namwano

       The end of another 365 is almost here. I picked a few life lessons that remain etched like tattoos both on my mind and in my heart. I picked a few out of the many overwhelming ones I would have shared, and I hope that you can maybe pick and carry one or two (or five or ten) and share them too. 1.       Learn to see people the way God sees them. I have always thought there is a reason why the famous 1 st Corinthians 13:4-8 begins with “Love is patient.” It is the foundation for all else that love is. Patience has fibres of grace, compassion, correction and truth. 2.       Do not just have goals in common, have God in common too. 3.       If you stay long enough with people that are determined to stay the course, they will brain wash you into believing that nothing is impossible. That nothing is difficult. That some things though not pleasing at first, are worth the pursuit, w...

Life has been defined as several things. In the present season, it feels somewhat like an uphill trek, only this time, the view does not feel so great. Today, I am here for the one who this pandemic feels like walking through a pitch-black hallway, with arms groped forward to guide, while tears block your eyes. To be honest, no one has been spared from this. No one has been let off the hook. For a few, this may be a blessing in disguise, but I am here today for the one wallowing in uncertainty. I want you to wallow until you can wallow no more. I am here for the soul that is longing to make sense of the chaos in their head; for the soul for whom rest of late has become a luxury; the one whose paradise feels lost, and whose current road feels longer and harder. I am here for the one wailing like David asking, “How long, Oh Lord, how long”? (Psalm 13:1-2) Our lives have become urgent. We have been thrown into a desperate struggle. Comfort has become an illusi...

Over time, the ways in which we have been getting to know each other have changed. Practices have slowly been morphed into identities at the cost of companionship; and opportunities to grow deeper and access actual real and close friendships have been robbed by pretence, competition, comparison and assumption. Pretence and comparison take from us and eventually competition and assumption divide us. Human beings in general are fragile (I am learning that everyday). They are like mirrors, they can reflect back at us our imperfections but are also capable of breaking too if not handled properly or placed stably. Despite what life may serve us, there are still amazing people around. They will lift, educate and sometimes wake you up from a costly slumber. They say “All of you is welcome” while protecting you sometimes from your own wayward self. However, the beauty and sometimes the beastly seasons of friendship cause us to not only question the people around us ...

There is something about care that makes a difference. Something about paying attention to the little things and having a genuine interest, particularly in people, that makes this world somewhat bearable. Genuine interest is an act that can only be tried and tested to be true by those that know you on a soul level. It is something actively shown, not something merely said. There is a famous quote by one John Done that states, “No man is an island”. It is an expression used to explain that self-sufficiency doesn't quite cut it for any human in life. That everybody needs somebody. That everybody needs community in order to thrive. American actor Ron Cephas Jones, in his role as William, in the hit series ‘This is Us’ mentioned a rather profound statement about community. He says, “Community, it’s a strange word on its own, a word not as warm as family. But that’s okay because we have each other. We have this place, and that’s not nothing, that’s not nothing at all.” Commu...

Photography by KilographyKE I have had a couple of conversations over the past few weeks that are the backdrop of what I’m sharing today. If you have been keen of late there seems to be a war waged between the real and the ideal. It is from this war that adversary is birthed and continuous judgement continues in the courts of hearts, deliberated by the mind. With everyday that goes by, there is effort exerted to mend the relationship between the real and the ideal with the testimony of the truth. But none wants to give up the fight. The real and the ideal both want to win. The demand for perfection has become high, now more than ever. To show authenticity or exude vulnerability is almost unacceptable in a world that thrives on toughening up. But at the root of all this is the entitlement many have embraced over humanity. Don't get me wrong, there are instances where instinct automatically has us make positive judgments. However, I believe we are all guilty of having o...

  Photography by: @KilographyKE On several occasions, I realize that most of my growth and maturity is directly linked to experiences I have had with the people close to me. My circle is small, but the lessons derived from these few are probably what have made me who I am today. God orchestrates friendships. He brings people together on purpose. He does not operate on a backup plan, He is intentional even with the people we may label as ‘special-grace-required’ humans. It always amazes me, this paradox, of how we as human beings can be different, yet all the same in God’s eyes. Take for instance, when it comes to taking offence. All of us take offence, we simply do it differently. Some marinate in it for a while and forget about it. But get them on the wrong day, and you may inevitably face the incredible hulk. Others deal with it there and then, give you a piece of their mind and if uncontrolled, unfortunately get physically abusive. A recent incident taught me much ...