been for me (so far) in these last few weeks since 2016 began. I do want to share that I hope others will be encouraged to scratch below the surface of the trying circumstances they may be facing. For me my faith battle is playing out in the workplace/job/career front; it could be different for someone else. I do sincerely believe that we are being called to a new level of faith and maturity in our walk with Christ both as individuals and as a church family. We all have been strategically placed in situations which will beckon us to respond in Faith and hope; and for the Glory of God in that place/situation/circumstance.

My final encouragement is from James 1: 2 – 4 which says “Consider it a sheer gift, friends when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colours. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work, so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way” (MSG)

I close with the lyrics of a song that I have been playing over and over in the past 10 months:

For we trust in our God, and through His unfailing love;

We will not be shaken, we will not be shaken, we will not be shaken

Though the battle rages we will stand in the fight, Though the armies rise up against us on all sides

We will not be shaken, we will not be shaken, we will not be shaken

For in the hour of our darkest day, We will not tremble, we won’t be afraid

Hope is rising like the light of dawn, Our God is for us He has over come

For we trust in our God, and through His unfailing love;

We will not be shaken, we will not be shaken, we will not be shaken!

This is my prayer and declaration of faith.

Amen!

Faith and Dahlias...

It’s the 1^st of October 2013, and all I can say is “Wow!” can’t believe we just have 3 months left in this 2013 chapter.

One interest that I have been cultivating in the last year or so is gardening. Growing up, I had a front row seat to how my mom could literally transform any yard from boring to wow! She’s been blessed with a gift and understanding of plants. In my case, I think my interest has been fuelled more by the desire to have “pretty surroundings”...lol.... Nothing is more gratifying that having beautiful surrounds, esp when you have had a hand in “creating” what you see.

Anyway why all the talk about plants and gardens? Well, I’ve come to see and experience that gardening can be likened to our faith walk.  Many times we have an idea of what we’re praying and trusting God for (vision) but a lot of the time we have no idea of the process that will get us to where we want to be.

A very beautiful summer flower is the Dahlia. My mom has them in her garden every summer, and they add amazing colour and interest come December/January. They are prolific in their blooms, and they are super hardy. Now in order to get the pretty dahlia blooms, the starting point and preparation is anything but glamorous.  Firstly, these flowers grow from an ugly looking bulb/root. In fact when you look at it, it looks dead, useless, beyond redemption. Basically it’s only good for the compost heap. This very uninteresting “seed” needs to be planted into the ground, covered and left there until the first rains come.  When my mom told me how to plant these (I raided her compost heap for these roots) it definitely took a little bit of faith to believe what she was saying.  I trusted her advice because after all, she’s been an accomplished gardener for a few more decades than me. So anyway I planted these Dahlias about 5 weeks ago, and whilst I was waiting for the spring rains I decide to aid the process by watering what was to the naked eye was just a patch of dirt. 5 weeks on and I have shoots, and the excited anticipation of the colourful booms come December.

I think this is a parallel analogy of how God works with us, as far as growing and cultivating our faith is concerned.

·         Firstly, often times the preparation of our hearts is a painful and frustrating process; all the digging and tilling. As God begins to weed out what we don’t need in order to receive His best we moan, we complain, we groan. In fact we fight Him all the way. In order for us to receive the seed of his promise into our hearts, we need to allow the continual weeding and breaking of the “soil”. This aids the seed to take root and to ensure that nothing hinders its growth.

Sowing the seed. Sept 2013

·         Secondly we need to water what God has deposited in our spirits through His word, whilst holding on to His promises. Especially when it really seems like nothing is going on. I tell you in the last 5 weeks, I’ve been like a mother hen, anxiously waiting to see the first shoots of my plants. Daily; I watched over my “dry bed” for the first peak of life; watering it, willing the shoots to come through.  I found that it really stretches our faith to continue believing in the face of “nothing”. The assurance that we do have is that the seed is in the ground, and it will be a matter of time before we start to see what God is doing. It’s taken me 5 weeks to see the shoots of my plants, but I reality, it can be months, even years before we see what God has promised come into being.

