The Love of a Child

Have you ever sat down looking at your phone wishing that someone would give you a call? Last night I needed that call and yes my phone rang, it was one of my Sunday schoolers who I haven't seen for some months.

My caller, "Sasa teacher Kachel. Nimekumiss. How have you been?
Me: I'm fine. How you doing? ...sema?
My caller: "Me niko poa. Nlikuwa tu nataka kukusalimia nijue ka uko poa, nimekumiss na ninakupenda."
Me: Awwwww, thanks baby...."

A few gifts are as wonderous as the love of a child.

Inspired to inspire: Self-Confidence

Inspired to inspire: Self-Confidence: We all carry treasures in fragile containers. Have you ever confidently done something and expected that someone who matters to you will ...

Self-Confidence

We all carry treasures in fragile containers.

Have you ever confidently done something and expected that someone who matters to you will affirm you? How did it go? How did that affect you?

Let me share two experiences that made a tremendous impact in my life. My early formative years I grew up in the country-side. Enrolled in a school where we were taught in the native language. Your guess is right! My inflection was affected. In my native language, we omit letter H where it’s supposed to be and of course insert it where it’s not supposed to be-my name betrays me! Long story short, in class six I changed school from country-side to the capital city. I was so excited. My day one in my new school was traumatizing. I was asked to introduce myself in class and because usually I am bubbly. I did my thing confidently but noted my classmates were giggling. I didn’t give a care. So during our Swahili lesson, I offered to read a passage in class... I pronounced a certain word badly and all the class was Rolling-On-The-Floor –with-Laughter (ROTFL) blame it on the mother-tongue effects! That killed my confidence and I never made any attempt to answer questions or read passages in class. My esteem went down because everyday my class-mates teased me. I became extremely shy (yea, for those who have always known me as a bubbly parrot, I once was a very shy girl). On the positive side, I worked hard to ensure that my inflection and nuance was perfect. Today I must say that my twang is good, but do I say! I’m confident whenever I have an audience to do my public speech.

The other story that changed my story for good... after I cleared high school, I enrolled for a certificate course “HIV/AIDS Training and Counselling” with Kenya Youth and Orphans Empowerment Program (KYOEP). After I successfully completed the course, I was posted in 3 training centres-Madaraka, Kahawa-West and Wangige as a Trainer and Counsellor. It’s at Wangige Training Centre where my public speaking skills and teaching abilities were commended. My oldest student was a 72year old man and this man gave me the greatest single gift-self-confidence. He said, “Young girl, you are gifted. You are a great teacher. Your nuance is perfect. Your pronunciation so clear. You will go far....” The confidence gave me the courage to be who I am today. I have had opportunities to speak to big and small audiences-tens, hundreds and thousands of people.

One of my favourite bible memory verses was Jeremiah 1:5 and 2 Timothy 1:7. I always told myself that I am God’s spokesperson to nations and that God has not given me a spirit of fear. I memorized these verses each day and looking back, what shall I say! Today, more than enough times I have been called to speak in different forums and I have been paid handsomely. I have taught God’s word in Schools, Universities and Colleges and in Churches. I carry a treasure in a fragile container. I can’t thank God enough for the gift of self-confidence.

That selfconfident girl,

Kachel

Kid's are Precious

Late one evening of the 1800s, D. L. Moody arrived home from speaking at a meeting. His wife askd him,"So how did it go...?" Moody replied,"Pretty well. Two and a half converts." His wife was silent for a while pondering. With a smile she said, "That's sweet. How old was th child?" Moody answered, "No. It was two children and one adult.
Children have their whole lives in front of them while the adult's life is already half gone."

Many times when missioners come from the mission fields&when giving reports I hear them say, "1,2,3,10 or 100 men and women got saved." Mostly, children are never accounted for! My Question is, is it that we don't see their significance or is it that they are not acknowledged and led to Christ or is it that we think they're too young to be born again?

‪#‎ChildrenMatterToGod‬

Inspired to inspire: The Power of Forgiveness

Inspired to inspire: The Power of Forgiveness: How easy it is to preach and tell people about the power of forgiveness! Well,in my opinion, it is easy said than done! I h...

The Power of Forgiveness

How easy it is to preach and tell people about the power of forgiveness! Well,in my opinion, it is easy said than done! I have been hurt by people I considered my close friends. I have been betrayed by people I trusted. I have been disappointed by people I went out of my way to help. I have been despised by people I treasured! I can go on and on.... I know how it feels to struggle with forgiveness! Logic says, "Tit-for-tat is a fair game." Or "If you hurt me once, I ain't going to let you hurt me again!" Forgiveness says, "If you hurt me I will still love you. I'll take a risk of loving you again even though you may not love me back." 

