The year that was…

As 2012 comes to a close, i have a grateful heart. 2011 Was a bad year…i had attended too many funerals and shed too many tears. Call it an emotionally draining year. As it closed i remember i was tired and frustrated by the year…i did not have so much to smile about…31st December 2011 i asked God to let me have a better year, less funerals, less loss and less tears. as i write this today, indeed 2012 has been a thrill for me, it has been a year of joys, happiness and lessons learned. 2012 saw me attend weddings of people who had ran a good race, weddings where love and endurance was the theme. In each of them i was happy for the couples…love indeed brings people together in joy and celebration. Even though death brought us together, love did more than that …it brought us joy, celebration, honor, hope and bonds. Truth is those events reminded me that above all things love is the greatest. On the other hand, i made great friendships as i also let go of some. I learned that indeed friends are a priviledge not a right. Treasure your friends, be kind to them and share with them. You will walk fast if you walk alone, but you will walk far when you walk with others. I got to do an internship this year, an experience that taught me a lot to do with the work life. I got to learn my strengths and weaknesses. It sharpened my aspirations and focus. In essence i learned the value of new experiences, they refresh you and build you…in fact i have grown fond of looking forward to them… I learned to love the beauties of life more. The simple matters that make my life great. The monday drive with mum to school, talking for hours on end with my sister, sharing jokes with dad or sharing a meal with friends. Simple things they may seem to be, but they have colored my life all through the year. They are the things that made me smile and made me happy. Truly life is in the simple good mundanes of life. I learned to take time on my own to listen to myself, the desires and dissapointments of my heart. Self-evaluation allows you to grow, change and take stock. I learned to wait, to hold on to choices i had not thought through…in a sense, i learned to be alone-Something am not so used to 🙂 am always surrounded by people. While they are important i learned i sometimes need to take a walk alone, sit by myself and figure one or two things out. I learned my inner self is never to be ignored. I learned to borrow. To borrow from the lives of others, their successes, mistakes and plans. My life alone is too limited to learn or do everything, so i borrow and i ask from the world around. I listen closely wen somebody shares for i know therein lies something i could borrow. In 2012 i learned to take a break. Its important to sharpen the axe as you go ahead. Even if you are good at something, you have to stop to renew yourself. The last quarter of the year saw me take a back seat in ministry at church, its been great watching things run with little involvement from me. Its been a great break. I got to champion and support others like i have been supported before. Rest is good for the soul and the spirit…as you go around life, take a break. In 2012 i kept a few things….i kept rising up. I’m not one known to be stuck in my failures. However this year, i saw myself rise over and over again. I must say i am quite pleased with myself. I kept God with me. As the centre of my life, i know with God i am safe and sound. 2012 also had a few favourites:- Best event- Aflewo Nairobi 2012. It wasn’t just an event, it was a worship experience like no other. Since i was a part of the team, aflewo was not a night but several months of great experiences.. truly God is present. Best book- Reedeeming Love by Francine rivers. The book starts as a romance novel,but by the time you finish the book you realize it is the greatest love story. That of God’s love for us. Blog i liked- ‘A fathers journey’ by Njoroge Justus. The blog documents Njoroge’s experiences as a father and husband. I love the fact that he knows God, the fact that his dealings as a father and husband are centered on the principles of Christ. Its an amazing read and a journey into the life of a father…i like the fact that i can relate to his kids, his experiences and outlooks. he’s painting a different picture of fatherhood, and its a positive brand. The other blog is ‘pen strokes’ by Ernest Wamboye. I love the way this young man loves God and loves his wife. I love the JET -(Jesus Ernest and Turi relationship) its a great story. His articles are thought provoking and inspiring. I re-read them sometimes. His love for Christ is just amazing. God bless his work. By the way he wrote a book…its on my 2013 reading list…. TV show i liked – ok besides suits which was a really great show, i loved Dads can cook on Kiss TV. We live in a world that has nothing good to say about men, so this show was a great idea. Co-operate leaders in the kitchen, talking about life,kids,wives and work it is quite something. By the way, i never really know what they are cooking, i just enjoy the chat on the side, the positive vyb. You should check it out. Movie i liked- this is a tough one,i’ve watched awesome movies but ‘nairobi half life’ can take this. Not only was it a real story, great movie…it was Kenyan!!…i am patriotic like that. Kudos to the team. Kenyan film is on the rise i tell you. I’ ve got a lot to smile about in 2012. i am grateful to God for being faithful, for the mercies accorded to me and for the everlasting love and grace. As we close the year, how was yours like? any favourites? things to be grateful for? Do share….I say 2012… all glory to God, all praise and honor.what do you say? i pray for a great 2013 for you. I value your visits to the blog, your thoughts and your support. Love and grace, Fearless Nazirite.

