Imela

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Kenya has seen a number of high profile visitors this year. From Barrack Obama to Pope Francis, Don Moen and only recently, we were privileged to be the hosts of the WTO ministerial conference. In addition to that stellar list, was Nathan Bassey, who many know for the hit song ‘Imela’, a song of thanksgiving. In light of those happenings and as the year draws to a close, many will be saying imela for one reason or another.

First and foremost for life. Some have not been so fortunate to see the end of the year due to ill-fated accidents on the road, terror attacks, illness, but we are still alive so we are thankful. The gift of life, of seeing yet another day is something that we can never take for granted. The thanksgiving for life is mutual for a lot of us, but for others, thanks goes beyond just life but for something more specific.

It may have been imela for a change in status, years of studying bore fruition in the form of a bachelor's degree, a masters or even a PHD. Some said thanks for being admitted to the bar after slogging away at the Kenya School of Law. For some, months of frequent applications through Brighter Monday  and other online platforms resulted in an imela for getting a job. Some said imela for the promotion at work due to their diligence. For others it was that long awaited  walk down the aisle after years of  'pressure' while some went one step further to witness a family of two become three or four.

For some it may have been God’s providence  and have said imela for the new car and good bye to that slab of wood that was an improvised matatu seat. Others are thankful for the new home. While for some it was a smaller item like a laptop, new phone or other material gains.

For some it may have been personal gains that saw them get out of the comfort zones and step into the realm of the unknown with all its possibilities. Thus, Imela was said for taking up a challenge like  moving out, sky-diving, hiking or travelling the world. Others finally took up a leadership position or initiated an activity they had been meaning to do for some time. The result being nomination for an award, receipt of an award. For some it led to a place in that prestigious top 40 under 40 or some other form of recognition.

While for others it was Imela for his healing touch that brought healing for the body from a long illness or for a broken limb. For others it was the healing from the loss of a loved one or the healing from a broken heart after a relationship that ended acrimoniously.

Conversely, and surprisingly, we can also look back at the year and thank God for the bad moments as well. Imela for the interview gone wrong which led you to up your game and in doing so eliminate the likelihood of being flat-footed in your next interview. Imela for the superficial relationships that  made us appreciate the real friendships we already have and work hard at developing better friendships. Imela for the car accident that  served as a wake up call to number your days carefully and reprioritize things in life.

A heart of gratitude for whichever circumstance dispels any disgruntlement.  It leaves little room for discontentment which is the biggest thief of happiness.  It makes us more aware and appreciative of what God has done in our lives. Beyond any doubt, Christmas will be a time when gratitude gushes  out  of our hearts and lips naturally. It’s that time of the year, when saying Imela will be all too common place.

Amidst all the festivity of December. Amidst all the trips up-country or to the coast, the goats and chickens slaughtered, the exchange of gifts and cards, there is one Imela that surpasses all.

It is imela to Jesus. Imela to the God who loved the world so much that sending an angel or a prophet wasn’t sufficient to express that love, he came himself to tell us of his love. It is at Christmas when we realize that, there was a moment when heaven was bereft of God the son, because God the son had become human, a crying little baby that deserved a throne but left his heavenly throne to settle for a manger on earth instead.

 Not only did he tell us but really show it, he was so intent on seeking our good and redeeming us that the sacrifice of his own life was the cost he was willing to pay for us. The baby Jesus was and still is the gift of all gifts, bringing hope to a world that had been mired in despair. Bringing joy to the world as we often sing and as the angels sang, peace. A peace that we experience year after year during the Christmas season as a host of worries and concerns are put aside and laid to rest.

It is a peace that comes from the belief and conviction that the baby Jesus would grow up to eventually die on the cross to give us a free pass to heaven and to God. A peace that comes from knowing that my human efforts or acts of righteousness would never be enough to bridge the gap between me and God, and so he , through the cross became that bridge, the way to heaven and to God . By his mercy and grace, I am  free to enter his kingdom unburdened by my wrongdoings because of the cross which made me perfect before God.

Although he bore a price tag that no human however rich could pay, He wasn’t the gift expensively wrapped. He was just swaddled in clothes, in a manger, and a gift accessible to anybody who just confessed and believed that he is saviour of the world. Imela Jesus for the gift that is you and may we celebrate you during Christmas. 

Merry Christmas all.

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The real food for the soul

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Once upon a time I attempted to stage a hunger strike. Reason? I had been compelled to have ugali for supper for the fourth consecutive  night!!! I was aggrieved. Did we not have anything better to put on the table? I wanted rice or spaghetti, anything other than ugali!!! In a bold show of defiance, I exited the dinner table and proceeded to sulk in the belief I would have my way.

