Trust your struggle - Zain Asher

For anyone who knows a bit of me, you will know I am sooo attracted to smart and intelligent individuals. I have such a soft spot for smart people. Listening to Zain however kept me glued to my screen, not just because of her wits but the reality of what she said in comparison to the expectations/dictates of society. Lovely! Lovely! Lovely!! Be Inspired guys...

Amazeballssssss..... I love!love! love!!!

On Replay...

2015..... what a year.....I will remember this year for a long time and for the right reasons. My heart is filled with soooo much praise. God is sooo good. Thankful...

Merry Christmas.....

If God is not at the center of it all,if He does not direct your actions, consume your thoughts and lead your steps.... then Christmas is not worth celebrating. From my beautiful self, I wish you all a fabulous Christmas and a re-awakening of the true meaning of Christmas. xoxo

Todays Thoughts...

On Replay...

Matters of the Hat!

Be it an event, bad hair days, sunny days, quick drive to the grocery store or even a proper event like a wedding, royal ascot,funeral and the list is endless.... there is just something about women and the hats they wear. Its been here a long time and does not plan on going any where yet(hahaha). Regardless of the race, age, location or weather, hats are always a delight for the ladies who wear them and has a way of adding to a lady's persona.... That is why we love them so. And today we show a few ladies and how they use their hats to create that pizzazz....

Boss Lady! Urez kulture

Heads up! I am an Engineer!

Different eras, different looks!

On Replay...

Todays Thoughts...

Why You Can Depend On Gods Word...

  

‘…Your word is truth.’

John 17:17

When your ‘back is against the wall’, where can you turn to find strength? Awash in a sea of moral and ethical questions, where can you go to find a reliable compass? One author says: ‘There can be no more reliable authority than God’s Word. This timeless, trustworthy source holds the key that unlocks life’s mysteries. It alone provides us with the shelter we need in times of storm. Why does [it] qualify as our final authority? 




1) God’s Word is Truth. Jesus said as He prayed to the Father, “Your word is truth.” Real truth you can rely on…that’ll never shrivel up…turn sour…backfire or mislead…That’s what the Bible’s about…[it] provides us with the constant and the needed support. 2) God’s Book is God’s voice. Paul writes, “…You received the Word of God…not as the word of men, but as…the Word of God, which…effectively works in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV). Think of it this way…If the Lord were to return to earth and speak…His message would tie in exactly with what you see in Scripture—His opinion, counsel, commands, desires, and warnings. When you rely on God’s voice you have a sure foundation…truth that can be trusted…power that imparts new life and releases grace by which you can grow in faith and commitment. 3) God’s Word endures. There are only two eternal things on earth today …people and God’s Word. Everything else will ultimately be burned up…stuff we place on the shelf, things we put frames around, trophies and whatnots we shine and love to show off…all headed for the final bonfire (2 Peter 3:7, 10-12)…God’s Book “stands forever” (1 Peter 1:25 NIV).’

http://www.ucb.co.uk/word-for-today.html

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Current Fiction...

For the past couple weeks, its been non stop for me, I have had to be at different places at different times. Every year however, I make it a determination to read several books and even though its always a struggle with tight schedules and so much competing for my attention,  It always  takes a degree of discipline though to keep up with this.  I have been reading some very interesting motivational books which I will share soon. But two weeks ago as I planned a short trip out of town, I felt really spread so thinly, I was practically exhausted, with long hours spent at work as well as the current research I am working on. Not to mention the charity and yes my passion the blog and a few things I am working on which will be unveiled soon..... Yass! Lol, 2016 is going to be great indeed! Pardon my digression. As I made plans for my trip, I decided to pop into my local library and pick up a novel for the flight.  

I refuse to read eBooks, I refuse to read them on a kindle or my iPad as I already spend so much time on computers already. I just love flipping through pages, I love the smell of the papers and love to manually book mark the pages by slightly bending the tip of the page. So after reviewing some of the top reads, I settled for "The Tea Planters Wife" by Dinah Jeffries. I must admit that when I am really tired, few things help me relax. And on most occasions, a cup of warm horlicks and a good book normally do the magic. Today however, is one of those days, I have my onesie on, my pair of socks and a cup of green tea this time. Thanks to a funny stomach. 

