Walking on High Hills

Life is not always smooth. Sometimes we have to go through tough situations and moments where we have no clue what to do. In such instances, we have to develop a new capacity so that we can navigate through. Sometimes such capacity comes after we have made a mistake and burnt our fingers. And that should not discourage us. Just becasuse we have burnt our fingers or made mistakes should not kill the enthusiasm towards life.

They say it is how you respond to life that determine what happens to you. And I agree. Whether you are wallowing in success or stuck in a quagmire, how you respond to where you are determines how far you go. Always remember the past has past and we have the present to prepare for the future.

The best attitude is the attitude of I can do it. It is the joy of walking in high hills and climbing great mountains. Wherever you are keep moving forward.

Most Likely Religion Will Take You To Hell

When Jesus came to earth, he threatened the political class and the religious zealots. Herod actually killed all the boys below the age of two years targeting to kills Jesus while he was a baby. And the religious zealots managed to have him killed as an adult.

Why would the political class get threatened by the birth of a little boy? It’s because the Kingdom of God is concerned with how the affair of nations are run, since the systems in a country and the world at large affect the people of God. And with this I don’t mean Christians, I mean the people. And Jesus is concerned whether people are getting abundant life and justice in everyday life.

The religious zealots were also threatened by Jesus because he brought a higher order that required a change of heart posture and a shift in the prevailing mentality. Though the religious people sought God, they had become so engrossed in doing things for the wrong reasons and had missed the essence of faith in their generation. They catch a woman committing adultery and they are so fast to stone him and they wanted Jesus to be part of that. By the way who was the guy and where was he?? This picture among others shared in the gospel demonstrates what religion is capable of.

Jesus did not come to establish any religion, but rather a lifestyle that points people to his father (God). His miracles were not to enrich himself but to make the lives of other people better. His judgments were not to humiliate and embarrass people, but to expose the mentalities that hindered the people from accessing the Kingdom of God. It’s Jesus who was telling the religious people that thieves, prostitutes and tax collectors are entering the Kingdom before them. This demonstrates that the kingdom of God is beyond a religious structure.

The other day I was just thinking about faith and the question was what is the best faith? I believe the best faith is the one that brings you closest to God, makes you a better person, a more sensible person, a more loving person, a more humanitarian person, a more responsible person, a more ethical person. A person who lives in harmony with nature and that has the best desires for others.

Why do I say the best desires for others? Let us consider what Jesus demonstrated at the cross. When he was carrying the suffering of the whole world and two thieves were there receiving justice, he forgot all that and received the thief who requested for a place in his kingdom. Even at that moment, of the climax for his coming to earth, he still desired the best for a person whose life had produced nothing much but shame and disappointment.   

And that is my point. Religion will most likely take you to hell. Have you read Mathew 25 where Jesus says go away you evil doers, I didn’t know yo? The people who actually get chased away in this context are the religious loot. Because they start narrating how they did great wonders in the name of Jesus, and yet he tells them off.

I believe religion is manmade; it is not from God. It produces a people who are self centered, fearful and detached from the realities of life, who would rather scare people about hell than demonstrate the love of heaven. Who sneer at prostitutes and call homosexuals names instead of spreading the good news of the gospel.

 And as we talk about the good news, you should ask yourself if your faith produce good news to those in the dark; and not just news about a future event but good news about their life on earth. And when you go back to Mathew 25, those who join at the banquet are those that had good news to strangers, to the homeless, to the naked and such.

My point is, faith is done, lived and felt. And as we seek to find God, we should know that he has a greater agenda than ourselves that connects to all humanity. And so we are called to partner with him to reach out to those oppressed by different systems in the world and to point them to God. And if God is love, then to say we know God is to say we know how to love. And if Love conquers all, then our work is to spread love.

Something is Terribly Wrong…. Ha ha ha ha

Have you ever found yourself on the wrong and the only thing you do is laugh at yourself? I have, severally. I actually laugh at myself more than any other person does. It is because I appreciate my stupidity once in a while when I get on a stupid mode.

I think something is terribly wrong somewhere. If indeed the word of God is true and if I say that I believe in that word, why then am I stressed up chasing and looking for these things? Didn’t he say they will be added unto us?

Don’t get me wrong, we have to chase after our dreams, and I encourage everyone of us to do so. We have to do these things but not at the expense of the kingdom. The first question we need to ask ourselves is why we are chasing after our dreams.

