Tag: family

God chaser…

~ OchiengFamily ~ Leave a comment

“Hey lady, why are you such a God chaser? I mean, there is nothing wrong with that. I just love how you love God and pursue Him with all of your being. I guess that’s why God answers your prayers whenever you pray.”

It feels good to get compliments about my faith and I am very careful not to let that get in my way because my focus is Christ alone.  I need to do His will, for I was created for that sole purpose.

But why am I a God chaser?

Have you ever experienced any form of rejection and felt like no one cared, even when you went out of your way to please them? Have you ever felt looked down on by those who are supposed to love you and cheer you on yet don’t? Have you ever felt used, abused and made fun of because of your uniqueness? Have you ever felt you were not good enough or you have missed so many chances in your life? If you answered yes to all of the above, then you are quite on your way to understanding why I chase God the way I do.


In Christ alone, I came to understand my worth and value. In Christ alone I came to embrace my uniqueness, realizing that it was all part of His purpose for what He has planned for me on this earth.
Understand that there’s nothing wrong with the desire to be wanted, loved and cherished, for as humans, we were created that way. But when you learn to allow God love on you and direct your path, He brings the right people into your life.

PRESS THE RESET BUTTON

~ OchiengFamily

The past is a forgotten memory. The present is full of endless possibilities. I am a new man TODAY.

GENESIS 1: 1-2
“In the beginning God CREATED the heavens and earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the SPIRIT of God was MOVING over the face of the waters.”

I am holding on to too many things mentally and spiritually and it is time I let go. I’d like to see the creation story as a lesson or example of how to REFRESH ALL aspects of my life. No more looking back. Since NOW is my BEGINNING, God can CREATE something beautiful out of me out of NOTHING. I am a clean slate. I am a foundation laid down preparing for bigger things to happen. I am not tied down to my past failures or insecurities. It does not matter how I feel. What matters is me making the first steps towards recovery and AWAY from the darkness.
Despite the misdirection (FORMLESS) and emptiness (VOID) of the past, despite the lack of vision (DARKNESS) that makes me stumble. the spirit of God still MOVED within me. I must tap into that Spirit because it is what will transform me into a new man.

My Son is changing as well. He is not the helpless boy I once held in my arms. He is just over a year old now and so full of life. He is walking confidently and doing his best to navigate around our small apartment. A few months earlier I was thrilled when he was finally able to sit up by himself and now he expresses himself in so many different ways. There is meaning in his squeals, shouts, and grunts. The look of recognition he gives me when he says “DADA” warms my heart in ways I can’t express.

Scripture says we are God’s children no matter how old we are and I can see a glimpse of the tenderness God shows us despite our faults. God is so quick to forgive because we are little children. He nurtures us, advices us and guides us into spiritual maturity so that we can stop doing childish things.
My son looks forward to each morning and I must do the same. Nothing is guaranteed and so I must value EVERY MOMENT God gives me. No more excuses, but more importantly no more dwelling on the past. I am a new man.

Genesis 1: 3-4
And God said, “Let there be LIGHT” : and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good: and God SEPARATED the light from the darkness.”

I must speak things into existence and part of my responsibility is to say that I DO NOT WANT DARKNESS IN MY LIFE. Make bold statements not simply as a mantra but a way to make it part of my spritual fabric. Let light be embedded into your skin like blood flowing through your veins. There is a clear distinction between LIGHT and darkness and the ONLY way to keep darkness out is to introduce the LIGHT. Therefore, focus on the things that bring out the light in you. Leave the things that feel good in the moment yet only leave your heart dark and empty.
Summary
⦁ God has the ability to CREATE something out of nothing. The CREATION story is a story of TRANSFORMATION and CHANGE.
⦁ It is no surprise that God created light first. My spiritual eyes must be OPEN/ AWAKENED in order for me to see my transformation.
CREATED LIGHT; separated light from darkness, Day and night
HEAVENS
SEPARATED WATER FROM DRY LAND; Earth

MY WAYWARD CHILDREN

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A wayward person is someone who is difficult to control or predict because of their unusual or perverse behavior.

God called the children of the Israelites in Jeremiah 3 wayward as He pleaded for them to come back to Him. As I read through the first few chapters of Jeremiah, I couldn’t help but think of believers who were once on fire for Christ yet because of different circumstances, they purposefuly walked away. Similarly, I thought of my own personal walk with God. There are times I’ve faltered. There are times I’ve felt overwhelmed. Yet in the midst of it all I’ve felt God lead me back despite my uncertainty.