In one word, this book is so intense, the suspense is so real, it sets your imaginations on a different frequency. Its holds you absolutely spell bound. I know its more than one word there(hahaha), but that's what the book does. I haven't stopped speaking about it and now there's a queue at work to read this most talked about book. Looking for something to read? Try this captivating fiction. Its quite new, published just this September but goes for quite a good price on Amazon or better still pop into your local library if you are in London, just like I did. Enjoy! Going back to complete the last chapter!!

On Replay...

Do Something!

Time is too short to sit doing nothing or worse still to indulge in an activity with little or no significance. Do something today, join us as we change lives for good @ www.ellyeleanor.org

On Replay....

THANKSGIVING!

Thanksgiving is a celebration peculiar to America and North America. This year however I chose to write specifically on this day. Thanksgiving really should be a daily lifestyle and not just a marked event. Some people did not live to witness this year's thanksgiving but we can be thankful for everyday because everyday is a gift.
Lesson 1: Don't wait until thanksgiving to be appreciative/thankful cos it might never come.


Also we tend to give thanks for the heights we have reached, things achieved, victories won and grounds conquered. How about being thankful for the things we think we lost? the promotions denied? the setbacks we think we experienced? the loved ones lost? and everything we think we want/want to be but have not attained yet? We ask the why's and try to reason why the situation seems so daunting and impossible..... But the truth is asking so many Why's and seeking the Reasons for every situation that we think has gone pear shaped, will steal the joy of today and consequently impact on our determination to approach tomorrow with fearless confidence.

Lesson 2: Be thankful for every situation because in the end we find out that they are just detours and truly they have already been predestined by God. One thing is certain for those that love God and the summary is that be it good or unpleasant, it all works out for our good!


Now  when it comes to thanksgiving, its a show of gratitude to God and the celebration is with family. What does that say? That in the end, after the struggle, what really matters, is our response to God and our sacrifices and love for the people that have become family. Not just by blood but by the way we have touched their lives.

Prayer: Lord today I am thankful for your love, your mercies, your grace upon my life, for the things you have saved me from, from the blessings you have brought my way, the dangers you have protected me from, the family you have put me in, the people I have been able to bless by your grace, for people who have blessed me in so many ways, for the tears that I have shed because it increased my dependence on you and has caused me to view life in a more realistic way. I am indeed thankful for I know with firm confidence, that greatness awaits me tomorrow. For all these and more I bow before you and pour out my heart to you in gratitude.

Todays Thoughts....

Few weeks ago, I was in NY and attended a service in the hillsong church at the Irving place downtown Manhattan. It was a really lovely service and I ended up buying a book: Live Love & Lead by Brian Houston and I just got to start reading it a few days ago. Yesterday however, a statement by the amazing Oscar Wilde which Brian stated in his book really got me thinking. I actually shared it with my team at work and this morning, I have still not been able to get it off my head. So here it is, to make it simple, I used my quote maker to send the message home quickly... (hahaha)
Have a great day guys as you reflect...

Feminism & Sexuality!

I get to read some interesting journals, and look what I found today from a feminist perspective. Interesting!

What has transpired in the last two decades was that for every image of a woman achieving a milestone in her business career, there were hundreds of images of women degrading themselves and using their sexuality as commodity. As a result, the businesswoman image was muddled with the sexually commoditized woman. In numerous instances, men in business were looking at the businesswoman, doubting and questioning, “Which woman are you?” (Women: Feminism, Sexuality, and Equality in the Work Place Lana Nino  .Whittier College Whittier, California, USA) 

The Little Things....

