Author: Vanessa Moonkie

Hello family! 🌸 First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to check up on me. I’m doing well now praise the Lord! 🙌 Thank you for all your love, care, and prayers.

We’re continuing with our study on women in Scripture, and very soon I’ll be creating a study plan in PDF format which I’ll upload on my website. It will be a resource to help you study deeper into the Word and grow in knowledge and understanding. Today, we’re looking at Tabitha, also known as Dorcas. And if you’re thinking, “Who’s that?” well, you’re just about to find out! 😉

“There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor.”

Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭9‬:‭36‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In the book of Acts, we find the story of Tabitha (Dorcas). It’s such a short story, yet so rich in meaning. The very first things we learn about her are her name and her impact. She wasn’t just Tabitha by name , she was Tabitha, known for kindness. She was Tabitha, known for helping the poor.

That makes me pause and ask: What am I known for? What are you known for? Apart from where you work or the title you hold, is there a testimony of your character? Think about it: when people talk about you, the mention of your name carries weight. They describe your attitude, your heart, and the way you made them feel.

Because let’s be honest, at funerals, people lie. They say nice things to comfort the family, but often they’re not the truth. Sometimes all they can mention is where the person was employed: “Oh, James worked at Absa.” But what kind of person was he? When they see that he wasn’t a good person they start to tell people about a James that is totally different from the one everyone knew.

With Tabitha it was different. She was remembered for her impact on the community. She was not ignorant of people’s struggles she cared enough to step in. She used what she had to help those around her. How many situations could you have solved, but didn’t? How many people could you have helped, but instead said, “Someone else will do it. I’m not the only person in the world!” How many lives could’ve been lighter with you in the picture, but instead, they remained heavy? And when they cried out to God, God was like , “But l put Vanessa in your life for that reason.”

While we’re still on this, let me highlight something important. One-sided kindness is the reason why many kind people eventually stop. Some people only know how to take, and they never reciprocate. As we study the life of Tabitha, you’ll realise that reciprocated kindness matters. All the people who consistently show up for you may eventually grow tired if you’ve never even taken time to do something in return.

My mom is often a victim of this. She will go all out for people, but on the other side, there’s nothing just empty space. If you live like that, not remembering those who helped you, it’s only a matter of time before you find yourself living a very lonely life. Kindness doesn’t mean people should tolerate anything. If you cannot reciprocate it, you may never experience it again.

Ask yourself: What has been done for me? How can I show the same kindness to that person? How can I show my gratitude to God for all He has done for me? Think about these things. Don’t wear people out of their kindness toward you. Instead, cultivate a principle of give and take, take and give. That’s the heart of true community.

The very next verse tells us that this wonderful woman, Tabitha, became ill and sadly, it ended in death. Her body was washed, prepared for burial, and laid in an upper room. And you may ask, “But why would that happen to such a kind person?” Maybe you thought only wicked people end up in hospital. But that’s not how life works. At some point, we will all face death unless, of course, we rapture on the 24th! 😂 All the best with that, my darling.

But listen: Tabitha, with all her goodness and generosity, still got sick. I want to pull us out of the entitlement mentality where we throw tantrums at God saying, “But I’m a good person, why am I going through this?” Don’t forget Jesus was the best person who ever lived, yet He also suffered.

Being good does not exempt us from the troubles of life. I know many good people who are in pain right now. Some have died. Some can’t even put food on the table. Some don’t know how they’ll make it to the end of this year. And yet, they are kind, selfless, and loving. You may say, “But I’m a Christian!” Yes even so, life can still get hard. And often we compare: “Why me? Why not my aunt? She’s not nice, yet she’s living her best life.” But again, life doesn’t always work that way.

Our good deeds are precious, and they matter, but they don’t guarantee a trouble-free journey. Tabitha was kind, yet she still fell sick. And I’m sure people prayed, pleaded, and reminded God of all her kindness but still, she died. Sometimes, what happens to the wicked also happens to the good. But that doesn’t mean we should stop doing good.

