CAT POOP LESSONS (DISSAPOINTMENT)

Ever since I started my small home garden there has been these gang of cats coming in and just "let it all out" in the soil, so a couple of times I would build a fortress by the window and wait to whack one....and to add on top I do not like cats so now I was justified. Every time I would whack one I was so proud of myself and think "now they know this is a no-go zone" but they would bust my bubble the following day when I would have to get a plastic bag and collect the "fortune" they left me. I might add I prayed and asked God to keep them away but they kept coming each time with a bigger "prize" to collect. We would even exchange ideas with my mum on ways of getting rid of them until finally I a got a revelation that we are getting free manure and we might as well enjoy it. Long story short, the garden has blossomed!
Sorry animal rights activists and cat lovers....:-(

Okay enough of the cat chronicles...I am sure we have all wanted something so much and at times we do not get it...it could be a job, a person, whatever it is. We have all been dissapointed, let down, left by people we loved, had our dreams shattered when we thought we had got a breakthrough and the feeling is horrible! You will give up or simply just let go. What if I tell you that those disspointments might be the best things that have ever happened to you? Unbelievable? Indulge me for a minute and hear me out...

The bible tells us that even before you were born God set you apart and He already had your life planned out from the beginning to the end meaning He already knew the doors He would open and the doors He would close to get you to your destiny. Not convincing? Okay...
He says He will never leave us nor forsake us,  meaning that even when it seems that all hope is gone or when you feel like failure  He is there, the presence of that pain is not evidence for God's absence, He is there..ALWAYS.
He says He has great and might plans for you that you know NOTHING about! Meaning your mind cannot even comprehend the things He has in store for you, even that job that may have seemed like the best thing in the world cannot compare with the one He has in store for you, even that person that rejected you or walked away that you might have thought is the best thing since OLX cannot compare to the person God has placed for you.
He loves us so much that He gave up His only son for us, ONLY son for us! His love is unconditional! Its the one thing in your life that cannot be taken away! Meaning you are the apple of His eye that He can give you anything in this world that you desire but if He does not, He is simply saying "I have something better for you"

Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

 Deuteronomy31:6:Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” 

Jeremiah 29:11:For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  

Jeremiah 33:3:‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

Romans 8:35-39:Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So just like that cat poop it does not look good on my garden but it has flourished it and I was busy trying to get rid of it. That situation that you are in that is so painful at the moment, that you just want the pain to go away is meant to build something in you and prepare you for what God has in store for you, it will make you flourish!
Remember that nothing surprises God, He has a plan for you. So, whatever you wanted so much but did not get, trust me when I say it was not part of your destiny it might have  hindered it. If you were to have it you would have gotten  it.
So, to challenge myself and you learn to trust in God through every season of your life, in times of lack and plenty learn to be content and trust Him. He knows what He is doing! 

When I became a woman

Before I became a woman I used to love the thrill of short-lived relationships where if it felt good,looked good and smelt good then it must be IT. Before I became a woman I used to throw tantrums when things did not go my way and made sure people knew I was mad. Before I became a woman I used to think that being a "don't care" meant I was an independent woman.Before I became a woman I only saw the world revolving around me. Before I became a woman I thought that a fast track career would make me happy.Before I became a woman I used to run to people for comfort when I got my heart broken. You see before I became a woman I thought that my hips, lips and finger tips were what separated me from girls.

BUT...

When I became a woman I realized that all the attention I got from boys was nothing compared to the attention I would get from that ONE man that God has set apart for me whose wisdom will remind me of Solomon, whose faith will remind me of Abraham, whose leadership  will remind me of Moses and most of all whose character will remind me of Christ!. and so I chose to wait..

Song 8:4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

When I became a woman I realized that I should be spirit-led and less emotionally-led, where I would refuse to be controlled by my emotions even when I feel justified because its "that time of the month". I should refuse to hold grudges, I should refuse to release my frustrations on someone just because am having a "bad day" and where I do not ask myself how I FEEL in order to do something right but do it because its right.

Galatians 5:16: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
When I became a woman I realized that being independent meant me depending on Christ, me depending on friends and family when I am not able to do on my own. So I had to build my relationship with Christ, my family and friends and go from  a "don't care" attitude to a "do-care" attitude and care about others more than I do myself.

  Philippians2:4:Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

When I became a woman I realized that this life is not my own and am stable only when Christ is the center of my life that with Him as my foundation I am unshakable! I realized that placing myself before Him meant that I would draw my strength from myself and am only human so I would get weary and so now I draw my strength from the ONE who promises to renew my strength.

