This Life…

OK, Jai Mcdowall won Britain’s Got Talent 2011.

Like many people, I had him in my top 5 but my eyes were on New Bounce or Ronan to win.

It is quite interesting how a man’s life changes overnight…

While the press was reporting Jai’s winning story, they were also saying one of the judges of the other show is now out of job both in UK and the USA.

But 6/7 months ago, she was the nation’s SH. She won two series back to back. She even had the record of being the first judge not to choose (which I think was part of her job spec as a judge)

She decided who she took to the life show and who she did not…it was almost like she had the say over other people’s lives.

This life….

Who would have ever imagined that she would now be the one out of job?

I am sure she will bounce back though …

When I think of Gamu Nhengu’s story: the controversy around her being dropped from X Factor, the visa issue/ the court cases, I believe that she will still do well in the music industry whether now or later.

Also:

• No position is permanent
• When man closes a door, God can open several others
• The man in charge today will not be in charge forever
• The interviewer today can become the interviewee tomorrow
• Nobody can stop your destiny
• Sometimes things go bad so they could become better…

What do you do when you do not know what to do 1?

Have you ever experienced those moments, where it looks like you are alone and all by yourself? When it looks like you are carrying the weight of the world? Or you seem to be singled out for troubles?

I have had situations and events happen, that really pushed me. I mean, push me to the wall. Times when you pray and say God “I know you know what you are doing but I do not see the total picture”.

There are moments when I say to God, “I know you are good and everything you do is good but everything around me is saying the opposite”. Times when I know the right scripture for the situation and somewhere inside me, I know it is going to be alright; however, what I see is a million miles away from what I know in my heart.

Sometimes, I am able to pray but at other times, I just speak to God without it sounding like prayer. Other time, I just like to stare at the TV so the moments could fly away.

I often go back to notes I had taken earlier and they are usually very helpful and reassuring but then that voice on my shoulder starts shouting all the negative stuff again.

My candid opinion based on previous experiences is that, God is too good to sit down in heaven and watch the devil mess up my life. I usually say to myself that all things work together for the good of those that love God.

While meditating recently, I had a very great revelation – there is nothing new under heaven! (That in itself is not a new revelation). And as the adage goes, “Saying that you have never heard of / seen such a thing before, is just a means of scaring the victim”.

At the end of the day, I won’t be the first and neither will I be the last. If other people have gone through it before and they do not have two heads, I will certainly go through. It shall come to pass.

It occurred to me that nothing lasts forever. Life is in seasons. After every winter comes spring. It looks like there is nothing we can do about the change in cycle… we can only align ourselves with it i.e. use it for our good. As the saying goes, it is not what happens to us but what we make out of it that counts.

Whatever, your list or issue, someone, somewhere has been through that same thing, and has come out on the other side. However, you will only come out on the other side if you keep on pressing on.

To be continued…

The Storm is Over!!!

Please join me in celebrating the anniversary of Anoda Phase, it has been an amazing 365 days!!! 

Someone sent me this mail and I could not but share it:

 A lady and her father set out on a journey on a wet and windy day. They felt that the journey might be rough and tough but they decided to set out anyway. Not too long after they started the journey, they came upon a storm, and the young lady asked her father, “What should I do?”

“Keep driving,” answered the dad. She was a little hesitant but decided to follow her dad’s instruction, so she kept driving.

However, she noticed that most cars were pulling over to the side, and the storm was getting worse. Once again, she asked him; “What should I do.” “Keep driving,” her father replied.

They drove for another few minutes when to her amazement, she noticed that eighteen wheelers were also pulling over. She told her dad, “I must pull over now, I can barely see ahead. It is terrible, and everyone is pulling over!”

Her father told her, “Don’t give up, just keep driving!”

Now the storm was terrible, but she never stopped driving, and soon she could see a little more clearly. After a couple of miles she was again on dry land, and the sun came out.

Her father said, “Now you can pull over and get out.”

“But why now?” she queried.

“I’ll tell you in a minute,” answered the dad.

After pulling over, the dad came out of the car. “Now look back at all the people that gave up and are still in the storm” “The reason we are here on dry land and are able to look back at the other people still struggling in and with the storm is because you never gave up, and because you did not give up, your storm is now over”.

This story reminds me of the Eagle. It is said that the eagle is the only bird and creature that does not fear the storm; rather it goes into the storm. Why? Because just behind the eye of the storm is sunlight.

While the other birds are running up and down, making noise and absolutely confused, the eagle goes into the eye of the storm and comes out on the other side of the storm.

Everyone may be giving up, but not you!

The strong may even give up but not you!

The bright and talented may give but not you!

If you keep on, you will get to the other side- where the sun shines!

Remember:

The battle is hottest when it is almost over

It is darkest just before dawn

Behind the storm is sunlight!

Tribute to Jim Rohn

One of the people that started me out on the road to personal development and improvement was Jim Rohn. I was particularly drawn to him because his messages were simple and you did not have to be a genius to know that what he was saying made absolute sense.

His seminars and books have had so much influence on me and I will like to share a few of the lessons, quotes and profound statements as taught by the greatest business philosopher.

• When the promise is clear, the price is easy
• A few things are responsible for the most result, find the few and spend most time on them
• We get paid for bringing value to the market place
• One discipline always leads to another discipline
• Formal education will make you a living; self education will make you a fortune
• Success is a few disciplines practised everyday; while failure is a few errors in judgement repeated everyday.
• Success is what you attract by the person you become
• If you will change, everything will change
• Work harder on yourself than you do on your job Think and act on these thoughts.

