Faith and Life Blog

  Unveiling the Power of Faith: A Review of 'Memorial Stones: Testimonies of God’s Faithfulness and Provision in Times of Need – Volume 1' .         God Is Good   “God Is Good”- is the greatest understatement EVER!! However,   ‘Memorial Stones: Testimonies of God’s Faithfulness and Provision in Times of Need – Volume 1’  offers a unique perspective, reminding us that He INDEED is profoundly good. This book, serving as a powerful source of inspiration and a beacon of hope, uplifts the spirit with its unique insights.   But first, let us look at the definition of good. While there were numerous definitions, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the ones that stood out to me most were:  of a favourable character or tendency; and  that can be relied on.   Despite these standing out to me, I believe that the definitions fail to express who God truly is. God is just, of high standards, wise, capable, to be desired, worthy, and...

Passage: Ephesians 6: 10 -17  (NIV)  Focus verse:  Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.   (Ephesians 6:11)     The Christian life is a constant battle and so each day, as soldiers of Christ, we are at war with forces of evil, the enemy of our souls. The war is not physical, but spiritual. How do we prepare ourselves for battle? How do we show up? How do we win the fight? By dressing for success, putting on our weapon of warfare, our armour. In the passage above, the Apostle Paul urges Christians to "put on the whole armor of God," a metaphor for spiritual protection against the forces of evil. This armor is not physical but spiritual, designed to shield us from the attacks of the devil and his minions. Let's delve into each piece of this divine armor. The Belt of Truth This is the foundation of our spiritual armor. Truth, as revealed in God's Word, is our belt, holding up the rest of our ...

For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13   As I exited my vehicle at work one morning, I looked across to the newly constructed extension to the parking lot admiring how beautiful, spacious and well laid out it was. It was a sight to behold! My mind then went back to the previous day, when two of my neighbours, having passed the location that day, were very impressed with what they saw and mentioned it to me. I looked on with a sigh of relief, happy with the fact that there would be no more parking problems, at least for a very long time.  As I reflected on the new upgrade, the words ' pardon our progress' flashed across my mind, and this time, my mind was taken back to the days when the work was in progress. Often used in the field of construction, these words are usually mounted on a sign alerting the public that even though there is a lot of chaos, noise, dust, confusion and inconvenience, something new and bette...

  September 9, 2024 • Lona Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24 (NIV) It’s amazing how God often shows up in the simple and seemingly insignificant things of life. Two recent incidents in the past two days have securely cemented this fact in my mind and are the inspiration behind today’s devotional. Incidentally, I had planned to go into a totally different direction for this week’s blog, but on two different occasions, as I sat down and tried to put pen to paper, I had a terrible case of writer’s block. My thoughts were not flowing and there was almost a sense of mental paralysis. I decided, on both occasions, to take a step back. In hindsight, I can see that what I faced both times was God’s re-direction. Yesterday, I went through a time of being angry and impatient with God. I was upset because He had made me a promise a long time ago and it has still not yet been fulfilled. I am sure you have all been in such a position and c...

  Yet you, Lord are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter. We are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8 If we are spiritually discerning, our eyes, hearts and minds will be enlightened to see the important lessons unearthed from last week's devotional. I will share three such lessons with you, hoping you will spend some time meditating on them and apply the nuggets gained from them to your life. 1. Be rightly positioned In order to receive the blessings that God has for us, we must be rightly positioned. We must be in the right place at the right time. We must be rightly aligned to receive from him. Had I been elsewhere, I would not have heard that artisan as he passed by, shouting out the services that He offered. I would not have been in a place to take advantage of the offer. 2. Seize the moment It is said that opportunity knocks only once in any season. You never know if or when you will get another opportunity to do the things that you want to do, so when an opportu...

  Yet you, Lord are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter. We are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8 God continues to impart valuable spiritual lessons through seemingly mundane and pedestrian events of  life. Saturday, July 13, 2024, was one such event when he showed up and showed off, reminding me that He loves me and is aware of even the simple things that others might just shrug off, thinking that is too trivial to even mention to Him.  A few weeks prior, I decided to clean my fan. I removed the outer covering but struggled to replace it as it differed significantly from other fans. Instead of latches or hooks placed at points around the rim, there was one central point held together by a single screw. I did not have a screwdriver, so it was a difficult task as I had to proverbially 'tun mi han'. I had no such luck when I tried to replace it as I would have needed an extra pair of hands to hold it in place while I adjusted the screw. The next best option...

  I collected my first royalty cheque for my published works in December 2016. I was thrilled and pleasantly surprised. Earlier that year I had attended a writers’ workshop and learned that persons who have published works could register them with a local copyright organization and would receive royalty payments at the end of each year. I was quite excited about this opportunity and so I set about registering my three published articles shortly thereafter. When I received an email notifying me that my cheque was ready for pickup, I didn’t have high expectations about the amount that I would receive. I was cautiously optimistic, thinking that it could be about J$5000 if that much. When I looked at my cheque, my eyes widened in disbelief as it was far more than I had imagined.   After I got home, I made a mental note to pay my tithe from the amount, as a dutiful Christian should. But then, a word flashed through my mind, “first fruits”. I quickly rejected it and pushed it aside....