Echoes in Joy and in Ashes

Every year, around this time a batch of students graduate and the whole community goes through the process of bidding "good-byes" and "see yous". It is indeed a day of mixed emotions as achievements are celebrated and the reality of parting of ways (but hopefully not of friendships) sets in. Every year, I walk the down the line to congratulate the graduates and wish them knowing fully well that some I will never meet again, at least in this life, though bits of news may make through now and then. A few hours ago today, we went through this whole process and finished off the academic year. Some are now back home, safe and sound, others travelling still; some are going back home with much joy to loved ones, some are going back with a heavy heart having lost loved ones in the near past. However, whatever may be the case, this fact remains "the journey is done and God has seen us through" and this is worth honouring. As such, as an old timer I writ...

Good afternoon! I want to thank the SSC Committee for this honour to address this gathering and especially the freshers this afternoon. On behalf of the Principal, the faculty and the staff and the families, “Welcome to Shalom Bible Seminary!” For many of you, this is your first entry into theological education and training, for some of you it is the joy of joining a different seminary, and for the rest of you “well, here we are again!” Whatever category you fit into, I welcome you into this family. I can only imagine the excitement and the thrill you felt and experienced as you decided to join this seminary. The heartbeats in the hall as you wrote your entrance exam and then faced an interview, the days of suspense awaiting your fate; and finally the gospel from the Academic Dean’s office—“you have been elected.” This piece of news might have made it to the “breaking news” section of your social media status update. Even as others around you shared in your joy, most likely...

The last two years, 2020 and 2021, were swept away as the world was engulfed in a pandemic. While the last century saw the outbreak of two world wars, the pandemic in this century was a war of another kind. In the last century the heroes were those who went out to fight, in ours the directive for the larger majority was to stay at home as part of the fight. We have all gone through much as individuals, as families, as communities, and as nations. The virus has since mutated and continues to mutate and even as we begin a new year, we are left hanging under a cloud of uncertainty if things are really getting better. The years that have been, for all its ups and downs, will not be had again, but what about the year at hand, the year that will be? What if the year that will be becomes a repeat of the years that have been? Just a few days ago, a fresh set of directives were issued again in the light of fresh cases of transmissions. I daresay the year that will be, will also be q...

A couple of days ago, a friend asked me tips for becoming a better writer. Honestly, I was flattered by that request. I am not a trained writer in the sense that I have not undergone any formal training specialized in writing. I am not a professional writer, meaning writing is not my career. I am not a bold writer because despite the encouragements that came along the way, I have hesitated to actually put it up for a very long time (for a small read on how I began to write follow this link ). So when the request came, first I was flattered (in a good way) and second I was glad that my writing style was being appreciated. But, I still have much to learn and much to be careful with as I practice and continue writing. So what are some of the tips that I have learned for writing, basically in a non-academic setting such as the posts on this blog? Well, I owe these to teachers who have taught me and made comments in the margins on my assignment papers, works I have admired and s...

As I sat in a funeral  service many years ago, the sister of the deceased said "Grief is never easy and we are never prepared enough to meet it." These words became much truer for me a few years ago; grief is indeed never easy and irrespective of the many fore-warnings we may have had, when the moment comes it unleashes its pain and all emotions are let loose. But I suppose this is the natural way for us to deal and cope with grief for I can only imagine what will happen in the absence of the ability to respond as such. This pandemic has been a season of grief as people we know either succumbed to COVID19 or passed on in their appointed time to the next life. However the pandemic has made the sad event of death doubly painful as most are either not able to pay their last respects or say their goodbye in person. While we have been hearing about deaths around us it was not too close and so the news came as a shock. My wife's paternal grandfather and the father o...

Some many months ago I saw a question about what one could do about their flaws. It made me curious and I gave a response that I thought was fair. Not a good move when you do not know the backstory, but I guess the I-want-to-give-you-my-advice-anyway-syndrome kicked in. I still do not know the finer details of the backstory but then a small conversation ensued and stories flowed. Well, months later here we are, revisiting that question, not exactly as it was posed but in a more general and broader sense. But still at the centre of this thought is this question: "what do we do with our flaws?" In one of the many bygone years, my colleagues and I were asked to take a personal examination exercise in which we were to discover our strengths. I did the test and was pleasantly surprised by the result that was given to me. But then a senior spoke up and burst the happy bubble I was in. He said some thing like this, "It is good to know our strengths, but what about o...

When it comes to prayer, I am not much of an expert on the subject, more of a pilgrim who is still making the journey to grow deeper. I am blessed as I listen to sincere prayers offered in the worship services or the prayer times. I am blessed listening to the manner in which the prayer is crafted and prayed, and while we might say it is also an art, the deep beauty lies in the sincerity and the conviction with which the prayer is said. There are five images that come to my mind when I think of prayer. The first is a song that I sang as a kid in Sunday School: "Read your Bible pray everyday, you will grow, grow, grow." This simple chorus goes on to say "leave your Bible forget to pray, you will shrink, shrink, shrink." I must say I have sung this song full-throatedly but have not practiced this full-heartedly. When it comes to prayer, there is a mismatch between what I know to be good and what I practice. It is not that I do not understand that prayer is a good spir...