Smell you later

Heyyy!

I have spent more than 8 months with no inspiration to blog or share a thought and this bothered me for a while as I wasn’t sure what was happening. I decided to renew my WordPress subscription just in case the fire comes back, and months went by and still nothing. Under normal circumstances, I would view this as negative, but it isn’t.

There are seasons to all the things we do in life, career, relationships, and even personal development journeys. The reason for my silence is simply that I had come to a “pause” on my blogging journey whilst I pursued other things.

Being a blogger has pushed me and sharpened my creativity. It has boosted my esteem and given me an opportunity to have an outlet, and hopefully in that process helped others with my life lessons. I enjoy whom I have become in the process. I have learned to be more expressive of the burning issues in my heart, and to relay my stories more cohesively. Blogging has given me the opportunity to e-meet wonderful people and to be used by God as a vessel of encouragement through the decisions, mistakes, and victories I have personally experienced in life.

After evaluating this phase, I have decided that it is time to move on from this incredible blogging journey. To all my 36 (WordPress and email) followers, regular readers, seasonal browsers, and whichever role you played in supporting- thank you and I appreciate the time taken to read, process, comment, like and hopefully use the advice where applicable in your own life. Your contributions have helped me grow and helped me get a step closer to where I believe God is taking me. I have enjoyed my time here!

A photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya from Unsplash.

I can’t confirm that I will circle back to blogging, but personal journaling will continue to be a part of my life. As I leave this platform to focus on other aspects, I pray that you would let the message of healing, forgiveness, transformation and personal development continue to be at the forefront of your journey. Remember that this is a layered journey that often requires multiple efforts of peeling, unlearning, relearning, and discovering. As you continue to heal, you will discover yourself -the better version of yourself. I pray God gives you strength to heal even more, and to develop better habits, boundaries, and lifestyles. As you enter new seasons, remember to pay forward your victories that may unlock other people’s prisons- that is the gem of healing and this creates a real community.

I love you all, and I’m still available for any questions, support, guidance or chats, you can contact me on wateryourgarden.wwg@gmail.com This blog site will remain active for a few months, feel free to also use it for contacting me. Until then, may you heal and grow, all for the glory of God!

In true South African style, “Sharp Sharp”.

With love, Unathi.

Now, not when

Hey y’all

Today I want to share some thoughts on calculated risk. Risk is often scary, to a point where we end up abandoning our passions and dreams. However, when risk is taken at the right time and place it can produce effective results and life-changing moments. I hope this post will challenge your thinking and get you to do at least one of the things you have on your to-do list.

A lot of times I find myself living life through a futuristic lens, while life passes me by. I would only want to do things when I feel ready. I would deny myself from engaging in certain things because I waited for a certain time. Whilst there may be wisdom in that, it’s also wise to discern when to move or to take a risk. There’s a time for everything and I am learning the importance of exploring things without allowing fear to paralyze me. I have allowed fear to keep me in prison for too long. This led to viewing things from a limited point of view. I could never allow myself to risk things when I should have. This means I lost out on some opportunities. I postponed events to that ‘perfect’ future that I always dreamt of, the future that had all the resources required. Somehow, the thought of leaving things for the future helped me avoid dealing with my fears.

I have come to learn that when I face my fears, they become smaller and powerless and my foggy view of life becomes clearer. The lesson I learned and continue to learn is to adapt to the mindset of “now, not when”. If God has placed dreams in our hearts, we must learn to explore them now, not when we have enough time or money, not when we have become the so-called perfect people we think we ought to be. Sometimes when we postpone our destiny activities we may be operating from fear, a fear of failure or disappointment.

What things do you need to pick up and do now? What are you postponing because of fear? Is it applying for that senior position, or doing the deep work of healing your broken heart? Could it be forgiving the person who has not even asked for forgiveness?

