Let’s get over ourselves – it’s never been about us

We have all had a personal meeting with pain; some on a deeper level than others, but each experience designed and distributed according to what he or she can handle.

I was speaking to two friends of mine one Sunday afternoon.  Without intention, I started sharing with them the trial in which I found myself.

I mentally prepared myself to hear what I’ve heard from every other close friend or family member I confided in – you know, that generic ‘time heals all wounds, things will get better, pray about it, blah, blah, blah’.

And while both of them did convey those standard lines of comfort, one friend said something I had never really given thought.

Your hardships are NEVER about YOU.

 

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It’s not God’s way of granting you permission to sit and sulk in a corner or wallow in self-pity. It’s not where He’s given you the go-ahead to seek sympathy from those around you. Your trials and tribulations are ALL about HIM. It’s an opportunity for Him to showcase His greatness.

God is as jealous as it gets – He desires all of our time and our full attention. He actually seeks the limelight – He’s not attention-shy! So the reason He places us in situations of prayer requests is because He wants to be the headliner in your praise report.

I’ve realised that instead of spending time praying about our problems and crying before Him because of our pain, we should thank Him for what He’s going to do about that very position in which you find yourself.

It’s not necessary He hears about the darkest chambers of our sombre heart. He already knows and understands our hearts because He created it. Instead of describing how shattered you feel inside, spend that time describing what He is to you.

How you see God is based on how you think He sees you.

If I think He sees me as weak and always in need, I’ll see Him as a blessing-dispenser; I give Him my nagging, He gives me what I need to stop my whining.

But if I think He sees me as a strong soldier of Christ, who lacks for nothing, I’ll see Him for the God of might He really is.

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And yes, I know it’s hella easy when you’re speaking from a position of comfort, but I don’t speak from that vantage point. I still find myself in the exact same struggle I spoke to my friends about.

The only thing that changed is how I’ve chosen to look at it.

While I don’t know what the purpose of my being here is (cos honestly, there are so many other positions I feel God could’ve placed me in!) I look forward to the day I can say, ‘Now I know. Now I know why I had to endure what I did’.

And it’s the end – that right now seems thousands of kilometres away – that I am thanking God for now already.K

 

Gratitude + faith = answered prayer

Content– a word described in the dictionary as a state of happiness or satisfaction.

A word I’ve also seen in too many Instagram bios. But what does it mean to be content? What does it mean to genuinely be satisfied with the cards life has dealt you?

As humans it’s our nature to always want more; to desire what we don’t have. And how great isn’t that desire when we feel its things we deserve!

We ask ourselves, ‘Why did God give her that, but not me? He gives me everything I don’t ask for but ‘fails’ in giving me what I’m really praying for’.

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I mean, when we thank God for the blessings He’s placed in our life, how much truth lies in our thanksgiving?

I think that’s why it’s included in the Ten Commandments:  ‘Thou shalt not covet’

Yip, that’s the one.

I imagine life being like a house with many rooms. We are all handed a house and as we get older, the amount of rooms our house holds increases. These rooms symbolise the compartments in our life: health, finance, family, love, etc.

Prayer is our delivery line – it’s how we place our orders for the goods we want our house to be furnished with. But while the ability to go on our knees and make those requests totally lies with us, God ultimately decides what gets delivered and when. See Him as being the delivery guy, so he maps out his route. This means what you want might not come when you want, but the important thing to know is that IT’S ON ITS WAY!

Out of all the commandments, the sin of coveting is one I’ve probably been guilty of the most (yes, Daddy and Mommy, we’re not talking about the parents one right now!).

I look at my friends and my peers. I see things happening in their lives and I do a quick comparison to mine. And this automatically opens the door to ingratitude. I can’t even recall the number of occasions I asked, ‘but Lord, why haven’t you given me that?’

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In frustration I’d want to know why He’s blessed me in areas I didn’t even ask or fast for. Why give what I didn’t ask for, and give those around me the things I have asked for – countlessly actually.

