LORD, let me start by saying thank you so much. Thank you for loving me. I thought I knew what love was until I began to understand your love for me. Yet even now, I cannot say I fully understand it. It is a deep, profound and unmatched kind of love. You loved me first, and you loved me fully. Your love is perfect, sacrificial and everlasting. You’ve made my heart glad and my soul sing! You’ve given me purpose. You’ve given me life in so many ways. I love you because you loved me first. Thank you for loving me!
In you I have found my identity. Even in the moments when I lose sight of who I am, you never forget. There you are, lovingly reminding me. You guide and lead me every day even when I am not aware of it. Even in those moments when I think I have it all figured out, charting my own path, there you are, ever patient with me… You are slow to anger and quick to forgive. Never have I been turned away or rejected by you. You’re my ever-present help and faithful companion even when I miss the mark and fall short.
I am in awe of you. Who is like you, God? You are unmatched in all your ways. Who can compete with you? Who has better understanding or knowledge than you? Your wisdom is infinite. Your power and might are majestic to behold. Yet you are humble! Your heart is so tender and kind. I am truly in awe of you. When I reflect on all these things, I am amazed and humbled. I feel honoured to be called your child, to be a part of your family. You’ve completely accepted me and given this soul, this heart, a home.
Though you’ve accepted me wholly, you’ve also made me a better person. I have more grace and patience towards others. You’ve given me your heart such that I capable of loving others deeply even when I do not know them or cannot find reasons to love them. You are reason enough! You inspire me to forgive and build bridges even when it doesn’t seem to serve me because it serves you. You’ve given me a deeper appreciation for truth and justice. I find I pursue excellence and Godliness in the big, life-changing things as well as the small inconsequential things. Yet, I am far from perfect though you are perfecting me.
You know me better than I could ever know myself. Everything that I am capable of, everything that I think and do, all my motivations and desires, nothing is a mystery or a surprise to you. My past, present and future is laid bare before you and that gives me a sense of security and comfort. You know it all and you’ve made provisions for it all. Did I mention I’m in awe of you? I adore you. I worship you. I praise and magnify you. You alone deserve all the glory and honour and praise. You are worthy of all of me, of the best of me!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you again, Dad. I love you.
Faith carries us through difficult moments such as moments of fear, self-doubt, anxiety and stress. Faith is a gift that God has given us all and has to be activated through reading the word of God, praying, fasting and trusting that God has the best for us no matter what we are going through. It’s only by faith that we are able to withstand the arrows of the enemy towards us as we wait in Christ. We see this in the book of Ephesians where Paul encourages us to have the shield of faith always to block the darts of the enemy. Ephesians 6 vs 16, “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” In the old testament shields were used in war to block the stones, arrows, knives and spears of the enemy and were important in times of war. Shields are made with strong iron so that during the times of war, soldiers will be protected as they use it. As you can imagine when going to war, you don’t carry just a normal shield made from any material. In this case, faith occludes the attacks of the enemy. We ought to have faith.
We see great stories of men and women who had faith and received what they prayed for, received God’s promises and also did miracles. Look at the story of Hannah in the temple, praying unto the Lord for a child. It is through faith that Hannah gave birth to Samuel; she believed and received. Hannah cried unto the Lord in prayer and she had faith that if I just pray and plead, it will happen. This shows another level of faith where you just believe it, no matter what is happening around you; you keep holding on to His word. Hannah later had Samuel who became a great prophet.
Abraham became the father of all nations despite him and his wife being of old age. Let’s have a look at the story of Sarah and Abraham. Many of us behave like Sarah. Sarah looked at the circumstances and felt it was impossible. Many people in our generation have become like Sarah, looking and silently laughing at the current situation.Sarah even doubted to the point that she had to ask Hagai, who was the house help to bear a child with Abraham. At times we doubt and decide to assist God as we feel it’s too late or look at our circumstances which can be discouraging. Well, I am here to encourage you to keep holding on to his promises by faith and wait on Him (God).
