A DOSE OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM MY HEART TO YOURS

Honestly speaking, the journey of the Christian is not all fun and games. Sometimes you will just want to put your head under a pillow and cry your heart out, and other times you will wonder whether God has given you a blackout!

I have recently gone through a challenging period, and during this time, God spoke to me in his own way, at his own pace. It has not been an easy ride, but I have learned that God is always close by, even when I don't feel His presence.

Below are a few verses that have gotten me through this tough period. I hope and pray that these words will encourage you in your journey.

1. Are you facing a situation that seems too big for you to handle? A giant-sized problem, perhaps?

Psalm 118:6-7 "The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Yes, the LORD is for me, he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me." (NLT)

2. If you are going through a period of darkness where you cannot see any light ahead, this verse will encourage you.

Psalm 27:1 "The LORD is my light and my salvation – so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?" (NLT)

Jesus is your light in the darkness, and he will protect you, just as a fortress protects one against the enemy!

3. Perhaps you are too scared to sleep at night, and you fear what the night has in store for you?

Psalm 4:8 "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety." (NIV)

4. Do you feel like God is far, far away, and that he cannot hear your cries? Do you know that if you keep on looking for him, you will find him in all his fullness?

Jeremiah 29:13 "If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me." (NLT)

Keep on looking for him; he is right there waiting for you to find him.

5. Discouraged? Weak? We have all been there, right? The point where your heart is tired, and you don't have the strength to trust – is the point where God steps in.

Psalm 73:26 "My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever." (NLT)

6. Sometimes I feel confused, and I wonder who around me has the right answer. During such periods, it is difficult to hear God's voice, isn't it?

2 Samuel 22:31 "God's way is perfect. All the LORD's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection."(NLT)

Focusing on HIS promises always sets me back on track, and points me in the right direction. After all, these promises come from our faithful God!

7. Help! Help! Where do I get help when I need it so desperately?

Psalm 121:1-2 "I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." (NIV)

My help comes from the LORD, the one who made heaven and earth!!! How encouraging!

I hope that the verses I have shared above will encourage you not to lose faith in God even in the hard times.  I pray that when you finally get out of the rough patch (and you will), these words from Psalms will be on your lips.

Psalms 13:5-6 "But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD's praise, for he has been good to me." (NIV)

Missed our last reflection? Here it is - LOOKING FOR THE ‘RIGHT' ONE?

Another topic, perhaps? WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE?

KEEPING YOUR MARRIAGE ‘GRASS' GREEN – FOUR GREAT TIPS

Have you ever looked at another married couple and said to yourself, "Why can't my marriage be as perfect at theirs?" The adage that goes, "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" can most certainly be applied to marriages. Sincerely speaking, there are many times I have been guilty of looking at and admiring other marriages other than my own. The question is, how do I stop peering over the fence?  Is there a way to make the grass in my marriage grow and flourish to the point where others are learning from it?

Coming up are my thoughts on how to build your marriage ‘grass.'

1. Plant the best grass on your lawn

Gardening gurus will tell you that to get the best lawn, you must select the correct variety of grass for your region. Other factors to consider are the soil, availability of water and the climate. You also need to plant the grass correctly so that it grows in the right pattern.

In the same way, get the best grass for your marriage lawn. Choose the right partner to walk with you on your journey, a person with whom you will make a great team. Don't just marry anybody because you are getting older, or you are under pressure from your family. Remember, you have to live with this person for the rest of your life. If you are not in agreement from the beginning, your marriage grass will not grow!

Ecclesiastes 4:9 "Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed." (NLT)

2. Nurture your grass

Once you plant the grass, you have to take care of it. A little fertilizer and spray here and there, as well as lots of water,  will give you the desired result – the perfect lawn that is the envy of your neighbors.

The marriage grass also needs lots of care. Don't assume that once you ‘hook' a life partner, you can relax and leave everything to work itself out. On the contrary, as soon as you are pronounced husband and wife, the real work begins. The regular dates you had while getting to know each other now become a necessity as you seek to build your intimacy.

