I remember how I wrote this post on the spur of the moment. It turned out to be the post with the most engagements and got me encouraged to write more.
As a believer, God wants you to be in perfect health. However, you have to do what’s needful to stay healthy!
I believe it’s content remains valid even today so I thought to share it again. Enjoy!
The Believer; His Health; and Commonsense
I’ve been thinking on this for the past two days and figured it should be my theme for next year (pretty ballsy, right? Planning for next year when I have no guarantee that I will see the end of this one but…hope!) For a full year now, I’ve felt overwhelmingly as though am on ‘Pause’. […]
Owning your timeline
I remember how back in my undergrad days (can’t remember what level now) the network giant MTN sponsored a program where Les Brown, one of America’s foremost motivational speakers, was invited to speak to us undergraduates.
And without a doubt, he did a hell of a job of it.
Well, he wouldn’t have done any less for a service fee of $50,000.
Yes, you heard me clearly. He earned $50,000, back in 2010, to tell us good stuffs.
But that’s by the way…
He did his thing and did it like the master motivator that he was…
He provoked the emotions of many as he recounted his grass to grace story. Even the seemingly hard guys soon became teary-eyed.
But before we could call for a pity party, he had begun got to throw the classic punch lines at us, getting us all psyched up:
“If I can make it, you can make it… Don’t see a problem, see a challenge… 😎Believe you can do it, trust in yourself…Focus on the process not the destination…If you can think it, you can achieve it”, bla bla bla
By this time, the room was up in smoke (not literally). Majority of the students in attendance were already getting fired up to go take over the world. We all couldn’t wait to leave the auditorium to go pull up mountains and pull down the sky.
Such was the excitement Les Brown’s pep talk created.
You could tell that he was visibly impressed at the ‘commotion’ he had created as he bade us farewell and left the podium, $50,000 richer.
Hardly had he left the podium than the anchor came up to tell us a class act was about to take on the stage. The program was about to come to an end with a performance by a star artiste.
Ladies and gentlemen, make some noise as I present to you Nigeria’s No 1 rapper, the one and only MI!…
The last words had barely left his mouth than the audience (students freshly inspired) jumped off their seats and rend the air with a deafening scream…
Then came in the Mr Incredible (MI) himself, doing his hit track at the time.
The song was Anoti.
And trust me when I tell you that he brought the roof down with it.
Boy! The ‘just ignited’ students were doubly ignited. Some even made to run onstage just to touch the helm of MI’s garment. The bouncers had a hell of a job restraining them.
Think about it…
Just some minutes ago, this lot were being stimulated by Brown’s powerful speech. But before you could say Jack, they were gyrating away to MI’s brand new beat with careless abandon.
In no time, the bulk of them had danced $50,000 worth of Les Brown’s motivation away.
They left the auditorium more pumped up with MI’s hit song than with Les Brown’s fair speeches.
When all is said and done,
Motivation is an internal process which only the person can control. Others can influence, encourage, or inspire. Only the receiver can motivate themselves to action. Jean-Pierre
Ethan was clearly a brilliant chap. He aced all of his courses and finished on top of his class with a first class honours in information technology. As an undergrad, he had added two internationally recognised certifications to his feathers. Occupying himself with online trainings in key aspects of his field of interest was his extra-curricular activity.
Meanwhile, while he strove to achieve academic excellence, he engaged himself in a couple of side hustles as well. The idea was to boost his pocket and resume alongside thereby getting ready for the cooperate world.
Smart move you’ll call that. In a country where businesses required a minimum of 3-year working experience from a fresh graduate, anyone with as little as a grain of sense should begin to save for the rainy day.
“This position is mine“, he affirmed as he prepared himself for the interview he had that day with ITech the most relevant IT firm in the country, and his dream workplace too.
Yea, he had just returned from the compulsory one-year youth service program (NYSC). A pure waste of good time in his opinion. Anyway, he landed on his feet upon his return and got an invite for an interview for the post of UI/UX designer he had applied for a few months to the end of his service year.
“The interviewers can try all they want. I’m the man for this job”.
