FROM THE SLOPES OF KILIMANJARO

You ever do things that just bring a chill down your spine, things that cause your blood to rush and you get that kind of excitement that you just cannot find the right vocabulary to explain... well, for me, that is how it is when I am at high altitude; Mt. Kenya, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Meru, name it. 

And that is exactly where I started this month... on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. 

People always ask me why I do it, was my fifth climb this time and many never understand why once was not enough. My answer is always the same; I do not do it for me anymore, I do it to help someone else achieve that dream, I let others use my experience up there to be a stepping stone to them achieving their dreams of getting to the top. It is something I missed when I did my first climb so I know how hard it can be without it. 

But I also do it in many ways to be closer to God. When on that long, tiring and treacherous journey, you get so many points when your mind is closed to all the perils of life that you have left at the foot of the mountain, which you have left in the workplaces, which you have left at home; and the focus shifts to God.

I understood the meaning of the word giving up on my many journeys to the mountains. It is tiring, it is draining, not just physically but emotionally, psychologically, spiritually. 

But at that point where I am at the end of my limit, there is where I find the start of God, there is where he carries me in His arms and I no longer need to rely on myself to continue the journey. I have learnt to rely on God. 

Many times in my Christian walk, I have come to a point where it seems to end, and I think that my experience, my wealth, my human understanding etc... can be the solution, I have thought that I am able, I am strong, I am rich, I am wise, I am all that. 

But on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, I have been reminded a major lesson... I AM WEAK!!

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

So beyond those slopes, it always rings in my head, I am weak, I am blind, I am nothing. And at that point when I have it in my mind that I am all that, then I am reminded of who created me; He is my strength, He is my sight, He is my all.

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Isaiah 40:29

As I take my Christian walk, I am reminded every day that when I am in Christ and when I put my trust in Him, then I find my strength, I find my direction and I know what He has in store for me.He has made that promise in His word, that only when my hope is in Him, then there is assurance of His strength, there is assurance that I am no longer blind, that I have Him on my side. 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor 12:9-10

So where is your strength; is it in your wealth, is it in your abilities, is it in thinking you can, is it in your position in life??? Do not get it twisted, all that is bound to fail. If it is not in our God who is all that, then you need to get your priorities straight.Get into Christ and get assured that you are in the Almighty God. 

From a sinner saved by His grace, seeking to live His will.

TIME

Time- a thing that is measured as seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years etc. Also defined as the measured or measurable period during which an action, process or condition exists or continues. 

Enough of dictionary explanations of what time is. Time dictates how we live each and every day of our lives; wake up every morning and have to leave the house in good time to beat traffic, could not have breakfast because you would get late, office hours are 8am to 5 pm with one hour lunch break, traffic heading back home, some time to spend with the wife and kids in the evening, dinner time and its off to bed; typical day. 

Somewhere between there you squeeze in some time to have a social life, hang out with friends, attend your weekly Bible Study, see a sick friend/relative in the hospital... you name it. 

Our life revolves on the limit of 24 hours in a day and that is a universal factor... no one has 23 and another 25, we all live 24 hours in a day. 

They say death and taxes are the only things that are inevitable. Truth is, you can avoid to pay taxes, my taxation lecturer in college taught me that there is tax avoidance which is completely legal, tax avoidance on the other hand... you will end up in big trouble. 

Hence the only thing we can be certain of, the only thing that is inevitable in our lives... DEATH. Our lives will come to an end that is for sure. Death you are not going to get out of, and you kind of got to deal with it. Big question is; what quality of life will you have lived to be assured of eternity.

... "Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last. I am the living one: I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." Revelations 1:17-18

I have been studying the book of Revelation, something that I have to admit I have never done in my life, and this verse caught my eye. Being written to 7 churches that were being persecuted for their faith, it meant that God was just telling them that through all they were going through, God was never going to change. 

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

Unlike us God is not limited by time and space. His being remains the same way before I was born, throughout my entire life, and way after my passing from this life. 

This reassurance is that when I am with this God who never changes, then I know that Death is certain, but beyond there is eternity in the God I am in. 

So today I choose to anchor my life in eternity, beyond timelines that come with my life, and focus on what comes after my death... eternity with my Lord and Saviour, with my Father in Heaven. Same choice we all have today, I do hope yours is also focused on Eternity with God. 

It is up to you, you know...

FRIENDS

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

It's been ages!!! But today, I'm making it about friends... and thank God for Michael W. Smith for the words in his song Friends. 

I have recently come to learn the value of friends, the simple things they do in our lives that end up amounting to greatness; a simple phone call, a one word answer, a smile, a shoulder to lean on... you name it. 

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: if one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Having a friend means there is someone looking out for me, who can be a support at that point when I am weak and a way by which I can get back up again. So many times I know I have missed it and I have assumed there is no point of having a friend, it is hard at times and I just want to be alone. But in the words of one wise King Solomon, pity me when I fall and there is no one to pick me up. 

Being a friend means I am there for a friend when he too is down because I know, that's exactly what they would do for me; you never think twice about it. We all have those people in our lives that we would do anything for, not really expecting it paid back... that is a friend. 

So today, this goes out to so many people that have helped me up on the many times I have fallen. I have picked up a lot of brothers and sisters along the way and I may have missed many opportunities to recognize and appreciate you. But today, it is all about you.

In my opinion, I have the best friends anyone would ever ask for and maybe I have taken that for granted. So today and every other day, I am taking the opportunity to appreciate my friend. 

I hope this will remind you of the friends that complete your life and appreciate them. My words may not be sufficient enough, but take a moment to share this with the, take a moment to send a thank you note, take a moment to reflect on the times that have made you a friend to someone and bask in knowing that you can be counted as a friend. 

For me, friendship goes beyond all boundaries; it spreads right from where I am, across the city to Umoja, Thika, Dandora, to Machakos, Homa Bay, South Sudan, South Africa, Leeds (I hope people are taking a hint)... It is hard to find the right words to appreciate each and every one of you for the difference you have made in my life, but in short, I love you all and Ill make it a point to appreciate you whenever I can. 

Wherever this life may take you, it may be miles from here, just know that you will never be forgotten, you are part of my life. And Michael W. Smith just had the right words... " and a lifetime is not too long to live as friends!"

With lots of love
Grey.