Week 14-God, Help Me Focus On The Bigger Picture

Blessed Sunday With The Church Family

On Sunday, one of the women from church invited me to have lunch with her and her family. I love how welcoming and generous the people of Fiji are! I had such a lovely evening with her and her family. Whilst there, God kept prompting me speak to her daughter who was blind about discovering her spiritual gifts. Through being there I see how He used me to encourage and minister to her.

                                            Feeling Frustrated & Annoyed

This week I feel like my patience has been tested on another level. I have been having issues with some of the people around me. I was so frustrated and annoyed that I decided to go for a walk. Whilst walking, I looked up and saw the sky looked. It looked so beautiful (picture on right). As we can see from the picture there are small grey clouds and the rest of the sky is filled with white clouds. Despite the small grey clouds, the sky still looks beautiful right? God spoke to me through His creation and told me that I should focus on the bigger picture. He encouraged me to not get distracted focusing on the little things but instead focus my time and energy on my calling and purpose. This is how God wants us to live; He wants focus first on His kingdom (Matthew 6:33) and be concerned about fulfilling our purpose. Paul was someone who understood this. It was as if he had tunnel vision because He didn’t see the need to be concerned with things that didn’t really matter. Instead he pressed “towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”(Philippians 3:14).

Fellowship With The Teens

On Friday, I went to a village close to the city of Suva called Namatakula. We had a fundraising in preparation for outreach. On that night we arrived, the rest of the team went to fellowship, but because it was in Fijian I decided to stay at home. Whilst being at home, I was introduced to a few teenagers that lived nearby. I ended up sharing the Gospel with them and teaching them more about God’s Word and we had such a lovely evening lol. I felt like a Sunday school teacher that night and thank God for ministering through me.

What else has been happening to me this week? Well as you know from previous posts that I have been seeking God about the next step and this week He revealed to me a glimpse of what the future holds for me. I see now that He wants to use my Psychology degree to bring understanding and work with people with mental health issues in Fiji. I’m super excited for what God has in store for me!

Rebellion=Willful Disobedience…OUCH!

I have also been learning a lot about myself…well God has been exposing things lol! I was brought up in an individualistic society and am so used to being independent and doing my own thing. I now realize that although this is a good thing in some respects it can also be a hindrance in the Kingdom of God. The Bible speaks about how in the Body Of Christ there is to be “no division in the body” (1 Corinthians 12:12). Though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ, and are all joined to each other as different parts of one body (Romans 12:5).

Me being so independent at times has resulted in me finding it hard to submit to leadership. I can be so rebellious and stubborn at times and I recognize now that rebellion=willful disobedience …YIKES! As we all know a rebellious spirit does not please God. Ultimately, all rebellion is against God! This is regardless of whether it’s against leaders, parents or the law. After all God established those patterns of authority (Romans 13:2). I had to repent and change my mindset.  I came across a quote that said, “those who do their own thing will never lead any body, but those who know how to follow will be good leaders”. I can’t be a good leader if I’m not a good follower and disciple!

How are you when it comes to submitting to authority? Are you struggling or have you mastered submission? If you are struggling in this area, I want to encourage you to repent and ask the Holy Spirit to help you. His grace is sufficient and made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). In Isaiah 1:19 it says that if we are willing and obedient, we shall eat the good of the land scripture.  Don’t you want to eat the good of the land?

My email address is: josieagyeman@gmail.com, I would love to hear from you. 

Miss Josie Jo

Xxx

Week 13-Everything Has Changed!

This week I have been so emotional. On Monday I got a phone call from the airport asking me to come and pick up a parcel my family sent from England. I was so excited to eat strawberry bonbons from Marks and Spencer’s haha but little did I know that this parcel would humble me and make me sob like a baby! I opened the parcel to see so much snacks and treats not to mention gifts and birthday cards and video clips. I did not anticipate just how much this parcel would make realise how much I miss my friends and family back home.

I was in tears and didn’t want to talk to anyone. I just wanted to be by myself so when I got home, I spend some time alone with God. I asked God what was next for me. I wanted to know if it was His will for me to stay in Fiji for more than 6 months? I was so puzzled. I didn’t know what was next for me. Truthfully, if I was to come back to London in September I don’t even know what I would be doing. A couple of weeks ago I spoke with my mum over Face Time and I asked her to show me around the house. It’s weird because the house no longer felt like my home.