Let’s meet again tomorrow. Remember, if you’d like to support my blog, you can click the link below. Also, let your friends know that I do counselling , slots are live on the same website.

https://buymeacoffee.com/ziyambivanx

Have a blessed day further and above all, be kind. 🌸

Praise the Lord!

This morning while I was still asleep, a sermon was playing in the background. As I woke up to check the date, I clearly heard the words: “You don’t praise like you used to.” I knew that was God speaking.

I remembered how I used to lock myself in my room almost every day, just to dance and praise Him. Now, I only do it once or twice a week. And it struck me, God really delights in our praise! Those dancing moves that may not look good to anyone else, He rejoices over them. Those shouts of joy, lifted hands, and clapping, they all matter to Him. Don’t forget how the walls of Jericho fell, not through battle, but through a shout of praise. That must’ve had a significance in the spirit!

So today I repent. I ask myself and I ask you how is your praise and worship? Is it still the same as it once was? God desires us to remain authentic and consistent in our praise. Shall we wrap up this week’s topic… before we put on our dancing shoes? 💃🙌

“Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” ‬‬

John‬ ‭8‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

God knows exactly how to handle the pressures we face in this world, the noise, the condemnation, the abuse, the mess we sometimes find ourselves in (whether we caused it or not). And here’s the good news: He knows how to pull us out. That alone is a reason to praise Him! To remember: I could have died, I could have lost my mind, I could have gone through so much… BUT GOD STEPPED IN!

That’s the phrase right there. But God stepped in.

When I remember what the Lord has done, I can boldly declare: “I will never go back anymore.” Shall we use that song to worship today? 🎶 I don’t know exactly what He saved you from, but I know this. He didn’t just save me from the fangs of Satan. He saved me from myself. I was a danger to my own life, but He showed me the safer, better way of living. Where Are Your Accusers?

Where is the heartbreak? Where is the pain? Where is the sickness? Where are the very things that once looked like they would finish you?Someone may say, “But I still see the issue in my life.” Yet I tell you this the issue has brought you to Jesus. And who is this Jesus? He is Lord over all.

He still says:

• Go and sin no more.
• Go and worry no more.
• Go and cry no more.
• Go and fear no more.

As you go, go in praise because everything that was meant to end you has been turned around! Remember Joseph’s words to his brothers: “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50:20) They had no idea that God could flip the entire plot! Think about the woman caught in adultery what a turnaround she experienced. From a near-death moment to a brand-new life! And maybe I wasn’t that woman, but I had my own mess too. Yet God saved me. Like the prodigal son, He brought me back home, clothed me in beautiful garments, and said: “Let’s celebrate, my daughter has come back!”

So today, let us praise and worship remembering where we’ve come from and how far God has brought us. He is WORTHY! 🙌🔥

If this blog blesses you and you’d like to support my work, you can “buy me a coffee” by clicking the coffee picture below. You’re free to give in any currency, and any amount, from as little as R20. Remember to leave a message 💛

Hey Yielded people! Just a quick update before we get into today’s blog: I’ll be updating my Buy Me a Coffee page this week. You’ll be able to:

• Book counselling sessions
• Purchase my book
• Get new ebooks I’ll be releasing

I’ll share the updated link with you once it’s ready. Also, please help me reach my 2025 goal by sharing the blog link with your friends and circles I can’t do it without you! Alright, that’s the housekeeping, let’s get into today’s blog! 🩷

“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.”
‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭4‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We’ve already established that these people lived according to the Law of Moses and followed it closely, even up to this point. Interestingly, they were using this woman as a trap to catch Jesus. She wasn’t just their focus Jesus was their real target. Do you realise that when you sin, the enemy is also targeting Jesus? He knows how deeply God feels when His children fall, and he knows how much it matters to God that we live holy lives.