Preparation often belies what is yet to come. Sept 2013

Hebrews 6: 11 – 12 says “ And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises”

The first signs of "promise". Oct 2013

·         Right now, as excited as I am to see that a lot of those bulbs really did contain life in them, I know that my flowers still have a while to go before I see them mature and start producing  beautiful colourful blooms. I need to tend and nurture them, feed them with manure, pray for more rain, watch out for diseases or white-fly; remove stubborn weeds. Basically I need to look after these plants until I see the fullness of what they can be. So often times we get excited to see God moving, that we forget that we need to remain diligent in our prayers and intercession, in our devotions; in our positive outlook. We need to remain in the word.  The parable of the Sower in Luke 8:4 does give us a warning that we need to ensure that when the seed of promise is planted in our lives, that we keep the condition of the soil of our hearts good in order to see the fruit come forth.  I’ve come to really appreciate that in the faith walk we don’t just stop when things are now going well. A saying that I read recently was

 “The amount of prayer, and struggle that it took for you to get to the place of promise; is only a portion of the of the amount of diligence in prayer you will require in order to stay there”

It’s so easy for us to become complacent once we have received that new job; bought that new house; seen our children healed or whatever form your faith battle takes on. But we can’t just be fasting and warring in the spirit when we need a breakthrough; we need to cultivate a way of life that sees us diligently fasting; praying, and interceding.  Now that I have planted Dahlias in this bed, I expect the Dahlias to be a permanent feature in my garden. It’s not just for now, all the effort that I have already put in and must continue to put in will ensure that every December/January I can experience a burst of colour in my garden.

Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen” (NKJV)

I like how the ESV puts it “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen”

A lesson I have come to learn is that the assurance and conviction that we have through faith needs to be an on-going thing. It’s not just for the battle or challenge in front of us. It needs to become interwoven into our being so that it becomes how we think, and how we act. We need to live in such a way that the evidence and fruit reveals this sustained assurance and conviction, even when it seems “nothing” is happening.

Uo-close. Dec 2013

The Promise - Beautiful Blooms! Dec 

Be blessed J

"Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word..."

“It's sad, it's so sad
It's a sad, sad situation
And it's getting more and more absurd
It's sad, so sad
Why can't we talk it over
Always seems to me
That sorry seems to be the hardest word...”

Very macabre words by one of the world’s most prolific singer/songwriter’s Sir Elton John. I grew up listening to his music, and it’s really dawned on me in recent weeks the power of these lyrics, because I too have found myself in a situation where “Sorry” does seem to be the hardest word.

 A few months ago I had a rather life-changing encounter where someone very close and dear to me said some very hectic hurtful things to me. I was devastated, and in the few weeks following that day I really struggled to get to a place of forgiving that person. Of course I knew I needed to forgive her in order to not become affected by bitterness and resentment. I knew also that I needed to forgive because that’s what a born-again spirit-filled Christian does. After all the bible encourages us to forgive others just as we have been forgiven... Yeah I knew what I needed to do, what I must do. But I was experiencing a disconnection between what I knew I had to do, and why; and the raw painful emotion that kept replaying itself. I also felt that since I was the one who was wronged, this person, let's call them *Samantha was supposed to be sorry, in fact they needed to come and SAY sorry.
Never the less day in and day out I prayed and asked God to help me to forgive Samantha.  Of course because of the magnitude of our fight, Sam and I were no longer on speaking terms, even in the presence of mutual friends, we quietly avoided each other. Friends decided to have an intervention to try and solve this impasse. By this time I had told myself that I had forgiven Sam, and when she was ready I would hear her out, keep the doors to reconciliation open... because eventually she would come around and apologise and say sorry and then we could move forward...right? Wrong! What happened instead was that Sam revealed that she was not interested in reconciliation, because she was NOT sorry. And that she felt her life was going to be better off without me. I was crushed...Of course I had just assumed that Sam would be sorry and we could just move past this blimp in our friendship. But hearing that she was not sorry, well that really got me thinking...