Every girl needs… a band of brothers…

At the University of Nairobi, some male friends of mine have this weekly meeting dubbed band of brothers. Much to my excitement they meet to discuss godly manhood, how to co-ordinate themselves in this world like men…men of the good book…the men in the group are not just people they meet once in a week, they are actual friends outside the meetings. They see each other and talk in between the week. More than the meetings…I like the friendships that ensue…that is where the real ministry happens.

Anyway when I say every girl needs a band of brothers, I simply mean guy friends…godly guy friends. Here are my reasons…

1. They are kind to you with no hidden motives. I have had friends cook for me when I was bone tired, those who have sorted me out when I was flat broke and the ones who I could call when I’m in danger. They remind a girl that she is worth kindness and expressions of love. They remind a girl that the only currency she owes a man for his kindness is the same kindness and care that was extended to her.
2. They are quick thinkers and well connected. If you are ever stranded somewhere, call that guy friend of yours. I discovered men are quick to think of solutions and will have you sorted in no time. On the other hand they have the most interesting connections ever…once a friend of mine recovered a wallet from a pick pocket…It turns out he knows a friend who is a pickpocketer (yes…I know what you are thinking)
3. They tell you the truth when you ask “how do I look?” …often less concerned about feelings, they are likely to tell you the truth. Too much make-up, fabulous outfit or lovely. The Christian ones also tell you when you have crossed the line to dress in less modest clothes…when your top is too low or when your skirt is way short J something your sisters may never even notice…
4. They know their fellow men, so when they meet that creep you are about to tragically name your boyfriend…they will warn you that they don’t trust him. They know each other I guess. On the other hand at least they care to explain why they don’t like a certain njoroge J
5. Around them, life is fun and lighter. Let’s face it…boys will always be boys J…in this case men. They are the people who have made me go on completely random plots I would have probably never thought of doing. They are the people who teach you how to play games or in fact play with you if you are  a gamer like me J in every man there is a goofy element that is nice to be around especially when the world is not being so nice.
6. They are like brothers, they look out for you. They check to find out if you safely got home. They see you off properly when you pass by to visit them. The guys are the same ones who fix your socket among other electrical appliances and the same ones who notice something wrong in your surroundings. Natural protectors I presume.
7. More than it all …the nice ones help to destroy that age old lie that all men are bad. Trust me, from experience I find it very hard to criminalize men when I think of my cool dude friends as part of that equation of men. There is positivity from them, a fresh look onto the world; they give you hope and a standard of operation. If your platonic friends treat you well…it is likely that Mr.Man has something to catch up with.

To all the ladies who have an amazing band of brothers in their lives, appreciate them. To the bands of brothers in the ladies lives, it is always a pleasure to have you around. To that guy who thinks he constitutes the band of brothers be nice to the ladies in your life…it really does mean a whole lot. My words are few and inadequate compared to the real effect you have on us…

To my guy friends….meeeen you guys ROCK!!this one is for you. Such cool people….totally awesome. I truly admire your presence in this life of mine J

A Letter To My 20 Year-old son…

Dear son,

I know some of my methods of parenting were a bit strange to you, but I really have the best in mind for you, just like any mother out there. I had friends whose lives were what they were because of the mums they had…so I was just trying to be one of those mumsJ.

I raised you for the future, not the present day; I needed to know you could survive when I go. I made you chase your dreams. Yes you complained about me pushing you too hard, but life is not exactly easy. When you wanted to learn to play music…I got you a tutor…I made you sit through the hours getting your craft right. You see son, whenever you decide to chase your dreams, the road is never easy. I wanted you to learn to pay the price for your dreams, so that when you decide to chase something – even that girl I hope to see home one day- you will be ready to roll up your sleeves for it. I wanted you to know the joy of achieving your dreams, that in fact they do come true. My boy, if you chase anything, chase it to the very end…just like mama taught you.

