It is DECEMBER, Fam!!! We are so hyped about 2018!
We want to take this opportunity to say a huge “Thank You!” to everyone who has stayed with this blog series since we started in January. (If you have not read all the blog posts, really – what have you been doing? Here you go, and you’re welcome!😘.) There were times when we were certain we wouldn’t put up a post but God came through.
The prompts we received about your expectations and anticipations at every month’s end, as well as the insights you shared with us, was a blessing and we can’t thank you enough. My contributions will be in blue and Rabby’s contributions will be in italics. Until the next post on Faith Hope and Love, we bid you adieu.
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In life, taking a breather and appreciating the little and insignificant things (even the big things too!) is necessary. Especially as the year is drawing to a close and we silently note our successes and failures, Barry and I thought of some of the things that have massively impacted our relationship and our lives. We put together a short list of things we are grateful for. (We think it will be a great way to end our first series in the Faith|Hope|Love section of Rabby’s blog.) Here it is:
Family: The gift of family is priceless to us – it is the one thing that we don’t get to choose when we are birthed into this world. We have been privileged to have a strong bond with our families and they have managed to influence the way we think and respond to the hurdles life throws at us. Even more so, we have gotten to know and love each other’s families and have learnt to relate better with each other because of that. Getting to know each other’s families helped us know and love each other more – I got to understand a lot of things about Rabby and she discovered the origin of some of my preferences. We are grateful for the gift of family in our lives and in our relationship over the years and especially in this year.
Experiences and Memories: I remember thinking to myself earlier this year, “Why are we so busy all the time?” I remember that time. Our schedule was from a fellowship meeting to a ministration to a family event with work projects running alongside… (Hmm!) It is very easy to go up and about the various duties of life without living in the moments. Being deliberate about creating special moments are essential in keeping the relationship fresh and special. We are grateful for the new experiences we shared with each other and the experiences we had individually. It is through these moments that we create lasting memories and we loved every moment of it – both good and bad (The bad experiences always pave way for better ones, if you let them).
Side Note: When Barry talked about creating special moments, he meant exactly that: create your special moments – don’t mimic the moments you see around.
Grace for Purity: A friend of mine asked me a question that made me laugh out loud – she said, “So how do you and Barry do it? As in, how are you able to go without kissing and stuff?” I laughed so hard, to be honest – because she was under the impression that we have never kissed before and that’s untrue (unfortunately so). Though we have fallen several times, Rabby and I have decided to live up to a higher standard, so we try to live in God’s grace and remain thoroughly pure. In the instances where we have fallen short of that standard, we immediately go on our knees in humility before God, asking for forgiveness and strength. It is always an opportunity and a reminder that we need more of Christ because the Bible makes us understand that he that walks in the Spirit shall not gratify the desires of the flesh. It’s a reminder to even go deeper into the things of the Kingdom when we falter. We are grateful to God for His grace that has kept us walking in purity throughout our relationship. It is not easy and television, radio, the internet, conversations and comments from peers make it seem like it is impossible or that no one in a relationship these days can exercise self-control and remain pure – but we thank God it is possible and Glory to God, you can too. Simply be deliberate about getting closer to God and you’ll be amazed at how much He wants to assist in keeping you pure!
Work and Purpose: Life has gotten real, mehn! The job market in Ghana is a tough place and the world of work is even tougher. This year, I have struggled with knowing which field to plough and accepting the process of getting there. I think for us, this year turned out to be a tug-of-trust in different aspects of our lives and we are grateful. We are grateful for understanding our individual purposes in the marketplace (the world of work) and the grace to trust God throughout our growth process. I tell Rabby all the time that if the choice was mine to make, I would take up full-time ministry but I am grateful for His guidance and leading into green pastures that we cannot see or understand yet. (Technically, he is into fulltime ministry, here’s why.) The goal is to live a life of worship even in the workplace and with the projects we work on and clients we interact with, so… yah!
Friends: There are friends who have stuck closer than a brother – get yourself one of those and life will be a whole lot easier! – a friend who can love you, correct you, counsel you, support you, pray with and for you. Such friends have been a priceless blessing in our lives. They have selflessly impacted our lives (and even our relationship) and we can’t say thank you enough. In addition to close friends, there are new friends and old friends that continue to inspire and influence us in our daily lives and our relationship.
Faith|Hope|Love: This blog! God has been good! I mean- I never would have thought we will successfully learn and communicate so much to so many people in such a short (and yet, long) time! As we discussed lessons and aspects of our relationship to share on this blog, we learnt a lot about ourselves and it was a form of counselling and growth for us. It was also a reminder for us when we have an issue. What we shared with you reminds us of how to deal with a particular situation when we have lost sight of it in that instance. The Holy Spirit was instrumental in our learning and blogging (I tell you!) We can’t say just how grateful we are for this blog… but we know you understand so we’ll end here.
And now, we pray that you experience such miracles daily. As 2017 ends, and 2018 begins we pray that you tackle and overcome all hurdles in faith, that you will believe the impossible in hope, and that you will live each day and live each moment meaningfully in love. God bless you and Merry Christmas in Advance!
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