MOVED to another address

We've been on this address for the last 7 years, and fancied a change :) se we decided a face lift was of the order, and while at it, a change of home. And so we did just that.

We have now moved :) to http://thelifeofastrangercalledme.wordpress.com/

We've loved everymoment of hanging out with us here. We hope to see your lovely faces over at our new address. See you there.

Ignorant!

Truly indeed the word of the Lord is true. Many are not enjoying the benefits of their newly found liberation / entitlement due to ignorance. Why do you say? I am about to share a little story with you.

My dear dear friends were finally getting married in Spain after three years of engagement. The cathedral they wanted was fully booked in 2008, and the only available slots were after August 2011, and thus we waited. They decided to splash out a bit on their guests by putting us up in a full star hotel, with all the trimmings that came along and we lacked nothing. Except that I didn’t know that. All I knew was I had found myself in a very expensive hotel. I remember collecting the keys to my room, and was shocked when I approached the room they had reserved for me. I did remember I didn’t sleep well through the night, because I was so hot. I remember waking up to noises which appeared to be made by kids having a good time, but I thought nothing of it.

It was an evening affair, and so I had the whole day to wander about. After strolling in the sun, and the intense humidity, I was feeling a little bit exasperated and desperately wanted a really cool condition. And even though my room was rather nice, all I could think of was home. And so I waited! Finally the hour came. I was reunited with friends and was in the company of great companions, and so the topic of the exquisite hotel came into the conversation! And there it happened. I was informed of all the benefits that came with the key, and that my lovely room had air condition ;), swimming pool, spa, and much more! Unlimited internet, dare I go on! And immediately I became disappointed.

Now, because it was an evening affair, when we returned back to the hotel the next morning at 3.30am (Did I mention it was an evening affair and the church service started at 8pm). Yes where was I? these friends of mine actually came along with me to show me where exactly they all were. And making sure my room was at a good temperature before they left for their rooms. However a question they left with me was, how come you didn’t call the porter to ask him? I was a little glum, naturally I would, but this wasn’t a business trip I exclaimed! Ahh! there you went wrong, Its Matteo and Inma’s gift for showing up at their celebration! I had only a couple more hours before catching my return bus back to Madrid airport that morning, and as I pondered upon my turn of events, I couldn’t help but wonder upon a thought! Indeed this is how many of us are with the things of God.

Isn’t it interesting how God has told us time and time again in his word what He has made available to us. Who we are in Him, and the power we capable of controlling, only if we excersises it. The Lord has given us access to unlimited benefits, simply because we have come to His saving grace. And yet many of us have yet to experience those benefits because we don’t even know they exist. Many have seen it, have heard of it, but are still yet to enter into it. Let’s no longer continue to live in this way. We are more than the life we are leading. We have been given much more than we currently have. We have been created for greatness!

It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will help us to discover who we are in the Word of God! It is my prayer that we will not make this discovery too late (like I did in my example). We are still marching forward! We are still on course. Total victory is ours. Hallelujah Total victory is sure!

You are more than this!

Today, I felt the need to mow my parent’s lawn. Accordingly, my brother got the mower out, got all the chords safely tied in place, and showed me a piece of garden I could run through. And so I began. I remembered in my younger years when I wanted to show to my brothers why whatever they could do I could do ten times better, and that I was no sissy, no girl but a boy like them. I remembered when going beyond the tall three in the middle was a mark of an accomplishment, and how when you’ve gone beyond was indeed worthy of some accolade. And so I began on the lawn. I had barely gone 40 inches, when I started praying in the Holy Spirit, asking God to help me before I fell down helpless on the lawn while my baby brother cheered me along. After a few more, I couldn’t help but stop. I hadn’t reached the apple tree, let alone the tall three in the middle or even the beyond. I had nothing to prove to anyone I said to myself and encouraged myself that when mummy comes home she would be so proud of what I’ve done. And proceeded to go and work on my computer instead.

