Take time

                              My first time on the beach (notice the bag), so yes 1st time

I have just figured out how to put up pictures on the blog thus the random picture. I like to hang out by myself at times and just think and talk to God. So today I had a few flashbacks one the time when I missed one of my best friends graduation and the other one where I missed out on meeting my friend's family all at once which was a big deal because she has a big family and for the longest time I have wanted to meet them. All because I had to work and earn an extra shilling, I love how God reveals to me certain things in the simplest  situations. It got me thinking that I have to set my priorities right, money will never be enough and at the same time my friends will not be there forever.
So what am I getting at? Most of us are always up and about chasing that paper, sure the economy is tough we have to hustle hard, but at the end of it all none of us gets to go with that money when we are put 6 feet under. In the end all that will matter is the time we took to spend it with our loved ones, showing them that we care and being there for them in their good and bad times. All that people will remember is how you made them feel,....

  Ecclesiastes5:10: He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. 

Matthew 6:24: No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Just  as we are reminded in the book of Ecclesiastes that all we chase in this world is vanity, it will all disappear but one thing will remain when all is said and done and that is God.What are you pursuing? What occupies your mind and time 24/7 that you miss out on what is important in life? That you miss out in spending time with the family that God has blessed you with, that you miss out being part of your children's lives as they grow, that you are too occupied to see when a friend is in need.
Whatever it is, slow down and  take time to add value to the relationships in your lives after all we only live once and we have to do it right. We have to let God show us what is important so that we will not wish we had done things differently when our loved ones are no longer around.
Till next time I leave you with another random photo...

                                          My best Swahili dish when in Mombasa

 

Christianity 101 lesson 2

For the past two weeks I had to take on some tasks that allowed me to be on the other side of things to what I was normally used to be. I had a chance to invigilate exams for some students and I saw the other side being in an exam room as this time I was not the one being watched . I also had a chance to facilitate a team building activity for a certain company and this time I was not the one on the side of having fun. Both tasks had their own challenges, controlling a bunch of grown ups figured to be as hard as controlling kids.
I saw things from a different perspective which will allow me to be more considerate when I am found on the other side of things.
It got me thinking of how many times we are quick to render off people without really understanding where they are coming from. Ever met someone who is always rude and defensive? whats your first reaction or response? Most of us will be quick to be rude back and conclude the person is a bad person. What about if someone has some kind of addiction? alcoholic addiction or pornography? We call the people alcoholics and perverts. What if a woman has children who misbehave? We call her a bad mother.
What if in the first senerio where the person is always angry we one day respond to her rude remarks with a smile and kind response?Maybe then that person will open up to us. What if we took time to see why the person is addicted to alcohol or pornography? What if we look at what the woman is going through with the kids?
I think we would be surprised to find out that the rude person is going through something tragic and they do not know how to deal with it so they take out the anger on someone else. We would be surprised that we would be able to help that person to overcome an addiction because most of the time what most people need is just someone to hold their hand and care. We would be surprised that maybe the woman is going through a tough divorce or she struggles alone in such a way she feels overwhelmed with the kids  and we might be able to give her a hand.
 We lose the opportunity to be a light in this world when we never take time to look at the bigger picture. Think of how many people you would win over to Christ if only you we took time to understand them, the same way Christ came down to earth as a baby, in this way He understood our struggle from when we are born and throught life.

Ephesians 4:32 :Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

John 7:24: Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.

We can never see the bigger picture unless we step back. I believe that the grace that God gives us daily, we should extend it to others by always trying to understand them and cut them some slack. It is the only way that our lives will be an example to unbelievers how else would you win an unbeliever if you do not take time and understand them. Just as God extends His grace for us, because He understands the struggles we go through as humans and forgives us once we repent and gives us a second chance.
Lets not be too quick to render people as not worthy or too screwed up but lets try walk in their shoes and see things from their perspective, then and only then would we be able to draw a good conclusion.

His love

It must have been how He picked up the pieces of my heart and put it back together after the first time I got my heart broken. It must have been that time when He came through for us as a family when we were struggling. It must have been that time when He brought my family closer after dad passed away. It must have been that time when He healed my mother and me. It must have been the countless times He has held me when I thought I had reached the end. It must have been the times that He showed me over and over again that I should not worry that He has me at the palm of His hand. It must have been the times that I have had my friends hold my hand through difficult times. It must have been the times when He has always provided despite my pocket being empty.

