Today,the
23rd of April marks a special day for me,simply because it is my
birthday. Most people don’t really write articles on their birthdays but I want
to do that to let you get to know me better and to encourage some young blood
out there.
As I look
back at my life one word summarizes it all, ‘bittersweet’ (sure you could say
the same for your life). It has been composed of moments that have made me and
broken me but also define who I am right now. I can think of several moments
that were significant for me,some of these moments may be specified events or
just time periods,but here are some to name a few.
1.) Lets go back to elementary/primary
school. I wasn’t the smartest dude in class but I wasn’t the dummest either. My
performance said average but my potential said beyond(atleast that’s what I was
told). On the athletic field Stuart(my oldest friend) and I bossed it, whether
the ball was on our feet or hands we were Kings everywhere we went. So my
academic and athletic work sometimes ran parallel and sometimes ran
opposite(athletics being the favored one). I also went through some tough times
at school with teachers and fellow students. I questioned my ‘intelligence’ and
whether or not I’d amount to anything. I hated myself and my color(growing up
with white kids), and was fighting an internal war of identity. In my opinion
this time period broke me more than it made me(at least that’s how it looks
like from here).
2.) One beautiful Tuesday afternoon
after a great soccer match with my team I arrived home cheerful and on top of
the world believing life was perfect. But what I didn’t know that day was that
my life was significantly going to change. Later that evening my mom called my
brothers and I into the kitchen to tell us something that sounded like the end
of the world. She said, “ Guys, we are leaving Pretoria and moving to Lusaka”.
At first I thought it was a joke but the expression on my mothers face told
another story(a story I didn’t want to hear). I remember pleading with my
parents to not do this, I was distraught, I felt my life was over.It was this
this event that completely changed me and made me cold to life and to God.I
became a hyper hedonist, believing that the only person I could trust and depend
on in life was myself.
3.) A few years later I was hit hard
with the gospel and my life totally changed around, I was just a new person. This
is probably the most significant moment of my life.
4.) A few months later I was hit up with
a philosophy that defined how I would live. This same philosophy is the reason I
am actually writing this article. I was introduced to a book by my father
titled ‘Do Hard Things’ by Alex and Brett Harris and this book opened me up to
a world I did’nt know existed. This world I’m talking about is ‘The Rebelution’.
The Rebelution is a movement of young people not only willing to make a
difference ,we are choosing to be the difference. We are a counter culture of
like minded young people whose efforts God can bless and who together can make
history. We are change makers who influence our world by fighting against sin, suffering,
and decay and by fighting for truth and justice. This is the movement I joined
and it not only changed me, it made me.
5.) Soon after I found Alex and Brett, I
got introduced to their older brother Josh with the book “I Kissed Dating
Goodbye” this book taught me so much about the Christian life. The Harris
brothers have been really influential in my life, I like to call what they
taught me ‘Harrisology’.
6.) All it took was a bass line ,a drum
line and lyrics saturated with scripture and I was sold, Christian hip hop
became my music. And eventually I got into the industry and started doing my
own music.
Since I became a Rebelutionary and got introduced to ‘Harrisology’, God
has put a desire for biblical manhood in me especially as a young person. 1
Timothy 4:12 speaks of how we should be an example to all the believers in
speech, in life, in love, in faith, and purity. I have aimed to live my life
according to this passage to give glory to my God and also to show other young
men and woman that we can be examples living maturely and learning to make the
most of our time in our youth.
One question I have often asked others and especially myself is whether
or not I can call myself a man. Today I can honestly say that I am a man still
learning to be a better man after gods heart. And it is not my age that defines
whether I am a man,the standard should be how founded in God and His word one
is and how wise a man is in practicing these truths. Once these foundations are
laid,things like maturity,responsibility, and discipline come into play. I pray
and hope that I match this standard.
From here I just pray that I may be a better example to all who watch my
life,not by peoples standards but by Gods. By Gods grace I pray that I will
achieve this.
I can’t determine where I’ll be in a few years, but who I’ll be will be
determined by what I do and who I am right now.
Throughout my life I see Gods sovereignty and His grace in my life
through the good and the bad, I praise Him for today.
Soli Deo Gloria,
The Exposition(on his birthday)
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