Fear can delay us from reaching our destiny until we go back to the Father and wait in His word, and by faith we will reach the destiny. We look at our circumstances and age and have a good laugh. We must always walk by faith and not by sight, recognizing that nothing is too hard for God. Look to Christ more than you look at your situation, and believe it is done. At such advanced ages, Sarah and Abraham had a baby and named him Isaac. Now, that is faith in action; they believed and acted. We often lose trust because we don’t believe that God is not going to do what He promised. We operate on low levels of faith. Faith can be obtained through reading the word of God, meditating on His word, prayer and fasting.
We moan and groan in pain caused by our own deeds, looking down upon ourselves, laughing at the words that have been prophesied to us. Having that seed of faith budding in our lives can become difficult because we want the seed to grow instantly. We go around personifying our suffering to the extent that it has subconsciously become our everyday language. We can become so accustomed to negative thinking that we cannot see change. Change begins in the mind and this is through prayer, meditating on God’s word, fasting, confessing words of affirmation from His word, and having the greatest tool – faith. It’s easier said than done but call unto the Lord and He will answer you and give you faith. Change is accepting that you are a sinner and need God’s help in every area of your life. It’s never easy but He makes it easy once you talk to Him. He is always ready to listen and answer. He says, “Come,” to those who are weak, and, “I will give you rest”.
Are you in doubt or fear? Are you losing faith? Remember this, We cannot eat in the palace with the King without knowing how to use the keys he has given us which are faith and action. Use the key of faith to open the door to enter into your answered prayers in Christ. The bolts to the door need to be oiled with God’s word, and polished with prayer and meditation to smoothly open it as you are willingly turning the key and waiting to open the door. Pray to God that he may reveal the areas you need faith, and may it grow, in His name. You will definitely laugh, cry, smile and be surprised at some of the areas He will show you. No matter how in-deep you are or how far you are, His love is too good to let you drown in sorrow or doubt. He’s waiting for you to call Him to water your faith and let it bloom into miracles.
Dorcas Kwaramba – Encourager! Chosen by grace; saved by his mercy. A firm believer in God’s word and his ever-present love. A lover of life and humankind. Story-teller, adventurer, natural-born motivator and perpetual learner – always sharing the echoes of life that God places within her soul.
It was a busy of planning and shopping at Sandton City Mall. I was tired and ready to head home but I had one or two more things I needed to do before. But first, I needed the bathroom so I headed to the nearest ladies. As I prepared to leave the stall I was in, I suddenly felt uneasy and unsafe. I couldn’t explain it. Nothing had happened. Nothing had changed.
I prayed about it before I left the bathroom stall and then headed out. To my relief, there was a security guard right outside washing her hands by the sink. I was so happy to see her and felt relief wash over me as I washed my hands next to her then I left the bathroom. As I continued running my errands, it didn’t take long to realise I no longer had my cell phone.
To my horror, realised I’d left it in the bathroom stall! Now, panic washed over me as I remembered exactly how this had happened. I’d been holding it when I entered the stall. I didn’t wanna put it away because I was eager to finish my errands, which required my phone, and then head home. So, I put it on the toilet paper holder instead, making a mental note to remember it.
Automatically, I started praying as I hightailed it back to the bathroom as quickly as I could without losing my dignity. When I arrived, the stall was occupied. I waited impatiently for the lady inside to come out. Finally, she did; I rushed in and, to my dismay, the phone wasn’t there. I caught up with her at the bathroom sinks.
“Did you see a phone in the stall you were in by any chance?” I asked. She had not. I was crestfallen. I lingered for a moment hoping someone else had but it quickly became apparent that I was wasting time. Dejected, I left the bathroom and as I walked out, I saw the security person from earlier – the same one I’d been so relieved to see! For the second time that day, I was so relieved and happy to see her face. Perhaps she knew or saw something.
Sure enough, she had. It turns out someone had gone in after me, seen the cell phone, and handed it to her. She later told me that several people warned her that it was not a good idea to hang on to the phone saying such good Samaritan acts didn’t end well usually. I’m glad she didn’t listen to them. Instead, she handed the phone over to her supervisor for safekeeping.