I went away from that meeting emotionally drained and exhausted and asking God why? Why was it hard to just get past this thing? I had done everything that I knew to do, I had forgiven... In my quest for answers it dawned on me that my idea of the resolution to this issue was for Sam to come to me and be sorry, and ask for my forgiveness. It hadn’t yet occurred to me that maybe I too needed to account for my role in the whole mess, and apologise and ask for forgiveness from her. Immediately I realised that “Yes” I had a role to play, that over the course of our friendship, I could have done things differently, and I could have been a better friend, less judgmental; less self-absorbed. I could have listened more instead of always dispensing my opinions and advice. Yes, I could have done some things differently, but most of all I should have not taken Sam’s friendship for granted, believing that it will always be there. In that moment I realised that there was so much that I needed to be sorry for, so much ugliness for which I needed her to forgive me. Deep!

Amazing how God works in us. He had to bring a situation like this to address certain character flaws that I have. I’m a strong, straight-shooting, "so you better just deal with it" kind of person. For the most part, this personality works to my advantage(at work), because it tells people that I’m no push-over. But I’ve realised that sometimes, this bulldozing, "my way or the highway" mentality may not be what is needed when it comes to loving those that God has placed in my life. What a lesson.  

I’ve learnt and I am still learning (because this story is far from over) that the key to forgiveness is that it’s a two way street. We should not get caught up in our right to an apology that we lose sight of what we should apologise for. I think true reconciliation can come only when each person acknowledges their wrong, says sorry and asks for forgiveness from the other, and is willing to forgive the other.

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” Colossians 3:13 NLT

What’s Cooking this Winter?...

It’s winter time again! I love this time of the year because i can eat all my favourite foods. Time for those comforting warm meals; hot chocolate and rusks; all enjoyed in front of a cosy fire..

So in my never ending quest to find amazing recipes, I came across an interesting way of making meatballs. Now i think most people love meatballs, but they are sp time consuming to prepare. Thanks to Ina Garten’s “The Barefoot Contessa” and Gordon Ramsey’s “Ultimate Cookery Course” shows on Food Network (DSTV 175) I was armed with plenty of ideas on how to make the ultimate flavoursome meatballs.

My main objectives were to have a generic meatball recipe that had maximum flavour; maintained moisture in the meat; and ensured that they could be prepared ahead of time and kept for a “rainy day”. So one morning this past week, when I was due to only go to work in the evening I decided to put my ideas to the test. I’ll call this “Kay’s Triple Delight Meatballs” recipe
 

Ingredients:

600g Minced Chicken; 600g Minced Pork;

600g Regular Minced Beef (the fatty one)
2 Slices of Fresh White Bread;
½ Cup Dried Bread Crumbs
2 Eggs
1 Cup Milk
1 Large Onion Finely Chopped
2 tsp Minced Garlic
2 Tbs Cooking Oil
½ Cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 Tsp Dried Basil
1 Tsp Dried Parsley
1 Tsp Dried Chilli Flakes
1 Tsp Garlic Herb Powder
4 Tbs Worcester Sauce

 

 

1.       In a large mixing bowl, combine all the meats, together with 2 Tsp of salt and the Worcester sauce. Leave to stand for 10 – 15mins

2.       In a smaller bowl lightly beat the eggs and milk. Then add the fresh bread and the dried bread crumbs and leave to stand until all the egg mixture is absorbed into the bread.

3.       In a large pan sauté the onions on a low-med heat until they are thoroughly cooked (they should taste sweet). Once they are cooked add the crushed garlic and cook for another 5 mins. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

 

4.       Add the dry seasoning to the meat: Black Pepper; Dried Basil; Dried Parsley; Dried Chilli Flakes; and the parmesan cheese. These flavours are my own, you can season them with whatever you like. Also add the milky bread mixture and the cooked onion & garlic mixture. Combine well. The mixture will be very wet.

5.       Now to ensure that the meatballs are even in size; use a tablespoon to scoop the meat mixture and roll into balls. I used an ice-cream scoop and this ensured that my balls were a nice medium size.

6.       Place the rolled balls into freezer containers, separating the layers with cling-film. When finished, place the meatballs in the freezer where they can be stored for up to 6 weeks, ready to be used when you fancy them. I was able to make 45 meatballs from my mixture!

7.       These meatballs are versatile and can be cooked in a marinara sauce for spaghetti; or a rich curry sauce to be served with rice. It’s really up to you, and what flavour you desire them to have.

