(Day 6 from 31 Rays of Hope)

One of the hardest life lessons that I have been taught is that you must always be prepared for change. After all it is the only thing constant in this world, aside from God’s love.  Well, I write taught but continuously learning this with each and every day (we all are works-in-progress, you know).  In an instant your circumstances can evolve into something that you did not foresee, whether it is pleasant or dreadful. The only way to truly be prepared is to have accepted  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  risen  Son  of  the  only God and have the Holy Spirit reside in your heart. Why? Because it is only God who knows the past, present, and future; only He can guide you and direct you in the path you should go. He provides strength [1 Chronicles 16:11], direction [Psalm 37:23], security [Proverbs 1:33], and knowledge, and understanding [Proverbs 2:6-9]. He alone has promised “never will I leave you, never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5, NIV).

To those who are reading this that have not yet invited Jesus in their hearts:
“For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  He  gave  His  only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,  but  have  everlasting  life”  ( John  3:16,  KJV).  I pray that the Holy Spirit calls out to you and you answer His call…that you one day know this verse to be true.

To  those  who  are  reading  this  and  have  accepted  the free gift of eternal life:
May you seek the will of God in your everyday lives and walk in His light. May you know what His will for you is and be eager to spread the knowledge of Jesus’s saving grace to all that you meet.

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for providing peace through the storms of life. Though there are just a handful of noted verses above which are meant to invoke the Spirit and mind, there are so many more in Your holy Word, Your letter to Your children.  May  we  find  rest  in  You,  Father, during all times, knowing that as Your children You always have our best in mind, and You rule, always have and always will, in Jesus's name we pray. Amen. 

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

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I am delighted to call this woman a sister in Christ, uplifter and friend, and additionally that she allowed me to share this here. You can find this lovely lady on Facebook, if you would like to reach out to her directly. SIC!

My love story

I was born and raised in Durban, South Africa into a very strict Islamic household. My mother was and still is the religious leader in our community. She converts people to Islam and runs a Madrasah (Islamic school) out of her home.

One of my earliest memories is being at Islamic school, covered from head to toe, reading the Quran. I remember distinctly sitting on my mother’s lap reciting the Quran and every time, I got to a particular phrase that I could not remember, and I was beat continuously. That’s when the fear began. I had to be perfect. Because I wanted to please my parents, I became one of her best students. My mother was so proud of me and there was constant chatter that I would continue this family legacy when she passed away.

In 1995 I came to the United States to attend University. In 1998 I had my first supernatural experience with God that completely transformed my life. That is the day that I realized that Jesus maybe more than just a Prophet. (In Islam Jesus is revered as of the Major Prophets.) I remained in a state of confusion and turmoil for 8 years. Could my entire life be a lie? I kept asking myself how this could be. I didn’t know who I was anymore! I had to find out! But, I was afraid to denounce Islam because of my family. Fear and loyalty had been imputed into me. As I child I would always say, “I was born a Muslim and I’ll die a Muslim.” I struggled to wrap my head around the fact that Jesus was God. It was against everything I was ever taught! Deep down inside, I knew that Jesus was way more special than what I was taught. He just felt right! But fear had a stronger hold. This was the beginning of my spiritual journey.

In June of 2006, I had another experience with God and He revealed to me in a vision: Proverbs, 3:5-6 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. [a]. There was no more doubt! I believed with all my heart! I wanted the world to know On June 13th, 2006 I was baptized.

My life has changed drastically since I have been born again! Has it been a smooth transition? Absolutely not! Was my family accepting of my conversion? No, they were not. During the early years, did I ever consider going back to Islam? NO! Never entertained that thought! You see, God became a very close companion. He was so real to me! He delighted in me! I did not know much back then, but I was certain of one thing: He loved me! I had never experienced a love like this! He was always near! We were in constant fellowship. I fell madly and deeply in love!

I began to meditate on the WORD of God and my mindset began to change. I learnt my rights in Christ! I became Christ conscious! I knew my identity! My mind was renewed! The fear that had bound me my entire life; left me! I knew who I was and the more I studied the Word, the stronger I became. The Word had taken root in my Spirit. I began to eat the Word veraciously! My thirst for the Word became unquenchable! I simply CAN NOT get enough!

One of my favorite scriptures is Hebrews 4:12, “that the Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any two edged sword, it penetrates even dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”. This scripture really touches me deeply. You see no matter what walk of life you come from or what your past looks like, you are now a new creation in Christ. This Word of God, builds, breaks, removes, cleans, fixes, empowers, transforms and molds you into who God says you are. When this Word gets into your spirit, remnants of your past will not be visible. Your life becomes a wonder! No longer will you be bound by the opinion of man. The Word of God establishes you! I am unashamedly in love! A woman after Gods own heart, just like David. I would change nothing, irrespective of all the relationships I’ve lost. I’ve gained so much more!