everyday faith

The Lord of Transformation: Unexpected Ways Jesus Changed My Everyday Life

| Flo

When I first got saved, I began noticing changes in myself, how I carried myself and lived my life.

Some changes were major while others seemed minor. Some happened gradually, and others almost instantaneously. Certain transformations were so subtle that I did not even notice them until someone pointed them out or God brought them to my attention.

I must say, though, that some of the relatively minor shifts surprised me at first. But I came to understand that Jesus transforms us from the inside out, completely and holistically. He cares about every detail of our lives, both big and small. Nothing escapes His attention.

Here are a few of those unexpected changes I noticed:

Returning to Childhood Lessons – Not Eating While Walking

One of the first things I realised was that I suddenly stopped eating while walking in public. Growing up, my parents – especially my father – strongly discouraged it. Even eating while standing was not encouraged in our home. I can still hear daddy telling me, “Why don’t you grab a plate instead, then sit down to eat properly?”

But when I moved out and started living on my own, I naturally relaxed some of those rules. I started allowing myself to walk about and eat when “the occasion called for it”. I’d buy a pie or ice cream while running errands or just out and about. Sometimes, I’d be running late and grab a piece of fruit or a sandwich “for the road” and eat it as I went on my way.

Over time, those exceptions became habitual.

Then, after I got saved, I noticed this habit fell away. It was like an unconscious return to the lessons my parents taught me. While I still make an exception occasionally, eating while walking about or standing is no longer my norm.

And just to be clear, this is not a judgment on anyone. It was simply one of the personal changes I noticed in myself.

Improved Handwriting

Another thing I noticed was how my handwriting seemed to improve overnight!

I wasn’t practicing or intentionally trying to write more neatly; it just happened! I started writing more clearly, neatly and even straighter on unruled paper.

I remember taking notes one day and suddenly realizing, “Wait… my handwriting looks different.”

It genuinely pleased me because neat handwriting had always been difficult for me. Even when I made an effort, it never came naturally. But after getting saved, it felt as though the effort required became much less while the results improved significantly.

Nowadays, I don’t have many opportunities to write by hand much anymore. So I guess my handwriting has taken a bit of a hit as a result. Still, it remains one of those small but meaningful reminders of how God was working in me in ways I never expected.

A New Appreciation for Creation

Another interesting change was how I began seeing insects, reptiles and small creatures differently.

Before, I would have thought nothing of killing bugs or moths out of annoyance or fear. My perspective shifted as I began to see God in everything.

I began to see annoying or scary creatures as part of God’s beautiful creation. They are a reflection of His creative wisdom – the diversity and beauty He chose to inject into His design. As a result, I became less fearful and more appreciative of most creatures. I say most because I still really dislike mosquitoes, cockroaches and flies.

I remember seeing a grasshopper thrashing about in a pool as I was swimming with my friend one day. I went out of my way to rescue it. This is something I probably wouldn’t have done previously. I’d have left it to its fate, reluctant to touch it. It amazed me how salvation softened certain parts of my heart in unexpected ways.

Conviction in Everyday Conduct

Lastly, at my first job, I had a long three-hour commute – two connecting trains, then a minibus taxi each way, totalling about 1.5 hours. By the end of the workday, I would be exhausted. So whenever the carriage wasn’t full, I’d put my feet up on the seat opposite me and either read or chat on my phone or just be alone with my thoughts.

Over time, this habit faded, no matter how tired I was. I started feeling uncomfortable doing it, regardless of whether the carriage was full or not. I began to find it inconsiderate and undignified. This was surprising, and if I’m honest, a little annoying to me at first, but it soon became second nature.

Again, this is not me condemning anyone who does it. It was simply one of those personal changes in mindset and conduct that naturally developed after I gave my life to Christ.

There were many other little changes I noticed, too:

I’ve always disliked littering, but I eventually found myself picking up litter left behind by other people. I started cleaning spaces I hadn’t messed up. Even though I strongly dislike washing dishes, it somehow became an act of service whenever we had church gatherings or events. I became more mindful about how I leave spaces for others.

I am far from perfect, and I am certainly not trying to blow my own horn. If anything, these changes remind me that transformation is God’s work, not mine. I believe God transformed me and He is still perfecting me. Anyone who knew me before would understand why these examples are indeed a testimony.

God truly transforms the whole person from the inside out. Every detail that makes up who we are matters to Him.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
– 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

I love this about Jesus – how intentional He is and how nothing escapes His attention. He cares deeply about every aspect of our lives – every habit, every attitude, every fibre of our being.

There is something incredibly comforting about that. It reminds us that we can trust Him fully, knowing that the God who cares about the smallest details of our lives will surely be faithful with the bigger things too.

Love,

Made in His Image: 3 Everyday Ways I Reflect My Heavenly Father

| Flo

When I meet people from the same family, I enjoy observing both the similarities and the differences between them. I suppose I was socialised that way. Growing up, I spent a fair amount of time accompanying my parents. Whenever I was with my mum and we met someone new, they would often say, “You look so much alike.”

Then they’d meet my dad and quickly change their minds. “Oh, no. I was mistaken. You definitely look like your dad,” they’d say. It happened so often that my standard response to anyone who said I resembled my mum became, “Wait till you see Daddy.”

The other day, in that same spirit, I found myself delighting in noticing the similarities between my heavenly Father and me. Just for fun, I began to count the ways I resemble Him – not in the usual “spiritual” sense, but in literal, everyday expressions. I was delighted to quickly find three.

1. A Love for Gardening

I love to garden. It’s a passion I never imagined I’d have. It seemed to develop out of nowhere. I grew some corn when I was 12, but that was about it. After that, I managed to kill everything I tried to grow including mint and cacti! I concluded I didn’t have green fingers and stopped trying. 

