Speak the word

My son Joshua  just started to speak at the age of 9. My littleman was diagnosed with autism at age two plus with added complication of no speech! His delayed speech was a source of constant pain to me and frustration for him. As he grew older; he couldn't express his needs and I had to constantly guess what he wanted or what was wrong all the time. This took a toll on both of us, so you can imagine the constant conflicts and tantrums in my house.  Mind you, I throw a mean tantrum and this I did constantly. .lol.

Photo credit:www.songofthelarkblog.com

Fast foward to this day, Words cannot adequately describe my joy the day he uttered his first word! Dear friends, the Israelites were absolutely spot on when they exclaimed with joy in Psalm 126:1 "when the lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like them who dream". Seriously, this is a dream I don't want to wake up from, not even the devil can pinch me out of this....E FITTING'NT.
The miracle of Joshua has become a source of encouragement to many families that are experiencing similar challenges. I give glory to God that there is indeed a purpose to my pain. (we will talk more on that tomorrow).

I have learnt several lessons watching joshua's speech unfold daily.

1. Some of the words have been innate in him though dormant as he did not know how to frame them or give expression to the words.
2. As a parent, I had to teach him more words by pointing out objects and calling them by name.
3. Used the strategy of repetition to enable the word stick., 

Like any SANE mother would (emphasis on sane), in excitement I will point  at anything and everything in sight wanting my son to say them loud and clear to the glory of God and the shame of the devil. However to my dismay, my son got tired of using his words he'd rather pull me or point to the desired object but my humble self was having non of that. You see not using his voice and words would lead to the loss of his acquired skills. WHAT YOU DON'T USE, YOU LOSE! PRACTICE ALSO MAKES PERFECT..KAPISH?

God wants His children to speak the word always.The word of God to a believer is an affirmation of the righteousness and glory of God. It is a declaration of an unshakeable  faith in an awesome God. The believer believes in the heart (innate)and confesses(expresses) with the lips.  In Ezekiel 3, after the prophet had eaten the scroll  which represensented the word of God, he was told " son of man go now and SPEAK MY WORDS TO THEM" As sweet as the word was because it was likened to honey in verse 3, the prophet was not meant to merely savour the taste and lick his lips but to GO AND SPEAK HIS WORD. Ezekiel was commanded to speak the word he'd consumed to a hardened and obstinate people.
Dear friend, what is stopping you from declaring the word in your life? Don't just keep it bottled inside, SPEAK THE WORD and watch amazing things start to happen. What that mountain needs is just the word " Trully I tell you that if anyone says to this mountain 'be lifted up and thrown and thrown into the sea' and has no doubt in his heart....it will be done for them" Mark 11:23

BENEFITS OF SPEAKING THE WORD

• it builds your faith
• It is an exercise of faith
• It builds confidence in you and God.
• It brings God's purpose to bear in our lives.
• It enhances spiritual growth.
• Develops the inner man and transforms us outwardly.
• It gives victory over sin
• It gives life

Back to Joshua, you are not shutting off the words, NOT ON MY WATCH.

Every Little Helps

€100 might not mean a lot to many people but it was exactly what *Kathy* needed to sort her daughter's music lessons. Unemployed and single, getting by financially was hard enough without adding the extra burden of music lessons but her daughter loved singing. Little *Tabitha* needed a new guitar as her old one was broken but there was no way her mum could afford a new one at the moment. Not being able to provide for a child is any parent's dilemma and Kathy was no different.
But she turned her concerns to the one who can.

That morning Kathy had come to church broke without even the requisite money for offering. Imagine her surprise when an usher gave her an envelop with her name on it. An anonymous person had dropped the envelop in the offering basket with a note for her. It was specifically addressed as a contribution towards her daughter's new guitar. I CALL THAT A MIRACLE! Even as I write this article, Kathy does not know who gave her the gift.

We all need a miracle don't we?  A confirmation that God's got our back when the bills are pouring in or the medical report aint that encouraging. What's your trust gauge in the wake of challenges? Like Kathy do you trust God and expect a miracle or do you throw in the towel and panic.
CENTRAL TRUTH: God is still in the business of doing the supernatural. HE HAS NOT CHANGED. If He has to cause manna to rain from heaven for your sake He will. Don't worry about the method of provision TRUST THE PROVIDER.

God can do anything all by Himself but He wants you and I as part of the process. God wants to involve you in performing miracles in the lives of others. WHAT A PRIVILEGE. Remember the story of how Jesus turned water into wine in John 2:1-11? The servants had to fill jars with water-fetching water and filling the jars was their role in that miracle process. I'm sure after the miracle happened they made a boast about how they logged jars after jars of water for Jesus. I WOULD!

God desires that we become conduit of His blessings-no more hanging on the sidelines. The €100 did not solve all of my friend's financial issues but it was one less problem for her to fuss about. It was a €100 she did not have earlier that day. IT WAS UNEXPECTED YET APPRECIATED. That's the benefit of helping others. Your gift no matter how little will help assuage the other person's challenges.You may not be able to single handedly end world poverty or eradicate hunger but you can make a difference in one life.

 There is something beautiful about helping others. ITS INDESCRIBABLE. You have to experience it to know it. According to my people "at all, at all, na im bad pass". This simply means, not giving anything is worse than giving a little.
Be part of the change. Be a conduit of God's miracle. Be part of the process.  Don't go worrying about what  little help you can give  because that little might just be all the help a person needs. Remember, EVERY LITTLE HELPS even if its a smile or a hug.

