Tell us your name and where you're from?
S: My name is MUGABI SAMUEL. I live in Uganda, Africa.
What is your faith story? What can you tell us about your personal life testimony?Â
S: I am a Preachers' Kid (PK). This explains clearly that I am from a very Christian family. However, being a PK does not make one an automatic believer.
The Bible says in Romans 10:19, "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."
This means that I had to start my personal salvation journey with Jesus, independent of my parents. I gave my life to Christ at the age of 9 and I have never turned back.
Life for any believer, salvation is a journey with ups and downs, we live it by faith. We believe the God we have never seen, but we have living hope that one day we will meet our savior. This is what gives me the courage not to give up on whom I believed. Regardless of what I go through,no matter how hard the situation is, no matter the circumstances surrounding me, I look to God. Oftentimes I have non-believers who challenge my faith but nothing moves me. Instead, I take their challenge as the opportunity I have to evangelize to them. Of course it's not easy for many of them to give their life to Christ right away, but what matters is that the Word is a seed. It stays in their mind. I sow the seed and leave the Holy Spirit to convict them until they give their life to Christ. My part is to fulfill the Great Commission.
My Life:
I always tell the people around me that "God Knits My Story". Whatever happens in my life never catches me by surprise. I never question God because I know that whatever comes my way is in His plan.Â
On January 26, 2006 I got an accident from a motorcycle while I was on my way for ministry in a conference (I was going to play the keyboard in that Youth Conference). From the accident, I got a fracture on the neck of my right femur. At that point I lost hope and thought that I had no more future. I thought all my dreams had come to an end. I thought I would never go back to school. I thought I was gonna die soon. Between 2006-2015, I was operated on three times, the last one being a Total Hip Replacement surgery. In the period of 10 years so many things happened that helped build my faith in the Lord more. I come from a humble family where my parents don't earn much money. I was not earning much money either because I was still in school. But God miraculously provided for all my medical expenses. The hip replacement surgery is very expensive, but God provided beyond what we expected. Within those years when I had thought I would never make it in life, I finished High School, Graduated at one of the best Universities in the country with a Bachelor's Degree in Adult and Community Education, after which I also got a good job (though I later resigned from my professional job and went into self-employment as a photographer). Over the years I have walked with God, I have continued to grow strong in faith and He has manifested in my everything.Â
Right now I am happily married with a beautiful wife, Loyce, who is also a Preachers' Kid. And she's also an answered prayer, because my whole time while growing up, I told God that of it's in His will for me to marry, I want to marry a fellow PK. I said that prayer in faith and God did it. He did it!!
What is your favorite scripture and why?
S: Job 8:8-9; “Ask the former generation and find out what their ancestors learned, for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow.Â
This scripture is my favorite because the revelation I get about it guides me on how to avoid making mistakes,as well as knowing how to get rid of generational curses. Nothing under the sun is happening today that has never happened in the past. Whatever we do today, someone has done it before. Whatever we go through today, someone has gone through it in the past. They have the experience and a solution on how they managed life. Today the reason we find so much challenges is because we don't want to seek advice from those who were there before us. We pretend like everything is fine, and that we know it all- which is bad, and eventually that's why we end up failing. I don't want to be part of the failing generation. I don't want to live in regrets. I want to live the full happy life God promised me. Â
If there was one nugget of wisdom in your walk and growth in Christ that you would want to leave us with, what would that be?
S: If you made up your mind to follow Christ, do just that. If you turn back, your ending will be worse than what it would be if you hadn't tried salvation at all.Â
Do you have any resources (devotionals, books, studies) that have helped you that you would recommend?Â
S: I have a few devotional books from Pastor Diego (ALFC Rancho),Â
- A Life Without Baggage by Eleanor Maxine Ankrah
- The Character of Leadership by Gregg Johnson
Where can we find you online?
Instagram:Â Mugabi Samuel
Facebook: Mugabi Samwiri ( https://www.facebook.com/mugabi.s.samuel )
Takeaway:
Sammy's story showed us that once he made a personal decision to develop a relationship with God on his own, God continually met his needs as only a Father would. When you look back over your life, how has God knit YOUR story? How has He shown you that He is and has been good? Take some time to reflect on that today.
Prayer:
Lord, I thank you for how you continue to be a good, good Father in our lives. I thank you not only for your provisions, but how you cover us each and every day in the things that we can see and can't see. I lift up every reader that is encouraged by Sammy's story today. I ask that they are reminded that your grace is sufficient for them in all areas of their lives. Father, I don't want to miss an opportunity to invite them in to know you God. So, for those that are seeking a relationship with you, I thank you that you are inviting them in and welcoming them to have relationship today. I thank you that they don't have to worry if they qualify for you Lord. As you have already accepted them as your sons and daughters. And If they are reading this, and want to open up their hearts to receive Jesus today I pray this simple prayer with them:
"Father God, come into my life. I accept you as my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I believe that you died and rose for..me. Thank you Father."
And for those that know you but have been feeling distant Lord, I pray that they are reminded that they can always return back to you. I pray that they are comforted in knowing that they are never to far from the Love of YOU.
And lastly, I lift up my dear friend Sammy and his beautiful wife Loyce today. I ask that you continue to cover them with the richness of your favor. That you continue to use them in ways to further your kingdom. And that they can continue to be reminded that every need you have supplied and will continue to supply.
In Jesus Name, Amen