Today's Prayer.....

" Lord I want to be everything you want me to be..."

Embrace Your Place ~ Christine Caine

I just discovered this lady, Wow! where has she been all this while or rather why did it take me this long to make this discovery lol! Amazing lady, fantastic preacher, captivating passion..... I see a part of me in her. I really loveee...

Quote Of The Day....

Today's quote is from my favorite girl on the apprentice..... I Love her fire, her determination, her brains and her style!! Yea!


"IT IS NICE TO BE IMPORTANT, BUT IT IS

 IMPORTANT TO BE NICE".....

Bianca Miller: Founder The B Group. photo credit, bgroup.com

The Life He Intends For Us...

‘We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.’

Proverbs 16:9

(photocredit;linked In)

Here are three important truths to help you enjoy the life God wants you to live: 1) Believe God wants you to succeed. Give up the unscriptural notion that this life has no value. God has a special work for you to do—here and now (Jeremiah 29:11). You ask, ‘What defines success?’ Answer: the progressive achievement of a God-given goal resulting in feeling good about yourself. ‘Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do’ (Deuteronomy 29:9 NIV). 2) Consult God before you set your goals. The Bible says, ‘We should make plans—counting on God to direct us’ (Proverbs 16:9 TLB). If you’re constantly stressed out and confused, you may be on the wrong track. Go back and check with God; what has He told you to do? It’s His will for you to succeed in these six areas: a) spiritual; b) relational; c) physical; d) mental; e) social; f) financial. ‘Whatever he does shall prosper’ (Psalms 1:3 NKJV). 3) Invest in yourself. ‘Though it cost all you have, get understanding’ (Proverbs 4:7 NIV). If you’re willing to spend money at fine restaurants but not on good books, your future is already determined. And the first book you need to invest in is a Bible. John writes, ‘And the Word was God’ (John 1:1 NIV). That means each time you read God’s Word, you’re depositing more of God into you. Wow! Think how that affects your life! Cultivate a teachable spirit. ‘Let the wise listen and add to their learning’ (Proverbs 1:5 NIV). This is the life God wants you to live!
(www.ucb.co.uk)

Song Of The Day.... Heart of Thanksgiving...

In Search Of Noah!

I was having my personal quiet time, praying as well as reflecting on the scriptures I had just read. At that point a lot of things were going through my mind. I kept saying to myself, "Where is this power"? We read how the red sea was divided, how the sun stood still at Gibeon, how the walls of Jericho crumbled, how Esther  became queen in a foreign country(now tell me she was the most beautiful, and I will correct you by saying it was nothing but the favour of God). Is that power still at work today?? God cannot lie! We only need to re evaluate our lives......
We see/hear of people die everyday.... Christians and non christians alike. Death affects the good, bad and the ugly..... Yet we are still not refocused..... we are still pursuing/ trying to grasp what will  and cannot last.
We have become so noisy, we sound like broken records.......We call the name of the Lord but our actions prove otherwise. Competition is the order of the day...... the largest church..... the largest congregation etc. But yet the rottenness continues to increase, the stench we produce cannot be distinguished from that which stems from hell.

I normally say, my generation has upset God so much, but come to think of it, there is nothing new under the sun. The sins of today, were prevalent in the times of old both AD and BC. There was murder, homosexuality, wickedness, people sacrificed their children, witchcraft was prevalent, siblings had sexual relations with  each other etc.... But in all of this, when God wanted to destroy the first earth, there was Noah....And he was a just man....And he was saved. There was also a church in Babylon Yes! The bible described Mary as a virgin, because back in the days it was not a common sight....Yes! When Elijah thought he was the only one who loved God, God showed him 120 people more who were still faithful.

Nothing indeed is new, but the determination to be 'TRUE CHRISTIANS', honest to our word, living like the Master, experiencing His power and impacting our world, should be NEW everyday.

If God were to destroy the earth again..... will He look upon me and say..... 'But Elly will be saved'......?
Help me Lord to live my life In accordance to your will and leading.... Amen  

Song Of The Day.... I really loveeee

Being The Difference.....

There are two types of people in the society I say. Those who just complain/whine and do absolutely nothing and the other group identify a 'NEED' and instantly they think, how can I help remedy the situation. And today I celebrate one of those people.... Queen Gideon. I have known her for over 20years, but its not the years that count, but her personality makes the difference. She has been an inspiration to me and a great contributor to this blog. She constantly supports, polishes my ideas, encourages, brings about diversity, she buzzes with so much ideas. I always joke with her and ask "why did you really study engineering, you should have read something else".
Her dream and passion to make her country a better place and uphold the values, culture and beauty which make it unique and is most times hidden from the public site has birthed this book....