Er, what about when someone keeps harming/hurting you and never say sorry? Tough! Nevertheless, one must be willing to forgive with or without an apology! In my devotion and reflections tonight, I've read Genesis 33. If I were Esau and my brother Jacob checks in unceremoniously! Considering he conned me my birthright some 10+ yrs ago, would I run to meet, embrace and kiss my con bro? Would I be merciful and gracious to him? Come with me and let's look at Luke 6:29: Matt 5:39. It says, "If someone strikes you on one cheek,turn to him th other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic." Am not sure how easy this is but am hopeful,Ezekiel 36:26 is applicable, "I (LORD) will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." 

After reading and reflecting on the above passages I can say this: 

1. Forgiveness defies logic 

2. Forgiveness goes beyond our natural bend. It's not natural. 

3. Forgiveness makes us feel as if we are appearing weak to others. As we show love to those who've hurt/despised us, we heap coals of fire upon their head. 

4. Forgiveness requires risk. If you love, u put yourself in a position to be disappointed,rejected,taken for granted. 

I've realized that I tend to pull back to guard myself from any further pain or disappointment whenever someone hurts me. And this brings me my last point that: 

5. To forgive requires work. It's not an instant event in the mind but an ongoing act. 

In conclusion, I admit it's not easy,I know this too well because I have had my share of struggle to forgive some people. I realize that forgiveness is not about how good you feel about forgiving someone but it's about obedience to God. Only God can work in our hearts and prepare us to embrace and kiss people who've hurt,despised,betrayed us. Only the Holy Spirit can help us. 

Forgiveness brings healing, unspeakable joy and peace in our hearts. 

With love 

Kachel

Inspired to inspire: Children Matter to God

Inspired to inspire: Children Matter to God: I read this point in a book am reading "Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions" that the moral and spiritual foundation of...

Children Matter to God

I read this point in a book am reading "Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions" that the moral and spiritual foundation of children are generally determined by the time an individual reaches age nine. 

How significant? 

The author of this book states that children matter on the battlefront. "Satan's single-minded purpose is to destroy God and rule the universe. He puts his most destructive resources well packaged into play. He knows too well that if the character and the hope of children is destroyed,he rules the world! He's very intelligent and sharp enough to realize that if you win over children,you've won generation(s). We are busy battling homosexuality, abortion,garbage imbedded in music and movies,pornography, gambling and drugs abuse etc but the battlefront is in the mind,heart and soul of children. Satan knows the easiest way to inflict the maximum possible pain on God is by winning over children to himself, resulting in a lifetime of unrighteous behavior! Children have a special place in God's heart&Satan knows God's "weakness" is that He loves children."

So? Train children to love God with all their heart, mind, strength and soul, then we'll no longer invest time battling over moral and spiritual issues such as stated above. Godliness will be entrenched in their heart, mind and soul. If we effectively teach them God's principles and expectation; instill in them a thirst for righteousness and a passion for God & develop a biblical worldview in them, generations will be won for God's glory! What if every parent/guardian, teachers, pastors and church ministers invest in training children in godliness? 

With love Kalekye Nzaku

Inspired to inspire: The Tyranny of the Urgent

Inspired to inspire: The Tyranny of the Urgent: Lately I have been thinking about my priorities...  I stumbled upon an article by Charles E. Hummel-“Tyranny of the Urgent” and I must sa...

The Tyranny of the Urgent

Lately I have been thinking about my priorities... 

I stumbled upon an article by Charles E. Hummel-“Tyranny of the Urgent” and I must say I feel charged up to take an inventory of my priorities.

A few years ago I had a problem saying NO to invitations for missions. Sometimes someone would call me few hours to the mission day to ask me if I could take up the task, which I hardly said NO. I’d grab my bible, flip through the pages to get a sermon and step out for the mission. Obviously, not having done it prayerfully.  I couldn’t say NO. Almost all my weekends were fully booked and had no me/family/friends-time but worst, I had no time to sit quietly in God’s presence to wait for instructions. I remember one time a friend of mine wrote to me “You are too busy, ata God akija kuku-bless anapata ulishaenda Turkana...” Several times I had friends who told me to slow down but one friend sat me down and told me I needed to take a break and learn to say NO. That simple rebuke changed my life.

  

As I read through the Tyrant of the Urgent article, I assert that indeed there is what is important/priority and the urgent. Looking at the life of Jesus, the bible clearly states that Jesus finished the work the Father send Him to do. Really? Yes He did! What was the secret that kept Him free from the Tyranny of the Urgent? Jesus always spend quiet time in prayer, waiting for instructions from the Father. He totally depended on the Father. His mission was to do the will of the Father. He showed an amazing balance, a sense of timing and never did anything in haste or just because it seemed urgent. A classical example was when He got reports that Lazarus was sick and needed His urgent attention. Jesus didn’t stop everything else to rush to Lazarus! Actually He stayed 2 days longer. But, wasn’t that an important as well as an urgent matter? Well, according to His divine purpose, that was not so urgent from God’s point of view. The most important thing was to raise Lazarus from the dead.

It’s of paramount importance to take time to pray and wait for God’s instructions, to plan and do an inventory of your priorities. I want to be free from the Tyranny of the Urgent. You only have 24hrs in a day. Do what’s important a time and of course, learn to be reasonably flexible.

With Love,

Kachel