Surrender

Have you been to the bottom of a very deep valley?

Well I have been there and I don’t like the feel of it.

Lately, I have been at the bottom of the pit. It’s not the best place to be but I guess that is when true character is tested. Since early last month I have been going through a roller coaster and have had no grip over what has been happening around me at all. At some point I felt like someone else was pushing me all the directions I did not want to go into. I felt I was out of control and nothing was working right, at least to my expectation. This was very frustrating. I had no control over my finance, my friendships or my job. I was being tossed from one end to another by day to day situations.

It is during this time that I learnt to be still. By this I don’t mean standing or sitting in one position without making any movement.  I mean letting the worry of all the cares of life not move you in all sorts of way. It was not an easy thing to do. It needed me to surrender everything to God. This meant letting go of even the things I think I can fix and just letting go…..

I can tell you, it is not an easy thing to do. This I say because there were situations where I felt that I could a much better job than God was doing and even much faster but I needed to surrender and let go… and majorly let God. In his perfect time He makes all things Perfect. Well I learnt that the hard way. I needed to learn how to be patient with myself, others and God.

Some of the most encouraging words were from the song, “it is well”. Since I was not doing much, I had time to really picture what the author of the song was really going through. After having lost his business, his family and all that he held dear, he still said it is well with his soul. I guess he understood some things most of us don’t understand.

He knew that everything he had is from God.

He understood that God’s grace would be sufficient for his every situation.

He counted his blessings of having a Savior die for him.

Well I got encouraged by him. I cannot promise to have arrived but for this one reason that an innocent man gave His life for me, I will do my best to get to that place where I can say, IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL. It may take a day, month or even years but I am not giving up. I will do my best to be still and know that God is in control of everything.

He shines the moon at night for and the sun by day. The sun and Moon don’t get confused as when to shine or not! Therefore, my situations are not a mess anymore. I will choose to learn what I can from every situation and move on. Baggage that only slows me down is to be left behind….

 

LOVE IS....

she wrote...

My husband is an Engineer by profession, I love him for his steady nature, 'n I love the warm feeling when I lean against his broad shoulders. Three years of courtship 'n now, two years into marriage, I would have to admit, that I am getting tired of it.

The reasons of me loving him before, has now
transformed into the cause of all my restlessness. I am a sentimental woman 'n extremely sensitive when it comes to a relationship 'n my feelings, I yearn for the romantic moments, like a little girl yearning for candy. My husband, is my complete opposite, his lack of sensitivity, 'n the inability of bringing romantic moments into our marriage has disheartened me about love. One day, I finally decided to tell him my decision, that I wanted a divorce.

“Why?” he asked, shocked. “I am tired, there are no reasons for everything in the world!” I answered. He kept silent the whole night, seems to be in deep thought with a lighted cigarette at all times.

My feeling of disappointment only increased, here was a man who can’t even express his predicament, what else can I hope from him? 'n finally he asked me:” What can I do to change your mind?” Somebody said it right, it’s hard to change a person’s personality, 'n I guess, I have started losing faith in him.

Looking deep into his eyes I slowly answered : “Here is the question, if you can answer 'n convince my heart, I will change my mind, Let’s say, I want a flower located on the face of a mountain cliff, 'n we both are sure that picking the flower will cause your death, will you do it for me?” He said :” I will give you your answer tomorrow ...” My hopes just sank by listening to his response.

I woke up the next morning to find him gone, 'n saw a piece of paper with his scratchy handwriting, underneath a milk glass, on the dining table near the front door, that goes….

My dear, “I would not pick that flower for you, but please allow me to explain the reasons further..” This first line was already breaking my heart. I continued reading. “When you use the computer you always mess up the Software programs, 'n you cry in front of the screen, I have to save my fingers so that I can help to restore the programs.

You always leave the house keys behind, thus I have to save my legs to rush home to open the door for you. You love traveling but always lose your way in a new city, I have to save my eyes to show you the way.

You always have the cramps whenever your “good friend” approaches every month, I have to save my palms so that I can calm the cramps in your tummy. You like to stay indoors, 'n I worry that you will be infected by infantile autism. I have to save my mouth to tell you jokes 'n stories to cure your boredom.

You always stare at the computer, 'n that will do nothing good for your eyes, I have to save my eyes so that when we grow old, I can help to clip your nails,'n help to remove those annoying white hairs. So I can also hold your hand while strolling down the beach, as you enjoy the sunshine 'n the beautiful sand… 'n tell you the color of flowers, just like the color of the glow on your young face…

Thus, my dear, unless I am sure that there is someone who loves you more than I do… I could not pick that flower yet, 'n die.. ” My tears fell on the letter, 'n blurred the ink of his handwriting… 'n as I continue on reading…

“Now, that you have finished reading my answer, if you are satisfied, please open the front door for I am standing outside bringing your favorite bread 'n fresh milk …

I rush to pull open the door, 'n saw his anxious face, clutching tightly with his hands, the milk bottle 'n loaf of bread ... Now I am very sure that no one will ever love me as much as he does, 'n I have decided to leave the flower alone…

That’s life, 'n love. When one is surrounded by love, the feeling of excitement fades away, 'n one tends to ignore the true love that lies in between the peace 'n dullness.