God's intention is for the married couple to become one. If you truly want to be the married couple that God intends you to be, put in the work. Nurture that grass!

Ephesians 5:31 "As the Scriptures say, ‘A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.'" (NLT)

3. Weed your grass

After the grass has grown and looks nice and green, many people forget that it needs weeding. Weeds aggressively destroy a lawn by taking up space and nutrients that are meant for the grass. The result? A horrible- looking lawn!

There are many things inside and outside your marriage that can destroy it within a short time. One partner may have issues with selfishness, envy, and unrealistic expectations. The other partner may have a challenge with boundaries in relationships outside the marriage. You must be on the lookout for the little bugs that can chew into your marriage. Once you identify them, get rid of them before they do any damage!

Song of Songs 2:15 "Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!" (NLT)

The little foxes will always turn up when you least expect them. Be on your guard.

4. Love your grass

Caring for a lawn is a full-time job. It needs to be trimmed, replanted, sprayed and watered often. Tending to a lawn is hard work, but the result is well worth the investment.

Do you consider your marriage to be an investment? How valuable is it to you? Are you prepared to put in the time and effort to learn your partner and build your relationship? The marriage relationship needs constant nurturing so that it can grow. If it remains dormant, both partners will feel suffocated, and it will die.

The writer of Hebrews puts his view of marriage forth in this verse:

Hebrews 13:4a "Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage." (NLT)

Let us commit to honoring our marriages by remaining faithful to one another, as God requires of us.

Are you now more equipped to tend your marriage ‘grass'? Great! Keep it looking fresh, inviting and green, and soon people out there will be wishing they had a marriage like yours!

Missed our last reflection? Here it is!marriage-is-truly-act-of-faith.html

Another topic, perhaps? 3-cunning-little-moles-that-ruin marriages

MORE MARRIAGE MYTHS? NOT AGAIN!

Following last week's post on marriage myths, you must be thinking there cannot possibly be more myths out there. Don't worry; there are just a few more to look at.

1. Physical intimacy happens all the time

Most people who get married look forward to getting physically intimate all the time, any time they feel like it. Well, for the first few months things may happen as you want them to, but once you start settling into the relationship and becoming more ‘real,' there will be times that either you or your partner is not in the mood! In addition, other factors like sickness, separation due to travel, and complicated pregnancies make it hard to get physically intimate.

What do you do in such a situation? First, remember that intimacy has its seasons. During the dry seasons, you may need to find other ways to express your love to your partner. Remember, your role in marriage is to minister to your partner. Whatever your partner needs, you give. For physical intimacy to be satisfying, each party has to put their heart and soul into it.

2. You will always be in love

Reality check – you will not always be in love. There will be those moments when you do not want to see your spouse. You are however commanded to love your partner/spouse all the time. There are different types of love, and each type of love fits the season that your relationship is going through. Believe it or not, there are moments when couples even experience brotherly love. The key thing here is to accept the season that your marriage relationship is passing through, and ask God to help you love your partner more.

3. You will never want to quit.

Quitting a marriage passes through every person's mind at one point or another – that is the sad truth. What you do with those feelings, however, makes the difference. Why do you want to quit? Have you asked God to help you become a better spouse? Are you willing to forgive your spouse for any wrongs?

As much as many people say they want to quit their marriages, few do so. If you are in a place where you are considering calling it quits, explore all avenues before finally walking out, because once you leave, you can't go back to the way things were.

A friend of mine shared a little of her marriage experience with me, and I found that what she shared is relevant to today's discussion. Here is Maryanne's brief take on marriage.

"When John and I got married, I didn't know I had issues with rejection, from my relationship with my father and my ex-husband (she left him due to infidelity). Long before John and I wedded, John had started teaching me about the Word of God, and how to read it. After our wedding, we established a routine of praying and reading the word together daily, as we had agreed that our marriage would be founded on God's principles. As the challenges of marriage came along, the Word of God became my mirror and consultant. I turned to it regularly, on the good and bad days. John loved me, prayed for me and with me, and fed me spiritual food.

