Did you deck the halls? Ring the bells? Celebrate Christ? I did – I almost forgot we needed to share the rest of the Jewels! Well, here goes: :

4. Be A Perpetual Student

Nothing is more painful than a wasted opportunity or experience. Every situation we face has a lesson hidden in it – no matter how good or bad. And then, i think that at the end of every day, two fundamental lists must be updated: the “How to…” and the “How not to…” list- each within its applicable context. Having the posture and receptivity of a student is a sign of great humility and is the shortest route to being lifted. On the flip side, walking into any situation with a “know it all” mindset is the fastest way to fail. Why? Because you miss the opportunity to learn from those around you. Everyone can learn something from someone – be open to it and learn.

So, here’s what i suggest you do:

a. Identify the subject matter expert and make them your teacher. Woii!! Imagine you are not the sole depository of knowledge. Someone is better than you at something – learn from them.

b. Ask questions – even the silly ones! Ah!? What is this pride? Please drop it – and ask that question. You will be surprised at how many people around that same table didn’t know but had no courage to ask. So ask – both you and them will be the wiser for it.

c. Share your knowledge and experience. My friend – let me first of all tell you that no one can take away your experience. NO ONE! So the least you can do is share it, and in the process, you also benefit from another person’s experience.

d. Those lists – the “How to..” list and the “How not to…” list are live documents. Update them as often as you need to and most of all – apply the learnings! Otherwise, you have just wasted an experience.

5. Know your irreducible minimums

In other words – what’s your basement? Do you know there are people out here who will take anything and follow anyone/anything? What will you never compromise? Have you defined it, ama I leave you alone? Let me tell you something my friend – you must know your irreducible minimum. Otherwise, you will be sold for cheap change.

Let me add another perspective – what are your values? And please note that values are not set in the midst of a crisis – no. You define them before hand! You cannot say that you are a person of integrity because a situation helped you see that – Hapana. First determine to walk in integrity within your house, then live them out when confronted by life. And trust me, if you do not do the inner work first, you will fall flat! And one more thing, your values need to be anchored in the word of God. Yes – the word of God.

So, as you review those your values:

a. Remember you are a child of God. And if you don’t already have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, here is a good place to start.

b. Make the word of God your lamb and light and then, follow after it. It will shape you and define your irreducible minimum. Stop looking for someone or something else to define them.

c. Your walk is yours – not ours. That means you must invest in building your inner man so that in the day of trouble your strength does not fail. You must put in the work of personal devotion, prayer, meditation on the word and responding to the voice of God – this cannot be done on a Sunday morning – no. Monday to Saturday – -alone – just you and the Lord.

d. Be led of the Holy Spirit – ahhh do you even need me to expound on this? Make the Holy Spirit your friend. He is the might counsellor, the best teacher and the one who knows the mind of Christ to reveal it to you. And when He corrects you, He does it as you do no. c above – in the secret place.

6. Three Important Companions

Yoh! Where do i start?

A few years ago, a suffered a crisis – I had been waiting on God for something and done all that I knew to do but yet – the answer was not coming. I was crawling through doubt and actually got offended at God. Yes – I questioned him on so many levels. But thank God He is God all by himself. That experience taught me that faith is not equal to feelings! Faith is simply faith! When we come to him, we must believe that He IS… and that He is ready and willing to help me… a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. We must first establish this as the truth within us – that God is – He is! Not will be, IS! And that when I come to Him – he is not only ready but also willing to help me. That raises faith in us – not in the prayer – but in GOD. It is about having faith in God not in the action. He IS!

The Bible also calls us Prisoners of Hope. I say many times that Hope is not a strategy – it is what we stand behind after we have the strategy. Look around you and see how many times you almost gave up and the only thing that kept you holding on was hope. We must remember that hope does not disappoint – it just holds us captive when all else fails. By the way, when you are a prisoner, you are subject to the rules and regulations of that prison – when to move, sleep, eat etc. Likewise, when you become a prisoner of hope, you are hemmed in from everything external and live according to the dictates of the prison warden called Hope. So, your language, actions, thoughts – are governed by Hope! Imagine you will not know the events that are happening outside the prison walls – remember you have no such privileges. Being a prisoner of hope keeps you away from the events outside there – I think it’s a good place to be, yes?

Love – ahh. We love being in love, being loved, receiving love and giving love. But do you know that love also means wanting the best for the other person regardless of who or what they are? Imagine loving your enemies? And wanting only good for others? Love is what moves our hearts to overlook offence and believe the best about others. It keeps you focused on good and never seeing evil – because you see through the eyes and heart of God – who has loved you completely and in spite of yourself.

This year has stretched my faith, threatened my hope and tested my love. But God kept me. What can I share? These:

a. Remember the word He spoke to you in private and hold onto it. It will get hard before it gets better – but keep your eyes on that word. That way, your faith is anchored not on events but His promises.

b. God knows you will be tested – that is why he gave you that word, please and thank you! So, get behind the prison of hope and stand there. Refuse to hear the chaos outside that prison wall. Refuse to respond and refuse to react- keep the bars of hope tightly around you.

c. Hehehehe – love them. Love them even when the urge to slap them is stronger than the desire to embrace them. Yoh! Just walk in the love of Christ.

Let’s take a break and return with the next one – lakini si 2025 has been… Wueh?!