But I’ve learned that while we’re wishing for the things other people have, they’re praying for the things YOU have. So instead of reshuffling the deck and hoping you get the cards you actually want, just play the heck out of the cards that’s been dealt to you!

I’m not here to tell you God knows what’s best and that’s why He hasn’t placed those pieces of furniture at your doorstep… blah, blah, blah.

But what I will say is I’ve realised God’s on His way. He’s route might not be in agreement with what you have planned, but His timing is perfect, His delivery is perfect because He’s a perfect God. He’s going to give you everything you’ve asked for.

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Psalm 37:4 advises us to delight ourselves in the Lord and He WILL give us the desires of our hearts.

James 5:6 reassures us that the prayer of a believer carries power.

This means that those two verses alone hold all the tools we need to lead a life of true fulfilment.

Thank God for what you have and live like someone who’s already received what they’ve asked.

In short: gratitude + faith = answered prayer. K

2016 – One heck of a darn year

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When I look back at 2016, there’s only one way I’d describe it: one heck of a darn year. A year filled with experiences that will make for great stories, but also a year filled with mistakes which led to lessons and, ultimately, personal growth. A year that showed me how easy it is to lose yourself and completely derail if you’re not on your guard; how easily you can be sucked into other peoples’ issues and drama, and in the process neglect who you are as a person.

The year 2016 cautioned me of the importance of protecting that which, at your core, makes you the person you are – that which shapes your thinking, feeling, speaking, doing, your morals and things you place value on. Because if there’s anything this year has shown me, it’s that no one is immune to mistakes so great, it alters who you are as a person.

You see, God’s going to protect you as far as you allow Him. He’s going to warn you, sometimes even intervene and change the natural order of things in a way that you’ll undoubtedly know it was Him. But even He reaches a point where He takes a step back and leaves the final decision up to you. He allows you to make conscious mistakes – He’s not constantly going to intervene. However, He never closes the door and the welcome is always ready, no matter how badly you’ve messed up.

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The moments in life I love the most are when we, as children of God, are at our weakest and have no other choice but to turn to our only source of strength. When we’ve sought comfort and peace in everything other than the Spirit of the Lord but failed miserably and with nothing more than a broken, despondent heart to offer Him, return to the only place that feels as natural as breathing.

That place where storms are raging around you, but you’ve got an inner peace that even you cannot comprehend; where hope remains a constant anthem in the midst of an unbearable situation. A place where your weak spirit is upheld by an unexplainable strength.

The word says that God is close to the broken-hearted and crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18) but blessed is the man whose hope is in the Lord (Jeremiah 17:07).

As grateful as I am that this year is drawing to a close, I look back and with certainty can say that there’s not a single thing I’d change or do differently. I lost ‘friends’, had my heart broken into tiny little pieces by people I thought cared about me, made mistakes and decisions I’m ashamed of, but most of all, beyond all that went ‘wrong’, I used these stumbling blocks as stepping stones to personal growth.

I’ve once again realised who and what exactly Kim is – what she stands for, why there are things she does differently to the rest and, best of all, that she’s Child of God and that Man, unfailingly has her back. K

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Being a strong woman

I can’t recall the amount of times I’ve had that heart-drop feeling; the figuratively literal feeling where your heart falls from its God-created position and forcefully plunges into your feet. It could be what someone just said; it could be something they’ve just done, but it’s in that very moment where you decide to brush it aside and pretend it doesn’t faze you… like water off a duck’s back. This, I believe, is one of the many characteristics of being a strong woman.

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I spent this week thinking of what exactly it means to be a strong woman. Is it never laying in the fetal position while bawling your eyes out? Is it rarely shedding a tear and constantly forging ahead? Does a strong woman lack that one human element called Emotion, therefore making it okay to disregard her feelings because she doesn’t have any? Contrary to popular male belief, it’s most certainly not the case. In actual fact, it’s the strong women who feel the most, yet show the least. These ladies fight their battles behind closed doors, often on their own. It’s not that they don’t need anybody, cos trust me, sometimes they do. It’s just their way of doing things and, as difficult as it may be, it works for them.

