The Test in Testimony

In life, we face challenges. We have to. Find me a man that has had a smooth life, without challenges and ill show you a dead man. The only ones who have no problems are people that are in 10 feet below. The first time someone told me that every one in life had a challenge or the other, I almost hissed. You mean, legends like Micheal Jackson and billionaires like Bill Gates have challenges? how? I mean, I was young then, and I thought that money could pave your way out of a problem. Now I know that Money cannot do jack for you. Dont get me wrong, poverty is not an excuse, after all, the richest man that ever lived is King Solomon; anointed by God, whose riches will break that of Bill Gates into small change. God desires that we prosper and be in good health. But what I realised was that everyone had challenges, no matter how rich, poor, tall or short you are. Problems have no classification; problems do not interview you before they come to you. They just do. Many times, uninvited. Problems , are like parasites, living off on your energy, tears and resources. They come into your life to cause discomfort, anguish and sometimes death.


But why do we have Challenges? Where is God in all this? why cant we be living a problem free world? Why cant I just get everything I desire just like that? why, why , why? I remember one of my very first challenges in life. It was a challenge to me because I had to solve it myself. There was no mummy or daddy involved. I had to face it squarely. The major challenge for me then was to pass my final exams out of secondary school. I spent many nights depriving myself of sleep studying......... and often times, stopping to ask God why I had to even do the foolish exam.. why couldnt I just go to university like that? why must I get a certain grade to be admitted to my university of choice.... I hated the challenge of studying. To me, it was a major problem, a cause for discomfort. When I finally passed the exams, I was relieved, I was elated, I got on my knees and thanked God for seeing me through..... I had crossed over the challenge.


But surely, a few years after,another challenge surfaced and it seemed like I was back to square one. My goodness, will it ever end? The answer to that is, No. Challenges will never end. Problems will never end, as long as you are alive, and as long as you ave a destiny. The reason is because , whether you like it or believe it or not, a challenge is brought to your life because God wants to promote you. Lets think about this for a second. Think about your last major problem, the one where you thought you would never come out of, but you did. God saw you through it. How has it made you? Stronger or weaker? I am sure that majority would say stronger. A problem, depending on your attitude to it, cannot kill you, it can only make you stronger.


You have got to have a fighting spirit. you have got to say,' no, this problem cannot kill me, because my God will see me through'. what I do when facing a problem is to fast forward in my mind to another 10 years, then I will smile and say, 'well, in 10 yrs sha, this problem cannot be there, so I will survive'...... You have got to realise some or all of the following:


1) To get a testimony, there must be a TEST

2)To score a goal, or to reach a goal, you must join the football match of life- have you seen football players, running and sweating just for one thing- to score a goal!!

3) Each challenge is a stepping stone to greater height. STEP ON IT!!

4) Each challenge is a rope- drawing you closer to God as you lean on him in helplessness.

5) Each challenge is a warning not to be slack in prayer life and your desire to be righteous.

6) Each challenge is a mountain of impossibility crushed to powder with God's mighty hand of possibility.

7) If God chooses NOT to overcome that challenge at THAT time, it does not mean you have LOST. GOD never fails. DELAY is NOT DENIAL- keep hoping, keep pressing, keep on keeping on..... You are not alone

8) NOT MATTER what you are going through, somewhere, someone has been through it, or is going through it... and, that person is surviving...remember Job!!... you too can.. with God nothing is impossible. He can do all things but FAIL.

Are you facing any challenges? dont look at the challenge, look to Jesus. look above the problem... look behind it, look across it; look anywhere but at it. I have collated the following bible verses from an amazing website: http://www.whereisgod.net/stress.htm

When faced with a Challenge- REMEMBER THIS WORDS OF LOVE-

Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 31:6,8)
The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are his everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27)
Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10b)
You will forget your misery; you will remember it as waters that have passed away. (Job 11:16)

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:14)

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord rescues them from them all. (Psalm 34:17-19)

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What amazing love!! The last few weeks have been so challenging for me, and what I do when I feel the sadness coming, is to turn to that website and begin to silently whisper the promises to myself... try it too!! it works.... and when you have overcome that challenge, don't forget to email me!! lets hear it!! I cant wait to share mine, its almost ready!! lol..