  

Given the African family setting, it’s fair to say you can guess what happened next. Definitely not the rice or spaghetti I had wanted, instead, I was forced to swallow my pride. Literally. I begrudgingly ate ugali that night and never attempted to pull such a stunt again. The memory has me shaking my head in disbelief because fast forward to the present you could never catch me doing something like that. Not solely out of respect for my parents but also my appreciation for Ugali.

Back then, my young mind couldn’t fathom the vast awesomeness of Ugali, now though, I am the wiser. You see, Ugali is more than Kenya’s staple or corn-meal mush as others would put it, Ugali is our gift to the world as Kenyans, other than Obama and Lupita.

Ugali isn’t just food; it is a force of nature. It makes a mockery of the principle of non-contradiction; it is the tasteless food that tastes incredible. Its versatility is the stuff of wonders. Being a starchy food, you could have it with the usual beef, chicken, fish, termites....yes, I did say termites those insects that fly around during the rain. You could decide to go for beans, ndengu or one of my favourite, scrambled eggs with tomato and onions.  You could have it with mala, one of these fine days I’m going to add cocoa or drinking chocolate to mala and have it with ugali, in my heart and head it promises it already is quite the treat.

Not only can you have it for lunch or supper, you could have ugali for breakfast with tea, you can even have it as a substitute for bread and splurge a generous serving of peanut butter on it.

Then, if the white ( vanilla flavoured) ugali isn’t to your liking, you can always make the rich-chocolate flavoured Ugali by adding wimbi. It packs a punch big time. Ugali crisps are also available if you took the vanilla mountain and scraped off the sides of the pan. Who needs Pringles or Urban bites?!! Chefs all over the world have looked to Ugali for inspiration, that’s why we have dishes like polenta, pap, pudding. These are just but derivatives; Ugali is the true and tested original.

I may have gone overboard in my description of Ugali and betrayed my ethnic roots, but I will celebrate Ugali. It took me a while to go from hunger strike to hyperbole but that’s ugali for you. My ugali story is not without purpose for it mirrors my growing appreciation for God’s word since my childhood.

Early on, all I was interested in the stories, David v Goliath, Samson  and Peter’s betrayal. The rest of the bible after the gospels and Acts and after Daniel were pages I scarcely bothered to peruse through. I considered them boring. Slowly though, I have come to realize God’s word is more than just an anthropology of short stories. It is more than just a litany of do’s and don’ts. Neither is it an antique relic irrelevant to the changing times of today. It is God’s manual for life and his love letter to us. Like Ugali I have come to love it for its overwhelming wholesomeness. It has steadily grown from food for thought to food for life.

I have come to know that it is indeed living and active and penetrates to the soul, judging the thoughts and altitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12). Matthew 4:4 likens it to bread, I liken it to Ugali because of the vast, satiating nourishment it gives and the strength I amass by poring over it that not only revives my bones but my spirit and soul as well.

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The lessons I have gathered from it have been numerous. There has been the victory amidst all the odds like Gideon against Midian (Judges 6-7), David against Goliath (1 Samuel 17) or my best story of King Hezekiah against Sennacherib. (2 Kings 18:17- 2 Kings 19:37)

There have been the cases of God working his miraculous transforming power in people’ s lives, like Judah of Genesis 37:26-67 to Judah of Genesis 43:8-10 and Genesis 44:18-33. Hard to believe he is the same man. Then there is Peter who denies Jesus (Luke 22:54-62) to Peter who boldly proclaims Jesus (Acts 2:14-41) and in Acts 4:8-12. Add to that list is Saul, opposing Jesus with zeal in Acts 9:1-2, to embracing Jesus in Acts 9:20 and thereafter. God’s transforming power is incredible. It has made me hope for the best in people even when they considerably display their worst. I therefore cannot rule out change in those who appear to be a foregone conclusion.

There have been the stories of people patiently waiting for a positive change in their circumstances. I refer to those periods, as those of being in the wilderness. These stories have encouraged me during my own wilderness period of tarmacking. I look at Hannah and Elizabeth in their barrenness and then having a son.(1 Samuel 1 and Luke 1:13), Abraham’s 25 years waiting after the promise of a son that eventually sees the birth of Isaac(Genesis 12:4-Genesis 17), Joseph’s long stay in prison and ascension to royalty (Genesis 39:20- Genesis  41:39)or David’s life as a fugitive running from Saul before his reign as king. (1 Samuel 20:42- 2 Samuel 5). These people waited for years but God eventually came through and I believe he will do so for me or anyone else who puts their trust and hope in him.

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Romans 3:23 reminds me that everyone has fallen short of God’s glory, Romans 3:9-20 reinforces it. Not only that, but in saying  that no-one seeks God, no-one understands God I am convinced my righteousness is all God’s doing, not my own, so I have no right to boast of my righteousness. Neither am I surprised when victory over temptation is a struggle for some, I know my victory is because of God, without him, I would be stuck in sin far worse than those who struggle with various temptations.