After I had our last child and went through post-partum depression, I was sure John would leave me. Instead, he would tell me that he loved me with all his heart and that he was not going anywhere. John regularly rebuked me for not believing in God and doubting his love for me. I needed to accept the love that God was showing me through my husband so that I could heal from all past hurts.

I am still God's work in progress, to be perfected in maybe 50 years' time, or when we go to heaven, but the Maryanne before John no longer exists. John's obedience to God's command to love me and nurture me has made me the woman that I am. Only a man submitted to God can love another the way my husband loves me. John is the priest of our home, and teaches both our children and me how to look into God's word for teaching and guidance."

Maryann and John's view of and approach to marriage are what many couples need to adopt today. God is the author of marriage, and he gives us the blueprint on how to succeed in the Bible. The following verse from Ephesians gives a fitting conclusion to this discussion.

Ephesians 5:22-25 "For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word." (NLT)

Missed last week's reflection? Check it out here Reality-check-a look-at-marriage-myths

Interested in another topic? Here you go - The-Christian-at-work

ARE WE CONDEMNED TO BAD LEADERSHIP?

Today's reflection starts with a personal vent. I am tired of the way this country's leadership is treating its citizens. People are starving, and those who have access to food can barely afford it. Clean drinking water is a luxury in arid areas, yet it is a basic need for survival. The culture of selfishness is deeply entrenched in our government, rather than the culture of service and selflessness. Think about it – why do you have to pay a bribe to get a basic service?

Why am I venting? I'm venting because the people ‘up there' are not affected by drought, water shortages, cost of living, joblessness, poor market conditions and lack of health services. They do not feel the pinch at all!

Dear Church of Christ, we have two choices. We can sit back and watch our country go to the dogs, or start praying for our leaders. God is waiting for us to call on him to change things in our government.

Hold on - why should we pray for our leaders?

1 Timothy 2: 2 "Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity." (NLT)

If we pray for our leaders, they will do things the RIGHT way, and we can all live in peace!

So, what should we pray for?

1. Pray for God to guide the hearts of our leaders.

Proverbs 21:1 "The king's heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD; he guides it wherever he pleases." (NLT)

Although God has the power to control the hearts of our leaders, he requires that we pray and ask him to do so. Get on your knees and pray for God's will to prevail in the actions of the leaders around you.

2. Pray for the leaders to submit to God.

Every leader must recognize that God put them in power. The guiding verse for every leader should be;

John 3:30 "He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. " (NLT)

If you listen to some of the leaders' utterances carefully, you will note that they are full of themselves. Pray for each one to remember where they started from, to acknowledge who put them in power, and to look to God for guidance as they lead.

3. Pray that our leaders treat us the way they want to be treated.

Luke 6:31 "Do to others as you would like them to do to you." (NLT)

Many leaders forget that they cannot lead forever and that they will one day go back to regular status. Every leader must, therefore, treat those under him with the respect that they deserve. Note that leaders who treat their people well are spoken of fondly and treated with respect even when they are no longer in leadership.

4. Pray for our leaders to rule justly.

Proverbs 16:12 "A king detests wrongdoing, for his rule is built on justice." (NLT)

If you firmly believe that our country is not founded on justice, pray. Pray for our leaders to gather the guts to stand up to injustices and fight for what is right. Also, pray that those in influential positions will say no to corruption. Pray for our leaders to set an example of integrity for the rest of the nation, no matter what it takes.

Proverbs 29:4 "A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it."  (NLT)

Pray for the restoration of justice and righteousness within our leadership.

5. Pray for wise leaders.

Every leader needs wisdom to make decisions that are in the best interests of the citizens. God's wisdom is, therefore, something that every leader should desire. Pray for our leaders to realize that they need God's wisdom to help them succeed in their endeavors.

Proverbs 11:14 "Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers." (NLT)

Do not forget to pray for the people who surround your leaders; the ones they turn to for advice.

