Three friends... Three blessings...

Brandley M.M. Ngcobo, Pinky N.J. Ngcakani-Ncula and Vuyolwetu M. Malgas

Where do I begin talking about you, my dimpled friends…lol! All three of you, with the most beautiful smilesJ.

One thing I know and am sure of is that God brought you into my life. He handpicked you for this chapter of my life. The pinnacle chapter of my story. You know in life, we need accelerators in order to move forward. Those people who will, sometimes without saying a word encourage and motivate you to move up. They will push you without pressure to greater heights. They will bring out your best character and personality. They will bring out your dreams and passions to the surface, all without interrogation (ok, Pinkzo not sure ngawe aphaJ). Just like the three wise men that visited Jesus with gifts at his birth. You have come into my life, at the time of my rebirth. Bearing gifts. Each of you has made a notable contribution in making me who I am this moment. Just by being yourselves and living your lives. Most of all, by answering the call of God ngobomi benu and into mine. There are just no words that can explain how much gratitude I have ngani in my life. What joy having you has brought. It’s just all an overwhelming feeling. And yazi, it shows me the way and just how much God loves me… so in short… Ndiyanibulela ngokuvumela uThixo andithande ngani.

Brandley… my dearest friend from the netJ. Though I have not met you, it feels like I have because you have touched my heart with yours in a great way. In sharing your story in your book “What’s your story?” you gave me the inspiration to share mine. You made me realise that my life has a purpose, that it is a story and it’s one worth sharing. Also that the time to share it is now, while I am living it. That I should not let fear of inadequacy; unworthiness or failures stand in my way. Today, I know that I was born to make a difference and I am pursuing that dream. You gave me the push to want to break free from the holds that society may have had over me. To realise the giant inside of me and release her to the world so that the world may benefit from me having been born and lived. To be the best Pumza that I am meant to be because there will never be another and none can share my life story the best as I would. To look for and grab every opportunity that presents itself to me. And that there’s no great height I cannot reach.

You have and still continue to inspire me. In the decisions I make, I remember that “every choice and decision you make is always the right one if you make it”. And therefore endeavour to be careful in making the decisions so that I am not left with having to deal with harsh consequences. So, in living your life, you have motivated, taught and helped me in heading to the direction of my purpose in life. And for that I thank you Mr Ngcobo. Thank you for listening to the call of God ngobomi bakho. May God continue to bless and use you in touching our lives…

“The dawning day of success is within your reach; tell your story today while you have the time. Live for your ideals and pursue the truth, seek knowledge and wisdom at every corner, give your share to the world and hope that it will make the world a better place. Look beyond your limitations and embrace every being…” ~ Brandley M.M. Ngcobo

“While you live and live with meaning and purpose, opportunities will present themselves, oceans will carry you to worlds unseen (more opportunities) and towards the end; your life will gather speed like a steam train rolling downstream with no breaks.” ~ Brandley M.M. Ngcobo

“I am finding meaning with every step and so I wrote it down and this is what it means for me:

I resolve to live honestly, fairly, positively, humorously, and in so doing.

I shall learn, motivate, teach, love and help all those in which our paths cross and strive to be the best that I can be, in order to become an example to follow. I will remember that I control my choices and actions and in so doing: I shall remember that consequences shall flow from my choices and actions and I dare not forget to take responsibility for those choices, actions

and consequences with an aim to learn from them.” – Brandley M. M. Ngcobo

Sis’Pinky… yho!!!  Wena uyingelosi yezulu emhlabeni. I do not know where to begin ngawe nje… I never thought that I would have this kind of relationship with you. I thought I would just be “one of your patients” but yeah… God had another plan. Your faith sisi… a Doctor with mountain moving faith. What more can any person ask for? (Pity you’re not my doctor anymoreL) Had it not been for your faith, I would be anticipating my next routine HIV tests. Fearing finding out if the CD4 count is high or low and if the viral load is increasing or not (yho! The stress that would come with that...). You partook in one of the greatest miracles of my life (my healing) and you continue to allow God to use you to deliver the greatest breakthroughs of my life.  Your love and zest for God motivates me to yearn for Him more and more. To seek Him in everything I do. You have opened my eyes to see and experience the love God has for me. To see who He sees in me and long to be that person. You have taught me to rely on Him for everything. Never in my life have I felt such a connection with God as I do now.

When you speak (uyangxolisa ke moss), you speak only good and positive things over my life. You have demonstrated the heart and mind of Jesus… (Though He loves me to bits, He doesn’t encourage isigezo). It is like you see His perfect plan for my life and you continue to call it into being. You have shared so much of you and your life. And through your story (still makes me cry ke), I am more confident that God has a plan for my life too and when I allow Him to break me, melt and mould me. I will become the best me (God’s me).