I often wonder what Jesus wrote on the ground that day. The Bible doesn’t tell us, which makes it even more intriguing. Some theologians suggest that the same hand that once wrote the Law of Moses on tablets was now writing on the ground almost as if to say, “You’ve brought My law to Me to trap Me with it, but now I rewrite, not to condemn, but to show mercy.” Whatever He wrote, His action disarmed the crowd and shifted the focus away from the woman’s sin to the inner condition of those who accused her. Please do a study on this as l don’t have conclusive information.

Jesus then said, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” In other words, “If you’ve lived perfectly holy foreverrrrr (insert song), then by all means go ahead and stone her.” Those who came boldly to trap Jesus suddenly found themselves being questioned instead. Isn’t it amazing? They were quick to point at someone else’s public sin while hiding their own private sins. That’s how people can be spending hours talking about someone whose sin was exposed, all while carrying heavy secrets of their own.

Some had skeletons in their homes. Others were dealing with “stinking situations” behind closed doors. But when they dressed up and stepped outside, they put on an appearance of holiness until they saw someone with a visible failure and suddenly felt qualified to judge.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there were adulterers in that very crowd, stones in hand, ready to condemn her. The only difference? They hadn’t been caught. And because their sins were hidden, they thought it was fine. But here’s the truth: hidden sins and exposed sins are the same before God. Hypocrisy tries to measure sin on a scale, but in God’s eyes, sin is sin.

One person’s weakness doesn’t make another person’s compromise any less serious.

I’m calling us out of hypocrisy today. Let’s deal with our own hearts before we rush to throw stones at someone else. Lastly, Scripture tells us that the accusers left one by one. And I want to speak to those who have been accused, slandered, or shamed you need to know this: God still loves you.

What your accusers meant for your downfall actually brought you closer to Jesus. They may have thought, “It’s over for her,” but in reality, it was the beginning of something new. Without realising it, they were bringing that woman to the very mercy seat. What the enemy meant for evil. That voice that says you’re condemned , don’t try to pray again, is lying to you .

No matter what you’ve done, Jesus is still saying: “Come. Let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18). Come as you are, with all the weight you carry. When you stand before Him, I pray you shut out the noise of the crowd , the voices of shame, condemnation, and accusation and lean in to hear only what He has to say about you. His words are mercy. His words are life. His words are your new beginning.

If this blog blesses you and you’d like to support my work, you can “buy me a coffee” by clicking the coffee picture below. You’re free to give in any currency, and any amount, from as little as R20. Remember to leave a message 💛

Hello, my Yielded People! 🌸 I trust you all had a wonderful weekend. Today we’re looking at one of the “famous” women in the Bible her story is found in the Gospels, and she is among those who had a life-changing encounter with Jesus.

But before we dive in, can I encourage you: read the Word of God for yourself. Don’t just “discover” things here on the blog when the treasures are already written in your Bible. God forbid this blog ever takes the place of your Bible! Think of this as a bonus devotion, something extra after you’ve spent time in your own walk with God. I truly urge us not to rely only on what we are taught, but to cultivate that hunger for one-on-one teaching with the Holy Spirit. So please, read your Bible. Alright, let’s gooo! 🚀

When you study the Old Testament, the commandments and the laws of Moses given to Israel ; you’ll notice that most of these laws carried consequences. Break the law, and you face judgment; keep the law, and you receive blessing. That’s why we often read of people being stoned, cast out, or disciplined the Israelites lived under the strict weight of the law. When Jesus came, the religious leaders even tried to use the law as a trap to kill Him. It’s important to understand: although we are no longer bound by the law of Moses, we are still called to uphold God’s principles. If we ignore them, the consequences are eternal, Scripture is clear that if there’s no repentance , you will go to Hell.

“As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.”
‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Do you see the law there? On the basis of the law, they carried this out. The Bible says she was caught so these men weren’t lying. It wasn’t a fabricated story. She did it. She was in the very act. Nobody just woke up and decided to blame her for something she hadn’t done.

