Verse-of-the-day

It was in Zambia that I was introduced to the phenomena of sending a ‘verse of the day’ by sms to inspire or encourage a friend or just simply let the other person know someone is thinking about you. In honour of this friendly custom, I post here a verse every blog post.

My Story

A life verse I was given in Tanzania by the local church I attended:

“Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Make sure you carry out The Revelation that Moses commanded you, every bit of it. Don’t get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you’re going. And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed. Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take”

Joshua 1:8-9

A Christmas Carol

The boots of all those invading troops and soldiers, along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood, will be piled in a heap and burned, a fire that will burn for days!

For to us a child is born!
to us a son is given!
He’ll take over the running of the world.
His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His ruling authority will grow, and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.

Isaiah 9:5-7

The elusive pursuit of happiness:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Bonus verse (for your own reading): Ecclesiastes 2:1

A new beginning in South Sudan

“At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord Almighty

the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 18:7

(Talking about the people of “Cush” worshipping SS which some belief is a biblical prophesy over nowadays South Sudan)

Life on a shoestring…

“Whatever you have done for the least amongst you, you have done upon to me.” Matthew 25:45

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” Acts 20:35

50 years Africa

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” Romans 15:1-2

Made in China

Don’t carry around with you two weights, one heavy and the other light, and don’t keep two measures at hand, one large and the other small. Use only one weight, a true and honest weight, and one measure, a true and honest measure, so that you will live a long time on the land that God, your God, is giving you. Dishonest weights and measures are an abomination to God, your God—all this corruption in business deals!

– Deuteronomy 25:13-15 –

A truly unique country

Let envoys come from Egypt, Let Ethiopia stretch out its hands to God

– Psalm 68:31 –

Buns and bandits

“Get going. Cross this Jordan River, you and all the people. Cross to the country I’m giving to the People of Israel. I’m giving you every square inch of the land you set your foot on—just as I promised Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon east to the Great River, the Euphrates River—all the Hittite country—and then west to the Great Sea. It’s all yours. All your life, no one will be able to hold out against you. In the same way I was with Moses, I’ll be with you. I won’t give up on you; I won’t leave you. Strength! Courage! You are going to lead this people to inherit the land that I promised to give their ancestors. Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Make sure you carry out The Revelation that Moses commanded you, every bit of it. Don’t get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you’re going. And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed. Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take.” – Joshua 1:1-9 –

a trip less ordinary

Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It’s way over our heads.

Is there anyone around who can explain God?
Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do?
Anyone who has done him such a huge favor
that God has to ask his advice?

Everything comes from him;
Everything happens through him;
Everything ends up in him.

– Romans 11:36 –

The road ahead

Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Think about that book he gave you, ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed. Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take. -Joshua 1:7-9 –

Dating in Rwanda

“Do not arouse or awaken love before it so desires” – Song of Solomon 2:7 –

Wind of hope

And the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope. -Romans 15:4 –

I am Child, Same as Others

‘Pure and ubdefiled religion is this: to care for orphans and visit widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.’  – James 1:27 –

Mzungu crossing through East Africa

I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
      your handmade sky-jewelry,
   Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
      Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
   Why do you bother with us?
      Why take a second look our way? 

Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
      bright with Eden’s dawn light.
   You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
      repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
   Made us lords of sheep and cattle,
      even animals out in the wild,
   Birds flying and fish swimming,
      whales singing in the ocean deeps. 

God, brilliant Lord, 
your name echoes around the world. – Psalm 8:3-9 –

why taking wedding pictures at a roundabout..

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us: it’s in everyone. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Nelson Mandela –

Visiting refugees

‘When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress him. The foreigner who lives with you shall be to you as your own citizen; you shall love the stranger as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.’  – Leviticus 19:33-34 –

The smell of development

It is better to posses little but live an upright life, than to be rich and live a Godless one  – psalm 37:16 –

Going local

‘Caring for the poor is like lending to the Lord’ – proverbs 19:17 –

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