Massimbi Kabera
"Dying to myself means having faith" | Feature Friday
Have You Died Today?’s Feature Friday series seeks to unearth what it means to die daily and live freely amongst each one of us. Every Friday, Christian Creatives are invited to answer the same 10 questions, giving us an insight to how faith shapes their work and inner life.
Massimbi Ericka Kabera is an artist and founder of BTWN HUMANS, A curated marketplace and collaboration platform, at the intersection of art and fashion and a focus on innovation, cultural exchange, and partnership.
Have you died today?
I hope so.
What does dying to yourself mean to you?
The idea of dying in the contemporary context sounds weird & scary. But God calls us to die to ourselves and that often looks like surrendering our will & desires for His. And so even when at times I’d really rather disregard dying to myself, by the grace of God I’m able to do so only by trusting and putting my faith in who I know is all-knowing. Dying to myself means having faith.
How do you describe the work you do, and why do you do it?
I am an artist & founder! It’s hard to define myself because I do so many things, and even beyond all the work I do, I’m grateful my identity doesn’t lie in the work.
In my own practice, I’m centering color and movement as both material and method. My practice is really guided by an openness- -allowing color to act as energy, rhythm, and presence.
My company, BTWN HUMANS, is an e-commerce and collaboration platform for emerging designers and contemporary artists! BTWNHUMANS is a space that bridges art, fashion, and critical thought. I’m interested in creating the spaces I wish existed and changing the trajectory in an impactful manner.
What does your creative process look like, practically and spiritually?
Like with everything in my life, my work is surrendered to God before I implement it. My art practice is specifically very spiritual. It is always a welcoming and ask for a move of God, that it may touch me but also reach who it’s intended for. I have so much gratitude that God would trust me and work through me.
How do you hear from God? What does God sound like to you?
I’m very stubborn. But God knows how to communicate with each of His children. When I hear from God, it is always clear and direct. God speaks to me in dreams, through His creation: both nature and man. Through art. The list goes on.
I love Isaiah 43:19 ("See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?"). God is always communicating to us and in the midst, we just have to be perceptive of it.
What’s one way you actively exercise your freedom in Christ?
I’m not sure if this is the correct answer, but for me it’s being reminded that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives within me. That is freeing.
When do you feel most fully alive?
In the presence of God.
Who or what is currently inspiring you?
Solange. She’s multifaceted and makes me feel like I'm not crazy for having multiple creative practices. She’s also just so graceful and intentional in both her work and her being. I’m inspired by her.
A sentence you heard recently that changed a lot for you:
I actually just read this verse for the first time ever from my mom’s WhatsApp status, and it is so relevant to this conversation:
Philippians 3:10 – "I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death."
For me, a part of death to self is releasing the lies that have shaped us, and receiving the truth God has already spoken. What’s one lie you’re ready to lay down, and one truth you’re choosing to live by?
One thing that I’m always learning is that God’s grace and favor is not earned. It’s very freeing to live a life knowing that, unlike anything else, I don’t have to struggle and work for it, but simply accept it.