That same morning, on the exclusive part of town, Mr Smith was in a frenzy, trying desperately not to be late for work. He hurriedly arranged his papers in a bid to dash out of his apartment. He had worked late into the night dealing with some office work and finally slept off a few minutes to 3 only to wake up with a start just before 6:45am.
Locking up the front door of his apartment, he made for his car and tried to start it immediately. But much to his chagrin, the engine refused to come alive after several attempts. Unknown to him, he had forgotten to turn off the tail lights upon getting home the evening before. The light was on for hours until it finally drained the car battery.
“Damn“! He cussed in frustration. “This is a bad time for this ride to develop a fault, not when I’m already running late“.
Meanwhile, it was still way too early to get his mechanic to come fix it. “Thank God for Uber”, he sighed as he reached into his pocket for his phone. He began to navigate through the Uber app in order to hail a cab but discovered he couldn’t connect at all. Upon closer look at his device, he realised there was no single bar on his network.
“Phew! Heirtel has done its worst“. At that point, he knew he had only one choice – an unpleasant one at that: Take public transport aka ‘danfo’! He hadn’t taken a public transport in 4 years. As far as he was concerned, those buses are mobile contraptions to be avoided.
But since when did beggars become choosers. He found his way to the bus stop and joined the teaming number of workers struggling for spaces on incoming busses. After a seemingly endless period of struggle, he finally got into a physically battered one with bare woods as seats.
As he made his way to the rear seat where there was available space, he stepped inadvertently on the well-polished shoe of a young man. The victim moved his leg immediately and railed at him.
“Are you blind or what? Don’t you know you just stepped on my shoe? Why can’t you watch where you’re stepping”?
Wow! Mr Smith was dumbfounded. All these just because he stepped on a shoe? He took a good look at the assailant. The young man looked too well-groomed for his ill manners. But rather than hit back at him, he simply apologized and took his seat.
“Sorry for yourself“, the young man re-joined, hissing perfunctorily.
An elderly woman was unlucky to sit beside him. Because she was closest to the door and was barely sitting with a pair of her butt, she turned to the young man and appealed to him to “kindly ‘adjust’ a little” (move over) so she can sit a bit more conveniently.
“And where do you want me to move to, he responded. You shouldn’t have joined the bus if you knew the sitting position was inconvenient for you“.
Other commuters tried to make him see reason but he shouted them all down. He even used the f-word on one. Mr Smart took all these young in and wondered what the world has come to. The younger generation and their ways.
In the meantime, he decided to alight a walking distance away from his workplace so he could
Fast forward to an hour and a half later, that same morning, Ethan had already successfully gone through the first phase of his interview and was left with the final and determining interview with the head of HR.
After waiting for a couple of minutes to see the boss, the secretary ushered him into the office of the HR boss. Upon hearing the door open, Mr Smith looked away from the system he had been staring at to see who the newcomer was.
Alas, standing before him was the young man from the bus, the rancorous one. His personality was too striking to be easily forgotten.
Small world!
Interestingly, Ethan couldn’t recall having an encounter much earlier with the man who was about to decide his fate as a potential employee in the workplace of his dream.
He offered the young man a seat and asked if he recognized him, perusing his CV.
“I don’t think so, sir” was Ethan’s courteous response.
“That’s strange. Just a couple of hours ago, on the bus going to Kingsway, you lashed out at a man who stepped on your shoes. Remember“?
Ethan looked closely at the man before him for a minute and then his countenance changed, looking crestfallen as reality dawned on him.
“Yes, I was the one you lashed at. Now that I think of it, I may have overlooked your verbal assault at me and considered you for this position regardless. However, your overall conduct on that bus showed that yours is a case study in vulgarity, one that is impossible to overlook”.
“I must confess you look good on paper and surely have the technical skills required for this post. However, there is more to the job description than the technical-know-how. It requires a person with a human phase – one who is empathetic and can relate well with people”.
“I’m afraid I have to turned you down“.
Someone once said that a bad attitude is like a flat tire. It won’t go anywhere until it’s fixed.
Physical endowments and unique abilities are great requirements. However, a right attitude is a necessity.