Miracles Come from Unexpected Sources.

EDITOR'S NOTE: We all desire a miracle don't we?. Unfortunately, most people have a set expectation of how their breakthrough would come. 2 Kings 1 tells the story of Naaman,commander of the Syrian army who almost lost his miracle because it contradicted his expectations. God cannot be boxed. He is too mighty to be constrained. Don't be limited by your mindset be open to God's miraculous wonders.

These days, I don't care if a fish swallowed Jonah or Jonah swallowed a fish as long as there is a swallowing..lol. LET MY MIRACLES COME. Be blessed by this brilliant article culled from Daily Hope by Rick Warren, author of best selling book THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE.

God is Never Late.

Standing by the river bank waiting for the waters to part. I shuddered in the cold as the wind blew at my face. Awaiting my miracle.......any miracle! I looked up as dark clouds gathered and heaven splewed forth rain. Lightening rippled through the sky as I stood shivering at the riverbank. Tears streamed down my face but I barely felt the cold. In the blustering wind,I could hear the chariots coming.the riders urging the horses to run faster despite the darkness. They were fearsome with their cloaks flowing behind them. The picture was frightening. I hurdled deeper into my coat seeking the protection of my warm fleece coat. but it offered no solace. From the corner of my eyes I saw the shining silver metal of a soldier's lifted sword and my heart caught in my chest. My knees crumbled underneath me. Despite the rain, the sand was still warm. It was not meant to end this way. I was tired of running.There was no where else to go.No place to hide. I wept like a child waiting to be crushed under the heavy weight of a soldiers blow. Lord, I cried.Help me lord! I need you lord!It wasn't meant to be like this. The waters are supposed to part for me and the chariots are drawing closer. Looorrrrrdddd! I cried. With trembling feet I crawled closer to the water bank muttering silent prayers to Jehovah to hear my plea and deliver me from pharaoh's army.The tide was mounting and there seems to be no help in sight! Will I survive this time? I felt a tug in my spirit, a silent voice said "Look up child".The battering army was no more.Like a vapour they'd disappear. The wind had dropped to a gentle whisper and the tide had subsided. I saw the sun come out from behind the clouds and its gentle ray shining down on me. I was no longer cold but clothe in an indescribable warmth. I felt the laughter riplling from deep within me and a gentle sound escaped from my lips. The days spent enduring the raging storms and tormenting army were soon quickly forgotten as I girded my cloak and boldly walked towards the waters. That too had parted! In the middle of the sea a royal aisle was waiting, my very own red carpet. I was no longer afraid as the hand of God guided me on this next journey, trusting Him to keep the waters at bay while I skip, run and dance to the other side of the sea.

Miracle in the mailbox .

Her heart pounded and she could feel the beady sweat running down her forehead as she heard the postman slip letters through the letter hole. "O lord", she prayed. "let it not be another bill". she'd been overwhelmed with bills this month and it seems they just keep pouring in. the gas bill, electricity, motor tax, insurance, school fees, on and on the list kept growing. The economic recession seems to be biting harder than it was 3 years ago. "what do I do lord", she panicked as she picked up the first envelop she could touch while straddling her little one on her hips. The little girl giggled as reached out and pulled her mother's luscious curls, mindless of the turmoil going on around her. "kids, how innocent and impervious they are to situations", the young mother mused. She walked back to into the kitchen while clutching the envelop in her hand. It was an official looking envelop with a government ensigna boldly printed on it. "O lord" she panicked too scared to open it. Could it the bank wanting to repossess her house because she'd been behind on her morgate repayment? "O God! no please" she pleaded as she opened the the envelop with trembling hands. she had been out of a job in six years and all her efforts to get back in the game had been futile. Nobody seems to want a single mother of three well into her late thirties1. sad, but that's how the world is she thought to herself. The absentee father of her children was not helping matters. He had not made any contribution for the children's upkeep in 4 years. "oh my God" she screamed crumpling the envelop in her hand, startling her little baby still straddled on her hips. "Oh my God", she repeated as she unfolded the letter again and her eyes ran through the already very crumpled letter soaked with tears. she was holding a miracle in her hands, an unexpected answer to a desperate heart cry. Three years ago, she had written a proposal to a government department highlighting ways that special needs education can be improved in public schools. As the years rolled by she felt her proposal had been dumped in the bin just like her other dreams had crumbled and died. In that dreaded sound of the postman dropping letters through her letter box had come a dream reawekened and renewed strength for the future. The future didnt look bleak anymore. Ironic it seems, doesn't it? that life's greatest miracles come from the most unsusual places, people and situations. My friend dreaded checking her post because of the recent onslaught of bad news that she'd received but her miracle came through the same mailbox. Imagine what would have happened if she'd chosen not to open her mail that day out of fear. I have learnt that obstacles are only stepping stones to promotion and opportunities are wrapped in the least atractive packaging.Isaiah 45:3 "And I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel". God, Himself will deliver life-transforming opportunities from unlikely situations . It is possible only if we believe! Like a lot of people, I have my share of challenges but I believe the solution is closer than i imagined all I have to do is enjoy the storm and the miracle is a post man away