After one particular KPC2026 session my heart and thoughts traveled back to  my childhood , I was reminded of the humble kerosene lamps that lit up our homes. They were a common sight in the  90s, providing warmth and light in the darkness. I remember one winter night, I tried to light the lamp in my room, only to find that the wick was burning out, it had become too short to reach the kerosene . In a moment of youthful ingenuity, I replaced it with wool yarn, but it quickly became apparent that this wasn’t the right solution. The wool yarn melted and produced a harsh smell, teaching me a valuable lesson about the importance of the right wick.

The Nature of the Wick

The wick is the lifeblood of the lamp, drawing fuel to the flame and allowing it to burn brightly. Similarly, our hearts need to be prepared to receive God’s presence, allowing His Spirit to ignite a flame of devotion within us. Just as a wick that’s too small or too large can affect the flame’s size and quality, our heart’s posture can impact our relationship with God.

• A wick that’s clogged or dirty can prevent the flame from burning brightly, just like how a heart filled with unforgiveness, bitterness, or distractions can hinder our devotion to God.
• A wick that’s too dry or brittle can cause the flame to flicker or die out, similar to how a heart that’s not nourished by God’s Word or prayer can lead to a weak faith.
• A wick of the correct material, that’s properly trimmed and maintained can produce a steady, bright flame, just like how a heart that’s surrendered to God and prioritizes His presence can experience a deepening sense of His presence and peace.

The Condition of Our Hearts matter!

Our hearts are like the wick, and the condition of our hearts determines the quality of our relationship with God. Are we like a wick that’s been neglected, or one that’s been carefully trimmed and maintained?

• Are there areas of our lives where we’ve allowed sin or distractions to clog our hearts, preventing us from experiencing God’s presence?
• Are we prioritizing time in God’s Word and prayer to nourish our hearts and maintain a strong connection with Him?
• Are we surrendering our thoughts, emotions, and desires to God, allowing Him to guide us and shape us into the image of Christ?

The Flow of Devotion

The oil that fuels the lamp’s flame represents the devotion and surrender that flow from our hearts to God. As we pour out our thoughts, emotions, and desires to Him, the flame of our devotion grows stronger.

• Just as the lamp requires a steady flow of oil to maintain a bright flame, our walk with God requires a consistent and surrendered heart.
• As we prioritize spending time with God, cultivating a heart posture of devotion, and surrendering to His presence, we’ll experience a deeper, more vibrant relationship with Him.

The Challenge

In a world filled with distractions and competing priorities, it’s easy to let our oil lamp of devotion grow dim. However, the Bible urges us to “stir up the gift” within us (2 Timothy 1:6) and to “fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Timothy 1:6). As we prioritize our relationship with God, we’ll experience a deeper sense of His presence and peace.

Reflection Questions

• What is the current state of your oil lamp of devotion? Is it burning brightly, or has it grown dim?
• How can you prioritize spending time with God in the midst of a busy schedule?
• What are some distractions or obstacles that hinder your devotion to God, and how can you overcome them?

May your heart be filled with the oil of devotion, and may the flame of His presence burn brightly in your life, illuminating the path ahead and guiding you through life’s challenges.

28-11-17
I thought I loved you
Honestly I thought I did
Until I heard you whisper in my ear
Why don’t you let me love on you?
After all I am love aren’t I ?
How could I ever be able to love you the way you love me?
It’s practically impossible, but well whats impossible with men is 100% possible with God, if not 200…
Now I know better;
To let my guard down and let you do what you know best to do
To let You love me
I am ready Lord for you to drive me crazy
Take me as I am, I promise I’m going to fall in head first…
I can already feel the tale-tale goosebumps, it’s like when your phone vibrates and you already know it’s your lover calling.Your face breaks into a smile before your fingers hit answer
Your blood starts to rush
Your heart skips beat , no it’s actually two
All in anticipation to hear Him say , “Charmaine I have examined your heart and I know all there is to know about you.I know when you sit down , I know when you stand up.I know your thoughts when you are far away, I see you when you travel and when you rest at home .I know everything you do.I know what you’re going to say before you say it , I go before you and I follow you.I place my hand of blessing on your head”….
And then to that you reply saying,”such knowledge is too wonderful for me , too great for me to understand.I can never escape from your spirit!I can never get away from your presence ! If I go up to heaven you are there , if I go down to the grave you are there .If I ride the wings of the mornings , if I dwell by the furthest oceans even there your hand will guide me and your strength will support me”….Then He said to me , “I would not have it any other way because I love you Charmaine”…And to that I said,”I love you too Lord, and I really like the way things are going, promise to teach me to love like you do”