Boy I listened to you. When you had important things to say and when you were telling me about your toys. I sat through your stories, recorded them carefully in my mind. I made your father listen to you too. It was not for nothing boy. I wanted you to know, you are important. What you had to say mattered to someone. I wanted my boy to walk with confidence coz they know they matter. I do hope you grow to be eloquent and polished in your speech. One day my boy, you will not just address mama…you will be addressing thousands…and you will remember me listening as though you were declaring my salary increase 😉

Son, I know you remember me sending you out with your father numerous times. It is not that I never wanted to parent you…far from that. I am a lady, as far as that is concerned there are limitations as to how far I could parent you. I could never understand some things or even teach you some things. That’s why I entrusted you to your father. I made you go for those ‘man trips’ and sessions organized by church because I knew my limitations. In reality …as you will come to discover, a man needs his father more as he grows into a man. Your father’s counsel and wisdom will be of much value. If there is no relationship between you two, you would never access his wisdom…now you can thank me for ensuring your friendship.

I made you be responsible. Yes, the times I made you follow through with your things, insisted that you own your choices, your decisions and the results. I have always admired responsible men, and above all qualities; this is the one which I spent my time crafting in you. So I let you make choices for yourself, I let you choose your paths, but I made you own the results. My boy, your life is indeed a sum total of the choices you make and the responsibility you own. Take your life, own all that is in it, do not blame others for your mistakes, no one is responsible for your life for anything, even me. If you are a good man, then you made good choices.

Above all, I made you go to church religiously. Even those stomach aches you kept feigning never worked for you. God has always been and will always be the answer. He will be your ultimate guide and shield. He will teach you when I can’t, he will provide for you when I can’t and he will love you when I can’t. My boy, if you forget anything else I will ever teach you in this life, then do not forget God. Do not forget his word and his house. For therein I desire that you remain all the days of your life.

I hope you now understand why I did what I did. I did it with all the love in this world, the kind of love that a mother has for her son.

Love mum

……

Well guys those are the things I would teach my sons. They are the things I aspire to embark on as a mum. I do believe I have achieved the gender balance…just in case I get that truckload of boys (Victor i remember your comment)…hehehe… Do share what you think….lovely week people.

I will be Rich for My Girls.

I have every intention to be rich for the sake of my daughters. I will work hard to be rich in character and money too just for those girls. I have lived long enough to know those two things can make or break a girls’ life. Here’s why…
My parents had an ok salary, just enough to manage. In my upbringing, I never had anything flashy or designer beyond my bata ‘big shoes’, neither did I lack anything I needed – please note the difference between a want and a need as you read that. Growing up, i was made to understand the difference between wants and needs. I saw my parents sacrifice to give me the things I needed and push aside those I wanted. I am still eternally grateful for enabling me to attend the best schools in the country  …in my opinion at least. I witnessed as they saved up, invested in the right things, built there life to what it is today. As I look at them doing well today, I know money has got nothing to do with how much you earn…but all to do with how you use it. Their character of saving, investing in the right things, knowing what they need and what they can do without and trusting each other is what got them there. As a result of growing up in their home, I am accustomed to simplicity, a bare minimum. I know I can be as rich as I want to be if I use my money wisely regardless of where I start. I know how to adapt to the stages of life, I know it is fine for me to be broke when in campus, even my parents were flat broke . I am never ashamed of my simplicity, or afraid to say I can’t afford something – I am comfortable in this stage of life. I don’t struggle to live beyond my means, neither am I cowed to use dubious ways to finance a life beyond my affordability. I derive joy from the simplicity of my life. on the other hand I quickly dismiss guys who are quick to ‘bail me out’, dish out unnecessary money to me – a foolish man is he who is against my humble beginnings. I am proud of the way I look for cheap bargains wherever I can, I am proud of myself when I save up for something I really want. I am proud of building my financial dreams, one coin saved at a time. I am this way because I was brought up with parents full of character. I want the same pride for my girls. For them, I will hold on to character, they will never hang their head in shame when they are broke. That is the Mwangi dynasty diva style. Wisdom is greater than money.
On the other hand, I will be rich monetary wise. Don’t get me wrong, I will not spoil them. I just need them to know the money is there. Like for me, I wish they will witness my growth financially. I hope to walk the journey of building wealth with them. I will show them pictures of my present cubicle- it is so tiny, so simple. I will show them the pictures of their proud simple mommy and contrast them with those of their rich mommy. I will not hand them everything they want, but once in a while I will let them know the good life, I will take them to that expensive restaurant, buy them that expensive pair of shoes and sometimes I will give more than the necessary money. All these to remind them that money doesn’t make you a different person, it just changes your outside. I will teach them not to be cowed or lied to by the flashy lifestyle and expensive things. i will remind them that these things only add to your life they don’t make your life. I will teach them these things, good things come to those who wait and work. It will also serve to teach them to look beyond a man’s fancy restaurant outings and those fancy phones. For them, those fancy things will not be the spice of life.
I hope with the wealth in the two areas I can bring up girls like me. Unashamed of living within their means, and dedicated to working hard to live their dreams. I hope their hearts will be simple enough to enjoy a ‘maindi choma’ (roasted maize) or a queen cake with a guy they like ( I would absolutely do that) and hard enough to fight virtuously for wealth. I hope they will be simple enough to use matatus and hard enough to walk a little sometimes to save money for something they desire. This is the legacy of my dad, the simple guy who taught me the heart- money equation. I want to pass it on. I hope you will too.
As I finish, I would like to thank my parents. They deserve a standing ovation. Character, patience, wisdom and love builds wealth. Truly amazing people, the Mwangi’s. I dearly love you and treasure you mum and dad. You are the best.
Lots of love,
Fearless Nazirite.