He’s Calling Me Deeper

On Wednesday morning I was listening to a song called ‘Deeper’ by Marvin Sapp. This song really ministered to me and was a confirmation from God that He has called me to Fiji for more than just 6 months. God speaks people, He speaks. If we ask, He will answer and reveal to us great and mighty things that we do not know (Jeremiah 33:3). There’s a part in the song which says ‘the place that I’m in can no longer contain my destiny, and though it may have some pain I adhere to the call inside of me’-London is that place. God is calling me deeper. He wants to take me to a brand new level and going to another level=sacrifice. If we want to enter new dimensions and levels we must give up something. God is calling us all to go deeper!

God,I Need A Moment!

After I got the confirmation from God my initial reaction was “God, this was never MY plan”! I kept saying to my friends, “I’ll be back in 6 months” but little did I know that God had different plans for me. I made a mistake. I failed to take into account Proverbs 16:9 which says “a man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps”. I failed to realise that my life is not my own and as a result I was finding it hard to submit to His will. I was like a baby kicking and screaming and as much as I confessed with my mouth “God, Your will be done” I just wasn’t ready to surrender my life completely to Him.

One of the amazing qualities about God is that He is so gentle. When I looked back at how far I had come since being in Fiji and everything that has happened, I see that God was preparing me all along for that moment. He was preparing my heart and knew the right time to confirm it to me. He led to notes in my Bible, which said “complete trust in God demands that we relinquish all rights to direct the course of our own life. By surrendering to God’s will, we affirm that our Father knows best. Personal aspirations become secondary to God’s divine plan”….OUCH! Who ever said this Christian walk ain’t easy was not lying!!!

I felt like I was in the middle of the ocean. Stuck. I couldn’t even tell you if I was floating or not lol. I had a choice to make, God’s way or my way? God has given us free will. We can’t go His way unless we are willing to give up our own plans. Now I’m learning more and more to say “Father, here are my plans, if it’s Your will, bring it to pass in Your timing. And believe me when I say this hasn’t been easy but God is so gracious, I thank Him for His tender mercies. John says in 1 John 5:14 “now this the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. The key words here are “according to His will”.

We Were Created For His Glory

God created us with a purpose and He has His own plans for us. The word purpose means: the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. We didn’t choose our purpose God did. “It is only in God that we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significant, and our destiny. Every other path leads to a dead end”-Rick Warren. We were born by God’s purpose and for His purpose. It’s not about us, it’s about HIM! Revelation 4:11 declares that God created everything, and it is for His pleasure that they exist and were created. If you haven’t read Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life, I strongly recommend you do, this will definitely put life into prospective. In Isaiah 43:7 it says “Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes I have made Him". We were created for His glory and pleasure.

I was looking back at my old journal and saw that in January 2012 I was contemplating whether or not to come to Fiji after I finished university. God is so faithful, a year and 6 months later, here I am in Fiji. God had a plan for me from before I was born and has been ordering my steps all along. He has been orchestrating my life and He is orchestrating YOUR life too. We were in His care even before we were born (Isaiah 44:2). Will you surrender your life to God so that you can discover and fulfill your destiny and purpose?

Thank you all for taking the time to read my blog and know that I have been praying for each and everyone of you.

P.s feel free to subscribe to my blog posts :)

Miss Josie Jo

Xxx

Week 12-His Love & Mercy Endures Forever

Hey guys, how are you all? How blessed are we to see a new day, praise Yahweh!This week has been an eye-opening week for me. God has not finished with me yet lol and I truly believe that He is continuing to perfect everything that concerns me (Psalm 138:8). How is your relationship with God, is it growing or has it become stagnant? It is so important that we regularly examine ourselves and check whether or not we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). If we have become complacent in any way, we must take the necessary steps and align ourselves with God’s Word.  

There Is No Greater Love

This week’s topic was called Destiny By Design and one of the speakers shared with us an analogy using a $50 dollar note. He said that even if the note is trampled on so many times, it’s worth still remains and you’re able to purchase something with it right? Well this also applies with us. In God’s eyes our worth is not dependent on what has happened to us. Our intrinsic worth comes from Him and Him alone, after all was it not He who created us? Regardless of the mistakes we made in the past and continue to make we are still who God says we are. My initial thought was “wow, what a beautiful illustration”. 

God said that we are the “apple of His eye” (Deuteronomy 32:10) before we were even created, and that truth still stands today. So regardless of whether you have been abused, taken drugs, committed sexual sin, stolen or even murdered someone; God’s thoughts towards you are the same as when you were born. Numbers 23:19 declares that God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should change His mind…God’s Word never changes!

In Jeremiah 31:3, our heavenly Father said that He loves us with an everlasting love. The word everlasting means; eternal, without end and enduring. How astounding is that? To think that God love’s is not dependent on what we do-or don’t do is so beautiful. We don’t have to earn His love, so STOP TRYING! He loves you regardless. Before Jesus even cast out demons, ministered to others and revived the dead, God already loved Him and said, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”.