Many times, folks need only to look in the mirror to check what the problem is.
Image Credit: Scruggs Auto
Her name is Blessing. She is an amazing lady and it’s her birthday!
She is one of the blessings that I enjoy on this platform.
If there is one thing to be grateful for about the internet-wired world we now live in, it’s the ability to connect with people from far and wide – people you’ll never have dreamt to know let alone having anything to do with them. WordPress has availed me of the opportunity to come in touch with Blessing, connect with her and get to know her better.
Now that I think of it, I can’t specifically remember how I made the initial contact with her. I guess I must have stumbled on one of her blog posts, read through it and gotten intrigued enough by its content to make me visit her blog, follow it, read up on some more of her posts and engaged them. The rest should be history.
Even though I’m yet to see her physically, we’ve come to know and learn a lot from each other. For instance, I’ve gotten to discover how resilient and purposeful she can be. How that she is a go-getter and has zero tolerance for mediocrity.
So Blessing, because I know of your faith in the Lord and your love for all things goodly😊, I cease not to pray for you and to make mention of you in my prayers: That God will cause you to prosper in the center of his will for you. He’ll make you grow in grace and in His knowledge. God blesses the works of your hand and grants you your heart desires. He makes all favour and earthly blessings abound towards you and increases you on all sides.
Please friends, do help me wish her a happy birthday and give her a birthday present by visiting her blog @ timewithdanalyzt.com. She is a passionate and inspiring writer who gives practical/positive counsels concerning lifestyle and wholesome living. You won’t be disappointed.
A happy birthday to you Blessing!
Yet another season to swim in the fulness of God’s love and favour.
P.S. Who knows, perhaps our paths will cross sooner than we could have imagined. There and then, I’ll be able to buy you a plate of nkwobi and fine wine to celebrate your birthday 😉.
I’ll have to say a big thanks to a wonderful/’merciful’ lady and fellow blogger – Mercy of Herry Chic Counsels for putting me on the hot seat. She must have woken up one fine morning and thought of what she could do to make me rack my brain this much. May the good Lord bless you for putting me up to the challenge.
Mercy is blessed with wisdom and wits. You’re sure to find sweet counsels on faith, daily living, and such profound subjects on her blog. Kindly visit her blog to benefit from the goodness it offers.
In case you don’t know, Vogue’s 73 Questions is a video series on YouTube whereby Vogue asks celebrities 73 questions under 10 minute. Bloggers and Vloggers have also started their own version of this method, which is a way of getting to know fellow bloggers better.
Personally, I think no ‘get-to-know-me’ scenario can be more exhaustive than this. Hence, reading this is synonymous to having a significant knowledge of my kind of person.
Okay. Enough with the preamble. Let’s get to know me already…
1. What’s your usual Starbucks order?
I wish we had Starbucks in my part of the world.
2. What does your work station look like?
Well-arranged most times
3. Favourite food?
Jollof rice or better still Nigerian Jollof
4. What do you think of open relationships?
➖ It’s a no no for me.
5. What is your favorite video game?
I don’t play video games.
6. Guilty pleasure treat?
Anything crisp and crunchy, like Pringles
7. Your favorite movie?
Hmm. 🤔Hard to tell…I’ll go for Shawshank Redemption
8. Favorite author?
Kenneth E. Hagin
9. Favourite book?
Fiction: Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God; Non-fiction: The Bible
10. Twitter or Instagram?
You’ll find me more on Facebook
11. Desktop or laptop?
Laptop.
12. Best advice you’ve ever received?
Be the best of what God wants you to be.
13. What project are you working on right now?
📝 Working on a book
14. Favourite colour?
🔮Blue
15. Did you get good grades in school?
😎Depends on which school. Wasn’t much of a serious student in high school. I made up for it during my undergrad days though – came out with a fine grade.
16. Dream job?
Having a social media outfit/Publishing firm of my own.
17. Play any sports?
Unless strolling is one…I think not😆
18. Do you have a degree?
I sure do…a degree in English
19. Nationality?
Nigerian 🇳🇬 .
20. What is your favourite kind of blog post?
➕ If it’s healthy, instructive and informative, I’ll go for it.