My mum called me and she starts singing " I just called to say, I love youuuuu"-Stevie Wonder. at that point I forget that I had a hectic day at work, and I was coming home to more work and despite how "wonderful" a singer she is(hahaha) I couldn't help but smile and instantly I just felt energy surge back. The little things in life I say that have a massive impact. A lot of parents celebrate their children, when they are successful, but mine have celebrated my brothers and I sooo much, we have no choice but to turn out successful. And when people say, "Elly you are doing really well, where do you get the energy from?" I just smile and thank God for blessing me with the best parents and because of their support, I have no doubt, the sky is my starting point! For the first time on this blog in three years, despite my private approach, I choose to celebrate them publicly here. And I pray God blesses every good parent out there! Bisou! Bisou!!

Todays thoughts....

www.linkedin.com

On Replay....

Tick! Tock!!!

I had my coffee in one hand and ate my eggs and sausages with the other while I still chatted with a friend who suggested we spend Christmas in Paris. As it is my routine, I have the news channel  on as I get dressed for work and its the first channel I put on when I get back. And I had sky news on and there it was breaking news! Terror in Paris. I watched in dismay as the death toll kept rising. Some are having coffee and sausages and others are dying and others in anguish. As if that was not enough, I received a message via whats app, my friend and her hubby were in Paris for the weekend and were right in the middle of it all and she sent the message as they took cover on the floor of a nearby restaurant. I was making plans, and these people also had great plans for the future. To man belong the plans of the heart, but God decides which comes to pass(Prov 16:1) I am yet to get over the Russian airline, that crashed with photos of families that just wanted happiness, most on their way back from vacation. In Syria, Nigeria and lots of places people are dying from terrorism, war, poverty due to corruption of greedy and corrupt leaders.





In the midst of it all, we act like we have permanent residence here on earth. Tomorrow is not guaranteed and nothing is for ever. Death however is guaranteed though the form of exit for each of us might be different. When it finally happens, will you be ready to face your maker?? We are in the end time and the bible says evil will be on the increase. Have you made peace with God? Today is another opportunity.

I sincerely pray for all the families that have lost loved ones due to terror, plane crashes, sickness and disease. A lot of pain in the world. God help us all. We will not faint. God over all!

Todays Word......

On Replay.......

Not My Spine-Part 2

"In my book, there is an angle of negligence and inattentiveness which both contributed greatly to my suffering. I believe people will learn to dig deep into issues before giving up or concluding on it. And this does not have to be with their health but in other areas of life. It is needful to ask probing questions, ask for 2^nd 3^rd opinions if that is what it takes to get to the root cause of an issue. My story also shows that there is still hope for mankind"

Get a copy from:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Not-My-Spine-Untold-Story/dp/1504927605/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443732401&sr=1-1&keywords=not+my+spine

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-my-spine-esosa-ruth-ikolo/1122709517?ean=9781504927598

On Replay.....

Life & Death...

Yesterday I went up to the city after work about Charing Cross to meet up with a friend and as we walked across to get to the other side of Piccadilly, we saw a man who had slumped and initially I tried to understand what was going on as the crowd started growing, and I observed his heavy breathing, his eyes changing, people frantically calling the ambulance emergency service, I was a bit confused. I wondered if he was asthmatic and was having an attack until it finally dawned on me that this man was actually having a heart attack. We watch all the symptoms on TV, attend first aid courses, know the rescue positions and are glad we are equipped. But when the chips are down, we find out our nerves get the best of us and its a different kettle of fish. Anyways some individuals came to the rescue, however before my very eyes, this man was gone! What a sight.... His daughters broke down in tears, and more individuals tried to continuously administer CPR, there was a pulse at this point but it was not good enough as he lay lifeless, the emergency services had arrived at this point and I didn't want to watch the end of it but silently kept praying that God would have mercy and keep him. I couldn't bare to look at his three lovely daughters as they cried and were in extreme shock. As we walked away just within hearing distance, there was a flash mob kind of thing going on and some young individuals were displaying their acrobatic skills and there was still another crowd.... Distances apart, two crowds, one man struggling to live, and another displaying so much life..... As I think about it all, a constant reminder is that there is a thin line between life and death.... You just never know. The bible says if the Lord does not watch over a city, the watchmen watch in vain. You can never be too careful. If we live, we should live for Christ and when the inevitable happens(death) we should also die in Him. Have you made peace with God today? If No is your answer and you are reading this,then the opportunity presents itself. Having a relationship is different from being a church goer or ticking the box christian. The question is do you really love God??? And do you have a relationship with Him? All the while, through last night, this song played in my head and I said the prayer in my heart. May God keep Us.....

