John 3:30

My personal visual exploration of faith. The starting point of this work was an accumulated need to to challenge the idea of ‘religiousness’ (hence the working title of (not)religious ) I focused on a life of a believer, the relationship with God, the process of a ‘diminishing self’. I used light as a metaphor for God and His character which influences and changes individuals- This is mainly shown through the light taking over certain features of the sitters. The Bible is full of beautiful metaphors, many of them relating to light and darkness which makes them quite easy to translate into an image. Although I’ve wanted to do this project for a while and I’m very happy to see it accomplished, I don’t feel that I have fully resolved it. I think I could probably explore some of those metaphors I’ve mentioned earlier deeper, make more out of them. Also, there’s something too peaceful about these portraits considering that they focus on allowing God to take over our lifes, characters. The old self is normally kicking and screaming to stay unchanged. There’s struggle involved and that certainly doesn’t show through these photographs. But hey- ho this is a starting point.

Thank you to all you who helped, posed and encouraged

john 1: 10-13

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but

born of God.

Jesus Christ!

You hear that name exclaimed loudly in various situations: someone said very annoying to someone else, someone tripped over a piece of trash on the floor, something hilarious just took place, someone needs to express a deep shock or boredom… It became an expression, that for some mysterious reason people find fitting to be shouted out in all of these situations and in many more. Here is what hides under that name for me:
Jesus Christ
Died in my place
Took the punishment for my wrong- doings
Knows my every thought
Knew me before I was born
Knows my future
Has a plan for my life
Made me new
Loves me and cares for me
Is always for me
Saved me
Protects me
Died on the cross and rose again
He
is God
(and wants me to know Him personally)
is my shield
is my strength
is my future.

When I think about it, when I remember when I first believed…It’s just amazing.
The love that God has for the world, for me, for you, once you know it, once you believe in Jesus and His work on the cross, is just irresistible. You don’t even consider rejecting it! Now matter what your attitude towards Christianity, or what you knew as religion was before, it becomes irrelevant the moment God’s love breaks through the walls of sin that surround you. If you think that you don’t have sin, I’m afraid you are wrong. Every single person is a sinner. Not but one! But here it is “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John3:16) God loves you and wants to have a relationship with you. He doesn’t want your money and He doesn’t want you to perform any religious rituals or things like that. He knows you, because He created you, and He now wants you to know Him as well. He wants you to live a life where He can guide you, protect you, help you grow into His likeness, into who YOU WERE CREATED TO BE.
There is this image that is often used and I am going to use it now also. A God-shaped hole in your heart. No matter what you will try to fill your life with it will not bring that contentment and satisfaction that living with God does. You were not created for career, for having a lot of money, for carnal experiences. These things simply wont do the job. Jesus said “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.” And if you still don’t get it, it’s like He talks about all those things that people try to fill their lives with: they aren’t satisfying, soon you thirst again. What He offers is different. It lasts. No more thirsting but instead of it, new passion, that never dries out. He continues to say: “Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
God loves you and wants you to know Him, this is how I can summarise what I’ve written tonight. He is passionate about you. His heart is broken for those who suffer and are lonely. He’s a loving father.
I hope that what you’ve read showed some of the aspects of faith in a new way to what you knew before. I am praying that God will reveal Himself to you and that you will always remember about Him and His love for you.

Good night!

End this nonsense!

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic–on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg–or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.“
C. S. Lewis Mere Christianity

O, Happy Day!

Last Sunday, and I still can’t stop smiling!







Voila!
A Happy Day indeed. On of my happiest ever, I’d say! I’m so glad that I finally took this step and that I was given a chance to do it i such a lovely, and godly church as KIing’s. Before pastor Matthew baptised me, I heard so many encouraging words from him and my dear friend Kunle and even Marielle (she’s a non-christian). I nearly cried, but I didn’t ; )
So yes, my friend Marielle was there with me, and so was my friend Natalie. Thay both said they enjoyed the service which has put even bigger smile on my face.
There was 11 (!!!) people getting bapised. One of them answered for the call after all the baptism finished. Isn’t t great…? I only want to mention that over 18 moths our church baptised 81 people.

Another importatnt even last Sunday was the Membership to the church thing. All new members (30…, we DO need that new building) came to the front and shared a quick testimony. There was that guy taking photos as we talked and, haha, I never realized how funny my face looks when I talk

Today is thursday, and I am about to make myself some lovely breakfast:)