Nigeria, the largest country in Africa is made up of a variety of cultures, traditions and ethnicity. The three major tribes however are: IGBO, HAUSA & YORUBA. These three tribes occupy three major regions of the North, South & East. No doubt, the citizens of this country are spread through all continents, and we are constantly bringing up a generation who tend to lose touch with our rich culture, tradition and most importantly language. To this end, Queen has written this book, which proves invaluable not just to children but adults alike who missed the privilege of being born in Nigeria as well as missed the opportunity of speaking a different language.. It can be purchased from amazon!

I am highly elated with this invention and recommend it to everyone, Nigerian or not. Knowledge is power, and no knowledge is ever a Waste...

Proud of you Queen, keep making a difference.....

I know God For Myself!

In the book of Joshua 24:15, Joshua told the people: “If you decide that it’s a bad thing to worship God, then choose a god you’d rather serve—and do it today. Choose one of the gods your ancestors worshiped from the country beyond The River, or one of the gods of the Amorites, on whose land you’re now living. As for me and my family, we’ll worship God.”(The Msg Version). We are in an age, where everyone has views, the problem I have got however is not in the views, but in the determination to shove opinions down my throat. Be it your sexual orientation, religious views,politics, keep it to yourself and do not be on a mission to make me swallow your opinion hook line and sinker. The summary of it all is that, I know God for myself, I have a personal experience, I love the God I serve, and for me, that is just ENOUGH!

Dr Myles...... Time Up!

(photocredit:kingdomlifeorlando.com)

He touched my life by his messages in many ways.... He is one of the very few preachers that I have featured on this blog due to his style, passion and knowledge of Gods work. But now its time up for him. The reality that life should be lived to fulfill purpose comes to life and especially Gods purpose. Life is not considered in the length of days, but purpose and accomplishment. We fill our lives most times, pursuing things of little or no value... The transient benefits of life seem to preoccupy our minds and drive, but when we shut our eyes in death, only one thing matters..... "THE  WAY WE LIVED TO FULFILL GOD'S PURPOSE".

Rest in Peace Dr Myles, Ann Munroe and all the other passengers in the fatal crash. May God give all friends and family, the fortitude to bear this loss.

Listening to.....

Today's Inspiration...

If it does not challenge you, the experience is normally infinitesimal and the impact rarely felt.....Ellyeleanor

(Photocredit;heartifb.com)

How I Lost My Virginity!

Yesterday I posted  a topic on Richards Branson's 4 Rules for making difficult decisions see HERE, and to my surprise, it got so many reads that exceeded my expectation. I also got quite some mails via my inbox than I anticipated. If you follow my blog and have a look at the popular posts, you will understand, why I used the word 'SUPRISE'. Hahaha. Anyways I cant blame anyone, the generation we find ourselves in unconsciously/subtly tilts us to be more interested in what feeds our eyes/senses. That said, one of my readers was so impressed and sent me a personal email, recommending me to read Losing My  Virginity. I read an excerpt, and I must say its quite a good read, its been termed a perennial bestseller,quite inspirational, a page turning memoir, and a definitive business guide. And when I checked, you can even download the E-version for free on some sites. Will let you find that out for yourself.):  I am definitely reading this. Feel free to share your thoughts if you have read this also.

(photocredit;www.virgin.com)

Richard Bransons 4 Rules For Making Difficult Decisions

Every successful man has a past and every hardworking/struggling man has a future. So do not look at the now I say, imagine the bigger picture. I love to listen to some successful people, and when I do, what I watch out for is their perception and approach to challenging situations they have been in. Richard Branson was in the press recently due to the Virgins galactic's SpaceShiptwo Crash. I watched him give his speech and I must say, I loved his response style as well as composure. I also came across this article, and as I read it, it made me smile because I vividly remember this was a big debate between a couple of friends and I, as we discussed Strategic Planning. The simplicity in his words, can be used in our every day life and will really prove invaluable. I really enjoyed reading and reflecting. Hope you get inspired too

(photocredit; veryimportantpotheads.com).                 

 In the summer of 2012, the British government informed Virgin Trains that it had lost the bid to retain the operating rights to the UK's West Coast rail franchise. Virgin Trains had been running the 7-billion-pound ($10.9 billion) franchise for 15 years, expanding the line and growing its annual passenger numbers from 13 million to 30 million.

Richard Branson, chair of Virgin Train's parent company the Virgin Group, writes in his book "The Virgin Way: Everything I Know About Leadership" that he was "stunned and baffled" that he could have lost the bid to FirstGroup.

He decided to stay quiet for awhile, meeting with lawyers and advisors to see if Virgin had actually been beaten fairly. Everyone he spoke with seemed to conclude that FirstGroup's numbers were unsustainable, meaning the British government had made a mistake in calculations. Regardless, many of his senior team told Branson that he'd only be wasting his time and hurting his image with a lawsuit. But, after carefully weighing the facts, he decided to move forward with the lawsuit.