Using three different meats, makes for interesting flavour; as well as maintains the meatballs juiciness. I was pleasantly surprised that my local Pick & Pay did stock Minced Pork and Minced Chicken. I cooked my first batch, this weekend and they were everything I anticipated and expected them to be; - AWESOME! 

Last winter I was all into soups;  so I guess meatballs are my new thing for winter meals in 2013 ...hehehehehehhehe

Happy Cooking!

Moments With My Father...

Amazing how quickly time flies. Not sure where this year is running to, but it sure is moving along.

So I have been on leave for the last 12 days. After that a scary “breakdown” of my body, my doctor insisted that I take some time off and just rest. No work, no laptop, no cell phone (Whatsapp, BBM etc)...He recommended that I “switch off” and allow myself time to recharge.  Taking his words to heart I decided to take it easy and spend a week at home (at my parents). My mom was out of the country visiting family in Zimbabwe so it was just me and my dad.

I have been blessed with the most amazing pair of parents. I would not trade them for anything or anyone in the world. Having grown up in the “Diaspora”, we learnt from early on to rely on the relationships in our nucleus family circle. In addition I think that my parents applied a rather free-form style of parenting where it was instilled within us that we could follow our own life paths, so long as we’d be happy to live with the choices that we made. Yes there were some typical parenting traits that I think many Zimbabweans can relate to (manners; house chores; etc) some of which can be draconian in nature.  But from an early age (pre-teens) my parents made us understand that we should carry some responsibility for where our life paths would take us. Instead of dictating what they wished for me, they gave me the freedom to discover my own way, whilst always knowing that they were there cheering me on. Sort of like a tennis coach, the player can go as far up the rankings as he wishes depending on how he applies himself, but the coach is always there to encourage, critique and motivate – that’s my parents. 

On the Saturday night before I went home my dad called me and suggested that we go to brunch after the church service on Sunday. It was such a treat to spend that morning with him, no mom, and no siblings. My dad is a man of few words, but he is the sweetest soul I know. After some perfunctionary conversation and catching up on the week’s highlights, my dad shared that he’s been on this “journey” to learning to be a better dad. In my mind I was like, "but you’re already a great dad, an awesome one in fact!..." I’m not sure how many of you have watched the movie “Courageous”. Well at our church they have started a 15-week study into some of the principles that are highlighted through-out that movie and also in the book “The Resolution for Men” by Stephen Kendrick. The book is basically a call to men to step up to the plate and be the husbands, fathers and courageous men that the God intended them to be. I’ve perused some of the book’s topics and it seems to be a seriously “deep” book that encourages men to step back and measure their lives against the standards to which God has called them. It’s incredible; as my dad was sharing his heart with me during our one-on-one time I kept thinking “Wow! God you’re amazing!” It was truly a moment that could only have been orchestrated in heaven. I felt unbelievably blessed and humbled that this was my dad, talking to me about his hopes and desires for me as his first daughter; and how he hopes to be a part of seeing me become the woman God intended me to be.  Hearing him to say that he is proud of me, and my accomplishments (even when I have messed up) and that he loves and blesses me....Wow! Not a written letter; but real live words! Yes truly; the power of life and death is in the tongue. I was reminded of the bible encounter between Isaac and Jacob when he was giving him the blessing of the birthright. That’s the role of a father – to bless his children and by his words open the way for them to be all that God intended them to be.  What a special moment, what precious words spoken by the man I love most in this world.

It takes a man of courage to take a stand for his family, his wife and his children, to be a model of faith to his family, to speak words that build and not tear down; to bless and not curse; to demonstrate his love and the father’s heart to those that have been given to him to lead.  I am blessed to say that my father is one such man. Having heard more about the “Courageous Journey” through the men’s ministry at our church I am convinced that they have started something awesome and I hope that more men will heed this call to be better leaders in their homes, churches and communities. We could all be better people when we gain the confidence that can come only from a father’s love.