AFLEWO : Africa Let’s Worship.

today is the long awaited scheduled day for AFLEWO Nairobi at NPC Karen 🙂  (if you live in Nairobi you had better show up) anyway, aflewo is a worship ministry whose vision is  To stir up hope in Jesus across Africa through annual events of Worship in Music and Prayer by 2017. AFLEWO has been going around several countries already to spread the good word of hope in Jesus through the whole night in worship. i am an avid AFLEWO attendee, even if am sick, i’ll still pull through- i figure where Jesus is there must be healing, right? yes…

anyway, this would be good news to everyone, AFLEWO this year will be streamed live through http://www.ntv.co.ke/live regardless of where you are you can log on and worship the most high with the rest of us. it will be happening at 10:00pm to 6:00am GMT +3

Africa Let’s Raise our Voices in Worship. Amen. Blessings.

Will be back next week…i know i’ve been lost a while now 🙂

Cheers, 

The one who loves to worship the most high … Fearless Nazirite.

Beautiful Words.

the day was last week on Tuesday, i had worn my navy blue skirt suit- simply because i had not done laundry – ( ok in truth, i had not managed to bribe our house-help into doing it for me. did i mention it has happened again this week?? – note to self, bribe the girl earlier, this week Thursday should do it 🙂 ) anyway, that’s a story for another day…

…back to Tuesday…

so in my Navy blue skirt i managed to pull off a well put together lady in the office. Never mind the laundry mountain that remained home…but i digress. that evening when dad got home, i went to say hi to him and get him some tea and food – it happens to be my default duty. anyway this particular Tuesday, when i walked into the living room, he sat up and asked me, “you went to work like that?” …he paused a little, then said, “…you look really good. very beautiful…. you looked good.” ( this was all said in kikuyu, my mother tongue, so it had this depth in it… i said thank you, smiled and told him “…you look good, …you always do”…he laughed back as if i had cracked a joke, but i insisted he really dresses well daily, quite the looker 🙂
as i left the living room i immediately went to the mirror – yes i like to admire myself,even purported philosophers have their moments of vanity and freedom. i let those words sink in my head, as i admired the truth in them, i did look good…i really was beautiful. as i think back to those words i want to take a trip back in my mind, a trip to times when people have said beautiful things to me, things that made me pause for a moment and glow in those words. these are some of the beautiful words i have heard…

You are beautiful- this has been said by a number of men, but not all of them made me glow,but when my father and the men i treasure in my life said this, it always brings a smile on my face. even though i wake up every morning and stare at myself in the mirror and tell myself “wewe ni mrembo” it still means a lot to hear it from another party.

