Your Relationship With God: Terms and Conditions Apply!

One of the misconceptions that we have to deal with as young people is the idea that living a clean and disciplined Christian life is boring, ‘kuyabhora’ as they would say in Swati! Ok, I won’t dilly dally on this one; I’ll go straight into what I think.  I believe that there is no substance in this thought. Get me well here, I am not in any way taking lightly the effect that this negative attitude has had on many young people’s Christ walk. We need to understand that being born again is only the beginning of a relationship that requires one to consciously and constantly desire to grow and experience an intimate relationship with Christ. It is by no means an end to all one’s troubles, problems and temptations! Actually, it is the beginning of a friendship, a partnership of sorts.

Every relationship has some sort of ‘give and take’ aspect to it. It connects people, challenges you to reach out and will yank you out of your comfort zone at times. A healthy relationship, especially if it’s between God and a person must also empower that individual. So if it is to yield any fruit, both sides must be willing to give as much as they take. I’ve heard many youth complain about how boring and ‘uninspiring’ it is to be Christian today. Yet when I ask them to tell me about what they have personally done/put into the relationship to ensure that it develops or grows, their response is almost always disappointing to say the least. I have observed that it is only after I’ve asked this question that they begin to see things from a different angle.

If a relationship experiences problems, the possibility is someone is taking more than they are giving, one way or the other. My guess is God is not that person. When it comes to giving in your relationship with God, you can never out give or outdo God. So in the effort to make sure that being a born again believer doesn’t become boring, the responsibility rests with the individual. What I usually suggest here is that you’ve got to totally devote yourself to God from the onset. You’ve got to play your part. If there is anything that doesn’t seem to be going right in your life, instead of rushing to blame it on anything/anybody else, ask or talk to God about it.

I have found that a change of attitude and mentality can greatly enhance a young person’s relationship with God. Instead of sitting back and talking about how boring or uncool it is to be a child of God, stand and take stock of your relationship with God, then you can talk to me about it! Are you taking as much as you are giving in this relationship? Are you giving yourself enough time to get to know God in prayer, fellowship and being responsible for your actions? What have you personally done to try to bring the fun into the relationship? It is my honest opinion that if you can find answers to these and other questions about your relationship with God, then it will help you redefine and revitalize your Christ walk. If you still can’t get the hang of it, then email me and I’d be more than willing to have coffee with you! Lol.

Real means Perfect in God’s world!Be Real!

Today @VOG we had this interesting ‘lil pep’ talk at the end of our daily session and it left me with a lot of things in my mind. I am normally the kind of person who likes to take things as they are and then apply it in my life. So as we were discussing stuff I was busy having another ‘conference’ in my mind! So I thought why not share some of it with my ‘sukumaRIZED’ folk right here. What fascinated me the most was the issue of how we as Christians we like to kinda hype everything when we talk or analyze how Jesus Christ lived and also how he did things. Even the way we have been taught, as way back as your days at Sunday school or children’s church, tends to mislead some of us concerning the true identity and character of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ok, before I wonder off in many directions, let me hit it head on. The picture and mindset that we have about Jesus is the very one that limits our relationship with Him sometimes. Phillipians 2:7 clearly states that ‘but made himself of no reputation…..’ and that word ‘reputation’ just concludes the matter for me really!

He was born king, God even sent an angel to announce His birth (doesn’t get better than that really!LOL) and at some point a voice from heaven was even heard declearing, ‘This is my son in whom I am well pleased.’ So we are clear that in Jesus we had combination of God and man. He was a model of the spiritual in the natural, which I believe is God’s ultimate plan for mankind. Yet in all His divine power Jesus still made himself of no ‘reputation’. Now this is where I believe most of us miss it.The fact that He was anointed and divine did not exempt him from experiencing all that a human being can go through, from excitement to dejection. In fact some of us will never ever go through what He underwent! Clearly this Jesus man displayed just a tid bit of how it would be to have God in our midst. From the miracles to the kindness and love He showed, one cannot doubt His deity. Yet in all this there was a human side (being) to Him. Most often than not when we view Him we tend to overlook that in favor of His divine side. Yet as human beings that alienates Him as this bigger than life character that we cannot identify with. This obviously works against us when we have to cultivate a relationship with Him.