She showed me where to go to collect my phone. Her supervisor wasn’t at the office when I arrived and I began to pray again. After a while that seemed like an eternity, the supervisor arrived with the phone and gave it back to me. I was so overjoyed I told anyone who would listen at that office what had happened. “Wow, you are so lucky. That never happens, especially at this mall,” one lady remarked.
I knew I wasn’t lucky. It could only have been the Spirit of God working to turn around the situation for my good. I told her as much. Thank God, I said, and she agreed. I walked off feeling very blessed, feeling seen, and feeling loved. God foresaw the situation and warned me about it in the stall.
I remembered the uneasy feeling I’d had before leaving the stall earlier. It didn’t cause me to remember to take my phone but it did cause me to notice and remember the security guard, and she remembered me too. I must have greeted her very warmly though I can’t say for sure. I just remember that she immediately recognised me when she saw me again.
God continued to work in the situation and not only made sure I got my phone back, but I’m certain that He glorified His name amongst everyone involved in the incident, everyone who heard about it then, and I hope everyone who hears about it now as well. How amazing and great is our God! How awesome and merciful are His acts!
The day started off like any other, nothing out of the ordinary. Little did she know a vision was about to visit her. In the eyes of her mind, she saw a large number of insects that she mistook for ants. “Hmmm the ant, a marvellous creature,” she thought. Her Master responded, “You’re a worker bee.” “Oh, those aren’t ants. They’re bees?” she responded to the quiet, still, firm and familiar voice she so loved. “You’re a worker bee.” She waited for more details but heard nothing else. Yet, she was so intrigued and full of questions.
Earlier, she’d been wrestling internally with something so she automatically thought this was in reference to what had been on her mind. For all her efforts, she couldn’t remember what had filled her mind just moments earlier so she prayed, “Please remind me. I have forgotten.” Just then, a thought entered her mind, “Perhaps if I looked up the worker bee then that would jog my memory.” Plus, it would shed more light on this simile she found rather intriguing. So, off she went to look up the worker bee.
Oh, what a marvellous little creature she is this worker bee. Don’t let her size fool you. She works collectively with others for the greater good. She accomplishes so much in her lifespan and she is appropriately equipped to do so at every stage of it. From the onset, she creates a clean and functional environment for others, keeping it ready for use when needed. Then, she tends to the needs of the young, nurturing them, ensuring growth and the development of future generations. She submits to authority, living life in service to her Queen.
She works as a messenger, transmitting vital information to where it is needed. She creates a home and a space to store resources. At this point, she is highly productive and adapts to the needs of those around her. She provides food and sustenance, overseeing the process of production and storage with diligence to ensure optimum quality. She travels far and wide and works hard to bring back resources, and in so doing, facilitates the feeding of the world. Trees and flowers bloom because of her!
She is an inspired decision-maker fully designed to direct and orient others. She acts as a protector, safeguarding the vulnerable, the young and the needy. She has been empowered to defend and preserve not just others but all they have communally worked for. She ought to pick her battles though because her sting is for use under provocation and is very costly to her. Though she is capable of defending, she spends majority of her time creating, building, nurturing, providing, and helping. She lives a life of servitude for the sake of her Master.
Consider a transient living on the street in a desperate state Matted hair clinging together with filth Skin darkened with dust and grime Overgrown nails on gnarly fingers and toes, days or weeks of dirt caked underneath Hands are rough and worn-out; heels are cracked and dry The clothes do not reflect a specific colour, a shadow of their former selves Head bowed; shoulders slumped; it is a sad and sorry sight to be sure
Most of us would not associate ourselves with that person Yet, outside of the saving grace of God, that person is us We were in a desperate state, filthy with sin We had nowhere to call home and lived under the darkness of our transgressions We’d lost sight of our identity until we were a nameless and faceless transient We found whatever work we could, working very hard to save ourselves But that was not our saving Grace…
An eternally wealthy Man knew our plight and came to our rescue He invited us from the filthy places we tried to call home to His home A wondrous mansion that has everything one could ever need In place of rags, He would robe us in finery fit for royalty He would wash away all the dirt and grime until not one speck remains He would trade the most luxurious perfume for the stench on us A stench we’d become so accustomed to Not only that, He would adopt us!