Being a strong woman means being assertive. It’s standing firm in what you believe even if it contradicts what society wants you to believe. Being a strong woman means loving yourself apologetically. It means embracing your flaws even if according to society’s standards you don’t make the Beauty Cut. It’s creating your own definition of beautiful and thriving in that. Being a strong woman means not allowing anyone to change you, only help you grow. A strong woman walks proud but is humble. She doesn’t have the time or patience to waste but is helpful. She’s tough but she’s loving and kind. Being a strong woman means peacefully taking your standpoint. There’s no need for her to roar her way to respect.

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One Sunday afternoon, I spent some time with two girlfriends. Like such girls, we bonded over cupcakes and talks of how hormonal our adolescent-selves had been lately. We’ve all gone through those phases. It’s those periods in our life where waking up in the morning seems impossible; those days where it doesn’t take a lot before the water works start springing into action. The days where life just seems so tough and, while there are friends you can talk to, you choose to cry on your own. In some twisted way you find solace in being alone. Or sometimes, you wanna be left alone but at the same time need people around you.

Those phases are absolutely normal, especially in our adolescent years. I think that’s when our hormones are the most unstable. Any little thing ticks us off! For me, the best remedy is prayer – and lots of it. The Bible teaches us to pray behind closed doors (Matthew 6:6). There’s no need for us to proclaim loud words on the streets for everyone to hear. That conversation is a private one between you and Him. Best of all, He knows exactly what we want even before we ask for it (Matt 6:8). He simply wants to hear it come directly from your mouth. (Matt 7:7). He also tells us we can ask for anything, in faith, and He will grant it to us (Mark 11:22).

This means that He wants to hear about your drama. He wants to know about your male-troubles and heartbreaks. He wants you to tell Him how you feel; what scares you, hurts you and haunts you. Allow Him to fix what’s broken. To mend what’s been bruised. And restore where there’s been taken away.

Be a weak woman before Him and He’ll make you a strong woman of this world. K

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Leaving the nest is actually the best

There comes a time in your life where you have to let go; of a relationship, a friendship, material things, emotions… the list goes on. But for many, the scariest of all is being released from your parents’ grip. It’s when you have to start making decisions for yourself and bear the consequences. It’s when the days of running to mommy and daddy before tackling a problem are long gone. It’s here where you have to use your own judgment, trust your instincts and heavily rely on prayer when faced with a difficult decision. Growing up is exciting and scary.

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As toddlers we frequently asked “Why?” Our inquisitive little selves wanted reasons to everything. The question was innocent and the answers easy. But as we grew older, the meaning of this question deepened. We wanted answers to why our parents said no to going to that party, why certain things were acceptable to them and others not, why they believed in the things they did. The answers became more complex, because they became the foundation on which we built our morals, values or beliefs. Regardless of the answers we got, we formed an opinion on the topic at hand. With those answers we were able to determine how we felt about something versus how our parents felt about it.

I sat it class one day and listened to my lecturer stress his concern with us blindly following the direction our parents lead us. Through screaming and cursing he urged us to question more and thoughtlessly-obey less. And he made sense. How often don’t we believe in certain things simply because ‘my mother said so’? Have we ever taken the time to determine if we really feel that way? The big change comes when we stop questioning our parents and start questioning ourselves. Do I really value this? Am I really against that? Do I really feel that doing this is wrong? As adolescents, it’s important to develop our own set of Life Rules we’re going to follow. We can’t go through life forever using mommy and daddy’s checklist.

It took me a really long time before I got to this point. Up until my second year at varsity I was still clutching onto the hem of my mother’s skirt for dear life. I never fully doubted my ability to make good and sensible decisions, I just wasn’t confident about them either. Any problem, every situation was run by my parents first. A friend of mine kept encouraging me to stand on my own two feet; to not disregard my parents’ opinion but to put into practice the lessons they taught me while growing up. Now that I’m on the verge of turning 21, I’ve learned of the liberating and exciting feeling that comes with using my own discernment and putting all of my trust in God.