Josie…Chill!

What else has been happening this week for me? As many of you already know I’m a thinker. I think a lot, too much in fact at times. I also see that I take life too seriously. I’m coming to realise more and more that this is a problem. After all God wants us to enjoy life rather than just endure it. God also revealed to me that one of the things that draws me away from Him are my thoughts. I worry a lot and the more time I spend worrying, the less I focus on Him. And this is sin. I’m learning more and more that there is absolutely no point in worrying. What I need to do is fix my eyes on Him rather than the things of this world and cast my burdens onto Him (Psalm 55:22). I must make the decision to trust God and believe that everything will fall into place.

I hope you are all encouraged by what I have been sharing.

Have a blessed day :)

P.s my email address is josieagyeman@gmail.com, feel free to drop me an email.

Love Miss Josie Jo

Xxx

Week 11-My Saviour, Redeemer, Lifted Me From The Miry Clay

This week has been yet another hard and perplexing week for me. I have felt so lonely and withdrawn from everyone.  And to add to it, God has been continuing to expose and purify me but in spite of everything, I have found myself pouring my heart out to God more and more.

Feeling Weary & Alone

This weekend the YWAM conference took place and to be honest I didn’t feel like going at all! On Friday, we were waiting for the bus to go to the conference and I was thinking ‘Oh Lord I don’t see the point in going out this weekend, I just wanna be by myself’. Then the bus came and I heard someone calling my name. I looked up and saw one of the girls from YWAM New Zealand that I met a couple of weeks ago. My first reaction was “God You’re amazing”. He is so faithful guys, He knew I was lonely and provided a companion to encourage and lift my Spirit. My God steps in right on time hehe.

One the opening night at the conference, we have a worship ceremony. I poured out my heart to God and told Him that I wanted to encounter Him in a fresh way and He heard and answered me. I was having communion with Ranadi when I felt God’s presence. He touched my shoulders. I knew it was Him and it was just what I needed. There are seasons and moments in our lives when we feel like no one understands us, when we feel like we are completely alone. And that’s not true. Jesus is our closest friend. When your friends and family forsake you, Jesus has promised to never leave nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:8). Even when you don’t feel His presence He is still here with you. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever and that’s the Good News!

Something Heather Lindsey said really encouraged me; she said “whenever I get lonely, I know that it’s God calling me back to fellowship with Him. So take that lonely feeling & give it to God. Pour out.” This was so true for me. It’s in those dark moments that we need to turn to God more than ever before and go deeper.

My Father Is So Awe-some!

This weekend turned out to be a refreshing experience for me lol. I woke up at like 6.20am on Saturday and me along with two friends went to go and sit on the beach and watch the sun come out. The heavens truly do declare the glory of God, the God we serve is so big like no words can express how incredible God is!

So remember in my last blog post I spoke about how I wasn’t sure about the next step for me after outreach, well this week I met a woman who happens to be a counselor and this is the route I want to pursue after I finish. We spoke and she advised me about the possible steps I could take after I finish outreach. God used the lady to give me direction concerning my future. Like isn’t God just incredible??!

I Know That My Redeemer Lives...

Psalm 40:1-3 has been a real source of encouragement for me this week. This scripture is not just referring to being born again and Christ redeeming us, it’s also referring to the here and now. Over the past couple of weeks I have felt like I’m in the wilderness.  But God has been so loyal and caring. The horrible pit in verse 2 can represent a season of darkness; situations when you feel stuck and feel like there is no way out. But Yahweh has promised to deliver us from our trials (Psalm 34:4). If we wait on Him in patient expectation, we will discover security and refreshing newness fellowship with Him.

And The Transformation Continues…

This week’s topic was called Plumb line and one of the speakers helped me to discover that some of my past experiences have affected me emotionally. This is an area God is currently dealing with in my life. Whilst she was praying for me, I saw an image of a coconut. God showed me that the coconut represents me and He wants to break my heart of stone. A coconut is hard and woody on the outside whilst the inside is white flesh, which contains clear liquid. God revealed to me that my past experiences have led to me building up walls around my heart.

God also led me to the revelation that when we build up walls around our heart because of past hurt, we not only push others away but we also push God away too and this will affect our relationship with Him. What’s the solution? We must be real with God, take our issues to Him and allow Him to heal us of our hurt otherwise the issue becomes a stumbling block in our lives. What is a stumbling block in your life right now that is affecting your relationship with God and others?

P.s my email address is josieagyeman@gmail.com, feel free to drop me an email.