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The House in the Middle of the Forest| BONUS-ORIGINAL EPISODE · PAMOJA PODCAST | PAMOJA MINISTRY, A LIFE OF CHRIST INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES

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  Welcome to Pomoja Podcast, a ministry of Life
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  of Christ International. Pamoja means together,
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  and that's exactly what this space is about.
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  Walking together in faith, growing together through
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  the word, and living the life of Christ in our
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  homes, our marriages, and our daily lives. I'm
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  your host, Barry Mwamba, and in this season premiere,
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  we begin our journey with a theme close to my
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  heart, marriage. I believe marriage is one of
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  life's greatest challenges, and one of the covenants
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  the enemy fears the most. Today we begin with
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  part one, the house in the middle of the forest.
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  This is how our marriage began. At least from
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  my side. My wife will share her story in one
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  of the coming episodes. After falling deeply
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  in love with this intelligent, beautiful Christian
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  woman from my church, who is now my wife, I went
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  to seek my father's counsel. Rather than asking
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  about her, he looked at me, smiled, and began
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  to share a story. A parable I later titled, the
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  house in the middle of the forest he said marriage
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  is like a beautiful house discovered deep within
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  a vast forest a man walking through the woods
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  stumbles upon this magnificent dwelling its beauty
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  draws him in peeking through a window he sees
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  a couple laughing and enjoying each other's company
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  a scene so captivating that he feels an irresistible
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  urge to join them he enters with enthusiasm eager
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  to know their secret how they managed to be so
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  happy. But once inside, my father continued,
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  he discovers three strange things. First, the
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  door only opens from the outside, meaning he
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  cannot leave on his own terms. Second, the windows
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  are sealed, no escape, no fresh air. And third,
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  the house is warm, even stuffy. He stands there
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  bewildered, wondering how this couple can be
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  so joyful in such a confined and uncomfortable
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  space. Even though my father explained the story's
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  meaning that day, it took me over 20 years to
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  truly understand it. Discovering God's purpose
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  is a journey that unfolds over time, and the
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  daily process of endurance is the most challenging
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  part. It demands faith, patience, and the guidance
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  of the Holy Spirit. because the outcome is determined
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  by the strength of your foundation. As the psalmist
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  said, unless the Lord builds the house, the builders
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  labor in vain. Without God's blessing and presence,
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  all human effort is wasted. If He didn't initiate
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  the journey with you, it's bound to fail. When
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  your path turns rocky, when fear, pain, or uncertainty
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  weigh you down. That's when God steps in to carry
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  your burden. Jesus said, Come to me, all you
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  who are weary and burdened, and I will give you
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  rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me.
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  For I am gentle and humble in heart, and you
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  will find rest for your souls. Even in your darkest
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  valley, you are not alone. As Psalm 23 declares,
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  Even though I walk through the valley of the
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  shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For you
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  are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort
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  me. Keep this truth close. Our plans only succeed
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  when God is the foundation. When He is, He will
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  make sure you reach your destination. Proverbs
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  reminds us, commit your works to the Lord and
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  your plans will be established. And Philippians
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  1 6 assures us, He who began a good work in you
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  will carry it on to completion. If God began
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  it, He will finish it. That's why I sought God
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  first before I pursued marriage. I prayed, I
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  fasted, and I waited until he opened my eyes.
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  Just as Adam recognized Eve as bone of my bones
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  and flesh of my flesh, when he opened his eyes,
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  I recognized my wife, not by sight, but by the
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  Spirit. The Holy Spirit gently convinced my heart
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  that she was the one. Isaiah says, Your ears
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  will hear a word behind you saying, this is the
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  way, walk in it. I believe God is a good father.
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  He gives what is right because He knows us better
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  than we know ourselves. Jesus said, If you, being
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  evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
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  how much more will your Father in heaven give
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  good things to those who ask Him? Not only did
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  God place her love in my heart, He revealed that
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  she was the best match for me with strengths
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  I didn't even know I would need until the hard
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  times came. My pastor Lawson Whitson often says,
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  We even need the Holy Spirit to go to Walmart.
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  It sounds simple, but it's profound and true.
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  The Holy Spirit is our daily companion. So when
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  I say my wife and I are filled with the Holy
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  Spirit, it isn't a slogan. It's a declaration
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  of dependence, because I started with God, because
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  I built on his foundation, because I followed
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  his direction. When the storms came, when the
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  winds blew, the floods rose, and the rains beat
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  against our marriage, our house did not fall.
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  It stood, because it was built on the rock. Looking
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  back now, years later, I realize my father wasn't
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  just describing marriage. He was describing faith
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  itself. A marriage built by God, not by hands.
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  And I can see it clearly now. It was God all
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  along. I will not leave you as orphans. I will
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  send you another comforter, the Holy Spirit.
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  And you promised, in the last days I will pour
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  out my spirit on all flesh. So pour out your
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  spirit on us, Lord. Fill us with your power.
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  Teach us to be guided by the Holy Spirit in every
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  decision we make, because one thing is certain,
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  the blessing of the Lord enriches and adds no
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  painful toil with it. Next time on Pomoja, we'll
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  explore the deeper secrets of the house in the
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  middle of the forest, where sealed windows, locked
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  doors, and warm air reveal the true meaning of
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  covenant and commitment. Thank you for joining
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  Pomoja Podcast, where we live the life of Christ
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  together. Be sure to subscribe, share, and stay
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  connected for more weekly encouragement and stories
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  of faith, family, and purpose. Until next time,
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  walk in grace and live in purpose.