A week before he was scheduled to meet the Department for Transport in the UK's high court, Branson got a phone call from the department's secretary. The secretary told him that on further review, the department had indeed made grave miscalculations and Virgin had offered the better deal.

Branson considers his decision to sue the government, which ultimately saved his rail business, to be one of the best high-stakes decisions he's ever made. In his book he highlights four rules that he's used to make tough decisions throughout his business career:

1. Don't act on an emotional response.

Branson says he was flabbergasted when he first heard that the Virgin Trains deal had not gone through, but he was experienced enough to know that he should take some time to settle down and collect data instead of letting his feelings take control of him.

Had he made a statement to the press out of frustration or demanded to sue the British government solely out of instinct rather than fact, he would have increased the likelihood of having his case dismissed and appearing reckless.

It's just as bad to act on a positive emotion. Give decisions you're considering enough time to lose the influence of your first impressions.

2. Find as many downsides to an idea as possible.

Branson carefully considers everything that could go wrong before he goes forward with a decision.

Regarding the rail case, Branson's lawyers initially told him he had a 10% chance of winning a case against the government. But after collecting proof that some numbers in his competitor's deals were off, he was convinced he had truth and customer support on his side.

"Nothing is perfect, so work hard at uncovering whatever hidden warts the thing might have and by removing them you'll only make it better still," he writes.

3. Look at the big picture.

Before he makes a decision, Branson takes a look at how it will affect his other projects in both the short and long term.

"This one may be a 'too good to miss' opportunity but how will it affect other projects or priorities and, if now is not the best time to do it, what risks if any are there in putting the thing on hold for an agreed period of time? If you cannot manage this project in addition to another that's waiting in the wings, which one gets the nod and why?" he writes.

Branson writes that one of the best examples of ignoring the bigger picture is when Carnival Corporation's chairman and CEO Mickey Arison decided to go to a Miami Heat basketball game on the same day that one of his company's cruise ships sank off the coast of an Italian island in 2012, killing 32 and injuring many others.

Branson says Arison further tarnished Carnival's and his own reputation when he behaved similarly less than a year later when a ship ran out of fuel and left its passengers five days at sea without running water or power.

4. Protect the downside.

In a LinkedIn blog post from earlier this year, Branson writes that the best lesson his father ever taught him was to protect the downside; that is, limit possible losses before moving forward with a new business venture.

Branson's father told him that he would allow him, at age 15, to leave high school and start Student magazine only if he sold 4,000 pounds' worth of advertising to cover printing and paper costs.

It's a strategy he repeated in 1984 when he made a huge leap from the music business into the airline business with Virgin Atlantic. He was only able to convince his business partners at Virgin Records to agree to the deal after he got Boeing to agree to take back Virgin's one 747 jet after a year if the business wasn't operating as planned.

(http://www.businessinsider.com/how-richard-branson-makes-decisions-)

Song Of The Day!

Thoughts Of The Day.....

(photocredit;baghdadinvest.com)

"MOST TIMES WE FAIL TO REACH OUR 

DESIRED DESTINATIONS, NOT BECAUSE OF

 

INSURMOUNTABLE BARRIERS, BUT BECAUSE

 WE ARE WORN OUT WITH TRYING TO CARRY

 MORE THAN WE NEED FOR THE JOURNEY"......(UCB)

Begin Again!

If  you read this blog constantly, you will realise some excerpts come from United Christian Broadcasters. They are my favourite, daily devotional and I just love their style of sharing the word, relating it to everyday life and trust me its really spirit breathed upon and has immense power to change. On most days, it seems like the topics are just designed in such a way that my situation was preempted. Anyways that is the word of God, its always beautiful for situation. Looking for a devotional to read, or a charity to bless? Then check them out on www.ucb.co.uk. Hope you are blessed from this excerpt from them below! Have a fulfilled week.



The Lord is my portion…therefore I hope in Him.’

