I looked forward to campus life at the University of Westminster and all the friends I would make. My first roommate was Chinese. The first day we met, I did not even know how to feel. Truth be told, I thought I would be paired with an African. But I decided in my heart to make it work, I was open to the challenge. So I gave her a nice big hug, told her my name and asked for hers and she just smiled in return. Super weird. It was a very long awkward silence. I thought She did not hear me, so I asked for her name again. Then she said 'aaaaaa no English' Jesu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How am I supposed to live with somebody who does not understand English. That's not even the point! Who gave her visa to come and study in the UK? Those were my thoughts. Then she began to really irritate me. She cooked inside the room. She had her bath like twice in a week and never cleaned. She was always up at 4am and would start banging drawers and I would just get up, sit and stare at her. She could tell she really annoyed me but I could not communicate that anger to her. Like we were literally not talking at all. I did not understand Chinese, she did not understand English. You can imagine my shock the day I found her laughing and talking loudly in Chinese to one of our neighbours who understood both Chinese and English. I honestly thought that girl was a weirdo but when she found herself among familiar people, Who understood, she broke loose. I got back from lecture one day and saw that she had moved out. I went to our neighbour, her friend to ask about her and he told me She had moved to another room with another Chinese girl. Oh well
I was still very puzzled by the Chinese. I had many of them in my class. They always sat together, looked expensive and were one with their MacBooks. They hardly ever spoke any English. A minority of them did anyway. I asked a classmate about this and then he told me something that forever changed my life. They were always with their MacBooks because they were converting the speeches of the lecturers delivered in English language to text in Chinese. All written documents were also converted. They did their assignments in Chinese and would convert to English for submission. Whichever way, Chinese language had to be the basis for transfer of knowledge. I learnt in English, Xin learnt in Chinese. Both ways, communication occurred. Wow
There needs to be a familiar enabling environment for communication to take place. I hear a lot of people say they do not hear from God. The question is what familiar enabling environment do you present to God? I made the decision to completely stop listening to secular music about 2 years ago because music is an enabling environment for me. I sink in every word and so I began to think those vulgar things. I was sick of it and decided I wanted a deeper relationship with God. Now, that music is one of the ways God speaks to me now. It is enabling and the lyrics are ‘familiar’ with both God and me and so we can communicate. Recall how in 1 Samuel 3, God had to use the voice of Eli to call out for Samuel. The voice of Eli was familiar to both God and Samuel. Through this, God got Samuel’s attention. When I read books, it feels like I can hear God clearly. My choice in books are always edifying so as to create a familiar environment for both God and me. How God speaks to one is different from how he speaks to another. I like to read my Bible (especially my Joyce Meyer Amplified Bible) and that is how most of my messages are borne, just by reading. For others, it is through sitting still and just worshipping, others it’s in the place of prayer. Whatever it is, it must conform to God’s standard and be familiar for Him to speak. Just like a marriage cannot work when both parties do not understand their love languages so it is with God. You must understand and agree to His terms of communication and then He will meet with you through the medium He knows you will understand Him most.
I was still very puzzled by the Chinese. I had many of them in my class. They always sat together, looked expensive and were one with their MacBooks. They hardly ever spoke any English. A minority of them did anyway. I asked a classmate about this and then he told me something that forever changed my life. They were always with their MacBooks because they were converting the speeches of the lecturers delivered in English language to text in Chinese. All written documents were also converted. They did their assignments in Chinese and would convert to English for submission. Whichever way, Chinese language had to be the basis for transfer of knowledge. I learnt in English, Xin learnt in Chinese. Both ways, communication occurred. Wow
There needs to be a familiar enabling environment for communication to take place. I hear a lot of people say they do not hear from God. The question is what familiar enabling environment do you present to God? I made the decision to completely stop listening to secular music about 2 years ago because music is an enabling environment for me. I sink in every word and so I began to think those vulgar things. I was sick of it and decided I wanted a deeper relationship with God. Now, that music is one of the ways God speaks to me now. It is enabling and the lyrics are ‘familiar’ with both God and me and so we can communicate. Recall how in 1 Samuel 3, God had to use the voice of Eli to call out for Samuel. The voice of Eli was familiar to both God and Samuel. Through this, God got Samuel’s attention. When I read books, it feels like I can hear God clearly. My choice in books are always edifying so as to create a familiar environment for both God and me. How God speaks to one is different from how he speaks to another. I like to read my Bible (especially my Joyce Meyer Amplified Bible) and that is how most of my messages are borne, just by reading. For others, it is through sitting still and just worshipping, others it’s in the place of prayer. Whatever it is, it must conform to God’s standard and be familiar for Him to speak. Just like a marriage cannot work when both parties do not understand their love languages so it is with God. You must understand and agree to His terms of communication and then He will meet with you through the medium He knows you will understand Him most.
Be honest with yourself, is there something you are doing that is obstructing the flow of communication? God wants to speak, will you grant Him access?
Xoxo
Peace, love and sunshine
Love.
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