A testimony is not only about sharing what good things have happened but to give thanks. This week I have celebrated 2 anniversaries and is the basis of this post of thanks. Thanks to God for unexpected blessings, I never thought or imagined. Blessings that are evidence of what he constantly says in the Excellent Book. He will help you, strengthen you and uphold you with his victorious right hand.
The first anniversary was definitely one I never imagined...ever!. I wrote my 52nd testimony post last weekend and that was a surprise to me. I knew I had written many posts but 52 of them! Only God! How it started was definitely Gods’ ways and not mine. Sometimes you think you are doing something small or mediocre but unbeknownst to you it has a purpose that is part of a divine plan. Not that I’m saying the testimonies are mediocre. Far from that. I am saying for example a movie or podcast you are watching may seem meaningless but that is not the case with God. There is a reason for EVERTYHING you are doing.
That’s how my fb posts seemed when I was writing them at the time. Just me using the platform for what it was telling me to do, say “what’s on your mind”. I went overboard and at a certain point I thought I post too much; I need to reduce. Most of the posts were nothing of significance, either I was joking or sharing an observation or lamentation. As my spiritual journey continued to grow, I would then post something in honour of God. When FB started sharing previous posts or memories, I was mortified and thought for sure I need to stop posting my nonsense posts and focus on sharing posts about thanking God for the things he had done. This is what I thought but God had other plans.
That would be the seed of this blog post that has now gone on for a whole year. I would only post God posts and one time I posted 2 posts in a short space of time and thought what if I had a blog where I could regularly post about God. That is how the blog started (see "My Little Understanding" post) . Interestingly exactly 10 years from my first blog post, I had written a post on fb, when they still had notes.
The post was the now titled “The Dinner” part 1 and 2 on this blog post. I had attended a wedding when I was in a single season. I had dressed up and was looking and feeling good. I came back home having had no one even say hi to me other than the people I knew. I was upset and in tears as this was now a regular occurrence. I make an effort, go out of my comfort zone to put myself out there and nothing happens. I was 29 at the time and I had this erroneous perception/belief that I had to get married before hitting 30. I was in tears.
One thing I know about God is when you are feeling low in spirits he knows how to comfort and soothe you. I had never written a post before but suddenly on this day after attending the wedding, I felt compelled to write. I had never heard the story I was writing before. It just came in my head. I also know that is not actually the case. God knows how to give you things that logically can not be explained. I wrote that post titled “The Wait.” I know with all of my being that was God trying to help me look at my situation with his eyes and not mine and thus comfort me.
I got feedback from people saying I wrote it well. That was the first time I realised I could write a post and had the makings of writing. I had an idea that writing was something for me when I was working during the summer of 2003 when I was in uni. It was somebody’s birthday. I had only been there a week and hadn’t known my colleagues that well, but they were touched with the birthday message I wrote. The handwriting we won’t talk about because that one is a working progress even on this 4th floor of life. The good news is it’s not dr’s writing. Thank God for typing.
This is why I say nothing we are doing is pointless. God chose the land, fenced it, dug the soil, planted the seed and last year, signs of life started to show. What is this seed of blogging going to grow into? I have no idea, but I am eager to see because if its like the 2nd anniversary I celebrated this week, it will turn out to be far more than I could ever ask think or imagine.
Please note, in my eyes I am already achieving any outcome I could ever want because my goal of spreading the love of God is met when just one person reads. All I want to hear at the end of time by God's grace, when Jesus places my crown on my head is "T.P.A. (my nickname)!, well done! my good and faithful servant in matters of blogging for the Kingdom." Hallelujah! Knowing God, he may have more for me. Amazing!
Why I think God may have more for me is 17 years ago, this past week, I was registered as a pharmacist. A profession I knew I wanted to get into when I was 14 and nearly missed getting into it at the age of 18 (see “Really! After all That?” post part 1 and 2). Getting to 17 years is a big deal for that and many other reasons.
At the beginning of my career, I didn’t feel I would last all the way till retirement. The profession wasn’t what I thought, and it was changing to make the difficulties even harder. I had made a promise that on my 5th anniversary, I would do this big party. I never did the party, because time just flew and one time, I got a certificate (which I love) from one of the professional bodies congratulating me on 14 years of service. I was shocked! How did time just go!
The journey of my career further showed me that all things are working for my good. Many times I didn’t see it that way but now in hindsight, I can give thanks and a testimony that all that was preparing me for what was and is to come. There was no other way to learn the lessons I learnt and I am glad I have learnt them because I really am stronger and definitely would do things differently.
I had a mix of experiences, good and bad and now thankfully, God has helped me to see the beauty of it all. I have seen how it is possible to work in teams where you have so much fun, laughter when the workload is chaotic, and the environment is hostile. I have seen how you can be in a multicultural team that just works. I have also felt the frustration of not being respected and supported.
The Holy Spirit being our comforter and counsellor not only has helped me through these but has also done what he does best and made me reflect on why I would experience negative situations. I just posted a meme today saying, “Healing requires acknowledging & accepting the part you may have played in your suffering.” Again, this is why I say nothing you do, not even a meme you post is random. There is order to everything you do, and experience and it all works out. Has it worked out for me?
A sermon I heard last week said sometimes its not about just getting to the destination God has for you. Its about the journey because in the process, God wants you to learn something about him, yourself or others. In this season where I am doing things I never thought, dreamed or expected (blogging, health coaching), I can categorically say I am learning more about God and definitely myself. I am seeing how he has a divine plan which will be executed. I can make it easier by choosing the path he has for me, or I can choose to take a different path then end up walking 40 years in the wilderness like the children of Israel instead of the 3 days it was supposed to take them to get to the promised land.
After doing all the shenanigans I have done in my previous revolutions around the sun, I am choosing to follow his direction. I don’t have 40 years to waste when I can get there in 3. If I look at it this way, that I am seeing the grand beauty of God, how he has bigger plans for me than I have for myself, how he is literally guiding me daily in coming up with new ideas, as well as helping me see this bolder side of me willing to go out there, out of my comfort zone, with less fear, less overthinking, no concern of what others think, I believe it is working out for me. This is why I am super grateful for this anniversary week.
I haven’t reached my destination, but I appreciate this layover. I wouldn’t say I like it because I want the bountiful harvest I know God has for me off course, but I trust him. I have learnt when I trust, it works out even better. Through my 2 anniversaries this week and the many other events of my life, I know I have nothing to fear because I am leaning on his resurrection power which defeats death! So what is a new chapter in life! In addition to that I know I am in Excellent hands because God is Good, God is Great, God is the ultimate Best!
Related verses
Isaiah 41:10
Ephesians 3:20
Psalm 118:6
Isaiah 55:8-9
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Next post on: 19/8/2023
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