He would adopt us into His family, giving us a name He would give us an identity, a future and a hope From a grey existence, we’d be ushered into a colourful one Celebration is the order of the day with much singing and dancing The past would be a distant memory, a shadow. Had that really been us? The weight of the world we would carry no more He would have us live a new life with Him, lavished with rich and unfailing love The price we pay? It is but an invitation after all, so just a yes! Say yes to being His – His child (John 1:12), His treasure, His precious possession (1 Peter 2:9) And you get to live a joyous life with Him forever and ever (Psalm16:11)
What say you?
about the author
Flo Boora – Jesus follower, lover of life, story teller, adventurer, foodie, natural-born motivator, perpetual learner.
But the Father will send the Holy Spirit to be with you.
He will be your Helper. He will come in my name, and he will teach you all things.
He will help you to remember everything that I have told you.
John 14:26 Easy English
It never fails to bring me joy and amaze me just how much Jesus cares about my day-to-day life. The things that fill my day and fill my mind are of concern to Him. He chooses to concern Himself with the things that concern me, be it small and seemingly inconsequential things or the bigger things that change the trajectory or the quality of my life. For example, I have a small garden of succulents that have been struck by a disease. Some have died, some are dying and some are sick and in need of help. I was concerned about losing them all, and so I prayed. It gave me peace and hope that Jesus would heal them.
This is a relatively small issue yet Jesus’ response about my succulents was just as timely, tender-hearted, considerate, and as reassuring as His response was when I prayed about my mother’s health. She has been unwell and I was worried. The moment I prayed for her, His peace washed over me and I received assurance that she shall be well. What a good friend I have in Jesus! Last week, I was taking stock of my finances and quickly realised I wasn’t going to be able to do all the things I was planning and hoping to do. Without even having to consciously pray about it, Jesus reminded me of a Bible verse I’d posted a few days earlier:
Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am He; I am He who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Isaiah 46:4 NIV
I felt God saying to me, “I will sustain you. I will carry you.” What a good Father God is! He knows my hopes and dreams. He knows my worries and cares. He knows my plans, but more importantly, He knows the plans he has for me, plans for a future and a hope, plans to prosper me and not harm me (Jeremiah 29:11). Earlier today, I was praying about a big and important decision. I was feeling a little apprehensive and was aware that I’d been placing pressure on myself to move forward and take a step. So, I was praying for guidance. I was praying that I would make the decision based on His purpose and plans for me and not out of fear or desperation or whatever pressure I was feeling.
I felt that still, quiet voice that I have come to know and love so much say, “Soar. Spread your wings, daughter.” It reminded me of the Bible verse in Isaiah 40:31:
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint.
What an amazing encourager, guide, and comforter the Holy Spirit is! Where would I be without Jesus? For He is a sustainer, an encourager, a friend, a comforter, and a good leader. If you need sustenance today or guidance, why don’t you ask Him? If you need to run something by someone or some advice, why don’t you tell Him what you need? If you need reassurance, encouragement, or comfort, it is readily available for you. Talk to Jesus; He is waiting for you!
What’s a Relationship with the Spirit of God Like?
“Every morning when I awake, I greet the Holy Spirit and invite Him to go with me through the day and take the lead in all my affairs, and He does. I say, Good morning Holy Spirit. Let’s work together today and I will be Your vessel.’ Every evening before retiring I say again, ‘It’s been a wonderful day working with You, Holy Spirit.” This is an excerpt from the book ‘The Holy Spirit, My Senior Partner’ by David Yonggi Cho which I’m currently reading. It has been an eye-opening and fascinating read and I’m barely a third of the way through.
It’s one of my mother’s many books – she’s an avid reader. She gave it to me when I mentioned I needed something to read on a long bus journey. I’m so glad I’m reading it. I have an awareness of the Holy Spirit and His work. In fact, I have experienced being filled by the Holy Spirit resulting in speaking in tongues, feeling a deep and inexplicable sense of joy and peace, feeling like I’m bathed in warmth and light, experiencing a lightness of being and sensing I’m held in a loving embrace by Almighty God. More than that, I have sensed the Spirit of God speak to me, placing thoughts and knowledge within me.
