This is a story of an ABLI fellow, 2020 class who has experienced transformation as a result of the ABLI programme. Take a look at her story

What if I believed?

What if I step out boldly, unafraid, and just launch out? 

What if I stopped falling into a comparison trap? 

What if I embraced myself?

I do not know about you, but I have asked myself such questions. As a young girl, I have felt not good enough and trapped in the prison of self-doubt. Guess what happened? Self-esteem hit the bottom sea; fear choked my every being; self-doubt curled my heart and mind into shambles. I admired to be another. I felt others were always better than myself. Even after knowing how I am shaped differently, I still hid in the cocoon of, “They are always better than me…”

Well, this year something happened…

After vehemently praying for a spirit of boldness, I resolved to BE ME, unapologetically explore opportunities and dive in with a committed and intentional heart. I was convinced and convicted of taking charge of my life, take it by its horns, in faith, and keep moving forward. Do you know what? We do not become by feeling sorry about ourselves. We become by taking responsibility for every minute of our lives and making it count. I am glad I chose this path. Because I have made my youthful life count by deciding to join the https://biblesociety-kenya.org/ and https://elfafrica.org/ leadership development program dubbed African Biblical Leadership Initiative (ABLI). Here, emerging leaders are trained to be responsible for change-makers in their personal lives and society.

Several things have stood out this far. As a young emerging leader, I am uniquely designed to affect my spheres. Since God has specially crafted me to fulfill certain purposes, I can realize them only when I get to know myself. SELF AWARENESS is a doorway to unraveling all that I am intended to be in this life. Through this lesson, I understood my personality. I embraced it and believe you me I am more aware of myself and actuating me in my passion and work. I am different amazingly. Notably, I have intentionally decided to embrace people and not blush them off because of our differing personalities. We are molded differently. The best we can do is accommodate and learn from our amazing divergent personalities. 

I love stories and more so analogies that make a write up interesting and easy to understand. Well. Thinking through my life story, sharing it, and retelling it to a close buddy made lots of impacts. I got to be grateful for every season of my life. The beautiful, the not so good to mention, the highs and lows all make a perfect beautiful story of my life. Joining so many dots and still, I have enabled me to look back, reflect so that I do not forget how far I have come. My story has an influence, I should own it, embrace it, and share proudly because someone needs it to be encouraged. In so doing, I will be inspiring another. That makes a leader of the impact! Who unashamedly, tell their story, and allow others to learn and connect with them. Am on it. Working through my website and sharing stories that transform.

Every lesson has made sense. My most emotional one has been Letters to self. Reminding me of my passions, the sparks that made my heart skip, my strengths, the bold creative village girl who fearlessly, against all odds scaled in unlikely environments to thrive. “How could that be princess? Because you are never alone. Through the difficulties, you have conquered. You have made it over time because God’s wall has continuously been before you. Keep conquering, won’t you?” I wrote to the 12 year old me. These reflections have kept my heart tuned to whom I have always been. A girl with much potential to break forth and be unstoppable if she allows herself to.

I can’t pen it all but one thing I know, my life is changing.

By Susan Ndiang’ui – ABLI fellow 2020