I have learnt in practice of the curious case of being in a much loftier position despite being broke as opposed to someone who is rich (James 1:9-10). The lack of material wealth has made me aware of the abundant spiritual wealth of God’s presence and peace in my life amongst other gifts like family and friends.

I have learnt of the battle of the spirit and the flesh within me(Galatians 5:16-26) and my way of living by the spirit is by starving the flesh that has meant I put a stop to watching series or movies that will stir up passions within me. “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”(1 Corinthians 6:12-13) I never got the meaning of the saying about food but after the Man enough program it became clearer.  I am master of my sexual desires to God’s glory and not that my sexual desires are master over me.

Then there is the heart. Jeremiah did not mince his words when he said the heart is deceptive beyond all things (Jeremiah 17:9). A deceptive heart made me pursue a relationship and friendships in an unhealthy manner that would not be fruitful. A deceptive heart then became a bitter and wounded heart when those relationships did not materialize. For a long time I struggled with forgiveness and allowed my heart to be filled with envy and bitterness, eventually I learnt to forgive to heal my heart with God’s help.

The experience gave me a vital practical lesson on guarding one’s heart (proverbs 4:23). Not by becoming a staunch believer in the inexistence of love and being thoroughly sceptical of anyone asserting to being in love with me, but, by guarding my heart from bitterness, vengeance by just letting go. It is inevitable, that my heart will break in a world filled with broken people, no-one is perfect. I know I have hurt some people so how can I turn around and refuse to forgive those who hurt me?!  I will forgive and then be patient with them, bearing with them in love (Ephesians 4:2). With God’s help I will strive to be the embodiment of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, how good were it to be if my name were to substitute love like this picture.

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More importantly, the bible is God revealing himself to the world. It speaks of the powerful and mighty God who created everything in Genesis.  The God who is extremely gracious and gives men what they scarcely deserve and the God who is merciful to withhold the punishment we do merit. Yet, it speaks of the God who ensures justice prevails and that the wicked are punished.

It paints the picture of the God, who is repetitively forsaken, ignored, yet mercifully listens to the desperate cries of those who ignored him not too long ago when they rush back to him crying for his help. It’s natural to struggle to understand this God but within the bible in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, previews in Isaiah 52:13-15 or in Genesis 3:15 we find God, through Jesus, coming to Earth living amongst us to show us who he really is.

We come to see God as a king who goes against the earthly principles of self-enrichment but instead prefers to enrich others at his own expense. We come face to face with the God who is concerned for the stricken, who cares for the afflicted, who is full of compassion and even weeps.(John 11:35). In his interaction with the Samaritan woman, the adulterous woman, the crippled, we see a king who cares for the lowly not just the high and mighty.

We come to see a God who preaches forgiveness, love and mercy and He then, in a spectacular show of love, mercy and grace, sacrifices himself to die for us that we may be reconciled to him.  He dies a death that we ought to have died because of our sins. He resurrects and offers eternal life to whoever believes and confesses this to be true.

That is my living hope, not just to enter heaven but to be united with this loving God. I don’t know about you, but I believe it to be true. I thank God for his word, because quite frankly, I don’t know where I would be without it. It has been my light, my strength and my hope. Like Ugali has nourished me over the years , so has God’s word and I will delight in its statutes for they are my life.

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The rise and fall

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The 2015-16 EPL season has certainly sprung a few surprises our way, not least among them is Leicester City. The foxes, as they are otherwise called, survived relegation after a late surge last season. Not many pundits could therefore have foreseen that after 13 rounds of matches the following season, the foxes would be sitting pretty at the top. A string of eye-catching displays, featuring a lot of attacking verve has wowed many, with Newcastle United being the latest to be on the receiving end of their attack.

The prolific form of their star striker, Jamie Vardy has been of huge significance. The league’s top scorer has been in blistering form, spearheading  Leicester's charge  to the top. He recently matched Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s record of scoring in 10 consecutive league fixtures and could better it by scoring against Van Nistelrooy’s former club, Manutd in his next fixture.

This is your real-life underdog story. The premier league leaders were playing in the championship only two seasons ago, while Jamie Vardy was playing non-league football a few years earlier. The foxes are now above Manutd, Mancity, Arsenal in the league. Leicester are really punching above their weight.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, nobody could have predicted the fall from grace of Chelsea. Last season Chelsea were streaks above everyone else. They coasted their way to the league title. This year they are streaks below everyone else, flirting with relegation at 15^th place. Relegation from the top flight is surely improbable but Chelsea’s decline has been shocking.

