From then till now

A short expose on my faith journey thus far

The Junior Years

My story begins like many others, whereby I was forced to go to church every Sunday morning which was at that time very much a drag. In those years I was very unaware of the reality of God, I always had sense that angels was real. I can still remember sitting in the pews of my church looking up at the roof and envisioning angels flying amongst the rafters as they watch over us.

As I progressed in my schooling years life became very tough as I was a victim to bullying both at school and around family (majority in primary school). At this stage I was still very unaware of God’s hand upon my life, so my friends and I would often run away after Sunday school to bunk church.

The Encounter

It was only when I got to grade 10 and was invited to attend a Scripture Union Camp held at Rocklands Camp Site in Simons Town that I had my first encounter and awaken that God is real. I remember the Wednesday evening we had an ex-convict come and share his testimony and after that they had an altar call. At this time majority of the kids went forward for prayer and due to me falling to the peer pressure I did not want to be the odd one out so I went up for prayer too.

While I was sitting there being prayed for I remember that I was not really feeling or paying attention to what my dorm leader (PJ) was praying. It was then that I opened my eyes and looked around and saw that everyone was crying and hugging each other, it was at that time that I came to the conclusion that God must be real. So I closed my eyes refocussed on what my dorm leader was praying and at that stage I just felt this overwhelming feeling flow over me, and all the hurt and pain that I had been carrying from the years before just came out.

I remember so clearly after being prayed for and being consoled, I ran out to behind the auditorium and just started venting to God, “How could you let me go through all that hardship? How can you say love me but let me grow up with so much anger? Why must I have so much pain?” I remember that I never got an answer then but just the phrase “I Love You, I Love You, I Love You”. It would only be years later when being involved with youth ministry that it would become clear to me. It would become my job to empower those facing the same problems that they are valuable in the site of God, even though those around them would try to make them feel otherwise.

The Ministry Years

It was then after matric that I got involved in ministry work and encountered so much people that influenced me both young and old. It was not all easy sailing I guess, but I knew that my reliance on being effective for God is knowing that I am but a servant. This I would say is the main characteristic that makes up my character, that I am servant-hearted. This mindset of life was really instilled in me by watching my aunty Ray who was like a second mother to me. A person who was not one to preach, but just served her family, and that spirit of servitude I believe was passed on to me. I still think about her on the regular as I think about the life of serving.

It was in these years of ministering that the calling of moving into the ordained ministry came to me through those around me. The pressure of people coming to me saying, “JP you going to be a priest one day.” When people would say that I would shrug it off and think you got the wrong man, that is a hard life to live. As time went on I started to believe it myself, I would considered myself as I was Jonah and I’m running away from the mandate passed on to me by God.

In the recent years past the feeling has grown and I finally hit the stage in my life where all I want to do is just be the obedient servant. It was recently as I was ministering to an elderly lady in our church, that I learnt the lesson of “I have run the race, I have fought the good fight and have kept the faith.” Her total content that she lived the life God set for her was such an eye opener, and that is where I find myself today. I just want to be obedient to the will he has for my life, done making my own agendas and just want to be the one that responds to the call, “Here I am Lord, use me.”