My Life Since BUD Happened to Me

My name is Peace Francis and I have a story to share. It is about my journey into The BUD Family Africa. 

 

When I first joined the BUD Family Africa, I thought I simply needed another Christian space. I did not realize that God was bringing me into a place that would reshape my entire spiritual life. I used to be a Christian who was up today and down tomorrow. I used to struggle with besetting sins. I used to justify some things as acceptable and others as not. 

 

The greatest work God did in me through The BUD Family Africa is the transformation of my heart toward holiness and obedience. Before BUD, my walk with God was unstable, passionate one day and inconsistent the next. I loved God, but I had not fully surrendered to Him.

 

But being part of this family and listening to the teachings here transformed me into a genuine Christian; one who truly yearns for God and despises sin. I hate sin so much now. My life has become a testimony that God is great, that God is interested in me, that God loves me, and that His mercy and love truly know no bounds. My desire shifted from avoiding consequences to genuinely wanting to please God.

 

God has really helped me. I’ve been growing spiritually.

 

Three Things I didn’t Know I needed Before Joining The BUD Family

There were three things I did not know I needed till I joined the Family, and I’ll share them.

 

1. I did not know I needed true discipleship. I assumed Christianity was mostly about prayer, church attendance, and good intentions.

 

In BUD Family Africa, I discovered that following Christ requires daily surrender, intentional and prompt obedience, and a willingness to be formed by God even when it is uncomfortable.

 

This first enlightenment changed my Christian walk, a radical spiritual transformation. To me, spiritual formation in the BUD Family Africa looks like the intentional shaping of the whole person (heart, mind, and spirit) into the image of Christ. It is not merely about acquiring knowledge but about becoming more like Jesus in character and obedience.

 

So I’ll say, BUD has impacted my life in a tremendous way. I’ll say it is where I found genuine salvation, learned that being called a believer is different from living the life of a believer.  My heart was transformed, my soul is being quickened spiritually. In BUD, I learnt the meaning of obedience, to die to self and to carry my cross daily.

 

2. I did not know I needed a real (active) relationship with the Holy Spirit nor that it was possible.

 

I thought knowing about Him was enough because I had heard about Him before, but I did not understand how deeply He should be involved in my everyday life. Through The BUD Family Africa, I learnt to listen to Him, depend on Him, and allow Him to guide my decisions, prayers, and walk with God. In short, it is where I learned how to have a healthy and active relationship with the Holy Spirit.

 

I remember during the Zoe program, I told God I wanted to be filled with the Holy Ghost. I wanted to speak in tongues, because Mrs. Yaks always talked about how important the Holy Spirit is for effective prayer. I didn’t receive the baptism then; I felt bad, but the hunger remained.

 

Then during the Activate program, on the first night, after Mrs. Yaks’ sermon when she prayed and said, “Holy Spirit, breathe on Your daughters,” I still had the hunger for the Holy Ghost baptism. As she prayed, (the baptism) came on me. It came on me, and I felt the Spirit. I began to speak in tongues. I couldn’t control myself. I was alone in my room and I was overwhelmed, I couldn’t believe it. I finally experienced what it means to have the Holy Ghost and to speak in tongues. It made me long for Him more and just want to be lost in Him.

 

So a major milestone in this journey was my baptism in the Holy Spirit. It is where I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. That encounter marked a new chapter in my life. I began to experience God more intimately, hear Him more clearly, and walk with greater conviction and confidence in my faith. 

 

The BUD Family increased my knowledge of who God is and helped me develop a very intimate relationship with Him.

 

3. I did not know I needed to make restitution beyond material things.

I previously believed restitution was only necessary when one had stolen or taken what did not belong to them. However, through the teachings in the Family, the Holy Spirit convicted me that I also needed to make restitution for the lies I had told. By His grace, I obeyed and followed through.

 

There were besetting sins that I struggled to let go of, but through the teachings, prayers, and culture of The BUD Family Africa, God began to break me and rebuild me. He helped me see sin the way He sees it, not as something trivial, but as something that separates me from Him. He also gave me the grace to be completely free from those sins.

 

Rounding Off

Looking back, I see that God knew exactly what my soul needed before I did. The BUD Family Africa is where I had encounters with God, where the Lord revealed Himself to me, and where I learnt to walk in alignment with the script God has written concerning my life. It is here that I truly understood that there is a divine script for my life, and that I must walk in it.

 

Today, I can truly say I am not the same person I was before BUD. God has reshaped my heart, renewed my mind, and aligned my life more closely with His purpose.

 

My sincere prayer for the BUD Family Africa at ten years is that the presence of God will continue to dwell powerfully in this family. I pray that His glory will only increase and that BUD will remain a holy and transformative family for generations to come.

 

I ask that God strengthen and refresh every leader, especially Mrs. Yaks, granting her wisdom, grace, and divine protection as she continues to obey His call. May she never grow weary but be constantly renewed by the Holy Spirit.

 

I pray that BUD will remain a place where souls are saved, hearts are transformed, and destinies are continually aligned with God’s will. May many more people encounter Christ through this family and experience genuine discipleship.

 

I also ask that God will raise Spirit-filled, committed disciples from BUD who will carry the message of holiness and obedience to the nations.

 

Finally, I pray that the next ten years of BUD will be even more glorious than the first, filled with testimonies, miracles, and lives changed for the Kingdom of God. May God’s name alone be exalted.

 

In conclusion, I am deeply grateful to be part of this family. I have invited friends to join because I cannot experience this goodness and keep it to myself. The BUD has also helped me become a source of encouragement to others. People reach out to me now, and I have things to tell them about God.

 

The BUD family has transformed my life in the most beautiful way.

 

I am forever grateful to God.

 

I am forever grateful to Mrs. Yaks.

 

I am forever grateful for the love I experience in this family.