you can do anything you decide, you are gifted in most things.- again my dad said this when i was in high school, and there was that sincere look in his eyes. to him i was- still am, a success story waiting to happen. every time my parents express their faith in me…i could conquer this world i tell you….those words are nothing short of powerful.

you are very gifted – this was from a reader of my blog. i had posted an article that i did not think was all that only for not just one but several people wrote in to let me know it was quite a piece. my musings and typing away is changing the world one letter at a time…you see why i still write to this day 🙂

you are principled and straight forward. you just make things happen – we were in a group of friends and we were sharing the positive things we like about each other. this came to me as an unexpected comment and the fact that every single one of those six friends happened to think the same thing just blew me away. that day…i felt like a candle that had finally seen its own light 🙂

she is excellent – this was said by two teachers in high school. i was partially the class clown and nice to teachers. i was two faced, but for two teachers to tell my parents i am brilliant…oh wowie…i went home on top of the moon…jus saying 🙂

i love you – when my mother wrote me a text saying that, i was caught off-guard i could barely stop smiling. when my siblings said it, i smiled. when a man i loved said it i still smiled.

…these words and many more have been said to me and brought a refreshing feel into my life. when James said the power of life and death lies in the tongue, he was not joking, this thing is for real.
what are some of those words that have been said to you that have made a difference to you? made you smile? brought you some life? do share them.
are your lips the beautiful ones that give life to the world? i sure do hope mine are those kind, i hope that my words could have the effect those beautiful words have had on me…i wanna have beautiful lips…Lord help me on this.

do share your beautiful words…

Cheers,
Fearless Nazirite.

Lonely at The Top.

I work in the accounts hall in my organization. The thing about this place is that there are several people who work there, of different genders, ages, experience and lifestyle. It is also a very key office for the whole organization so there is always quite an inflow of people looking for one thing or the other or making inquiries. For this reason, the hall tends to have stories. Last week on Wednesday happened to be one of those days when somebody emerged with a juicy debate. It was on relationships so you can trust everyone to get caught up in the discussion.
The funny thing was that most people who walked in chose to remain to contribute or see where the debate would head. At some point someone closed the door to keep the seniors from hearing us – this is what caught my attention. I know my seniors to be friendly people, who laugh at a good joke, have opinions about life and experience the same things we all do. However, it is a trademarked way of being treated when one is a senior or a boss- people always lock you out.
We all identify with the ‘colleague code’ where we send funny emails to each other but send strictly memos to the boss. We crack funny jokes with our workmates and our mouths turn dry when we see the boss. We ask each other how the weekend was on Monday but barely say hello to the boss. The situation is worsened if the boss is the unfriendly cold persona who barely manages a smile. He gets sidelined from almost everything. The only friends that remain in a boss’s circle are his fellow boss or people in the same league often suffering the same fate as he.
We all chase or at least dream of the corner office but rarely are we ever prepared for the looming loneliness. I may not know much about the great corner office, though I do know, it’s spacious, it’s big, it’s got lovely leather seats…and its devoid of the warmth, laughter and cheer of the juniors hall.
As a note to self: – as I rise through the ranks I will remember a boss I know. Let’s call him Luke. He is a boss to one of my friends. He is the type that walks in every morning and says hi to all those in his department. He is the one who will join his juniors at the lunch table. He is also the guy who opens up his car to give people heading in the same direction a ride home. He is the guy whose conversations go beyond the office to the EPL match that happened last night. He is also the same guy who let his juniors in on the secret that “it’s lonely at the top” it’s this kind of guy who survives the cold in the corner office. He grows and keeps a friendship with those under him therefore bringing the warmth of others into his space.
As you move up the ladder, do remember the top is lonely. You will need those under you to keep warm. Do be nice to them. . . .

Great week guys,

Fearless Nazirite.

Who Fearless is …

so i got these few question that i am supposed to answer so that you may get to know about me. i figured i should do this…av been busy all week and unable to craft articles, even though i have several in my head …check this space next week. back to these questions…

1). What is your name? Faith…

2). How many siblings do you have? i have four siblings – one is an in-law but he’s a brother to me, blood is the only missing link.

3). What course did you study. – i am a student of Economics and Finance.

4). What is your favorite pastime? reading…reading anything really…especially online. i could get lost in a book or an article.

