Todays Tots

We love, not because the people we love are unable to cause us pain, but because when we remember the pain caused and potential hurt that could be caused, there is just something inexplicable in our hearts that causes us to keep loving, to keep believing in that one person. And really I concur with the saying that when someone truly loves you, even if there are a 100 reasons to make them leave you, there is still that one thing that makes them stay and want to have you forever. Such is the love of our Father..... Our sins, the cross, the shame, our rejection, our pride, strong self will, insolence.... But He just keeps loving, and loving, and loving. Thank you Lord.

The Language Of Praise

This week has really been a beautiful one, but the icing on the cake for me, was when I walk through the office, after a few days of being away and everyone to my amazement is genuinely excited to have me back, even the one fella, I have had several fights with, comes by me and he goes "Elly do you mind me standing beside you as you do your photocoping"? And my answer to that was "sure I mind" lol! Yea!one of my weaknesses is that I cant pretend. The response I get however is, "Elly you may not believe it but I really missed you as he looked me in the face, this time however, I managed a very wry smile. And deep in my heart, I remind myself, to make excuses for people, and give people not just a second chance, but a third, fourth xxxx chances because, trust me, we all need it at some point. I realised that truly, "PEOPLE MAY FORGET WHAT YOU SAID, OR WHAT YOU DID, BUT THEY WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL" However as I seat at my desk, a different colleague, takes a seat opposite me and goes "Elly thanks so much for all your prayers, God has started answering them and he goes along to share all the testimonies and at the end he says elly I need you to get me the devotional you usually give me, cos I misplaced them, I also want you to pray for my girlfriend too and you wont believe it but the list went on and on. As I sat back, I realised, I have been preaching to this young man from the beginning of the year, and all the time, he always made a joke of it but you know what I persisted and today, hes coming under the grasp of our father. God is not looking for perfect people, He is looking for willing individuals. Let God use you today, to affect a life, they will never forget you, and your peace and fulfillment, will be limitless.

The Controversial Word-Feminist!!

Its quite amazing how the word FEMINIST sparks so much debate and negativity. However I believe its largely based on peoples perception, In one word I say stereotype. Feminism however is a collection of movements and ideologies aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights for women. This includes seeking to establish equal opportunities for women in education and employment. A feminist advocates or supports the rights and equality of women. I can remember having a conversation with a group of people, and as I expressed my opinion, one of the men present told me I was feminist. I looked at him like Are you for real?? "I responded by saying,can you actually listen to yourself? If you want to shut me up, say something else but dont just throw words for the sake of it" For me though, be you feminist or a male chauvinist, I dont really care. What matters to me though, is that everyone we come across deserves to be respected regardless of their gender. Also for anyone who works hard, they deserve to be rewarded also regardless of their gender. I am doing a work and researching on the glass ceiling I have discovered widening pay gaps between male and female doing exactly same job which dosent seem right to me. Definitely God created male and female differently for specific reasons, but society has defined masculinity and feminity in ways that are not really holistic. It is seen in the ways in which we are raised, which breed the wrong preconception right from the word go especially in the African culture. For instance why should nourishing ones health be left to the mercy of some other, when girls are trained to cook for men. Ironically though we observe that the best chefs in the world end up being men. However I listened to the smart lady Chimamanda speak, and the reality of her words really kept me thinking and I just had to share. hope you enjoy it. Have any contrary views?? Feel free to share

TAKE YOUR PLANS TO GOD!

‘You must build…according to the pattern I will show you.’

Exodus 25:9

Go to God for the plan. God told Moses: ‘You must build this tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.’ God knows what you will need in the future, you don’t. He prepared Noah a hundred years in advance of the flood. He prepared Joseph to feed Egypt seven years in advance of the famine. Without God’s guidance the best you’ll ever have are estimates, educated guesswork and projections. ‘To the Israelites at the foot of the mountain, the glory of the Lord appeared at the summit like a consuming fire. Then Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights’ (Exodus 24:17-18 NLT). 

Moses spent over a month waiting in God’s presence for direction. Why? Because what he was building had to meet the needs of God’s people for generations. So go to the place of prayer. Tell those around you, ‘I’m not coming back until I hear from God and get His plan!’ When God orders it, He pays for it. But when He doesn’t give the order, and you decide to do it anyway, you’re on your own! Why? Because you won’t have confidence to go to Him in your time of need. Unless you start right, you won’t finish right. You say, ‘But I’m nobody special. Why would God speak to someone like me?’ If God has called you, and He has, then you’re special. His promise is, ‘If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God…and it will be given to him’ (James 1:5 NIV)

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

Move on! Move up!