the ChristaHolyc

The reason God sent Jesus into this world is very broad. One of the Christ’s important missions was also to give us some sort of preview of what Jehovah desires His perfect man (human) to be like. Yes He was not yet glorified but yet there is still so much we can learn from Him. Jesus was an everyday kinda guy. He leaved with people, loved and respected every one and even used to hang out with His ‘boys’ at the shops!LOL  Mind you the mingling and mixing with folk, the mistakes He use to make as a kid and even the things that stressed him as a person did not disturb Him from enjoying a relationship with the Father. I cannot quote all the instances when he simply showed us His human side. But we definitely have a good example of what God’s perfect man is through the life of Jesus Christ. Sometimes I’ve reflected on the issue of perfection, holiness and purity. However that is a subject for another day!

I believe that God wants to see a young people who are trully liberated from the clutches and slavery of sin. A breed who will understand how important it is to have a relationship with their God. For this to happen we need to first acknowledge that it is God who knows us better. Thereby allowing Him through Jesus Christ to lead us into purpose and life. If we are to relate with God through Jesus, we need to reitroduce Him to ourselves as the perfect man who lived as a human being and yet still walked blameless before God. Some of the most divine and supernatural experiences with God that I have had were not because I was perfect but because my heart was pure before God. I desired a real relationship with God. I was sincere and open even about my mistakes. God never passes by an open heart, He does not ignore someone who invites the Lord to reign over him/her. I am a firm beliver in a God who does not limit us to a Sunday or special occassion kind of relationship but one who will visit me even in th street whilst I take a walk! So lets remove the limits and invite Jehovah into our daily business.

Christ blessings y’all!

Emmanuel ‘ChristaHolyc’ Dlamini

Stand Out!

For all that we are, all that we want to be and all that we were destined to be, we ought to lift praises to the one God who has always been outstanding in our lives. We go our own ways trying to be that which we want to be instead of that which He saw and made us to be. How come it’s so easy to interpret someone else but we fail to walk in the footsteps of our master Jesus Christ. In our generation it’s so easy to copy how someone else live and does thing, and we normally do that perfectly well but we find it so hard to do it like Jesus did it.

Walking with Christ like Christ is not that hard. All we fail to do is to master our steps, our interpretations, and eventually failing to monitor ourselves. We have a very huge opportunity of changing things around. We have all it takes to be the best we can be. We are given all that it takes to present what will determine who we are and what we were made of and made to be. We have been given the power to choose, to choose what we think is right, and after choosing it live by it. It’s time as young people we stand and ‘show them’ how it’s done. The Lord our God has poured out His spirit and He sure is waiting for us to say it (just like prophet Joel prophesied).

Let’s walk just like Jesus, He who walked with no blame, with truth, with fair dignity and above all with honesty and love. He completed His part, when He cleansed and died for us sinners. All that is left of us is to take it from where He ended. Be thankful and grateful that Jesus shamed himself while he had all the chance to retreat. Let’s do it while we still have the chance. I am not asking us to just bring change but also to live it. Stick to what you believe in and what forms the God – human being cycle in Jesus Christ.

Let the mystery unveil.

Pamela ‘Chido’ Mkhonta
Note: Chido is one of the longest serving members of VOG and is writing for us every week as a guest blogger. She is also a graphic designer and semi-professional soccer player of repute as she currently captains Swaziland’s senior ladies soccer team. However the views expressed in this article are personal opinions/views in her walk with Jesus Christ

The God and I factor!

