Dear friends,
I would like to be personal in this new blog. God is so good to me, He was and is always there for me. I do not know where to start!
First of all, I want to give God all the glory with my testimony of my life and give Him all the honor that belongs to Him alone. Then I want to encourage you to entrust your life to God: God is really what He says He is, He actually has everything He says He has and He can do exactly what He says He can do. Lastly, I want to confirm to you - from my experience with God - that only He alone has the best, satisfying and fulfilling plan for your life. I am a living witness for that.
I entrusted my life to God at a young age (12 years). I dare to say that this is the best decision I have ever made and will make in my life. Back then God revealed Himself to me every day, in a way that a young girl can know and understand Him. Today, when I reflect upon this time, I smile, because I can now understand how God related to me in an age-appropriate manner: He even answered some of my "selfish" prayers! For example, Father let the sun shine now (it was the rainy season) so that my freshly washed dress can dry because I want to wear this dress the next day for the church service. And the sun was shining immediately! Really funny. But God is so good...
My life was carefree and great with God: wonderful family, church, friends, school and university times, etc. Especially, my spiritual life encountered rapid growth; I was full of faith, bold and I loved to study God's Word. So it was not a big surprise for me when God sent me to Germany. Of course, I believed God was in the process of "blessing my plans" for my life: He is sending me to Germany to study in the best universities, to do 1 or 2 PHDs, to marry at 25, have twins at 30 years old, to return to my homeland at 35 and work there in a high position in the government and the culmination of "my plan" was to be at 40 years: the first spirit-filled, female and youngest president of the Ivory Coast! Alleluia to my ego!
Currently as I'm telling you my life’s testimony, I'm 40 years old, I did not graduate from university, I did not have any PHD, I'm divorced, without children, I'm a pastor wholeheartedly (and work also as a Project Assistant) and have been living in Germany for more than 15 years.
Did you notice that my current life’S reality is different from "my plans” that I wanted God to bless back then? I noticed that as well!
But, you know what? I couldn’t be more happier, satisfied and fulfilled. I have peace in my heart and a calm that surpasses my understanding. I have a great spiritual family (GZK) and godly friends that enrich my life. My life has a meaning and purpose and I enjoy it to its fullness. I experience God's love and goodness every day and I can say loud: I have arrived! I'm just crying right now because I’m so thankful...The biggest Alleluia for God, He is simply good!!!
The Bible says in Proverbs 19:21 that "Many plans are in a man’s (Rosine) mind, but it is the Lord´s purpose for him/her that will stand (be carried out)" AMP
What happened between these two seasons of my life?
As a young girl, God already revealed to me an overall picture of His plan for my life. He showed me very early that He has called me to "Great Things", that I would lead people (to Him and in His Name). This was a big Deal for me and I just believed it but I was thinking the only position /office where I can fulfill this “Great” call is to be the President of a country (Lol) - that was my interpretation...
Thank God, today I’m spiritually mature and able to understand that God can reveal the overall picture of your calling, but not all steps that lead to its fulfilment. If God showed us every step beforehand, most of us would gladly decline His call. Why? The road to the fulfilment of your call is not always enjoyable, God often uses detours, opposition, difficulties, mistakes, failures, delays, etc. to shape our character and to prepare us for our calling. Read the story of Joseph in Genesis 37, David in 1 Samuel 21-24, and Paul in the epistles. From these stories, we can see that the way God leads us on/towards our calling does not always make sense. That is why, the Bible tells us in Proverbs 3: 5 to trust God from the bottom of our heart and not try to figure out everything on our own. I can simply confirm this truth when I look back on my life but before I understood this godly principle of shaping my character, I was "not amused".
To summarize my story: After arriving in Germany, I tried with my own strength, power/will and wisdom to fulfill “my plans" and became increasingly frustrated until I was almost depressed. I could not believe that I knew God, served Him, was very active in my church and nonetheless my life was a mess: My grades at the university were bad, I lost the passion to study, I did not have a decent job, no true friends, etc. and my marriage, which at that time seemed to be the only thing I had achieved, just failed. At the age of 33, I suddenly realized that the first 1/3 of my life was simply lost or a failure. The worst thing was that I (smart Rosine) did not have a clue, how I could successfully handle my life. I had already tried everything!
The good thing about me in this personal crisis was that I was always talking to God. Something in me knew that He alone can help me. The bad thing was that I was not ready to accept His advice to surrender my whole life to Him - as a living sacrifice - , or I did not understand what that actually meant. I was believing that I had already given my life to Him!
One day, 7 years ago, while jogging alone in the park, I literally collapsed before God. I cried so loud and strong and asked God to help me because I did not know anything to do anymore. On that day I made the decision from the bottom of my heart to give up, to lose my life for His sake (Marks 8:35) and to completely submit everything I am, I have and I can do to God. I have never looked back since and today I am glad having done that!
Friends, after this decision, my life took its right course. Slowly but surely, God (through His school of character) led me on the way of life. What I did not know, God had already started carrying out His plan in my life. I was too „me-centered" to humble myself and be guided by Him. God had already brought me into contact with people, the church, and the Bible School that were part of His plan for me. But I could not see/recognize that because I was too busy with "my plans"!
Today when I look back, I can see God's hand in every step of my life. He used every situation (good or bad from my natural point of view) to advance His good plan for my life because God "causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him” (Romans 8:28).
As Take Away I’m giving you the following truths I have experienced from God’s School of character:
- God has the best plan for your life. He created you on purpose and for a purpose, so He knows where to go with you
- Only God can give your life a meaning, nobody or nothing else (no spiritual travel, religion, guru, Profession, etc.)
- Only God can give you this Love your heart is longing for. No one can give it to you. You can not get it from your spouse, children, parents, friends, etc. It will be a burden for them.
- Jesus is the Savior, you are not. So do not try to play the savior, follow only the leading of the Holy Spirit
- Have your Self-Value in God because you are created in His image and Likeness. Your job, title, money, status, family name, skin color do not make you valuable. You are valuable because God creates you and loves you so much.
- God works through people and relationships. So pay attention to your relationships and appreciate and honor the people in your life
- Materialistic things (your job, money, house, title, children, etc.) are only means to an end, they do not give life. They do not make you happy…
- Do not think too highly of you, you in yourself you are and can do nothing but in Christ you are and can do everything!
- Live your life from the perspective of eternity (physical death does not mean the end), then you will be more patient and live relaxed (without pressure).
- Not all that looks good is from God. Always choose what is from God even if it does not look good.