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.The truth is, we’re going to make mistakes and the best thing is, making mistakes in your adolescent years are kinda compulsory! How else are we supposed to learn? Remember, if you’re going to make decisions based on what someone else wants you to do, you’re going to resent them. Imagine it being a parent you love; it makes it 10 times worse. The best thing is to take a stance on a matter based on how you feel. At the end of the day, you are the one who has to live with the outcome – not they.

I like to think of growing up as being handed a fruit basket. The basket is filled with fruits of values, morals and beliefs. The basket is made and handed to you by your parents. As you grow, you start weaving your own basket until the time comes where it’s completed and ready to hold its own fruit. So you’ve got the choice of what exactly you’re going to take from your parents’ basket and carry over into your own. You can leave behind the fruit that you don’t like or take a piece of a fruit that you only partially enjoy. Now that you’ve done the ‘swap’, you’re ready to begin ‘adulting’ – as ready as you’ll ever be. It’s with your basket, with fruit of your choice that you’ll choose your life partner, choose your friends, establish your household or even raise your children.

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One person never to leave out of that basket is your Maker. In fact, release that basket into His capable hands and allow Him to make your decisions for you. Speak less to people and more to God. He knows what He’s talking about. K

 

For me, I choose stress-free!

Nail-biting, heart-beating, hair-pulling, always-eating, almost-crying, nearly-dying, just-surviving and hopelessly-trying! Need I say more? Being stressed is something no-one enjoys. With varsity having recently started and first-term assessments nearing for scholars, the desserts-spelled-backwards S-word is something many of us face.

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Stress is the body’s emotional, mental and/or physical response to life’s changes and adjustments. It can either be a good or a bad thing (yes, stress has its benefits!), but more often than not it’s the ugly stepsister of Stress that visits. And we need to show her the door!

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I tend to be more of a stress-free person. Whether it’s my work, class-work, assignments, tests or personal issues, I just never spend meaningless hours worried and anxious about how I’m going to solve the problem. While it’s good to care and have concern, it’s not good to sacrifice sleep, unintentionally fast for days or neglect yourself due to worry. There’s a fine line between being nonchalant, taking life as it comes, and simply realising that you cannot always have it together. Some things are beyond your control and that’s okay – it’s human.

So, how do you know that you’re stressed? Here are 5 common symptoms:

1. Jaw clenching; something we tend to do subconsciously and which places a lot of pressure on our jaw muscles. This leads to wear and tear of our teeth.
2. Neck-ache, back-ache, frequent headaches or muscle spasms. During stress, our muscles tighten in order to protect against injury. If you’re constantly under stress, your muscles don’t get a chance to relax, leading to headaches, neck-aches, back-aches or spasms.
3. Overeating or lack of appetite. Without needing a medical explanation we can all agree that either of these two is bad. Food is the main source of ill-health and too little or too much can equally harm us, leading to many illnesses.
4. Frequent infections, colds or sores around the mouth area. Short-term stress stimulates the immune system, fighting off infections and healing wounds. However, when you are stressed for continual periods of time, your brain is forced to release more cortisol. Cortisol doesn’t quite do wonders for your immune system. In the end, your immune system weakens and finds it harder to fight those foreign invaders.
5. How many nights haven’t we spent hours tossing and turning, worrying about future events? Or racking our brain about past events that we wished had never happened? That kind of worry can lead to difficulty in getting a good night’s rest. Whether it’s onset insomnia (the inability to fall asleep) or maintenance insomnia (frequent waking up during the night and then being unable to fall asleep again), the regular occurrence of such incidents will lead to serious negative effects on your body and mind.

(Visit http://www.stress.org/stress-effects/ for more signs and symptoms of stress.)

