My name is Andrew Mbugua Ndungu. I am a Christian, husband, father, Church Elder, and businessperson. I am married to Terry, and the Lord has blessed us with four children: Lucy, Maria, Zephaniah, and Asher. I am also a grandfather to Lemuel, son of Lucy and Robert. I am passionate about stewardship and leadership. I mentor and counsel people in areas of career and Christianity, helping them navigate through life.

My Mission

In this season, I am writing about the stewardship of the opportunities God provides for us. Many of us squander the opportunities the Lord makes available because, particularly in our younger years, we assume there will always be more time. Yet life can quickly pass us by. The background of this message is Israel’s golden opportunity to occupy the Promised Land two years after leaving captivity in Egypt. They missed that opportunity and paid dearly for it through forty years of wandering in the wilderness. This experience can be reflected in our own lives. There are opportunities God gives us that, when missed, can lead to seasons of unnecessary wandering. My message is that some of these situations can be avoided, and even for those who are already wandering, there can still be an opportunity to redeem the situation.

My motivation is particularly to help young people avoid such pitfalls because I believe the ages between 25 and 35 are defining years. My hope is that readers within this age bracket will recognise and steward the opportunities before them. For those who may already have fallen, I want to encourage them that they can bounce back, even though the journey may involve struggle.

My Writing Process

My greatest constraint during the writing journey was time. Juggling business, ministry, and family responsibilities makes my schedule quite demanding and leaves little time to spare. I encountered writer’s block several times, particularly when I was required to submit a chapter within a tight timeline. During those moments, I turned to prayer because I knew I needed divine intervention. Afterwards, the flow would return, and I would continue writing.

Prioritising writing alongside my other commitments was not easy, and I did not expect it to be. I often had to push myself to write late after fulfilling my other obligations. Sometimes, I would write on my phone during waiting times and later transfer the notes to my laptop. I had to make room for writing wherever possible while maintaining a balance with my critical responsibilities. I kept the message in focus and was ready to return to it at every available opportunity.

My Posture

During the Writing Class journey, I did not receive negative feedback from the CLC team or my fellow classmates. However, I received a few negative comments from people who knew me well and thought I was being too ambitious considering my already crowded schedule. I chose not to allow those comments to discourage me and continued with the project.

My Onyx Writing Class Experience

My experience in CLC Kenya’s Onyx Writing Class has been enriching and, I believe, divinely appointed. It came at a time when I was wondering what would become of the messages I believed I had been called to write.

I was beginning to wonder whether I should simply continue with the many other things I was already doing. When I learnt about the programme, I found Jackline’s number on the website and called her. She was very welcoming and encouraged me to join. This is one class I have truly enjoyed participating in. It opened an avenue that I had found closed for decades. The class has been beneficial to me, and I would gladly recommend it to another aspiring writer.

Closing Reflection

To aspiring writers and beginning authors, I would put it the CLC way:

“Put it down as the Lord leads. Keep writing, don’t critique the text, and watch what God will bring out.”

My journey has reminded me that when God places a message on your heart, you have a responsibility to steward that opportunity. Despite competing responsibilities and limited time, the important thing is to begin, remain committed, and keep writing as the Lord leads.