God's Unfailing Love

Today I share on a few things I have been learning.

Ø  We all have a story to tell and a wound to heal, a deeper glance into these reveal a beautiful reality.

My short life has been marked by some unprecedented heartbreaks, having to say good-bye to some friendships, made terrible mistakes, sunk into shame, guilt and emotional pain. In these moments, I have known and felt God’s warm embrace, experienced His deep love and mercy and I have found healing. I don't know what your story looks like but, you are uniquely poised for this very moment, to share an intimate part of God's character, this the place of untold stories, the place of healing rain, it’s a sacred ground.

Ø  It is okay not to be okay. In my ‘not okay’ moments I have known  God as my safe place, my home, my shelter, my strong tower, my song, the oxygen in my weary lungs, my protector, my strength and shield, my hope,  my God

I have learnt that when I fall, I must always get up again! Always confess up again! Always pray up again! Always live up again! Always look up again!  James 4:8, "and He will draw nigh to you." God has always responded to my repentance, He has always taken the next step toward me after I "draw nigh."

Ø  He is the Lord of the restoration, He has turned my stories and wounds into beautiful realities, in my ‘not okay’ moments, He has breathed in me His Grace, and caused me to exhale His love and Mercy.

When the wild locust has scavenged, and I have walked through dark valleys, He has restored me. Instead of ashes, He has bestowed crowns of beauty, instead of despair He has clothed me with a garment of praise, instead of shame, He has given me a double portion, instead of disgrace, I have rejoice in my inheritance. His love for us, we cannot comprehend.

I pen this to encourage everyone, wife or mother who thinks they have been to hell and back, there is hope in Christ Jesus. 

Loads of love

Shikoh!!

NO LONGER SLAVES

‘My’ Perfect husband should literally live for me, shouldn’t blink as I whine about an annoying colleague, should perceive my crappy days, help around the house, by making dinner especially now that am in school, he must ensure am forever in the seventh heaven. For the better part of 2016, I criticized, I complained, my husband of choice as he did not match up to my Mr. Perfect. I tried cloning him, he proved impossible, I presented him to the heavens, the heavens were quiet, I got really cheesed off.

It is for Freedom that Jesus set us free, we are no longer slaves to bondage; we are free from ideals, free from ourselves, free from perfection, In the Lord we find our being, our confidence and validation. God delivered the Israelites from Babylon, and puts it in King Cyrus’ heart the will to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, that the Sons of Jacob may worship their God in Freedom, that they may find Him who called and made them a People.

We must find us in Him first, we must lay us at the cross, take up His Yoke, quit trying to reach perfection, and understand that all He wants is our broken Hearts.

If we drink from Him, from our hearts shall flow rivers of everlasting waters, rivers of life, then we shall serve our husbands, children, family and society as Christ intended, we will quit defining Submission and Love in the light of modernity and intellect and the Lord Himself shall instruct and teach us on this things. We will also quit changing ourselves, changing our husbands and children because the Holy Spirit, who gives life shall give life to these our mortal bodies and we shall confidently say that we are serving the Lord with our households.

On His shoulders, we are free to love, free to be us, to be Wives, to be Mothers. In 2017, I shall love Bae freely, by Grace as the Lord leads me.

Into 2017

As I step into 2017, I look back to 2016 disappointed in myself yet grateful that there is a God, so I will not beat myself so hard. Just like most of us, I had my 2016 goals penned down; Habakkuk 2:2 Writing the vision, and making it plain upon tables, that I did. Top on my list was to becoming a better, leaner Proverbs 31 wife, but I downed 2016 as the Proverbs 31 man, sitting on the city gates receiving praises courtesy of hubby.

So today though not as wise, patient, loving and godly as I would have wished to end 2016, head above the waters, I look back to 2016 and I have my lessons with me,

Ø  God’s name is Faithful, He remains faithful even when we are not, He cannot deny Himself, just like, am still Shikoh, whether I meet my goals or not.

Ø  God is intimately interested in the success of our marriages, His name is at stake here, He will not watch us bring down our homes, the choice to walk out on God is ours, in Him all things are held together.

Ø  There is nothing like stagnation in marriage, and so it is in life, you either grow or regress, grow in Love, or grow in hate, grow in wisdom or add to folly. Growth in Marriage is therefore very intentional. Proverbs 31 woman was an intentional wife.

Ø  Stages and Seasons in marriage are Real, after ‘the in love stage’ the ‘Reality stage’ sets in and love becomes a decision, Gary D. Chapman argues that the ‘In love stage’ is an illusion, we involuntarily love, true love is experienced in and after the ‘Reality Stage’. The real Hubby, not a perfect man, but a perfect match to my many imperfections, and I chose to love even more.

Ø  Guarding my hearts is my individual responsibilities, I must carefully and diligently consider what, who, and where to set my heart on, May the Meditations of my heart and the thoughts of my mind be pleasing to the Lord in 2017.

To a more intentional 2017

Shikoh Masika