ANCHORED FOR DESTINY

I have always heard about the saying that when preparation meets opportunity, destiny is formed. Until the last Harvest Institute meeting we had, I thought I have been prepared for my next job move having done my current role for slightly over 3 years, done my MBA, accomplished baby number two project and worked my performance back up after the baby period slump.

After two to three years in a role, it’s usually time for me to move. I feel like I have done it all, given it my best and there is nothing more that is challenging me. So at the start of 2017, I knew it was time for me to move on so  I set for myself a target to move jobs within the year and I immediately started updating my CV which I hadn’t really updated in about six years. When I was done with my CV, I must say I was impressed. The accomplishments and academic qualifications were not bad, to be polite. I was excited about starting to throw out my CV because I was sure I wouldn’t try so hard before landing that perfect job. This one time I see a job that literally mirrored what I had done. So with all confidence I quickly apply for the job sure that I would be contacted to at least go for an interview, I mean, I had it.  One week passed by, two weeks, a month, two, to-date I have never received a phone call. I then applied for a couple of other jobs and the trend was the same, no one called.  This was very frustrating, annoying and discouraging all in one.

So what happened to opportunity? I mean here I was all prepared waiting for my destiny and opportunity was not coming my way.

As we did module two at the Harvest institute early in the month, I was convicted by the holy spirit as Lynnet shared about prayer and fasting. I knew God was telling me to polish up in this area but I just noted down a few things I needed to do different. I mean almost everything that was shared was on point that day so yes I made so many notes of almost everything. Then when it came to the solitude session, I didn’t write much as it seemed like the time away I had been planning to have. Little did I know that there was a practical part. Now I knew that having time out was good, I had planned and talked about how I need to start having time out. But I didn’t really know how and I didn’t prioritize it either as clearly it had only remained a plan for me.

So we were instructed to take off some time of solitude in the afternoon after a good lunch. I didn’t know how I was going to spend so much time doing nothing but I  knew that I wanted it to be fruitful, so I said a very  simple prayer ‘God speak to me’.  During my time of solitude, God clearly showed me how I have been my own limitation to my growth. How? Before I could ask how, he said. I need you anchored.

I immediately started to visualize how I have been so busy with my work, family and the so many things happening around me that I often said a prayer while dozing or rushing off to my other program. I had not time for my father, the source of my wisdom, the one who directs my foot steps, my king and friend. Its no wonder I was moving around in circles getting so exhausted but with no distance covered.

God showed me in that time that he needed me anchored to be prepared for my next move otherwise my blessing can turn into my destruction.

It immediately made sense, I could see myself all so busy and God trying to talk to me but I had taken off my spiritual antenna for most of the time. I thanked God that he didn’t release me into the next phase of my life knowing I was not ready for it. I made the decision immediately to spend time studying the word every morning. Joyce Mayer calls it “Starting your day right- with God”.

Thank you Lord that I now know with clarity what I need to do different. I desire to have a CONSISTENT personal relationship with you from this day on. I will sleep early to wake up early, I will train my body and my entire being until I can confess that I am a morning person, I will work at it until I get it right and I will listen to the Holy Spirit as he guides me on this journey.

I purpose to be anchored.  I will prepared for my destiny.

Don’t get too busy for God.

PURPOSE, PURPOSE, PURPOSE

Having gone to boarding school at an early age of 7, I developed a level of independence and learnt to adapt in almost any situation. So I kind of went with the wind and believed God that the wind would blow me in the right direction.

The school I went to guaranteed us to excel and excel we did. In P7, we had Math and English tests every Monday of the week and on Friday afternoon we would converge in the dinning to receive our test results in front of all the P7 class teachers. Now the arrangement was such that they gave out all the test results and all those that scored below 90% would line up and go to each teacher for a fair share of canes depending on the teachers’ mood. Those who had above 90% were not necessarily spared because you would fall victim to the number by number caning rounds where according to the teacher the number was easy and therefore no one should have failed it.

So I didn’t ever develop a reading culture and neither did I learn to apply myself. I just needed to remember what I have read at the right time- during an exam. It is no wonder that I do not have reading as one of my hobbies.  

On the contrary, I was always enrolling for courses and this was not because I am an academician but rather my effort to find fulfilment by getting a better job or fitting into the competitive corporate world. It was all meant to make me happier since I would get more money or grow in my career. I made 10 years in employment last year and although I have had good jobs in this time, I still felt empty and unhappy. I had a void that I couldn’t fill and a general resignation to my social life.

I then attended the New Dawn Camp 2017 and for the first time I came up with something called my ‘purpose’.  Now I had been literally begging and bugging God in my prayers for a very long time to show me my purpose in life having read a book called the ‘Purpose Driven life by Rick Warren. One morning while at the New Dawn camp, we were challenged to think about and write down our purpose. It was tough, ‘seeing that God hadn’t answered yet’ but after a bit of thinking I successfully came up with a purpose that I polished over time. Writing down my purpose created excitement in me and gave me a new challenge to step out into. Thank you Lord for Worship Harvest Ministries.

So in order to grow in my purpose and sharpen my leadership skills, I have signed up with Harvest Institute and now I have to read a lot and apply what I have read. While this seems like too much to chew on right now, I am excited about this new learning curve, I like the challenge and I am determined to stay the course because this year, I am being INTENTIONAL.

WORK IN PROGRESS

Today is the deadline and I have no blog….Oh My God!!!!

I have tried to put something down but I don’t like what I am reading. I am not connecting with my blog, how do people do this? What seemed like my best attempt came off like I was complaining, wait am I complaining again? God I need help!!

The perfectionist in me is getting anxious, my heart is heavy, I guess it is just a reflection of my heart health. How do I get some positive energy on? God, you are my strength please be my guide.

With all the pressure building on to meet the deadline and the standard demands from work, how do I make this work? I am not good at writing, and neither am I a fun of social media but every time I think about all these reasons, I imagine Mosze telling me ‘Even the best excuse, is just an excuse’

So here I am jumping into the deep end and believing that I will not drown.

I am confident about this, it will get better with time. For a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. I am work in progress and I am choosing to be intentional however sketchy I feel my submission is.

It is a starting point for me, and I will celebrate these first steps.