In His Image

Found this when I was scrolling through my old posts and it reminded me of who I want to be.. My last 15 reflections before a new year • There’s a peace that comes from honesty; because even if a lie can save you- with truth, you can live with yourself. • There’s a peace that comes with learning to see the best in people, especially because we all want everyone to believe the best about us. • There’s a peace that comes with doing the right thing, and not the easy thing. The measure of integrity is who you are when no one is watching, especially when your family isn’t watching. • There’s a peace that comes with admitting your wrongs. A clear conscience is the softest pillow to sleep on. • There’s a peace that comes with trust, because that is the glue that holds all relationships together. • There’s a peace that comes with letting go, realising you did your best and giving someone their freedom. • There’s a peace that comes with taking a chance, even when you look li...

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that come...

Exposure and access to everything in the information world has gradually changed our perception processes and behaviour. Who can deny it? Because of what we believe is our right to be informed or entertained, we have become more aware, yet also more conditioned and more tolerant. The lines between good and evil have become blurry, black and white has beco me gray and so many other colours on the moral spectrum. We have slowly come to accept what we used to reject and be afraid of, and gradually loosened our grip on Godly principles with each compromise. We usually justify it as our liberty and explain it away as being progressive. "If we can't beat em, join em here and there." is the resounding philosophy for those who are so afraid of being labelled "judgey". We have guilty pleasures we don't want to let go of that we've actually stopped feeling guilty. We care less about what God cares about, as though he used to live in the oldern days an...

Watching Oscar and Reeva’s Whatsapp chat history unravelled on TV today made me cringe. Message after messaged they read. A part of me felt satisfaction because after testimonies that pointed toward his character I thought: 'finally, we have evidence that can’t be disputed: Reeva’s feelings are somewhat out there and we might be able to determine what kind of character Oscar bore while they were together.' Still, a quiet part of me couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. He admits to committing the crime and while his motive is yet to be established.. many of his intimate moments, angry outbursts, feelings and all his ‘dirty little secrets’ are now out in the open for everyone to scrutinise and judge. And they will not be forgotten too soon. While Judge Masipa will ultimately decide his fate, most of us already have, from the comfort of our couches. I watch a lot of the Crime Investigation channel; it’s so evocative. Documentaries and books are already being written about Oscar ...

The worst thing a woman can be in a relationship? Silent. But the art of expressing ourselves in living words, not typed ones proves increasingly challenging. Here are 16 things I, like many of you, wish I had learned to say to a man right as I came of age instead of a decade too late. For the parents out there, I think it's a good idea to talk through these with your daughter before they start dating. These scenarios will come, at some point. 16 Things Every Woman Should Know How To Say To A Man 1. Stop. Most of you have been in a sexual situation where you wanted a man to stop. The ability to say 'stop' when you feel uncomfortable starts with the acknowledgement that you don't owe him anything. You get to decide what you do and don't want on the physical side of the relationship and hopefully, Godly wisdom rather than your own "good sense", will guide you. 2. Commit to me. If a lousy, half-commitment or friends-with-benefits scenario...

Found this post on a blog written by a man, and his perspective was illuminating and snapped me out of some delusions. After a little editing, my hope is that sharing this can challenge our reasoning as women, define that grey area in our interactions with men and empower us to speak up and stop getting the run around. At the end you might find you already knew some of this but the question is, do you have the wisdom and courage to follow through? The post was originally titled ‘Reasons Why Your Relationship Is a Lie’ and if that breaks your heart a little, that’s the beginning of breakthrough LOL. Be brave and enjoy! It’s okay to grow apart, but it’s not okay if you won’t admit that it’s happened. There are so many fake, half-hearted, holding on for what relationships that it’s hard to tell who’s in love and who’s in denial. While there are few men who are genuinely tentative, relationship indecision is mostly a female problem. Mature men are never confused about what th...