This past Sunday (12^th May 2013) our church hosted a ceremony for these courageous men who have completed this 15-week journey into self-discovery. My dad was one of twelve and as his daughter I am truly proud, privileged and blessed that he has set into motion a spiritual legacy for me, my sister and brother. This is a legacy that will also bless our children, and their children’s children.   Malachi 4:6 says “And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers”. Having witnessed my dad make a public declaration in front of my mother, myself and our church family, I believe more than ever that in our generation we do need men of courage. I would encourage my brothers (cousins and male friends), those that are fathers and those still looking forward to becoming fathers, to allow God to inspire you into being the kind of men that will lead, love and defend their families – MEN OF COURAGE! It will make all the difference in your family’s lives. I can testify (from a child’s perspective).

"The Resolution for Men" is truly a commitment that will change families, so that they become everything that God intended them to be!

 

 

 

 

                                               

I Am Most Grateful For...

Gratitude and thankfulness seem to be severely lacking in our world at times. People expect others to cater to their needs yet often when they do, there is not even a word of thanks. This attitude can even rear its head in the way we treat God. How often have you or I prayed and then forgotten to give God our gratitude, praise and the glory when He answers, often even more wonderfully than we could have imagined?

So today, on the eve of my 31^st Birthday I thought l would share some of the things I am most grateful for in my life. This 31-yr-long journey has taught me so much, given me so much.

 I’m grateful for:

1.      God’s grace that called me into His family and the salvation won for me through Jesus and His death on the cross. Ephesians 1 is truly a passage of scripture to which I aspire to live my life. 

2.      God’s Word which helps me learn more about God, his mighty plan of salvation and what He expects of me. His word come alive in the last few years has astounded me. I am humbled at His word at work in my life Psalm 32:8 is my latest inspiration. 

3.      Discovering the privilege of prayer and knowing the value of praying for others, as well as being prayed for. May I continue to grow in this area of my life, may I truly become a prayer warrior, understanding that “prayer is the slender nerve that moves the hand of omnipotence” in every circumstance and situation that is yet to confront me on this life journey.  

4.      My incredible family! I feel incredibly blessed and fortunate that Ben & Liz are my parents and that Vimbai & Tino my sister and brother. I love that we go to church, pray and share God’s word at home together. The older I get the more I am grateful for these four people who have shared my life, these four people are my truest champions and fans. What incredible memories of fun times we’ve had together J 

5.      The gift of friendship. Thank you Lord that I have amazing people who I can call my friends. People, who have sown into my life, people who’ve had the courage to speak up to bring about love, correction, discernment, joy, companionship. At every turn through every season of my life Lord you have supplied me with good, strong and positive influence through my choice of friends. May you bless each one, and grow within me the capacity to give of myself in love to each in return.  

6.      For my church we are part of and the concern for each other shown in this church. The rich word that is preached every Sunday. For spiritual growth that is helping me become who I have been designed to be. For the feeling of belonging.  

7.      God’s material provision in my life. (Education, job/career; house, food, clothes etc) May you continue to teach me to be a good steward of those things which you have placed in my life and my care. 

8.      Good Health! Though I haven’t really faced any serious illnesses in the past, I am grateful for the healing power of God. I am also grateful for more grace to face chronic conditions and the appreciation that this body is the only one I will ever have. Its health is integral in my ability to be used of God during this life time.  

9.      God’s divine protection! 2009 was a hallmark year, having survived a car accident where the car was a write-off and pulling through an armed robbery where the thugs locked me up in my office and I had to escape through a window(at night). Psalm 91 was my pillar then, and each day I am grateful for this gift of life because I am ever aware that it’s by grace that I see each day. Eternity is but a breath away.

 

10.  The beauty of life all around me. From the flowers which I have learnt and am still learning to lovingly nurture and grow in my own garden; to the unconditional love and acceptance of my pet dogs. To sunrises and sunsets; mountain vistas and forests. Creation declares the glory of God. Life is beautiful, every day.  

11.  The gift of music! How awesome it is to sing along, play, or just listen to music. I am grateful that there is always a song for every mood, for every memory for every life occasion.  

12.  Books! I can’t imagine a world without books. I’m thankful for writers who write the kinds of books I like to read and for variety in reading. 

13.  Imagination. Without imagination and creativity we would have no books, no stories, no art, no craft, inventions and spectacular l buildings.

  

14.  Words to communicate to my loved ones and friends how much they mean to me and words to use in my writing. Poetry - I love the way words can be used to make different and beautiful patterns of sound and meaning. 

