My Walk with God 🌱

  "And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory." -Revelation 16: 8-9 These days, I have found myself having to step out of my home for various reasons, and every single time, I am either looking for shade or air conditioned comfort as often as I can while I am outside, or extremely relieved when I reach back home, out of the sun but not without first being properly toasted. Words that I hear around me that are being used to describe the sun's heat range from brutal to scorching to stinging. Can you relate? I don't know about you, but I have started asking myself if this is normal. Is this a new norm? Or am I the one slowly but surely becoming increasingly intolerant or less resilient when it comes to regular heat from the sun? I even ventured to ask some pers...

  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." -Galatians 5:22-23 Welcome to Mango Season!  Mango trees that were once flowering, now are delivering on their promises, bearing mangoes plentifully. Tree owners cannot keep up, persons selling mangoes are capitalizing on the season, and even the birds and the animals are guaranteed a good meal from the many mangoes high up in the trees. It's mango season where I am. Is it by you too? According to research, this fruit originated in Asia, and has even been declared the national fruit of India. There are also over 500 varieties of mango. This means, that no matter how selective we might be, there just might be one variety that can suit our taste. There must be more to this fruit than only what meets the eye. 🥭 3 L essons I 'picked' from a Mango Tree 🥭 🌳Every good mango comes from a good tree. Did you know t...

"The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land." -Song of Solomon 2:12 For the past few weeks, I have been pretty blessed by the sight of some beautifully coloured trees gracing the landscape. These bursts of colour have been appearing in spots that we would have otherwise seen completely green and not given a second look. You may have guessed it by now, but yes, I am referring to the beautiful poui trees. Out of curiosity, and my being an eternal student of nature, I have decided to take a closer look at these interesting trees. Pink Poui Trees, located in Carsenfield. (Photo Credits to CJ Photography) It belongs to the plant genus called “Tabebuia”. Did you know that the poui tree is native to South and Central America? I think we can all agree that the Poui Tree has become a well-loved tree in Trinidad and Tobago due to its beauty and vibrancy and has inspired many an artist and nature lover alike. Our...

"How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small." -Psalm 104: 24-25 Insects are following me! Ok, that was just me being dramatic. Thank God they aren't following me. However, recently, I have been coming across a few insects that have allowed me close enough to them to take their photo. I sure do love getting closeup shots of all sorts of creatures. I like to be able to see the detail our heavenly Father has put into them. Spending time observing the fine details tends to give me a better appreciation of not only the creature itself, but also of the Creator we all share in common. But I digress. Allow me to introduce you to two personalities. Common Green Bottle Fly (Jan 06, 2024) Our first is a humble fly. It has probably been called many unpleasant names, and understandably so due to its function in spreading d...

  “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind." - Job 12-7-10 These past few weeks, I have been seeking soothing encouragement from nature. I missed being able to be outdoors and enjoy my usual exercise. I had to settle for looking at photos and videos. Deadlines, marathon sessions to complete work assignments, fatigue and pressures of daily responsibilities had taken up most of my focus and time. There were some moments where I was wondering how was I going to get everything done. I had to remind myself that with God all things are possible and that I can and will reach the finish line by God's grace. Today I reached the finish line, and what a feeling of relief and release I felt...

"Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. " -Genesis 5:23-24 Has anyone ever told you to take a hike?  They may actually be giving you a compliment.   Traditionally, it was meant as an insult, as walking was considered a necessity for the poor due to lack of transport, but now, hiking has become a sport of choice with enthusiasts from all walks of life. In fact, November 17 has been acknowledged as National Day of Hiking in the USA. Anyone who knows me, knows I like to walk. I am always looking for someone to walk with me or an opportunity to walk, be it in the mountains, on the walking track around the savannah, or even walking through a garden. Walking has many benefits for me. It is a good form of exercise, uses pent up energy, is an effective de-stresser, and it also takes me places where I wouldn't have been able to reach on wheels. I enjoy the forest, being around rivers, waterfal...

