It was around September of 2009. I was reading one of the daily devotional Bible study materials I used to receive via email. And I ran into an interesting article and I read it and at the end, it read, “if you want to sign up for a 40 weeks long daily Bible study note, give us your email”.

I signed up. “I mean, what do I lose? If I don’t like it, I will “unsubscribe”. That is all.” I thought to myself.

So, I signed up and the next morning I received the first week topic and the note for that specific day with the Bible verse I need to stay on day and night. And the topic for the first week was “Repent”.

I said, “Interesting” and I read the note. I meditated on the verse they gave for meditation (such as Matthews 4:17 “Repent: For the Kingdom of God is at hand.”)

And the next morning, they sent me another one, the follow-up message under the topic “Repent”.

Without exaggeration, I was hooked. It became the highlight of my morning. I added it to my morning devotion. I used to open my eyes in the morning and say “Another day! What would the message be for today?”

And with excitement, I opened my email and read, pray and sometimes cry. The message went deep down to my bones.

And I remember, one morning I didn’t receive the email. I waited and waited and waited and I was very upset. Then they sent me the same note they sent out the previous morning. I sent email asking them to send me the message I was supposed to receive for that day.

They asked me apology and sent me the correct one.

And I got to around week 37.

Then at week 37, I opened my laptop with excitement and I was dumbfounded. Berhan was sitting next to me reading. My jaw just dropped and I couldn’t tell him anything. He was like, “What? What is it?”

I read the email twice, thrice and I said,

“Berhan, oh my gosh, I guess these people thought I was a man. The Bible study, all along, was designed for a man, not for a woman. And not only that but this Bible study was geared towards to mentoring and “discipling” men in the area of purity and spiritual maturity.”

Mind you! Let me give you some of the weekly Bible study titles I went through: “Repent”; “Follow me”; “Rejoice”; “Let Your Light shine” and more.

And that morning, I received email asking me if I needed to fellowship with a group of men.

I felt all sorts of feelings. I felt like I was a liar but I didn’t lie. I didn’t present myself as a man. There was no question on their sign up page, like “Gender, male or female”.

Then I found out that my email address was tricking some people into thinking that it belonged to a man. My last name is very close to male names of mostly eastern descendants. Duh, and it is my Dad’s father name. And they assumed that I was a male. Yes, my email profile says, female. But nobody noticed it. Then I realized why I was receiving all those “Viagra” coupons.

Do you think it was a mistake for me to sign up for that men’s Bible study? Do you think it was such a coincidence? Do you think God made a mistake for leading me to that Bible study?

Oh, Precious, we may see it as a mistake; it might well be my mistake for not paying close attention to those fine letters at the end of the Bible study note or something but GOD NEVER MAKES A MISTAKE!

I didn’t “unsubscribe”. Actually, I got more interested and curious. After all, only three weeks were left. I didn’t send them saying, “I’m so sorry I’m a woman”. I didn’t reply to their email at all.

I’m sure, now knowing how men respond to such kind of question; they might assume that I (the man as they think) was not ready to meet other men to talk about my sexuality (or sexual sin).

I finished their fantastic Bible study which was prepared for men. Amazing, isn’t it?

I now see the fruit of that forty weeks study in my ministry in different ways. I don’t know if they still have this program. I will give you their ministry name but just to give you a heads up, you may read “not good” things about them here and there if you Google about them.

I personally didn’t find anything which was against the Scripture.

And I usually love those ministers the world is trying its best to destroy their names and messages because they are the ones, most of the time, who make a difference in the Kingdom of God and disturb the gate of hell.

Their life changing 40 weeks discipleship program is known worldwide.

Well, I got my share; the share God saw it to be right for me. What an awesome God we worship! He does things in our lives in light of our eternity. May all praise, honor and worship be to Him!

Why am I telling you? Well, just to remind you of one thing.

What is in front of you? What is God putting on your table? Take it seriously and be faithful as you do it. Don’t say, “It is irrelevant”. Don’t say, “I don’t need it” or “It is very small”. If it is on your table for you to “eat”, eat it. Don’t say, it is for men or women. I mean don’t lie, lol. Tell the truth all the time, but know that God is the One who is managing your life. If it is not from the World and against the Word of God, eat it and don’t leave anything!

You see, we have no way of knowing when God prepares us for something greater, higher and bigger than us. Let’s just be faithful and give all our hearts, minds and strength for the things He puts before us. The rest belongs to Him and oh, then, we shall see His faithfulness!

Let me leave you with this Bible verse I adore:

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much,and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Luke 16:10. ///