Can I just say, this is exactly what will happen on Judgment Day. Nobody will accuse you of what you didn’t do. We will face the consequences of our own actions. It’s easy for someone to say, “I didn’t do it!” Maybe no one on earth saw you. But before the Lord? Darling, the accuracy of your life will leave you speechless, down to the very timestamps of your deeds. That’s why this woman had no voice in that court. Deep down, she knew in her heart of hearts that these men were not lying.

I’ve heard of people who get caught cheating and then say, “Ah, it’s because of you.” If you want, allow yourself to be brainwashed but the truth is this: people cheat because they choose to. People lie because they want to. We sin because we want to sin. Nobody can ever say, “God made me sin.” Sure, you can manipulate people into thinking your wrong actions were caused by them but you can never pull that stunt with the Holy Spirit.

“I hit you because I love you.” What a foolish thing to say. No, you hit her because you are abusive. I’m trying to help you see that every single person must face the consequences of their own actions even this very woman in the story. And here’s something else that’s interesting…

Relationship math. How many people does it take to commit adultery? Two. For it to even be called adultery, it means two people were caught. Yet only the woman was brought forward. Two people sinned, but one was dragged. We haven’t even gone past the first verse (lol), but that’s okay, we won’t rush. We need to pause and let the Word edify us. So, a man and a woman are caught in adultery, and they bring the woman to be stoned to death. But where was the man?

Now listen, this isn’t a feminism speech to say “ah, women are blamed and men aren’t.” That’s not the point. The point is: two people committed the same sin, but only one faced the consequences. Don’t be deceived into thinking that just because you didn’t face consequences, you weren’t guilty. You saw someone dragged on social media. You saw another in the news, standing in court for rape. And you think you’re safe because your own sin is still a secret? But some years ago, you did the same thing.

You’re quick to drag your husband for cheating, but you also have that one “boy” somewhere who knows all the colors of your underwear. The woman was caught and dragged, fine. But the man should never think he’s holy simply because he wasn’t dragged. Don’t confuse not being exposed with holiness. Sometimes the only difference is mercy, God giving you time, a chance to repent. Take it. Take it now as you’re reading this. Because next time … selah

The last part of the verse says, “they put her in front of the crowd.” Now, a crowd doesn’t just gather for nothing. People gather when there’s something to see, to hear, or to receive. Usually, it’s because someone is influential, has something to give, or for news. Otherwise, people are too busy to gather. One of the biggest things that makes a crowd gather is news. And here, the crowd was already there when they brought in the woman.

Maybe some of you have had a “crowd” gather around your life before. At work, an accusation is made. At home, maybe you really did do something wrong. But was the crowd necessary? We live in a world that loves to publicise everything and it didn’t start with TikTok. Today, the crowd is social media. You make a mistake, and suddenly you’re trending. Strangers who don’t even know you are sitting in judgment like they’re the court. Some people we’ve dragged online might have repented but instead, because we hammered them, they spiralled into suicide or bitterness. We gather crowds to watch someone else’s shame.

But have we ever stopped to ask, what if that was me? Don’t say it can’t be you because it can. Remember what we discussed? Secret sin doesn’t make you holy. It just makes you hidden for a while. Look around at social media TikTok, Twitter, and the rest. A man of God makes a human mistake in speech, and suddenly the crowd weighs one slip against his entire calling. Really? You, who curses daily without thinking, suddenly feel qualified to “stone” him? You, with 19 secret girlfriends, are the same one shouting, “Crucify him!”

The truth is, social media is full of people no different from the woman caught in adultery. But they gather online to slander, to stone, to shame. That’s the world we live in: take a picture, post it, drag them, expose them. Bring it into the group chat, let the whole family stone them.

But here’s the takeaway for you today: one day, you too will face the consequences of your sin unless you repent. What you keep covering will one day be uncovered. And when a sinner stands before you, remember this: you also once stood in that place. And the only reason you are free is because of the grace and mercy of God.

If this blog blesses you and you’d like to support mt work, you can “buy me a coffee” by clicking the link below. You’re free to give in any currency, and any amount, from as little as R20. Remember to leave a message 💛

https://buymeacoffee.com/ziyambivanx

Thank you 💕