Lamentations 3:24

When you haven’t accomplished what you’d hoped for, regret can become a major pastime. The computer analyst wishes he’d become an accountant, the accountant wishes he’d become a doctor, etc. Maybe you planned to leave a legacy, but to date all you’ve left is a trail of unfilled aspirations. It’s not too late; you can begin again! You just have to be prepared to pursue your dream and pay the price. ‘To win the contest you must deny yourselves many things that would keep you from doing your best’ (1 Corinthians 9:25 TLB). Don’t listen to the critics and complainers who’ve settled for less. Your goal shouldn’t just be to live long, but to make a difference in your world and glorify God. Charles Lindbergh said, ‘I feel I lived on a higher plain than the sceptics on the ground…Who valued life more highly, the aviators who spent it on the art they loved, or these misers who doled it out like pennies through their antlike days?…If I could fly for ten years before I was killed in a crash, it would be a worthwhile trade for an ordinary lifetime.’ Look at Moses. Look at Paul. They both began again. Look at Winston Churchill: instead of retiring after World War II, he went on to win the Nobel Prize in literature. When Heinrich Schliemann retired from business to look for Homer’s legendary city of Troy—he found it. Here’s a Scripture you can stand on: ‘Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassion's fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion…therefore I hope in Him!’ (Lamentations 3:22-24 NKJV). That means you can begin again.

Word For Today......

(photocredit; stock credit)

And as the storm raged, Jesus was fast asleep on the boat while the disciples trembled.......

The presence of the storm, is not an indication of the absence of God, but a reminder to us, of the possibility of the storm and the need to increase our faith in God....

Song Of The Week......

I am so loving this song, my selection of songs is really hand picked if you ask me hahaha. But I have been so blessed by this, since the past week and just had to share. Enjoy people! Maureen Clark, It Aint Over....

Health & Beauty Challenge

As we get older, we are supposed to get wiser, as well as healthier. Now the word here is 'SUPPOSED', howbeit, we find out that it is necessarily not the case. This is due to several genuine factors competing for our time and attention, and trust me they all are important.
Well for me, its a determination. There are good days/periods when the healthy routine is strictly followed as well as bad days/periods when I just cant be bothered but the key to success is starting, and not beating myself too much when I fail but quickly getting on track.

Now I will share with you, the various health/beauty secrets, I am indulged in at the moment. I tagged it health/beauty challenge cos I am determined to see the results if any and live by them.

1. LEMON WATER;  I actually have a dad, who has been termed diabetic and ever so often, I am always researching to know what really works for him and all the time, there I am giving him a list of dos and donts like an old school teacher hahahaha. Anyways I stumbled on the importance of lemons especially including it in warm water and I was so impressed at all the nutrients and health benefits of lemons. And as I advised him to have, I said to myself, why not try your own pill?



(photocredit; coconutmagic.com)

The benefits which range from having a high vit C content and thereby boosting immunity, helping in weight loss, detoxifying, freshening the breath, aiding digestion, improving the skin, fighting viral infection as well as being an excellent source of potassium.
Most mornings, I go jogging and when I get back, I have my glass of warm water and lemons, and the feel is so refreshing and there is this instant surge of energy. Initially it wasnt easy and I added a bit of Ribena to it. Now however, I am so loving the plain taste on its own. I had people home for dinner the other day and the jug of water had lemon slices in it, and they all loved it.



GREEN TEA
  Any one who knows me, knows my love for green tea. It wasnt  easy at
(photocredit fdin.org.uk)               the start, I literally had to shut my eyes and quickly gulp it down before I
                                                    quickly go brush my teeth or put a different flavour in my mouth. However
                                                    over time, I have come to really love it and twinings has really done a
                                                     good job of adding this fantastic flavours, which I stock on. I will
                                                      recommend it any day and any time. Green tea also known for its                                                                detoxifying properties, prevention of diabetes, protection from food                                                              poisoning, fat burning properties, lowering of  high blood pressure
                                                      and hunger elimination for me personally, etc is a must have for
                                                     all health conscious people.




SHEA BUTTER, COCONUT OIL, VIT E OIL MIX

For a while, I have been researching on the benefits of coconut oil. I also have a couple people who use original coconut oil for their hair, skin and cooking and they all swear by its efficacy for what ever you intend it for. I therefor purchased this from my favourite health store, holland and barrett.  This is the exact one I got. I equally use shea butter for my hair and the benefits I observed are amazing though it was processed as I bought it from the hair shop. I however started buying shea butter balm from the body shop and I have been quite impressed, but I wanted to source for the original raw/unadulterated  shea butter and I was told, I could get it from most countries in Africa especially Ghana. I have friends from Ghana who make trips quite often, and then I asked to have some bought for me right from the source. This is what it looks like;  yea quite raw...

Because I am a bit extra, I also just added vitamin E oil from the same favourite store holland and barrett. Yea I just love that store any day, and anytime. They really got my loyalty hahaha! and if you ask me rather than vitamin E oil, you might rather add the amazing Moroccan Argan oil. Since the shea butter and coconut oil are in solid form due to the temperature of my environment, I added a bit of heat to ensure the mix is uniform and I came out with my home made organic body lotion. You could add a bit of fragrance too, so that you dont smell too raw, even though the coconut oil smells so beautiful and its just right. Now lets see the effect on the skin for the next couple months. Perfect I hope.Why not try out yours and lets share our feedback on this.



