Author: Vanessa Moonkie

Heyyyyyyyy! Shall we continue? Yes, so STORMS OF LIFE 😅.
The prophet Jonah finds himself in a storm, heavy, life threatening, the bible says it was so intense that it threatened to break the ship. Jonah then decides to pull a standard classic Jesus move and takes a nap. I find that to be so funny because Jesus napped knowing He had control over the storm, what made Jonah so chilled though? I mean you can sleep if you’re sure your faith is intact and you know that you know that you know that God has said chill out. It shows us that you don’t sleep through all storms. Some require that you be thrown into the water and be caught by a fish. There are storms you should never sleep through, the ship will break.

“So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.”
‭‭Jonah‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The captain was shook , how could someone be sleeping when the storm was about to take them all out? And honestly, how did Jonah even get sleepy in that chaos? The truth is, what some of us call a season to chill is actually a season of warfare. And when you sleep through that kind of season, you lose more than you realise. Many have mistaken seasons of building for seasons of resting, and now they’re paying heavily for it.

How can you sleep when you should be on your knees, crying out to God for help? Even if you rest, you rest while praying because some seasons demand vigilance, not sleep? One thing about storms they’re loud. The wind blows, the waves crash, and fear creeps in. So how did Jonah not hear that? How did he not feel the turbulence? It’s actually hilarious, like something straight out of a comedy!

Like I said, Jesus had control over the storm. He rested, but not out of ignorance, He knew exactly what He was doing. Wena you don’t know but you’re sleeping. Jonah, on the other hand, was asleep at a time when he should have been up repenting. Big difference! And yet, how often do we copy how others handle their storms? The strategy isn’t always the same! You throw a stone at Goliath, but with the Amorites, you need weapons. Last season’s battle plan might not work for this season.So why sleep when the enemy has stepped into your home? Wake up and fight!

Some of you are in the middle of a spiritual storm, but instead of fighting, you’ve gone numb. You can’t pray anymore two words in, and you’re out. Fasting? Ehhhh! There’s always an excuse. Even watching a sermon feels impossible because distractions keep pulling you away. You’re unstable, disconnected, and you can’t even remember the last time you had a real, heart-to-heart moment with God.

Please, don’t be like Jonah. You are under attack GET UP! Arise! Shake off that spiritual heaviness! Listen, you don’t come out of this by wishing. You come out by DOING. If you sleep through this, your destiny will slip through your fingers. And unlike Jonah, there might not be a fish to rescue you. You risk drowning.

How can you sleep at a time like this? The timing is all wrong. This is NOT the time to snooze because you snooze, you what?

Exactly!

Hey, my Yielded Family! I pray you’re all doing well. I’m truly blessed to have each of you here reading my blogs , you are a gift and a blessing! My prayer for you is that you will always remain yielded to God.
Yielding isn’t easy; it requires dying to self, surrendering your own will (which, let’s be honest, is no small task , no lie). It’s about laying yourself down so that Christ can fully live in you, leading your decisions, directing your steps, even influencing the little things, like what you wear. Even when it’s hard, stay yielded! I love you all. Now, let’s continue with Part 3 of our series.

I had something completely different in mind to share today, but as I started typing, I felt led in another direction—feelings.Last night, as I was walking into my room, thinking about what to post on the YC Instagram (by the way, please follow The Yielded Center on Instagram, I need those follows!), a thought came to me: “Feelings are as powerful as your thoughts and your words.” I quickly wrote it down so I wouldn’t forget.This morning, I was ready to go with my original post, but then I heard it again—feelings. So let’s talk about that for a moment.

We already know what a storm is but what are feelings? Feelings are the emotional responses we experience in reaction to our thoughts, circumstances, or interactions with others. Feelings are emotional by nature. They are triggered by experiences, thoughts, and circumstances, making them neither constant nor entirely predictable. Since feelings are a response to something, they naturally surface during storms, trials, or moments of intense situations.

Listen, anyone who claims they’ve never felt anything isn’t functioning as a normal human being. Many of history’s most shocking crimes were committed by individuals who lacked emotional responses. Feelings are important; they are part of what makes us human. So, be mindful of people who are completely nonchalant about everything. And if that’s you, change it’s not cute. A total lack of emotion isn’t strength; it reveals an almost inhuman detachment that can be unsettling and even dangerous. As human beings, we are meant to feel. Don’t romanticise wrong things to look cool.

