#SpreadTheGospel

Happy new year everyone!

Today is 11/1 … 🙂

The holiday season is officially over.

My cheeks (those on my face and those you know where 😉 ) are fuller, and unlike other years where I was pedantic about the outcomes of festive feasting, this time around, I like how I look. 🙂 I look younger, my bra is brimming with goodies,and the jiggle in all the right places is appreciated. I feel “like a woman.” My mama and papa fed me round the clock, and this time, I didn’t fight it. I carried my sneakers and gym wear, yet I didn’t work out even for a single minute since I got home. I know that I will lose the happy weight when I want to. It’s not much weight anyway. To the untrained eye, I still look the same as before the festive holiday.

I leave for Nairobi tomorrow but as always, I feel as if I should stay in Mombasa a bit longer, as if six weeks weren’t enough. My parents are in their seventies and leaving home feels harder each time. Two years ago, I went to bid my grandma farewell before leaving for Columbia, USA and that turned out to be the last time I would see her before her demise. Grandma passed on just before Easter break, the time I usually return home to spend it with my parents and her of course. Earlier that year, I had a feeling that grandma would die sooner than we thought, and I had shared the same with my father and OG at the time. I wanted to see my grandma over Easter and tell her my final goodbye before she went to be with the Lord but…

We can make our plans,
    but the Lord determines our steps.

Proverbs 16:9 NLT

Jesus tells us that “in this world, you will have many troubles” and last year seemed like the manifestation of that prophesy. I wrote that 2023 was my year of rest and indeed it was, then thereafter, the tempest began in earnest; 2024 was the runway period and 2025 was the high speed take off!

There is a perspective shift in what I thought was a tough season for me. My bosom friend, let’s call her Curado (Spanish for ‘healed’), and I had a tough yet necessary conversation concerning the way forward. It was on Christmas Eve (that’s two and a half weeks ago) when I called Curado to run by her a pivotal decision I was about to make. It was a tough decision, one that I didn’t want to make but needed to. I wept for most of the conversation. I wept so much and so hard that Curado was quiet for close to 30 minutes as I expressed my pain and disillusionment through tears, sobs and chest-wrenching cries. I wept so much so, that I told Curado that come 2026, I never want to cry (like that) again. 2026 has to be a better year, it must be! 2026 is the Year of Establishment and I receive this Word with all of by being. It was after that conversation that I listened to the Christmas special by Brenden Praise and Mpoomy Ledwaba and continued polishing my Christmas article for publishing.

Curado and I have been friends for a decade and a half now and our relationship has evolved over the years. During the COVID period in 2020, Curado gave her life to Christ and since then, our relationship took an even deeper dimension.

When Curado and I were having the tough conversation I mentioned earlier, she reminded me of the most important aspect of living in and for Christ – that He never leaves us alone. Yes Jesus told us that the world has many troubles but do you know what He said immediately after that? … that He has overcome the world.

…Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

Proverbs 16:33 NLT

Bad things can still happen to us even when we are obeying the will of God. Joseph was directly where God wanted him to be, doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing. He was obedient and honorable yet he faced difficulties – rejection, jealousy, hatred, enslavement, false accusations and imprisonment.

God’s presence does not mean we will be free from suffering. From Abraham to Jesus, the Bible teaches us that sometimes the most painful place to be is in the will of God.

Can you imagine that the safest yet most ‘dangerous’ place we can be, is in the will of God? Chilling, right?

God loved Joseph, but He also loved every person who would be affected by the famine and so God allowed Joseph to wait in pain until just the right time. Your waiting is not in vain. God is at work. The One who gave you your dreams will be the One to help them come true.

“Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭18‬ ‭BSB‬‬

Your seemingly dark times are opportunities for God to shine. He has not placed you in your current troubles to forget about you or to imprison you. He is building your story and His glory. 

No matter how painful the situation may be, when we are in God’s will and presence, we can have hope that He will see us through. Let’s also remember that during Joseph’s ‘transition period’, God’s Hand was always upon him and he was prosperous in all his dealings, whether in Potiphar’s house or in prison. As in Joseph’s story, even the most unfortunate circumstances can will be turned into good.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Genesis 50:20 NIV

Apostles James and Paul had the same message, albeit to different audiences, that suffering, trials and tribulations, develops perseverance and that perseverance has its work to mature us.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭BSB‬‬

“Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭BSB‬‬

This message is clearly for someone who is reading this and I think it is you. God loves you. Let the haters hate but the rain will precipitate. They mocked you, belittled you, treated you unfairly and you may think that there is something you did or are doing wrong. No. Let the naysayers be. The Bible tells us that if the devil knew the outcome of Jesus’ death on the cross, He wouldn’t let Jesus die.

We speak of God’s hidden and mysterious wisdom that God decided to use for our glory long before the world began. ⁸  The rulers of this world didn’t know anything about this wisdom. If they had known about it, they would not have nailed the glorious Lord to a cross.

1 Corinthians 2: 7-8 CEV

Jesus had to be crucified for us to be saved. The enemy thought that Jesus would die forever but God hit Satan with a “Boo-ya! I killed death!” Joseph had to be sold into slavery for him to get into Egypt and in your case, you may never know why you have to go through what you going through now but in retrospect, it will be crystal clear. God’s ways are not our ways, remember that.

The Lord says:
“My thoughts and my ways
    are not like yours.
⁹ Just as the heavens
    are higher than the earth,
my thoughts and my ways
    are higher than yours.

Isaiah 55:8-9 CEV

The enemy thinks he may have had you on chokehold with sickness, pain, death, loss and all the best shots he could throw at you, but God is about to Reverse Uno that card on the devil. If your Boss doesn’t like you, that’s fine, YOU will soon be the boss. Did your boyfriend/girlfriend cheat on you? Leave him/her. God is bringing you someone who will be your spouse. You thought you had to relocate because of economic hard times? Well, now you can see your parents more often and start a successful business in your divine location. See, the enemy has no power and he has no plan for you. Frankly, he has no plan for himself either. The devil can’t harm you if you are God’s child, all his antics only bring you closer to God’s magnificent plan for you.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Chin up. Your situation will end in victory. My situation will end in victory. More accurately though, is that we are already living in victory. Are you still breathing through your nostrils and not a life support machine? Then thank God right now.

God holds His cards close to His chest, a phrase my dad likes saying. All these situations are unraveling exactly how God wanted them to. Joseph left prison and was promoted to second in command in Egypt. Enter rest. Relax your mind. Take a chill pill and sip a pinacolada. God knows what He is doing, trust Him in His game.

If you are not yet born again and would like to give your life to Christ, please repeat the prayer below out loud:

Dear Lord,

Thank You for dying on the cross for me. I believe in my heart that you died and rose again and I confess with my mouth that You are Lord and Saviour in my heart and in my life. I denounce my former ways and choose to be Your child. Thank You for setting me free. I am now born again. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

I want you to take three deep breaths and as you exhale each time, say, “Lord, I trust You”. 1..2..3.. Breathe in [pause] breathe out. Repeat that twice more. All done? Good. Now stop worrying about your troubles and go to sleep.

Good night.

XO,

That Lady