5). What Qualities do you look out for in a man? ok, this sounds like a trick question, but i am drawn to quiet men, peaceful and patient…did i say patient??yes patient. but in general i like a Melancholic guy ( this is your chance to Google 🙂 they’ve got everything i like

6). What is your addiction? Laughter…i like to laugh and smile a lot…a lot…

7). What do you like about your blog?… it’s like a storage of the lessons i learn through life so i never forget the wisdom. it represents my growth as a person and a writer. most of all i get into contact with interesting people (for all you who send me mail, a big up to you)

8). What is your hope in life?… these ones are many, i hope to be a educator. i dream of that day I’ll help someone go to school, discover the absolute joy of reading. I’d love to supply book in my country…all over…and yes someday i hope I’ll write a book. school is where my big dreams were born…i’d like to pass that opportunity on.

9). What will be your climax in life?…every time i attain a goal…it’s a climax …every time i surprise myself, it’s a climax. every time i challenge my abilities and potential…it’s a climax for me.

10). What is your mantra? Matthew 7:12 – do unto others as you will have them do to you.
on the other hand… i never take life too seriously, i enjoy it, hence my constant, infectious laughter

11). Latest addiction for now?… accounting and finance…

12). What do you despise most in people. . .people who do things that they would not appreciate others doing to them.

13). Shopping, staying indoors. Which is your favorite? …Staying indoors. i like to lay low like a Barracuda as opposed to shopping. am not a fan.

so there…now you know a little bit about the writer 🙂 until next week whe i craft a few more articles, it’s blessings and love from me 🙂 … T.G.I.F ….i would have collapsed if tomorrow was Monday.

Get back up…

On Sunday on my way to church my sister and I saw this kid trip and fall….the fall was rather serious, almost making a dive for the ground. The kid got up as expected and started to cry his lungs out… the pain I assume must have been too much – I remember the feeling of falling on hard gravel, I remember it all too well. Anyway my sister the empathetic one started cooing sorry’s and “woishes” for the young child, pitying the pain he must have been feeling. I on the other hand just told her the boy would be fine. As a matter of fact, we will meet him the next day playing on that same gravel, unafraid of what happened to him today. I just told her…”a kid is never afraid to get up, get going and lose the fear”… At that point she understood my rather distantly felt empathy for the young one. We went on to discuss our childhood lives each of us reminiscing our injuries and the many times we got back up. I have enough scars to show by the way, but I finally learned how to jump over a fence like an Olympic steeplechase pro…Ezekiel Kemboi type of jump. I fell many times, but the very next day I was back trying my little feet at it. What about a bicycle, one play tool I still love even in my twenties- you are not allowed to judge that I still ride a bike. I fell enough times, got laughed at by the neighborhood pros, had my bike taken away because I couldn’t ride it but that never stopped me. I still got up every day at 7:00am, went to the road and begged my friend Solomon to teach me how to ride a bike…ladies and gentlemen, I dare say, I am an expert now  The beautiful thing about kids is that they always get up. Regardless of how bad it hurt, they never stop chasing after what they so desire. They don’t let the fear of falling once kill their world of imaginations or the joy of activity. Something happens as we grow up; we get hurt a little and refuse to come back up. We get hurt by a lover and refuse to love again – forgetting not all women/men are the same. We forget to give second chances to the world around us. We give up at the slightest fall, slightest failure or hurt. The zeal to go back out there is like the fire of a matchstick…quickly extinguished by the slightest wind. Dear friends, yes you will cry your eyes out like that young child, yes the pain will hurt like crazy, and for a moment- the pain shall be the only thing you think and feel – just like the young boy. And yes the hurt you experience may leave a scar, like the ones I boast of  and it may take a while to heal them- it may even require some antiseptic- a support system. More than that, you may need a bandage on the wound for a while till it heals. That is all ok; it is the inevitable process of healing. However just like a child, let the music of life never fade away. Let not the injuries of an incident in your life kill your dreams. Get back up…get back up…and get going!!! Great week guys. Cheers, Fearless Nazirite.

Jethro Concept.