We have basic needs but life cannot just be about these needs. Life is much more than this. The kingdom of God is not just about going to heaven, it is about the people. That they may have abundant life on earth and that there may be hope and joy.

So, if life is more than our needs and the Kingdom of God is more than going to heaven, we must then understand Mathew 6:33. Seek first the Kingdom of God and it’s righteousness and these things will be added to you. The thing is, when we focus on meeting the needs of other people, which should be the reason for every business or career, and then in essence we are seeking the kingdom. But our careers and our businesses have become just means to serve us and we do not care about people. We have become oppressors of those we say we are serving and that is what is terribly wrong. Does what we do bring hope to the world?

You might say your career does not allow you to oppress people. But look at how you do the things you do. Do you serve faithfully, ethically and in a manner to please God? What would those who work with you say about God as demonstrated by you? And do you get so engrossed in the job that you have no time for God; even to say thank You?

Something is terribly wrong, and I can’t help but laugh. But until we realize seeking the Kingdom is the reason why we exist, we shall be stuck in the rat race, chasing after these things. And let me tell you, when you get hold of these things, I hope they don’t swallow you as they tend to do, and I also hope that they bring more life to you, more hope and more joy. That is the essence of life.

Cowards

Does it scare you that cowards will not inherit the kingdom of God?

This means if you do everything else right; either being driven by fear and after all accomplishment still remain a coward, then you do not have a place in the Kingdom of God.

What is it that you are afraid of? Is it the fear to succeed? Is it the fear to fail? Is it the fear of making mistakes? Is it the fear to try out your idea? Is it the fear to love? Is it the fear to let go? 

Unless you learn to face your fears, you should know your fate by now. We have not been given the spirit of fear or timid, but the spirit of boldness and good courage.

Be strong and of good courage. Start doing that which you are afraid. There is nothing that beats fear than faith. Exercise your faith by taking the first step.

How do you Unwind?

Have you ever been so worked out by things and you feel you just need to see a therapist to off load? Those are the times I miss being a catholic, I would just go for confession and tell the father everything that is bothering me. But I have learnt there is nothing as therapeutic as just chatting with a friend, who listens genuinely and who creates a moment. Regardless of the activity the two of us share, in the end I just feel so refreshed and re-energized. We all need that. 

I was reading the book of Job the other day and I picked out the same. When disaster struck, Job’s friend came and sat with him seven days and seven nights without saying a word, just there with him because they could see his pain. This demonstrates the power of being there with someone and creating a moment. Later Job starts venting ( I like calling it bi**hing though am not allowed to use such words) by cursing the day he was born, asking questions about life and the troubles man faces as he tries to remain blameless. After every chapter or two of venting, we get another chapter of one of his friends trying to sober him up. And this continues for some time.

How do you vent? How do you unwind? How do you release the pressure and the tension you accumulate everyday from work and life? 

I have noted many people have not discovered the need to vent and the ways to do it. When we go back to Job, you will see the way he vents but he doesn’t charge God with any wrongdoings. We also see his friends trying to sober him up so that he doesn’t cross the borders. We also see Job recognizing the sovereignty of God especially when he tells the wife; why are you talking like a foolish woman, should we accept good from God and not trouble? I mean, Job understands God beyond his circumstances and though he vents out in anger and frustrations, he know his life is in God.

Often a time if we are lucky to have friends we can vent out with, we always fall short and cross the boundaries and we end up defiling ourselves. Some friends will go out for drinks and dancing as a way of venting and the find themselves worse off than they were. Some friends will hook up nicely just to turn into a gossip club. It is important to be vigilant.

Other people will not vent at all. They bottle things up inside them and they keep carrying heavy burdens. Life can be tough we all agree, and we don’t have the capacity to carry every load. It is wise we learnt to let go. Find something that allows you to release pressure and tension. It could be a walk in the evening, a sport, a hobby or just a silent moment away from every noise. It could be a chat with a refreshing buddy. It could be jotting down your feelings; It can also be a moment of worship and prayer, where you pour out your heart and your mind to God. Whatever it is, just make sure you have it.

And when life gets tough, always remember that Jesus is asking you to cast all your burdens to him for he cares for you. He carried all our burdens so that we can be free. And when we take up his burden, it easy and his yoke is smooth. 