I’m sure it is Him that I met ,it had to be- this El Elyon; coz only The Most High God could have done what He did.
Who is this
Adonai ,this Yahweh?
Who showed up as Nissi ,He became my Banner in a battle I had willingly forfeited.
He showed up as Jehovah Raah my Shepherd ,He let me rest in green meadows;
When my whole world turned topsy-turvy, He led me beside a peaceful stream- I met Him ,my Jehovah Shalom and He gave me a peace I still can’t fathom.
I had known Him as Jehovah Jireh , He’s always provided .But this time He proved to me that He’s able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that I ask or think;
Jehovah Rapha -The Lord healed me…So If you ever see me sing ,dance and testify it’s because I met Him -Jehovah Shammah
I know He is there.I met Him!🙇🏾‍♀️

I wouldn’t describe myself as a sports enthusiast, but I always say that the only reason I can’t do something is because I haven’t learned how to do it yet. And, most recently, golf has been added to my list of sports. Golf is one of those Boujiee sports that most people who grew up in Budiriro, like me, don’t have the opportunity to play. The fact that my father was a skilled armature golfer in the early 2000s is what distinguishes me. With numerous accolades and endorsements to his name, I was always confident that with the right connections, any ordinary Joe could play golf .The unfortunate reality of my youth was that I wasn’t that Joe. Not because I didn’t want to, but because, as I recently discovered, he assumed that since my mother wasn’t interested, neither would I. And all this time I assumed he ditched me because I’m a girl….. Oooh but the boys got to go , wearing those khaki’s and golf t-shirts . On those days, I’d wonder why God hadn’t made me a boy like my brothers. So, when the singles ministry at CMI announced a beginner golf class, I decided to sign up, aiming to make my swing intentional 🏌️⛳.Golf would be the channel through which I would rebuild my relationship with my father. I’ve not only improved my game as a beginner golfer in the last few weeks, but I’ve also connected with my father more than I have in my entire life. I see why it’s a networking sport now. I’m also learning valuable lessons and strategies that I can apply in my daily life. Part of today’s lesson was walking the course, and my takeaway was that when you play golf, you are playing against yourself more than any other opponent. The game is all in your head; the only thing standing in your way of a good shot is you. I noticed a similar parallel in my own life, where the only thing standing in the way of a better relationship between me and my father was me. All it took was a deliberate swing towards the right target, and we hit a birdie. When every action is deliberate, life has meaning. Don’t do things just for the sake of doing them; instead, be #purposedriven.

I used to think Zim radio was wack, but now I have a favorite show that airs every Wednesday morning at 5:30 a.m. on Star FM. Some may argue that I am biased because the speaker is a friend, but I encourage you to listen and hear the wisdom he has to offer; I guarantee you will be hooked as well. Today’s highlight sparked a lot of thought in my head. He stated that only informed minds make quality decisions…one thing I took away from this statement is that it’s not just about being informed, but the quality of the information you have is directly proportional to the quality of your decisions. .The bible says Matthew 7:17-18
[17]A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.So you can’t expect a 100-fold yield from bad seed, which means that if you’re misinformed, your decisions will be skewed. And, to follow up on what he said last week, he stated that your future is determined by your choices. You can see how, at the end of the day, our lives are a result of the choices and decisions we make. Finally, the speaker encourages people to combat ignorance by gaining wisdom and insight. Obtaining wisdom is the most prudent thing you can do! And, above all, develop sound judgment.Kana apedza anobva ati #purposedriven 😂

