Tag: obedience

Do Whatever He Tells You

The deep truths of God are always revealed to those with an unwavering willingness to do whatever He says.

The Spiritual Discipline of One Word

The words we get each year are foundational words. They build the altar upon which we worship Christ, in word and action. They have relevance every year of our lives.

Are You Ignoring Their Prayer Requests?

My sponsored child asks me to pray for his studies and please pray for rain for the crops. I toss the letter on the couch and move on with my day. I’ve read it all before and as a city girl the request for rain means little to me.

Are You Different or Are You Just Vanilla?

Are you different? Are you different from this world? Is different a good thing? Do you want to be different? What does it take to be different?

In One Word, 2011 Will Be About …

The words the Holy Spirit shares with us require us to “step up.” This discipline is not something to do on a lark because it sounds fun. It requires a commitment. It’s something that requires you to lean into the Lord and to step up and assume responsibility for the talents He has given you.

How Do We Introduce Children in Poverty to a Christian Education?

Many children enrolled at the child development center got their first contact with the Word of God at the center. They had never heard about God, Christ or stories such as the Garden of Eden, Noah’s Ark or Joseph in Egypt.

Transformation is the best word to define what happens with the children during the class. Parents recognize the difference in the way their children behave.

Can Anything Good Come Out of a Slum?

My biggest fear in life is not reaching my God-given potential. And for the first 20 years of my life, I found myself being increasingly shaped by worldly values. That is, until I came face to face with Jesus!

Since then my Creator and Saviour has been helping me to weed out values that are contrary to those of the Kingdom and walking with me towards the dreams He’s planted in my heart. It’s been a step-by-step process of learning to be faithful with what He entrusts me with.

Of course, going against the patterns of this world isn’t easy, but the fruit of obedience is liberating! I wouldn’t want to live any other way. Life’s exhilarating when you’re dancing with a God of the supernatural.

Thanks to modern technology, I met a Compassion alumnus Paul Omondi through Facebook! Paul shared his testimony with me … It’s more than encouraged me to be all that I can be; it’s given me hope.

Paul completed the Leadership Development Program in Kenya years ago (a program that educates, trains and disciples servant leaders), was recently married (congratulations Paul!), and now works to help his fellow Kenyans escape the cycle of poverty in his role as a Community Development Manager.

But every achievement starts with a heart that dares to dream.

Twenty nine years ago in Kibera, 15 minutes outside of Nairobi, Kenya, a baby boy was born. Kibera is the biggest slum in Kenya. I can’t imagine what would’ve become of me if I was born there.

I’m reminded of the words of Nathanael when Philip told him that he had found ‘the one’ that Moses and the prophets wrote about. He said,

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” — John 1:46a (NIV)

Can anything good come out of a slum?

Tune in all next week as Paul tells his story.

– Irene

The Twinkie Project

Do you ever feel as if you are on the cusp of something big? Do you wrestle with restlessness in your spirit that you can neither calm nor pinpoint a reason for? It’s as if you feel that you, your life, is on the brink of something, a major change or transition; like something is about to happen and you have a big part in it – you just don’t know what or how.

That’s where I’m at. And I’ve decided that, despite the mystery of it and the frustration that comes with the not knowing, I’m excited anyway.

If you don’t remember or if you are new here, I have been sporadically writing about a program nicknamed the “Twinkie Project,” which has been in development since last August. I have tempted and beaten around the bush for months about what it is and when it will come to light. And I’m still doing so. 🙂

But … it is now time my friends to tear off some of the wrapping and let you see a little of what this thing is about. Just a glimpse though. It’s really an out-of-context look, but then again it’s also kind of in the context. 😉 (more…)