A picture of my friend and I parasailing in Mauritius

Let me share a short personal story with you. I generally enjoy swimming but I knew that I had some fear of being in the ocean, the last time I went on a boat cruise, I became seasick. I then concluded that I had a phobia of the ocean. However, on my recent trip to Mauritius, I allowed myself to be stretched. My friend and I went on a Catamaran boat cruise, which was the whole day. The last stop on that cruise was at an Island called Ile aux Cerfs. This island offered parasailing as an activity. The initial thought of exploring parasailing was scary. I remembered how Jonah from the bible was swallowed up by a huge fish (Jonah 1: 17) and wondered what the worst thing that could happen to us was. After the back and forth, I decided to surrender my fears and try it out anyway. It turned out to be a great activity, the view of the ocean was breathtaking and made me appreciate God’s creation even more. There was little discomfort and so much enjoyment, imagine if I had decided not to try it out! This was one of the best decisions I made during our trip because it made me realize how many other decisions I have made or postponed based on fear. Fear limits us and inflates the things that make us uncomfortable but in that moment, I chose to parasail anyway, and I did it scared.

My encouragement to you today is to do it now, not when. I pray God may meet you where you are and give you wings to fly forward with the gifts and passion He placed inside of you. Do it now, not when. Do it scared knowing God is faithful in ordering your steps and He will bring you clarity.

Psalm 119: 105

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path”.

You are blessed,

Unathi.

Solitude

Hey y’all

Today, let’s chat about solitude because if we were to understand it, it could work for our benefit. There is a time to have people around you (family, friends, colleagues, associates etc.) but there is also a time when we have to intentionally choose our alone time. The solitude phase can be used intentionally as a way to identify your progress and what the Holy Spirit is leading you to. Solitude could be used for your quality time with God, reflecting on your goals, searching your heart and things you need to release. It could also help you silence the noise and demands of everyday life. When clutter exists, it diminishes our view of the next step, we may be feeling limited but this can change when we spend time searching our souls.

We must be able to differentiate between solitude and loneliness, sometimes we confuse these two concepts. Loneliness is the state of being in isolation despite wanting social connections, it is usually involuntary. Solitude, on the other hand, is usually voluntary, where people choose to spend time by themselves but can balance this with social time with others.

As an introvert, solitude is an exciting time for me because I get to reflect and deal with myself, my mindset and my emotions. It allows me to listen to my mind and my body without the opinion of others. Whilst I value solid advice, I also know the importance of allowing my thoughts and ideas to flow without external voices to either limit or even validate my thoughts.

The greatest man to walk this earth gave us multiple examples of how important solitude is. The bible tells us that Jesus Christ would often isolate Himself to be with the Father. This is a form of solitude where Jesus intentionally chose to be alone because He had a purpose to silence the noise around Him so He could be empowered on the next steps.

Jesus used solitude to deal with grief, in Matthew 14:1-13, we read of how Jesus withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place when He heard that John the Baptist had been beheaded. It may help us to briefly isolate ourselves when we are grieved because, during that alone time, we can offer our burdened hearts to God and allow Him to minister His healing power and comfort over us. Another example we can learn from Jesus is found in Luke 6: 12-16. Before Jesus made an important decision of choosing His twelve disciples He isolated Himself, He went to the mountainside to pray all night. When we are faced with making important decisions, we may consider choosing to isolate ourselves so that we may receive divine directions on how to tackle the next phase of our lives. It would even be wise to isolate yourself and gather your thoughts on your decisions before you reach out to others for their opinions. Whilst God may share wisdom with others that could help us, He sometimes shares things with us privately until such a time where these could be revealed to people in our lives.

My encouragement to you today is to change your view on solitude. This starts by removing the guilt and shame you may be associating with solitude. Start to see this as a place where you could get your soul filled for your next assignments and relationships with others. Consider being intentional with it because we hardly have time in our busy schedules unless we include activities in our plans. May this be a time of reflection, beauty, revelation on your next steps.

Blessings,

Unathi.

New journeys

Hi guys,

Compliments of the new year!

If your unintended theme for 2021 was discouragement or disappointment, I am certain you would welcome any type of newness or a difference in the activities that life brings you. We are in the first month of a new year which gives us opportunities to do things from a fresh perspective and pace. In today’s blog post, I want to chat about new journeys.

