The pursuit of self

We can't find ourselves in anyonelse but ourselves. Aimlessly running from person to person in pursuit of our true selves is not only giving them the unrealistic responsibility of revealing that inner self but also a waste of emotional energy. The people we love can only help in encouraging us to be better,in challenging us ,they can even go so far as to see the good in us that we don't see but ultimately we must seek and find that ourselves. The pursuit of self is a personal journey that involves shifts in attitudes and thoughts,sieving the unwanted from the good,processing the experiences that define us and trusting God to guide us on the journey.

Your match

We meet our match not in those people who are the same as us but who intensely challenge us.Check your relatiions,don't be stuck with dead wood.

Understanding the purpose of a season

A season without understanding is void of value. It is the understanding that enables us to maximise the season.

It'll hurt you if you let it....I'm learning

The words and actions of others can only control us as far as we let them. When we take authority over who we are,and refute all negativity from other sources we have an opportunity to be bigger than any criticism,we can soar beyond human expectations and we can attain what is outside the box. Human beings are dynamic but defining ourselves by one mistake,a general opinion,a loved one's hurtful words or a narrow perspective limits what we can do and attain from life. Shrug it off,pick yourself up,encourage yourself and live life! Eventually the change within you will speak for itself.

^{Isaiah 54:17} no weapon forged against you will prevail,
   and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
   and this is their vindication from me,”
            declares the LORD.

I'm learning...

Self examination first

Sometimes in the midst of repeated conflict we focus on the other person and forget to examine what it is we might be doing to contribute to the 'war like' atmosphere. The Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28 comes to mind her first approach to Jesus,awarded her silence, the second a form of rebuke...she never faltered though,why? in the silence and in his rebuke she identified her role in what had caused Jesus to react to her in that manner. Had she been oblivious to her role,she might have taken an offended stance or given up but because she knew she had wronged along with her people, she humbled herself and continued to press for common ground and recieved a reward in the form of an answered request.
Examine yourself...often you are contributor to that which happens to you.

A Problem to Problems

When the issues pile up as they have these past few months for me, it comes to a point where they have either of  two adverse effects,either kill your fight completely or make you unexpectedly a relentless fighter!


Romans 5:3-4
³ Not only so, but we^[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope.


All I can say right now is that I have become a problem to problems...quitting is not an option anymore!I only push more! Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.

Inner Strength

Finding strength in other people is kindness,empathy,compassion,love but finding your devinely given strength is liberation!

Never that bad

Today i am inspired by those fighters who wear no war gear but carry those burdens so large with grace ,humility ,and love . Sometimes we look at our situations and assume we have it worst or simply sink into the situation as if it were my master. I have been one of those people more times than I can count but today I say no more to this! I am bigger than any situation because there is a winner in me and his name is Jesus.

Hebrews 12: 12 NIV

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.

Hebrews 12:12 KJV

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees

Nothing quite like staring something that used to be a tight chain around you and saying "Sorry! Wrong address!" What a glorious feeling!especially if I may add, if that which held you captive used to be a person.Let the reedeemed say I AM!

The action and fruit connection

Doing is the first step of recieving fruits. Nothing will come out of no action. Psalm 1:3
"Whatsoever he DOETH shall prosper."

Purpose

Purpose isn't something we choose,it chooses us and is bestowed upon us by the higher power of  God ,by His will for our life.

Jeremiah 1:5

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you....."

Jeremiah 29:11

"...For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,
"Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future..." 

BUT the choice to fulfill it is ours.

Tunisia

The crisis in Tunisia speaks a very loud and clear message...NEVER LET ANYTHING YOU CAN'T CONTROL GET INTO YOUR HANDS.Why take power if you can't handle it?Anything that has power over you can destroy not only you but many more. The country is now in turmoil because a weak and Godless man decided to take the reigns of a nation and it slowly consumed him,the once safest country is now in a state of emergency....this is a lesson to all leaders,no man can handle power without God, you need the authour of the word leadership to order your steps and guide you,to even give the commission and mandate to rule in the first place, God is not looking for anyone to rule but a capable,obedient and sound leader,one through whom He can channel His purpose and goals for the people He created. This sort of power hunger and anarchy as a result of man taking things into his own hands must stop!

Golden rule

My golden rule in business is never to invest in anything that takes away ALL liquidity power(liquidity takes care of basic and day to day expenses) and Spiritually my golden rule is never to invest in anything that takes away my freedom because that's priceless it was purchased on the cross by the shedding of blood. Freedom is precious Spiritually and financially. Be wise

The safest place in business is a perfect blend between risk and caution. The extremes of both result in less than optimal results. That would be my contribution to the business world ;-)

Correction tramps Judgement

People are able to praise the upbringing that brings about noble character but unwilling to accept the flaws in upbringing that mould bad character. When it comes to the latter, suddenly no one wants to find a root but there is a readiness to pounce with judgement. The people who didn't have the privilege of good parenthood,didn't choose thier circumstance and sometimes they just need love and proper guidance to find their place in society,dont shut the door on people,everyone has a story, these just happen not to be rosy stories but they can be changed. Correction works far better than judgement.