22. Describe yourself in three words?
Man-in-Christ, principled, perceptive
23. If you were a rapper what would your stage name be?
Gotham…don’t ask 😁
24. Who was the last person you DM?
A friend you don’t know😉
25: What’s on top of your wish list right now?
Getting a book published asap
26. Favorite part of the day
Evening
27. How many tattoos do you have?
😒Not one
28. What are you most grateful for this year?
A lot.
29. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you this month?
It’s still a new one. But then, with a purposeful life and sound health, what can ever go wrong?
30. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you today?
Waking up hale and hearty
31. What’s the best thing ever?
God
32. Favourite season?
☔ Rainy…as long as I’m indoor when it’s pouring down
33. Favourite holiday?
🤶 That should be Christmas.
34. What fictional character do you relate to most?
One that plays the role of a detective
35. Do you like surprises?
If it’s a good one and won’t make me pass out…yes.
36. Best gift you’ve ever gotten?
The gift of a great mother and wholesome friends.
37. Which surprise made you cry?Can’t remember
38. What’s the best surprise you’ve given somebody else?
I sometimes get the urge to talk to folks who happen to be at lowest point of their lives at the time. When I follow that urge and minister to the need, you can tell how overwhelmed they are about the gesture.
39. Do you like muffins?
Sure. I don’t get to eat them often though
40. Do you cook often?
I should think so.
41. What’s your favorite dessert?
Anything chips
42. Is there a dessert you don’t like?
I’m yet to come across it
43. Cake or pie?
Cake 🎂
44. What’s your least favourite food?
pasta products 🍝
45. What’s your favourite condiment?
Not sure I have one
46. It’s 4 am on a random Saturday. What are you eating?
😴 I’m sleeping…unless eating in the dream is part of it 😂
47. If you could teach a college class what would it be called?
Language as a tool for social engineering.
48. Best animated film?
The Lion King 🦁
49. What has a lady done or said to impress you?
Warning:Don’t laugh!
Back in the day, I used to find hugging awkward. Then one day, during my undergrad days, I ran into a good female friend and classmate of mine who hugged me instinctively. As usual, mine was awkward. She then looked me in the eye and said to me: “learn to be hugged” then showed me how to do it well. Of course, I felt moderately embarrassed. But then, her action created a good/lasting impression on me.
50. The best thing to do on a first date?
Just be you and get to know each other. No pressures
51. The worst thing to do on a first date?
Being insincere with yourself and the other party
53. Best comic book character?
I hardly read comics
54. Name three things which can always be found in your backpack.
My bible, note-pad, laptop
55. Favourite drink?
Yogurt, if it counts as a drink
56. If you could play a historical character in a movie who would it be?
Private Trip (Denzel Washington) in the movie Glory
57. Kittens or puppies?
🚶 🚶 Not a fan of either. I still try to avoid been in close proximity with dogs.
58. Favourite sushi roll?
Local man like me…never taken any kind of sushi😏
59. What song do you currently use as your ringtone?
🎶 Sweet Praise by Bethel Music
60. What Kind of movies do you watch?
detective, crime-scene investigation, power-play, intrigue, epics/historicals, science fiction, adventure
61. Who’s your favorite televangelist?
Joseph Prince
62. Early bird or night owl?
Both
63. Favorite Disney Character?
I rarely see Disney movies
64. What are you doing tomorrow?
Working on a little but equally important project
65. Movie you laughed the hardest through?
Not sure I can even single out one…but if I have to, I’ll go for the Rush Hour episodes
66. Movie that made you cry?
Quite a number of them but Glory should do.
67. If you could sing a duet with anybody, who would you choose?
Asa
68. If your life was a song what would the title be?
Every Shade of Grace
69. What’s your favourite animal?
Giraffe 🦒
70. Favourite illustrator?
I don’t have one
71. The person you want to have coffee with?
Dan Brown
72. What country would you like to visit?
Italy 🇮🇹
73. Best way to decompress?
Watch a movie and go on a visit.
