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I remember when my brother, Jim, left home. I came from an able, happy family, but this did not stop us from having problems.
I was born in Kisumu, the third largest town in Kenya. We were a close family of eight children–three brothers and five sisters–of which I am the youngest.
When I was about 11 years old I went to a boarding school, but during vacations I would visit my sister in Nairobi. My father had retired from teaching and entered politics, so my parents were living upcountry. Generally, my life and my family were not very bad.
One day, when I was in primary school, Jim packed up and moved into Nairobi to work. He began to drink. Soon, he became an alcoholic and forgot about my parents. Nobody heard from him and he lost his job. It hit my parents very hard.
I remember these days with tears, and I remember that my brother came home. People made comments that my parents had gone to magicians to bring him back, but to my parents it was long-awaited, answered prayer. Our family had struggles like any other, but we also had God.
When Jim was gone, my parents used to ask me to pray for him; for God to remember him, bring him back to us. I prayed like a little baby who knows that when your father promises you something he will bring it to you. My parents had such strong faith–I knew God was going to answer our prayers and sure He did.
I can't remember exactly when Jim came back, but my parents were so happy. So was the whole family. Like the prodigal son, who had wronged his father and wasted his inheritance only to return home broke and broken, he was welcomed with open arms. He didn't deserve their love and forgiveness, but he accepted it gratefully.
Jim was taken to train as a teacher, which he completed very well, and was posted to a local school. He became ill and, in 1993, he passed away, leaving a wife and four children. One thing I am happy about is that he died knowing God. People saw a change in his life–from the old Jim to a new Jim.
I learned from my brother that nothing is impossible if we put our trust in God through Jesus Christ–each one of us. My parents' strong faith gave us a good home, but could not prevent Jim from leaving it. Their relationship with Jesus could not change Jim's life; he needed to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ of his own.
When I was 15, I realized that I was a prodigal, too! I had strayed from my heavenly Father. I had to accept Him for myself–no one else's faith could bring me home. I didn't deserve His love and forgiveness; all I had to do was accept it gratefully. My brother-in-law told me that I must accept Christ into my life for Him to be real. I wanted Him to be real to me, so I did. How?
I prayed like a little baby who knows that when your Father promises you something He will bring it to you. I tell you the joy I felt I can't explain to anybody, because from that day Christ is part of me. It's not been a smooth road–there are times when I have felt like giving up. But I always ask WHERE and TO WHOM do I belong? I belong to Jesus, and with Him is where I want to be.
God's words are true yesterday, today and forever. I stand as testimony that God can save a young person and keep him OR her from peer pressure.
Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?
Living with hope
If you are looking for peace, there is a way to balance your life. No one can be perfect, or have a perfect life. But every one of us has the opportunity to experience perfect grace through a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here's a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.
Is this the life for you?
If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you'll experience life to the fullest.