The whole of last season, Chelsea lost only 3 times, almost halfway through this season they have lost 7!!! They are nine goals away from their overall tally of 32 goals conceded. Hazard, Costa, Ivanovic, Terry, Matic have seen their form nosedive. The champions are really in disarray and Tottenham could pile more misery on the beleaguered blues come this Sunday.

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The stories of these 2 clubs this season mirror the lives of those humble before God and the proud. God loves the humble and elevates them despite their perceived weaknesses while he detests pride and brings the proud crashing down in spite of their perceived strength.

Let’s start with the humble. You can’t talk about humility without starting with Jesus. He stands out the most. Philippians 2:5-11 states, “ Your altitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made himself  nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeliness, and being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross, therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name ,that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven  and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father.” Jesus was the embodiment of humility.

It doesn’t stop  with Jesus. Gideon was the least of all in his family who came from a clan that was among the least yet God elevated him to a mighty warrior who delivered Israel from Midian with only 300 men.  Even more humbling, was that those 300 men drank water like dogs (Judges 7).David was the last born in his family, the lowly shepherd yet it was he who defeated Goliath and was elevated to the Kingship.

It is through the seemingly low, insignificant people that God uses to do extraordinary things. Woe to the proud though, those are the ones he humbles and causes them to fall. David made the fatal mistake of taking a census in 1 Chronicles 21. In modern times it wouldn’t be such a big deal but at the time, by doing what he did he was depending on his own strength, attributing the victories over his enemies to his own might instead of trusting God. The command to take the census was evil in the sight of God and God intended to punish him using either of these 3 undesirable options; 3 years of famine, 3 months of being swept away by his enemies  or 3 days of a plague.(1 Chronicles 21:1-12) Quite the predicament and the epitome  of being caught between a rock and a hard place. He chooses the plague and promptly 70.000 men take the fall for his pride.

Moral of the story, don't try to take away credit that is reserved for God. Pride was seen in many other men and led to their fall. Nebuchadnezzar had to be driven away from people and eat grass like cattle (Daniel 4:33) Jonah had to stay 3 days in a fish because of his pride. (Jonah 1:17) Herod was put to death in an instant for not giving praise to God (Acts 12:22-23). Saul had to undergo 3 days of blindness (Acts 9:1-9).

Proverbs 27:21 wisely reads “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold but man is tested by the praise he receives.” Too often, we fail the test. Our heads swell with pride when we achieve something and are praised for it. It could range from graduating to getting a job, being promoted, moving out or getting a car. Suddenly we feel accomplished, we believe our own hype.

We quickly forget that it was God’s grace that got us there not our own strength. Sometimes it may require a fall from grace to put things in perspective. A crushing loss can stop the Sports team from being complacent or overconfident.  An unexpected sacking, being bypassed for a promotion, loss of material possessions could be the fall from grace that sends pride packing, making you aware of your numerous inadequacies and God’s abundant grace.

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I thank God for my falls. Constantly being top of the class made me feel that I was a world-beater only to be the sole person in the class to miss doing an industrial attachment did I sober up. God caused me to rise from that and get a first class degree. Then my head swelled up with pride, and it’s been almost 2 and a half years since and no job, The humbling experience has served me well and made me realize it was God who got me the degree. I will give him glory because he has been my strength. My papers, my internships, my awards were all his doing.

It’s so easy to forget God and think we did it, to chest-thump and take pride in our success. Truth is were it not for God; you would be stuck in a perpetual rut. You can take so much pride in your job and think you are entitled to the position. You conveniently forget the interview you aced to get the job is the very same one you should have missed in the first place for being late but were allowed to do, because on that day the recruiters were patient and just let your lateness slide.

You can take so much pride in your degree, masters or PHD. What of  those many exams that you passed because by God’s grace what you read, came in the paper and the many problematic topics you didn’t study for were absent?

How about the time you had that major presentation to do which got you a promotion.  A power blackout ensured you had to do an oral presentation, something you were far more confident in. Your mediocre PowerPoint  for the presentation, which could have seen you demoted, never saw the light of day.

God has intervened more times than you would care to admit and he deserves the glory. You can get lost in the success and take those saving graces for granted. After much pride we can fall from grace but as David found out after the plague, God is merciful and says, “Enough!” and relents. (1 Chronicles 21:15). Enough and Nebuchadnezzar was restored to his position (Daniel 4:34-36). Enough, and Jonah was out of the fish (Jonah 2:10). Enough and the scales were removed from Paul's eyes (Acts 9:17-18). In your fall you have to wait patiently before he removes you from the slimy pit, the mud and the mire and sets your feet on a rock, and gives you a firm place to stand. (Psalms 40:2). We eventually rise because of his mercy.

Like Isaiah 57:15 says, “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Your pride may take you to the depths but when you cry out to him, he is able to revive your lowly spirit and your contrite heart and make you rise again.