Stay blessed,

Bimbylads- a growing worshipper

prayer point: Oh Lord, turn every mountain of impossibilty in my life to a mountain of promotion in Jesus name...

Is it well?

Someone asked me how things were going with me one day, and I sighed bitterly as I answered...' wo, it is well'..... I said it was well, but I looked farrrrr from well :). I think I am not the only one in this boat of ' ah, it is well' ( sad expression, heavy heart)..... Many people are.

Are you? We all know the story of the woman in the bible that lost her son, and still said; all was well... but, even in our own generation, long after biblical times, someone made the words ' it is well' into a song that has been sung in almost every situation- marriage, burials, new births etc....Usually sung with bitter sweetness; it is a hymn that was composed in total submission to the will of God. I read the story and I was in awe... I wonder what you think---

Here’s the story

Horatio Spafford was a man of God, who lived back in 1828-1888. He lived in Chicago, and was a successful businessman.

In 1871, there was the Great Chicago Fire…one of the greatest disasters of their time, similar to how Hurricane Katrina was a disaster in our time. Many people lost all their possessions. Worse, Horatio Spafford’s son had died of scarlet fever at the age of 4 just prior to the Chicago Fire.

It was around that time that Mr. Spafford decided to make a new start, and to move his family overseas. He arranged to sell what was left of his property, and he bought tickets for himself, his wife, and his four daughters on a ship to take them to Europe. From there, they would move to Jerusalem.

Right before the ship was to set sail, Spafford found out that one of the sales of his property had fallen through. So he sent his wife and his daughters on ahead, while he went back to take care of the sale of his property. He would take the next ship and join them in Europe.

A few days later, Horatio Spafford received a telegram. It was signed by his wife. And there were only two words on it. “Saved alone”.

The ship that Horatio Spafford’s family was on was struck by another ship. It sank quickly. Spafford’s wife made it. But his four little girls did not. They lost their lives when the ship went down.

Spafford soon sailed across the Atlantic to join his grieving wife in Europe. While he was halfway across the Atlantic, the captain called him to the bridge. He pointed out the exact location that his daughters lost their lives, as they sailed past it.

It was then that Spafford wrote the words to the song- It is well:



When peace, like a river, attendeth my way.
When sorrows, like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot,
Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul.

There is one thing that is certain about life
And that is life is uncertain.
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This story has touched me in so many ways, that I cannot explain. How did he do it? How could he have written out a song saying IT IS WELL.. even when it obviously wasnt? Can I do it?

Can I say it is well, and mean it when everything seems to be going hay wire? where it seems like it is only me in this world? I think we should all ask ourselves that question... I wont lie.. it will be very difficult for me to.


I have learnt from Spafford and many others that no matter what we feel, we need to trust in God and know that he is holding us strong. He loves us so much that he would not want to see us suffer. He sent his only son to die for us.... If he did not love us, he would never have done what he did. Great is God's mercy towards us.


Because we know he loves us, we can say, it is well...... and say it with a smile!!!



Do you have a story to share? have you said it is well lately ( without even seeing that it was well?- but God suprised you and made it really well?.... lets hear it.. people need to be encouraged by you.. share your story... REACH OUT!!!

email me @: bimbyladsblog@yahoo.co.uk

Like Aunty Fanny

.... Not today.... Not me... Please don't ask me to that today...

Have you ever felt so down and burdened with the worries of life? have you ever felt so sad and angry and tired that you just want to shout to God and ask WHY? WHY ME? am I the only one? money problems, marriage problems, a loved one is ill.....countless issues..... am I the only one???? ... and you sit there, wondering, hoping, asking God for answers, and one day, finally, one day, God says.... 'son, daughter, just praise'.

