Author: Vanessa Moonkie

•Faith-filled🌼 •Love-driven🌺 •Spirit-led🌸
Heyyyyyyy ! I am V OF THE MOST HIGH GOD. Welcome to the Yielded Center. Through my reflections on faith, my meditations on scripture and intimacy with Holy Spirit, l aim to inspire my readers to cultivate an authentic transformative walk with God. We yield by living a spirit led life.
Do you desire this? Then keep showing up here and let’s get practical.
And hey, God loves you. 💞 [ We laugh and love here]

Categories
The Overcoming Believer

Reflection Friday

Your reflection is what you see in the mirror. I saw mine in the mirror this morning and I WAS NOT PLEASED. I was like “Oh no you need a wash!” Lol. We are all well able to see when our hair is messy, so we brush it. I know people who carry a hairbrush in their bags. Well, l am people. I know some who carry a portable mirror, and they check themselves out all throughout the day to see if anything needs fixing. For women who love makeup there’s a particular sponge or brush that we cannot leave behind. All these things are an effort to either fix or maintain an appearance.

The bible says that’s what we ought to do with our inner man. You have to keep checking through the mirror of the word of God to see if anything needs fixing. This means you actually have to READ YOUR BIBLE. One of the things we will introduce on Yielded in 2025 is a Bible reading plan. Many believers do not read scripture, and it is evident in the characteristics that aren’t changing, the speech, and many other things. How will we know how to behave if we do not search the scriptures? Reflection is so important because it gives us the opportunity to be honest with ourselves. People will always perceive you based on what you are presenting. If its messy hair, then … Don’t say it doesn’t matter.

Many people hate confrontation. Anyone who points out their mistakes is an enemy even if it’s meant to edify. What we do when we stand before the mirror daily is confronting ourselves. Facing what does not look like our desired look. How come you don’t hate your mirror at home, but you hate a friend who tells you to fix one or two things? Not wanting to hear any sermon that brings correction, only the ones that say God loves you, amen. We are closing the year; it is the best time to reflect on both the good and bad. Congratulate yourself on the good. It is very important to see yourself, to validate yourself as well as to celebrate yourself.

Lastly, the insights developed, and the lessons learned will prompt you to make improvements. Your 2025 is so dependent on the results of your reflection time. You may also take a retreat and strategically plan your 2025 sober mindedly. I pray that you will have the courage to face yourself and the humility to allow God work on you until you become.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 1 Corinthians3;18 KJV

Categories
The Overcoming Believer

Chilled Thursday

Hey family. Do you have your Christmas clothes yet? We are literally 5 days away and your sister still doesn’t even have a cap. Even a vest. I’m saying, even a shoelace to say aii maybe the shoe is coming. Nothing LOL. Growing up, my family used to be biggggg on Christmas and New Year’s Day. You would get a full outfit from underwear to shoe, l promise you. Stylish fashon. Every child had two outfits and mind you, we couldn’t wear them until the day finally arrives. So, you can imagine the anticipation. You would just keep going to check if the clothes are still in the wardrobe, still fresh. I didn’t know that one day it would be my responsibility to buy them for myself. Yho Santaaaaaa if l meet you once like thisss …….. l will dye your beard blue.

Anyhooooo, its chilled Thursday. I am literally chilled today. I want to watch a movie. I love animations because now everything else aii they kiss after every five seconds. I must protect my prophetic eagle dimensional eyes. Ooh shall we do Yielded men’s edition in January? I’m excited.

Ok, let me suggest a movie. Click the link below to watch

Categories
The Overcoming Believer

Worship Wednesday

Itsssssssssssss Wednesdayyyy! I love Wednesdays. Ok l love Sundays too. And Mondays. I love being alive AND WELL. The past couple of days l haven’t been feeling well so l am very grateful for restored health. You know, life is such a gift. So very precious. I am sure many of you have seen or watched the video of the gruesome murder of the young lady from South Africa. Not to sound like the newspaper but maaaaaaan that was more than evil. It got me to think deeply about life. Life is precious guys. What’s more, the importance of having a godly community around you.

While we may look at the 2024 vision boards and maybe 6/12 prayer points are still pending, while we murmur and complain about manna, while we fuss day and night talking about ‘Lord when?’ darling, we are actually ALIVE! When l opened my Instagram this morning and saw that man with blood all over his body, someone’s blood, it pierced my heart so much. It literally changed my day. I realized that the word of God is such a need in our communities. The same way people need water and electricity. A desperate neeeeeeed. There are arrows that fly by day. There is pestilence that stalks in darkness. Eiii Read your Psalm 91 and see just how God shields us daily.