Some Sundays ago, the senior pastor in my church ministered to us on the importance of seeing and the importance of entering into your inheritance. Seeing it, is just the beginning, you have to enter into it as well. I saw the vast land, saw the trees, and the entire wild berries. I saw the wild grass that has somewhat encroached into our back garden. As large as it was, I remembered how beautiful it once was, and it should be. I saw a beautiful landscape, and remembered how it ought to be.

It doesn’t matter how tired you’ve become because of the magnitude of what you have seen, and are believing God for. The bible tells us in Isaiah 40:30-31 - Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. The Lord who is our strong Tower is faithful beyond descriptions. He is too marvellous for words. He, who is the glory of your life, never sleeps or slumbers. He can never never get tired. It is impossible. So don’t worry if you’re feeling a little exhausted, a little bewildered, a little confused, a little anxious, even the bible tells us that it is possible to grow tired and weary. But remember the Lord encourages you that, because you hope in Him, it doesn’t matter what state you are in at the moment, He is more than able to renew your strength, He will make you soar on wings like eagles. Do you know what that means? This is what happens to those that don’t give up. Their latter will always be greater than their former.

After such an eventful day, my parent’s lawn was mowed. Don’t just see it, enter into it. Don’t just believe it walk into it. Don’t just assume it, live it. Don’t let the enemy trick you into believing you can’t have what you see, and thus making you give up on what you have seen. Don’t let the enemy bully you into believing that what you see is too big for God to do for you! Please don’t give the enemy a chance to show you a mediocre alternative. There is nothing too impossible for God to do (Genesis 18:14). There is nothing God cannot do. My life is a living testimony of that fact and truth.

Don’t give up on the vision; don’t give up on the promise. You are more than this! You have been created for greatness! Go and become it.

A Sombre one

Week after week, I keep telling myself I will update my posts. And yet before that week runs out, my post have not been updated, and the weeks have turned into months. It’s as if every appointment I promised God to make, I end up not showing up. Worse still, I “stand Him up”. I can’t say it’s because of how busy I am at work that it extinguishing my time, or rather that the current developments of my life that has made me not realise the time as they fling by.

It’s funny how I hear stories of people like me who are no more, people who lived and loved God, and are no more today, but I am, I am, and I am still busy missing OUR appointments.

Today is a very short post, a reflective post, a post of whatever happened to my new year resolutions of making sure this year, I make God my priority. Whatever happened to all those promises of making God’s business my business this year? The first 6 months have gone, and after much reflection, I realise that if not for His loving kindness and Grace, I still shouldn’t have been here typing away this post.

Woe to me, I am undone.

My Melting Point

I trust you all remembered to appreciate our father’s yesterday. It was such wonderful feelings to have my many Dads pray for me yesterday, simply because I remembered to say some nice words. Dad’s eh, they are such softies J. And the men of RCCG COD Cambridge too had a wonderful weekend I was told following their successful highly anticipated MEN’s conference, and the turnouts of participants from around the globe. We women definitely missed out, but our turn is coming also on 16^th to 18^th of September. I can’t wait!

I learnt an important message on Sunday. The Men’s plenary speaker Rev. Kola Ewuosho was constrained to stay for the Sunday celebratory service, so that the rest of us who were not in attendance for the conference had something to take home too. And I learnt an important lesson of my life.

You see, I had lived in Isolation for four of my seven years as a Christian, and had learnt during that time of my life the many messages of perseverance, refusal to give up, the attitude of worship, a closer walk with God, and so many. And yet, I did not learn the lesson of “maturity in dealing with people”.

I am easily offended! And as the man of God reminded me on Sunday, is an action that means others can’t be free around you since you are not free yourself. It took getting used to. I learnt so much in my time of solitude, so much that I pleaded with God not to take me out of the mountains, but I realise now why I had to leave. I realise now, that the world is made up of relationships, and I cannot confidently say I love or I’m in LOVE with God if I don’t relate well with His people. It took the Lord to take me to a place of a meeting with so many minds and characters to reveal the truth of the state of my heart to me. And on Sunday it came to melting point.