Then, in 2014, a friend gifted me an arum lily. I did everything I could to keep it alive and, to my pleasant surprise, it flourished under my care. That small success made me reconsider my earlier conclusion, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Incidentally, my Dad is also a gardener:

The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there 
He put the man whom He had formed.
- Genesis 2:8 NKJV

Beyond speaking the myriad of plants, trees and flowers into being, we hear that God literally planted a garden in Eden before placing Adam there. Jesus also refers to our Father as a Gardner in John 15:1, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” 

So, when I tend to my plants – planting, nurturing, watching things grow – I am, in a very real sense, being just like my Dad. That thought brings me such joy and satisfaction; it makes me enjoy gardening even more. God honours me in my gardening too. Not only does He bless the work of my hands, He gave me a vision of a garden, a gift purely for my enjoyment.

2. The Joy of Cooking

Cooking is my happy place. I love every part of the process: selecting fresh, quality ingredients; deciding what to create; choosing the right cooking method(s); then marrying the ingredients to form something each ingredient could never have dreamed of becoming on its own. 

What’s more, cooking is about nourishing and providing sustenance in addition to bringing people together. That certainly reflects God’s nature and ways. However, I wanted to focus on a literal example.

So, I present to you, Jesus braaiing (barbecuing) at the beach:

Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, 
and fish laid on it, and bread.
- John 21:9 NKJV

I am convinced that Jesus is an excellent cook. Being fully God – all-knowing, attentive, intentional and all-wise – how could He not be?! When He invited the disciples, “Come and eat breakfast,” they weren’t surprised that He’d prepared a meal. His presence astonished them, understandably, but not His cooking.

And what about Elijah being fed by the angel of the Lord (1 Kings 19:5-8)? Perhaps God preparing a table before us is not limited to a symbolic sense. What if culinary arts have a place in heaven? I’m persuaded cooking is heavenly. And when I prepare meals, nourish others, and use food as a blessing, I am being just like my Dad.

3. The Art of Sewing

I also do a bit of sewing. As it turns out, My Heavenly Father specialises in sewing, too. Again, I focused on literal examples, setting aside the beautiful metaphors of God knitting people in the womb or stitching people together from dry bones or weaving lives with purpose.

One example is when God made some leather outfits for Adam and Eve:

Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
- Genesis 3:21 NKJV

God made garments. He clothed them. That’s sewing! And His craftsmanship? Unmatched. Just consider the detailed instructions He gave for the priestly garments in Exodus 28 – 31! Astounding in their precision, uniqueness and beauty. And when I sew, I reflect that same creative impulse, however small my expression may be.

That is the cloth from which I am cut. I am deeply blessed and endlessly delighted to know this.

Love,

The Story of a Man on a Hill

| Flo

A Picture from My Dad, the Greatest Artist of All Time

I was walking home, enjoying some much-needed quality time with my heavenly Dad. We’d walked to the shops together because I needed a few things, and I decided to turn the errand into intentional connection time. Now, I was on my way back. 

On the way there, we talked about nothing in particular, and yet, we talked about everything. About half-way, I passed a couple of ladies selling metal wares by the road side, a familiar and permanent fixture on that stretch. God prompted me to pray for them – their protection, their business, their salvation.

On the journey back, I noticed their kids had joined them. God prompted me to pray again, including their children. That simple act of obedience would later turn into a ministry moment – but that’s a story for another time.

As I was nearing home, I saw a striking image. It was one of those moments you wish you had a top-of-the-range camera on hand and the skill to match. But I had intentionally left my phone at home and couldn’t capture the moment. So instead, I took a mental picture. Sometimes this is better because you can really immerse yourself in the moment when you’re not looking at it through a lens (I’m certain there’s a deeper life lesson in that as well).

Here’s what I saw: 

It was twilight, with the sun dipping just below the horizon. The road I was walking on ascended to the crest of a small hill before disappearing beyond view. At the top of the hill, a young man of athletic build appeared on the right side of the road, and began descending. Behind him was a breathtaking sunset with layers of red, orange and amber hues blending into one another, rising to meet a slowly darkening sky. 

As he walked down, he playfully tossed something in the air and lifted his right arm to catch it. It looked like a victory pose, a fist raised in joyful triumph. Framing him, on either side was nature – trees, flowers, shrubs, grass –  juxtaposed against the concrete urban setting. Rising up, tall and proud, on his left, was a tall metal tower. All of it was silhouetted by the fading light. 

The whole view looked like art work. Like a staged photo. Like a gift.

I spontaneously started thanking my Dad. It was so beautiful, so intentional. It felt like it was painted just for me, for my pleasure. I couldn’t see anyone else in sight, just me and this man on a hill. Just as I was delighting in the sight, a car appeared at the top of the hill. Its bright headlights penetrated the deepening dusk, accentuating the scene, adding another layer of contrast and depth to the beautiful synergy of man, man-made structures and nature.

My heart was full as I continued to appreciate what I had seen. I prayed, “You did that, Dad! I see it. Thank you so much. It is blessing me.” I named my picture “Man On A Hill”. That was not the end of it. When God blesses, He blesses abundantly, a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38). 

As I was nearing home, I saw another view. The same sunset but from a new angle. The same amber, orange and red hues were rising to an oddly bright sky this time, almost as though daylight was not quite ready to depart just yet. I remember thinking, “It’s as if the sun is saying even in darkness, when you cannot see me, I’ll always be bright, bringing light, just like the Son.” 

I thanked God for that image and that amazing message as well. To me, He had painted two beautiful pictures simple for my enjoyment. Just because… What a delight they were!

Love,