Now, let’s talk about feelings during a storm. Many of us have responded to life’s storms emotionally l know I have. I used to cry, throw tantrums at God (yes, full-on tantrums!), without realising that when the enemy can’t make you numb, he makes you feel carelessly.

What does that mean? It means your emotions become completely unchecked like a bucket of water knocked over, spilling into every room. And that kind of emotional chaos is dangerous. Think about it there are people who became so overwhelmed with emotion in a storm that they felt like life wasn’t worth living. In that moment, they picked up a gun, poison, or a rope and ended their lives. What was that? Feelings during a storm.

While it’s good to feel, it’s just as important to control your emotions and recognise that the enemy works through your mind to influence your feelings. If he can get a stronghold in your thoughts, he can manipulate your emotions, leading you down a dark path. Stay vigilant. Feel, but don’t let your feelings rule you.

Peter was in a storm. At first, he channeled his feelings correctly he had faith. But then, he shifted his focus to the storm, to the waves, and his mind started receiving information: “You will die.” “This is too much for you—you’ll drown.” And what happened next? The Bible says he felt something different fear. And as soon as fear took over, he started to sink.

Matthew 14:30 (NKJV):

“But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’”

In a storm, the best way to channel your emotions is through faith. But here’s the key: faith, like fear, comes from information.

• Faith is built on God’s Word.

• Fear is fueled by the enemy’s whispers.

Are you aware that your feelings can be manipulated? Many people who took their own lives might have wanted to live just an hour before. But the enemy kept pulling the trigger in their minds, feeding them thoughts long enough to manipulate their emotions. You cannot survive a storm with scattered emotions. While it is undeniably hard to stay calm and trust God in the middle of chaos, it’s even worse to be all over the place because the devil is searching for those who feel carelessly.The moment our emotions run wild and unchecked, we become vulnerable. So, what’s the best response in a storm?

“Lord, I see the mess. I hear the thunder. But I choose to trust You. I choose to accept the peace You give me in this storm.”

My beloved family, watch your feelings, watch your emotions, and watch your thoughts. The enemy has taken out far too many kingdom soldiers using this very strategy: create a storm, trigger fearful thoughts, and let the person feel their way into giving up. But not you.

Because we do not give up here.

I came across this on Pinterest, and it really caught my attention. It reminded me of the classic “Where do you see yourself in five years?” question. Growing up, it was so easy to answer, but as adults, many struggle to articulate their purpose. So many people have no idea why they were born, and that lack of clarity is leading to deep misalignment in life.

The gap between the little girl and the woman I see in the mirror is all a matter of time. While writing my book about time, I realised that many people live under the illusion of “What will be, will be.” They drift from one season to the next without a real hunger to fulfill their purpose, believing that someday, like magic, a fairytale godmother will appear and hand them a perfectly laid-out path. But guess what? That’s a lie.

Let’s take a moment to really look at the picture. The little girl is even wearing oversized heels just like so many women today who insist on buying the wrong shoe size (but that’s a conversation for another day, lol). The big shoes symbolise that, at her age, all she can do is dream she hasn’t matured enough to walk that walk yet. But the woman in the mirror? She’s wearing them perfectly, fully capable of not just walking but running in them. So, aren’t you old enough too? It’s time to step into your purpose and start walking.

Now, let’s take a moment to reflect. The decisions you made this week how many of them contributed to your purpose? How many steps did you take in your purpose shoes toward the next level?

A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking about The Yielded Center, and a powerful realisation hit me: what’s inside of me remains hidden until I choose to reveal it. “You don’t know what I carry!” Yes, darling, we don’t know and we never will until you show us. Let’s stop acting like people are taking us for granted when, in reality, we’ve never presented anything solid to begin with. What you carry is already within you. Now, it’s time to reveal it. We only see what you choose to show us. I cannot guess that you can sing until you actually start singing.

Anything we spend time on that doesn’t contribute to our purpose is a waste, and before long, we’ll find ourselves praying for the restoration of the years we wasted not the locusts, but us.

So, take a moment and look within. What is the unique blueprint you carry for the world?

I’ve made my decision The Yielded Center will be global, and I will take the necessary steps to make it happen. I refuse to limit my writing to just my family or a small community. I will study, refine my skills, and present a vision that is undeniably great and excellent.

Now, what will you do about your purpose?

Remember, the only difference between the little girl and the woman in the picture is time and time is not a luxury we can afford to waste.

Selah. ( See you on Monday)