We are given choices daily, a lot of times we do not use the choices given to us due to routine activities and cycles that have become our way of life. However, the free will to do as we please is provided to everyone. When we are overwhelmed or not pleased with the situations, we find ourselves in, it is often easier to go with the flow of wherever life takes us.

I have been meditating on three areas that I want to see change this year, these are finances, consistency, and relationships. I have reflected on some of the things that have not worked or served me well last year and in the previous years. I am at a point where I am ready to see and action small changes to produce greater results. It doesn’t matter how many mistakes I have made in the past; I am now aware of my blunders and ready to make a change. I believe doing things with a different mindset will eventually change my environment. For instance, with my finances, I had accepted “being broke” as a normal part of my life and believed that it is okay to go through certain months with some financial inconsistencies. Towards the end of last year, I realized that this is not the life that I want to live, it is certainly possible to do better, and I have a say in this. What is not acceptable is to go through life believing I have no power in all things that occur to me, this has easily led me to believe I am a victim to circumstances. Upon this realization, I had to be proactive on the action required for change. I started to educate myself through articles and YouTube videos on how to be more financially responsible and independent. I think I had always assumed that part of growing up would teach me how to handle my finances well, but it did not, this is not automatic but requires a willing person that wants to learn from experts. This year, my goal for finances is to apply what I have learned and to stretch my discipline muscle so that I am in a better position this time, next year- God willing.

What is your thing? Which areas do you feel are dead and need resurrection? What are some of the options that are available to you regarding those areas? Remember, a new journey will require new strategies so that you perform more efficiently. Change does not have to start with great strides, but it takes a small intentional effort to kick start completely new and healthy habits. Today, I want to remind you that you have some power in your situations. You can allow yourself to travel a new journey if you are intentional. I do not think this will be easy but will certainly be worth it in the end. I encourage you to join me as we intentionally revive those dead bones and allow the grace of God to breathe new life into them.

“Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” -Isaiah 43: 18-19.

Blessings,

Unathi.

It’s a wrap, folks!

This year has been an interesting year for me, a lot of good habits were developed, a lot of revelation was received, significant growth was evident, and some disappointments experienced along the way. Overall, 2021 has been a good year of self-discovery and intentional choosing of self.

The biggest lesson for me this year was learning the importance of relationship with myself. I have spent years focused on others but neglected myself, wants and desires. This year took a turn where my eyes were opened to how important it is for me to be healed and well. Only then can I contribute meaningfully to others.

Most of the blog posts this year were inspired by the revelation of self-discovery and importance. I wrote based on lessons, tips, and ideas that I have acquired in this journey called life, if you get a chance, please go ahead, and read some of my thoughts and friends’ thoughts that contributed to this blog site. A big thank you to Ndabezinhle James, Puleng Mapholisa and Patience Matsaira for being brave and vulnerable enough to share their life stories and victories through this platform- you blessed us. A special thank you to Ndileka Mbina and Zandile Mabeleng, who have supported, written amazing and impactful articles and were a sounding board to make Well Watered Gardens functional.

We wrote hoping to inspire/ positively impact at least one person per week, it is not so much about the quantity but rather the quality we invest in whatever we do. I pray that you were able to receive God’s heart through our writing as most times my friends and I write based on the lessons God highlights in our lives and experiences. I hope you also discover, appreciate and nurture yourself and gifts. I heard a wise man say “Give yourself permission to grow and evolve without holding on to old expectations that don’t serve you today”. Evolve into the person God says you are today, even if that seems completely different to what you have always known.

As I close the ministry for some time of rest, I pray you may be reminded of how much God loves and values you. You are amazing, as you are. Healing is always a prayer away. God wants you healed, well and transformed so that you can operate in purpose- my desire is that you stumble across that revelation and start to operate fully in it.

Thank you for taking time to read this and the other posts, I really thank God and appreciate the opportunity to minister in this way and I love your support, thank you. May God bless you all and keep you safe during this time of rest.

From Well Watered Gardens and friends, we say “it’s a wrap, folks!”- have a great festive season and looking forward to connecting again next year.

