Breakdowns lead to Breakthroughs

 “I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God.”

 

I love breakdowns because they always Lead to breakthrough. It is crazy to imagine where I was at year ago. You know those times when you look at your life and go like, “I don’t get it.” sometimes life is going amazingly well, sometimes a little bump on the way, sometimes a few life surprises.

When I began connecting the dots backwards, I learned that God is still sovereign. He has a purpose for every single thing that happens in life. Sometimes it does not make sense, but I’ve learned knowing that He is with me, He cares for me and HE IS IN CONTROL. He sees the pains, the struggle, the giants, He is the alfa and omega. He knows your yesterday, today and holds your tomorrow in his hands.

This year, I have learned three lessons,

1. DREAM BIG.

You have probably heard this before, read books, blogs, among many other platforms. But we can never stop talking about this good stuff. We all have dreams, plans and goals for our lives, but are they big enough? We make God too small when we dream small.
I am a big dreamer, sometimes I get so weird about my dreams if not crazy.  Only those who have seen me grow understand the way I dream, because they have seen some of the things come to pass. A huge one was my relocation from Kenya to Michigan for school. It all began with a dream, a hunger for more something bigger and an urge to become a better person and today, God has done it which makes me dream next level dreams.

In the book “Chase the Lions,” Dr. Mark Peterson, challenges us to chase dreams that are big and audacious, dreams that keep us awake at night, dreams that if God does not come through, these dreams cannot happen. He goes on to explain that big dreams can only be achieved if God is in them and ultimately, HE GETS ALL THE GLORY.  Therefore friends, keep dreaming, go big or go home and watch what God can do through your BIG DREAMS.

2. PERSPECTIVE IS EVERYTHING!!!

In my freshman year of college, I did not have enough money to pay for my tuition. I remember being so overwhelmed by the thoughts of what would become of me. I tried to figure out the options I had, in vain. I was drained of energy by stress, tears and thoughts. Then I realized that I was trying to fix everything with my strength and not letting God do his thing.

The bible says in Proverbs 3:5- 6

        “Trust the lord, with all your heart and LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING; and in all your ways, submit to Him and he will make your paths straight.”

Sometimes I just wonder why I keep relying on my own understanding. Honestly, it’s just exhausting. About a year ago when I began to understand the power of trusting the lord, my perspective on how I approached life changed. It is freeing!! Freedom my friend.!!!!!!

As you walk through the journey called life, see everything through Jesus lenses, ask yourself how Jesus would see the situation, what He is showing or teaching you from that situation and surrender to His will -knowing that His will is perfect and great.

As you see and interact with people as well, see them how Jesus would see them. Sadly, we live in a world where we belong to certain cliques, we engage with people who are like us  for who we are and what we can offer them or are like us, and everybody else that does not fit in our circles, is a stranger and not cool for us. I have done this as well, but I am trying to change my perspective on how I see the people I interact with or in my environment.

Imagine with me what it would look like if we saw people as God sees them, image of God, beautiful souls, amazing humans, so much potential, so much greatness within them, loved, honored. Oh my God, the thought just makes me excited, just IMAGINE!!!!!!!!!!! This view, would then change how to accept people with their weakness and faults because God is still working in us, molding us to become the person he designed us to be.

3. FAITH OVER FEAR

One of my favorite song the last two years has been by Bethel Music- No longer slaves. I have studies the words to this song and they just speak life to me. My favorite life-giving line from this song goes like:

     “I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God.”

I don’t know about you but whenever I sing this words in the morning, I am unstoppable. I begin declaring words and promises of God in my life as HIS CHILD, and through Faith I hold on to them and walk my day in Confidence.

In Luke 7, there was a centurion whose faith amazed Jesus. There was the servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die.  The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him asking Him to come and heal his servant.

He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to Him saying, “Lord don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof…… BUT, say the word and my servant will be healed.”

When I read this, I am also amazed at how much the centurion had Faith in Jesus saying just a word. Jesus himself was amazed!!!! Like what? Jesus? Amazed?? He even said that He had not found such faith even in Israel.

As I continue to ponder this scenario from the bible, I have often asked myself if my faith amazes Jesus. We speak of Faith but live differently. It is so easy to often think that we can manipulate God by having our security in what we can do and have while Jesus is option C,E and not A. I have come to learn that when I begin having crazy faith in God, He then moves mountains in my life and its sometimes unbelievable. FAITH works and Fear prisons us from experiencing freedom.

In conclusion, these lessons have carried me throughout this year. They are lessons that have been learned through breakdowns, failures, rejection, joys, pain and brokenness. My friends, we live in a broken world, there is so much pain and hurt but there is hope in God who loves us so much that He sent his only son to die on the cross for our sins, so that you and I can enjoy this life.