RENEWED HOPE

"I know you by name and you have found favor with me" Exodus 33;12

I have found favor in the Lord and the journey HE places me on I believe is one that is set only to build my character and enhance my faith in HIM and through that find real joy and fulfillment.

It was in late 2014, everything had been going perfect with my life... I was on top of things at work, just got news that I was getting a raise then a promotion, I was acing university and I believed that I was with the man of my dreams. little did I know that the man whom I believe GOD himself had placed on my path would shatter my world just as I was about to write my final exams.

This God of mine has funny ways of doing things and HE amazes me all the time. He truly knows me by name and I have found favor in HIM.

This man that I had totally given my all to was set to be married end of 2014 and I didn't know this till the very last moment. He, God, kept on showing me signs that this was not him. This was not man HE had prepared and polished for me. He kept on reminding me that I needed to love me and be comfortable in who I am and what I have to offer before HE sent the right man along. He kept on telling me there is no rush and that I need not lower my expectations as love will find me when I least excepted that I needed to be strong enough to let go and be patient enough to wait for what I deserved.

I had come to a point in my life where I truly believe that love and happiness were not for me. That I had done something to anger the Lord and now I was paying the price. I sat myself down and prayed hard, I remembered that God loves me more than anything else in this world and HE would never do anything to harm or hurt me. I remembered and focused on all the signs that I had been given and I focused on me and my spiritual growth. I found happiness within me, I smile cause I am on top of things and my Lord reminds me always that HE is by my side. My glass is always half full and never half empty.

I walked into the new year with renewed hope and faith, renewed love and appreciation not only for myself, GOD but for the path that HE has set for me cause I now know that HE will never lead me astray.

I remembered HIS words that kept on ringing in my ears as I wrote those final exams with tears in my eyes. In the book of Mark 11;24 Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

My happiness came to me when I least expected it via whatsapp in a wet stadium in PE at a festival, I now truly believe that rain is showers of blessings, on the 27th December 2014.

29th December in Summer strand I found my joy...


Trust in HIM because HE always knows you by name and believe me even if HE has to bang your head against a brick wall just as HE did with me. You will find favor in the Lord

The Journey

It is the second week into our congregations youth month, services are conducted by the youth. It is my first youth month as President of the Khayelitsha Uniting Presbytery Church Youth Association Leading the youth month. I sat frustrated as little to no youth walked through the church doors these past two Sunday's. I sat and wondered is this the reason they had elected me to show me that as much as I was able to do a "good" job at the National structure I would never be able to change them because I am not part of the click, the in circle.

I cried, when I got home after both Sunday, as frustration boiled in my head. I sat in my room and wondered what had I done wrong.

lets go back. This year my executive and I sat and we envisioned our Theme for the month was from Psalms 456;10 Be still and know that I am God.... The message that we as the executive want to relay this year unlike every other year where we brought our problems to God and we asked him for assistance. This year we wanted to show our problems how big our God is and we wanted to Thank Him for all the trials and tribulations. Cause year in and year out all that it seemed that we as the Youth and all the other associations were doing is complaining about our baggage and not actually thanking the most high for the baggage...

We forget, just as I had both these Sundays mentioned, that God allows everything to happen for a reason. Circumstances will either direct you, correct or perfect you.

In this situation I chose to let God lead as HIS child I am dependent on Him for everything. I choose to stop crying and  focus on the task that God had given me and that  is to lead these young people. It seems very difficult now as I have so many characters to work with  not only within my executive but within this very youth. I have introspect and the answer HE has given me it why should I complain. HE himself led so many characters. Judas, Peter... Some of which stabbed HIM in the back but HE still found the will to say father forgive them for they know not what they do.

I sit now and say Father forgive me my trespassers as I forgive those that trespass against me. Yes they left me to lead myself but I have forgiven.

I end this passage with a verse from Chronicles II 20;12 " We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."

The enemy may be coming from every direction but keep your focus on the Lord and your path shall be easy. Press on young person just as I am pressing on.

Seek the most high

Solutions sometimes may appear as easy as 1+1. When you place all your fear and doubt to HIM this is always the case... But we find that so many a time we run behind solutions and we exhaust all possibilities of every finding the right path to where we are going because we believe our lives are in our hands. In actual fact our lives here on earth are a huge rehearsal for what will be for eternity.

The other night I made a new friend who asked me a lot of personal questions that I felt very uneasy answering but I did. This man gave me insight to things that I had neglected to encompass in my daily existence. I found myself with a whole lot of solutions and very few problems as this dear person reminded me that all I needed do was wait on my knees as God is not to far to here me pray as He alone held the key to unlock all my solutions. And he was right.

I laughed looked at my bible as the page had been turned to Psalms 23... I read these 6 verses and to my amazement I realized how much truth these verses had in them and how comforting they were to any person no matter what situation.

Psalms 23 NIV

The Lord is my shepherd I lack nothing... That very first verse offers you all that you will ever need.. All you need do is follow the Shepherds command and all your problems will turn into a whole lot of solutions.

Wait on your knees, close your physical ears and open your spiritual ones.Our Father is right there smiling and waiting to exchange all difficulties and hand you solutions...

KNOW THAT HE IS GREATER THAN ALL

Trust is such an expensive thing to acquire in  our day and age, whether it is from a family member or a best friend. These people always promise one thing and do another.

 While reading my Bible, preparing myself for our branches Youth month this coming September, one thing popped out at me. It was so clear through all the chapters that I had read, it seemed as though it was a theme , a story line that made a lot of sense. God makes promises and HE always fulfills them. Yes they may not come at the time you expect them to but HE never fails to grant the greatness HE has prepared for you all you need to do is be patient.