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Be strong and courageous

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We place emphasis on what we say through repetition.  Therefore, whenever you hear somebody saying something over and over again, take note.

When this repetition is in the bible, then one’s levels of caution should soar to unparalleled heights. Examples of this abound, take Song of Songs 2:7 for instance, “Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field; Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.” The exact replica is found in Songs of Songs 3:5, the same verse appears in chapter 8, verse 4 minus ‘by the gazelles and does of the field.” Error? I doubt it. In modern society today, how many times have ladies given their love promptly only to have their hearts broken? Too many to even count!!!Any surprise then that the wise king is repeating this verse? Surely not.

King Solomon is at it again in Proverbs 21;9 with this caution, “Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.” The same verse, word for word, makes up Proverbs 25:24. When you consider that he had many wives and concubines, and that it was women who were his downfall, then you really get why he repeats this.

Solomon wasn’t the only one who repeated words, God did and he had to because of how quickly Israel forgot or lost faith in him. “Do not fear.” That appears more than 300 times in scripture.  It’s a big emphasis bearing in mind that it is often our fears that hold us back and prevent us from truly living the God he desires for us.

One though stands out more than others in the book of Deuteronomy.God says it, Moses says it too and Joshua would later speak those same words which were, “Be strong and courageous.”

I believe those words are being spoken to men today repetitively begging for a response. Being male is natural, but being a man is super-natural because it takes strength and courage. I don’t mean the biceps kind of strength but the strength to persevere, to hold firm amidst adversity, to be true to oneself. The courage to overcome opposition from all quarters, yourself included.

Man, be strong and courageous to take the initiative, to engage in a difficult activity, to reject passivity and act. Adam was passive when Eve was being tempted and look where it got us. Many men are passive to this very day with women and children suffering as a result. Don’t be one of them. Take the initiative and engage in that difficult thing that needs to be done. Act on your conviction; don’t wait for someone else to take initiative for you.

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Take the initiative by being decisive. Make decisions promptly, beforehand, don’t wait till things spiral out of all control to decide what to do, by then it could be too late.

Man, quit stalling and take the initiative in relationships with women. Ask her out if you’re interested; don’t play mind games, hizo wachia Mourinho. If words fail you, take courage from these guys’ attempts and have lived to tell the story.

” Hey I was looking in the book of numbers and I saw that I didn’t have yours.”

“My name’s Destiny. I have faith that God has chosen you to be my destiny”

“Hi I’m Will...God’s will for you.”

I wish to state that never in my right mind would I attempt any of this, I admit though some are downright hilarious .For these and more click here, if these guys can pull it off and live to tell the story, what should stop us who do it normally? What’s the worst that could happen, just her saying no? Whoever died from rejection even those final fantasy movies couldn’t engineer a death like that no matter how hard they tried. Man be strong and courageous and take initiative in dating or courtship.

Conversely, take initiative by being strong and courageous to admit to a lady that you are in the season of singlehood. Don’t lead a lady on to nowhere, if you aren’t ready for a relationship.  Why give the impression that there is a future when there is none? If a lady shows an interest in you, don’t be passive by saying nothing. Silence won’t end her persistence. Take the initiative and politely tell her you aren’t ready for a relationship.  Some of these calls to Maina and King’ang’i would be stopped if some men could just put their foot down and said, “No.” There’s a time for everything, a time to be in a relationship and a time to be single, when it’s the latter, take the initiative and communicate this clearly to the lady, don’t waste her time.

Man, be strong and courageous to take responsibility for your actions. Work diligently to be a provider not only of material things but a vision for the future. Be the selfless leader of integrity. Be the example or the model for others to follow, coach others through your own experiences in life. Be the dependable and trustworthy man to your work mates, family and friends.

Once in a while, you won’t always do what is expected of you. Don’t play the blame game, if you mess up, own up. Don’t hide in lies or point the finger to everyone but yourself. Nobody is infallible.  Accept you mistake, confess it, rectify it however painful and move on.

Man, be strong and courageous to admit pain or hurting. We are not invincible, Arsenal eventually lost to Manutd after 49 games not out and so will Gor Mahia, it’s just life. We lose, we stumble, we bleed, we cry, it’s ok to be vulnerable once in a while. The loss of a father, mother, brother, sister, friend or anybody else close can be painful. It’s ok to shed a tear.  As we fight in this battle of life, it is inevitable that we will sustain wounds and not just the ones of death. A failed exam, a business deal collapsed, rejection by the lady whom you fancy, betrayal from a close friend, diagnosis of a terminal illness, they come in all shapes and sizes.

It’s funny how words may seem to be the smallest but strike a massive blow to our confidence. We may hurt so bad because of what people say to us or about us. Our self-esteem nosedives to depths even Chelsea hasn’t reached and we become a shadow of our former selves. You just have to look at the way some men seek affirmation in all the wrong places to massage that bruised ego.

