Thoughts and Other Things

I’ve been privileged to speak to women on various occasions this women’s month. Each time God laid a message in my heart, I was reminded of just how much God loves His girls and just how much He longs for them. Last week I studied the effects of sin that dramatically changed our storyline as women. When you read Genesis 1 when God first thought of us, you’ll see how God created mankind (both male and female) with the authority to rule, in likeness to him. God then identifies the subjects of their rulership; the animals and the earth (according to older translations). But when sin came into the picture, it changed this. The woman moved from one who was to rule together with man, to one who was to be ruled by him. I love the details in the verse that detail this shift. “To the woman he said, ‘I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” Genesis 3:16 (NIV) Sin messe...

I’m told I’m supposed to be imbokodo – a rock. A rock that you can strike, Because when you do it won’t break, right? I won’t crack under the force of your fist, I won’t be shattered by the sting of your brutal words, I won’t take offense at your sweet words and hungry look towards her, I won’t be overwhelmed by the implications of your absence as I stare at the faces that are your spitting image, right? So I tried. I tried to cover up the black and blue marks your anger left behind on my face. I tried to forget and correct the spillage of your words in my heart. I tried to play your part and carried the home on my shoulders. I repeatedly tried to erase the image of your body forcefully entering mine. I really tried to undermine the purpose of my existence, to live ignoring my passion and aspirations. I tried to be as strong as you said I should be. I tried over and over again, but failed each time. I broke down in tears on every occasion because My body couldn’t ta...

There’s been a lot of talk about depression on my timeline this week. A lot of big names have taken their lives because of it in recent days and months, and more and more people suffering from it are seeking help, even Christians. Sheila Walsh is one who has openly shared about her struggle with anxiety and depression. Michelle Williams recently checked herself into a mental health facility, while pastor Louie Giglio released a book about his comeback from his struggle with depression. Depression is not a foreign subject in Scripture, so it shouldn’t be one in the church too. Many people hit rock bottom and were even suicidal, including the great prophet Elijah, king David in the Psalms and runaway Jonah. But I want to speak about Paul’s struggle with it. Yep, he’s usually not counted amongst the down and out group of the Bible characters, he’s the great apostle that gave us most of the New Testament after all. But the great revelations he received are one side of the coin, the ot...