Now I am working on this project and trying to put all my findings together. All seems to be going well and then a call comes in. I am definitely multitasking at this time, but after a while I don't know what button I click but everything seems to be all over the place. I am not an IT geek, if you know me, you will know I tend to shy away from very advanced technology most times lol! So getting this back to the layout I want it, seems to be taking for ever. Its about an hour and a half gone by and I have not still made any headway. At this point, there is a mixture of frustration, anger, and fatigue welling up on the inside of me. Something however tells me to just leave this for now and go to bed as it is passed 1:30am, but determination makes me carry on.

However after a while, its 2 hours gone now, on same spot, with no progress whatsoever and I have reached my threshold. I cant take it anymore. I close my laptop sulking and get to sleep. As I awake hours later, I go back to the same page and realise that everything has fixed itself and I am beaming with smiles. In my moment of excitement however, I hear a still voice say, "You see what you worry about, will definitely sort itself out"

I felt stupid however for all the time I spent on that one spot, rather than ignore it, and do something else.

Lesson Learnt;
Most times what we spend time worrying about, is not worth the time at all. Things will always sort themselves out, like the problems/challenges before the present one sorted themselves out.
Worrying only does a good job of bringing us to a halt, while we run around same circle brooding over the situation at hand rather than thinking of a likely solution.

Don't cheat yourself with worries of this life, move up and move on and if you believe in Gods power and sufficiency, you will realise that He cares for us more than we know or can imagine. Mathew 6;25-27

The Price Of Determination

9/11 will be an unforgettable date not only in the lives of Americans, or the lives of all who were involved, but in all our lives. When we all watched people, houses, businesses and lives suddenly come to a halt as a result of men who had varying opinions. Twelve years down the line though, our lives have moved on but the scars will continually remain in the lives of those directly affected, especially by the loss of loved ones. And today I pray God continues to console the hurting.

However looking at how well America has evolved from the disaster, I am really inspired by some of Americas women especially Condolezza Rice and Hilary Clinton amongst many others.


 

In most countries where the office of first lady is occupied by women with very fragile egos, who constantly demand the attention of ignorant subordinates and see the office as pageantry to showcase the latest trends in fashion and attending several luncheons and dinners with barely any economical or developmental impacts on the nation,Hilary Clinton however has risen above the shadows of her husband, to prove to every one that she indeed has steel in her spine.

She was the first female partner at Rose Law Firm, twice listed as one of the most influential lawyers in America. A fighter whose daunting personality is really admirable.
I clearly remember the presidential debate between her and Obama like yesterday and how in humility she congratulated and supported him through to victory. I am really inspired by this woman, and many others out there who portray the true image of womanhood.

I have learnt that, to the one who is determined and wont budge at the face of opposition, all things are really possible. The killer however is trying to follow tradition most times and fit into stereotypes of mediocre thinkers.

And this quote from Calvin Coolidge says it all "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."

Stillness In The Storm!

I love the quote that says,"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain". I am sorry to say but a lot of people have a very distorted view of God and His works and it is very evident when I hear the questions people ask, like "If there is really God, why do bad things like earthquakes and all the disasters happen"? I work in the financial sector and its no suprise when we refer to natural disasters as act of God. And I ponder in me the way we humans treat God, our life, people and the entire environment with this laissez-faire attitude, and yet feel we have the right to question God? I was speaking to a group of people yesterday and I clearly stated that spiritual maturity comes when we have a really intimate relationship with God, that we begin to seek His heart and not only his hands. Its evident even in the relationships we have with each other. We begin to grow deeper in love when we begin to seek the joy, peace, and fulfillment of the person we are in a relationship with, and not just what the person has to give us. If you are in a relationship, and all you do is withdraw, and withdraw and withdraw and never depositing into that relationship/life, one day the account is going to be in red, and that relationship is gonna come crashing with a big bang. Unfortunately that is the attitude of most of us towards God. We feel His job is to make things right and do as we please while we leave our lives as we wish. Unfortunately in Chemistry, we learn that for every ACTION there is always a subsequent REACTION. And this implies also in the spiritual. In Ps 23:4 It says even though I walk through the valleys of shadow of death, I will fear no evil. That clearly tells us that there will be valleys to walk, but as we walk them, He is there to walk with us. Isa43:2 says when you pass through the waters, fires, storms, you will not be burned/drowned/overcome cos I will be with you. Going through a storm/storms? Remember there is nothing too hard, for God to do. Jer32:27. Like others too, it will be PASS! So be still and know that God is very Able to do all things.