It has been in my heart that whatever I do, I do it right and I do it with passion and with love. I can fail so many times but it does not mean that ‘Chido’ is a mistake or a failure. The heavens and the earth rejoiced when I was created, they sang and shouted praises to the living God for He had created one of the most valuable creatures ever. Today I still hold on to the thought that thought me and made me this powerful and this beautiful. Days are never the same and can never be. Sometimes they are friendly, sometimes they are harsh. It’s what and how I make the most of my day that will determine a good or bad day ahead.

What do I do when I’m having a bad morning? Or what do I do when I’ve had a bad afternoon or evening? Does it mean that the rest of my day is ruined already because my morning or evening wasn’t so good? All I do is go back to the source (God) and consult him of the bad day I am experiencing. All that I do contains the Jehovah that made me who I am. I have my own way of talking to him. All that matters is that Jehovah hears every word I speak unto Him; my assurance is that He never lets me down.

So all I need to do is ‘get in touch’ with Him and pour out my heart. I believe that God’s attention is always on us, which means all He needs is for us to talk to Him, to communicate with Him. Jehovah can never let you slip away from His grasp, you are so dear to Him and He loves you too much! He may not do it the way you expected Him to, but it doesn’t mean He has ignored you; my guess is God has greater things in store!

He made you because in his heart you will always be this ‘treasure’! Make the most of the days that are ahead of you. Go through each by keeping ‘in touch’ with God so that whatever happens finds you nestled in Him, together the two of you can have a ball! As you turn your day around, remember the One who holds the key of the door to the many days of success waiting for you with each day that passes!

Let the mystery unveil.

Pamela ‘Chido’ Mkhonta

Note: Chido is one of the longest serving members of VOG and is writing for us every week as a guest blogger. She is also a graphic designer and semi-professional soccer player of repute as she currently captains Swaziland’s senior ladies soccer team. However the views expressed in this article are personal opinions/views in her walk with Jesus Christ.

‘Silent Prayer’

When I was informed about my blogging assignment by the sukumaRIZE blog team, it gave me pleasure to do this. The drive and will was there, the ‘Chido’ in me felt an urge to get out into the minds and hearts of young people. Expressing yourself is an art in itself, and somehow the challenge of having to communicate my thoughts, feelings and views to an innumerable number of people left me considering if I was ready. The excitement was there, yet the reservation also reared its head! But I guess the passion of sharing Christ experiences with other young people every week got me going. At first I had the motivation, though not being a distinguished writer or even a prolific linguist my blog posts came out fine. My love for God and His people was enough to get me started.  

Every week I have searched my spirit and heart on what to share on order to feed your brains and hearts with God’s reality. Perhaps not all my articles have tickled your fancy, but all of them have been presented as my testimony in this Christ journey. Some people have even given me the thumbs up occasionally. In all this I have been most humbled. The truth is that all my work is a result of God’s doing, because by professional writing standards I would not even be considered an amateur! LOL! It’s been quite an experience putting together a piece every week.

This week it’s been quite hectic, even worse is that when it came to writing this one, I was just blank. As Chido, what happens when you do not have anything to say? And is it really because there is nothing to write about? Or am I struggling to express myself? All these questions were in my mind as I finally got around the idea behind today’s post. Since I did not have anything to write on I decided to do the ‘Silent Prayer’ writing!  Here goes………

There are times in life when you do not have anything to say to God,

There are those times when you have something to say but do not know how to put it in audible or written words,

Sometimes I sit or do whatever that I am doing with a smile on my face,

Sometimes with tears rolling down my cheeks,

Without words in my mouth, but with my heart and mind bursting at the seams,

In my silence, I speak, my God hears me because He knows me.

It’s perfectly normal, natural and spiritual (may I insist!) to find yourself with nothing to say yet in your heart there is so much being ‘said’. Even the most talkative and eloquent individuals experience it. Sometimes words can be one’s downfall too. That is why every now and then we should reflect on the things we say to ourselves, to others and to God. In your silence there is a way. Sometimes we are tongue tied because of challenges, excitement or grief. Take time to listen to your silence. It will also give you time to introspect, project and rectify issues in your life, which is a quality expected from a child of God, James 3:13 says, ‘Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom (King James Versions).