Not My Spine.... A must Read!

I met Esosa for the first time in 2010 at a friends baby shower and her warm personality endeared her to me. If you know me, I love when ladies have their head straight, clued up on what they want and are daring to get what they want. And for ladies like Esosa who go a step further to venture into the so called "men world of engineering", I respect more LOL! That's on a lighter note... However some stories are not told, because they are not just stories but life defining moments, that not only change our perception but could change the world if we are willing to share our experiences. And these experiences are shared at set times and the time is set for us to tell the world this story........ 

Not My Spine.......

This memoir is a true, compelling and inspiring story about a woman’s experience during the pregnancy of her first child, and also after the birth. Esosa nursed her dream of being a great mother when she became an expectant mum, but this dream became somewhat crippled when she began to suffer from a mysterious illness.

With the expectation that when baby arrives she’d get better given pregnancy comes in different guises, Esosa’s condition went from bad to worse. She became incapacitated and so was forced to leave her new baby to the mercies of strangers while she lay dangerously ill in hospital. Faced with the very real possibility of permanent paralysis, she fought to get back her lost willpower and hope, in order to live the life she had always dreamed.

Through this traumatic experience, Esosa now understands how the ignorance about the symptoms of this disease and the range of sites within the body it affects can be detrimental. If her doctors missed it when it initially presented itself, so can anyone considering the subtle yet grave symptoms which mimics several other illnesses.

A thought provoking, revealing and uplifting story which shows real faith and strength come to life in the face of adversity. Her courage to share what she suffered from as a result of this ordeal is gripping and unravels so much information for everyone. This insightful book is a must read for everyone living in every part of the world who cares to know about a killer disease which can lurk unsuspected for several years before reaching out to harm. She hopes that through her story people will be inspired as well as armed with potentially lifesaving information.

Joke Of The Day!

Whiffy Shoes......

At work, I have got this colleague who is always on my case. And I don't mean it in a nasty way because that kind of enforced camaraderie of office life is needed  from time to time. However he has such a big mouth most times that I lack response to his cynicism which is rare with me but I just bite my upper lip and let go. Its actually been a personal decision for  sometime. The older I get, I find out that not every battle is worth fighting. I have been determined to choose my battles wisely as well as my response. Some statements/remarks are so foolish however, but on days like this, I just brew the coffee stronger, ask God for grace, get some fresh air and continue my day as normal. This is not part of the story just an interjection(hahaha)

However, living in London, I normally leave for work in these flats, that have seen better days and I change to proper shoes before the doors open to the public. These shoes have survived the holocaust, 2nd &3rd world wars, Hiroshima bombings, in fact you name it!(hahahha). Thanks to marks and spencer and their 100%  original leather goods, the shoe has still refused to breathe its last breath. With these shoes, the remark that someone/something fits into ones life like an "old pair of shoes", comes alive


 
Today however, this guy picks up my shoes from under my desk. He lifts it up and goes "Elly can you come and have your shoes" As he held it up, I just said a silent prayer "God, let him not smell those shoes or the entire team wont hear the last of it" Anyways, that is one prayer, that was not answered because right before my very eyes, he brought the neglected shoes to his nose!!!!!

I braced myself up for what was to come, and to my shock he goes, well they don't smell but come and pick them up. I couldn't believe my eyes and rushed and actually smelt them and it just smelt of original leather, nothing more. I saw the look on his face as I laughed, "And I screamed Yes!!!!! my hygiene is top notch. The only thing he didn't know however was the prayer I prayed before, and the panic I almost had before it all(hahaha)

Don't be caught off guard peeps, get your shoes cleaned and yours socks/thighs too pleaseeeee....... Haha

On Replay...

What do you want from Life?