 ALOE VERA GEL 
 I also want to share a new addition to my daily routine. Its the amazing Aloe Vera Gel. I went into Holland and Barrett, about 2  months ago, to stock up on my vitamins and on my way to the check out I saw that the gel was on offer! Yea offer! hahaha and I stopped in my tracks. I have never been a big fan of aloe vera before then, so I read all through from the ingredients to directions and to its usefulness. Because it was on offer and quite affordable, I decided to get it and try it. I however used it just on my thighs, butt and sometimes my legs. In just 2 months I can tell you the effect has been amazing. I wont be cut wearing a bikini, but I must say that,part of my body is  perfect for a bikini wear collection hahaha. For all those stretch marks, it just works its way at smoothing them out. If you are in the UK at the moment, its actually on offer at Holland and Barrett; Buy One, Get One Free(BOGOF) at 6.99.



MILK  CLEANSER; 

I am not one to really use heavy make up, but for the past couple years, I always use my cream to powder foundation before leaving the house most mornings. As a rule,  99% of the time, I have a night bath. But it is wrong to jump into the bath-shower with make up on. The normal routine is wipe it off before getting into the bath/shower. I usually use facial wipes for this. But some day, as I got back tired, I opened the fridge and poured myself a glass of milk and as I proceeded to wipe my face, I say to myself but these manufacturers make milk cleansers, so why dont I just use the milk directly? At that I took a dab of cotton wool and cleaned my face, and trust me it cleaned my face so well and I felt so fresh in comparison to the wipes.I now decided to google the benefits of milk on the face and the information I got was amazing.Thank God for the internet. Unfortunately  I cant bring you before and after pics but I sure look fresh and beautiful! Yep!

Sometimes I also use yogurts, which is essentially helpful if you have got acne and skin discolourations. Just leave on the yogurt, but this time thick yoghurt not the runny ones on the face for about 20-30mins before washing off and if you want to be a bit extra like me some of the time, you can add a bit of honey and lemon. Be careful with the lemon though as its got natural bleaching agent, so should not be used frequently.






I hope this helps both the ladies and gents who view this page as this article is not really gender specific.
Bring on your feedbacks, questions, disputes and together lets begin a journey to a healthy and beautiful life.


Do have a great week guys and I will leave you with this inspiration which I got from Henry Miller " The only thing we never get enough of is love, and the only thing we never give enough of is love".

This week, dare to be different..........EllyEleanor

Today's Thoughts...

Its another Monday.... And It all begins Again!






 Have a great week guys....

Hello Oktober....

If you want to know how to get what you want, first get clarity on what you need

 





Have a lovely month people.... EllyEleanor.... Created to inspire

One Minute Manager!

Most time when we hear the word'Manager', the next thing that synonymously comes to mind is 'managing others'. But in reality, if we cant manage ourselves, by this I mean, our emotions, our reaction to people with varying opinions, different sexual orientation, religious beliefs, cultural dimensions, temperaments and to sum it up, an entire personality, then we are going to fail at what ever it is we try to manage.Regardless of where it is, be it in the home front or work place or even animals(funny right?)

I am reading this book that is really good and quite small for people with very tight schedules, but the insight I have gathered is quite amazing so I felt to share it, if you can get it on kindle, or any form of soft/hard copy, I am sure it will add to your weekend, and come the new week, your perspective is going to change, that is if you really want to change! The choices we make in life really depend on us! Yes!

"People who feel good about themselves, produce good results"

Today's Thoughts....

I came across this on my linked in page and the truth in his words could not have been put any better. Its so true in this day and age of extensive knowledge....
The drive to be a better person is a never ending one.....

Because He Is Worthy.....

I sing...... Byron Cage-Majesty

Todays Thoughts....

A friend wrote on social media that he was singing a particular song, and because I knew the song, for some reason, I just went to my playlist on youtube and that was what I ended up listening to for most of the evening as I did some work. As I reminisce, it dawns on me that he does not even know the impact his writing has had on me. It makes me wonder, how what I have said, the smile on my face, the sarcasm in my voice sometimes(ouch!) or even the little acts of kindness, outbursts of anger or generally just living my life and being me, impacts the lives around me.....

I always say that one day, we will all be MEMORIES, and we should do all we can, to leave good memories. Be careful of what you do, they are seeds sown, and most times sown unawares, but you know what? they just  live on in the lives of others......

Flawed But Valuable....

