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The Yielded Believer

Uniquely yours

We grew up wanting to be like celebrities. We had songbooks and photos cut from magazines. We wanted to be the famous people we dressed like them, tried to sing like them. We fooled ourselves into thinking one day we’d become Beyoncé 2.0. Boys thought they would be John Cena or Ronaldo.

We had idols.

“When I grow up, I want to be like…” and someone would write Halle Berry. Meanwhile, you didn’t even know how to act! We hadn’t even discovered our own dreams, yet we wanted to live other people’s lives. By the way, I’m sorry I’m late with this. I am actually writing it during a 10-minute break, straight from the top of my head, so please forgive me if it doesn’t flow the way it should.

Fast forward, we grew up and started wanting to be like our friends. We began talking like each other, dressing alike, even dreaming of doing life on the same timeline: getting married at the same time, having babies at the same time. As my apostle would say, “Story, story, storrry.” I’ve come to realise that what you birth is uniquely yours. I adore my nieces and nephews, honestly, I think I love them even more than I love my sisters but the truth is, they’re not my biological children. What you birth is yours. Stop checking someone else’s “baby” to see if yours is measuring up. A matching vision, a matching logo, matching this and that… but how will you ever stand out if all you do is mimic others?

Children born of the same parents sometimes don’t even look alike, so the vision you birth doesn’t have to look like mine. You can show up in your own style, in your own way, not trying to offer the world version 60 of what it’s already seen. This is a season of birthing, and when your “child” doesn’t look like mine or your neighbour’s, it doesn’t mean it’s not a child. It doesn’t mean you kill it. You don’t harbour jealousy, and you reject the spirit of competition. Instead, you nurture your child and uniquely groom it. People say babies get swapped in hospitals number one, it’s a crime; number two, it’s a mental disorder. What the Lord puts in your hand is yours for a reason. Remember that.

Go on and be unique.
See you tomorrow ❤️

“You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside and my intricate outside, and wove them all together in my mother’s womb.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭13‬ ‭TPT‬‬

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The Overcoming Believer

You’re responsible for your child 🤱🏽

After giving birth, everything changes. You’re no longer eating for two, the baby now eats on their own. There are diapers to change, tiny clothes to wash, doctor’s visits to schedule, and an endless list of new responsibilities. The mother, often exhausted from breastfeeding through the night, does her best to keep going. The father helps where he can, but everyone in the house quickly learns: there’s a baby now, and that baby needs constant care. Sometimes even the whole neighbourhood knows because newborns cry, loudly and often. But whether the baby cries, screams, needs a diaper change, or falls ill, one thing is true: the baby is the parents’ responsibility.

I remember when Valerie was pregnant, almost due, eh, that girl ate! She ate for 4 but she was carrying 1 ! And she slept a lot too. Started snoring like a tractor! I used to pinch her all night so she wouldn’t break my eardrum, lol! But all that changed once she gave birth. She was not sleeping anymore. I’d wake up and see her walking around in the dark, rocking the baby, trying to get them back to sleep. Eyes heavy, body tired, she was exhausted.. But the baby had come. I saw how it changed her life & routine. She had prayed for that baby to come. And now, the baby was here… with responsibilities.

You see, you want the vision to come to life? You want to build a global ministry? You want that dream, that breakthrough, that next level? The baby comes with responsibility. You don’t just get the blessing, you get the work that comes with it. We sometimes wonder why God doesn’t give us certain things. The truth is, it’s often because we lack the capacity and discipline to nurture a baby. And yes, every vision is a baby that must be nurtured to full maturity.

Yielded Center is a baby. Some of you enjoy the blogs. Some don’t. Some think they’re boring. Whatever the case, I still post here? almost daily. That’s responsibility. Whether the stats say two people read, five commented, or zero… the baby still needs to be nurtured. I still have to show up. I still have to write. I have to take time out of my schedule to feed what I’ve birthed. Right now, I’m planning for the MPG event, another baby. I just finished sending out letters, and I have a pounding headache. But even in that, I have to prepare for Special Edition Thursday Questions for my guest. I have to edit videos. I have to lead Wailing Women Prayers.

What is all this? Responsibility. These are the demands that come with giving birth to a vision. Some people say, “My vision doesn’t look like that person’s vision.” But my question is: How much time have you taken to nurture it? How often do you feed it? How disciplined are you in showing up for what God has given you?

New churches want to be like mega churches. No problem. But are they willing to go through the nurturing process when the baby can’t even feed itself? Can’t bathe on its own? Can’t walk or talk? See, people like grown kids. That’s why most people adopt at age five and up. Very few adopt a two-week-old. Why? Responsibility. A baby requires everything, time, energy, feeding, changing, attention, and constant presence.