Phew! If you’ve read up to this point, then I must commend you for your forbearance. I sincerely hope I didn’t bore you with the ‘me-oriented’ epistle.
Meanwhile, I’m supposed to nominate a couple of bloggers for this challenge but I think I’ll pass on that.
Thanks for patiently reading through. Grateful.
Regards,
Ibukun
Couple of days ago, I came across this brilliant piece by a fellow blogger Fiez of Artistic Words and it resonates with me.
It’s such an apt allegorical representation of the concept/ideal of kindness. What’s more, the manner in which she communicates the message, (using the struggle for thoroughfare between drivers in traffic) is ingenious.
I thought to share it with you. Trust me, you’ll find it a great read.
Photo by Kevin Lee, Unsplash.com. He signalled and slowed down, trafficator blinking.
Some things are facile, changing course inclusive.
One gives a space in front, another pulls his car into it.
But with time he realised, that no one was kind enough.
Soon his turning point got close, he shouldn’t pass that point.
He vowed to take a space, by hook and crook.
A feeble man couldn’t survive, in a world full of struggle.
He must prove his strength and their space take by force.
He tried once, twice, thrice, again, again and again.
Behold, every bumper kept kissing another.
“Join from behind,” they screamed
“Maintain your lane, ” went the angry shouts.
Everywhere he tried, was all tight and closed.
He’s nothing but stuck, in between two lanes.
He looked back in shock, endless traffic behind.
His wait long…
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One of the perks of being on this platform is the opportunity to connect with amazing people from all over the world. People of substance and value. One of those people is Queen Karen from danceinmyshoes. Karen is blessed with a sound mind and profound words. Of course, her blog is a reflection of who she is: Laden with thoughtful, inspiring and informative posts. (Kindly visit her blog to avail yourself of the awesome bounties it offers). Today is her birthday! Because she has been a blessing to me on this platform, I choose to celebrate her.
I wrote this few lines for you Karen:
As fine wine, never losing its savor
As Eagle, soaring to the greatest height
As light, putting an end to darkness
As pillar, upholding godly virtues
As a spring, never running dry!
Your best moments can never be in the past. Just like fine wine, you get better by the day. No mountain is too high for you to surmount. Neither is there any ocean you can’t swim across.
Your feet are planted on the rock. You soar with wings as eagles. Your ways are prosperous and your dreams come true. God’s got you.
Happy Birthday Karen!
There is something about the traffic warden at the intersection!
By merely beckoning at drivers with his hand, he makes them go in a direction. Alternatively, by holding up his hand, he stops them from moving further. I’ll like to think that the sometimes frail-looking traffic warden was able to wield so much control over those car users and their vehicles because of some magical or brute power he possessed. But no, he didn’t have the power to hold those car back but has the authority to do so. The men behind the wheels simply obey him because they recognise and honour that authority.
Authority is delegated power!
Did you know that the only language the devil understands his authority?
Did you know that God has invested you with so great power/authority?
Did you now that there is nothing more that God will do for you than he already did?
A lot of problems hold sway in our lives today because we simply permit them to; because we don’t do anything about them. In fact, we unconsciously give permission for the oppression of the devil over our lives/things when we keep quiet about them and refuse to speak against them.
Eph 1:18 By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones),
Eph 1:19 And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength,
Eph 1:20 Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places],
GOD’S GREATEST DISPLAY OF POWER
I’ve always thought God’s greatest power was put on display in the beginning, at creation. Think about the minutest details that went into the making of our earth. Imagine how vast and indiscernible it is. And just to think that this huge earth is just a tiny fraction of the entire universe God created. It must have taken Him a lot to make that happen. But alas, it’s not so! The bible tells us that God demonstrated the height of his power when he raised Jesus from the dead. I mean it took God to exert all of his power to resurrect him! What an unprecedented display of force!?
But wait for the real deal… Just when I thought that was all to it, I came to know that God didn’t use up that power on Jesus. However, he deposited that magnitude of power in you when you believed on Christ. In case you still don’t get it, I’m saying that there is an exceeding degree of wonder-working power at work in you – the very same that raised Jesus up from the dead! How then can/should you ever feel you are at a disadvantage as a believer?