However, I think I am gaining a deeper understanding of the divine person that is the Holy Spirit. For one, I don’t think I was comfortable with or fully realised the fact that the Spirit of God is an incorporeal entity in the same way Jesus is. I remember using personal pronouns like ‘He, Him’ to refer to the Holy Spirit at church many years ago and being swiftly corrected. The people I’d been speaking to became very uncomfortable with this. I never looked further into it but at some point, I started being uncomfortable with using those pronouns too as if they were not Biblical.
Fast forward to today, reading this book, I am reminded that they are, in fact, Biblical – see John 15:26, John 16: 7-8, and John 16:13. The Holy Spirit has emotions, the Holy Spirit speaks, the Holy Spirit has virtues and indeed, the Holy Spirit has a personality. I was convicted that I had taken these things for granted. I had heard them before but they hadn’t really sunk in deep and taken root. So, I emulated what David Yonggi Cho had done and asked the Holy Spirit to come and take leadership in my life and circumstances. I said that I wanted to partner with Him and be His vessel. It was late at night and I said that I was looking forward to what he would do the next day.
Sure enough, the Spirit of God unexpectedly partnered with me very early the next morning. I was asleep when I felt someone sit down next to me. I woke up with a start, removed the mask covering my face and saw a young lady sitting next to me. I was not impressed. The bus was not full! Why on Earth would she choose a seat where someone was already sitting?! I was sitting at the front of the bus so I turned back to double check. As sure as day, there were plenty of unoccupied seats behind us. I tried hard to hide my annoyance and compose myself.
“I shouldn’t have removed my handbag from the seat next to me,” I thought to myself, “then perhaps she wouldn’t have sat here.” Then I immediately felt bad about my attitude. I thought, “Flo, you’re not entitled to this bus seat. Perhaps there’s something about your demeanour that’s inviting and she felt comfortable sitting next to you.” Then I noticed her taking pics and videos since were at the window of a double-decker bus. “See, perhaps she wants to document the journey. It could even be her first time travelling to Cape Town.” I began to soften towards her then I decided to pray.
I’d barely started praying when I felt God say, “Thank me.” I thanked Him for all the things I could think of until I grudgingly thanked Him for the young lady sitting next to me. “Pray for her,” He said. “For her or with her?” I asked. He responded, “For her” I was relieved. I didn’t particularly feel like starting that conversation with her. I started praying and I felt God put it on my heart to pray for peace, for joy, for a sense of identity and a release from what was holding her down or holding her back. My heart softened towards her some more. Then I heard God say, “Ask her what her name is.”
I protested slightly. “Lord, we’re about 100 km from Cape Town. What if she decides to chat with me all the way? It would be a long 100km for me. It’s early in the morning. I am not a morning person and I’m an introvert. Striking up conversations with strangers can be hard for me.” Even as I protested, I knew I was just making excuses. I mustered up the courage and asked her what her name was. She told me. “I’ve done it, Lord,” I said, “now what?” Just then she asked if we’d passed the tunnel. I said we hadn’t and she responded that I was so loud.
Her words had me smarting. “Did you hear what she said, Lord? Unbelievable.” God remained silent but my annoyance started dissipating. “Ask her what she does,” He eventually said. It took me a few minutes but then I asked. She told me she’s studying dentistry. We exchanged a few more pleasantries and then fell into a comfortable silence. As we drew closer to our destination, she started packing up her stuff. I heard God prompt me to pray with her. This time I didn’t hesitate or give excuses. I started looking for an opening and when she made a comment about her jacket, I got the opportunity I was looking for.
I asked her if I could pray with her. To my surprise, she was very receptive. I beckoned her to sit as she was already standing then explained that when she sat next to me, God had prompted me to pray for joy and peace for her. During our conversation earlier before we settled into a comfortable silence, she’d mentioned that she’s not a positive person and when I asked why she said circumstances make her feel that way. Thus, I had the confirmation that the prayer for joy and peace was indeed from God and it was apt. I proceeded to pray for her and the words just tumbled out of me easily.
