My A to Z Gratitude List

Happy new month..yaaaay!! I can’t believe 2019 is seven months down the line, honestly that went by fast. I am in that space in my head and heart where I am looking back at how the year has been and taking stock of the milestones God has enabled me to attain so far. While at times this can be daunting because it hit me hard that there are only five months left in the year to achieve all the goals set up for this year, but it can equally be gratifying to just adopt a heart of gratitude, reflecting the far I’ve reached and to acknowledge that at least am not where I was when the year started.

Lately I’ve just been melting in gratitude, learning to trust God and give Him hallway-praises and am truly appreciating the lessons God is intentionally teaching me this year with the centre lesson: being grateful at every stage of life, appreciating the wins, big or small and remaining focused, not on my situations but on God at all times. Because if we are honest with ourselves, behind every anxiety, worry and fear is a child of God who momentarily took their eyes off Christ and magnified their situations. Forgetting that what got them through in the first place was not their strength, might or abilities but the grace God and that if He saved the day then, He is still able to do so again and again.

So here are a few things am entirely grateful to God for:

Animations.

Am not a big fan of movies or series but if I could, I’d binge watch on cartoons and animation all weekend long, lol..and it’s not because of my nephews or nieces, not at all, am just a child at heart. That plus if you watch them with a keen heart, there are plenty of lil nuggets of wisdom infused in the story line. I remember watching Finding Nemo for the first time and I cried, lol as I related to how God relentlessly pursues us until we are back home, Lion king taught me about identity and always remembering who I am and to whom I belong.. I could go on and on but am grateful that even as I continue to age gracefully, the child in me lives on.

Blogging.

I’ve been blogging for an year and a couple of months and it has been the most exhilarating journey in my walk of faith. What started out as a call to obedience has slowly evolved into a ministry where am witnessing God touching the lives of others through the words He puts in me. There are days I feel overwhelmed but I’ve come learn that it’s never been about me but about Him who enables me. All the glory goes back to Him, am just a vessel that’s humbled and honored to be used in His kingdom. Who knows, maybe we’ll write a book before we turn 30.

Christ.

Ever since I accepted Him in my life, I’ve never been the same.♥️♥️

Devotions.

I’ll be honest, for the longest time I’ve been struggling to be consistent in my QT (quiet time) with God. There are days I’ll wake up early and have my devotion then there those days I snooze the alarm a hundred times before waking up and dragging myself to start the day. Days I’ll attend the weekly services regularly then weeks I’ll be so caught up in my own world and fail to prioritize fellowship. But am grateful that the hunger and thirst to seek God never dies and am learning how to be intentional in pursuing and nurturing my relationship with God. I have a plan to finish reading the New Testament by end of Dec 2019 and am praying I’ll have a testimony to this.

Ecclesia group.

My amazing Egroup fellowship, you guys are absolutely awesome, full of grace, wisdom and love and am always assured of an edifying time every time we meet. A brief about Egroup. So I fellowship at Trinity Chapel Ruiru where our vision is growing deep to reach wide and become audacious agents of change. We strongly believe that we should be rooted in four core essentials which are: I choose to Grow, Belong, Serve and Go. There’s nothing like plugging in to a small community of believers who are authentic in their pursuit of Christ and always willing to be vulnerable to each other as we seek His righteousness.

Family.

Family is everything and am grateful I have one that’s full of love and laughter. Anytime we are together, whether it’s out and about or just chilling indoors drinking tea (we are tea lovers, all except one) it’s always a good time. Am grateful that we can be honest with each other about things we go through knowing that we’ll always have each other’s back. Grateful to have nieces and nephews to keep me on my toes.

Girlfriends.

‘Find your tribe and love them hard’. Am grateful for my tribemates and the journey we’ve shared this far. It’s a blessing to have a circle of friends who have seen you at your worst and still see the best in you, friends who cheer you through your wins and still be bold enough to lovingly correct you when you stray. We don’t talk 24/7 because of responsibilities but we know we have each other’s back and when we do catch up, it’s like we never were away. We sometimes cross each other because it’s not always rosy but we are committed to a lifetime of friendship.

Hugs.

Who doesn’t love hugs especially after a tough day.

Intentionality.

Am grateful that am learning how to be intentional in all things like my Heavenly Daddy.

Joy.

For a long time I searched for happiness in people, things, situations until I learned that I couldn’t find it out there because it was elusive. I’ve learnt to find my joy and delight in the Lord and it’s what keeps me going even though the storms.

Kindness.

A lil kindness goes a long away and we don’t need to have much to touch someone’s life. It’s all in the lil things we do and I love adding a smile to someone’s day.

Listening.