These philosophy has transformed my life and I will certainly recommend any of his materials (books, tapes and CDs) to anyone seeking for fulfillment and development in any and every area of his/her life.

Will Power

Even though, she is over 85, she is still very strong, agile, sharp and sound in mind. It’s amazing how she recollects information with so much precision and accuracy. She ensures that everyone she comes in contact with is better off than when they met her. A kind hearted and loving mother of all, who shoulders responsibilities that she needs not, everyone, loves her and she brings so much joy and hope.

One of her beliefs is that even though she is old, she is “young”; she does not have to be dependent on any one and will like to do her things by herself. She loves being active: walking around and doing small gardening and it was on one of such occasions that she fell and broke her hip bone. That was the last thing anyone wished for such a woman.

To say that the entire family was devastated was an understatement, her children, grandchildren, in-laws, friends and acquaintances were all around her to support and help her through the period. She was taken to the hospital where the doctors were very helpful and caring; one would think that she was their mother going by the attention she commanded in the ward throughout her stay in the hospital.

After the initial medical attention and treatment, she was admitted and scheduled for an operation to fix the broken hip bone. How well does the bone of an over 85 grow and what were the chances of the legs being successfully corrected? I am sure you do not have to be a medical person to know that the bones don’t grow and heal easily and readily at that age as compared to if she were younger. Prior to this event, she had been on medication for years for diabetes and other age related treatments, which may or may not affect the operation.

The Doctors gave their opinion and offered pieces of advice. All was set for the operation and on the eve of the D-day, while one of her daughters was speaking with her, she said: “I am not going to die now, no, not with this accident, even if I will die, it will be after successfully going through the operation and I will sure return home well and alright”. Did she? Of course, she did, with walking aids though. She had to use aids and go for Physiotherapy lessons to perfect her walking. However, she recovered so fast that everyone including the medical team were stunned.

It has been over 3 years since the operation and she is still growing stronger by the day. As I ponder over the story of this great and wonderful woman, I see someone whose will and determination overcame nature (in a sense) and her limitation. This story and others around you (yes, around you if you will think deeply) are proofs that indeed “Will is more important than fact”.

There is something inside every man and woman, call it will, desire, drive, determination or doggedness: irrespective of what it is called, that is what God has given us to overcome defeats, difficulties, disaster, set backs and also reach for our potential. When a man/woman makes up his/her mind, there is usually no stopping him/her. The amazing thing is that some people are yet to acknowledge the fact that they have this great power, while others often forget.

• God has given you and I the power of will and He respects our will – power
• How far we go in life is a function of how much we are willing to
• Human will is more powerful than facts as shown in the story above
• The world has a lot of people that have little or no will but know all the facts and are going nowhere
• Action is a great way to “prime” your will – knowing is not enough, you have to act
• To do what you have always wanted to do but have not been doing, you may need to tap into your will power

Are there areas of your life that need some action/activity? Have you been living your life based on people’s opinions, comments, facts and “You can not do it”? Have you been limited by facts and data?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, then it is time to confront those issues and areas knowing that there is a deposit of resources in you. Your will, determination and drive based on God’s backing are more than enough.

Don’t settle for less!

Regards
Seye

What am I here for?

Lately, I have been pondering over some issues which led me to ask some questions. As I thought more about them, I realised that I am not alone in the quest for answers. We live in a world filled with questions, and in addition to those that are running inside of us, the environment and society also throw some at us.

There are three categories of questions:

• Those we have answers to
• Those we do not have the answers to but can get from others
• Those that no one on earth has the answers to

As I started this write up, it dawned on me that no one has all the answers – the day a mortal has all the answers in the world, he stops needing God. I do not have all the answers and I will not pretend to, but I hope to achieve one or all of the following, through this medium:

• Stir you up to seek for the answers that are relevant to you
• Seek for answers from those that might have a bit of insight
• Get us all to exchange ideas
• Hopefully provide information that will come in handy for others that are not yet asking questions

One of the questions that I have asked (and I am still asking) is: What is this life all about? What am I here for?

In my search for an answer, I read the book “Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren. If you have not read it, I recommend that you please get a copy and read. From God’s word and the book, I got a few points:

• God created us and He had a plan and reason for allowing you to come to the world and at a time like this
• God never makes a mistake and you are not a mistake
• Everything that has happened to you and is happening to you is part of the whole picture/show – even the bad experiences are all working together for your good
• You will never find a meaning outside of God
• God has brought you to this world to solve a problem
• You are unique and special – so no point comparing yourself to another
• Your assignment is also unique and different – so no need trying to do it the way others have.
• Greatness lies in you
• You were made and wired up for connecting with others especially God’s people

While I do not intend to shove the content of the book down your throat, it is my strong belief that we all need to take time out, and ask this all important question: Why am I here?

It looks like we have a different problem in this age – now we know so much yet do very little about what we know. We know what we should do but we often do not do those things. It is the third month of 2009 and the question is where will you and I be by the end of the year? Closer to our purpose/dream or further? To be closer to our purpose, we need to know what our purpose is and take steps towards fulfilling our purpose.

The type of questions you and I ask will determine the kind of answers we will get. While yesterday is gone, and today is going; tomorrow is still there for us to start living our dreams and walking in purpose. If you have found your assignment, are you pursing it? If you have not found your assignment, seek and you will find. In all, let us wake up and do what we have to do.

What exactly are you here for?

Seye