At my young age I have walked through so many burdens, I have cried so many rivers I have lost count. When all the troubles and turmoil take place in my life  I always question myself asking why do I have to suffer? Am I not allowed time to smile? To relax and be stress free? Then the answer came to me one day as I realize whenever I am in the midst of troubles I forget about my creator and instead I focus on all the negative taking place in my life.

But when does God ever promise that one will not suffer on earth? People think that because we are people of faith that suffering and hardships are not part of the package. This mentality on its own is very wrong. God only promises to be there with you and help you through any trouble you may be going through as long as you trust and believe in HIM.

He has never once promised an easy journey here on earth but rather in heaven HE says all our burdens and troubles will be left at the gates and we shall sing and be merry all the days of our eternal life....

Why then should we question God when HE builds our character through the suffering we go through why not just hand all our baggage to HIM as HE is able to carry all that for us. HE promises to eventually turn our scars to stars and all our troubles will be turned into triumphs.

Psalms 46;10 " Be still, and know that HE is God."

Simply put he can handle any and all things for you just acknowledge that HE is who HE says he is GOD

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HE WILL NEVER FORSAKE NOR LEAVE YOU

Anyone can give up its the easiest thing to do. But to hold yourself together when everyone expects you to break that is true strength, faith and trust in the Lord our Father.

So many a time I felt alone. So many a time I have felt lost and unappreciated, unloved, unwanted and simply worthless. Just as Mary and Joseph felt that night they searched high and low for a place to rest their heads that lonely night they were offered the humblest of places. A sty.

They welcomed this place cause they new the gift they were to give the world was greater than anyone one could imagine and not even the place the situation they found themselves in could change this. They were to give the world the son of God Jesus Christ.

You find yourself in the midst of the darkest storm, you find yourself in what seems as the darkest of tunnels that has absolutely no way out. You begin to question your faith and whether there truly is a God cause you are convinced HE would never let you suffer the way that you are.

Remember Joseph and Mary they travelled on a donkey. She was heavily pregnant and needed to rest but no one sympathized or offered them shelter for the night. They seemed to be in what they could have defined as their darkest moment but Our Father was with them even through the storm HE is by your side showing you the way he is there carrying you ensuring that you come out safe and unharmed so you are able to present to the world the gift that HE has given you to share with this  world. Do not persecute yourself because of the situation you currently find yourself in. Kneel down and ask God to show you to your sty for it is there that you will find your time to rest. Your time to relive your pregnant body of the situations that the world has forced you to carry. It is there that you will find rest and enable yourself to give the world the gift that Our Father has given you to share with the world.

Allow yourself to go through that situation. Don't give up! Allow the storm to push you over. For you know that God is with you at all times and will never forsake you because HE loves you.

Press on young person giving up is not an option

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UPCSA YOUTH ASSOCIATION: HE WILL MAKE YOU FRUITFUL IN THE LAND OF YOUR SUFF...

UPCSA YOUTH ASSOCIATION: HE WILL MAKE YOU FRUITFUL IN THE LAND OF YOUR SUFF...: Life is not always easy as a young adult more especially when you are a Christian. It always seems to people as though you are not capable o...www.facebook.com

HE WILL MAKE YOU FRUITFUL IN THE LAND OF YOUR SUFFERING

Life is not always easy as a young adult more especially when you are a Christian. It always seems to people as though you are not capable of make mistakes because of your faith. You also find that more often that not come across situations that test your faith in more ways than.

while walking to catch a taxi to campus after knocking off at work yesterday I find that I ask my self the question if working close to where my mom stays is a blessing or a curse.  As I was going towards where I wait for taxi's to town I saw my eldest brother looking worn out, tired almost half dead. He looked homeless more than anything sitting on a rock outside moms house.  I stopped and stared and watched him as he seemed so lost as though he was questioning his existence.

Tears rolled down my face uncontrollably as I asked God what had my family done to deserve such misery? My brother is the brightest and most intelligent of my parents four children. He has a beautiful wife and four precious little angels. Yet because of drugs, because he saw that they were more important than anything else, he lost everything even his family to TIK.

I stood there dazed and I question  God is he that deaf that he cannot hear my families cries. Is HE so blind that he cannot see the pain, suffering and heartache my family goes through on a daily basis because of these drugs. I wondered as taxi's to campus drove by one after another, is my family not worth to be rescued from this misery just as he had saved the Israelites from the harsh hand of Pharo so long ago.

I stood there and found myself questioning my own faith because of the situation my brother has placed himself. I found myself questioning God's very own abilities and love because of the pain and suffering my family goes through on a daily basis.

I took a taxi and instead of going to Campus, I went home. I reminded myself that no one deserves to be in such a situation and if God had not placed us and tested my families faith who was HE going to test. and place through these hardships and tribulations? I prayed, yes I closed my eyes right there in that taxi and asked MY FATHER for guidance and assistance as I felt that I was loosing energy because of anger and bitterness towards this whole situation. Then I was reminded that my family is in this situation so we can ultimately testify HIS ability and power for there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I stand daily as General Secretary of this powerful and huge Association at National lever. I stand and motivate my branch as president and remind them to through all their problems to GOD daily. Who am I then not to listen and take my own advise in this and all situations?

I remembered Joseph's words in the book of Genesis 41;52  when he say "God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering"

Always remember that whatever suffering and hardship you encounter in life God shall make you fruitful in the land of your suffering for HE has the ability to change any and all situations just stay strong and never forget to pray, worship and praise him all the days of your life