Isaiah 40:31: But those who trust in the Lord for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak.
When I became a woman I realized that people will fail you simply because they are human and so I stopped running to people when I had my heart broken and instead I get down on my knees and talk to the ONE who is able to put back every piece of my heart and make it whole, the ONE who sees every tear and says "I will never leave you nor forsake you" meaning He would never walk away even when things got tough.
When I became a woman I realized that nothing in this world would satisfy and all along I was looking for things and people to fill the void in my heart which HE only can fill.
When I became a woman I realized a woman's beauty goes beyond the physical, its her gentle spirit, its her warm presence, its her giving heart, its her calm nature and her love for good that makes her GORGEOUS.

  Deuteronomy 31:8: It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

 

 1 Peter 3:3-4: Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 

 

Mathew 6:33:But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

I have to say that when I became a woman I changed my role models and stopped looking up to the women who drop it like its hot, who sleep around because they are playing the field and who make their choices based on articles in magazines. Instead I choose to aim at having the obedience of Mary, the faith of Rahab, the humility of Ruth, the boldness of Esther, the hard-working nature of the proverbs 31 woman and most importantly that my character would reflect that of Christ.

GUEST BLOG FOR MEN ONLY: Sexual Purity for believers By Ernest Wamboye

A friend of mine had told me about a blog called PEN STROKES and the way she described it I just had to look at it. So,I finally got the blogger (Ernest Wamboye) to write an article for my men readers since I had a guy ask me if my blog is for ladies only after I had posted an article for the ladies. So here is the post by this great man of God I still cannot believe he is just 24 and has been married for a year now to a beautiful woman of God. I believe he has been given  wisdom beyond his age....

When I faced severe sexual temptation and struggles in campus, it was hard to talk about it. There was the fear of being judged- and there was the fear of embarrassment. Guys, you feel me on this, right? Many guys, therefore, prefer to lock themselves up and hope that the problem will go away. However, it doesn’t. The first step to getting out of the rut is confession. We need to talk about it. I pray that you will be brave enough to admit your fears and weaknesses before other men. As believers, there is a lot that God states about our sexuality. He’s shouting from the rooftops. The question is: are we listening? Hopefully these points will help you put some things into practice as you look for mature godly men to walk out of addictions like pornography and masturbation. It eats on the inside and it must be amputated.

1. Usain Bolt should be your role model

Dude, run! When you feel your blood rushing in all the wrong places and the temptress is upon you, flee. I have been locked in a room before with a good-looking prostitute who wanted to have some fun. She had sneaked into our room and convinced my pal to go out and find her missing shoes. I was left in the room with her and the door was locked. She openly seduced me and I was losing my grip. I kept resisting until my pal came back. Had he come a minute later, I wouldn’t be sharing this story. However, I remembered God’s clear call to run, like Joseph.

Genesis 39:12-13 She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house

Even if she sings in the choir and goes to church four times a week, RUN! Wisdom abounds but few men grasp it.

2. The best defence is a no-fence

Are you still negotiating with death? You want to know how close to the edge of the cliff can you stand without falling. That’s why you ask how far is too far. You are seated on the fence. Where there is smoke there is fire. Make your stand absolute; God’s is. Kissing is foreplay guys. It isn’t activity to pass time. Take time and read books concerning your sexuality. You will realize that your body responds very differently from what the movies tell you. Even the scientists have facts on this one, but God beat them to it.

Ephesians 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality.

3. “Appreciating beauty” is the path to pornography and masturbation

Many Christian men use this terrible excuse a lot. A girl in a short skirt walks by and all the heads turn. The glances linger and the excuse is that God’s work of beauty must be appreciated. If you give excuses with lust, you will find yourself in a slow fade to pornography and masturbation. It starts with the girl on the street and continues to the girl on the screen.

Job 31:1 "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.

4. The Standards are high!

95% of men face sexual temptation frequently; the remaining 5% are lying. The standards by God are high, guys. Listen to what Jesus said.

 Matthew 5:27-28 "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

None of us is righteous when it comes to sexual sin. We need to adopt humility in full view that our sins have separated us from God.

5. There is hope.

Christ Jesus took the punishment for our sins. Does that mean we have a leeway to sin? Absolutely not! The gravity of his sacrifice for you should be pondered on frequently. It will humble you out of your self-righteousness and it will affirm you out of your weakness. Christ died so that we should live. His Grace is not only for pardon but also for empowerment not to fall. I married my wife a year ago. We were both virgins and we waited for the marriage bed. It is possible even in the 21^st century because as long as you have committed to Christ, the victory is won; you just need to live it out. Find the things that destroy your hope. Find the TV series, the magazines, the company and all the stuff that causes you to struggle. Destroy them and embrace life! The last TV series I watched was in 2010. Why? They caused me to stumble. Embrace the hope and set the pace for the women you date, are engaged to and even are married to. Marriage doesn’t mean the struggle of lust will go away guys. Protect your woman’s virtue-even from yourself. Don’t kill the hope availed to you on that cross. Purity will never be a fashion so don’t wait for the masses. Live humbly, live righteously. We have all we need for Godliness.

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness

Grace and Love,

Ernest