Monday 29 May 2017

AM I CONFIDENT I WILL LEAVE A LEGACY?

The quick answer to this question is yes because everyone leaves a legacy of some kind. The catch is – I do not want to leave this world with nothing positive for people to remember me by. Do you?

Friends, it is possible to begin to build your legacy now, even if you have several years left to live. I've listed the areas I am working on below, and I hope that they will be of help to you.

1. Focusing on God and heavenly things

Our society is completely focused on money and all its trappings. Though it is true that we can't survive without money, money should not rule our lives.  These verses from Luke 12 put this point forward clearly.

Luke 12:20 -21 "But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?' Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God" (NLT)

The rich fool thought he had ‘made it' in life because of his wealth, but God reminded him that he should instead have invested in his relationship with God. I wonder –have I invested in my relationship with God? Food for thought.

Matthew 6:20-21 "Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." (NLT)

2. Obedience

I must admit – I have failed miserably in this area. Even the simplest of instructions and commandments are sometimes so hard to follow. Perhaps focusing on the benefits of obedience, as outlined in the following scripture, would help.

Deuteronomy 12:28 "Be careful to obey all my commands, so that all will go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and pleasing to the LORD your God." 
(NLT)

My obedience to God will affect the future of those who come after me. That alone is motivation enough to obey him.

3. Doing everything for the Lord

Hang on- does this mean I NEVER get the credit? After all my hard work?

Colossians 3:23 "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the LORD rather than for people. Remember that the LORD will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ." (NLT)

Whenever I am tempted to take the credit for my work, or I feel that nobody appreciates my efforts, I turn to the verse above. It is so encouraging to know that the work we do on earth earns us an inheritance from God himself. This truth gives me added motivation to serve our master, Christ!

4. Finishing this life well

The other day I heard an account of a funeral where the eulogy was just a few sentences long. The person who was being buried had not done much with his life, and so those who had the task of writing his eulogy didn't have much to say.

I always ask myself, what will people say when my time to leave this world comes along? Will they be left thinking of what I should have done, rather than what I did? The verse below is what I hope people will say about my family, my friends, and me once we depart from this world
.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 "I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me – the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing." (NLT)


Friends, my challenge to you is – let's start building our legacies now and aim to finish this race called life honorably, all for God's honor and glory.

Did you miss our last reflection? Here it is - Lift your self-esteem out of the doldrums
Interested in a different topic? More marriage myths

Sunday 21 May 2017

LIFT YOUR SELF ESTEEM OUT OF THE DOLDRUMS

Let's be honest – at some point, each of us has faced low self-esteem. It's perfectly natural to have a season when you don't believe in yourself, but if that feeling persists, you need to deal with it. Low self-esteem is a major relationship killer, which is why I thought of addressing the issue in this post.

How do people fall into the trap of low self-esteem? Simple – because they have allowed a lie propagated by someone else to become real in their lives.  For example, if someone tells me that I am timid and will never be able to handle driving in Nairobi traffic and I believe it, I will never drive in Nairobi traffic on my own.

Coming up is a short list of Bible verses to help you build your self-esteem, and begin to believe in yourself again.

1. Psalm 139:13-14 "You made the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous –how well I know it." (NLT)

Are there people who put you down because of your appearance? Do you often wish you were more beautiful, slimmer, or more intelligent? Well- you shouldn't! God made you the way He intended to, and in his eyes, you are PERFECT. As soon as you begin to believe that you are created perfectly, those around you will believe the same thing!

2. 1 Samuel 16:7b "People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (NLT)

God created you, and therefore knows you better than anyone else. The gift that lies within you is of him, and he has given it to you to use for his glory. Why, then, do you let people around you make you feel like you have nothing to contribute to this world? God knows why he placed you on this earth, and it's up to you to ask him to show you where and how he wants you to use your gifts.

3. Jeremiah 29:11 ‘"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.' (NLT)

Many of us do not recognize how important this verse is. God has plans that are unique to you, different from those of anyone else in the world. The best part is, his plans are designed to give you a future and a hope and to bring good into your life. Don't believe the negative things that people around you are saying about your life. Believe what the Word of God says!

4. Luke 12:7 "And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows." (NLT)


God promises to take care of you for all the days of your life because he loves you. Don't worry about what man can do to you, say about you, or think about you. God has your back!

For many years, I grappled with low self-esteem. My turning point came when I decided to believe what God says about me, his beloved child. If you are suffering from low self-esteem, it is time to listen to what God says about you, and believe it with all your heart. As I said above, once you begin to believe in yourself, everyone else will believe in you!

Missed our last reflection? Check it out here ladies-do-you-know-how-to-love? 
Interested in another topic? four-simple-lessons-from-psalm-37


Sunday 14 May 2017

LADIES – DO YOU KNOW HOW TO LOVE?

A few days ago, the term 'wife material' got me thinking – how many women know what to expect before jumping into marriage? Do we truly grasp what it means to love?

Ladies – I know you have an idea of what love is. Let us, however, take a quick look at the biblical view of love in the context of relationships – real love beyond the lovey-dovey and romantic moments.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged." (NLT)




1. Love is patient

Patience is one of those qualities that's hard to cultivate in close relationships. There are many reasons for a woman to be impatient with her man - like the toilet seat always left up, dishes left in the sitting room,  and coming home late. Most of us are naturally impatient because we want everything to go our way. God's expectation, however, is that we show love by being patient with our significant others.

When a marriage begins, both partners have high expectations of each other. The husband and wife expect each other to do things in a certain way. When this does not happen in your relationship, do you walk away? Do you blame God for giving you the wrong person? No! You ask God to grant you the patience to see your partner mature into the person that God intended. Let your love for this man and your patience with him encourage him to grow.

2. Love is not jealous

Let's be honest here – how many of us are in competition with their men? When he comes home late, you hit back by doing the same thing the next day. When he goes out with his buddies, you sulk and don't talk to him for days. Isn't that a sign of jealousy?


Marriage is a partnership. You and your partner are now companions in the journey of life. As such, you share achievements, joys, and sorrows. You also give each other space to grow through interaction with other people. If you support your partner, he will support you. If you show jealousy towards him, he will find someone else to share his successes with.

3. Love does not demand its own way

Selfishness is the reason many marriages don't work out. We are all naturally selfish. It takes God's power to begin to think of someone else as more important than you. God's order of marriage demands that you treat your spouse better than yourself.

Placing someone else at a higher level than you can be a tall order. Think about it this way, though. If you give your man love, concern, and respect daily, he will begin to treat you in the same way. Isn't that what you desired in the first place?

4. Love keeps no record of wrongs

Women are experts at keeping records of all the wrongs done to them since time immemorial. Whenever your spouse hurts you, memories of all the bad things he has ever done (some that he doesn't even remember) come flooding back.

The truth is your spouse will hurt you, many times. You must learn to forgive, forget and let go every time. Ask God for his help to deal with the hurts and to help you forgive. Remember that unforgiveness hurts the person who keeps the bitterness and memories inside their hearts. Love your man therefore by forgiving him every time he does wrong.




There you go – a few characteristics of love in the context of the marriage relationship. Make them part of your everyday routine as you interact with your significant other. Happy loving!

Missed our last reflection? Here it is - singles-lets-talk-about-realities-of marriage