Not everything in life is that important to lose your joy over, and your pride, your insecurities, your fear of rejection is not worth compared to the joy and freedom that you have found in Christ. To let it go, to let them go, and to allow you and they be free. I was even more encouraged on Sunday that my failure in the way I deal with people, my acceptance of my failure and my ability to admit it to God and my attitude of change is actually what prepares a way for my success.

Even though I was previously introduced to the Kingdom of God, my acceptance of Jesus Christ as my Saviour, allowed Him to become the foundation of my life. Yes, He taught me many lessons during the many seasons in my life, but I still needed to be a matured Christian. And thus I had to leave the comfort zone of the lovely mountains of Alto Adige, to a place where responsibility was key.

To make a choice to either be easily offended, or choose to see beyond the offenses! To choose to see the offenses as a stepping stone to the manifestation of the greater person God has created me to become. A woman who is conformed in the image of Christ living in Dominion and Freedom that has been given to me, because of the finished work of Christ on the cross. Indeed I will be a fool if I choose to remain a woman in bondage, in bonds and at the mercy of people God has created me to take responsibility of my actions towards. No! From today, I choose not to be offended, and go and sleep a day I feel it’s gotten to a critical point J. But I know the Lord sees my heart, and He will help me in this new decision of mine in Jesus Name. Amen. And if you are like me, make that choice today too, and you will not regret it. The Lord will help us all in Jesus Name. Amen.

Forgotten

No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been – Mark 5:19b (NLT)

Hello family, I trust all is wonderful with you, and this new month has started wonderfully for you already. I thank God for your lives and mine, and I am indeed so grateful to God for all of his wonderful works in my life.

Yesterday I was reading the account of the healing of the two demon possessed men in the region of the Gadarenes in Matthew 8:28-34 [28: When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him]. The account ended with the villagers urging Jesus to go, but nothing further was mentioned. Immediately I became restless. Why you may ask, well of all of my years of studying the bible, I never realise that there were two to begin with. In the accounts of Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8: 26-38 only one was mentioned, and so even though I may have read the book of Matthew on more than one occasion, I did not make a mental note of it.

Then I asked the Lord Jesus, how is it that this story was told three times, but only one account mentioned that in the beginning there were two men? I thought to myself, maybe I may need to take this to my pastor, check out the bible concordance and read all the commentaries that bible scholars have to say of the matter.

But I didn’t even have to go that far. My eyes were drawn to Mark 5: 18-20 - As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. And similarly in Luke 8:38-39. Immediately I realised something. There were indeed TWO to begin with. Two had a problem, two were healed, and one was grateful for what the Lord Jesus did for him. One stayed back up until when the villagers came on the scene (Mark 5:15; Luke 8:35), this one pleaded with Jesus to follow Him, this one was the one told to go and tell his family of the goodness of God. Isn’t it amazing that when Mark and Luke investigated the story, only the account of the one that wanted to follow Jesus and who went throughout the ten cities testifying of how good God has been to him, was told. Yet the eye witness of the event Matthew told us that there were two to begin with. Dear God, only one of the two healed had his destiny justified and glorified.

Two received a touch from God, one’s account was not mentioned. He was forgotten – I don’t know if he ran away with the herd’s men, or maybe disappeared among the crowd, but one thing I do know is that I was told in Matthew 8:34 that the whole town went out to meet Jesus on hearing about the lead up to the miracle to ask Him to leave their town – while, the account of only one was remembered.

I pray dear God that even after all you have done for me, it would not end there. You have been too good to me for me to forget about your wonders. You have been so awesome to me for me to forget you generosity. Many may have been blessed in the same way I have been placed, but I refuse to have my story end with me. Oh No, by God, I will proclaim your goodness at the roof tops, I will proclaim you beauty on mountain tops, oh God I will proclaim your loving kindness and mercy towards me to whoever and whatever cares to listen.

Lord, so great is your mercy towards me, that I would be a fool not to acknowledge that. Thank you Lord for taking out the time to bless me, and make me a blessing to everyone you send my way.

Thank you Lord for all You have done for me. I love you Lord Jesus!