But never ever bottle up things in your heart. Because according to Job, resentment kills a fool and envy slays the simple. And the wise man in proverb says; bitterness rots the bones. Let go off all bitterness, frustrations and pain, and let God be enough and sufficient for you.

Nothing to Give!

Today is one of those days I wish I had the power to mend the crack of dawn! But now that super glue can’t help I will just have to creatively let the day be a present. Every day I try to remind myself that today is a new day, a day the Lord has made for me to rejoice in it, but my feeble minds can’t smell the newness of the day and my back seems to carry the staleness of yesterday!

Today is one of those days that end great. Today I have nothing to give. So I open my heart to receive; the radiance of the sun to enrich my skin, the movement of the wind to blow my yesterday and the coating of the dust to remind me I am just human.

Today is one of those days, I go back in the evening and I thank God that He gave me an opportunity to live, yet I didn’t feel like it in the morning.

Today is one of those days, I just don’t know how it will go.

Beat the System, not Yourself

We are socialized to think that life is a linear affair. There is a set way we raise our kids and expect them to do certain things so that they can become something better. This is true especially when it comes to education. Here in Kenya you are expected to go through the 8-4-4 system in hope to get a good job after graduation.

From my experience, the system loses so many people in between who are left figuring what to do with themselves. There are no proper provisions for those who are cut off from the system. And as usual, they ‘hassle’ their way into life. Some make it while others find themselves stuck in the mess.

Though this is a sad situation, there is still hope for those who find themselves cut off from the system. And the way to survive is by learning how to beat the system at its own game; by developing something that cannot be ignored and by creating one own niche. But since most people believe so much in the system, once they get cut off they imagine that is the end for them and live like losers the rest of their lives.

I have observed people who are cut from the system at class eight and by learning how to do things with their hands, they earn a livelihood. I have also observed great minds that go to high school and come out as hooligans. Yet I have observed form four leavers who do not manage to go on and they learn a trade that becomes Business Empire. Yet again, some great minds join campus and lose focus and direction, to go back to the village and live the same life the class 8 drop out has been living.

Then we have those who graduate and get good jobs and then they just get lost in the system. Attending a burial of such a person, you don’t hear anything significant that came out of their lives.

My point is in one way or another, the system may not accommodate everyone. But when we are cut off the system, we shouldn’t beat ourselves. We need to learn how to maximize the minimum resources we have to reap the maximum benefits. At the end of the day, it’s not the strongest or the wisest that survives, it’s those who learnt to keep adapting to the changing circumstances of life that finish strong and better.

It so easy to live life miserably, beating ourselves because we didn’t make it to campus or because we didn’t get our dream job or something of such sort. It is also so easy to deceive ourselves that since we are in the system we are safe, but nothing is sure these days, you could lose your job, your business can go bankrupt, your husband can die, anything can happen. But that should not worry you as much as the inability to adapt to the unexpected.

The system may cut you off, don’t beat yourself. Beat the system. At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter how glorious the beginning was if you don’t get to the finish. And when it becomes hard to continue, never hesitate to turn to God for renewed conviction, courage, and strength. “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ” – Philippians1:6 NIV

The Red Dot

The red dot on Japan’s flag

A mark of aggression for a tiny island

A reminder that I can get it right first time

A sign that the strength is not always in the might

The red dot on Japan’s flag fuels me to quality

The red dot on the Hindu’s face

A mark of reincarnation for the after life

A reminder that I choose what to be next time

A sign that what I do today affects my tomorrow

The red dot on the Hindu’s face motivates me to character

The red dot on the traffic light

A mark of stillness for a moment

A reminder that haste could lead to danger

A sign of order while approaching a roundabout

The red dot on the traffic light sobers my mind to decisiveness

The red dot on the TV remote control

A mark of power; on and off button

A reminder that it just takes a thumb punch

A sign of will to open up a new world

The red dot on the TV remote control provokes self control

The red dot on the extension cable

A mark of current that is flowing

A reminder that I can run a big machine

A sign of making work easier

The red dot on the extension cable quickens me to relationships

You Are Never Displaced

Have you ever felt like you are displaced, lost and not where you want to be in life. Maybe it’s your job and you are not feeling it. Or maybe it’s just that you are not meeting up your expectations in life, and you kind of don’t know how to get there. I used to feel like that a lot and it was frustrating. The feeling of desiring to succeed, yet when I look at where I was, I felt like I had lost way and I was never to get to my dreams.