Although I have shared with you my ‘silence’! LOL! I still am quiet, I’ve got nothing to say really! So I will say it one last time, ITS PERFECTLY NORMAL TO HAVE NOTHING TO SAY! Funny as it may be for me to say this, I’m still silent even as you read this!   

 Let the mystery unveil. Peace!!!!!!!

Pamela ‘Chido’ Mkhonta

Note: Chido is one of the longest serving members of VOG and is writing for us every week as a guest blogger. She is also a graphic designer and semi-professional soccer player of repute as she currently captains Swaziland’s senior ladies soccer team. However the views expressed in this article are personal opinions/views in her walk with Jesus Christ.

Take A Look At Who’s On Your Side!

A ‘lil bit’ of mind awakening Holy Ghost inspired truth really raised my spirit this week, and I want to share potions of it with y’all today. I’ve always believed in the power of God and His ‘off the hook’ way of coming through for us when we call upon Him in our time of need. The spirit of my mind was really challenged by how much potential God has invested in us for maximum success in our lives as individuals. Normally, I shy away from ‘feel good’ and emotional booster kind of talk that has no practical basis because I believe it gives one a false impression that words alone can influence us to become better people or serve as a solution for our problems.  First of all, when God created man in His own image and after His likeness, it signified humanity’s natural ability to excel in life. So in the order of creation everyone is a success story. God planned it all before we were even born. The only limitation as I will highlight is one’s perception of themselves and understanding of God’s original plan.

Numbers 13: 33, ‘And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight’ (King James Bible). God miraculously delivered the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt. These people literally walked with Jehovah every single day as they witnessed and also experienced how God never fails to take care of His own. To this day, there has never been a nation so close to God’s heart as Israel was. But when it came to what was probably the most crucial stage of this Israel and God partnership, they kind of ‘lost it’. All along the Israelites were spectators as the Lord even fought their battles, fed them and protected them. Yet when it was time for them to ‘come off age’ and take their rightful place as inheritors of God’s blessings it proved to be an impossible task in their eyes.

Emmanuel 'ChristaHolyc' Dlamini

When God created us it was so that we may live. He cannot live for us, nor can the Lord deputize for us. One thing is for sure; God believes in us and also empowered us in creation that’s why we are here! The eyes of our understanding need to be enlightened with the knowledge that awakens that in-built ability to succeed in us. Jehovah cannot promise you what He will not give to you, the only issue is you taking or claiming what belongs to you. The mere fact that all along the power of God has been evident in our lives is testimony that He is with us. Every breath that we take is because He is the Lord. Therefore life and all its benefits belong to us. It does not matter what challenge stands in our way. Remember before you were born God knew you and what you are capable of doing. The ‘giant’ that you see with your eyes is nothing in God’s eyes. So if God created you, it simply means with Him by your side you are invincible! Nothing is too difficult for God.

Start seeing yourself through the eyes of Him who set the bounds of the sea, the One who is all knowing and all powerful. Before you label your challenge as impossible, bring it to God’s attention and watch what He will call it. It takes someone who knows their God and believes in themselves to make that crucial decision not to give up in this life. If a situation seems to be exalting itself against you, do not back down but take your rightful place next to God, in God and around God. It is that ‘you in God’ position which will give you a true picture of how things stand. So before you abort a dream, before you throw in the towel, take a look at the God who’s rooting for your success and you will find strength and comfort. There is no doubt in my mind and heart that God’s plans are for us to succeed in life.

Special, Important, Loved!