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There are ways to combat stress and keep it at bay:

• Chew gum. Yes, apparently this helps! The rhythmic chewing improves the blood flow to your brain.
• Spend some time in the outdoors.
• Smile! It helps lower your heart rate faster.
• Enjoy the scent of soothing lavender.
• Listen to music. And no, not that screaming, let’s-blow-the-roof-off-this-place type music.
• Take a few minutes to regulate your breathing. Find a quite spot, sit down, inhale and exhale slowly.
• Positive thoughts and talks with yourself! Feed that mind of yours with positivity.
• Write down your thoughts and feelings. Determine what triggers those thoughts and feelings and find ways to then do things differently.
• Talk to a friend – a non-judgemental, encouraging, sincerely-listening friend.
• Get out there and take a jog. Get your heart beat up, get your blood pumping and clear your head. You’ll feel so much better afterwards (and this coming from someone who dies halfway through the 2km walk up to campus every morning).

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Scientists can come up with many ways to combat stress, and while those ten tips are all medically advised, I have only one tip for those forever on the verge of a nervous breakdown: TAKE A NAP. Even if it’s just 20 minutes, switch off your cell phone and rest. The world will still be spinning 30 minutes later. K

 

Accepting what we don’t want

Setbacks can be categorised in two ways: Life handing you things you do not want and Life not handing you the things you do want. There’s quite a big difference between the two, but the disappointment or heartbreak is felt in both instances. Making lemonade with the lemons Life has handed us just seems impossible when we’re the ones at the receiving end of the sour situation.

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I’m one of those people who have never received anything easy in life. My first application at a casual job wasn’t successful, I never passed my driver’s license the first time around and, generally, I’ve been in many situations that made me, simply put, hella uncomfortable. I remember those times I daydreamed about having my driver’s and my car. How in my matric year I’d drive myself to school like the other children did. Ha, never worked out for me like that. And it wasn’t until much, much later that I got what I dreamed of. Let me tell you: everything happens at the right time. Not when you think you’re ready for it, but when you’re really ready for it. We’re all waiting and praying for something, but God’s going to give it to us when we’re ready for it.

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I like the commonly used saying: God gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers. The only thing I’d add to that is that we’re all among His strongest. Each and every one of us is strong, none more than the other! What God does is distribute the battles accordingly. Our battles are different, but require the exact same strength. How can I say this? Surely losing your mother is harder than having your heart broken? God has geared each of us with ammunition to fight what He’s sending our way, long before we even sense it coming. He knows what’s in your arsenal, that’s why He gives you that specific battle. He would never send something your way if He didn’t give you the military equipment to fight it. Never forget that the force behind you is greater than the task before you!

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Sometimes, we are given battles that we’ll ‘fight’ for the rest of our lives. Many of us have, and for various reasons, gone from questioning God, to hating Him, to simply realising that we’ll never know why. But we need to deal with it.

 

For thirteen years I struggled to accept that I was a diabetic. I knew I was one, I just didn’t acknowledge it. I hated taking injections, testing my sugar level multiple times a day, having to watch what I eat and stay active. Why me? I asked myself. But I knew the answer: Why not you, Kim? What makes me so special that I shouldn’t be a diabetic? That question sounds silly, but why would it be okay for somebody else to have the same illness or issue I feel I’m too good to have? Only towards the age of 21 did I truly accept my ‘chronic disease’ and you know what? I’m okay! I’ve realised that I can, not only handle this, but overcome it as well, dysfunctional pancreas and all.
There’s no easy way to contentment. And I’m certainly no Dr. Phil. But I think the day we stop complaining, start accepting and eventually begin doing; we’re on our path to happiness. K

Side note: I wrote this blog post unaware that the very next morning my car would be stolen. As much as it sucks, to say the very least, it’s here where I have to serve myself a nice big helping of my own words. I guess I wrote this blog post for me as much as I did for the person I felt needed to hear this! Here’s to making lemonade!

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The Draining Friend

The night before I prepped myself almost like you would an exam. This is what I would say; that I’d omit. For this scenario there’d be that reaction. I geared myself for the stories, the questions (or rather, interrogations) and the complaints. I knew the Nagging Nancy all too well: like a Kardashian, always on the verge of an anxiety attack. Her problems, my never-used advice. I was ready for another date with my Dear Draining Friend.