You look up and laugh bitterly as you ask- ' God, did you just ask me to just praise you? have you heard a word of what I said?'

God nods and smiles sadly at you before saying again...' son, daughter, just praise'.

At this point, you are hysterical. You shout and ask God to please listen to you.You cannot pay next month's rent. Your wife is making life a living hell. You child is ill... your car- what car?

Yet, God smiles sadly again and says... ' son, daughter- Just praise'.

Then you sit down and begin to weep. Surely God does not understand you. How can you praise God when things are so difficult..?

Beloved, let me introduce you to Fanny J Crosby- a woman of PRAISE. ...
Frances Jane "Fanny" Crosby (1820-1915) known by her pen name Fanny J. Crosby, was born at South East, Putnam County, New York, March 24,1820. When six weeks old she lost her sight, through the negligence of the attending physician, but in spite of this severe affliction has always been noted for her cheerful and happy disposition. When asked how she became blind, Fanny Crosby replied :''When I was six weeks old a slight cold caused inflammation of the eyes. Our usual doctor was away from home, so a stranger was called in. He recommended the use of hot poultices, which practically destroyed my sight.

When this sad calamity became known, the unfortunate man thought it best to leave the neighbourhood, and we never heard of him again."
"But," she added, "I have not, for a moment, in more than eighty-five years, felt a spark of resentment against him; for I have always believed that the good Lord, in
His infinite mercy, by this means consecrated me to the work that I am still permitted to do. When I remember how I have been blessed, how can I repine?" What a marvelous illustration we have here of the way in which God can enable us to rise above our trials, and can "make all things work together for good to those who love Him."

In 1858, Fanny married a fellow teacher at the New York Institution of the Blind, the blind musician and composer Alexander Van Alstyne. Their only child, a daughter named Frances, died as an infant. Fanny and Van had been married 44 years when he died in 1902.

In her life time, Fanny Crosby wrote over 8,000 Hymns; to name only a few, what immortal glory belongs to the author of "Pass me not, O gentle Saviour," "Rescue the perishing," "I am Thine, O Lord," "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine," "Jesus, keep me near the cross," "'Tis the blessed hour of prayer," "Safe in the arms of Jesus," "Some day the silver cord will break," "Thou, my everlasting portion," "Saviour, more than life to me," "All the way my Saviour leads me," "Hide Thou me," "Jesus is tenderly calling thee home''.... and many others.

One time a preacher sympathetically remarked, "I think it is a great pity that the Master did not give you sight when He showered so many other gifts upon you."
She replied quickly, "Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I should be born blind?" "Why?" asked the surprised clergyman. "Because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior!" And so she did, when she passed on in 1915, at the age of 95.

source: www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bcrosby7.html
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peoples, here is a woman who lost her sight at the age of 6, lost her daughter and married a blind man, yet she worked for God constantly,many of her works, full of praise.

I know too well how difficult sometimes it is to praise in the midst of difficulty.. I remember a while back, I received some bad news. After deliberating and pondering over the reason why, my then fiancee ( now husband) asked me to praise God instead of wondering. And so, I started, heavy hearted, tear laden, I began to praise God. I slowly started with a slow song, then I began to dance... meeen!!! i danced and danced.. lolll.. soon, I was sweating, from praising my father in heaven.....The bad news I heard then, has been the key to my growth in life today- watch this space, ill share this story one day....

What am I trying to say to us? Sometimes, you cant even find the words or the strength to praise... just try... try praising God in your heart... or try doing good to someone, in praise of God... or even; a whisper of 'father you are great' can be enough for God, and I can assure you that when you praise God in the most difficult times... He will lift you up and make you great, Just as he did for Aunt Fanny... one of the greatest song writers that ever lived...

I pray that God will strenghten you in the most trying time of your life... Keep praising... just keep praising....

stay blessed,
bimbylads.....a growing worshipper