Love shows up in all forms, even very small 'n cheeky forms, it has never been a model, it could be the most dull 'n boring form... flowers, 'n romantic moments are only used 'n appear on the surface of the relationship.

Borrowed from a friend...

Guard your Heart and Mind

If you can get this, this will change your life… I was out taking my morning run. I love how still it is when I’m running. I can hear clearly and really commune with God. I wanted to share this with you. It’s a lesson I had to learn.

 One of the keys to success is to be able to guard your heart. Now, usually when someone says guard your heart they are talking about keeping yourself from heartbreak. Although that is important (as long as you don’t go overboard... but that’s another conversation) that isn’t what I’m talking about. When we are born into this world we enter with such a pure heart but as we grow older situations, circumstances and people tend to make us change. Now I know it is nearly impossible to keep a childlike innocence in our hearts all of our lives, especially after people have betrayed, lied, mistreated and downright been the devil. Trust me when I tell you, I have seen it all. I have been there big time. If you’re like me you’ve been there too. But if this is your situation I want you to know two very important things about those moments of heartbreak. Number one, learn the lesson in it. See how it will work together for your good, because it will. Once you do, it’s easier to forgive and move on. Secondly, and this is just as important as the first one, you must not let that person or people change your heart. What do I mean by that? Well, if you are a giver and someone you have given to misuses your gift, don’t stop giving… just give to someone else. If you are a person that loves people and someone you love hates you, don’t stop loving… love someone else. Eventually, you will find people who appreciate your kindness and your love. Remember this, lots of people have been conditioned to not be able to accept purity of heart. They can’t take it in. Most times it’s not even their fault. It’s just what has happened to them on their journey in life. But don’t let them turn you into one of them. There will be a lot of people in your life who will not appreciate your pureness of heart. If they hurt you don’t stop being you… just be you with someone else.

 Why is this so important? Because God blesses you according to what is in your heart. If you are being kind, giving, loving and sharing because it is in your heart and you are not looking for anything in return, then that is a heart that God wants to bless. If you change who you are because you’ve been hurt, then you’ve changed the thing that God wants to bless you according to, and that is your heart. The people who hurt you are not worth that. You can lose everything that you have, but don’t let anybody change your heart.

By Tyler Perry

David Rudisha

David Rudisha a worldwide name by now. He is the world record holder for the 800m race. What a name to have. Most athletes would like to know what it takes to go for gold with such determination as he did.  Others would like to be associated with him even more that know what makes him move. Well it is the same thing with us.  Most times we are so caught up and focused in what other people are doing and how they are running their race that we forget to run our own race.

Are you running your race? Everyone has a unique race to run. David Rudisha may not have done as well if he had chosen a different race. The beauty of life is that each of our races complements the other person’s race. By this I mean that everyone exists for a reason and a purpose. It is important that we get to know what race we should run, what dream we should follow, what purpose we should pursue. When we focus on our own then others can focus on theirs. But of even more importance is it to know the creator of the race, the dream giver and the purpose setter. God. Like Rudisha if we run a good race, finish well and win the price, only to realize that we had run the wrong race, we would not be proud of our achievements at all. So why run the wrong race?

Mostly we run the wrong race for lack of knowledge or thinking that the race we are to run is too hard for us and resort to an easier one. The down side of running the wrong race is that we are not equipped enough to run it. We make mistakes that cannot be taken back and most times give up along the way. If only we had stayed on our course. The word of God (Bible) encourages us that there is hope even after we have left what it is we are meant to be doing. In Hosea 6: 1 to 3, the bible says that though we are torn and stricken He, the Lord, will heal and bind us. It may not be literal tearing but when the burdens and the responsibilities of life are too heavy for us; they leave us torn most times. It this kind, that the Lord heals us from. The same scripture says that we will be risen up. Meaning, those areas of our lives that are dead can be revived to be productive yet again.

So we can get back to running our own race in life and we have been assured that we will have help, we will be revived as we persevere and if we stay focused enough the reward that comes thereafter will be greater than we ever imagined. Having these promises in our back pocket does not mean that the ride will be smooth but it is in the rough patches of the road that we realize that we are weak but HAVE A STRONG GOD, that we need to act but based on FAITH. (Faith without actions is dead, but those actions need to be directed by God).

Food for thought.

1.   Are you doing what God ordained for you to do?
2.  How are you using your God given talents and gifts?
3. Does your work give you satisfaction deep within or you are doing it for the money?
4. Whom do you represent in what you do? Yourself or God?