“You are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”- Matthew 5:14.

Much love,

Unathi

Selah

Hi guys,

Rest is one of the most overlooked yet much-needed activities. We are taught about rest in the early chapters of the bible where God demonstrated to us that after His hard work of creating the world, He rested on the seventh day. He gives that gift to our mortal bodies so that we can use it to rejuvenate our tired bodies. When we rest, we can pause and reflect to move forward with greater power.

I have been a victim of living life in the fast lane, where I had activity after activity. I simply did not find time to rest and continued for weeks on end. By the time the year ends, I would be completely burnt out and bitter at how hectic my life had become. Although most of it was activities that I enjoyed, even those can tire a person out. “Not all pain is bad”, I heard a minister say. Now, I understand because when I reached a painful breakdown and realized how exhausted I was, then the idea of a schedule change became a necessity for me. The pain I went through resulted in a more targeted approach to life. I slowly started to plan better, place boundaries, reject offers, and try new and less demanding activities that I enjoyed. This brought a newness to the way I view life and I simply started to appreciate the gift of rest. I think I exhausted myself because I had equated my busy life to productivity, and to be honest, not all of it was productive or as impactful as I would have liked it to be. I also somehow thought this made me an important person that contributed to society. While works based performance has its place, as the Bible encourages us to do good, but it should not be done at the cost of one’s mental health. I thank God for the revelation and grace to see and accept rest as a gift. I now know that my worth is not necessarily attached to what I do but rather to who I am and to who I choose to become daily.

What does rest look like?

This can look different to all individuals. For me, staying in bed for an extra hour or two is such a blessing. For someone else it could be lazing around in their pyjamas, watching movies all day. I do not think there is a one size fits all solution, you just simply need to do more of what you know makes you more relaxed. See it as a way of rewarding yourself after all the work you put. Work, by the way, can mean anything from doing chores at home or working at the marketplace. Our bodies get tired and need to be well taken care of. I have introduced development plans that I monitor weekly that include doing little activities each weekend that allow me to experience rest.

God cares about our well-being; He needs functional human beings to do His work. Functional means you can show up when needed and be as effective as you possibly can. This leads to excellence and therefore represents God in a good way. If you are tired, lethargic, and irritated, guess what others around you will experience? You guessed right, they will experience your heaviness and you end up doing more harm than good.

Since we are approaching the end of this year, my encouragement to you is to allow selah (pause and reflect) moments to become part of your regular check-in. These will help you to reflect on the activities you engaged in this year. Note down the good habits you would like to carry into the following year, also interrogate what was damaging to you and your mental space. When you have reflected, make up your mind to do better, and be better in the following year. The power to nourish your mental space and to take good care of yourself is in your hands, be intentional and do what is good for you. When you are better, your inner circles and communities become better.

Rest, selah (pause and reflect).

“Learn to relax. Your body is precious, as it houses your mind and spirit. Inner peace begins with a relaxed body.” -Norman Vincent Peale.

“Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies all around” -2 Samuel 7:1.

With love,

Unathi.

Grace to be you

Do you realize your uniqueness? Despite your mistakes, bad decisions, weaknesses, and unfortunate circumstances God still sees you. God knows the treasure He has specifically placed inside of you. You have characteristic traits and gifts that were not given to the next person. Even if there are similarities but not a single person can do what you do in the way that you do it- that is how unique you are!

This should get you excited because it shows that the world needs you, otherwise God would not have approved you to still be alive. However, the tricky thing is you must also agree and pursue being you. You must be willing to accept and acknowledge this beautiful gift God has given to society through you. Sometimes we may feel we made too many mistakes to be redeemed by God, but nothing is beyond His redemptive power. He is waiting even now for you to return fully to Him, He knows your beginning from your end even the in-between does not frighten God.

You have the grace to be you.

What does being you look like? Well, that is a question only you and God can answer. Sometimes we stumble into who we truly are but a lot of times it takes an intentional journey of discovering what works best for you, what settles in your spirit, what irritates you most, what interests you, what do you enjoy? Being able to answer these questions for yourself can help you understand your strengths and weaknesses. It will uncover who God truly says you are. When you finally start to agree with what God says about you, you will come alive and impact someone else who may need what God has already given you the grace to do.

