My message to the young people

Each one of you has a story. All of your stories are of infinite worth: worthy to be listened to, and worthy of being redeemed. Why? Because each one of you has been created in the image of God, each one of you has God’s breath within you, God loves each one of you.

Think of yourself and say:

I am special. Maybe I do not feel special, but I am special – God loves me. I am of infinite worth; I am worthy. Not only am I worthy, but my brother or sister sitting next to me is equally worthy, equally loved. Nothing and no one can take this away from us – from me. I must not only become conscious of my worthiness; I must embrace it. I must cherish it. I must nurture it. I must own it. I must deeply breathe in God’s love – it is everywhere.

Each one of you are also owed an apology: You are victims of a system that has de-emphasised your worthiness. It has suppressed your worthiness. But once you realise you are worthy, you will begin to realise the power within you. Say goodbye to unworthiness. Say hello to worthiness. Say hello to creativity. Say hello to God’s deep and abiding love for you. Do this daily. The more you do it, the more unworthiness will take flight. Will the system have changed? No, but you have changed, and the system will have no more power over you.

Umyalezo wam kubantu abatsha

Ngamnye kuni unebali: ibali ngalinye linexabiso elingenasiphelo kwaye lifanele ukuphulaphulwa kwaye lifanele ukuhlangulwa: ngoba? Ngokuba elowo kuni wadalelwa ngokomfanekiselo kaThixo: elowo kuni unomoya kaThixo ngaphakathi kwenu: uThixo uthanda ngamnye kuni. Zicinge kwaye uthi: Ndikhethekile: mhlawumbi andiziva ndikhethekile, kodwa ndikhethekile: UThixo uyandithanda. Ndilixabiso elingenasiphelo: Ndifanelekile: andifanelekanga kuphela, kodwa umzalwana okanye udade wam ohleli ecaleni kwam ufanelwe ngokulinganayo, ethandwa ngokulinganayo. Akukho nto kwaye akukho mntu unokuthabatha oku kuthi, kum. Akufunekanga ndihlale ndiqaphela ukufaneleka kwam; Ndimele ndiyamkele: Ndimele ndiyixabise: Ndiyikhulise: Ndimele ndibe nayo. Ndimele ndiphefumle ngokunzulu uthando lukaThixo. Ikuyo yonke indawo. Ngamnye kuni unetyala lokucela uxolo: ningamaxhoba enkqubo eye yakugxininisa ukufaneleka kwenu. Kucinezele ukufaneleka kwakho. Kodwa xa uqonda ukuba ufanelekile, uya kuqala ukuqonda amandla angaphakathi kuwe. Xelela ukungafaneleki. yithi molweni kukufaneleka. Bulisa kubuchule bokudala. Bulisa uthando lukaThixo olunzulu noluhlala luhleli kuwe. Yenza oku yonke imihla. Okukhona uyenza, kokukhona ukungazifanelanga kuya kubaleka. Ngaba inkqubo iya kuba itshintshile? Hayi: kodwa utshintshile, kwaye inkqubo ayisayi kuba namandla phezu kwakho.

My boodskap aan die jeug

Elkeen van julle het n storie. Elkeen van julle se storie is van onskatbare waarde: waardig om na geluister te word, en waardig om waardeer te word. Hoekom? Want elkeen van julle is geskep na die beeld van God, elkeen van julle het God se asem in julle, God het elkeen van julle lief. Dink aan jouself en sê:

Ek is spesiaal. Miskien voel ek nie spesiaal nie, maar ek is spesiaal want God het my lief. Ek is van onskatbare waarde. Ek is waardig. Nie net is ek waardig nie, maar my broer of suster wat langs my sit is ook waardig, ook geliefd. Niks en niemand kan dit van ons, van my weg neem nie. Nie net moet ek bewus wees van my waardigheid nie, ek moet dit omhels, ek moet dit koester. Ek moet dit eien. Ek moet God se liefde diep inasem. Dit is orals.

Elkeen van julle verdien ook n verskoning: Julle is slagoffers van ‘n sisteem wat julle minder ag as wat julle waardig is. Dit het jou waarde onderdruk. Maar wanneer jy besef jy is waardig, sal jy begin besef die krag is in jou. Sê totsiens vir onwaardigheid. Sê hallo vir waardigheid! Sê hallo vir kreatiwiteit! Sê hallo vir God se diepe en blywende liefde vir jou! Doen dit daagliks. Hoe meer jy dit doen, hoe meer sal onwaardigheid vlug. Sal die sisteem verander het? Nee, maar jý het verander, en die sisteem sal nie meer krag oor jou hê nie.