The real power comes from God and not from us; 2Cor 4:7

(photocredit;ubdavid.org)

The Bible says, ‘We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us’ (NIV). Some people don’t read the Bible because they think it’s all about saintly people whose lives have no bearing on reality. If you feel that way, read the book of Genesis. The dysfunctional families there will make yours seem normal! Cain was jealous of his brother Abel so he murdered him. Lamech introduced the world to polygamy. Noah, the most righteous man of his time, got drunk and cursed his children. When the men of Sodom wanted the two angels who visited Lot, in order to save himself Lot offered them sex with his daughters instead. (And the Bible still refers to him as ‘godly’! (2 Peter 2:7 NKJV) Abraham slept with his wife’s maid, got her pregnant and then banished her and her son to the wilderness because his wife Sarah complained about ‘the other woman’. Jacob’s firstborn son Reuben slept with one of his father’s wives. The list goes on ad infinitum. The question is: why would God include this cast of characters in the Bible? To make the point that we’re all flawed in some way! We like to think we’re normal, but by God’s definition we fall far short. We all have habits we struggle with, past mistakes we can’t undo, and inherent tendencies we can’t overcome without His help. God said, ‘My power shows up best in weak people’ (2 Corinthians 12:9 TLB). You say, ‘But shouldn’t I strive to be better?’ Yes, but if God only used perfect people, His work would never get done.

(http://www.ucb.co.uk/)

Being Woman!

Being a woman isn't all about having curves and a pretty face; you should also have a functional brain, enduring spirit, caring mind, capable hands and a praying tongue!!!!.(copied from a friends wall). The words stayed with me as I read them and I just had to share. I always say, the looks may open the door, but keeping the door open is much more difficult and that's where we begin to see cracks in relationships, be it opposite gender or same . And this all depends on what you have fed yourself on, whom you spend time with, how willing you are, to break out from the familiar, your tolerance level to people with varying opinions and the list could go on and on! Show me a grown lady who spends most of her time on gossip magazines/ gossip blogs, knows all the celebrity gossip at her finger tips,and I will show you a lady who is really shallow when it comes to the 'REAL DEAL'. Dont get me wrong I scan through gossip magazines some times, though I can never buy them. I was quite impressed when I was reviewing my clients accounts, a young lady same age as me and she told me she has a monthly subscription of some key financial magazines delivered to her which she paid for by automatic debits from her account. Tell me I take life too seriously and I will tell you that the last time I checked, those who didnt, where no where in the success/impact ladder.

             Anyways yesterday I was actually at a function in which I was made the master of ceremony! Yes you heard me right, MC! lol! Its not something I have done before especially for such a grand occasion that had a lot of middle aged folks. You might say it should be an easy feat for me as I love to talk and nervousness is not common with me at all, but NO! this was unfamiliar grounds and I really didnt want to gaff at all. But you know what? It turned out so well and I have had lots of people complimenting on my coordination. So I might be changing my career soon hahaha.  From the whole event, I learnt a lot but will share just 2 for now

1) 'I cant' only becomes powerful when its in your head, your mind, your mouth and finally you begin to act the part. When I was asked to take the role a couple weeks back, the question I asked was, do you believe in me that I can? And I got a big YES from the lady. With that I decided to give it a good try and maybe I was more encouraged because the DJ in the party was  re-known as the best in town. So I told myself that we cant both be boring hahaha. So next time 'I Cant' keeps ringing in your head, shut it down with a big bang.

2) Be careful of who you listen to. They are more influential and are making more impact than you think they ever would. This thought was with me as I held the microphone and gave instructions to individuals who were way older than me. The DJ stopped the music when I wanted him to, just with a wink, everyone sat down when I wanted them to, and even danced at my instructions hahaha. Who is speaking into your life today? Will that investment be detrimental to you? If Yes please shut your ears and politely walk out!

 Have a blessed week everyone and remember to be the difference-Ellyeleanor

              

*Exceptionally Thankful*

Today, I am grateful for life, for His love, for His grace, for His blessings. I look back at where He has brought me from and where I am and where I am certain He is taking me to, and I bow in humility. My prayer and desire is to remain in His will. This song says it all for me. God bless you Tasha Cobbs

Song Of The Day!

For most of us, Sunday is the day of worship, a day of doing right, a day of prayer,a day of flipping through the pages of our abandoned bibles, a day of alms etc. The problem with Christianity however is that we wait till sunday to do the things we should do daily. No wonder we are termed hypocrites and unbelievable atrocities are being committed in church or under the concept of Christianity. This song sums it up. The artiste is someone I know and I am really happy he is living his dreams. Are you living your own dream or you are still dreaming? Make a difference today and have a beautiful week guys. This week is an exceptionally special one for me ):

Joke Of The Day;Will God Give Me A Partner?

There I was having my lunch, and a colleague stepped in to equally grab something to eat. We do not work in the same department so it was quite a good bonding time for both of us as we got to know a bit more about each other. We had a laugh as she told me a bit about her kids and as the conversation progressed, I felt the need to tell her about Gods love and the peace that comes from knowing God. For anyone who knows me, I spare no opportunity to talk about the Fathers love to as many as I come across(are you doing the same?).

