#avesselforhim

My father is literally the best! My dad loves me so much. He may not always explicitly said, “I love you,” but he definitely has showed it since birth. My dad doesn’t say no, unless he thinks what I’m asking for is not good for me. He even gives me things without me asking, even more than I would’ve asked for. He always keeps me in mind. These are just a few ways he shows me that he loves me.

One thing I really love about my dad is that he is a man of God. And because my dad is obedient to God’s Word, he made sure to raise us, his children, as Christians, something I will forever be grateful for! And the more I read my Bible on my own and began to understand what it means to be like Christ, (who is also God) I came to understand one way that my father expresses his desire to be like Christ is through fatherhood. The Bible describes God as “kind”. Kind is defined as being friendly, generous, and considerate. Without a doubt this is God. He affirms his approval of us many times and supports us, he gives us more than we could ever ask, and he always thinks about us, in fact he is always right there with us.

I’m not saying that my dad is God, but when I sit back and think I see how my father is walking in God’s ways. And it’s something I really admire about him. He didn’t have to do this, but because my dad has experienced God for himself and all that comes with having a relationship with God, He decided not only to be obedient to the Word of God by following in His footsteps, but also by making sure to teach his children about God as well. And because my dad put in effort into shaping his children in being followers of Christ, I have experienced the love of God and of course, it’s something I cannot stop talking about!

It’s not that others haven’t influenced my walk with God heavily, but my dad was one of the first Christians I encountered. And because he decided that he was going to listen to what God asked of him, I know God too. I can now go out and tell someone about God and the love that He has for them. I was listening to a sermon yesterday and he mentioned Romans 10:13-15, which says:

For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

My dad was sent, he told us about God in a way that we now believe in Him, and have called on the Lord so we shall be saved. It takes one person. One person to genuinely love the Lord with everything in them enough to go out and tell another person and so on.

Proverbs 22:6 says,

“Train up a child in the way he should go,

And when he is old he will not depart from it.

I thank God that my father took this verse literally, because now I have a relationship with Jesus Christ and have the ability to tell about others of a love so amazing…

The theme of this month is “Good Good Father”. I pray that you’re blessed and encouraged by the testimonies that you will read, and that you’re able to reflect on who God is as your Father.

Thanks for keeping up! Enjoy your weekend !

Much love always,

Picture this: It’s 12:35 on Tuesday afternoon and you just finished that assignment you needed to do before your 1 pm class. Being proud of what you did, you tell yourself it’s Tuesday, so #TreatYoself, we’re going to Chick-Fil-A. Guess what?  Everyone and their moms, literally, were thinking the same thing, but you go and order anyway. At this point you’re convinced Jesus will come back quicker. Just when you’re ready to pack your things and go, they finally call your number! Now it’s it’s 12:55 and your class is on the other side of campus. So you hit feet. You’re practically running at this point. And as if nothing else could go wrong, there’s now people in front of you who don’t care if they’re late or not, so they’re walking as if they’re in a slow-mo video. Don’t they understand that you’re late to class?! Couldn’t they hear your quick footsteps approaching?! Why are they living their lives with no sense of urgency?!

What I described earlier is all too familiar to me. Okay, yes, maybe it is my fault that I was late to class and maybe if I planned better I would’ve been on time. The real focus, though, is that last question: Why are they living their lives with no sense of urgency? Why are we living our lives with no sense of urgency?

In Matthew 3:2 John the Baptist said, “Repent of your sins, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Do you see what John is doing here? John knew and believed that the Messiah was coming soon, so he was obedient and went to make sure people were aware of what is to come. Not only was he fulfilling the words of Isaiah (see chapter 40), but he was also using his life to make sure more people came to know who God was and would not waste their lives any longer. 

We, as Christians today, need to do the same. We need to live life with a sense of urgency. It’s great that we know God. It’s honestly a wonderful thing. But how do we know who God is? Because there was a bold someone in our lives who told us that it was time to stop wasting our lives, to stop trying to do things in our own strength, to stop trying to fill ourselves with things that would never satisfy us, and come to Christ. Someone who knew the true love of God and loved it so much that they could not keep it to themselves. It’s not just enough for us to know who God is for ourselves. Jesus not only paid the price for our sins, he also made disciples, who went out to spread the Good News and make more disciples, who then did the same! 