The human heart beats an average of 70 beats per minute meaning that a single heartbeat last what🤷🏽‍♀️ approximately +/- 1 second ,
It’s a small contraction of muscle but through every beat the heart amplifies its importance in a ripple effect which is echoed throughout the human body
It’s amazing how something so subtle , something you can miss when you don’t listen can carry so much impact and be the source this very life….
No ,no it’s not a lesson in anatomy , it’s jus that some encounters I’ve had have been like heartbeats, short and sweet but the impact has a lasting effect. From contagious smiles, to just the way they are so full of life .The small contact changes how you see life , I’ll never take those precious moments in life for granted…

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13

In quantum physics, entangled particles remain connected so that actions performed on one affect the other, even when separated by great distances.
The phenomenon so riled that Albert Einstein called it “spooky action at a distance.” Entanglement occurs when a pair of particles, such as photons, interact physically. A laser beam fired through a certain type of crystal can cause individual photons to be split into pairs of entangled photons. The photons can be separated by a large distance, hundreds of miles or even more. When observed, Photon A takes on an up-spin state. Entangled Photon B, though now far away, takes up a state relative to that of Photon A (in this case, a down-spin state).
Now y’all might be wondering what quantum physics has to do with forgiveness ,trust me I did too but after listening to a neuroscientist breaking it down , I just felt inspired to write . Now I know I’m never going to do justice as far as explaining the correlation between quantum physics and forgiveness goes ,but listening to Dr Caroline Leaf today just made me realise the detrimental effect harbouring unforgivness can have on me as an individual. We all have been hurt one way or another and I’m sure we’ve done our fair share of hurting as well. I know I have , sometimes I even pray and ask God to forgive me coz I know I’m about to hurt somebody … And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us… I’ve prayed that a thousand plus times ,but it still doesn’t come easy. I don’t know if anyone can relate but forgiving is even harder when the person you are supposed to forgive is very close to you .I guess it stems from the fact that you don’t expect them to hurt you or something like that.Anyway coming back to the quantum physics bit , when you don’t forgive someone it means essentially you are still connected through those negative emotions. Now we all know the horror associated with these emotions and not to to forget the negative impact they have on your lively-hood and those around you like family and colleagues .What intrigued me most was how the very emotions that conjure the worst out of you are what keeps you connected to the person you most likely don’t want to be associated with (not a good thing but that’s how I feel when I’m hurt) . And though there’s physical distance between you and the person,any unforgivness in your heart allows you to stay connected – I’ve read somewhere that humans are emotional beings and emotions are what connect us .Now that I think of it , they never qualified which kind of of emotions connect us , I’m guessing both negative and positive? And like the photons mentioned earlier ,what ever emotions you might have – anger ,resentment or hurt , pop up when you think of that person or you see them . You’re now essentially a marionette , a string puppet controlled by the puppet master – a slave to unforgivness. I would like to believe that hurt is a violation of some sort and unforgivness is a defensive mechanism .But from my experience as a sportsman , you have more control of the game when you’re on offence .So when you forgive you are actually taking back control and stepping up to be bigger than any violation you have suffered.
By forgiving the other party you let them go , therefore releasing that entangled string which connected you to them taking back the freedom that allows you to heal and learn to love them like Christ loved the church. Forgiving leaves you feeling good like you lost a couple of pounds.
In a nutshell this is what I learnt about forgiveness..

1. Forgiveness does not deny pain or wrongdoing; it is a choice to let go of the person who hurt you.
2. You can feel forgiveness in your body. Think of times in your life when you have forgiven someone and how it made you feel.
3. Forgiveness is not weakness but rather a sign of great courage and love. Think of how forgiveness can de-escalate negative thinking and negative situations. Think of this impact on those you are in relationship with.
4. A change of mindset is key to help you work on forgiving those who have hurt you.
5. Stop being angry and forgive, or you may become that anger—whatever you think about the most will grow.
6. Acknowledge the issue and the attached pain and anger you feel. You have to be honest with yourself if you truly want to forgive someone.
7. Recognize that healing requires time.
8. Find a new way to think about the person(s) who hurt you.

Now I know that I’m not going to wake up a forgiveness guru , but I sure know that I don’t want to be a character in the twisted tale of unforgivness.
By Charmaine 19-06-20