We all have that one friend; who’s either constantly nagging about heaven-knows-what,

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crying for your undivided attention or draining the life out of you with her never-ending problems. In this friendship, you give more than you get. You have love for her, but being in her company for too long leaves you emotionally and physically exhausted! Do you rid yourself of this ‘friend’ or do you find ways to deal with her?

Depending on the value of this friendship, I’d say don’t throw it away. We need to realise that everyone brings something different to the table. People have their own way of showing love and appreciation. While your Dear Draining Friend can’t offer you anything emotionally, perhaps she shows her gratitude through gifts or physical acts. She might not be a good listener, but is a generous giver. It’s what many refer to as the ‘love languages’. There’s not just one way to show love.

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Ask yourself why you befriended her in the first place. There had to have been something that made you bond and form this friendship. And while thinking of this, also establish the good you see in your friend. Even if there’s only 1 good thing on your list of characteristics, ponder on that. Maybe she’s hilarious and you’re guaranteed a good laugh when in her company. Or maybe you share a common interest. Too often we focus on people’s negative traits and use that to determine their overall character. We need to train our minds to see the good in others.
These were insights I only gained after high school. I lost so many friendships because I always wanted exactly what I was giving – in that way and in that quantity. I would focus on what I disliked, so much so that I wouldn’t be able to look past it. Who was I actually harming? While the next person goes on with his/her life, your mind becomes a breeding space for negativity, which eventually will spill over into your speaking and doing. Nobody likes a Debbie Downer.

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Friendships are often categorised. The one might only be there to do fun things and have a laugh with. The other gives really good advice and is a great listener. With the other friend you bond over deep, spiritual conversations. Every friendship is different and therefore requires individual attention, unique expectations and altered loyalty.
I do have to say: never drain yourself completely. If in total honesty you can say that the person adds absolutely no value to your life, make like Elsa in Frozen and let it goooooo. Life is just too short and too good. Rid yourself of that negativity. K

 

 

The Love of God

There aren’t many things in life I’m passionate about. I love music, but not to the point where I’ll buy a R900 ticket to visit the concert of a famous singer. As much as I’m a fan of Luscious Lyon and his messed up family and want to marry Hakeem, I’d never be able to engage in enthusiastic ongoing discussions of what happened on episode 8 of season 2, when the gay Jamal kissed Alicia Keys. But there’s one thing I am passionate about, and that’s Jesus Christ. This is the one passion I’d gladly spend my money on and never stop talking about. It’s been a dream of mine to share the love of Jesus with those around me, because I strongly believe that He’s designed it in such a way that anybody and everybody can enjoy it.

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I’m using my blog as a platform today to tell you that God loves you! He wants you to experience His love through His son, Jesus Christ. God’s love doesn’t have any limits; there are no specifications. You don’t have to be a certain way, or look a certain way, He loves you either way! Whether you know Him but choose to reject Him because he doesn’t make sense, hate Him because you blame Him for taking something away from you, don’t know Him at all or don’t even give Him much thought, He loves you just as much as he does your saved friend. He loves you just as much as he loves his children, whose names are written in the Book of Life.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38 (NKJV)

There are so many times where I feel so unworthy of God’s love. I think about what a bad person I am; all of the sinful things I think, say and do and I feel so overwhelmed with guilt that I can’t imagine that someone as perfect and pure and Jesus could ever love me. Sometimes I even wonder if He really knows me. Does He really know this little coloured girl from Cape Town South Africa? Truth is, He does! Only Satan plants doubt in our minds of our worth as children of God. And he’s a liar!