Today allow me to take you back just a ‘lil bit’, let’s retrace a few steps as we consider one of the greatest creations ever! I believe that man/human kind is not just a part of God’s marvelous acts, but my conviction is that we are ‘thee’ centre of Jehovah’s world! Honestly, all creatures, plants and even angels considered, man is by far the best. Before I take off, let me get this clear; you are important, special and above all you are the most loved being on this planet! You see in both the heavens and the earth nothing else matters, nothing will ever be a jewel to God’s heart than men already is, even the angels nor nature will ever in-dwell God’s mind the way men does. I am sorry for offending your pets and flowers at home! LOL…. but truly speaking this is how it is. Listen to what he said before he created man, ‘let there be…….’ (Genesis1:3), then note what he then said when creating men, ‘let us’ (in genesis1:26). God needed consultation with himself  because he was about to reveal one of His most powerful creations. Do you know how much value you add in the heart of God or how much value God is to your life? When God looks at you, He sees Himself. Jehovah saw the beauty that lied in him, so innocent and so wonderful. So the Lord God wasted no time in expressing Himself by making man to be the apple of His eye and centre of His mighty acts.

Look at yourself and see the good intentions God had about you from the very beginning of all things. He loved and embraced you deep in his heart such that your making was so special from the first day you were born. Personally I have many reasons why I should be grateful to God. Everything I have smells beauty and everything I am is of Him because I exclusively come from him. I walk tall with my head held high in majestic style because Jehovah made me and He did it out of his own pride! You and I are the pride of Jehovah. There are many reasons why the Lord decided to make you, but one thing I know is that He really desired your presence such that you were made to be like Him (Genesis 1:26) ; He wanted to stay connected to you forever!

Pamela ‘Chido’ Mkhonta

He desired a creation and he created one and it was good. He desired connection and he made you and it was perfect and excellent. After creating you He then breathed the breath of life unto you, and I believe, that was God breathing His very own self unto you so that you may forever be completely linked to Him. In the language of ‘I Am’ (Exodus 3:14), we are the very existence of his mighty powers. Every person, no matter what age, race or creed is a God design. We may have a different ways of connecting ourselves with him in worship and lifestyle but if truth be told; my connection is the very important link of/to my relationship with him.

God has journeyed with us through it all, he travelled with us to places he never thought he would and places we were not supposed to be just because his connection with us is very important and He is not one to let you (in particular) slip away (John 3:16). He loves you even when you have messed up ‘big’. He cares so much that when you drift away from Him, you have a way a passage that can take you back to your place in Him. Stay convinced that you are the pride of God.

Question is; are you sure that when Jehovah looks at you He still feels the same pride that makes you to be the greatest ensample of the works done by His hands?

Let the mystery unveil. Peace!!!!!!!

Pamela ‘Chido’ Mkhonta

Note: Chido is one of the longest serving members of VOG and is writing for us every week as a guest blogger. She is also a graphic designer and semi-professional soccer player of repute as she currently captains Swaziland’s senior ladies soccer team. However the views expressed in this article are personal opinions/views in her walk with Jesus Christ.

Don’t give up; you are too strong for that!

When I gave it all up for this Christ walk, the idea was that my life will be all good and happy, one that would grant me all my hearts desires. I never thought of the storms, the rains, the valleys or the mountains. Every time someone spoke the words ‘there is everything in God’ , I thought my life would be just like that, with everything given to me every and any time I so wish. But contrary to my understanding then, I was caught off guard when challenges and hardship started hitting me hard! It is then that I began to question life. Why do we go through difficult and trying situations if indeed our God is a mighty and awesome God? How do I withstand the season of challenges, storms, mountains and valleys in this life?

Many people are like me, they tend to give themselves hope that the ‘all in Christ’ means that we do not have to go through some trials, hardships and temptations. We never look at these different situations to transform and elevate us to different and higher levels. We get too comfortable in a certain position and want to dwell in it for as long as the comfort gets warmer and warmer. My problem today is that we staying in one level for too long. Let us allow God to elevate us. Transformation is a qualitative change; qualitative is an adjective taken from the noun quality and quality is a degree or grade of excellence or worth. To be promoted from one level of success to another is what we want but ignorantly do not approve of. When I say we ‘do not approve of’ I mean we are not inclined towards getting or having the quality of life we dream of.