You want a fully developed vision, ready to run and take over the world? That’s possible as a miracle but in the norm, you birth a baby… and you groom it to maturity. Yes, I’m travailing. Yes, I’m giving birth. Beautiful. But when you give birth, you must also ready yourself for what’s coming, the time, the money, the energy, the consistency, the sacrifice, and all of it. Whether people help you or not. These are the investments required not just for growth, but for impact. Because visions don’t just grow, they are built. And hear me clearly: Nations aren’t impacted by small things. If you want your vision to reach national or global levels, you must build capacity. You must walk in excellence. You must cultivate discipline. That being said are you truly ready for what you prayed for?

You’re invited to these prayers & the event

Categories
The Yielded Believer

Reflection Friday

Not everything deserves your response or reaction. Not everything deserves your attention. Not everything deserves your time. On this Reflection Friday, let’s learn and unlearn. Minimizing distractions is not always about silencing phones or turning off notifications. Sometimes , the greatest distractions are people, people who don’t understand the value of your time, yet constantly demand it… only to waste it. Where do you think the phrase “Don’t waste my time” came from? It came from someone who had their time genuinely wasted.

There’s so much time wasted on conversations that should’ve never happened. Time wasted on people who thrive on drama where everything around them is always chaotic. Personally , I have no tolerance for drama. The moment you start it, I step back. Why? Because I love my peace. And if your actions threaten that peace, you automatically lose my attention. I value my time with God , I love to pray, I love to worship. So when someone enters my life, I ask myself:

How will this person affect that? Will their presence pull me closer to God, or distract me from Him? Some people bring so much noise into your life, you can’t hear anything above it. Not your thoughts. Not your convictions. Not even God. That kind of noise is dangerous. That’s why peace isn’t just something I enjoy, it’s something I protect. Recently, my friend and I faced a situation where we could have easily harboured offense. But in the middle of our conversation, we realized something deeper:

This isn’t just drama , this is an intruder trying to steal what we’re holding in our hands. And that moment taught me a powerful lesson. I want to implore you: discern the happenings in your life. If you suddenly find yourself in an argument during a time of prayer, fasting, or spiritual growth , don’t retaliate. Don’t fight back immediately. Discern. That’s the intruder. That’s the thief coming to disrupt your focus.

Not everything deserves a clap back. Not every attack needs a reaction. had to learn this the hard way and honestly, I’m still in God’s classroom. The much younger version of me? Let’s not even talk. I was ready to fight , physically. I had no tolerance for long conversations or patience. But God has helped me greatly. So much that even I am amazed. I’ve learned this truth: I could never walk closely with God if I was adamant about holding on to offense, anger, or my old ways. And now, more than ever, I protect my peace and guard my heart, not out of weakness, but out of wisdom.

Guard Your Heart. Seriously.

Guard your heart from discontentment, from anger, from fear, from inner gossip. Yes, you read that right: inner gossip. I learned something recently that changed me: Gossip doesn’t always happen out loud. Sometimes , it’s a quiet conversation happening within you. You’re not talking to anyone else, just yourself. But that internal dialogue is despising others, silently judging, replaying offenses, building walls. That, too, is gossip. And it poisons the heart.

So today, I want to gently encourage you: Free yourself. Free yourself from the need to prove a point. Free yourself from “takers” those who endlessly withdraw from you, but never pour back. Free yourself from distractions that look harmless but rob you of peace. Because here’s the truth: Distractions are moments of theft. While your attention is scattered on a hundred meaningless things, the enemy is busy stealing clarity, peace, and purpose. So again, I say: Guard your heart. It’s not just a suggestion , it’s a survival strategy.

🚨 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨

My new Christian novel drops this Monday and it will be available as a soft copy exclusively on my website! If you’ve read “A Thing Called Time” clap hands for yourself! But if you still don’t have a copy?Honestly… I don’t know what to say. 😅 What a bad decision you’ve made my dear!

If this blog blesses you and you’d like to give, simply click the coffee image below. See you on Monday! I love you.

Categories
The Overcoming Believer

Congratulations! 🤱🏽

Congratulations, my sister. Congratulations, my brother. Congratulations, friend. Congratulations to you all! You’ve made it into the 10th month of the year , what a journey it has been!

We gave birth in September, so this is our first month walking as people with evidence. You laboured, you pushed, you travailed and now look at you, holding your baby, the proof of your perseverance. You might be saying, “But I don’t see anything yet!” Hold on. Don’t lose hope. The sky may seem still, but the cloud is gathering. And when it’s full, it will pour. Just wait , the rain is coming.