I could go on and on and on... I am learning that it is important to pause often and show sincere gratitude and have the attitude of thanks-giving to God and to those people he’s woven into our lives. Even after putting these sentiments down, I am most grateful that so far, though life is not perfect (and will never be); these last 31 yrs have been a tapestry of true wealth and riches because of every experience I have gone through.

A true work of art has both hues of bright colour, as well as the dark. Thank-you Lord that as I celebrate 31 yrs of living, you are the master painter...you make it all beautiful in the end.

2012 Babalaz!

Someone recently wished me a “Happy New Year” and asked how I was feeling so far in 2013? I jokingly (maybe not so jokingly) said that I feel as though I am still “hung-over” from 2012... Translation...It is not possible to go to sleep on 31 December and wake up on January 1^st and everything is sparkling, fresh and new!

Just as with a “babalaz”, there is a period of time where you need to “recover” from the previous night, before you can welcome the new day and get on with the business of living. Even though the dates were declaring that it’s a “New Year” and that we should all be positive and have a fresh outlook for the year ahead, I couldn’t help feeling fatigued, worn down and lethargic...felt like I had stumbled into 2013 and just needed to “sleep off” the effects of 2012...hehehehehehehehe...What a way to start the year right?... I have been comforted to know that I am not alone and there were other people that I know who shared this “feeling”.

It’s taken me 14 days to “recover”; let the “fog lift” and seriously start looking at 2013 and what I would hope it has in store for me. 2012 was a very long, trying and tough year.   As I reflect and look back I think “Wow! All that happened in just 366 days?”...lol... I am astounded at the personal gains that I've made. As someone very rightly reminded me this past week, “It’s not about what you didn’t manage to achieve, instead celebrate the distance that you covered” So often we focus on the failures and not look at the successes or even the lessons along the way. When we centre our hearts on what we are grateful for, more often than not that positives far outweigh the negatives.

Yesterday in church, the worship team sang “Give Thanks” by Don Moen, a 90’s worship classic. The alter was opened up for people to come up and give thanks to God for what he has been, is doing in their lives. As I sat there listening to the various members of the congregation as they went up, I started to seriously think about what I was grateful for from 2012. Here goes:

·         I am grateful for the challenging work situations which seemed to rain down on me as they have set a foundation within me to grow into a better leader who realizes that there can be no true success in any sphere of life outside of God and his word

·         Though I was diagnosed with a chronic health condition; I am grateful that the experience of managing my condition has developed within me a resilience which I did not know I possessed.

·         I am grateful for the incredible input and prayers of a loving family and friends. 2012 was tremendous as these relationships grew and were made stronger, indeed true wealth is determined by the people in our lives. God is good

·         I am grateful that through everything that I went through in 2012, I could see that God’s hand upon my life has been there. I am grateful that I have grown to learn to hunger for and see His word come to life. I am grateful that He has been using me in my workplace, in my family, in my community and in my church as his minister through prayer. I may not be on a podium, but 2012 has shown me that I can be used by God where ever I am, so long as I am willing.

·         What I am most grateful for though; is that God is not finished with me. 2012 was just a chapter in this great life story that he has penned out for me. Every challenge and lesson is developing me into who and what he intended me to be.

In the past, when the new year rolled in I would have a list of goals and ideas of what I wanted out of the year, where I wanted to be etc. 2012 taught me that though writing down the vision and goals is great, what’s more important is to search out God’s will. I’ve decided to take a different approach this year, and wait and listen (for a change) instead of dictate what I would like for 2013. I will definitely be sure to draw on and heed the lessons that I learned in the last 12 months.

Proverbs 3: 5 – 18 can sum-up my outlook for 2013. The details I will leave to God to fill out. (A man plans his way, but God determines his steps...).

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct^[a] your paths.

⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
⁸ It will be health to your flesh, ^[b]
And strength^[c] to your bones.
⁹ Honour the Lord with your possessions,
And with the first-fruits of all your increase;
¹⁰ So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
¹¹ My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction;
¹² For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
¹³ Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding;
¹⁴ For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies,
And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
¹⁶ Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honour.
¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who retain her.


Happy New Year everybody!