I have talked, a few times on here, of how there are people who know of Christ but don’t really know Him and how they’re waiting on “the right time”. But what about us that know Him already? Why aren’t we more urgent in going out to tell more people the Gospel? It’s cool to tweet some gems and go to conferences and worship in our households, but how are we actually reaching out to people? And if we’re not, what’s holding us back? We cannot wait until we’re older, tomorrow is not guaranteed. We should not wait until we “have it all together” because if we did have it all together, we wouldn’t need Christ! And we can’t blame it on our current age, because 1 Timothy reminds us that we cannot allow people to look down on us because of our youth. God didn’t choose to pursue you when you were older, He chose now. He didn’t wait until you were all fixed, He specializes in using the broken. He would never avoid you because of your youth, He’s used, and continues to use, so many people in their young age.  So what am I saying? The time is now. It’s time to not only talk about saving souls, but to actually go out and do so. There’s people in our neighborhoods, our schools, maybe even in our families who need to know about God and the love He has for them. You could be the one who helps them make the best decision of their lifetime. 

Don’t delay. Ask God to give you the boldness to go out and make disciples of many nations. There’s no reason He wouldn’t do it, it’s what Jesus commanded us to do. He wouldn’t ask you to do it, if He didn’t believe that you could. Believe in yourself and the One who gave you the command.

Much love always,

I used to think praying was really boring….borderline a waste of time. Growing up, I didn’t fully understand the depth of prayer because all I could think of was how long they were or how many times repeated a certain phrase and things like that. But I’m grateful that my personal relationship with God has completely changed my view on prayer! Now I see it as one of the ways I can communicate with and grow closer to God.

I see prayer as one of the basics of a relationship with God. There’s no way to grow if you do not pray and I’m glad that this is something I understand now. I think a lot of us know prayer is so important, but I’m sure that some of us who were never really taught how to pray. Well, isn’t it great that we serve a God that doesn’t leave us hanging?!

In Matthew 6, Jesus gives us some things to keep in mind when we go into a time of prayer:

Our prayers are to and for God (vv.5-6).

God doesn’t need to be impressed. I used to think that I need to say all these fancy words and pray in certain public settings because it would make people think I’m spiritually mature or really in touch with God. What I didn’t realize is that it’s pretty much the opposite. I don’t need to put on a show or prove to people that I can pray. I don’t pray to entertain them.

Our prayers can be simple (vv.7-8).

It can be so easy to fall into the desire of wanting to pray like someone you know or someone you’ve heard then try to imitate their style. This can often lead to empty prayers or us using words we don’t fully understand. We don’t need to use a thesaurus when we go to pray. It’s not about using words beyond our vocabularies, it’s about the position of our heart’s when we pray. It’s okay for our prayers to be simple as long as our intentions are pure.

Our prayers can clear our hearts (vv.14-15)

It’s important for us to be honest in our prayers. One of things that is asked of us is that we forgive those who have hurt us. We do this so that God will forgive us of our own wrongdoings. If you think about it, it really does not make sense for us to hold grudges against people, because we also make mistakes, all the time. And if God would pile up our sins, instead of forgiving us and clearing our debts, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Forgiveness helps us clear our hearts of any unnecessary weight. It’s not always easy. It’s okay to ask God to let God know you’re struggling to forgive someone and ask for Him to help you through that process. Again, it’s about the sincerity of what you’re asking.

As we grow in our relationship with God, we’ll find more ways to grow our prayer life. It’s important that we’re consistent in our prayers because it’s one way for God’s glory to be revealed to us.

Hope this post was helpful! Have questions? Need prayer? I’m here to help!

Much love always,

Freedom in being TRANSPARENT

“There’s freedom in being transparent.” I wish I would’ve known of this statement years ago, then I could’ve gotten rid of a perfect image that I portrayed to the world and to myself. If I really was open to being free, then I could be my true authentic self and really be able to help others. For so long I used many excuses to rationalize my inabilities to relate to others, chalking it up to just being shy. While granted that was the case, I didn’t want others to already have a preconceived notion of who I was, but I wasn’t even willing to open myself to allow people to see “who I really was.”

