I've Learnt

I’ve learnt that God will not give me what I want but what he wants for me.
I’ve learnt that God will not open doors for me, but will give me keys to open them.
I’ve learnt that God will not force me to do his will but will bring situations that will cause me to.
I’ve learnt that God will not remove obstacles from my way, but will give me the wisdom to remove them.

I’ve learnt that even though I don’t understand God and his ways, he understands my ways.
I’ve learnt that it doesn’t matter how much I know, but without the knowledge of God
What I know is useless.
I’ve learnt to live in plenty and in the absence of much.
I’ve learnt to give when it’s painful and to receive joyfully, painful situations God has allowed my way.

I’ve learnt that while I pray for God to change the world, I have to be the change I want to see.
I’ve learnt that when I ask God to provide for someone, to look within my capabilities and see if I may be the vessel through which the blessings should flow.
I’ve learnt that God brings people into my life for a reason and when they leave their assignment in my life is over.
I’ve learnt that to be content is not to be satisfied with underachievement, but to work joyfully at my current task on the way to my future assignment.

I’ve learnt that worry does not solve any problem but rather it leaves the door open for despair, sorrow and pain.
I’ve learnt that sometimes our best efforts may not produce the returns we desire.
I’ve learnt to always be thankful in spite of everything I go through, to find the rose within the thorns. For there is someone out there whose issues are 100 times worse than mine.

What have you learnt as you journey through life?

© Deboo November 2008

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You Can!

On the 5th of November 2008, Americans woke up to a new dawn, a new day, a renewed belief in the hope that anything is possible.
Collectively with their votes they spoke as one, because they dare to believe that they can.
They left the past that had held them bound for so long
They woke up and sang a new song.
Men, women, boys and girls, young and old, danced and cheered not for a person, but to a new assurance that Yes, they Can achieve anything if they can believe.

So straight from my heart is this piece to encourage anyone who feel they can’t go on, that their time is past, that it’s too late in the day to dream again. This is to encourage you to hope again, arise with vigour and believe that you too can.


Though skies turn grey and clouds gather over your dream
When you measure the drapes of your life and nothing seems to add up
When you peep through the curtains of despair and see the pain that carpets the pathway that leads to success.
Though the scourging heat of the sun’s ray melt away your dreams and you see the obstacles stacked against you.
When the obvious seems remotely possible and dreams appears to be just that, dreams!
When failures become the norm rather than the exception and dread a familiar foe.
Ignite your dreams again and believe you can achieve.
Let the vision of the future propel you into the promise of a better day
Believe that the past is in the dungeon of history
Let loose the ropes of dread around your loins
Step into the future with your sight set on paths littered with the colours of hope
That in deed you can.
Step into the future with renewed faith
Step into the future with renewed strength
Turn your wishes into actions
Dare to believe that anything is possible
That impossible is nothing
Dare to believe that you can.

© Deboo November 2008

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What's in your Luggage!

It was about me I thought,
When you said the words that hurt that broke my heart.
It was about me when I held on to the pain your actions caused,
I will not let go I have to keep holding on.
It was about me when I decided not to let go
But to carry around the hurt and pain I felt inside.
I’ve been everywhere with it because I can’t let go.
Now I realised that I too had hurt someone long ago
And keep on hurting him if I don’t let go of my selfish pain.
I had to give you the gift I received over 2000 years ago before I was born.
For I’ve come to realise it’s not about me,
But about a love that forgave me in spite of my wrongs.

© Deboo November 2008

Today was café church at a local church I sometimes fellowship with. I am always blessed by the informal worship arrangements and have decided to worship with them every now and again.

Café church means just that; over coffee, teas, biscuit and fruits we sit in groups and discuss a topic which challenges us as Christians to think. It is more like a bible study, but the difference is it’s not on a weekday and there is very little bible reading, although the theme is always from the bible, and there is a chance for us to mixed up and fellowship!

Today’s theme was Luggage! What are you carrying around?
The focus was on forgiveness. A short video was played which really drove home the point.

This got me thinking: What really are we carrying around? What’s eating us up?
Forgiveness is not easy. It is one of the most difficult things in the world. Try telling someone who’s been raped to forgive their attacker, or an abused spouse to forgive their partner or a friend who feels betrayed to forgive their best friend.

Forgiveness does not come cheap, it is costly, and it will cost you your pride, because really, pride amongst other things is what makes forgiving others difficult. It will force us to act contrary to our human nature, because the natural thing is to want to get even.

Even when we pay lip services to forgive those who have wronged us, in truth we haven’t.
You may think you’ve forgiven someone until they show up years later and resurrect a whole cane of worms.

Have you been there? Hurt by someone dear? And you feel like sticking the knife in and make them pay? As the saying goes
“Revenge is a meal best severed cold”
Revenge should not be on the cards at all, it is saying to God I don’t trust you to deal with this situation so I’m going to handle it my way because I can do a better job!

As I watched that video it dawn on me that no matter how hard we try, people will hurt us. Like a dog that goes back to its vomit some times the same people will keep hurting us:
What should you do in those circumstances, stick around and continue to be hurt? No forgive and walk away.

Unforgiveness is a luggage that eats at us slowly.

We carry around anger, hurt, pain, rage, bitterness that keeps us chained to the past.

Let go, set yourself free and just as the bible says forgive those who wrong you, pray for those who despitefully use you.

In conclusion today we were given an onion bud to plan as a way of letting go.
The goal was to go back home and do a soul searching, let go of anyone who may have hurt us. And pray that good will come to them. When you do that without feeling the pain, you will have come into a new beginning, as we bury the bud, we are burying hurt, rage, anger e.t.c. and as it flourishes we flourish into newness of life and experience freedom that comes with forgiving others!

Relevant bible passages:
Mathew: 6:12
Mark: 11:25


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