Please do not rob this world of the gift that lies inside of you. I know I have resisted my journey because I have mainly focused on my negatives, I felt unworthy although God would call me forward to attempt new things. Sometimes, we may be our own stumbling block- do not allow that to be your narrative.

Today, I encourage you to be who you are, walk your journey, share your testimony of how you have come to be who you are today. Today, I thank God for you, there is none created exactly like you. Today, I celebrate your uniqueness and ask that you take it seriously. I validate you and I just want to remind you that God thinks you are amazing! Why would He think that? Because He made you that amazing. Step into the anointing and grace of who you are.

“I will praise you LORD for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, marvellous are your works and that my soul knows very well” -Psalm 139: 14.

With love,

Unathi.

Beauty in brokenness- by Patience

Every one of us has some sort of brokenness in our past. Perhaps we have grieved from a broken heart, complicated situations, loss of health, or relationships. Whether it’s from choices we have made or circumstances beyond our control, sometimes we find ourselves so profoundly broken that we don’t know how things could ever be restored.

I have faced some serious moments of brokenness in my life. There were points where the pieces of me were so destroyed that they weren’t just shattered; they were ground to dust. I experienced abuse from a very young age and, it was hard to talk or even accept that my rights were being violated especially if it’s people who are so dear to you. You start feeling like people in this world own you and can do whatever they so wish with you. I lost confidence in myself and doubted myself to ever stand up for myself and my values as a woman. Years later, I got married and 2 years later, my marriage ended. In a space of 2 years, I can’t begin to explain how toxic my marriage became. I still don’t understand where I got the courage to FIGHT but I decided to fight my demons (against allowing people to own me). There was only ever one sure person with the answers. There was only ever one certain place with redemption, with hope for the broken, with refuge for the lost souls and He came through for me.

Brokenness has the power, unlike anything else, to bring forth new beauty, strength, and inspiration to others. It’s often in those moments that we’ve tasted deep suffering, that we noticed we were made for more. There’s more. There’s purpose. The scars of life, the healed wounds, the deep lines, they all have stories to tell. The Good News is we have a Healer. One who repairs, who can fit the broken pieces that no longer seem to fit right into a perfect design. He makes all things beautiful, especially in the broken. All from His grace. “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecc. 3:11

You are never beyond healing. You are never too broken for restoration. You are never too shattered for repair. Don’t be ashamed of your scars, of the deep crevices that line your soul, or the broken places of your life. They have an amazing story to tell. Here is the truth. Just because we’ve been broken doesn’t mean that we are thrown away or un-usable, set up on a shelf or that we are forgotten. He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.” (Ps.147:3). What were guardian angels for, if not for protection? What were prayers for, if all they did was resound against the walls like echoes, reinforcing not only the emptiness without but even worse, within?

You are not just simply patched back together but beautifully lined with shining grace through every scar and broken space. And that is what His (Jesus) story is all about. Bringing life to what was broken. He was willing to take on the brokenness of the world in exchange for our freedom.

Patience Matsaira is a young woman who is still trying to figure out what life is really all about. She holds an Honors degree in Development Studies. Apart from what she has achieved so far, she still has a lot in store for her for she understands that positive energy contributes massively to the life changing decisions we are obligated to make.

Vessel of honour

Hi guys

Today’s blog post is a brief check-in, and I want to chat about the importance of obedience to God. Being obedient to Him may look different each time, depending on what He requires of you. That is why it is so important for you to develop and cultivate a consistent relationship with Him. Today He may ask one thing of you, the next season may come with completely different requirements and instructions.

Honour is such a rare concept today, with the many people that are broken and quick to betray others. I recently heard a story of a guy who was asked to steal some material from his previous work so that it could be used in the current work as their own. He completely refused to do that but was fired from his current job. As much as it probably hurt to be fired but I am certain that God and many other people are proud of him for standing up for what He believed in.