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I was 17 when I made the decision to commit my life to Christ. Even though I grew up in a family where everyone is saved, I knew the importance of making that personal decision that is only between me and Jesus. My experience wasn’t fireworks, it was so simple that it wouldn’t even make an interesting story. But to me it meant everything!
It was one weekend in April when a friend slept over. Her parents were going through a messy divorce, things were awful at home and she suffered from depression. Ever heard of people talking about ‘bad energy’ and giving off ‘bad vibes’? Well, I call it something different but in essence, that’s exactly what I was getting from her. As funny as it sounds, she put me in that same somber state that she was in. I hated feeling that way. It’s not fun being in the company of someone who’s stuck in darkness and doesn’t want to change. Our spirits clashed.
The Sunday morning I took her to church. With a bored look on her face and zero enthusiasm in her voice, she called it ‘nice’. I called it ‘necessary’! During that church service I knew I needed Christ; I had to accept Him in my young heart if I wanted to experience the peace that surpasses all understanding, the joy of Lord and His unconditional love that comes with belonging to His family.

I’m telling you, belonging to the family of God has so many perks that I cannot understand why people choose to reject Him! I’ve never regretted a day since I’ve chosen to commit my life to Him and I strongly doubt any other believer ever has. That night, as I was lying in my bed, I prayed the sinner’s prayer. I asked Jesus to enter my heart and take control of my life. I pleaded with Him to forgive me of my sins and He removed it as far as the east is of the west; never to be remembered ever again.
My heart was filled with excitement and I just wanted to shout from the top of my lungs that I was saved! My name was written, in permanent marker, in the Book of Life. I belonged to Jesus; I never felt more proud.

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My story is simple. I didn’t go off in tongues, I never fell over in church after someone prayed for me, I never saw Jesus standing there in my room, beckoning me to come, I never heard the voice of God encouraging me to make my decision before it’s too late. But I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit; that warm, goose-bump feeling. It can happen anywhere! And every experience is different.
I urge everyone reading this post: commit your life to Jesus. You’re not always going to have the time. I’m not talking about going to church on a Sunday morning or attending youth on a Friday evening. That’s not going to get you to heaven one day. Jesus is not the best way to heaven, He’s the only way!

“Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’” John 3:5 (NKJV)

No one goes to the Father except through Him. Purchase your one-way ticket to Heaven before they’re no longer for sale. K

The sinner’s prayer:

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*If you have any questions please email me at kimwendyabrahams@gmail.com or feel free to comment in the comment section below.

NO TO CORRUPTION

Hundreds of protesters gather in the streets of Cape Town in a protest condemning corruption.

In the past two decades, R700 million was lost due to corruption in a post-Apartheid and democratic South Africa. This is according to a report released by trade union Solidarity. The staggering figure excludes multiple incidents that exceed the Nkandla scandal, so one can only imagine what the true extent of the financial damage is. Corruption is a thorn in our country’s flesh; an unwanted disease that is incurable and deadly. We, as a nation, the heartbeat of country, need to put a stop to it.
Earlier this week, hundreds of Capetonians gathered to march the city’s streets in protest of ongoing corruption. They braved Cape Town’s cold spring weather and were determined to make their dissatisfaction known. Protesters carried placards bearing the words: “Stop government theft, end corruption!” and “Enough is enough!” Religious and Non-Government organizations were among the organizations that participated in the peaceful protest. Among those present were the Right2Know campaign and even the Sex Workers Union.

Many South Africans reached breaking point when the Nkandla scandal came to light. After it was uncovered that R246 million was spent on upgrades at President Jacob Zuma’s home, it became evidently clear that those in power are cheating South African citizens – most of who are living in impoverished conditions. This kind of exploitation has to stop and it is for this reason that hundreds of protesters took to the streets this week.
“We are here today because we need to raise our voices. Enough is enough!” programme manager Miles Giljam said. “We’re here to tell society that each one of us cares. This is a beginning.”
Cape Town wasn’t the only city where protests took place. In Pretoria thousands of demonstrators united in front of the Union Buildings, bearing the same message as the Cape Town demonstrators: NO TO CORRUPTION.
As South African’s unite in a peaceful but powerful warning to those in power, it is clear that everyone is tired of the unashamed exploitation of the people of our country by those in power. It’s time we terminate this deadly disease before it terminates us. K