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Yesterday I mentioned something to do with having Jethro’s in my life. That’s the topic today. Jethro in the bible was the father-in- Law of Moses who saw him making a wrong turn in life and he steered him in the right direction. You can read the full story in Exodus 18:13 -27. So basically a Jethro is that person in your life that keeps you accountable, asks you questions and mostly offers wisdom. I know we live in a society that advises us to go it alone and seek no help. We have glorified the survivors and worshipped the self-made man (even though there is nothing of the sort) we have scorned advise and thought we know best.  In fact asking for advice is deemed as weak if not crazy bordering stupid. I was one of those people who live in my own box, jealously guarding my privacy. I was more or less a stranger even to my own so called friends; never sharing my thoughts. For a while it worked – of course it did, I was young and had no difficult decisions to make.  As I grew older, the decisions became harder, narrower and more opinionated rather than fact based. I needed to walk with more than myself and my neat bible. I made a decision to have Jethro’s in my life, people who I could share my life with. I couldn’t pick anyone from the crowd, so I picked four people, Paulah, Wairimu, Bernard and my best friend Njeri – yes girl, you still rock . This was my criteria for choosing them:-

1. 1.       They are God fearing.

They are all born again Christians, so our world view is strongly Christian. Whenever I ask them about anything, they know it’s less about them and 100% about doing the right thing- by God’s standards.

1. 2.       They have experience.

They may not be that old, but they’ve weaved through enough of life to open me up to things I may not have experienced or seen. It is Paulah who encouraged me to open up an account and trade in shares – my papers are being processed. It turns out investing can be as easy as 20bob per day…literally. They tell me things they did right and those they did wrong and that is where I get my ‘experience’ and wisdom.

1. 3.       They remove my blind spots.

Since they don’t live my life it is very easy for them to be the impartial third party. They see the things I don’t see and ask the questions I may not have thought of. In a sense, they flash the red lights for me; just in case I missed them…this is especially Wairimu’s and Njeri’s strongest point.

1. 4.       They give opinion, not tell me what to do.

I have many Christian friends but these four are my sole advisors. They NEVER tell me what to do. They just ask questions, listen, discuss red flags or possibilities, share their thought and throw in a few verses. At the end of the day they relay the decision making rights to me, I decide what to do and they fully back me up, even if I pick a bad choice, they stick by me. I treasure that they don’t interfere with my individualism in the process of sharing with them, again…kudos to Paulah and Bernard on this point.

1. 5.       They are prayerful, read the word and do not contradict God’s word.

Whenever I speak to them, I am sure I will hear none of that talk show or magazine advice- I am actually slowly cleaning my life off these things. They will always and I mean every single time refer me back to the word of God, regardless of what the world does,  the word is their final instruction. Besides that, they pray for me. You can advise me all you want, but if you don’t pray for me, your words are void. There is power on your knees. I also pray for them by the way.

1. 6.       They speak the truth in love.

These four people are very opinionated. They are not crowd pullers or do whatever the world is doing. I love them for that. They don’t shy away from letting me know when I’ve blundered. They ask why I chose a bad choice. They let me know when they think I’m being stubborn, naïve or childish. Of course they do it kindly, their aim is to build me and not to break me – they will never rejoice in my downfall. Did I say they are normally the first guys to hand me congratulations? Yes, even in good times they celebrate me.

1. 7.       Their personal lives are in order.

Paulah, Wairimu, Bernard and Njeri have outstanding reputation both within and without. Everybody who knows them associates them with a high level of morality, standards and character. I can easily send you to them with no fear. They have boundaries, standards and things they just don’t do. They are the people I am proudly associated with. they are the kind who’s praises are heard from the city gates…no seriously, its true…I can confidently dare you to go and ask about them- guys please don’t come for my necks, I just trust you that much.

They are the people I trust, I don’t pretend I know everything and these days I don’t mind asking. On the other hand, I don’t trust everybody or pick advise from anyone, even if you are a bible believing, church going or miracle performing Christian, I do have a criteria for those I trust with my best times, my nightmares and my road blocks. I pray that you too have a set of such people. I hope that you too have people you can talk to. They will not make decisions for you but their advice is necessary to help you out in your tough spots. To my Jethro’s, I appreciate you, I love you and you are the top notch guys in my life. When I grow up…I want to be like you. – Never mind they are my age or a few years older, I admire them…

who are your Jethro’s and why?

Cheers,

Fearless Nazirite.

In case you want more information on this please visit Mavuno Church blog – Life Without Regrets

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