My Favorite Book

It is a festive season again. I cannot even begin to describe how much of a blessed experience I have had learning and unlearning since I joined the Father of love group.

Sister Fridah almost literally pushed me into this message and I forever thank God for having such a dear friend in her. She is not the kind who lets you go.

During this feast period I am happy to recount some of my experiences, especially with the books that I have been so blessed to read while here and also to share with a number of my friends.

When I was added to the Fol telegram group, the book that had come out around that time was HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS. Obviously, because I was excited about being part of the group, I immediately began with it. Talk of answered prayers and finding answers to heart burdens when you least expect them! That was me on reading the book.

For long I was struggling with the thought that the most unstable union one could get himself into is a marriage. I had seen my friends who were doing well spiritually and even in many other areas of life get into marriage and then around the 7th year (almost predictably) their marriages could come to an end, and that became the beginning of a downward spiral. There is something that breaks one when you see friends and close people lose it when their marriages come to an end, for whatever reason. In my mind they had quite 'good reasons' for quitting. Ellen White quotes and also the Bible seemed to offer support to their decisions.

Regardless of all the evidence I was being given, I knew there was something just not adding up, and I also knew that with the rate at which marriages are predictably breaking down, the worst decision one could make was entering into one. Marriage was not offering any stability, security or predictability, and I had seen it. These are conservative Christians who are widely knowledgeable in the Bible and SOP. If they could break their marriages and there were bible verses and SOP quotes supporting it, then surely nobody is 'tamperproof'. It can happen to anybody. My decision probably was to try as much I could to keep off this thing called Marriage. All these times my parents are on my back because I am not getting married, and I cannot explain it. I just know that there is something wrong with marriages and I am carrying a burden and praying about it, seeking answers. I can say almost desperately.

On reading the book Harden Not Your Hearts and seeing how marriage should have been and what we have made of it, I was dumbfounded. I knew I had finally found the answer. I knew that it is we who have 'unblessed' what God has blessed and made for the stability and blessing of human beings. Many things now made sense to me.

I really had hated how disposable marriages had become, especially to people of my generation (at least in our local context). This was especially made worse because even in our churches, divorces and remarriages were being encouraged. Of course in my mind, my strong view was always that however bad people's marriages may be, it should never be the work of a Pastor or preacher of the gospel to encourage and validate divorce. To me that just wasn't his work. Earlier on I had read Catholic views on divorce and had memorized Malachi 2:16, and based on the fact that I came from quite a large family/village where divorce and remarriage were scorned upon, my mind hadn't really adjusted that much to the reality of divorce, and therefore hearing pastors encouraging it was obviously the last thing I expected. (Our traditional family/village views are simply cultural or a way they have been used to doing things. Not so much based on scriptures).

There is somewhere in Christ Object Lessons where it says that the first impulse of a converted soul is calling others to come. So after being 'converted' by the views of the book HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS, I started looking for my friends and sharing the book with them. I knew a number who were in troubled marriages and planning to quit.  O what a blessing the book has been to them.....

More than any other book, it has helped me open doors to share our message, which I am now so excited about. I am usually so much into personal ministry, and the book opens doors for ministry for me that probably couldn't have been opened in any other way. I definitely love other books like Life Matters, Divine Pattern and Divine Risk. I continue to share the messages in the books as need arises and as doors open.

To relive my 'first love' experience with the book I first read when I joined the group, I was happy to re-read the book Harden Not Your Hearts. I looked for a few people to read along with me just to share my joy. Gladly I got 5 people read it with me. One is a man in her 5th year of marriage; another is a lady who was married about 8 months ago; the 3rd one is a former classmate who is in his 4th year of marriage; the 4th one is a lady separated from her husband. They are so excited with the book, and I know they will be open to more of the messages. One told me,

''I don't think we can honestly preach about Christ in the pulpits after divorce. How can I tell someone love bears all? Love is long suffering? How do I even know this without my experience? How can I say love is gentle yet I am severe towards my own wife, that I call my body?  I have a cousin whose husband wants to marry a second wife. The husband has been seeing another lady for quite some months now. Because of this the lady sought attention from another guy through WhatsApp and the husband wants a divorce. They have 3 children together. The last-born is 5 months old. We are never winning it in marriage without understanding the love of God. We will always have dry and stressful marriages regardless of how much we pray and fast, if we don't understand the character of God. The right understanding of God's character solves many issues.''

The separated lady(a dear friend) told me.... "U wanted me to read the book so that I  don't get remarried :) :) :). Can I write for you a few comments about the book in a document?"

I have many stories to share and lots of feedback, but time and space won't allow. All I can is that many people are begging from 'Macedonia', Come and help us' ACTS 16:9 especially those of my generation. They can be helped. A number of them entered marriages with the thought that if it doesn't work, they will quit, and as the saying goes, 'plan B always distracts plan A'. It will be more blessed for them to know that PLAN A can be/should be a beautiful plan.

I can only thank God for the opportunities I have to do personal ministry. Part of my work (medical missionary) helps me come into close contact with families; therefore I have a bias towards family-centered books. Forgive my bias.

Happy to be in this family. My only regret is that I didn't join earlier. Looking forward to the Feast of Tabernacles. It will be my 2nd feast to attend. I have tasted and I know that the Lord is good.

“To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul's paradox of love. We taste Thee, O thou Living Bread, and long to feast upon Thee still. We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead, and still our souls are thirsty for more.” A W. TOZER.

Having been saved from the house of death(worshipping a killer God) to the house of bread, worshipping our dear heavenly Father, what more can one ask for!  O that men may know the only true God & Christ whom he has sent.  As 'Maatan' is standing outside the glass walls of the City of Constance waving, many are 'seeing,' and light is breaking in. Many are 'coming out of her,' and they are responding to the call, 'All things are ready, come to the feast.' Luke 14:17.

I am forever thankful to those of you who have gone before us and paid a great price for the messages. Your faithfulness has been a great blessing. "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?"  Proverbs 20:6. I spend time reading the testimonies on the Maranatha website, and they are so encouraging. Having learned the Divine pattern, I am happy here under the blessing/leadership of a man/men of God.