What I didn’t realize then was that when I’m not true to myself, then no one can get to really know me or understand me. I was the type of person who didn’t want my insecurities to be highlighted, not even the slightest. It was so sad, I wouldn't even allow anyone to see the “real me”, knowing those  were the parts that God would use to draw certain people into my path to help and return the favor. At that time I didn’t know God's plan for my life and I didn't know how he would use what I’ve gone through to be a blessing to others.

I don’t know about you, but I had so many excuses swirling in my head leading me to doubting myself. How crazy is it, that we allow the naysayers and negative thinking, even our own selves, push us out of destiny into what God wants. Often times we think that we aren’t capable of reaching goals, or helping others because of what we’ve been through or because of our background story. Trust me, I know because I’ve thought that of myself. I was even doubting myself in the midst of writing. Sometimes we are the only ones in the way of ourselves. It’s okay to not have it all together, and we aren’t supposed to. Even God knows that you don’t have it all together, because if you did then you wouldn't need to depend on him (Philippians 3:12).

When you find freedom in being transparent you quiet the voices of just yourself, and you open yourself up to others that you would've never known  that they needed to hear your testimony. When you're transparent you're able to share experiences with others and you see that you’re not alone. In my own journey, I’ve seen that being honest of past struggles helps not only yourself, but others in their process. You never know what people are going through, and someone could be waiting for you to open up, so they can finally have the courage to exhale and admit “me too.” Think about how freeing it is to let go of all expectations and just live in the truth God has for you.

I encourage you to not let your past dictate where you are going, and to not let the fear of being vulnerable silence you. Let your transparency bring you peace. When I was finally able to become transparent with not only family and friends but to myself and most importantly to God, that’s when I noticed the burdens were falling off. I wasn’t pretending to be someone or something that I wasn’t. I was able to release the burdens of insecurities and the idea of “perfection” to God, and he was able to carry those (Matthew 11:28-30). There’s absolute truth and freedom in you being transparent to yourself and to others. I just encourage you to be transparent at least with yourself, if no one else. Allow yourself to be made free in God and allow him to take on your burdens and transform you with a new mindset. No matter what you’ve gone through, what you’re currently going through now, or what you see ahead, God is always offering freedom to you.        

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God... (1 John 3:1, NIV)

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. (Ephesians 1:5, NLT)

When someone says, “You’re _____’s daughter!” a few things go through my head. When I hear this I think, “I wonder how they knew” “Was it my ___?” “Wow! Am I that much like them?” It could either be a really proud moment or annoying moment depending on the time and day and how many times I’ve heard it that day, and I’m always wishing and hoping that they learn my name so they won’t call me “____’s daughter” for life. More recently, though, I’ve been so proud when someone says this to me because I appreciate my parents so much and know they’ve built, and still are building, a legacy behind their names. Being part of that, and witnessing it, is great in itself.

The quote that comes to mind in all this thinking is, “You don’t choose your family...” which is true, God places us in them. Imagine God choosing people to be part of his family, and he chose you. Wow, right? When I think about all I have done, how I have fallen short so many times, how I have dealt with lying, lust, addiction, unforgiveness, anger, and other things, I wonder what could possibly make God want me to be associated with him in such an intimate way. Like really...me? His daughter? The God who created all things, planned all things, can see all things, and is capable of all things, wants to be a Father to me? Why? Simple: because He believes I am worth it. That is how much he loves me. You know how you don’t choose your family? It’s true, but you do choose to love them and also accept that they love you. In the same way, it is my choice to love Christ and also accept the love he has for me. My family doesn’t love me just because we are related to me, my family has shown me through the years in more ways than one how much they love me. And Jesus showed me he loved me in the ultimate way by giving his life for me. The Father continually shows me how He loves me day in and day out. And of course, the first time it really kicked in, I accepted it and gave my life to Him. Now I am His child. A joint heir with Christ. Wow, right? It seems like such a heavy title and that’s because it is.

It’s not meant to be a light one. Even though it’s available to everyone, not everyone is ready to take it on. When you accept that you’re a child of God, He begins transforming you into what it really means to be His. Someone should be able to know by the way I live that I am a child of God. It means giving up any old ways, anything that makes someone look like a product of the world, and not everyone is ready for that. And what is amazing about God is that he knows that and still loves you anyway, and is ready to welcome you with open arms when you’re ready to surrender to Him. I can personally tell you that being a child of God is so amazing. It comes with its highs and lows, it’s loud moments and quiet ones. You will be frustrated, you will get angry, you will questions things and you may even want to give up, but overall it is so worth it and your life as His child is so much better than it could’ve been. For the past month or so, my spirit has just been reminded of how God loves me as his daughter. How he decided I was worth it. How he believed in me even before I was formed.