Truth is...
I do not know when I realized that God loves me. I can recall so many instances that I am 100% sure that it was God's hand moving in my life. Ever had moments when you know it was not what you did that made something happen but it was HIM?

John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 5:8: But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Ephesians 3:17-19 :So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

1 John 4:16: So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

God's love for us is the most amazing, constant, strongest, unconditional thing that we have in our lives. He loves us so much that He calls us everyday to share our lives with Him, He desires that we share every single aspect of our lives with Him. He loves us so much that He has great and mighty plans in store for us. He loves us to the extent that He takes care of every detail about us; He knows every single strand of hair on our heads.
He loves us so much that He could not bear losing us so He gave His son Jesus Christ to die for our sins.

One thing remains, His love never fails, it never gives up and it will NEVER run out on us. I don't know about you but I want to experience that kind of love that nothing can take away, not my troubles, not my weaknesses, not my mistakes, not my enemies absolutely NOTHING  can take it away.

Go on He is waiting just open your heart and receive Him.

The first love

I had a guy commenting on one of the links from my blog in Facebook, he wrote "Do not go back am here" LOL! He was referring to the title of my blog "Getting back to my first love." I had to explain to him that is the title of my blog. I have also had one of my guy friends joke on how he would sweep me off my feet in such a way I would stop going back to my first love. I always laugh every time I get such comments and I figured maybe its time I shared why I chose that title. So this is how it goes (this is the time where you get a hot cup of tea and squint your eyes to just get into getting every detail)

I first gave my life to Christ back when I was 12 years old, I can say I walked with Him in my daily life. This went on through high school and I believe it was by His grace that I stood firm. Now the big blow of what life had to offer hit me when I graduated from High School. It is always a slow fade, you never know when you end up questioning yourself if you are saved or not. Before I knew it I had compromised on all that I stood for.
Through and through God was always tagging at my heart asking me to go back to Him, I felt that I had strayed too far away that it was too late for me. I did what I did and still went to church every sunday without fail. Even when the sermons would convict me about certain areas of my life where I knew God wanted me to change, I still felt that I couldn't do without them.
The usual talks I had with myself back then were "what if I do not wake up the next morning where would I go?" "Have I chosen this person or this thing instead of God?" . There were times I would go to bed begging God to let me wake up the next morning so I would not wake up in Hell.
I thank God for one of my friends and to say the truth she was the last person I thought would open up my eyes and see that I can always turn back to God and start all over again. She did not do it directly, I don't even think she knew what she was sharing with me would completely turn my life around. She introduced me to a blog about a woman who had almost the same story as my life, every time I read her posts I got so convicted and fired up to give my life to God.
Then one day I finally had the guts to leave that life behind and ask God back in my life, hey! It was not easy, I had to constantly battle with my feelings, the doubts in my mind I kept questioning myself "Have I made the right choice?" "Is this really what God wanted me to do? Or did I just talk to myself?"
I must say it was a battle of my mind, I continually asked God to renew my mind and change the way I think so that I may know what is pleasing to Him. He is a faithful God, now the struggle has got easier, I now know that its the best decision I made. I am so much at peace, I have this new bounce in my stride, I have this new confidence in myself. I feel so loved, so taken care of just knowing that God didn't NEED me but WANTED me. The talks I have with myself now are "He is not done with me yet!" I now know am living my purpose.


Romans 10:9-10: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.


Romans 3:2: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 8:38-39: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 Matthew 8:18-22: When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.  Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."  Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."  Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."  But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.

I do not know what your path has been but I would urge you that it doesn't matter what you have done, where you have been and what you have gone through. God wants you to come to Him just as you are, He will remove you from any pit you may be in today, He will forgive you and remember your sins no more. He is the only one who can give you a clean slate.
Go on ask Him to come into your heart not only for the fear of going to hell but because in Him you will be set free and you will have life in abundance. He loves you and knocks at the door of your heart daily are you going to let Him in?
Do you say you are saved and go to church every Sunday and yet the life you live does not reflect that? God hates Luke warms and you cannot serve two masters at a time. Its time you decide to surrender it all to Jesus, He will never seize to amaze you. He loved us first so:
Its time for you to GET BACK TO YOUR FIRST LOVE.