Back to the title – are we condemned to bad leadership? Yes, we are, if we do not do anything about it. If you are already in leadership, the points above will show you how to be a leader who pleases God. If you are an ordinary person like me who believes in the power of prayer, get on your knees and pray for your leaders. 

The future of this country lies in our hands.

Did you miss last week's reflection? Here it is - It's time to grow up!

Interested in reading about something else? Check this out - Life Lessons from the Ant

THE CHRISTIAN AT WORK

Every morning, millions of people leave their homes to go and make a living. The pressure of having to meet daily needs makes it necessary to earn some income. When things get busy, however, it is tempting to forget that God has opened that door for employment or business for a reason. What are God's expectations of you in your workplace or business premises?

1. You are God's representative

Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do or say, do it as  a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving  thanks through him to God the Father.? (NLT)

According to this verse from Colossians, God expects that in everything you do, God must be represented. Think about an ambassador, whose job is to represent the ruler of the country he is from and speak on his behalf.  This envoy does not put forth his own agenda, but that of the person he represents

Similarly, the Christian is God's ambassador in the marketplace. Your peers and colleagues will be looking at you to see how well you represent the Lord, especially in your attitude towards work. The challenge is to be an able and trustworthy ambassador for the Lord.

2. You are God's employee

Everyone who works has an employer, whether one is formally employed, or self-employed. There is, however, a greater master, God, the one who opens the door for income generation in the first place.

Colossians 3:23 "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." (NLT)

When you work for the Lord, and not for men, you get more satisfaction from your task, knowing that you are pleasing Him. After all, the Lord is the one who graciously gives the opportunities to earn an income.

Deuteronomy 8:18a "But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth." (NIV)

3. You are God's example

Not many individuals out there know how to behave with integrity in the marketplace. Aren't you glad, however, that your Father guides you on how to handle yourself? Well, God does so with the aim of making you a shining light that will draw men to him.

Matthew 5:16 "In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."(NLT)

Are there people around you who ask why you conduct your business in a certain way? Do your co-workers ask what drives you to excel in the workplace? Use that opportunity to tell them about Christ, the one who gives you the strength and wisdom to work well.

Being a Christian at work is not just about making money to meet your needs. There is a reason why God has placed you there. Be his representative, employee, and example, and make a difference in the lives of those who surround you in the daily hustle.

Did you miss last week's reflection?  Check it out here. http://alisonkiriinya.blogspot.co.ke/2017/02/what-makes-you-unique.html

THE SPARROW

THE SPARROW

Have you ever seen a sparrow? I am sure you have seen them. They are tiny birds, with a dull and bland colour. A sparrow is the kind of bird you would easily ignore because it doesn't stand out. Jesus referred to them several times in the scriptures. 

Jesus knew that people in that era had no time for sparrows. They would be chased and eaten by cats and birds of prey, tormented by children and treated like common pests by adults. The sparrow was a symbol of insignificance. In Luke 12:6 we read the following words about them; "What is the price of five sparrows - two copper coins?" (NLT) The sparrow was so insignificant that if you went to the market to buy four sparrows, you would be given one free! 

That is not all that the book of Luke had to say about them, though. Luke 12:6 continues, "Yet God does not forget a single one of them". Now, see what the next verse says. 

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 flock of sparrows."(NLT)

There are similar words in the book of Matthew.

Matthew 10:29 "What is the price of two sparrows -  one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are numbered. so don't be afraid, you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows." (NLT)

Jesus was trying to make a point here. The sparrow, despite being as insignificant as it was, was still important to the Father. The Father had an enormous universe to take care of, yet he still had time to remember every single sparrow He created.

Do you ever feel like a sparrow? Insignificant, unloved, and ignored? Do you feel like things are not working out for you, like the sparrow who is always being chased by people and animals? There is good news. If God has time and space in his heart for a sparrow, he has the same for you. The Bible says he knows the exact number of hairs you have on your head.

As you start a new week, remember you have a Father in heaven who cares for you. He's watching over you and taking care of every detail. The next time you see a sparrow, think about how God loves that little bird, and how much he loves you as well.

Have a great week!