Every good action is rewarding,not neccessarily immediately though. Just keep on keeping on.

A new thing!

Isaiah43:18-19
Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.


When I read this verse it immediately rang true in my heart , on the brink of a new thing but the wait on the brink isn't the easiest part of it,matter of fact it's the hardest part for me. To know that my final destination is nothing like my current position,to see it in my mind's eye but having my other senses in the current environmenet. This is something that if you've been through you know is complicated to share with anyone because even the ones you love will surprise you with their inability to identify with you let alone empathise.Thank God for the love and word of truth  though for  I know from this word that I may be in a dry place but God's going to make a way, a road in the wilderness, a river in the dessert..and it is not something far from my grasp,it shall spring forth NOW! Glory Glory Glory!
When people see frustration they never bother to find the very core of it,they judge from the end point that they percieve. Unable to understand that their judgement throws you further into the pit,they rain down on you. What a person needs during the wait on the brink of change is something to balance them out,something that will hold them still and keep them grounded with the focus on the future,not  criticism or judgemnet. The word of God posseses this very power and when I snap out of my own darkness,gather enough strength to open and read I find  scripture after scripture to buoy me . It's instant renewal of strength. To me the word of God is that stabiliser, it gives something people fail to give and that is comfort,hope ,strength without judgement.It deals with the individual issue and doesnt try to give blanket solutions to every problem. On this day I just wanted to share the word that's keeping me,hopefully someone in my position will grab onto it too and keep pressing on. Remember that where people's judgement starts is where God's understanding begins. Be blessed

Greatness

The people that amaze me the most are not just simply the 'great' ones but the ones who are able to carry greatness inside of them and also carry so much humanity. They are able to balance the ordinary with the extraordinary. They make it work in such a way that people can connect with them and be inspired to be like them without percieveing it as unattainable because their greatness has a human face and heart. If ever anyone percieve me as great may they see my human face and be inspired to reach for the greatness within them too for greatness is of  little value  if it isn't reproduced in anyone else but instead intimidates people and perishes with the holder.

Just do it!

It's impossible for everyone to back you up but very possible for everyone NOT to back you up even when its an achievable dream and viable goal so as the Nike slogan says Just Do It!

The key to overcoming

Live life anticipating passing all the tests instead of in the fear of failing them. A fearful mind is incapable of sound thinking and will infact lead you to produce that which you are afraid of.Why? because under corrupted lines of thought you are unable to perform at your best. Fearful  thoughts inhibit creativity and innovation. They create a defensive and reactive line of action as opposed to a proactive line of action.Challenges in life will always come but the state of mind in which they find us in is what makes the difference between overcoming and defeat.
 2 Timothy 1:17
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind KJV

Love is off stage,while you're still putting on a mask,acting,you havent yet tapped into the real deal. Love only means something when flaws are presented and commitment and loyalty remain.

1 Corinthians 13:4–8a
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails ...

A bright future is fueled by hope

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
Psalm 16:9

The loss of hope is the loss of a dream and the death of a bright future.Rest in the hope of the latter being greater and better than the former.Stay blessed :-)

Relationships are Journeys

No matter how hard we try to prepare ourselves to make the major step of committing to that special person fact remains that you can not avaoid the jorney that it is. Relationships go through cycles,good and bad  and whether or not we want to admit it that person with whom you share some of the most precious and exciting moments is going to one day going to take you through a very tough period in your life. Certain situations you can't even prepare for,the lesson comes in the experience, you can't prepare to grow trust or develop patience for the one you love,these are things that grow from experiences. Patience is ocassionally biblically refered to as 'long suffering' and that is not a coincidence because it always grows out of being put under some level of discomfort which then eventually grows into tolerance and finally being at peace with the wait. To have trust you must first decide to take the risk and then that trust will mature and grow stronger after the other party has proven themselves over and over again to be worthy of the risk you took. Once the person can withstand hard situations and pressure without betraying you,you develop a deeper trust for them.
You also learn the substance in each other after you experience hardhsips. Hardhsips are the main idea behind vows,it is easy to stay when it's smooth sailing but a vow makes more sense and takes on greater meaning when a hardship comes your way. After withstanding these hardships and supporting each other then you both appreciate each other more.
There is no way around it,relationships are journeys and no amount of preparation will have you travelling on a straight and easy road all through,you will have to travel  to the mountain peaks as well as the valleys ,and ocassionally you'll have some flat and simple terrains.
Don't waste so much time preparing outside the realtionship that you forget to actually take the leap. After all most of the p lessons are learnt in the realtionship not outside it.

The Three P's

Preparation-Getting my heart ready

Participation-Getting my spirit ready

Presentation-Getting my life ready

If you want elevation this year these three must be in place.

Happy New Year!