The Past…

Growing up, I had quite a struggle understanding who I was, and I found myself leeching on the identity of significant people in my life: my parents (and especially my father as I was a typical daddy’s girl) and my friends (who were not many). I found a different truth when I gave my life to Christ as a teenager and eventually joined full time ministry.

I thought that the identity crisis would be over as I completely immersed myself in the work of God. To my surprise, the journey just got tougher.

The Present…

I have been in full time ministry now for 13 years and I have found that it can get so comfortable to be a born-again Christian. Sometimes it seems as though the journey is less exciting and monotonous. It’s very easy to get caught up in trying to fit into the lives of those who do not have a relationship with Christ that we bend too much and find ourselves in compromising situations.

Sometimes it’s for the simple reason of the ‘fear of missing out’ or just trying to ‘put ourselves in their shoes’ to minister to them better. It is here that we lose our identity. I have faced challenges that made me question why I chose this path, especially after losing my father at the age of 13 when one of the greatest sources of my identity was taken away.

Bishop David Oginde mentioned that, “You cannot love God and love the world at the same time”, and I have come to understand that through the challenges I have faced, mine is a higher calling that requires me to stand out.

To me, there is no better standard or measure of life outside the constraints of being a born-again Christian…there is no greater peace than in following the ways of God!

The Future…

When I settle my identity in Christ and understand that He defines who I am, then the world has no space in creating a path for me. Though I am in it, I am not of it. Mine is to truly focus on following Christ. This informs the standards with which I choose to translate my concern into action, and it ultimately informs what others will follow in me.

This post has been written by Kate Okwe, a member of the 2019 Cohort, Hesabika Mentorship Program