This post will be regularly updated with resources on so many different topics I have read and benefited from, for your inspiration! 1. Why You Should Have More Than One Significant Other. http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/relationships/why-you-should-have-more-one-significant-other 2. 6 Things Holding You Back From Making A Difference http://www.relevantmagazine.com/reject-apathy/worldview/6-things-holding-you-back-making-difference 3.  6 Options For Godly Single Women Wanting To Marry http://marshill.com/2013/12/13/6-options-for-godly-single-women-wanting-to-marry?utm_content=bufferc9563&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer 4. Pro-Choice Medical Student Witnesses Abortion Becomes Pro-Life http://www.lifenews.com/2013/10/15/pro-choice-medical-student-witnesses-abortion-becomes-pro-life/ 5. A Challenge To Women http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/a-challenge-to-women 6. For lovers of weaves!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pixB3...

While we bemoan the tragedy of Paul Walker's death, let us also remember the millions who continue to die of HIV/AIDS; many of whom we know, and may our hearts go out to them while they are living... Not when they die. Today is World AIDS Day, an opportunity to reflect on the grief and loss we have suffered over the innumerable lives this pandemic has stolen. Let us also celebrate with gratitude at the great strides that have been made in Antiretroviral Therapy; which have restored longevity, vitality and hope to the afflicted. The only disease left to cure is the most infectious of them all. The disease of our hearts, whose symptoms are apathy and discrimination ; which says that those infected with HIV are doomed to die anyway so we don't have to care because it is not our problem, and 'they' are not part of us. Ignorance ; that believes we are too beautiful, educated, smart (and in some cases, too white) to catch anything so we can continue having u...

"Bad girls ain't no good, and the good girls ain't no fun. The hood girls want a smart nigga, college girls all want a thug. So it seems that we fiend what we don't need." ~Wale ['Bad' ft. Tiara Thomas] Maybe it's because rappers are today's role models preaching that men should be about chasing paper and "b***es ain't sh*t.." Or maybe it's because children from broken homes are five times more lik ely to suffer from mental distress, or maybe it's just the numerous patriarchal societies still in existence today. Maybe this explains why otherwise sane young men grow up emotionally abusing girls and eventually battering women, why there are so many flirtationships and unhealthy relationships.. So what is it about men and the women they love to hate? Maybe for women it's because Jay Z and Fitz have become the fantasy/standard for quality men. Or that women love so blindly and are unable to see destructive ...

Today is Human Rights Day and I just discovered that there is a whole list of them. 30 to be exact. This commemoration was established in 1950 and yet, despite our efforts to become a more 'civilised' world, so many basic freedoms are still being violated. Not in some distant, backward land somewhere, but near you. It is time to solidify our stance against inequality, slavery, discrimination, inad equate living standards, torture and degrading treatment and pave a better path to education, free trial, personal security, rest and leisure for all. It is not only the government's responsibility or that of people like Nelson Mandela to make a change. When you stand up for justice, you alone are a movement. A force. An inspiration to action. One day you too may be elected into a decision-making position so as an individual, it does matter what you endorse. It's easy to spread the news about what Miley did or Kanye said, but where is our compassion for the thous...

I used to find myself wishing Jesus still walked among us, or that I had been alive during his time, witnessing his unparalleled wisdom and life-changing miracles. Most of us feel like if only we could see some sort of evidence with our own eyes then we would have greater faith. Yet even some 2000 years ago; despite the profound impact of Jesus' life, so many doubted; some were simply entertained by hi s works and even the religious teachers criticised, rejected and eventually crucified him. Because of their calloused hearts, they could not see that the kingdom of God had come. Can we truly say that we are more convinced than those people of his day? I am now so grateful that Jesus had to die a physical death, so that He could di splay God's justice, love and mercy. He was the ultimate Divine Intervention that accomplished God's purpose to reconcile us to him on earth, and eternally. No greater man will ever walk the earth because even in death, Jesus' ...

You met someone, got to know them and discovered they were moving away. You date someone, fall in love, have to leave temporarily and decide to separate "for the best." What is it about distance that makes us give up so easily on people we claim to have genuinely cared about? 1. We are an entitled generation that's too lazy to make an effort unless it benefits us here and NOW, we want instant gratification and often bail at the first sign of difficulty. 2. Our society does not advocate anything about self-control, but rather, 'safe sex with the one you love' and 'no strings attached' ..so the thought of abstinence to most people is UNIMAGINABLE and unattainable.  3. We don't recognise hardship as an investment. Instead of using that time apart to develop fortitude and cultivate a true love for someone's spirit rather than merely their company, we miss them, get frustrated and only see the distance as a reason to grow apart and become l...