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Some seek it in prostitutes or numerous casual flings. Others find it in a gang or a group of friends who give them that sense of identity they have never had. They are loyal to the group even if the group engages in wrongdoing. Some men try to mask the pain through alcohol, drugs, gambling. Others just lose the will to fight and easily surrender to the slightest adversity or opposition.

Man, be strong and courageous and deal with your wounds. Have the strength to move on from a loss of a loved one through the support of others and God.  Admit your hurts and confess them, it’s a starting point, hiding them or living in denial will only suppress them for a while. Let go of the hurt of a failed relationship and forgive, free yourself and the other person, if possible seek reconciliation, would you rather be right, bitter and alone or be restored and at peace because you chose to let go of the right to feel aggrieved.

Be strong and courageous in the face of adversity or a sudden downturn in your fortunes. It isn’t always the end of the world. It’s a marvel how tough situations bring out the best in people. Be courageous to put on a brave face and keep on persisting, your life of persistence may become a testimony of hope and inspiration to others in a similar struggle.

Man, be strong and courageous to lead. Whether it’s your class, workmates, family, lead well. Be strong and courageous to sacrifice privileges for the sake of those you are leading. Have the strength of mind and heart to put your followers’ needs above those of your own.  It’s not about you but them. Be strong and courageous to fight the temptation to use your position to enrich yourself, instead, enrich your followers at your own cost.

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Be strong and courageous and break free from the Rat race. Life is more than just getting a bigger pay-cheque, accumulating possessions and living as per people’s definition of success. Be strong and courageous to pursue what you are called to do even if instant riches aren’t forthcoming. Be strong and courageous to do what you are passionate about, to fill a gap or address a gnawing need that will impact the community and then you will leave your mark on this world with others eager to follow in your footsteps.

Man, be strong and courageous to love. You would think that would come naturally but it doesn’t. Be strong and courageous to be faithful to your lady and say no to a lady when you know she is not right for you or you are not right for her. Be strong to remain chaste for your future wife, that’s a far better gift than a Samantha bridal wedding. All around you may be goaded to sex by constant displays of cleavage, thighs and yet another socialite flaunting their derriere, may you resolve to be sexually pure at all costs even if it means ditching TV , your tablet or simply just run.

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Determine what you desire in a lady beyond just looks and establish clearly thought out boundaries when it comes to a relationship. Virginity, monogamy are not impossible standards, you do not have to feed your eyes, your mind and sexual organ through ogling, porn, masturbation or sex. You’re a man, not an animal, muster self control when need be. Be strong and courageous and resolve to be the man who takes the fight to lust and loves his woman for who she is not just what she looks like.

Be strong and courageous to love not only a lady but a male friend as well. David and Jonathan didn’t have a bromance, but a deep friendship that every man should have. It takes a lot of strength to forge such a friendship because you need to be candid, open, share similar values to connect. Man, be strong to share your vulnerable spirit as well. Confess your shortcomings or hurts to a friend because friendship is not about sharing happy moments but difficult ones as well. Life is never meant to be lived alone, you need a friend.

Be strong and courageous when it comes to money.  Be strong and fight the urge to live in opulence, in the end extravagance only impoverishes.  Sometimes broke-ness hits you hard. You may not be able to take a lady out, ride a matatu home or even just buy a smokie because the pocket has simply refused. Don’t keep on borrowing or gambling, you will only enlargen your cycle of debt rather than get out of it. Be strong and courageous to accept your humble position, work hard to get out of it and then use your money prudently when you get it. Live within your means, save and invest, otherwise your pocket will keep on refusing.

Be strong and courageous to fight for your values and integrity. We live in a society that tends to glorify impunity and mock the few people who dare to be upright, yet incredulously complain about corruption. Be courageous to defend your values, practise them even when the majority want the easy way out of compromise. Be the one man of integrity, with the high standards who believes in honesty, discipline, temperance and other virtues. Do right even when you’re the only one doing it.  Society is crying out for men of integrity, be strong and courageous to answer that cry.

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Be strong and courageous, because before you, there was a man who was. His name was Jesus and he was strong and courageous to go 40 days and nights without food and still resist temptation. He was strong and courageous enough to criticize hypocritical spiritual leaders. He was strong and courageous to pursue his Godly calling that did not earn him riches galore but a led to suffering, excruciating pain and ultimately death on a cross so that you may be reconciled to God and receive the gift of eternal life if you believe him and surrender your life to him.

Man, be strong and courageous and chose him, because through him it’s much easier being a strong and courageous man. When you do, be strong and courageous to tell others about him so that through him, more will be strong and courageous.

Man, be strong and courageous.

