In 2012 I made a radical decision to get married from an impression I received from the Lord. Today's blog has something to do with that. Today's blogpost is by a friend to my wife and I. Her name is Esther (AKA Ess). The three of us served in the Student government at USIU in the years 2010 and 2011. Ess is married to Peter and they live in Mombasa, Kenya. The faith of Ess is one that baffles many (as if faith elicits any other response). It was she who challenged me 2 years ago in Campus before I made the decision to marry Turi not to be afraid. It was a lazy, hot afternoon and Ess and I were on duty in the office. The heat discouraged working so Ess decided to chat away. She asked me a question. "When will you and Turi get married?" I laughed at the question then sobered up realizing she was dead serious. She said the simplest yet most profound thing I have ever heard a believer say in reference to faith. "Ernest, don't fear where the money will come from. God will provide for his children, always." Need I say more? Her faith inspired mine and contributed to my marriage a few months after her own to Peter. Ess is one lady whose radical living my wife and I admire. She and Peter are sold out to Christ; it's amazing! This is radical living. Happy reading!
Ernest
RADICAL LIVING
In Sunday school I always thought that it would be pretty admirable to be like Daniel (He devoted Himself to God from such a tender age) or Joseph (The dreamer who was a God-chaser) or David (A man after God’s own heart) or Esther (A fearless woman of God). Whilst growing up, following God wholeheartedly and pursuing the deep things of God were associated with women of our parents’ generation. Kindly allow me to refer to them as ‘Mathes’. Little did I know that I was in for a renewal of my mind, one that would change the direction of my life forever
When I was 16 years old, God asked me to save up and go on a retreat to hear from him. Many of my peers were rather taken aback because those were things that older people did, you know, going up the ‘mountain’ to pray etc. I obeyed and went on my retreat and it was refreshing. That is when my journey of radical faith begun. After that I was more aware of His voice that would guide me into His will.
Fast forward to 2012. God asked my then fiancé and I to get married on a Thursday in the middle of nowhere. It was a radical decision, I mean who gets married on a Thursday out of town and expects people to attend? We did, we knew that the King of Kings would be in our midst and His presence was and still is heaven to us. Yes, it caused controversy at first but when people realized it was happening on the Thursday they came. Man, did we see the blessings of obedience. Goodness and mercies have been hot on our heels since then.
A couple of months down the line, as we were settling down into marriage, the Lord asked us to quit our jobs one by one. In our marriage, we had already decided that Jesus would be the center so when He said “quit!” that is exactly what we did. Oh, but it didn’t end there, oh no! He directed us to move 500kms away to a land seemingly foreign to us in which we didn’t know anyone, to pray for the republic of Kenya, our country. So we quit our jobs, packed up our household goods and moved 500kms away to begin a new life. Did you know you can move your household goods in Kenya using the Railway? Yes it is safe, we tried it. Out of our over 750kgs of luggage only a glass and a plate broke. They superseded my expectations. Round of applause for RVR* please!
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| Ess visting Turi and I |
Back to the story, our new life 500kms away was to begin with more than one month of petitioning God for our beloved country that means, doing prayer walks in different places every day. Many people, Christians especially, did not and still do not understand that we were moving to pray and not moving to find work immediately. One would wonder if the call to be radical is somewhat an old-fashioned mind set. Oh well, in fashion or out of fashion, we chose to be radical as Christ has called us all to be.
Something happens when people pray. Destinies are changed, souls are won for Christ, ‘prisoners’ are set free, wars cease before they begin, strongholds are broken, darkness is lifted and the presence of God renews and refreshes creation. God answers prayers. The devil is not asleep; he is wide awake roaring like a lion looking for people to devour. When we take our authority as sons and daughters of Christ, we begin to walk in dominion.
1 month in to it and we have seen His hand; He has sustained us and will continue to do so.
Psalm 54:4
Surely God is my help,
The Lord is the one who sustains me.He is the Lord who sustains us, who sustains YOU. Not a job or a person but the Almighty God. We would know
What is it that seems too radical that God has asked and is asking you to do but you keep skirting around and making excuses? Just do it. He has gone ahead of you and will SURELY BE YOUR HELP. Watch your faith be credited to you as righteousness and your God be exactly that, the ALMIGHTY GOD.
The journey continues.
Acts 17:28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
Ess
RVR* Rift Valley Railways