You have taught to me face the challenges that life throws at me with a victorious heart. I remember when I was going through the most painful time in my life you told me “do not cry but groan. Let no tears fall from your eyes. God sees your heart and is fighting for you. Do not cry, but let the groaning of your Spirit speak to your Father and He will give you comfort” You have made me realise the strength that is within me, the strength of Jesus. You have taught to how to approach the throne of God’s grace with boldness. How to speak and prophecy greatness over my life. You have taught and motivated me to let go.  To stand strong in the roughest seas… to sail through with confidence, knowing that I will for sure get to the other side of the ocean. You opened my eyes to the peace of Jesus. You were there when my eyes saw unspeakable scenes and my heart went through the greatest turmoil. And you kept telling me that God is still there and will sail through with me. That He was only removing all that which should be shaken off my life in order for me to move to my next level. To my new heights and to my God ordained destiny. Thank you for loving god the way you do. Thank you for living your life for Him and following the example of Christ. May God bless you and shower you with more wisdom and strength to carry out your assignment in this life.

We learn to lean more on God when we are shaken. We learn to see Him as truly trustworthy, that He never leaves us nor forsakes us. These truths are tested in us when we are going on unstable and unpredictable waters. Jesus is all that He says He is that we all believe. Yet there is another dimension when we go beyond believing to actually trusting because we have known Him experientially. So, in the coming uncertainty that this year will show, rest in the boat with Jesus. There will be unprecedented turmoil in life, unlike anything 2010 and 2009 had taught us. All those were a sample of the reality that 2011 is to become. There will be signs in heaven, signs in the seas and on earth. All that is man-made will be shaken and will be found wanting. Do not even begin to invest much in them. All that is solid will be put through a moment of quaking. The true foundations will be revealed as all that will remain standing, will be the only thing that cannot be shaken. For those who are after the mind of Christ, rejoice, Judas is leaving. There will be 11 of you left, and great shall be your peace. No longer shall you be sitting in the presence of the enemy. No longer will u be stressed by the thief that is Judas. Judas will murder himself if you allow him to go. Otherwise he will murder you. Allow him safe passage. He must die.

~ Pinky Ngcakani

Vuyolwetu… oh petunana ke yena ke mani… mntanomncinci… Daddy is yet to tell me why He used usana in teaching me some of life’s greatest lessons… Through you, God has taught me to receive love and not feel any obligation to return it. You loved me (still do) with the purest of love. He has also taught me how to care for another human being. To welcome someone into my heart and my home. Through you, I am able to welcome being appreciated, being a good friend. I am now able to appreciate my “crazy side” (it’s good to know that there’s someone crazier than I am, lol). Looking at myself through your eyes has made me fall in love with the person that I have become and am still growing to be.

“With age comes different needs, a need for a play-time mate and one for sharing life lessons.”

~ Vuyolwetu Malgas

I’m glad to have met you at the time when we needed more life lessons than play mates (I don’t think I’d keep up with you, kr!). Your strength is amazing. To have endured so much and yet you still stand strong in your walk with Christ. As young as you are, you have such a great zeal for God. Your innocence and your purity makes be appreciate the blood of Jesus, His death and His resurrection.

“Some of those I call friends. They have come into my life and somehow managed to fit in where they needed to. Like a puzzle, tucked themselves into my life.”

~ Vuyolwetu Malgas

You did exactly this into my life. You fitted in like a puzzle. And yes, you just went ahead and tucked yourself right into my life. And for that I will forever be grateful. Wanga uThixo angakukhulisa, akugcine ebungcweleni baKhe.

So to you my friends… I take off my hat, bow and say... Thank You!!!

Much love and respect

P

The Battle is never ours but the Lord's

The Battle is never ours but the Lord's

In 2 Chronicles 20:15 we find the word of God saying, “Do not be afraid! Don't be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s”.

No matter if the problem is like facing a large giant like Goliath we can have the same response as David, “the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47)

Sometimes it is good to seek counsel from others. Whether friends, family or fellow Christians. However, if the person whose counsel is sought after is unable to deliver godly counsel. It will be like shooting yourself in the brain if that advice is put to practice. People who are born again and filled with the Spirit of God are able to give counsel you can trust (when led by the Spirit of God). These people may not have an official title like Counsellor but they have the wisdom of Christ. The characteristics of these individuals will include that:

◦They love the Lord and love others.

◦They have been born again and have the Holy Spirit filling their lives.

◦They are characterized by the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.)

◦They have the heart of a teacher and are not control freaks.

◦They encourage you to not only listen to them but also to hear the Lord for yourself.

No matter what we go through, God promises to be with us. We shouldn’t try to go through

them on our own. He will strengthen and protect us. He promises to take us by the hand and walk with us through the toughest situations. He promises to never leave nor forsake us.

Isaiah 43:2

2 When you pass through the waters,

   I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

   they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

   you will not be burned;

   the flames will not set you ablaze.

God promises to sustain us in our times of trouble and weakness. He promises to be our Rock and our strength. And He never breaks His promises.