You need to come to terms with the power/authority God has deposited in you and exercise it.
Luk 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Here is Jesus speaking to his disciples, and by extension to all believers. He has given us power! Of course, you won’t take the reference to serpent and scorpions entirely literally. Those things represent a spiritual reality, i.e. the power of the enemy. You are not just a mere Christian – thank God for salvation! Much more, you are one wired to exert power over contrary things.
Remember the story of the fig tree Jesus made to wither? It’s such an apt account to teach about authority. Jesus’ disciple marvelled when they saw that the tree had dried up just after a couple of hours that he cursed it. In response to their surprise, he tells them to have the God kind of faith! What’s the God kind of faith? It’s the faith that exercises authority by speaking. It’s the faith that speaks with authority and never doubts the efficacy of what is said. It’s the faith that authoritatively says, i.e. addresses/commands mountains to move. That faith that calls forth those things that be not.
LUKE 7:1-10 – THE CENTURION
I love that blessed centurion. He understood the concept of authority perfectly. Hear him speak:
Luk 7:8 As you know, I’m in a chain of command and have soldiers at my command. I tell one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I tell my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
What a man! He recognised that Jesus could only go about doing good and healing the sick because his actions were backed up with divine authority. Instead of stressing Christ by making him walk all the way to his house, he simply asked him to exercise the authority he had by speaking the word of healing concerning his servant. If a man who wasn’t born again (not at the time at least) could come to this understanding and make it work for him, what’s gonna be your excuse as a believer; one who God indwells today; one who is an embodiment of God’s power?
Merely having a tool doesn’t make it useful for you. As a believer, you need to know what belongs to you. You need to come acknowledge the extent of God’s power at work in you. However, beyond knowing, you need to act on that knowledge. Only knowledge acted upon brings result! What’s more, the efficacy of power is dependent on the one enforcing it.
Mat 18:18 “And so I tell all of you: what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
How can you complain of thirst when you are surrounded by taps of clean and drinkable water?
The lingering troubling circumstance you’re going through is not the issue; neither is it the persistent sickness, lack or pain. The issue is your inactivity. Indeed, it’s your inability to exercise the authority you have by speaking to those situations instead of speaking about them. While on earth, Jesus did mighty works. However, he told us that, upon his glorification, we won’t just do the works he did but greater.
The authority you wield is in the saying/speaking, not the wishing and hoping. It’s in your constant/consistent confession of faith concerning the situation regardless of its prevailing presence. It’s your doggedness in the place of prayer…
Listen to the Apostle James:
…The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. James 5:16b
How about that? When you pray, you are not just passing time or fulfilling all righteousness. Rather, you are exercising authority and supplying tremendous power towards things and situations you want a change on.
Quit talking about the problem; talk to it. Quit complaining about the situation; address it with/in faith. Quit giving room for the oppression of the devil; exercise authority and tell him to get his hands off your things.
The power at work in you is able to do superabundantly, far over and above all that you dare ask or think. Take advantage of it.
P.S: Much of the insight for this post was drawn from the teaching of papa Kenneth E. Hagin on The Believer’s Authority
One of the joys of being on this platform is the opportunity to glean from profound writers and writings. This article Obstacles to writing:Self-doubt and Impostor Syndrome was written by a fellow blogger Florence. I find it highly inciting and helpful for writers so I thought to reblog it. I’m sure you will too. Enjoy!
When a writer has self-doubt, he lacks confidence in his writing and this interferes with the smooth progress of his writing.
Impostor syndrome is an extended version of self-doubt and happens when a writer despite external proof of his competence, is not convinced that he deserves all he has achieved. In addition, when in the midst of other known writers he thinks he doesn’t belong there and therefore is a fraud.
We’re going to dwell more on self-doubt because being able to control self-doubt means one can be able to suppress impostor syndrome.
~~~~
Truth is, all writers, have this killer disease called self-doubt in them at one point of their writing or another and, it really takes a courageous writer to overcome it and forge ahead.
Self-doubt is all about the negative voices in your head flooding your thought with negativity, telling you what is really really bad…
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