Tough Choice!

"Follow your heart" This is the most common line I have been told every time I had to make a big decision. Really? Follow my heart? It always feels good doesn't it when we take that advise but most of the times we end up in a place/ situation  where we make a resolution to NEVER follow our hearts again. Then we end up following our hearts the next time we are faced with the same choice and end up wishing we had stuck to the resolution.It becomes a cycle.
I can't even count the number of times I have been in this roller coaster where I follow my heart and over and over again wishing I had followed my head instead. As humans we are used to going with what feels good at the moment at times never taking time to look at the consequences. We do this a lot when making decisions concerning our lives especially our love lives and friendships.

Sure! It sounds like the best advise after all, Love is felt in the heart so it always feels like we are making the right decision and the best choice we could ever make. Little do we forget that:

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

We are warned about the heart being deceitful, and this is probably why we end up regretting these decisions. Because we make them based on what we FEEL and not what  GOD requires of us, we end up rushing into relationships which God never wanted us to be in  in the first place, we end up opening up to destructive friendships maybe because we felt lonely at the moment or left out. We end up making financial decisions that we regret maybe because we were angry, sad or excited at the moment. We simply never took time to get down on our knees and ask God about what He wanted!
 We rush through LIFE without ever really consulting the one who gave us LIFE. Maybe for a moment if we would take time and really sat at His feet and let Him lead us, we would save a lot of time and energy as we would no longer pursue things that will leave us with a lot of regret.
Is it a business idea that you want? Stop running around in confusion trying this and that and failing, sit and rest at His feet and let Him reveal it to you, Is it a spouse/lover that you want? He created you so He already had in mind who He would pair you up with so stop running around looking, God will reveal him/her to you at the right time in the mean time enjoy your singleness by serving Him. Is it a job? Hey! He is the sole provider He takes care of every single detail of our lives, He knows every strand of hair you have so relax He has you and knows what you need. 
Whatever it may be remember DON'T FOLLOW YOUR HEART instead live in obedience and FOLLOW GOD.

Modesty

I was so proud of myself getting that kind of coat that makes you wish everyday was another day in the freezer for just two hundred shillings.At a time when every status update and tweet is all about the freezing Nairobi weather and the guys selling handkerchiefs are smiling all the way to the mama mboga and the posho mill. You would think that this time the ladies would try cover up at least for health reasons, but no! not in Nairobi the land of "hot women with pink lips and short skirts".
Back to the status updates and tweets its common to see guys complain how women insist on wearing the shortest skirts and dresses and still try to pull them down. Unfortunately the skirts are getting shorter but the women  are not shrinking!
Immodesty has become so common where women look for the shortest and tightest clothing when on shopping sprees or the blouses that would make any man walk straight into the street light poles in the city. When did ladies get to believe in wearing less is better? its sexier? When did they get to believe that showing skin makes you more attractive? makes you get the men's attention(OK it does but the wrong kind of attention). When?

Timothy 2:9 :Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.
 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20: Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Proverbs 31:30: Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 

The first verse doesn't literally mean that we should not braid our hair or make effort to look good, but it encourages for women to look beyond that and embrace modesty in their dressing so that the may profess Godliness.

Call me old fashioned but I believe its time for women to realize that they are so much more that hips,lips and finger tips. We should get to a point where we realize who we are in Christ- we are beautiful, blessed, talented and can do the impossible. We should realize what God requires of us as His daughters is to be our brothers' keepers this entails us dressing in such a way that we will not lead our brothers to fall.
Is it confidence you are looking for? Look for it in God because He assures you that you are beautiful and wonderfully made. Is it acceptance? God tells you He will never leave you nor forsake and calls you just as you are. Is it love? His love is Unconditional.
We should all strive to be a women who are priceless and worthy of praise because we fear God and show it in the way we dress.
Keep this in mind the next tine you go for a shopping spree:

Proverbs11:12 :Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.