This Leap of Faith Is Faithing

I am excellent. I should be the one chairung board meetings. I should be the one flying all over the world to address policies and negotiate international business decisions.

I have heard this so many times from different people. For some of them, they are acquaintances, most I have either worked with, studied with, or met within informal circles. From neighbours, to friends at church, to some extended family, I am told constantly that I should be leading from the top and not the bottom.

This is a fact. It has been ages since I felt I was in the right place in my career. My last two children took their toll, because I breastfed both at the same time, being one year apart, and I sold my car. Since then, while I may have worked, it has never been sufficient to achieve even a tenth of my goals or dreams, or to support the family.

The last decade has been a struggle that has taken various forms of anguish and at the same time gratitude that I am able to stay home and raise the children.

What does i tmean though, to raise children with no income? Is theer any hope in that?  The answer is a definite NO. It is a decption that women are led to believe, and I fell victim to it. Now that I am victorious, any woman that decides to stay home to be with the children, must have a source of income. This may come from a business, the father of the children, family investment or savings. Whatever it may be, multiply that source of income and live well.

There is a huge deception that when you stay at home to look after the children, the angels from heaven will become so pleased with your sacrifice and 'gender role,' that they will pour down wads of money neatly folded by your pillow.

I believed that lie. I suffered for it. Now that I'm victorious and the youngest two are in school and are 8 and 7 respectively, I decided to behave like the excellent person I know I am. I decided to behave like the indefatigable and brilliant person I have always been told that I am.

In September, after waiting in vain for payment for some work, and what meagre payment it was, I decided to take control. Instead of my finances to be dictated by others, I just started thinking.

Together with like-minded friends, I knew that it was high time for me to start group coaching in public speaking. While the one-on-one training was rewarding, often times, the participants would postpone and would spend weeks or months before they returned or even paid up.

This time, I sent out a call for a virtual group training. With only four days from the time of the call to the session, the class filled by the third day. 

When people value a service, they will pay for it readily. That is what happened. And it provided the international feel that I always desire. There are Ugandans from Havana, Dubai, Ottawa, Nairobi and Kampala.

They are not doing me a favour. I am an outstanding trainer. I am changing the world. I am training global leaders. The world needs me at my best.

Taking my seat and wearing my 'Become Unreasonable' hat, I sent out a call for another public speaking class. This filled as well. As I type this, there is now a call for the third cohort. I haven't enjoyed work like this in a long time. It is enabling me to focus my strength and intellect inward, instead of outward from people who do not care or love me as much as I love myself and care for mine and my family's needs.

Setting the terms to suit myself and not to suit an organisation that does not value my skill and is only bent on stealing my ideas and taking credit for them, is one of the greatest gifts to myself in 2025.

How about you? Take that leap of faith. Do not wait to become so vicimised by people and systems that destroy brilliant and creative people. Take charge.

Read Psalm 40 and Isaiah 60 for a refresher course on life.

Bless you.

Beverley N Nsengiyunva