I recently read an interview on Linked In pulse between Jeff Weiner and Oprah and I must say I was captivated from start to finish. It asks the question that I actually have a few of the answers to myself but my major challenge is coordinating all I want from life and all I want to give in life hmmmmm.
Life! Life! Life! As I just write this, in drops in my heart that I need to read the Purpose Driven Life again by Rick Warren.
I really enjoyed reading the interview and it made me reflect on a lot of things in life. I hope it does the same for you!

One of my favorite parts of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” came after the cameras stopped rolling.

I would spend time with the studio audience in Chicago and open up an ongoing Q and A. Inevitably, the conversation would move toward honest and sincere talk about their lives. In almost every session I’d ask: "What do you want?"

It’s a deceivingly simple question — and one I’ve found most people can’t answer. Yet it’s profoundly important. What do you really want in your life? And where are you on the path towards what you really want?

What I’ve come to know is that so much of our lives is controlled by our intentions and our beliefs. It matters what I believe, and what you believe, and what we as a community come together and believes. Our intentions become thoughts … our thoughts become beliefs … our beliefs become words and actions. From inception, our intentions and beliefs carry power; what we believe is often what shows up for us.  

When I realized the incredible power of manifesting

One day I was at my farm in Indiana.  It was a rainy day and I was thinking, "Gee, I sure would like some tomato soup." Soon after, the caretaker who lived across the street came in with a pot of tomato soup. I asked her: “What made you do that?" She said: "Well, honey, I had these tomatoes. So I thought maybe you'd like some tomato soup.” So I was like, Wow, if you can get tomato soup like that, what else is possible? What else can I manifest? So I started trying it with other things. I have seen it happen over and over and over again. You control a lot by your thoughts.

The conversation that taught me about life in the simplest and most powerful way

I did an interview in the late '80s with a mother who had watched her son die.  She crawled into bed with him as he was dying. And his last words were, "Oh, it was all so simple." And then he smiled. When she said that, I got chills. We're going to take our last breath and say, "Why were we struggling all that time?  Why were we swimming upstream? Where all we had to do was just look at each other and accept each other for who each of us represents on the planet.” I thought back to that quote. Ah, it was so simple. I didn't have to fight that hard. It didn't have to be that hard. That show, along with many others, had a powerful and calming impact on me in terms of the way I led my own life.

Why we all ultimately want the same thing

In speaking to the audience after my show, I kept hearing people stand up and say, "You know, I did the thing I was supposed to do. I went to school. I got the degree. I even got my master's. I did the work. And now what? I feel like that there should be something more.” And so that became one of the tenets of our show. How do you give and help to fulfill that something more that people are looking for?   

Really inspiring if you ask me, check it out on (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/simple-life-changing-question-hardly-anyone-can-answer-oprah-winfrey)

Have a fabulous week  guys

xoxo

Elly

Executive Women!

I am reading a couple journals and I came across this excerpt from a book by Susan Vinnicombe & John Bank" Women With Attitude: Lessons For Career Management" (2002), which really got me intrigued because of the facts stated. I saw this as necessary not just in the corporate environment but in the 'Real' world in general.

photocredit: people-clipart.com

 In their extensive research of executive women, they suggested ten factors for women's success in the corporate world. These factors are extremely essential whether the woman executive is one within the traditional corporate arena and/or within her own initiated organization. 

These factors include: (1) She must be confident; 
                                     (2) She must self-promote;
                                     (3) She must constantly take risks; 
                                     (4) She must always be visible; 
                                     (5) She must know how to pace her career/ career acceleration; 
                                     (6) She must be a mentor and must be mentored; 
                                     (7) She must develop her portfolio careers; in other words, resume building                                               through additional work experience either through part-time work or                                                     consulting assignments to build necessary leadership skills; 
                                    (8) She must have international experience, either through educational                                                         experiences and/or work assignments; 
                                    (9) She must serve as a role model and hopefully has benefited from some of                                              her own; and, 
                                   (10) She must develop a leadership style that is comparable (not the same) to                                                that of her male colleagues.

Interesting dont you think? 
Thinking of reading the book like I am, then look for it on Amazon, I have been there already):
Have any success story to share? Don't hold back, send me an email: elly@ellyeleanor.org.