Congratulations! Congratulations on your new, well-paying job! Congratulations on your new car! Oh, is that you in your beautiful home? You look stunning in that bridal gown , from Pinterest to reality! And you, Mr. Groom, that suit is perfect! Look at you holding your twins , double the blessing! Wow… so you’re a millionaire now? You’re funding kingdom business, advancing the gospel! You’re in every nation, declaring Jesus Christ. Souls are being saved because of your obedience! Haaa again I say, Congratulations! You are walking in prophecy. You are living in the overflow. You are evidence of God’s faithfulness.

When a woman gives birth, her family, friends, colleagues even strangers on social media celebrate with her. People send gifts, money, cards, and flowers. You’ve read the Bible , remember the gifts the Wise Men brought to Jesus? Because every birth should be celebrated. Why? Because travailing is not easy. Because both the mother and the child could die in the process. Because crossing from labor to life is a miracle. So today, I pray for you: May good people surround you and celebrate you genuinely.

So what are we doing today? We are praising! I hope you have a proper play list to celebrate how far you’ve come. It’s time to celebrate!!💃 SING, DANCE, PRAISE!

“Sing, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem, you who have never been in labor. For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband,” says the Lord. “Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense! For you will soon be bursting at the seams. Your descendants will occupy other nations and resettle the ruined cities. “Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭54‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If this blog blesses you and you’d like to give, kindly click on the coffee image below.

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The Yielded Believer

Naming your child 🤱🏽

My favourite people! God bless you. Have you ever met someone with a really funny or weird name? Then you come across someone else with a unique name. Some have biblical names and some have “Zimbabwean” names. Thank God my parents didn’t try to be funny when naming me.

I once heard of a man called Promotion. I mean, yes being promoted is a good thing, but should that really be your name? In my village, there was someone named Builder. Great concept, I suppose maybe they hoped he would build the family but as a name? I don’t think so. But at the end of the day, we can’t blame the child. Why? Because it’s the parents who name the child.

We often laugh at Zimbabwean names, but some American names also don’t pass the mark. Someone might name their child East, East of what, exactly? Then there are names like Blue or Pink. Sometimes it feels like a party of random words, and when you try to make literal sense of them, there’s just… nothing there. Again, parents name the child. I know someone called Sikhathele , it means “we are tired.” And another named Senzeni, meaning “what have we done?” Now imagine growing up with names like that. It’s no surprise some of these kids end up getting bullied in school. You will understand in a moment why I’m saying all this. I’m not trying to be funny at all.

When Mary became pregnant, she was given a name for the child. When Elizabeth conceived, both she and Zechariah were also given a specific name for their son. God didn’t leave it up to them even though I’m sure there were many beautiful names they might have chosen on their own. So why did God insist on naming them? Because a name is not just a label , its identity. And beyond that, it carries deep spiritual significance. That’s why, when you’re birthing a vision, a calling, or a purpose, you need to ask God what He wants it to be called. He already has a name for it. Don’t just name it based on your feelings or circumstances ask Him. Because the name matters.

And He was given a name above every other name. That means there’s also a name suitable for your church, your ministry, your vision. You can’t just wake up and decide to name your church some funky name. My apostle always jokes saying things “Sibongile Flying to Heaven Ministries.” It sounds funny, but you will be shocked some names people claim God gave them. Be careful. Be careful not to birth a God-given vision and then name it in the flesh. I want to share something with you that happened to me a while ago…

In a dream, I encountered a spirit. We had such a fierce fight. At one point, I asked, “Why are you fighting me?” The spirit responded, “Arimaka, I must destroy you.” I was confused who is Arimaka? My name is Vanessa. But the spirit repeated it, three times: “Arimaka… Arimaka… Arimaka.” Then she said, “You don’t even know who you’re called in the spirit.” And as I started to gain victory over her in the dream, all she could say was, “Arima… Arima….” The meaning of the name is devoted one.

The moment I woke up, the first thing I did was Google the meaning of that name. And in that moment, I discovered something profound: everyone has a spiritual name. Some people are called poverty. Some are called delay. Some are called wealth. Some are called favour.

Why did Jacob need a name change? Why did God change Abram to Abraham? Sarai to Sarah? What’s the big deal? Because names have spiritual implications. As you birth that vision ask God, “What is the name?” As you write that book, ask Him, “What should the title be?” As you raise your children name them wisely. Don’t go and carry demonic spirits into your home.

Every name is an identity. It will either attract things or repel them. will either open doors or close them. It matters what you name your child. It matters what you name your vision. It matters what name you carry in the spirit.

“But immediately, he drew his hand back, and out came his brother; and she said, “Look how you have broken out of the womb!” So, he was named Perez, the one who breaks through.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭38‬:‭29‬ ‭TPT‬‬

See you tomorrow. ❤️