Not every wish was meant to come true, not every one of those wishes we wish to achieve will come to pass. In our walk with Christ let us expect the hard times to hit us. Let us expect to have the winds blowing us to either direction and in the darkest of the valleys you are the one expected to make a light and make a way. In as much as these hard times hit you so hard, they are the ones that strengthen you and make you a better person. As these hard situations rock one’s boat, the rain of blessings will keep raining on us every single moment we are lost, confused and self destructed. As we are crossing the rivers, climbing the mountains and getting warm for the cold weathers let us remember, he has never forsaken us. These situations are just there to a make better people out of us no matter how ‘impossible’ it may be often times.

I am reminded of a story about Jesus and his Disciples recorded in Mark 4 v 35, that day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. As they were crossing over to the other side of the river, to face new challenges, to meet different people with different situations and to a totally different place they had to weather the storm. Wherever we are, we are bound to face trying situations, we are bound to breathe on a different breath in a different atmosphere. But now let us be ready to face new tests that will transform us into becoming better people and elevate us to unique levels. Remember, as an individual, whatever life throws at you is not more than you can bear. The truth is that one’s strength (success) is determined by how much weight (challenges) they can handle.

The journey begins with you pulling through each challenge you encounter, so please don’t pull out halfway, you are too strong for that. God Bless.

Let the mystery unveil…

Pamela ‘Chido’ Mkhonta

 Note: Chido is one of the longest serving members of VOG and is writing for us every week as a guest blogger. She is also a graphic designer and semi-professional soccer player of repute as she currently captains Swaziland’s senior ladies soccer team. However the views expressed in this article are personal opinions/views in her walk with Jesus Christ.

I Dare You!

Out with the lengthy posts and in with the shorter and more ‘sukumaRIZED’ version! Oh yeah! That’s how I sign in today! So let’s keep it as short as……..err…….one biblical character called Zacchaeus! LOL! But honestly, I ‘kinda’ like him (Zacchaeus), he is one fella who tried every trick in the book on his mission to get a better view of Jesus in the midst of all those tall folks over there in Jericho! If truth be told, I doubt that the ‘lil tax collector’ even knew that the ONLY thing that would change his life forever was seeing Jesus. All it took was a decision to climb a fig tree and SEE the man who had changed water into wine, walked on water; multiplied five loafs of bread and two fish thus feeding thousands of people amongst other miracles (Luke 19:1-6). The bible also tells a story about an old woman who touched the hem of the Messiah’s garment and got her healing (Mark 5:25-34). Despite all the pain and shame of her infirmity, yet in the midst if it all, in her mind what mattered the most was getting close to Jesus. The crowd, noise and hustling was no issue for her, all she wanted was to touch the hem of the Master’s garment. The sickness that had troubled and enslaved her for eighteen years left her instantly.

You and I want to do the hardest things to please God, yet these biblical characters I mention here believed that only a simple touch could actually change their lives and bring healing, that by ignoring people’s taunts and proceeding to climb a fig tree just to see him, my life would never be the same. Sometimes all it will take is a simple shout that has its origins deep in your heart. An act so sincere and resolute that it can reach the deepest and compassionate part of Jehovah’s heart is what we need. God knows all our pains, thoughts and indeed everything we face. A former football coach of mine once said, ‘Kid you should get in that field and play Smart, Simple, Safe and Secured, just like you do in everyday life. Today I look back and appreciate the those words because I have realized that success, no matter what challenges one may face, largely depends on the will to act or do. Let’s start by doing the simple and good things in life.