          However as she listened attentively, I promised to get her a devotional the next day, that daily encourages individuals about their walk with Christ, using real life/real people scenarios. And there comes the bombshell, she goes "elly will that devotional  bring me a partner"? and she said it as a determinant for accepting the devotional from me. At that I laughed so hard and she also laughed with me. In between the laughter however I stopped and responded, " the answer to your question is YES! Because the truth is that when we come to God, He gives us everything in accordance to His will, and having a happy home with your partner is one of them". As I said this she responded in agreement saying "elly you know what you say is true! because my brother really loves God and goes to church and does well and he is happily married and living with his wife"

Lesson Of The Day; Never miss an opportunity to tell someone about God, you might be all they need to lead them in the right path, and thinking of this, I just remember that if the servant girl did not tell Namaan the leper about Elisha, he would not have been healed.(2 Kings 5:1-19) That might have been her sole purpose in that family, to bring deliverance. Even a joke can be turned around to Gods glory.

Lesson 2; There is nothing God cannot do/give. If its in  His will, then its his bill. Keep Trusting!

                               Have a lovely weekend guys--ellyeleanor

Todays Thoughts.....

The very truth in these words..... Teach us Lord to number our days and gain a heart of wisdom... Its just a chance to life at the end of the day.

7 TRUTHS ABOUT MARRIAGE YOU WILL NOT HEAR IN CHURCH!

I hardly write articles on relationships, for several reasons and top of the list is that I don't regard myself to have enough experience. However this generation is one that is filled with surprises, just when you think you have seen it all, it deals you another blow that gives your perception another dimension and by this I am referring to a situation when a couple married for close to 30 years say they are having a divorce. At the sound of that, I excuse myself to use the bathroom, but really my intention is to have a breath of fresh air. Not like the air in the environment was stuffy though, but the sound of those words seemed to choke me.
I however came across this article by Frank Powell (http://frankmatthewpowell.com/truths-sex-marriage-never-learned-church/) and I must say, the truth in his words couldnt have been put better. Great write up! Great Guy! I would say he is a writer of my ilk! Now I think I am patronising myself here hahaha. All the same, hope you are blessed as I am, whenever I read it! Have a great week guys!!



Ever wish you had the answers to a test before you walked into the classroom? Maybe some of you did have the answers, but you better keep that to yourself. I took some really hard tests during my college tenure. An engineering curriculum will do that. And if you spent time in college you remember review days. The professor would walk into a class full of students (some of which I had never seen) and give some insights about the impending test. Miss review day, and it would be foolish to expect a passing grade.

But it never failed. I would follow the guideline. I would study the handout. But on the day of the exam, the professor would put the exam on my desk…and there it was. A foreign formula or equation I had never seen. At least one I did not see on the study guide. Looking back, I realize something…the teacher did not intend for the study guide to be comprehensive. It was simply not possible to include everything from the required reading, class notes, and lectures.

Such is the case with the church and marriage. I am grateful for the foundation the church gave me in regards to marriage. It was a good study guide. But there some things on the test I did not learn until marriage began. So, I am going to give you some answers to the test that some of you might not expect to see. I grew up in church. I spent most of my time with Christian people. I was told much about marriage. But these 7 truths about marriage I never heard in church.

1.) Sex is a gift from God. Explore It.

Make no mistake…God created sex. But through the years, God’s people have allowed Satan to steal this gift. Without a fight.

I was never educated about sex…and I grew up in a Christian family. My framework for sex was built by my friends at school and the movies I watched. Big UH OH. I still struggle with enjoying the fullness of sex today because of the cloud of lies formed during my teenage years.

It is time for God’s people to take back the gift of sex. The lies surrounding it are ruining lives and ruining marriages. If you are married, let me challenge you to explore sex. Explore the fullness of it for the glory of God. Pray for sexual intimacy with your spouse.

Parents…it is time to stop allowing Satan to define sex for our children. Educate them. Start early. The average child is exposed to pornography at age 11. Eleven!! And many parents wait until high school to have “the talk” with them. At that point, you are not building a foundation for sex, but trying to destroy a foundation Satan has already built.

Church leaders…I am convinced of this. The situation in our culture today is too dire to allow parents to override you here. Talk about sex. If parents refuse to educate their children, then you do it. Do not let Satan beat you to the punch. A false understanding of sex is destroying our young people. It is destroying our nation. It is destroying our world. And we are doing nothing!

Sex is a beautiful gift created by God for a man and a woman that have vowed to spend the rest of their earthly lives with one another. If you are married…open this gift and enjoy the fullness of it.

