Have you ever had an issue with giving? I honestly can say that I have. There have
been several occasions where I felt chastised or made to believe I was going to hell if I
was not giving from a place of joy! All I can say, is that I’m different. But God handcrafted
me this way!
“Each person should do as he has decided in his heart — not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.”
Here is the story of how Father showed me to live out the Word and watch the
blessings flow. Allow me to take you on a journey from California to South Africa.
January 2023, I had this strong desire to visit Africa and Egypt. I told God, I don’t
care where in Africa that I travel to, I just know it is time for me to go home. February 2023, I asked my friend Shawn who was accompanying her to South Africa. She said no one. With uncontrollable enthusiasm, I said, I want to go with you! Mind you, I started a new job on February 21, 2023. I prayed. And I asked God, “do you think my new manager will allow me to take an entire month off work?” Seriously, because I was just hired. God said yes! so I asked my manager on Friday, February 24, 2023, which was my first week on the job if I could take the entire month of April off to go to South Africa! She said yes!
I was so excited! However, I knew there was so much for me to do to get prepared to leave in a few weeks. I literally felt crazy, but my heart was filled with so much joy and excitement! In true God fashion, I would be encouraged by my cousin and another person who said, “this trip will be life changing.” Was that a prophetic utterance delivered? It was the beginning of prophecy being fulfilled.
Let me tell you a little bit about my spiritual sister Shawn. I met Shawn in 2018 through a mutual friend who asked us to join a weekly prayer call. One Saturday during our call Shawn mentioned she needed to leave the call early because she was co-hosting a radio show called Full Circle. She had no idea that me and her co-host were high school classmates. Nor, did she know that earlier that year my classmate had invited me to be a guest on the show. Unfortunately, I was extremely busy trying to complete my master’s program.
Shawn and I would become fast friends. She has this no-nonsense type of attitude about being stuck and not doing the work that God calls us too. After many sessions and meetings together, Shawn shared with me this tremendous vision and burden that the Lord gave her. She would have to overcome hurt, pain, childhood trauma, sexual abuse, cancer, marital issues, mental torment, and surrendering totally to God. I could only relate to certain aspects of Shawn’s journey.
My life did not have nearly the significant challenges that she had experienced in her
life. One thing I very quickly understood was that Shawn knew God as healer, provider,
friend, doctor, financial advisor, song producer, potter, restorer and so much more; all
these factors led to the vision God placed on her heart.
In 2018 when Shawn shared her vision with me, as well as she was able to at that time. I recall her asking me if she sounded crazy. And I said, if God gave it to you, it probably is crazy; that’s how you know it’s God! I prayed about Shawn’s question because it concerned me. Also, I needed to remind God about who I was. I told Father, I am a business strategist, consultant, I am tactile, in addition to, being a visionary. Therefore, did He realize, if I were to assist Shawn that I would at the bare minimum need to capture and write what she was sharing with me. The Lord answered and spoke clearly. He said, “Tonia! I don’t need you to understand Shawn’s vision, I need you to support her.”
All of this occurred in 2018 as a precursor to our trip to South Africa. More importantly, Shawn’s vision kept expanding. The Lord gave her continuous insight and instructions on what to do once we arrived in South Africa. God laid the foundation five years before we would set foot in South Africa.
I RAND 2 SOUTH AFRICA AND DISCOVERED GOD WHILE TRAVELING WITH MY SISTER SHAWN ON APRIL 4, 2023
South Africa’s currency is called Rand. The Rand versus the United States (US) dollar is eighteen to one. Therefore, the exchange rate to the American dollar is quite substantial.
Our flight landed in Johannesburg South Africa on April 6, 2023, before 5 am in the
morning their time. We passed through customs with ease. However, I was extremely
focused on exchanging my US dollars to the Rand. Little did l know; it would be three
days before I would hold one single Rand in my hand. Moreover, Shawn was unable to
gain access to any Rand until one day before we departed South Africa.
While in South Africa daily we opened in prayer. We took turns reading God’s Word. Then like clockwork the Lord would piece mail a daily download about the plans He had for our day.
My South Africa, Durban, and Cape Town holiday was beginning to feel like a Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman experience! I was going to get the truth and freedom one way or the other!
Prior to leaving for South Africa, Shawn shared that God told her, He would show her herself in Africa. Consequently, little did I know He would have a similar message for me! However, because I’m different Father speaks to me in interesting ways. It feels like a two-way conversation and I’m always asking way too many questions. God said, I will show you yourself too Tonia! Oh, good Lord! Honestly, at this point I got scared. But hey, I am at a place in my life where I have embraced doing things afraid!
On Passover Friday. God would start doing a mighty work on me and Shawn. On our second night in Johannesburg, we spent eight hours in church. I thought I was experiencing a bad dream. More importantly, the jet lag was kicking in terribly. My daughter seen a picture of me on Facebook and immediately messaged to ask if I was okay!
At this point in my life, I am exhausted with trying to prove my worth or the interest in receiving validation from people, government, corporate America, associates, and educational institutions. As, I have earned all the requisite credentials possible. I am now
more concerned about obedience being greater than sacrifice. Interestingly, before any
Pastor preached about giving God had already placed on my heart the need to give, so it
was effortless, it didn’t feel begrudging it felt natural as pouring water. During my time in
Africa God showed me how to be a cheerful giver.
I gave with a servant’s heart because I felt compelled on a spiritual level that I had never experienced before. Shawn and I received two prophecies; the initial one was, that our trip was a complete setup by God and the one specific to me was “elevation.” God restored my belief in my personal, skills, talents, and abilities and my prophetic gift of discernment, truth, and administration. I was visible without effort! I was heard by people who did not know me from a can of paint. These individuals recognized the Christ in me. They welcomed my words, my gifts, and my heart. God allowed me to use my voice for the voiceless and to advocate for those who were not walking in their full purpose or authority.
Running to South Africa changed my life! God used a foreign currency to show me (myself) how to Walk in the Word and trust His timing for All things. I learned to never discount Gods timing because He orchestrates with precision on our behalf. God allowed me to sow seeds of faith, hope, expectation, and love. I said yes to God through my obedience. And God said yes to South Africa! I walked in the overwhelming, supernatural, and overflowing blessings of working with Shawn to unite and change the world through a global outreach ministry. The day prior to leaving South Africa, Shawn and I were invited to attend the Council for Global Business Women Conference being held in Belgium in August of 2023.
In Conclusion
After touring Robben Island in Cape Town where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years incarcerated – I felt compelled to end this chapter with a quote from Madiba.
“There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to helping
others without expecting anything in return.”
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