THE LONGONOT PARABLE

THE LONGONOT PARABLE

So I was talking with my sister last weekend about our friend Joy who had just climbed Mount Longonot for the first time. Yes, many people have climbed Longonot including my sister and myself as well. But there was just something about Joy’s experience that I had to share. The perspective she got about life and her Christian journey while going round the crater pretty much sums up ones Christian life journey. A modern parable so to speak.

As much as this is my second mountain climbing post on this blog there was no way I was not going to share this amazing testimony with all of you.

I hope you find some revelation and some encouragement even as you read her interview.

Joy all set

1. What can you tell us about yourself? [Who you are? What you do? …….]

My name is Joy Mutuku,

I am a Business Development Executive at a tax consultancy firm in Nairobi.

I am also the praise and worship leader at my church.

2. What are the things you do for fun?

I love reading, travelling and lately I have developed an interest in mountain climbing.

View of Longonot before the climb

3. How did you start climbing mountains/hiking? Was it your first time or is it something you usually do?

Mid last year I started taking exercise seriously and began running every morning for at least 30 minutes. Beginning this year, one of my resolutions is to incorporate mountain climbing into my exercise.

I listed three mountains that I should climb by December 2016.Mt. Longonot, Mt. Kenya ad Mt. Kilimanjaro.

When I was in High school I climbed Mt. Kilimambogo in Thika so I know a thing or two about hiking.

4 What was the experience you had when you went on this particular hike?

a) Physically -was it a struggle? It was a struggle, because such a feat definitely takes a toll on your body because you are pushing it towards its limit but in the end it was the will to finish what I started that kept me going.

b) Emotionally- were there times you wanted to give up, if so what pulled you through

There were times where I wanted to give up but the will to go on was much greater because I kept declaring Philippians 4:13 “ I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength “

c) Growth-what did you learn about yourself?  I learnt that I am a go getter, I strive to achieve what I have purposed to achieve. I am strong willed.

5 What next for you after this climb?

I am planning on climbing Mount Kenya.

Scripture that kept Joy going

6. Would you recommend this experience to others? If so why?

Yes I would recommend this experience to others. It is a wonderful experience, you not only lose some weight, but you also get to interact with different people from different cultures and beliefs. It could also be a great adventure for anyone interested in local tourism or just thrill seeking,

7 If there was one thing you could do if money was not an issue what would it be?

I would travel all over the world, live with different communities, learn new cultures and languages, make new friends, share the gospel of Jesus Christ and Video blog about my experiences.

Mount Longonot Terrain

8 What inspirational thing would you share to other African believers?

When I was going round the crater, I got a revelation about Salvation and mountain climbing.

At first when we started climbing, we were so psyched up and had so much energy quite similar to when someone gets saved, you get psyched up about salvation and what you believe salvation will do to and for you.

As you continue to climb, you start getting weary and the  thought of quitting crosses your mind, you meet people on the way that will discourage you with statements like “you have a long way to go”  or “you should have started early in the morning before sunrise”. On the other hand, you will meet with people who will encourage you and assure you that you will make it to the peak.

In salvation you need people around you to add value to your life and lead you to the right paths, it’s the same experience even as you climb the mountain. If I hadn’t gone with my younger brother I don’t think I would have made it to the top and round the crater. There are times I would get weary but he would encourage me and remind me why I decided to climb in the first place.

I also realized that it is very important to keep focus, whenever I lost focus I would get weary. We kept checking where the finish point was, and this would encourage us to go on. In salvation as well, you are not focused on where you are going, you will just be living a mediocre Christian life, without experiencing Jesus Christ and having a relationship with Him.

Something else I need to point out is that in mountain climbing you need water and lots of it. If you climb without water, you might faint. In Salvation this water can be likened to the Word of God, you need to keep “sipping“ the living scriptures or else you will get weary and faint, and eventually die spiritually.

Chilling at the top

When we got to the end, we had this wonderful feeling of accomplishment, we looked back and had an appreciation of all the struggles we encountered on the way because they are the ones that made the finishing worthwhile. Were it an easy feat, the wonderful feeling wouldn’t be there to begin with.

I have also learnt that we should appreciate the journey, even as Christians we should appreciate the ups and downs of life since they bring us closer and closer to being where God has destined for us to be. If we frown at every hurdle that is in our way, we fail to recognize that victory isn’t that sweet if it is effortless.

Joy and her brother

9 Favorite moment while at the bottom of a mountain?

The fact that I embarked on a journey not knowing what I will encounter and I made it.

And seeing everyone smiling and happy to have made it was my favorite moment.

10 Favorite moment while on top of the mountain?

My Favorite moment on the top of the mountain was seeing, the beauty of Gods creation.

11 Any regrets?

I have no regrets

12 Favorite scripture?

Ecclesiastes 3:11, “ He has made everything beautiful in his time , He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Celebrating a victorious climb

Favorite verse

Told you that it was a great experience and I hope it inspired you. Even though she wanted to give up several times, she held on and finished not only climbing the mountain but going around the crater. And isn't it great that God never lets you go through life alone, He always sends some encouragement our way and other believers to help us with our walk of faith.

Have an inspired week

 Check out a previous interview on Mountain climbing Here

LOOKING FOR NAOMI

LOOKING FOR NAOMI

This is yet one of those serious posts that I really felt I had to write in this season and I have dedicated it to the original Naomi in my life, my mum.

I’m sure the title seems a bit strange but it is basically based on the relationship Ruth in the Bible had with Naomi.

