Leslie was born mentally retarded, without eyes, and with cerebral palsy. Vegetable like, he was totally unresponsive to sound or touch. At the age of six months, he was expected to die shortly. A nurse, May Lemke, was asked if she could care for him at home until that time. She did… for more than thirty years.
When May accepted baby Leslie, she accepted him as just that, a baby – no different from others – to be taught and loved. Year after year she cared for him, but there was no movement or response. Even so, she never stopped talking to him, singing to him, or praying for him. Music filled their home… still, no response. She and her husband bought an old, used piano and put it in his bedroom. She pushed his fingers against the keys. With quiet faith, she knew God would someday help Leslie to break out of his prison. She rejoiced when he began to walk at age 16.
Several years later, May and her husband were awakened one night by the sound of Tchaikovsky’s piano concerto No 1. Startled, they arose to find Leslie at the piano with a smiling glow on his face. Shortly thereafter he began to talk and to cry… and to sing. And at age 28, he began to talk in earnest.
Dear reader, I think by now we would’ve seen, heard or read enough to convince us that the only sure way not to succeed is by giving up. I believe in miracles, but I think it happens faster when we decide to hang on. All we need is faith that it will come to pass. There are times our situation will look hopeless, but pause and remember that men and women havepassed through worse situations and still made it to the top.
Man can achieve anything he strongly believes in. I remember reading the story of Prince Albert. Prince Albert of England once visited the laboratory of a scientist named Lyon Playfair. According to Playfair’s biographer Sir Wemyss Reid, as the Prince and Scientist stood near a caldron of boiling lead, Playfair asked, “Has your royal highness any faith in science?”
“Certainly,” answered Prince Albert. Playfair washed the prince’s hand in a special solution and then told him to use his hand to ladle out some of the hot metal. The prince plunged his hand into the caldron and scooped up some in his palm – and he wasn’t injured.
For those of us who are in positions of leadership, give others a chance to develop. Don’t be quick in judging others. Those who do not perform today, with little assistance and motivation can perform tomorrow. Is there someone God has entrusted in your care? Go the extra mile to make it possible for that person to discover his potentials and put it into good use.
The key is in your hands. Use it!
– Uju Onyechere
| Many people have challenges deciding on what business to go into in the bid to generate multiple streams of income. Their main concern is what will make money rather than what value they can add to society. Since money is the major driver, there is often lack of effort in creativity, and the tendency is to copy what others are already doing which seems to be making money rather than what they are passionate about or good at. Consequently, when one person charts a new course and seems to be making it, copy cats are not far behind.
There is nothing wrong in copying, if you add value in the process (make it better than the original). However there is something wrong in totally abandoning what you were born to do, in the bid to grab at anything that seems to bring money in the short term. You have to settle it in your mind upfront that starting a business is simply a vehicle for serving the larger society. Everyone has something to give, something others are looking for, whether you believe it or not. The main reason you are still alive is because you are yet to give all you came to this world to give. The moment you pour out everything you came to give, your time here is almost up. There are countless opportunities to make your community, the state and the country better. In a country like Nigeria that lacks even some basic amenities and infrastructure, there are unlimited opportunities to close the gaps, by starting a business that will address one of the countless needs. When you fill a need, people will be willing to give you money for your service. The secret of becoming rich is to serve more and more people. The challenge is to develop the system that will do just that. It starts with knowing what to give, and how to go about giving it. You need to have the aptitude, skill set and passion to be able to give on a sustainable basis, without abandoning ship. What are you good at? Wherein lies your passion? What drives you? What do you love doing so much that you can even do it for free? What annoys you? What gets you upset anytime you come across it? Your passion and purpose may very well lurk within the answers. If you notice something wrong that nobody else seems to notice, or mind, it may very well be your job to fix it. You keep saying, “One of these days, I will ….” What if today is that day, what do you want to do? If failure is impossible, what would you attempt? You can practically build a business around any passion. Money will come. It is simply a matter of time. Simply seek ye first your purpose, passion, gifts, dreams and go for it full blast. All other things shall be added unto you, if you don’t give up too soon. The answers you seek lie within. Stop looking outside. What you are looking for is not lost. -Usiere Uko is editor of www.financialfreedominspiration.com and author of Practical Steps to Financial Freedom and Independence – www.amazon.com/Practical-Steps-Financial-Freedom-Independence/dp/147006832X . |
Ephesians 1:7
The lustful desires of your heart
He turns them to divine love
That hatred towards your neighbour
Now passion to save his soul
Before, he is quick to anger
Now, provoke him and he smiles
All pursuit bringing grief at the end
Now a mission to gain eternal rest
It all happened like a mystery
Jesus died to bring it to pass
This is a hard saying, who can hear it?
What a truth! Jesus cleanses everything at a go.
– okenna igbokwe
Whao! They are all fully ready for the race! The field is clear and the tracks are set! Indeed: the field is surrounded by many lovers of the game! What are they there for? To watch the race of course! Everyone is interested in knowing who comes first! Even though none of the competitors hope to come last! Yes! They’ve all under gone strict trainings….
Those that needed medical attention did not fail to seek it! The muscle is set and prepare for the game-it’s a race! Everyone on his track, waiting for the whistle to blow. Of course, they know the rules and they know what disqualifies, so they must not cross the border…! Each following his lane! Now! Everything is set: On your marks…. Get Set…. Go!….. The race has begun … the crowd is hailing, clapping and shouting .Hmm….nh… Will they be carried away with these praises of men? Will they try to look beside them to see who just mentioned their name in hails…? No they concentrate on the race! For the crowd will only be interested in whoever comes first! So all of them are being hailed but only one gets the prize! Ten are on the marks now but only one will come first! Just one gets the prize! Indeed, none of them is playing on the field; none of them is walking; they’re running with all their might! But only one, just one gets the prize! All of them have spent time in strict trainings…. But the first comer gets the prize! What a waste of strength, waste of time it is for the rest runners? The hails they received at the start of the game soon turn to shame and pity – for only one comes first! Though tired and worn-out…. yet without prize! Though strictly trained and very ambitious…. Yet without prize of course! Not the runner but the winner..!
Yes! Even though we all run daily our Christian race… But only the winners get the prize, not the runners. People of real faith who are blessing many souls; people of hard and sacrificial labours of love; people of sleepless nights interceding for souls; people of evangelism tours into villages and rural areas. God loves them …but remember: in a race, all runner runs, but only one gets the prize…! Just one gets the crown! Very well… the father is ready to reward all our labours of love. But the crown is actually for the winner, not the runner. Run therefore to win and not just to participate!
“So daily, I beat under my body, bringing it to subjection, that after I might have preach to others I myself may not be cast-away”. Here is the rule that guides the race of the kingdom! That we may not fail to daily work upon ourselves… that we may not concentrate on building other “houses” while ours lies in ruin…!
That the word we preach and teach may have a solid foundation in us that we may not dispel in trials of life …. Let’s therefore watch our ways and doctrines closely. Denying the flesh daily of its lustful desires… Let not keep moving up and down for the prosperity of ministries at the expense of our personal relationship with God.
Remember; our Father will reward – but not the runners, but only the winners…!
GET SET … AND GO …. FOR THE PRIZE IS YOURS!
– raphael aworinde