REFLECT.

 Do you reflect once in a while? I find that in the stillness and quiet of reflection, a lot of gratitude, testimonies and depth with God can be realised. You don't need a specific place, the atmosphere can be created and set right where you are. If you can, find a quiet place around you right now as you read this and then pray with me as we embark. It might start out as a journey you're taking with me as I reflect, but you'll find that at a certain checkpoint, you'll begin to reflect on your own life with God right by you. 

So, do you want to reflect? Let's pray first:

Father, we have come. We lay our hearts, minds, souls in general, spirits and bodies before You. We even lay our crowns before You. Abba  Father, we want You. We yield ourselves to You in this moment, we desire to reflect with You in this time. Spirit come, in Jesus name, amen. 

My first long break from university is nearing its end. Around this time, I've been feeling an impression to just sit down and introspect and unwind on how these past few months have been. The deep conviction that I cannot just live my life casually; failing to once in a while sit down and think back, especially as one season nears its final words and another new one is around the corner, almost ready to be ushered in. 

I've had a phenomenal time of rest. Most of it has been spent in physical and mental rest from school work, spending every second I can with my dear family and friends (who became family in love, the one of Christ). And best of all, growing more and more in Christ. As TobyMac said in his song 'Faithfully', I may never be the same man... I have found more of who God is this holiday. I have spent time with Him in His word, sermons, testimonies, volunteering at church, attending a KESHA (a literal all-nighter where we pray, and praise, and worship, and fellowship, and prayyyy, and cry, and rejoice and encounter the Spirit of God etc). I also got to fast and share about this Jesus that found me and our Father and the sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit, and do so much more with God and for God. 

Guys, it's an understatement to express that I am overwhelmed this moment with an inexplicable feeling. I have no words for it. All I know is that I desire deeply to go deeper. I want more of You God, more.

I thought about how every day of our lives is an actual testimony if we just look a little deeper. If we allow our eyes to linger a little longer. If we but take time to ask that our eyes and hearts be open to see what the Lord has done and is still forever and amen doing. 

Testimony 1:

At the beginning of this long vacation, the Holy Spirit instructed me to be kind. Not to sit around and wait for my flowers after. To just be kind, not because people deserve it but because it is who God made us to be; a gratifying reflection of Himself. I started out at home and realised a remarkable change from what was once a quarrelsome, rage-filled, self-centered, you name it, home, to a loving, kind, happy and friendly abode. Turns out I needed to be the change I wanted to see, to make it short. 

Testimony 2:

My kind-hearted and generous mummy offered to give me transport money for every Sunday I needed to be in church (every Sunday). Around the last Sunday of June, a friend was in need of some cash, so the Holy Spirit guided me to send a portion of my bus money and I obeyed, not knowing how I'd get to church on Sunday. Sunday came, and my mum paid for a cab (taxi, uber, bolt) for my sister and me to take some stuff with us to church for donations. Furthermore, in the evening as I was leaving church after a talk with two lovely friends, my cousin called me to say a friend of ours from our INDA program the previous year was around, and that this friend and two others were driving into the town centre (cbd). They offered to give me a ride, and I got a passenger princess treatment (I'm smiling on the inside as I write this. Story for another day). In town, the charges for the bus around that time were significantly low. What a mighty God we serve. 

Testimony 3:

(The last one; I promise) I had had a hard time in church about two Sundays ago. While I was walking home speaking with God about how I felt I was struggling with being a good Christian, I took a turn as I neared my bus stop and that was when the Holy Spirit again spoke to me. His voice was tender and didn't insist on its way (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). He said to me, "Give that a thousand shilling note to a beggar on the street." This equates to 7.65 USD at the time of writing this. Mind you, I had no other money besides this and a few coins amounting to 0.23 USD lying around in my bedroom at home.Oh, and some money in my phone to get me home and to buy a snack for the evening. This note that I had was to partly pay a debt I owed a friend, to buy my best friend a chocolate for her birthday and to cater for my remaining transport money for two more Sundays of the month of July; leaving me with some change to spare. At the same time, I was trusting God for more money to do other things I desired. I really wrestled in my mind before I eventually gave a guy the money... 

At the end of that week, I had in my possession a 1000 shilling note. And I'm not KIDDING! This week, God has also been providing for the other things I was trusting Him for, and I have faith that He is always continuing and will always continue to provide for me. Because my Father's house is a rich storehouse, filled with a wealth of abundance that will never run out.

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Before I leave this space, I'll leave a verse on reflection as a youth. Sometimes our reflection may not be an easy walk in the park. We'll have to ask hard questions to ourselves, face tough and hidden truths within us and learn and grow from all experiences fun or not so fun, happy or sad, easy or hard... etc. God takes us through journeys of different kinds to give us godly discipline for our own good, and out of His love for us.  

When those days come, remember:

Never forget, Jesus loves you.

Love, Serene Steph,