7 things I am grateful for in 2017
The year is a few days from being over but it’s not over yet!
God can still do something in your life, after all, He is The God of suddenly.
For B and I we started the year with plans to move from
Durban. We felt Durban was not working for our careers and passions and really
believed that JHB is the place we need to be to grow in our passions and
networks. (I know, you probably think I convinced him to move to JHB! Not even
close). I wanted us to move to Cape Town. A new city for the both of us to
explore together. We would have only each other but he felt JHB is the place
for us and I didn’t mind at all. After all, JHB will always be home for me. 😊
Fast forward to end of the year and we are still in Durban.
What happened? Well, the 8 years of me being saved and have been through trials
and tribulations, I knew that we can plan and have desires, but God’s plan will
prevail in our lives. In fact, I wouldn’t want our plans to overtake His.
Our lives took a different turn. As much as we didn’t move
to JHB, we still saw His favour over our lives. God opened an amazing
opportunity for me to study. Bongani also had a favourable opportunity during
what we thought was a disappointment in that moment.
So, turns out what we were
moving to JHB for, came on a silver platter for us in Durban. Did it mean we
didn’t hear right from God? I doubt it. I know we heard right, but everything
works out for good and in His perfect timing. For now, Durban is still our home
and we will thrive in the land we have been given!
7 things I am
grateful for in 2017
1. The gift of life
As I grow older I realise how life is a gift. I am thankful
that I am alive today, healthy and working towards my purpose.
2. My Marriage
Marriages are under an attack! The devil is stealing joy out
of marriages and changing perceptions, but he has already lost! What was
shocking this year is my peers being young widows, unfaithfulness and sin being
protected because people fear being humiliated or labelled as impatient. I
thank God that I am still married.
My marriage is far from being perfect and my
husband will never be perfect, but I am glad he still has the fear of the Lord
in him. I am thankful that he is still around and knows his role as a husband
in our home. It’s easy to take blessings for granted and I hope I never get too
familiar and take my union for granted.
This year was like my first year of marriage in terms of the time we
spent together. We got to spend quality time together and get to know each
other.
3. Driving
So, if you know me, you know how scared I was of driving. I
got my license 7 years ago but lost my confidence in driving a year later. This
year was one of the years I told myself I must drive! Nomakanjani! Thankful to
my manager for pushing me to gain my confidence back, I am driving again! I am
a pretty good driver, even when B always feels the need to tell me what to do
on the road. It Feels great!
4. Family
Being married gets you to explore and try understand how other
families keep it together (FYI! my in-laws are amazing! Just a different cup of
tea to what I am used to). Being away from home has made me love and appreciate
my family even more.
With the same breath, I appreciate my in-laws as well. They
are a modern Godly bunch which makes my relationship with B a fun one without
being tied down to traditions that keep one in bondage.
5. I fell in love with taking care of myself
Year in and year out I have had a
goal to keep healthy and fit by exercising, which I did but, this year was different.
I learned a lot about the type of food I eat. All the stuff marked as “healthy”
yet containing a lot of sugar. No wonder why I never lost weight! When I got
the revelation of sugar and what sugar does to ones’ body, that was the end of
it! I quit cereal (including oats and muesli), fizzy drinks, any ingredient
with white flour and did crossfit exercises.
Trust me! You will never do gym
the same way again! I fell in love with the results. I realised I don’t need
sugar. You don’t too.
I have never felt this good and
healthy ever in my life!
B and I are passionate about building God’s kingdom and
serving in the ministry, so being part of a church is important to us. I know
when people leave a church, we always assume they misbehaved or something bad
happened. Nothing of that sort. I chose B and where he fellowshipped was a
package that came with him. Church was great and all, but it always felt like I
got pulled into a moving train and didn’t know where it was going. I did not belong,
and it always felt like B’s church. For a while, I went to church because I must
go to church. I was not looking forward to church anymore. It was like marking
a register that I was there but spiritually I was not checking in.
Sounds weird right? Don’t get me wrong, the church is
amazing, with amazing people and a great community and they preach nothing else
but the word but I honestly didn’t belong. Different culture. 2 years after
trying to belong, we decided to look for another home, a home we would both
call our second home. After months of searching we found a home. They preach
the word of God; the vision is clear, and we want to be part of it. We now look
forward to church every Sunday. We thank God for a new home and pray we will
grow more in him as He continues to use us.
7. My gift of writing
We all have a story to tell and someone is there to listen
and to be inspired by you. I am thankful I can share my story through writing
and, mostly grateful to you for always taking the time to read. I encourage you
to also tell your story at all cost in your own way.
This was my year. There’s a lot to be thankful for but the above are my highlights. I know next year is going to be better! I am
already looking forward to 2018!
May you have a safe festive with your loved ones. May next year
be fun and epic for you and I pray you will grow as an individual. May fall in love with taking care of yourself spiritually, mentally and physically.
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