Am grateful that am slowly learning to listen to people and not just hear them, to absorb every word they say without thinking of what to say next. Being a great conversationalist isn’t always about what you say but how you make people feel.

My mum

I could write a whole piece and still words wouldn’t be enough. Am grateful for having an extremely supportive mum who understands me, loves me through all my craziness, who’s stood by me through thick and thin. It hasn’t been all rosy but she’s clothed with grace and strength. Am grateful for the times we spend together, talking, catching up, and watching action programs while shouting at the characters on screen, lol. She’s all I have and I pray that God will satisfy her with long life, that she’ll enjoy the fruits of her labour, witness the answers to her prayers, watch her children prosper, enjoy her grand kids and have the energy to run and play along.

Noodles.

My niece’s and I favorite easy go to snack especially on those lazy days we’re watching cartoons and don’t feel like putting effort in the kitchen.

Outdoors.

I love being outdoors, taking walks on nature trails and enjoying the clean crisp air, cycling or hiking. Nothing clears my mind and rejuvenates me more. Last weekend one of my girlfriend turned 30 (Happy Birthday Babes, it’s still your birthday week) and we went hiking with the girls. Oh the fun and excruciating pain. (You owe us a spa treat). That’s my kind of fun, picnics, road trips and I love it.

Purpose.

Initially I thought purpose was one big mystery that God would unravel at once, that one big thing I had to do which always led me to a moment of worry and anxiety trying to crack my head around it, walking around asking for clues. But I’ve learned that wherever God has freed you is the very area that He wants to use you. Seeking our purpose isn’t a big mystery any more, but rather sharing our victories with others and helping them overcome as we have through the power of Christ. It’s in making a difference and an impact in the areas that God has placed us at the moment.

Quest.

Quest is the children ministry at my home church, Trinity Chapel Ruiru where I get to serve most Sundays. Am passionate about children and getting to play a role in setting up the foundation of Christ from as early as 2 years. Kids are beautifully innocent, with big genuine smiles and pure loving hearts. Am so honored every moment I spend in their presence learning from them as well as pouring little seeds that will God willing blossom in later years. If you live along Thika Road, around Ruiru and it’s surrounding areas, please bring your children (aged between 4 years to 11 years) over to our church for the August Vacation Bible School.

 

Rique ♥️

Sunsets and sunrises.

Every morning I wake up to a sunrise my heart swells in sheer joy and I fall a little more in love with my creator. Nothing beats the beauty of a glistening sky. It’s our little secret code as His reminder of the beautiful infinite love He has for me.

Trials.

A few years ago I dreaded the trials because I was so focused on what was happening outside of me. But Christ has taught me that every trial and challenge has a purpose it’s working out in my life if only I take some time and see the lesson.

Unconditional love.

Where would I be without God’s love? I shudder to think or imagine. His love is the sole reason I stand tall every day, embracing my imperfections and resting confidently in the fact that He sees the beauty in my imperfections. Nothing can separate us from His love.

Vulnerability

For a very long time I was accustomed to building high walls around my heart to keep off people from hurting me more or from seeing the mess I was. Nowadays am unashamed to invite people in so they can see the brokenness and beauty of trusting in Christ who pieces us back together, like the masterpiece we were born to be.

Wait.

Am learning some beautiful lessons every time I’ve had to wait for something, a prayer, a desire, a dream, a confirmation of a vision.. Name it. And the lesson has been trusting God even when nothing seems to be working out because He never stops working behind the scenes.

X neXt hehehe.

Yielding.

Am grateful that as we continue to journey this walk of faith, am gradually learning to yield to God’s will, learning to let go and surrender to Him, learning to relinquish control back to the throne and walking in complete trust and obedience. It’s not easy, we still struggle but I remain teachable and He remains a good good father.

Zzz

Yes am grateful for every night I’ve had some good night sleep. I am not oblivious to the fact that there are people who struggle with insomnia. Am grateful that most nights I hit my bed tired, I black out almost instantly and the world would move beneath my bed and I’d still sleep on. Mental health is vital to a wholesome living and getting good sleep is a key component to ensuring we stay refreshed and rejuvenated. If you’re struggling to sleep, there are many ways to beat that including sleeping early, keeping your body healthy and most importantly, did you know you can pray and ask God to give you sleep?

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I know God is intentional and nothing He does is ever in vain so am learning to trust and obey His ways against mine. Am learning that it’s meant to be a walk of faith, not a sprint so am cherishing the slow moments, the waits and pauses in between and appreciating the milestones we, He and I, make day by day. Am learning to not be so caught up in seeking more that I forget to realize what I already have and count my blessings one by one. I must admit it’s a beautiful lesson and beautiful season to be in♥️

What are you grateful for?

 

Lots of Love.