Jesus died for the LGBT by the way

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Gay. Fag. Queer. Bi. Transgender. I hate to admit it but it’s becoming the norm these days. I mean the norm. Only recently I accepted an invitation to connect from a random guy on Linkedin thinking he would be a potential business partner. A  few days later it did turn out that he wanted to be my business partner only that he wanted to do business in bed!!! To say I was shocked is an understatement. Never have I reached for the un-friend button so fast!!! The guy was out of my list of connections before you could say, “Gerrahere!!!”  

Such is the world we live in now days. More people are experimenting on matters sexual orientation, more are coming out, and even more are becoming receptive to it. Bruce became Caitlyn and was celebrated for it. The US had all its states legalize same-sex marriages. All the while, the Christian, insert you and me, shakes his head in disbelief asking, “Where is the world heading to?”

For so long, homosexuality and questions to do with sexual orientation were swept under the rug. It was all hush, hush like those monkey emojis, see no evil, hear no evil and speak no- evil. The LGBT movement gradually altered the way we perceive them, they have clamored for their rights and now the result is more people are tolerant of them having been swayed.

Christians now realize they can no-longer be passive. They must speak out against this deviation from God’s purpose for sexuality or marriage. It is frowned upon in scripture!!! How can we just start saying yes to sin in the form of same-sex unions? Too bad, we have been too quick to judge and condemn before listening and understanding.

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For one, homosexuality , in the minds of many believers seems to rank head and shoulders above other sins.  This shouldn’t be so. Any sin, is detestable to God. The LGBT complain of being judged harshly. In some way they are right. Not too long ago, somebody desired that gays should be stoned. I wish we treated people who committed other offences with a similar gusto. The one who murders should be stoned, the one who rapes as well, and not forgetting the guy who has stolen millions too!!!

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Why should the harsh punishment or condemnation be the preserve of the person of different orientation?  “ Don’t judge someone because they sin differently than you.” I don’t know who said it but I sure believe it. Just because I struggle with lying doesn’t make me better than a brother or sister who is engaging in same-sex activities . When either of us fall to temptation both of us are sinful before God, on equal terms. My sin isn’t less bad to God, the bottom line is that we both have fallen short of God’s standard.

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The other area we faltered is our perception of the LGBT. Early on, homosexuality was viewed solely as an act. Therefore, it could be discouraged upon, it could be prohibited by the law. Overtime though, it has changed to be a condition, something you are born with. That has swung the pendulum the way of the LGBT because you can fault  or victimize somebody for who they are. From a condition it has now become an identity that marks somebody as who they are. This is where we have erred big time.

A gay man isn’t just a gay man. There is more to him than his orientation. It’s sad that we reduce people to this basic view and can go to crazy measures like jailing them or shaming them by publishing a list of gays. Sexual orientation doesn’t make anyone less of a human being. Defining a person by just what they do is limiting. He is gay. She is a lesbian. Period. That’s really not respecting their dignity. Their self-worth is more. They have gifts, temperaments, abilities, skills just to name but a few because so much makes up the human person  Just to think of them in terms of their sexual orientation is very limiting. Imagine if we just defined some people by how they behave.

Francis Atwoli would be a shouter?! Sir Alex Ferguson would be a gum-chewer?!!! Arsene-Wenger would be a bottle-kicker!!! Really, is that all they are? They is more to them and so is the person with a different sexual orientation, one isn’t just gay or bi, it's what they do, they are more than that and let’s respect and love that person for who they are. A human being made in God’s image and potentially or actually, a child of God regardless of their sin. Jesus showed us how.

When confronted by a crowd to stone an immoral woman, Jesus didn’t do what we would have done. He didn’t bay for her blood. He didn’t condemn her , he didn’t call her slut or ratchet. Even despite the fact that his sinless life gave him authority to reprimand her, he didn’t . Instead he mercifully withheld stoning her and graciously told her to stop sinning in a way where she didn't feel degraded. This is the classic example of ' hating the sin but loving the sinner." 

God loves the gay, transgender, queer, straight that same way. Yes, you heard me, he does.  It is a message as a Christian I don’t send because I am too quick trying to correct their ‘deformity. Its the central message that goes unsent because I am too busy shoving anti-homosexuality scripture and acting all pharisaical, reminding someone of their sin but doing precious little to help them get out of it.(Matthew 23:4) Giving someone truth without love is cruelty and very rarely is that approach going to turn a person to repentance.

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With the immoral woman, the Samaritan woman, Jesus helped them to get them out of the sin because he illustrated what God was all about, A God loves the sinner no matter how far he/she has drifted away from him. Moreover, he takes the initiative to get us out of the sin.