Honour starts with our relationship with God. If we can learn to reverence God and His Word, it will be easier to apply it in other areas of our lives and our relationships. God allows situations to happen so that we are sharpened and strengthened in our characters. Character is so much more important than titles and will carry us to places beyond our comprehension. We are sometimes placed in situations where we must practice who we say we are. Sometimes the thoughts we have about who we are can be different to the reality of our character. I believe it takes daily steps of deciding who we want to be and choose to stick with that. Eventually, those little choices will build up to establish an honourable person that does not compromise on their values. I am learning this now.

God is looking for vessels of honour that will carry His truth and His love to a broken, imprisoned, and lonely society, but it must start in our hearts. We must choose the path of transformation, and the fruit of it will yield salvation and transformed lives for the kingdom of God. Allow God to teach you honour, starting with your relationship with Him. Prioritize Him, acknowledge Him, make time for His sweet presence. As you give Him your first fruits, He gives you the grace to accomplish all the other necessary tasks in your life.

Be encouraged today knowing that God is shaping you into the best vessel of honour that will leave many hearts impacted with His love. Be willing to yield as He directs you and opens new doors to become who He calls you to be.

You are blessed, vessel of honour!

“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to carefully observe all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth” – Deuteronomy 28:1

With love,

Unathi

Advocate for your mental health

Hi guys,

In today’s blog post, I want to chat about the power of choice. We have the right to say yes or no to situations or people.

As a recovering people pleaser, I learned this the hard way. I am learning how empowering and freeing it is to exercise effective decision making. For most of my life, my default answer was yes to a lot of things, even when it cost me my peace. I enjoy serving and helping others, probably because it is my main love language, but serving others came to a standstill because I had nothing left to give.  I took some time to analyse why I got to that place then I received revelation on the importance of saying no when necessary. This process taught me that there is a time for everything in life. Whatever we do must be done in healthy ways and according to the capacity we have as individuals.

Our bodies, brains and minds are good communicators. When something is wrong, your body or feelings usually react or respond to your decisions. When someone asks for your help with something that you should not necessarily be involved in, you may feel weird and uncomfortable after agreeing to assist. That feeling could be an indicator that whatever they require is not for you. You may feel extremely exhausted by certain surroundings, every time you are exposed to these you find your energy gets drained in ways you cannot explain. Often, our bodies and minds give us small signals and can aid in effective decision making. The issue is we are not accustomed to listening to the good internal voice or the way our bodies communicate with us, we, therefore miss any warnings or guidance that could have helped us.

For us to become mentally and emotionally healthy people, it is important to know when to agree to activities and know when to say no to some tasks- regardless of who may be asking us. We have a responsibility to keep our mental and emotional states healthy. This cannot be achieved if we do not know our limits and capacity. Self-awareness plays a huge role in this. It helps to have a targeted approach to your activities that way you know what matters or what should be released in that season of your life.

I used to get so exhausted quite often and would wonder why. I realized that I exhausted myself with many unnecessary activities that were not worth it. I have learned to know where my focus and energies should be at a given time. This helps me in saying no as often as I should. Not everything is as important or urgent as it appears to be, other things can take the back seat until the right time and season.  You are given the power to choose effectively so that you can focus on nurturing your gifts and stewarding what God has entrusted you with.

I encourage you today to advocate for your mental health by choosing wisely, you are the only person that can do it. When your cup is filled with goodness, you can easily impart this to the people you interact with. When you are drained, your view of life becomes compromised, and you can easily influence others from that standpoint. So, heal. Say no, when you should. Say yes when healthy God-ordained opportunities come your way. Do not wait for your environment to be peaceful, but rather choose to bring the peace of God in it. This mindset shift will eliminate unnecessary exhaustion, abuse and bitterness. May God give you the grace to know who and what needs you right now. May He expand your wisdom to know what to let go of and how to do it.

“We are allowed to do anything”, so they say. That is true, but not everything is good. “We are allowed to do anything”- but not everything is helpful. – 1 Corinthians 10:23.

With love,

Unathi.