Show Up Today

When I was in primary school, I was picked to be a part of a fashion show. I have no idea how the introvert in me allowed this to happen. I don’t quite remember the circumstances surrounding this fashion show, it could have been during one of our annual school fairs, or a special school assembly in my fourth or fifth grade. Though those details are fuzzy, I do remember what I wore for my strut on stage during the fashion show because… priorities, right? Our class teacher at the time, Mr Mbuyu, assigned partners to all students who were selected to participate in this fashion show. Once this was done, our rehearsals took place in the newly built school hall. At that age the stage felt so large, I can still picture it in my mind’s eye and am still perplexed by the persuasion my teacher must have had to get me to agree to take part.

True to my nature, once I was in I was completely sold. I was a model! And a very committed one at that. I remember my mum indulging me during this brief fashion model stint and allowing me to design my dress. I sketched the outline and showed my mother who gave the go-ahead for me to rope in our neighbour at the time, a talented seamstress. I remember both women laughing at the slits that were supposed to be on either side of the long, flowy, spaghetti-strap dress I had sketched. The moment was encapsulated by my mother’s famous line, “Eh! Kuli kantu!” (direct translation: Wow! There is something or it will be something!) My translation can be understood best by the famous Michael Jackson line, “You wanna be startin’ somethin’!” the good kinda somethin’, that is. Our neighbour purchased the fabric for my dress and it felt like she had read my mind. It was black with bright purple flowers. It really was going to be something.

When the dress was complete and I tried it on for the first time, I felt like a bona fide model. Rehearsals at school became ‘serious’ as our teacher began looking for chemistry between partners as they went down the stage. To my surprise, he used me and my partner as an example for the other students. I was chuffed (flattered) for days. A few days before the show was scheduled to take place, a new girl was brought into the line-up and because of her height, she was assigned, my partner. Yes, that same partner who I believed had elevated my model status. “What gives?!” I was not pleased and my teacher could tell. Now looking back I see how gracious and sensitive he was to my tween emotions. Just as I was contemplating ditching the whole act, my teacher found me a new partner. Thankfully, as we practised, it felt like he had always been my partner. Me and the handsome Indian boy, two years my senior, didn’t skip a beat. My model status was back, in fact, it had been elevated in my opinion.

On the day of the big show, the school director had a video camera to film the whole thing. I was nervous but intent on giving my strut all the swag in me. The other kids kept hollering some cryptic code word each time they saw my partner and me. I can’t remember what it was. I knew they were teasing us but I didn’t care. The introvert was taking centre stage that day, wearing a dress she designed and with a partner who had become a friend. I was showing up and I was proud of myself.

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book, they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. ~ Psalm 139: 16 (NKJV)

Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. ~ Psalm 145:2 (ESV)

Are you showing up today? You may be wondering what I mean. You’re awake and out of bed, aren’t you? Well, if we have days that were fashioned just for us, then I believe showing up is learning how to wear them well, yet, fully owning our days and using them to put our best foot forward isn’t always simple. From Monday blues to mid-month stress, it’s more tempting to find reasons to suggest that our current day isn’t all it’s cracked out to be. I’ve had my fair share of days I wish I could skip. In fact, during a series of such days, I asked the Lord why I couldn’t just sleep and wake up when it had all passed. His response was, “Then you’d miss the miracle of Me getting you through.” Today I can see what He meant, at the moment, not so much. I would like to encourage you today, whatever you may be going through, God ordained this day just for you. If it’s difficult, know that He will be with you all the way through. If it’s great, know that He allowed you to be alive to enjoy such a time as this. His love never wavers, no matter how the wind blows on the different days we encounter. I hope you can see His heart for you in my words today.

Appreciate your day

It is very easy to live by the saying, “You don’t know what you have until you lose it.” But Jesus came so that we could have an abundant life while we were still on this side of eternity. By abundant, He didn’t mean a life without trouble, trial or trepidation. On the contrary, Jesus made it very plain to us when He said that we would have trouble in this world. Recognising the full worth of our day means that even amidst the trouble, we see our God for who He truly is. He is the One who overcame the world, the One who holds our future in His hands, the Keeper of our tears, the ever-faithful One. If we truly know and believe God is who He says He is, then even on the worst day, we will recognise that if we still have breath in our lungs, He is still redeeming our story. So take a deep breath. Whisper the words, Lord… (Breathe in, hold, then breathe out) … I trust You. All He needs is a little bit of faith, and the decision that no matter what, you will recognise His power in your life.

Understand your power

We often make the devil out to be more powerful than he is. Yes, he is our enemy. Yes, his mission is to destroy you and me. Yes, he is cunning and yes, he has strategies against us. But he is also already defeated and he is limited in how he can overpower you. Have you ever thought about that? The devil has limitations when it comes to you and me. Oh yes, he does. The devil cannot stop you from wearing your days well. As in, he cannot physically grab a hold of you and stop you from stepping into each day resolute to show up. He can’t stop you from accomplishing your purpose or from giving God praise. He can’t physically stop us from doing anything. All he has is the power to try to influence us into stopping because the truth is that it all depends on you and me. It’s up to us. Only we can stop God’s plan for our lives. That is the power that God has given each of us. Power to choose. Power to fight. Power to try again today. In addition, we have the Holy Spirit, ready to energise whatever we decide to do to get through our days well. Tap into that power. Lean on the Holy Spirit. If you are weary, allow Him to re-energise you. I pray that you are quickened from the inside out.

Stay diligent

Jesus did His part by overcoming the world, setting us free and leaving us with a Helper to get us to the finish line strong in His victory. We also have a part to play and we ought to play it by showing care and conscientiousness in what God has shown us to do. One of the big things we ought to be diligent in doing is obtaining wisdom. If you read last week’s blog, you know I spoke on this. When we are not diligent about seeking wisdom from the experiences of others and also our own, we are wasting time and keeping ourselves from truly showing up to the days God has blessed us with. Seek the Lord for grace to stay diligent in the disciplines He has called His followers to. He is willing and able to show up so that you can show up too.

I’ll ask again, are you showing up today? Showing up may mean doing something new, or it may mean slowing down a little to watch the sunset. Whatever the Lord is calling you to do in your day, decide ahead of time to show up and let God do His thing. We only have one life here on earth. This is not a dress rehearsal folks! Honour God by appreciating the days He has given you. Understand that there is power in that praise and the finished work of Jesus. From that power, stay diligent in doing what the Lord has commanded and set before you to do. I truly believe that in this, we will be showing up for the days that were fashioned for us before the foundation of the earth was laid.