Ambitious people tend to have high expectations out of themselves and most of the time, before they get to achieve their dreams, they live miserably, feeling like losers yet when people look at their lives they seem to have it held together. No wonder they say, most of the happy people in the world have the least expectations. But you don’t need to lessen your expectations to be happy. It’s healthy to be ambitious and to think big. But we need to take care not to live a miserable life as we try to get there. How do we do that?  

Have you ever heard the story of the builder who was about to retire and his demanding boss requested him to build one more last house? The builder; who had dedicated himself fully all his life, felt as if the boss was taking advantage of him. He agreed to build the last house but for once in his life, his heart was not in it. In a hurry trying to finish his career, he did a shoddy job. And as the boss threw a farewell party on his retirement, he handed him the keys to the house he had just build last.

When we feel displaced, we tend to do things just for the sake. You find someone going for work just because he needs a pay check at the end of the month. The feeling of displacement makes one do thing half heartedly. You become unsettled and anxious all the time and you lose the touch of excellence.

When I was thinking about this, I was reminded of David’s story. Refer to 1 Samuel 16, 17 and 18. I was imagining how David used to feel, when he would see his brothers going for war and he would be sent to look after the sheep. I mean, even when the prophet came to anoint one of Jesse’s son, David was not around.

It was so easy for David to feel misplaced. I know within his heart, he had dreams of being a warrior and accompanying his big brothers for war. I imagine their conversations in the evening; his brothers are narrating how terrorizing Goliath had become, and as David would try to recall his events with the sheep, the brothers would rudely interrupt him, wondering what is this boy talking about. We all know how we cut off our small brother’s silly stories. I know I did.

Yet David was dedicated in his task even with the expected feeling of displacement. He wouldn’t leave the sheep alone and try and sneak to the battlefield to watch like I would have done. No, he would dutifully look after the sheep. What encourages me most is seeing how God was still developing his muscles for war while at the pasture land. I mean he fought the bear and the lion. And so when, by accident, he saw Goliath trying to defy the armies of God, the build dimensions of a warrior in him rose and he took the challenge.

I have been a victim of despising my current placement as I try to capture the desired life. But one thing I have come to learn is that my faithfulness in the place I am will eventually fuel my getting to my desired place. God in his own way is able to prepare us for the future with our present. Even when we feel like our present state is like a waste of time. We just need to be faithful.

Most people called by God, still don’t believe all things work for good. ALL THINGS.  And when you understand that, you will be faithful in the things that in your natural thinking may not seem to take you to your desired place. Look at Abraham in Genesis 12, God tell him to follow him to a place he will be shown. God doesn’t tell him the place at first. He unfolds Abraham’s journey as he walk in faith and obedience day to day. That’s how God works.

That is our call. Your faith in God should always remind you that he is using your current place to prepare you for your place of honor. People may see as if you are just a shepherd boy, but God is using that to prepare a king, a leader who shepherds a whole nation and a warrior. Just be faithful in the little, you shall be made in charge of much. Don’t miss your opportunity like the old builder.

The Day Dreamer’s Dream Days

I spend most of my days daydreaming

One day I will sell the stuff I create in my day dreams

And I will make loads and loads of money

And maybe then I will not be ashamed

I will be living my dream days

But maybe am just day dreaming

I spend most of my hours day dreaming

Of this great story I will write

Of living a different kind of life

Of a kinder life, less abstract

Of a better man, a better husband

And I am interrupted by the reality of my life

But maybe am not just day dreaming

I spend most of my seconds day dreaming

And this second I interrupt that thought

And I gaze at the beauty of it all            

Coz deep down in my heart

I know it’s more than day dreaming

It’s the appetite of the life that beckons

When all these daydreams become my dream days.

Let’s be friends.

Is it just me or do you find it easier to connect with strangers than people you already know, especially if they are online friends. It so easy to chat online than to chat real time with people. How come?

What happened to friendship? I mean, nowadays we have to qualify friendship with term like; real friend, true friend, long term friend, necessary friend, seasonal friend, reasonal friend and beshte. And for those who don’t know, beshte is the kind word we call people who assume we are friends yet we deeply know they are just acquaintances or convenient people in our lives. Friendship should not be qualified. It just needs to be.