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. - Ecclesiastes 3:11 This month was the start of my vacation, and I felt quite exhausted, run down and out of shape, but oh so thankful for the break. I was being convicted that I needed to start taking better care of myself and I was determined to let this vacation find me at the end of it in a much better condition than I was in at the beginning. By God's grace, I have set out to be more intentional about my diet, to have a more consistent exercise regime, and I have established some goals that I hope to see achieved by the end of the period. This week my mind went back to a photo a student shared of a butterfly captured a few days before vacation began. The decision to have a 'self-care July' came first, but the photo lead me to use the butterfly as a source of inspiration and motivation to the end goal. I imagined mysel...

"Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy." - Psalm 96:11-12 🌱 Isn't nature wonderful? It isn't just nature, rather it is undeniably God's creation. This week, I found myself in a phase of just admiring and reflecting on several of God's beautiful living masterpieces. While nothing beats experiencing these moments up close and personal, I am also deeply appreciative of the efforts of  photographers locally and around the world who have been and continue to capture epic moments, like a whale breaching the ocean's surface, or the bioluminescence of algae shimmering blue in the night ocean, or the graceful movements of fish in the water, or even the fluttering of birds in the open air as they glide gracefully. Or why not consider the gentle and quiet beauty of the many flowers blossoming throughout our land...

"Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!"  -Luke 1:45 Hello friends, I am sure by now you would have noticed this week that the world acknowledged International Women's Day. The strengths of women, the value and contribution of women, the beauty and timelessness of women, were all encouraged and affirmed. It is interesting, however, despite the accolades of the female gender, women often forget how precious we are. This may be due to many varied factors. Seasons of hardship, neglect, mistreatment, loss, abuse, exploitation, failure of protectors, the absence of fathers/father figures, and many other effects of a sinful world, all tend to influence a woman's self-perception and perhaps, even forget her worth. Tonight, I want to remind you, (and indeed myself in the process) that God has placed His image in us just as much as He has placed in our male counterparts. The Bible tells us that He has created us, fashioned us, crafted...

"Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, Your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD. How precious is Your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of Your wings." - Psalm 36: 5-7 Have you noticed? For many, 'tis the season for hearts, roses and chocolates, all in the name of love. It truly is a beautiful thing when individuals can go to great lengths to ensure that the one they love feels loved, cherished, secure in and convinced of their love. Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote a poem to a loved one, which has always stood out in my memory. It begins with the line:  How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. She then proceeds to describe the depths and limitless bounds of her love.  Whether we have knowingly found that special someone to love or not, we all have someone who pulls out all the stops when ...

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?"  - Psalm 8: 3-4 On the second to last day of the year, one cannot help but reflect on the year that we are leaving behind and the year that is awaiting our arrival. This year has been one of the most difficult for me, but it has also come with an added portion of God's grace, comfort, strength, and providence. I have had some leaves and twigs pruned, and I have also been placed in a position anticipating the continued growth and sprouting of new ones. The pruning process is never a pleasant one, but it is a necessary one for the health of any plant, or tree, and even us as individuals. It is with utmost gratitude that I will end this year and begin the new year, gratitude for what God continues to do with me, in me, for me and through me, even when I don't understand or see the b...

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:  “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means God with us). - Matthew 1: 22-23 🌱 Immanuel. What a comforting name. This was God's best gift wrapped 'present' to us - His 'presence' with humanity. This gift came filled with a true knowledge of God's loving regard for us, His salvation and paid ransom for us from sin, to show us the path in the here and now, and hope for His eternal kingdom.  What a precious experience to have witnessed and interacted with Jesus, been touched by Him, to have shared a laugh with Him or listen to His precious voice teaching through parables and sermons. All we have is the historical accounts to hold on to.  The good news that resonates from then until now is that this same God still wants to 'be with us', and this time forever. No matter the challenges of this life, we have the hope of seeing Him ag...

  "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life." - Psalm 143:8 🌱 Oftentimes, on a morning, I wake up to the sound of birds singing by my window. I confess I am sometimes a bit reluctant to wake up very early, but hearing the birds brightly singing is a beautiful encouragement for me to push forward and embrace the day with joy and enthusiasm. Why do the birds sing? Research says their dawn chorus can have several purposes, be it for marking territory or attracting/re-assuring mates, but the crucial part about it is the timing when the world is quietest and their sound can carry far. The Bible often mentions examples of thoughts and prayers being lifted up to God in the morning and its effects in strengthening individuals in God for the day. God delights in the prayers of His children and I sometimes wonder if all our early morning prayers are as beautiful to Him as the singing...