If you have been reading through you know it’s been a different season in my life. I Have written about some of the new experiences, new challenges and life from a different perspective. This, however, is my year 1 put together.

The most transforming year of my life I must say. I remember thinking about living in a different place, pursuing my dreams and simply making life happen; almost like I had never lived before. It was both exciting and sad because I was gonna leave my entire family and friends back home. Never for a moment scary, I was looking forward to doing life in the US though I wished I could bring my family with me. I remember my cell group family praying for me and releasing me with the strong words in Joshua ” Be strong and courageous.”

It was an emotional moment. I wasn’t gonna be a few miles away but millions of miles away. The thought of not having my close ones by me was saddening but again, never scary. My conversations with God had changed, I remember asking Him what He had in store for me. What were we going to accomplish together? Sounds pretty exciting, right?

Until I landed and it hit me, Oh my! It’s just God and me. I don’t have the extra comfort and advice from friends and family. (I truly believe this separation is what you need to clearly hear God and step out in obedience) It was new, different, strange. I had to learn an accent that felt like a new language (even pronouncing my own name), a new system of life. I was not easy. Thank God for Jesus. He was all I had but I knew He was enough. I looked pretty bold on the outside but a little timid on the inside, coz everything you have ever known is challenged. Mindset challenge, relational challenges, cultural challenges ALL AT THE SAME TIME! There were days I would lie in my bed and wanna go back home. Then I remember my moving here was an act of obedience to Christ Jesus. I had to know God as my peace. Not partial peace but 100% peace. Thank God for Jesus, His still small voice.

Bible school has been the best thing I have ever experienced! I didn’t think it would be like this. What an experience! It has completely changed my life. Awakened my hunger and thirst for Jesus even more, ignited the fire in me to be salt and light in the world, to go out and make disciples. Taught me the word of God, such critical matters on the kingdom. I remember saying I will give this time to God as my  first fruit. I knew what I said but I didn’t realize the depth of this statement until later on during one of my conversations with Jesus. I had to be separated, I had to give him all of me. First fruit means 100%! I am glad I did because now I just want more. I will share a few things I learnt in this tough season of my life during which I was in Bible school:

• God is love. How much He loves you is simply unfathomable. The understanding of His depth of love for us changes EVERYTHING.
• John 10:5 My sheep know my voice and the voice of a stranger they will not follow. The Holy Spirit has a voice. He speaks. As Christians we should operate based on what we hear Him say, not what we feel or think. All we need to do is listen, He speaks.
• John 14:12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. Everything that Jesus ever did, as a child of God, you should be doing even greater. Making disciples, healing the sick and even raising the dead!
• God has been pursuing you even when you were a sinner. He’s in constant pursuit of you. We respond to His passion for us, we don’t awaken His passion for us. He pursued Adam and Eve even in sin by asking them why they were hiding. He already knew, he was simply pursuing them.

Just a few nuggets.

With love.

I have been asking myself lately, what flag I’m I raising? What do people genuinely see when they see me? Raising the Jesus flag sounds pretty easy but it can be challenging. When life’s challenges are bashing at you left right and center, when you still have to deliver and act like everything is okay and still, raise the Jesus flag.

Its easy to get  drowned in these things. Get drowned in school, books, friends, trying to keep up with that’s trending right now, raising kids, marriage problems etc etc. Unfortunately, the result then becomes pretty obvious. We raise flags of disappointment, flags of sadness sometimes even flags of success. Success isn’t bad, but raising a success flag is something else all together.

What does a flag do? Its a sign of honor and respect. For instance: Kenya as a country does pretty well in agriculture. Can you imagine raising an agricultural flag in place of the Kenyan flag? Exactly, it doesn’t work! Sadly, this is how we operate in our lives even as Christians. We get so consumed in what’s going on and the result is: raising that flag. We have success ( in many different ways) but does that mean we should exalt success? No! We attribute it completely to Jesus, raise His flag coz really; it’s all about Him. Never about what we can do but what He already did. 2nd Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.

Similarly, whenever we face challenges, let’s remember not to exalt them. Depression, confusion and despair don’t have authority. Let’s chose to focus on Jesus, laser focus on Him and speak life in the situation. That’s how you raise the Jesus flag. Focus on what He already did for you!

Casting crowns put it like this “Your life is not falling apart  it’s falling into place; just be held.” Let Jesus hold you. But to do this, we must choose to focus on Jesus, to Raise the Jesus flag and dim every other flag we have exalted before. It’s a choice that you and I need to make today.