What promotes one from virtual unknown to the land of stardom is the ability to exceed or defeat the limits of the present, be it in character, lifestyle, sports or job. With this attitude, you can be a guaranteed success in life. I call this advice a double S with a double S. Let’s just be simple and straight forward. Let’s believe in our own prayers as we take them to God one by one. Belief is said to be any cognitive content held as true, as you hold on to it, it becomes what you believe it to be. Do it and say it all out to him in any way that will be the central part of his compassionate heart therefore leaving him no choice!

Do you know how many people have been asking God for the same thing that you need too? Question is; how are you asking? Are you doing it in such a way that will make God see you? Maybe you will not receive it based on who you are but how you ask for it, or it could still be that it won’t be given according to how you ask for it but according to who you are. Jehovah has set out a path for each and every one of us, one so different and unique. Nobody will ever be able to walk on it for you. Let’s learn from the past generations rather than always doing it our way because sometimes they have proven to possess qualities which are not evident today. Be simple enough to do that which will trouble God to act on your behalf. Whatever you do, it can touch the core of His heart as long as you mean it with all your heart.

Let’s choose to live safe and secured in God seeing as He has kept us this long.

Let the mystery unveil…

Peace!!!

Pamela ‘Chido’ Mkhonta

Note: Chido is one of the longest serving members of VOG and is writing for us every week as a guest blogger. She is also a graphic designer and semi-professional soccer player of repute as she currently captains Swaziland’s senior ladies soccer team. However the views expressed in this article are personal opinions/views in her walk with Jesus Christ

 

When Home isn’t Home anymore – God is Home

Two weeks ago somebody came to me and asked me a simple yet so hard to answer question…

How much do you value your family?

I was like, “Emmm, I don’t know how much but I do.’’

Later that day the question hit me again. I want to share a brief history. For most of my childhood I had developed anger towards my family (on my father’s side) because of a lot of unresolved emotional issues that left me lots of unanswered questions, and infected me with bitter towards them. Ok, that’s a story for another day. After moving in with my mother my intensions were in this order; never look back and never come back. So when this person asked me how much I value my family, years after my ‘exodus’, I had problems answering it because I really didn’t know how much I value them. However despite the bitterness, truth is that the ‘lil girl’ in me never stopped loving them because they are my family.

Many young people experience these issues concerning family, some even get to the extent of actually running away from home because their OWN family is mistreating them. I am not talking about those that leave because they want to be free and end up hooked on drugs and all sorts of harmful and unacceptable stuff; I mean those abused day in and day out by their own family. I will say this as a matter of fact – many young people’s lives are messed up

Chido

as a result of incredible challenges like family history, selfishness, arrogance and emotional abuse! As individuals and even the whole earth, it is evident that we need a big change in the moral order of things. And only God and his word can be our moral beacon. Otherwise we all just continue to search in the dark for some form of truth. We must focus on God’s word for the answers.

When God says ‘I will bless your generation and the next, and the generation’s generations’ because of one person, he means just that. This even applies to when He curses your generation and the next and their generation’s generation because of you. Unfortunately, even today there still some emotional barriers and consequently unresolved issues between me and my family. Yet I have decided not to allow anything to hinder my blessings. One way to ensure that it ends now is to live and do right today because I want my blessing to fall even on my children and their children, and their children’s children.

(Genesis 50v20, You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.) All I wanted from my family was just acceptance and love. Now that I never got it I will give what I never had to the next person. I am a better person today and that’s how God wanted it to be and it is just that! I hope this helps……….and remember, get into His word, sincerely so, as often as possible, (with your hurt, with your anger and with your every emotion). It will draw your attention away from all the pain of family. Never stop respecting them, never stop loving them. See it from a different height, understand it, and be at peace with it.

God really bless y’all!!!

Peace.

Let the Mystery unveil.

Pamela ‘Chido’ Mkhonta 

Note: Chido is one of the longest serving members of VOG and  is writing for us every week as a guest blogger. She is also a graphic designer and semi-professional soccer player of repute as she currently captains Swaziland’s senior ladies soccer team. However the views expressed in this article are her personal opinions in her walk with Jesus Christ