I am grateful for you. Yes you. Honestly, we have so many reasons to give thanks. It takes nine months to give birth to a child, that’s the normal span but death is cheap. Give thanks. You that has even stopped talking to God because you are upset about money, or a man, or a job , my dhiye if l katch you! And this is to remind believers, do not be unequally yoked with an unbeliever. Let me take it a step further by saying, do not enter into any relationship without the approval of God. You might be single right now and well excited to marry but hear God first, okay? Pray about it all. Listen, no matter how good the person looks. Tall even with bass zero voice, pray. Even if the lady has the most coca cola body that has ever coca cola’d, pray. Let the God who has seen the future decide for you. It’s craaaaazy out here!!!

Listen to this clip below and then find a song to give praise to the Lord. Remember on Wednesdays we show David that even ussss! Even me o!

GIVING THANKS

God loves you.

Categories
Studying Bible Characters

The expectations of the righteous

Hey family. My apologies for not showing up yesterday as l was not feeling too well. By God’s grace l am alright now. While festive season is a joyful time, for some, it is a time where the absence of their departed loved ones is most felt. It is actually a time that triggers grief based on the fact that the people they once spent this glorious season of ‘Family Time’ with are no more. Maybe a divorce, a loss or disunity. I would like to say to you, take it a day at a time. We grieve differently and we heal at different times too. I also pray God’s loving embrace over you . .

I have been meditating on the story of Hannah from the book of 1Samuel chapter 1. Despite of the situation she was facing, the woman kept on following her husband to Shiloh. I mean our generation has sort of ‘normalized’ the detachment from God or any godly activity when the trying times come. We stop going to church, why? ‘Because l went last week and did not come back with Samuel’. We stop serving God, why? ‘Because those l serve with got their blessings, but l haven’t’. So, Hannah showing up in Shiloh year after year is really evidence of her strong character. Many people think they are Hannah, but the truth is they are not. Hannah did not ‘give up’ when she was mocked by her ‘rival’. We give up because someone said something, and we choose to leave God because of people.

Many believers do not have emotional intelligence. It shows when we would rather fight Peninnah than to present our needs before God at the temple. How did Hannah keep showing up? We read about the fact that she travailed in prayer, but l am wowed by the fact that she returned from Shiloh with nothing, for only God knows how many years, but she would still go back. Back to church. Back to prayer. Back to praise and worship. Back to scripture. Yes, without the child, without the husband, with people’s mockery, still going back to The Lord.

When you read down to chapter two, you find that a time when Hannah decides to go alone and travail. Her attitude changes. She is no longer going as a one who is following her husband because of a family tradition, but as one who is in need of a personal encounter. While many of us do show up in Shiloh, we do it out of tradition. “Its Sunday, l am expected to be in church. I am expected to serve.” And that is why we keep returning with no testimonies. We have no expectations. We have no hunger. We have no desire to engage on the altar. We simply desire to fulfil a duty. Let me be the person to tell you, you will return without a testimony.

‘For surely there is an end and the expectation of the righteous shall not be cut off’ [Proverbs 23:18]

What are your expectations? Do you have any at all or do you say, ‘It is what it is?’ What is it that you hope to receive before the end of the year? In 2025? Or have you become numb you don’t even care whether Samuel comes or not? You do know there’s people like that even in Shiloh, yes? They show up but they are not there. They are still praying but they are not engaging, still fasting but rather hunger striking because of religion and obligations but not necessarily coming into contact with the altar. Positioned by the pool but not getting healed. Being at the right place, at the right time but with the wrong posture at heart. So, the result is many trips to Shiloh with no evidence thereof. I ask again, what are your expectations? Don’t cheat yourself of a life of miracles, signs and wonders because you have killed your dreams. My darling, GOD IS ABLE TO DO JUST WHAT HE SAID HE WILL DO.

Revisit the vision board again. Dream again. Hope again. Expect. Then show up in Shiloh with those expectations. Won’t He do it?

I love you.

Categories
The Overcoming Believer

Reflection Friday

rEFLECTING ON YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE

“To reflect is to look back with the desire to grow from the past by correcting mistakes or celebrating the achievements thereof.”