Guys, I really encourage you to accept that God loves you. Right in this moment. You’re wonderful as you are right now, but you could be even more amazing if you accept the love He has for you and accept to be part of His family. Don’t worry about the “heaviness” of the title. If God brought you to it, He will lead you to it. If you would like to be part of this heavenly family, please contact me via email or Twitter and I will be more than glad to talk to you about this. And if you are already part of the family, I encourage you to bring more people in, so they can also become our brothers and sisters in Christ.

God loves you and so do I!

Much love always,

Kumam 💝

Email: [email protected]

She believed in me when I could not. 

Picked me up when I fell.

Scolded me when I was wrong,

Loved me through each mistake. Even the ones that took me forever and a day to learn.

Prayed for me without ceasing. 

Defended me with no hesitation.

A product of her own transgressions. 

A product of her obstacles. 

She attempts to live through me as her seed. Yet she still finds the strength to allow me to plant my own tree.

All fruits of the spirit heed from her.

 ...."She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.." Proverbs 31:26 

-She is.. My mother. 

Happy Friday! Thanks so much for tuning in to this semester’s Finals Affirmations series. I really appreciate the support and hope you’ve been able to keep up your spirits during this time!

Reflect on what God has done for you this exam season, even this semester. Isn’t God good? Same. We thank Him that you’ve made it through. You’re here, alive and well. Push through your last exam(s) today. It’s nothing in comparison to all you’ve been able to accomplish this semester. Remember God believes in you and so do I!

Join me in this prayer of thanksgiving:

O God,

You are Alpha and Omega, and everything in between. Wonderful are your works, Heavenly Father. There is none like You. No one could ever compare nor even come close to who You are. Thank you for your love that you so lavishly pour upon me. Thank you for your mercy and your grace. God I want to say thank you. There are not enough words to thank you for every single mountain and valley you’ve brought me through this semester. There were many storms, there was much sunshine, and through it all You’ve been faithful. I praise Your Holy name for you are so good to me. Thank you for being with me through this finals season. No matter the results, you will continue to be with me and help me along my path to success. God I pray as I enter into a time of rest that you just heal me of any illness, heal my body of any aches and pains, and clear my mind. Let me be able to rest in you this summer. Keep me safe wherever I go, as you have been doing. Abba Father, again, I just say thank you. Thank you for all you have done, all you’re doing, and all you will do. May I enjoy this break and be prepared for my next steps ahead.

In Your precious and holy name,

Amen ❤️

Good morning!! Two more days!!!

TWO MORE DAYSSSSS

Can we just praise God for a second?! Look how close we are to the finish line!!

I just want to talk about speaking life today. The Bible says that death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21) , so think about this: How am I using my words to speak life? Think about the magnitude of words. They’re powerful. More than we really would  like to ever admit. A sentence can change our whole entire mood. Words can be used to curse. Words can be used to praise. Words can be used for prayer. How are you using your words this exam season?

Negative words can slip out our mouths so quick. It’s as if we’ve been programmed to speak ill of ourselves and our situations. We’re so quick to say we’re failures, or we’re terrible, we can’t do xyz and things such as....but is that really the truth? No. These are lies the enemy wants you to believe and if you say a lie enough times, you’ll actually start to believe it. But the Word, which is TRUTH, says you’re more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37), it says that God has plans for your to prosper (Jeremiah 29:11), that you can do ALL things through Christ who gives you strength (Philippians 4:13), and so much more. Whose words are these? GOD’S. And if God is not a man that he should lie (Numbers 23:19) .....what business do we have declaring lies over ourselves?

Our thinking changes today. Our mindsets shift now.

Say this with me please. Out loud, with your chest, thank youu:

I will continue to excel in these last few days because of Who I put my hope and trust in. Not only will I put in work and finish everything in good time, I will do it well. I believe that I can do everything I need to do in order to finish this semester because God will carry me through.  I give Him praise for all that he has helped me to do, because I know without his power and his grace, this would not have been possible. I know He is on my side. I believe all these things.

Use your words wisely today. Take captive those negative thoughts today by speaking life.

Much love always,