More Than Enough

Six months into the toughest season of my life I can confidently say that God is real, and His grace is more than enough. Most of this year has been like a blur, but somehow I have gone through it. I will admit to having questioned God more than once about his will and way of doing things. I have wondered about his purpose for my life, and why it seems to be unfolding layer after layer, painstakingly slowly. I cannot begin to tell you how many melt downs I have had this year, and how many times I have wanted to throw in the towel. But in the same breath, I cannot count how many doors God has opened for me, nor the numerous opportunities that have come my way in a seemingly effortless manner.The thing is, I struggle with understanding the working of God, and yet I love Him ever so deeply; the two are not mutually exclusive.

Photography by Rachel Johnson (at Brooklyn Bridge)

I know for a fact that God does not tempt His own. But I also know that He allows us to be stretched and pressed beyond our usual measure whenever He’s gearing up to do something new in our lives. In my very limited human mind, I would wish this cup- the year 2014 be lifted away from me. Erased. Almost as though it never existed. However, how can I ever tell you that God heals when I have never been broken? Or that he is the lifter of my head when I have not been down trodden? How can I tell you that He is a joy giver when I have not cried myself to sleep? How can I possibly tell you that that you can breath again when I have not had the wind knocked off of me?

For the countless times I have literally had to convince myself to wake up in the morning, and the many instances I have had to drag myself to work, barely making it through the day without falling apart, I see God. His grace has surely covered me.

Beloved, God sees you. He knows your struggle, and He loves you all he same. Over the last couple of weeks I have been reminded that I am not here by chance. None of us are. God planned and orchestrated our existence for His divine plan, and has strategically placed us here to be a light in the darkness. This season in your life is not a mistake. It is significant, no matter how difficult or meaningless it may seem.

My prayer for you as you start this new month is that God will give you sustaining grace until you become all He has called you to be. May your strength be renewed, day by day. May God give you the wisdom you need, to excel and thrive in all you set out to do. Just as I have prayed for divine favor over my life, I pray the same for you beloved. I also pray that you find the courage to wake up every morning, put one foot in front of the other and keep moving even when things do not make sense. I hope that in spite of everything that comes your way, you will choose to live above and not under the circumstances. 

When your hope meter runs low, I pray beloved that you will be reminded of this truth: that God is enough.

From my heart to yours,

Kambua M.

Dear Traveler

Over the last couple of weeks I have traveled a whole lot, through North America and East Africa. I love the diversity and the thrill of visiting new places. It has been intensely busy on my end, but I am grateful that I can wake up everyday, and step out boldly in pursuit of my dreams. So I decided that since I am living life on the fast lane, shuffling between airports, claiming luggage, barely getting over my jet-lag, I would encourage you through my travels. On one chilly morning as I had my coffee fix at Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, I wrote you a letter:

Dear Traveler,  

I am on transit, in Amsterdam, I can hardly wait to get home. It's been a great couple of days globe-trotting, but you know what they say- there's no place like home. Home...that word is music to my ears. It brings with it a sense of rest and a place to belong. I see people from all walks of life around me, different ethnicities, all on the move, some headed home, others on vacation, others on business trips...their reasons for travelling vary, but they are all travelers nonetheless. 

What was that my mom always said about being travelers...pilgrims here on earth? And earth being our temporary abode? heaven being our home? Yet many times I find that I forget where I'm going. It is quite disastrous for a passenger to be on transit, and not know where they are going. 

Thankfully each one has a boarding pass that gives details on where they should be, and at what time...but still as I journey on I see lots of passengers in distress. Some miss their flights because they get to the airport late, others get distracted by all the Duty Free shops and lose track of time, whilst others walk around in oblivion...dazzled, lost, and not having the courage or perhaps humility to stop and ask for help. 

For the while that God has placed me here, I want to live with intention and purpose, in order to leave a legacy for those that will come after me. But I also want to keep 'home' in mind. Having no fear of death- living with eternity in mind. I must admit that only a few months ago the thought of death terrified me. But after my dad's transition, I have come to the realization that death is inevitable for each one of us, none is exempt. I know my destination, and the Word of God is the boarding pass that contains eveything I need to keep on pressing forward. 

Stay focused. Remain on course. Keep moving...you're on transit. Remember your purpose, losing it is detrimental to your passion. Keep pressing forward, making no apologies for your dreams. If by chance you lose your way, stop and ask. Don't allow pride to hinder you from reconnecting. Happy travelling dear travellers!

From my heart to yours,

Kambua M.

Wait Your Turn

I am continually amazed at how much good news there is on Facebook, twitter, and instagram. Not a day goes by without seeing someone’s fabulous selfies, engagement pictures, wedding pictures...or a celebration of a new born baby, a graduation...or that someone bought a new car, a new house, got a new job...or my boyfriend did this, and my girlfriend did that...and just how everyone is living and loving life! Now you must admit that there are days when all that good news is simply depressing. I wonder to myself sometimes, are people really this happy? All the time? And then I realized that even I have mastered the art of social media glamour and glitz; I have learned to masquerade my feelings even when I feel nothing close to what my pictures and updates reflect.

What a superficial world we live in. How many times have you heard of someone you're acquainted with that has slipped into depression, or committed suicide? And then you log onto their Facebook page, and can’t quite tell what went wrong, because they seemed to have had it all together.

Last year I shared with you the story of Hannah. Can you imagine how hard it was for her to put on a facade while deep down she was hurting due to a deep desire being unmet?

How about Sarah, Abraham’s wife? She was beautiful, but she was also barren. Can you imagine the shame of being married to a man of God as powerful as Abraham and being unable to conceive?

Think about Elijah, who despite being a great prophet and man of faith, battled depression. God had used him in such a powerful way, and yet Elijah wished he would die.

How about the classic story of Job? Losing everything and just about everyone he loved, and on top of that being plagued by serious illness?

What about the Shepherd boy by the name of David- God sent the Prophet Samuel to anoint him as King. But it took sixteen years before the manifestation of that promise. Sixteen years! Can you imagine that?

In a world where everyone seems to be doing just fine, hear me say this: you are not alone. Everyone has their secret pain, a proverbial thorn in the flesh. The pot may look whole on the outside, but only when you fill it with water do you see the cracks it bears. The world is a capricious place, and things often happen that throw us off balance- no one is exempt. You may be reading this whilst having a silent storm, feeling frustrated and very alone because everyone seems to be walking on air, living abundant and meaningful lives. Beloved you must believe and understand that God will fulfill His purpose for your life, and He never fails.

I know how it feels to have a gnawing restlessness and vague dissatisfaction. But I also know how it feels when I surrender all that uncertainty to God. He makes it all worthwhile. You see, God never promised that you’d always walk on water. He never promised that your journey would be easy. But he did promise that when (not if) you go through the fire it will not burn you; and when you go through the waters they will not drown you. God also promises that He will never leave you nor forsake you. Which means that when you feel alone and it seems that no one can relate to your secret pain, you are not alone; God is right there with you.

Wait your turn beloved. After the storm the sun shines. After your pain grace abides. God I pray that when our patience is tested we will rest in you as a trustworthy authority that never fails. I pray that as we wait we will learn even more that your heart beats for, and not against us.

Beloved, I pray that this season will not wreck your view of God, but instead give you a deeper insight of who He truly is. May He grant you the strength to wait your turn.

From my heart to yours,

Kambua M.