The Impact of Telling Your Story
It is life-giving to walk alongside someone. Getting to know their stories, learning about their strengths and areas they don’t do so well, too. As I am writing this, my eyes are filled with tears. I finished having a conversation with one of my new leaders, Joe. After several years of being in the grandstands he made a life changing decision.
He was fed up being passive. He got tired of being a judge. Judging others. His inner man was starving. He had to give in. The inner man couldn’t give him peace. The hunger was perpetual. The hunger for something better, something more fulfilling. Joe has found the bread of life and he gave his life to the Lord.
He couldn’t control himself as he shared with me how Jesus has transformed his life. “I am a new creation,” said Joe. “I feel satisfied with what I have. I have Him, He is in me and I am His.”
The man who used to have multiple partners has severed ties with many women. He is sorry that he abused many of them. The dawn has come and he is a new man. He wants others to know God, to know that He cares and He invites everyone to bring their burdens to him. He offers freedom to those who come to him.
Joe is now spending most of his time with the youth. He wants them to have a deeper devotional life with Jesus. He has ventured to the poultry business. He is growing different types of chickens in the village. He is doing this project with the youths that he is discipling. “I have realized that our youths are dying young due to idleness, they spend their time dulling their minds with dangerous substances and prostitution,” said Joe. “As I am spending time studying the word, growing chickens, I am learning that the youths’ mindsets have changed. By the time we knock off the youths will be tired. They go home to rest. No time for illicit home brew substance.”
The man who is now a beacon of light happened to be the man who I shared my personal story with in the year 2013. Though he didn’t take it seriously then, the seed was planted in his life. It took time to germinate. The seed was waiting for its time. The time has come. Joe is planting Jesus. He is discipling 33 youths. The number is ballooning. God is on the move.
“A personal story….Is one’s personal story important,” you may ask. It is.
This is why I share my personal story with people I meet for the first time.
My life before Christ
When I met Christ
And what I do after meeting Christ
Joe at 55 is sharing his personal story with the youth. His lifestyle before Christ resonates with many youngsters. Let us use everything at our disposal to make Him known.
On the other hand, our leaders in the village are leading by example. Praying against poverty is important. It is also equally true that as we pray we teach our people to work. God blesses the work of our hands and work is a blessing because production eradicates poverty.
We need production in our communities. People need food — such a basic need. Our people are not waiting for the government to bail them out with food parcels. They believe in work and production.
Producing food God’s way: Our leaders do not want to use chemicals. They use compost, humus, and manure to make the soil fertile. At the end of fall, most deciduous trees lose their leaves. Our leaders fetch the leaves. They use their scotch carts, wheelbarrows, and sacks to fetch the leaves. They use the leaves for mulching and the blanket keep needed moisture.
Our leaders are guided by the truth that the land and everything on it is a gift from God and has to be handled well. This is the fundamental principle of Biblical stewardship. God owns everything; we are simply managers or administrators acting on His behalf. Therefore, stewardship expresses our obedience regarding the administration of everything God has placed under our care.
About the author: Munyaradzi Hove is an All Nations Cape Town board member and field worker in Zimbabwe
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