It’s been 10 years since my mum passed on and it is only in recent years that I realized I have a gap of an older woman in my life. I am sure one may wonder what a grown woman needs an older woman in her life for. My answer is plenty. The verse in Titus is no joke. Let’s look at it

Titus 2:3-5

³ the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— ⁴ that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

For me this verse is more than about being married. There is the preparation for before and even during and just being a wholesome woman in the first place. That is something that you can only learn from another woman.

The verse speaks to me more about what kind of a woman one should be in society because even the character of the older woman and her reputation has to be intact. Besides that when this verse was written the role of a woman in society was more about being a wife and mother but so much has changed in current society.

 Currently the gap is so big for older women helping younger women transition into being wholesome women in society. It is a very sad state when I approach older women to speak to younger women and they say they have nothing to offer or they think younger women don’t want to listen to them. Then you speak to younger women about getting an older woman to mentor her and she is too intimidated or feels the older woman is too busy to make time for her. Such things crush my heart. Especially for one such as me who is in need of such leadership in my life.

I enjoyed the movie War Room a lot and my main impact of the movie was how Miss Clara was such a Naomi to Elizabeth. She walked her through being a wholesome wife by teaching her to turn to God in her circumstances and challenged her to be a Naomi to another Ruth in need of help. That is actually what stood out to me in that movie. What the power of two in agreement can do. Apart from what God did in that marriage there was a huge transformation for both Miss Clara and Elizabeth. For Miss Clara she helped a younger woman avoid the mistakes she made in her marriage and walked her through the difficult situation she was in through prayer. For Elizabeth she became more wholesome, more forgiving, a better mother and wife and a joyful woman.

I picked the Story of Naomi and Ruth in the Bible from the book of Ruth. There is always so much stressed on how Ruth met Boaz and people forget that Naomi had a big part to play in that relationship.

As much as Naomi was originally Ruth’s mother-in-law I believe Ruth truly converted to Judaism when she dedicated her life to be with Naomi after her husband died. I think so because Naomi was not too sure about her daughter-in-law’s commitment to Judaism or even to her when she decided to go back home. But when Ruth abandoned all she knew and dedicated the rest of her days to be with Naomi without knowing what the future held, that was what sealed it for Naomi. She was sure Ruth truly loved and cared for her. Not that Orpah didn’t, I just think Orpah wasn’t ready to commit to a life of uncertainty.

Sometimes when I mentor younger ladies, I do get the ones who are committed to walk their life journey with you and those that it is only for a season.

It is easy as a young woman to think you have life figured out and the truth is that it is a difficult world out there. We need each other and especially the Naomi-Ruth relationships. For all who have mums, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, mother-in –laws, sister-in-laws, female mentors etc. Do not take that time you spend or their presence in your life for granted. Appreciate them and reach out to them.

As much as we need them to give into our lives we also need to help them. Even as Ruth took care of Naomi we need to ensure we minister to the Naomi’s in our lives where we can.

 I have had a lot of older women come and go in my life, short term as it was the impact they have had in my life only God knows. They did not even have to necessarily speak but just to know that they care and how I saw them live their lives and take care of their families is amazing to me. I have seen God work in their lives in an amazing way.

My mother was an amazing woman. She impacted so many young ladies in her lifetime and even when I meet them now they miss her just as much as I do. She was willing to meet them at their level and even went and visited them in their homes. She made real impact in their lives and was a source of encouragement to them. Because of her my sister and I have a passion for reaching out to younger ladies and just being there for them in the space they are in. and we truly want her legacy to live on through that ministry.

I encourage ladies out there, reach out to a lady younger than you and younger ladies reach out to the older ladies to walk with you in this life journey. Who knows we might create a movement. But we need to be there for one another as women. Reach out today.

WORD OF GOD

WORD OF GOD

Ever since I became a believer, I have been fascinated by the Word of God. I just cant get enough of it and I learn so much about God and also about myself through reading and studying it. I am not just saying it either for me it’s real.

I realized there is a different impact God’s Word has for people who grew up in a Christian home and for people who became Christian on their own accord. For me being a Christian is trusting Jesus as my personal Savior. For those who have been brought up in a Christian [church going] family, it can become more like an inherited custom more than an active faith.

But when they pursue it then it makes a world of difference because it becomes real and how they were brought up makes a world of sense.

 I am those people who may not look it but I love to seriously study The Word of God. And I mean study it beyond the text. I love the History behind it and getting into the authors mind and what was happening when they wrote and why they wrote it.

I encourage every believer to go through a class like this and really get into the Word of God and see it from the perspective of a Biblical scholar, it will totally blow your mind. It gives you a new perspective in life and makes you focus more on the big picture that circumstances.

 It will amaze you and make you wonder why there are people who may doubt the authenticity of The Word of God. I am those people who even wondered why people did not tell me earlier. But you realize that it is a journey of faith. Even when one tells you something about God’s Word, it is so active and breathing that it will just minister to you in a different way.

Our church this year has gone all out and decided that we will look at the Bible in such a way. Beyond what we usually just read, into what God is trying to tell us. It is an exciting time.

Beyond that they are also offering classes that further explain the Word in a deeper way called Tyrannus Hall. Click here for more details on that here

I encourage you this year now that we are in a new month to get deeply into God’s Word. Let it transform you and allow yourself to live it and reach a new level in your faith. Allow yourself to be transformed and become a new person and allow yourself to experience life in a new way and in a way you never deemed possible.

You can never regret knowing more about God. You can never regret growing closer to Go. You can never regret growing deeper in the Word and you certainly will never regret it making you a better version of yourself. Read an old post I wrote about our flaws here that will gain you a new perspective