At several points during the prayer, she squeezed my hand in agreement and at some point, I opened my eyes and looked at her bowed head and saw her nodding. I became emotional but continued praying until I felt I was done. When I said Amen, she lifted her head and I saw that she too was emotional. She thanked me and joked that I was making her emotional. I told her I was emotional too and this time, I earnestly thanked her for sitting next to me. I hugged her again and told her God loved her. She told me that my prayer had been spot on and addressed what she needed. I knew then that the Holy Spirit had just beautifully partnered with me.
But wait. There’s more. Not too long ago, I found myself in a similar situation. I was on a bus with a man who was travelling with a woman who could only have been his mum. Their resemblance was striking. Her legs were swollen and she moved slowly with much difficulty. I was certain she was in pain. Throughout the trip, I watched how he patiently and lovingly helped her along. I felt prompted to pray for her and so I did. When we arrived, he helped me offload my bag without being asked. I was impressed and grateful. As I watched them load their bags into their lift, I felt God prompt me to go over and pray with them.
Sadly, I chickened out. I felt awkward and didn’t know what I would say, or how I would even start the conversation. “Look, they are loading their bags and ready to leave. Surely, I can’t hold them back. Why now when they are ready to go?” I had said to God at the time and watched them leave. I thought of that son and his mother often and wished I had just gone over like God had prompted me to. Who knows how they and I would have been blessed? I told myself that that incident would serve as a lesson and a reminder. God clearly wanted to do something and I missed it. I would not miss another opportunity again.
God, in His grace and mercy, presented me with another opportunity. He prepared me for it and He ministered to me through it despite myself. I mean, He had me thank Him beforehand and was patient when I tried to excuse myself! He honoured my prayer and chose to have me partner with Him in ministering to a lady who needed it and, in so doing, healed my heart that held regret over a missed opportunity. I look forward to more and more opportunities to learn more about who the Holy Spirit is as a person and to partnering with Him in my day-to-day life.
Do you have stories or thoughts to share about your relationship with the Holy Spirit? I’d love to hear them. Please share in the comment below.
I was reading my Bible this morning in Luke 9 and, for some reason, one sentence stood out to me, “Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida…” I read it again and again, and the part about Jesus taking His disciples away with Him really warmed my heart. It was something He did often so that He could teach them, pour into them and prepare them for the work He knew was ahead of them. Jesus was and still is very intentional about teaching and equipping us for the work He gives us to do.
Teaching something or explaining it to someone is one of the best ways to learn something or confirm and solidify your knowledge. At the beginning of the passage in Luke 9, Jesus called his disciples together and gave them authority to cure diseases, drive out impure spirits and proclaim the kingdom of God. He encouraged learning by doing or through experience. As His followers, Christians have been given the same authority and sent to proclaim the kingdom of God in accordance with Jesus’ teachings and the example He embodied.
Jesus taught in synagogues with such authority, wisdom and understanding that those listening were often amazed and praised Him for it. He taught as one who knew what He was talking about and in a way that people in His day hadn’t heard before. He presented God the Father and testified about Him. People began to know Him better and discover mysteries about God previously hidden. I love that Jesus longs for us to have revelations about Him, about the kingdom of heaven and patiently and continually teaches us if we’re willing.
Jesus often asked and still asks questions that seem, at least to me, deep and thought-provoking. He asked people questions about Himself, about scripture, about their lives etcetera all the while knowing the answers to those questions. He wants to create moments of engagement with Him and His Word. He wants to confirm and grow understanding. He wants to reveal how much He knows and cares for you. He encourages curiosity and critical thinking. He wants to reason things out with you so that you conform to His wisdom.
I love Jesus’ guidance and teachings. They have helped in me my life in more ways than I can think of. What about you? Have you engaged with them and what has been your experience? If you haven’t, I encourage you to just give them a try and see for yourself. If you have, I encourage you to share your experience. You may bless and encourage someone today 😊
iBloom for God 