It isn’t always an instant 360 degree turn to righteousness for everybody.  They are Christians who struggle with alcohol, pornography, integrity, and they are men and women who also struggle with same sex attraction. This is a struggle they have for years. Accepting Christ doesn’t mean that these struggles vanish in an instant. For some it takes time before they can resist with ease. For others the struggle is real  till the grave. Jesus sanctifies ALL of them and helps them with their struggle daily. Jesus died for all sins not a select few. The only unforgivable sin is rejecting his gift of salvation.

A lesson I've got to learn recently is that and most applies to LGBT is that it's ok to be tempted. Temptation, in itself,  is not sinful. It’s normal to have a struggle with sin, our sinful nature ensures that we will struggle with sin. What we must remember is that accepting Christ into our lives gives a spirit not of the world to give into that temptation(which then becomes sinful) but one that pursues righteousness no matter how hard.  He gives us a spirit to help us keep us trying even when we stumble from time to time..

With reference to Isaiah 40: 29-31, God increase the power of the weak and gives strength to the weary. Fighting temptation and sometimes falling short because of our weaknesses can really tire us as believers. It can make us sink into despair and allow ourselves to wallow in sin because we feel we will never match up to God’s standard. Fortunately, Jesus died on the cross for that very same reason, that we may have hope and not despair. He gave us his spirit to help us, to give us strength and power,  power to overcome those struggles like same sex attraction and the grace to pursue celibacy. He gives us power to relent even when we stumble. His grace is sufficient for all, not just people in financial need but also people struggling with same sex attraction.

They are wonderful stories of Sy Rogers, who overcame this struggle and went from gay to looking for a sex change to being straight and eventually married with kids. They are stories of Henry Nouwen, a Dutch priest who struggled with same sex attraction but is believed to have remained celibate to death. These stories may not be the same all for LGBT but they do have the same element in them. In both, Jesus was saviour, Jesus was Lord, Jesus helped them overcome because they had a love relationship with him.   The cross is for LGBT as well, struggling with same-sex desires doesn’t condemn one to hell, forsaking Jesus does,

As human beings, by our sinful nature, we fall short of God’s standard. More so, when we ascribe to the belief that truth is relative and consequently err in so many ways because we have deviated from the truth. This is stated in Proverbs 14:12 when it reads, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” 1 Corinthians 6:12-13 puts it even more clearly, " I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body".

Sounds familiar doesn't it? "I have a right to have fun, I have a right to drink, I have a right to sleep around and now it's I have a right to gay marriage." We hate it when anyone places restrictions upon either of those freedoms but they are necessary some times because such freedom isn't always beneficial. Your right to have fun could end up getting you addicted to a drug, leading to death. Your right to casually sleep around could lead to an STD. Similarly, a right to gay marriage spells doom for the family unit. How do children grow up in such a family setting where there are  two parents but either no dad or mum? It isn't beneficial for them, you just have to look around at grown men being overly aggressive or violent because they lacked a father or of ladies who feel inadequate or unloved because they lacked a mother. The same-sex marriage isn't ideal, not because we want to bash the LGBT parade but because the family is at stake if such a marriage is permitted.

The LGBT may feel that they are being denied a right they are entitled to or that they are being judged harshly but they are not the only ones. The unmarried are strongly urged not to engage in sex. Divorced are urged not to remarry. The limitation to sexual freedom isn't just to the LGBT but other people as well. God's purpose for sex was in the context of marriage, between opposite sexes. It wasn't for pleasure as many men and women believe these days but it was to be an expression of love, free of the guilt trips of pre-marital sex but with the aim of fruitfulness leading to a family that could be nurtured in a loving environment.

A lot of people have wandered away from this path, I know.Fortunately God is able to turn you away from that deviation and back to him if you let him. It is illustrated best in the story of the prodigal son in  Luke 15:11-32. The son may have drifted but his father welcomed him back with love when he came back. The lesson from that parable is that when we wander away from God, we are not deemed banished outcasts, straight, gay, if you go back to him, he will welcome you back.

I no-longer judge the LGBT casually, I realize that for a vast majority of them, they have been victims of circumstances and their life experiences have tilted them towards same-sex living just like some experiences have tilted people to a life of crime, violence or immorality.

For some perhaps it was an abusive parent,  for others it could have been childhood sexual abuse, the loss of a loved one, peer pressure, masturbation, pornography e.t.c. Brokenness may have led one to become queer or gay. The starting point then is not trying to correct their sexual orientation but to address those wounds of old and thankfully we serve a God who is a healer who does exactly that, as it is written, “He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalms 147:3)

Its not an easy life for anyone who is Pro-LGBT, your family could disown you, you could be ostracized. The saving grace is that if your struggle is same-sex attraction, I can point you to Jesus.  He will welcome if you sincerely believe and confess that without him, eternal life and more specifically, sexual purity, is impossible without him.  He will help you with your struggle, as I believe he said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.”