2.) There is more than one person out there for you.

Soul mates are made…not born. I am not sure where this idea of soul mate originated, but it is false. Maintaining a healthy relationship is more about commitment than perfection. Every person on earth has imperfections. And the reality is we could spend our lives with more than one person.

Tiffani (my wife) is not perfect. There are nuances about her that frustrate me. But I have realized these frustrations are really a result of my imperfections. I love her so much. And I love her more everyday. I am committed to her.

I meet too many young people that are waiting for something that is not real. “I just couldn’t marry her because she smacked her food.” “He just wasn’t the one…he had this weird twitch when he smiled. But I know my soul mate is still out there. I just have to keep looking.”

Or you might have just missed him or her.

What if God does not want you to find a perfect person, but find an imperfect person that will draw you closer to Him? What if God desires you to marry a person with flaws to expose yours? What if God wants to teach you the value and life found in committing to one person forever, not the exhausting pursuit of searching your entire life to find the perfect person?

Soul mates are made…not born.

3.) The first year of marriage is hard…really hard.

What have we done? Are we going to make it? Why is this so hard? All questions I asked myself many times during my first year of marriage. We were arguing. We were fighting. It was really hard. And every day I thought something was wrong. I thought we had a bad marriage. Nobody warned me about the first year. But take this as a warning…the first year of marriage is difficult. If you are in the first year of marriage and thinking about giving up…congratulations. You are now…married!

But let me encourage you…do not give up. Everyone struggles. You are not unique. Persevere. There are better days coming. Your marriage will get better. Do not walk out. If you walk out now you disqualify yourself (and your spouse) from years of joy. Stick with it.

4.) A spouse does not complete you

I hate you Jerry Maguire. You have brainwashed a generation of people to believe a lie. Spouses do not complete people. I bought this lie, and it wasn’t until I let go of any notion my wife could fill some void that I was able to truly love her. Until then, I was always frustrated. I expected Tiffani to do something she was incapable of doing.

If you are empty, broken, or insecure, and you believe a spouse is the silver bullet to your problems…buckle up. It will be a bumpy ride. Only God can fill those voids. You will never be able to enjoy the beauty of marriage if your spouse’s job is to complete you.

5.) Marry somebody with similar goals, dreams, and passions.

Marry somebody that is a Christian, yes. But I would go even further. Marry somebody with similar passions and dreams. Now, I understand this breaks down at some point. People are not machines. No two people are going to want exactly the same thing in life. However, if you love foreign missions and your potential spouse hates going overseas, some tension will arise.

Synergy is extremely important in a marriage. If your spouse has the same vision as you, they will understand your struggles and support your pursuits. They will encourage your walk. They will be empathetic. There is much power in two people living life with the same goals, dreams, and passions for life.

6.) Marriage is not for everybody.

Paul talks about this in I Corinthians 7. He tells the church at Corinth to remain in the situation they are in. If unmarried, then stay unmarried. If married, then stay married. He later says this…

So then the person who marries his fiancee does well, and the person who doesn’t marry does even better. (I Cor. 7:38)

Even better? I never heard that in church. Maybe it is time for God’s people to accept the reality that God has not called everyone to marry. I have talked with young men and women that are so concerned with finding a spouse. It consumes them. And most of the pressure comes from…US. The church. Once a person reaches mid-twenties, we assume something is wrong with them if they have not married. They must have a terrible flaw.

“Bless your heart. You are almost 30 and not married? I know this must be hard!?”

Shame on us. I am worried many failed marriages are a result of people allowing the pressure of marriage to draw them into something God did not design them for. Marriage is holy and good, but it is also possible to follow Jesus without a spouse.

7.) The wedding day is a lie…don’t buy it. 

I love weddings. I love officiating them. It is a rare moment where I get to make a divine proclamation that forever changes the status of two people. Powerful.

But in an increasingly individualistic, “me” culture, weddings create a potentially dangerous situation. “Every girl lives for her wedding day.” It is all about the bride and groom. Everyone looks at them. Encourages them. Congratulates them.

Many couples have bought the lie of the wedding day…it is all about me. But marriage is at odds with this mindset. A successful wedding day is one where everyone serves you. A successful marriage is one where you serve your spouse. The wedding day is a day where the spotlight is on you. Marriage has no spotlight. The wedding day is about saying a bunch of words that most couples never take seriously. Marriage is about putting the words into action. The wedding day is joyous and celebratory. Many seasons of marriage are about persevering and not letting go through the storms.

Embrace your wedding day. Prepare for it. Celebrate it. But do not make the mistake of believing the lie. After your 20 minutes of fame, the spotlight is gone forever. It is no longer about you (and this is a good thing…you will see).