People have their reasons for abandoning God. Sometimes it’s actually because they feel God abandoned them first in their hour of need. However, just as God pleaded with the Children of the Israelites, He is calling and pleading with you to return home, repent of your sins and ask Him back into your heart.

“Behold I stand at the door and knock…” (Revelations 3:20). He is calling you to come back to him so he can “heal your wayward hearts.” ( Jeremiah 3:22). And He Himself will direct you to the right shepherd who will guide you with knowledge and understanding. Will you yield to that call, before it is too late?

God is always willing to listen. God is always willing to give you a chance. I can’t stress it enough. Read the word of God for yourself rather than rely on what others tell you.

Thanks for stopping by and as you read through this, it is my prayer that it speaks to the depth of your soul.

Remain blessed.
Rachel Ochieng.

THE HEAVENS AND EARTH

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Earth is a representation of something grander and greater. Something so beyond our imagination that I believe we live only a small piece of it. Our lives on earth are a mirror image of what happens in the spiritual realm and teach us about our RELATIONSHIP with God.

Like every parent, I’ve witnessed my ups and downs and I try to look at my failures as teaching moments not just for my daughter but for me as well. The bible says that we should see our challenges more like spiritual battles because it focuses our energy on the enemy satan rather than the person. But boy is it hard sometimes!!

2 Corinthians 10:4

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds”

I had a situation with my daughter that really disappointed me. I let her know that I loved her regardless and the grace I extended to her made me realize how much God loves us even though we make serious mistakes. I still needed to challenge the real enemy who was coming in to destroy my bond with my daughter. I caught a glimpse of the picture of God’s love.  I knew it was always there but this experience made me see it in a different light. I was reminded how God feels when the devil messes with his children (us). God is fiercely protective and I was in a similar situation.

The devil hates God and will do all that he can do to get at him by coming at us, knowing that it will upset God. But hold fast. God will never give up on us if we have faith in him. He has given us victory through his son, Jesus so that when we fight for our loved ones we fight from a place of victory.

Rachel Ochieng.

 

PURPOSE OF PAIN: A HUSBAND’S PERSPECTIVE

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I expected it to be a morning like any other. She comes home from her night shift, takes a shower, has breakfast while she tells me about her day and then she’d go to bed and sleep. But this morning was different. She came home complaining of pain in her belly. Could it be something she ate? She said she had chicken nuggets on her way to work the previous night. Yet every time she moved her stomach tightened up even more to the point where she could barely walk. I hoped it was indigestion but the longer it lasted the worse the pain got. She eventually got some rest but it was’t enough. She was 18 weeks pregnant and against my better judgment I googled some of the symptoms to ease not just my fears but her own. The only possible cause for the discomfort was ligament pain and it was more prevalent in mothers who’d had babies before. I couldn’t breath a sigh of relief just then but I had to assure her that she was fine. The only other home remedy I could think of was to soak a cloth in warm water and gently place it on her belly. She had a brief respite from the pain but it wasn’t enough. Every movement the baby made made her wince in pain.

“What’s wrong honey? I’m fine. The baby is just trying to get comfortable that’s all.”

“I know but I hate to see you like this. I wish I could take away some of your pain.”

We had to see the doctor that evening and after a routine checkup the nurse said the baby was fine and her explanation for the pain was the chicken nuggets my wife ate and that she should stay away from fatty foods.

How we managed to get through that night was a mystery.  The pain was even worse and we had no choice but to go to the emergency room.  As I drove there I remember thinking to myself, “At least I’ll know the exact route to take to the hospital when my wife is in labor.” As  cautious as I drove, every minor bump on the road felt like a tornado to her so I was glad when we finally got there.

They did all the tests that were necessary and reassured us at least from all they saw that the baby was fine and we could make an appointment with a specialist to make sure everything was fine. Maybe it was the news that the baby was fine that made a diffference to my wife or maybe it was the constant activity throughout the day but my wife was visible better after we left the emergency room.

That evening, the pain wasn’t as severe but she had to sleep in our daughter’s bed because it was more comfortable. Steadily she has improved since then and in 3 days when we went for a walk  she was walking as fast as all of us. All I can say is God is good. Challenges will be there in every relationship and even though the future is uncertain, faith is what must always guide us.