Human beings are social people but so are animals. It’s just a natural thing to want other people’s company around us. The challenge nowadays is who do you keep in your circles? It’s is very difficult to have friends nowadays, and that is why we end up qualifying them.

I have never been a good friend. It’s something I have been learning over time. When I was growing up I was very competitive. And I ensured I remain on top no matter what. And if for some reason my friend defeated me in something, I would stop being their friend. And so, I never made a long term friendship. I always envy those people who have developed and kept their childhood friendship into adulthood. I don’t have such. I was never a good friend, I was a selfish friend, and I only made friends to those I could gain something from.

I was reading Luke 5: 17-20. I was amazed by the kind of friendship portrayed. The story is about a paralytic man who when his friends found that it was crowded inside the house where Jesus was, they made a way through the roof just to make sure they get in. If it were me, I would have timed Jesus when he was leaving and avoid the hassle of going up the roof. 

This story demonstrates the quality of a friend that I want to be; that I can have so much faith in Jesus to do anything to bring my friends to him, that I will not have excuses not to do that which will add value to my friends. Look at David and Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20, they had a pleasurable friendship that was sworn with each other in the Lord. That’s the kind I am looking for.

Jesus while talking to his disciples John 15: 14-15. You are my friends if you do what I command, I no longer call you servants, because servants do not know his master’s business. Instead, I call you friends, for everything I have learnt from the father I have made known to you.NIV Even Jesus is looking for friends. He wants to work with friends not servants.

We are need a friend or two. And as I ponder on the issue of friendship, I am encouraging myself to be the kind of friend that I am looking for. Although I am still qualifying my friends, I hope one day I will not need to do that.

Do you know Zephaniah?

How many of you have read the book of Zephaniah in the bible? Let me see by the show of hands. I can bet very few of us have. But who wants to read a book that starts with words like I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth declares the Lord? That’s not the kind of words we want to hear. Zephaniah is one of the prophets and he was just doing his work, don’t take it personal.

I was just imagining when you get to heaven and then after shaking hands and hugging your favorite guys like Abraham and then Zephaniah comes over to say hi, what kind of conversation would you have? Hey, am Zephaniah, how did you find my book? Zepha what? Which book? For heaven’s sake, kindly read that book, and avoid such embarrassments in heaven.

Not everything we do will be noticed, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important. We have a culture that promotes feedback and rating. But one thing I have come to learn about feedback and rating, they have become a way of seeking validation. I have been a victim of this. When I do an article and I open my blog just to find ten page reviews. And at time I get discouraged and I feel like what I am doing is worthless. Or when no one comments on anything and I feel like am shallow.

I have also noticed how sometimes I want to be rated. What do people think about me and stuff? And then I got to think about Zephaniah, what does he feel when he sees most Christians have no interest in his book. I mean, when was the last time you heard someone quote from the book of Zephaniah?

What am I saying? Sometimes God will give you tasks and you will not have a chance to get feedback or rating. You will remain in the dark without knowing how you are doing. But that should not stop you or discourage you. Keep doing your assignment and leave the rest to God.

It’s like when you witness and share the word of the Lord with someone, and no one seems to ever accept Christ from you preaching to them. How does that make you feel? Remember its God who saves. Just plant the seed and God will water it, don’t concern yourself with that which is not important or within your jurisdiction. And when we learn that, we shall not water down the word of God to try and accommodate the world. We shall just do our part, knowing that Jesus is able to save people his own way, without compromising his word. And if you have been feeling like all you have been doing is fruitless, keep on keeping on. Be a faithful steward, your reward is with God.

Of Pee and Poop

For some reason I have been feeling very guilty every time I flush my toilet. Using three to four liters of clean water to push pee and poop to the sewage drain, yet thousands of family in my continent can’t access clean water for basic use each day. I wish I felt nothing, but honestly it has been eating me up.

When my real estate dream materialize, I will build houses that have a tank that collects used water from the kitchen sink, hand washing sink and the laundry room, filter it and re-use the water to flush the toilet.

Meanwhile, I will have to figure out how to deal with this feeling, or I could recapture my childhood escapades of manure-ing the earth!

In the words of Lord Baden Powell “Let it not be said of you in shame when you are gone, that there was much beauty here before you came. Leave the world a better place than you found it”.