Psalm 55

22 Cast your cares on the LORD

   and he will sustain you;

he will never let

   the righteous be shaken.

We shouldn’t  try to carry all our cares on our own. By casting them all upon Him shows

our trust in His care. He wants us to do this because He cares deeply for each of us and

for all our concerns in this life.

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

The Great Architect

In my heart You have a home

When we consider building a new house, we have all these ideas of how we want it to look. The material to be used. The architecture, the finishing touches. The paint on the walls, the flooring. If we want wood or tiles or carpets. We know how big the main bedroom should be, to accommodate the furniture and to cater better for the activities zakhona. The bathroom, its location, convenience, colour scheme and all. We plan the kitchen, making good allowance for movement. Catering for ezalapho izinto. We know the necessary appliance we will need and where they will be, for easy reach in time of use. We know the ins and outs of the house before its even built. Already we see it in its completion stage. And we wait patiently as it is being built. With the builders, referring to the plan every time to make sure that all is built according to the plan. Constantly reporting back to the Architect to make sure that all is well. And to sign off some things as surety that konke kulungile.

Now if it happens that your house is not built 100% to your specs. You have the option to either discard it and have another one built. Or you take it... Go back to the drawing board. Contact an interior designer and you do sorta damage control. Gruesome isn't it? Lotsa work and money to be spent. Makes one angry I can imagine... Yeah... I know... Nonetheless, you do it cos you love your house. Its yours, your dream your creation... So you will redecorate it until it meets your deepest desire. Until ithi ncoooo kulandawo. And when you look at it, walk into it you are happiest to call it a home. Your home....

Psalm 139: 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

God planned our existence before the beginning of time. He knew where our curves will be. How our legs would be shaped. How big our eyes will be (like mineJ). He knew how our smiles will be. He knew how we'd breath, talk, and walk. He knew how warm and caring our heart will be and enabled our arms and hands for the function of holding and comforting. He gave us soft and gentle voices that we may soothe others with words of comfort. Some of us were given authorative voices so that they may be able to rebuke when needed. Each and every part of our bodies and being was planned in order to enable us to do the task that we were created for.

God could already see what we would become, provided that His plan was executed to the letter. He had a specific plan for each and every talent, trait, and physical features that He put in and on us. If we would look at our bodies now, this moment and ask Him why He made them the way He did. We’d be surprised at how we have been abusing them in doing something that was not in His plan (just a thought).

Now, with God being the Architect and the Master mind behind these complex creatures ezingabantu. He laid out the plan. But had to hire and entrust builders to execute this plan of His by bringing this dream of His into being and execute it. Make it come to life and live to its purpose. The builders are our parents. They try their best in following the plan, sometimes they omit to consult the Architect which results in mistakes and diversion from the initial plan. Sometimes, they consult but misunderstand the instruction. But in the end, the product does not come out exactly the way that the Architect has meant for it to be. Now, with God not being much happy with the end product He has two choices… either to discard this creation or do damage control. Depending off course on how valuable it is to Him. Because we are valuable and because He knows what His plan is for us.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Therefore He will do all that it takes to mould and shape up to the vessels that will carry this plan He has to completion. He will do all that He can do (and us willing to yield to) to make sure that we live to that plan. That we experience this plan that He has for us.

So He sends us another Builder (Jesus). They go back to the original plan. Check what has gone wrong and see how it can be fixed or redone and who to employ in order to do the work.  The Builder employs His own Interior Designer (Holy Spirit), whom He knows that He has worked with before and produced great results. They break what needs to be broken, melt what needs to be melted in order to get the final product that God intended.

Jeremiah 18

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

It does not matter how much damage has been done to the creation. Sometimes it is so damaged that it loses its shape so much that it just cannot be recognised. One may not even be able to make out what it was or was supposed to be. But even then, the Architect still sees the hope; He can even see what else He can now add to this masterpiece. It takes time and effort. It needs energy and patience. It comes at a cost. But the Architect knows what He wants His creation to be, and would bear all costs, including sacrificing His only Son.

In short… kinda:-)… We have been planned and purposed for greater things. However, because of how we grew up and the choices that we have made along the way, we have deviated from that plan. We have been nailed, banged, chiseled and painted in the wrong places with the wrong tools. We have been scratched, scrapped and cracked due to negligence and carelessness. But the Potter, the Builder, the Interior Designer are able to rebuild that which has lost shape. They are able to put worth back to that which has become worthless. This time, a better product is guaranteed to be born. You see, the Holy Spirit redecorates us, rearranging our lives, our being, our emotions. We become new creations. All the damage that was done is no longer visible, cannot even be traced.

2 Corinthians 5: 17 Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold the fresh and new has come!

May the Holy Spirit of God redecorate my heart and make it a worthy and well manned place for Him to dwell. Because in my heart, is where His home is...

P