-Vanessa Moonkie

Happy Fridaaaaay , how are you? How’s your heart? How do you feel? How’s your mind? Okay, racing, steady? Would you rate it 50% , 80? Or a little over 90? Let’s try regulating your emotions a bit ;

  • Be conscious and in this moment right now . Say , “Help me Holy Spirit.”
  • Now breathe in and hold it for 5 seconds and breathe out. Say , “Help me to trust You Lord.”
  • Breathe in again and hold for 10 seconds then breathe out. Say ,”God is my ever present help in times of trouble.”
  • Now drop your shoulders , unclench your jaws, hear yourself breathing then say , “Lord l know You are here with me. Hug me. I need it today.”
  • Laugh in the spirit for a bit. You don’t need any joke. Just laugh.

Okay now let’s get into it! What a year it has been for us believers. The spiritual side of it was giving David and Goliath. Honestly I felt like my Goliath was two in one. Two Goliaths in one Goliath. The Giant of all Giants that have ever Gianted. The soldier in me ran out of bullets. The David in me had a squint 😣😬 so the stones hit elsewhere BUT the giant. That’s how I know l made it thus far by grace. The spiritual attacks were on another level my dhiyerest. At some point I was slacking in my prayer life, literally falling asleep on duty. Imagine a watchman that’s sleepy. Yho x 789!

One area where I reaaaalllly grew is the area of fasting. This is the first year of my life where I was fasting and not cheating . I didn’t even want to. I have never been excited to fast tbh because I love food and I believe food and l have a good relationship. Yeah not like you and the young man. 😂 okay let me be serious. This year l intentionally wanted to, l did it and I’m so glad l allowed God to stretch me in that regard. So if you see me looking all skinny just praise the Lord and leave me alone. What about you? The fact that you just giggled 🤭 let’s try again next year shall we?

My Bible Peopleeeeee!!! Did we keep to the planned routines of bible study? Or were you on fire on Monday then Wednesday you read messages on WhatsApp but the Bible? Zero. So for me, I have a tendency of re reading some books before I read others. I could re read say maybe Corinthians and yet I still have Hebrews to read. It’s good for understanding but I do it from a bias point and ITS GOT TO CHANGEEEEEE! How’s your studies been? If you only relied on you version to send you one verse a day my dhiye we listen and we GEORGE! We must jodge!

Did you go to church at all in 2024? Or are you still part of the “God knows my heart , l worship from home,” team? You do know that there’s a verse that says to not forsake the gathering of believers right? That some have gotten into the habit of doing so. The same way people get into the habit of lying and stealing etcetera is the same way some have gotten into the habit of missing church and making excuses of God knows my heart. He does. Oh He surely does but He also knows His word. Do you? Many people who dodge church are actually dodging authority. They don’t want to be told what to do. They don’t want to submit anywhere. If you were hurt in the church, understand that carrying it all your life will never help you even if you they actually did it to you. I am sorry it happened to you. Very sorry. But darling, for how long will you use this weapon that has turned from pain to bitterness? God has an address and it’s not your house. Selah.

Reading Yielded Blogs! Yes l said it. You know sometimes people come to me for advice and I’m like ,”I literally just posted a blog that could help you with that.” People just don’t wanna read even if there was a salary for it. The keys to breakthrough are found in words. That’s why you go to school. That’s why it’s called THE WORD OF GOD. Words! If you hate reading you hate life. But also you don’t hate reading bc you read paragraphs from your boyfriend and girlfriend mos. Telling you many many things that won’t take you to heaven. Ai let me leave you.

Do you listen to sermons? Or it’s amapiano or nothing. Even your ears don’t understand anything else but the pians. 😂 Sermons have helped me. YouTube comes in handy.. Next week I will list my favourite preachers and sermons maybe they’ll also help you. I found that when I listen to sermons , by the time I want to start praying I’m already fired up. On days when I don’t, I’m even lazy to open my mouth. The word fuels us to pray. Anyhoo, I am just grateful that l started the year as a believer and I will finish it as one. I’m not counted among the lost and I’m so glad! Isn’t it great?! We had our share of persecution but we are still ABBA’s children. Here’s a verse before you say ehhh we read and we didn’t even see one verse

“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬

We keep pushing. Until Christ is formed in us! You can listen to this song and meditate

BASED ON THE EVIDENCE

I enjoyed typing this by the way. I wish you a great weekend! I love you and yeah

Bye!❤️