Failure. What failure?

Has something you have been working on failed to impress? Take heart and learn from those who have been there done that.


Oscar Wilde remained unshaken by the failure of his early play The Duchess of Padua:

'The play itself was a profound success.

But the audience was a profound failure.'

Now isn't that a clever way to get up when you are down!

Only don't forget to look carefully at both sides because the source of failure is somewhere in-between.

Be wise!

Advice on being content

Quentin Crisp's view of social mobility:

'Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level.

It's cheaper.'

Benjamin Franklin, one of America's Founding Fathers put it this way:

'If you want to know the value of money,

go and try to borrow some.'

Everyone is talking about me...

Have you ever been in a situation where 'everybody' knew something that had happened to you and was telling everybody else about it? That must have made you really angry.

'Why can't they just mind their own business and keep quiet?' you may have asked. Or better still, you might just decide to go on and give them something to talk about. Whether that does you any good or not is up to you.

The way I see it is that you cannot stop anyone from talking about you. Today it is you, tomorrow it is someone else. It is the social nature of human beings. Mind you, it would be odd if nobody had anything to say about you.


Oscar Wilde, the flamboyant Irish dramatist believed that:

'There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about,

and that is not being talked about.'

There you go, not so bad, eh?

So what next? The answer is simple: Guard against your reputation, it is far more important than gold and jewels.

So you find things funny, don't you?

"Everything is funny as long as

it is happening to somebody else."

Will Rogers,

American humorist.

Did you just ask your friend for money? Big mistake!

'The holy passion of Friendship is of so sweet

and steady and loyal and enduring nature

that it will last through a whole lifetime,

if not asked to lend money.'

Mark Twain

American satirist.

If you want to break a friendship, ask your 'close friend' for money to get you out of a tight spot with the promise that 'I will pay you back when my paycheck comes in'. Now that is the biggest mistake you will have made and it could probably signal the end of your 'friendship'. Why the quotes? Because a true friend (very rare in this materialistic world we live in), will not hesitate to help you.

The mistake that a lot of us make, me included, is to turn to our friends all the time when we get out of budget. We forget to turn to God, who is the source of all our needs. I sometimes wonder why this happens and have come to the conclusion that maybe it is because they are the nearest to us at the time. We trust them to understand that predicament that we have been telling them about and hope that when we are in need they will sympathise with us and give a helping hand.

Oh how wrong I have been. My experience is that when you tell someone that you have a problem, chances are that they will also tell you (true or not, I do not know) that they also have a problem and so cannot help you. Some problems seem to grow legs the moment you mention your own. Sad, but possibly true.

So I get so disappointed. Why? Because I told the wrong person my problem and worse still turned to the wrong person for help and advice. I should have told God and trusted my Heavenly Father to help and guide me. God is the only one who can help in times of need. You just have to believe it and speak to Him when the going gets tough. Then, stop and LISTEN TO GOD for your response. You will be surprised at the outcome.

When things are difficult financially, God wants you to learn how to make it better. It is usually a tough lesson on learning to better manage your financial resources and I know that by seeing it this way I have come out stronger. Take heart, all is not lost. Remember this prayer the next time you are in a financial dilemma:

O God...give me neither poverty nor riches!

Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.

For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say,

"Who is the Lord?"

And if I am too poor, I may steal

and thus insult God's holy name.

Proverbs 30:8-9

Jesus said,

"Your Father knows exactly what you need

even before you ask Him."

Matthew 6:8

Money

Money makes the world go round! Have you heard that saying?!
How round can this already round world get?
Think about it - some say that money is the source of all evil. True.
Others say money is evil. False.
It is the LOVE of money that is evil. True.

What money cannot buy...

Money can buy a house,

but not a home.

Money can buy a bed,

but not sleep.

Money can buy a clock,

but not time.

Money can buy you a book,

but not knowledge.

Money can buy you a position,

but not respect.

Money can buy you medicine,

but not health.

Money can buy you blood,

but not life.

Money can buy you sex,

but not love.

So you see, money isn't everything.

And it often causes pain and suffering.

anonymous.

Money can buy you anything,

but not everything.

And you thought money can make you happy,

think again!

Did I hear someone about to give up copying

the lifestyles of the rich and famous?

I thought so.

I am an eagle

Have you ever been in a situation where everybody around you keeps off because you spoke to them about God and Jesus Christ?

Have people abandoned you because you have chosen to put God first in all you do and are not ashamed to admit it?

Have you felt alone in a crowd during break time when everybody is talking about the night before when they went out and got so drank that they woke up in a strange place with someone they did not know and yet they do not seem bothered about their lifestyle?

Have you felt alienated when someone asks you how your weekend was and you say that you spent it at a retreat praying and meditating on the word of God; then suddenly everyone looks at you like you just lost a nerve, then silence, then they start moving away and leaving you sat there alone?

Have you felt out of place because you never attend those parties that everybody else goes to but instead choose to spend a quiet time at home praying and thanking God?

Find comfort in these words from Isaiah:

But they that wait upon the Lord

shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

and they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40: 31

Eagles don't fly in flocks but are usually spotted soaring alone, high in the sky; catching the air currents with their wings spread wide and making flight look effortless.

God calls us to soar in flight...not to constantly flap our wings.

Be Blessed.

Disappointment happens

Sometimes things don't go the way we want them to. Somebody you trust betrays and rejects you and makes you feel inferior, less confident - a huge blow on your self-esteem. Then when you look back, chances are that you start blaming them for their disloyalty and even go as far as blaming God (If God loves me how can He let this happen to me?!) but not yourself.

Now wait a minute! Did you not hear that inner voice telling you not to go ahead with it? Did people close to you not tell you that it was not right? Did your friends not tell you that they thought you made the wrong choice and should beware? Ha! There you go - God tried to talk to you in many ways but you ignored and thought that you knew better, that you were right and they were wrong. So before accusing God, stop and search. He was there but you pushed Him away.

But wait a minute, God did not let it happen to you. It happened to you because you made the wrong choice! God did not leave you, YOU left Him and decided to go it alone. And the result? Disappointment! Between you and God, guess who moved - YOU did. Looking back, God is still where you left Him, patiently waiting for you to come back and start all over again.

And start all over again is what you must do. First start by forgiving yourself for your error in judgement, then forgive that which wronged you. Get back with God and include Him in everything you do. You will not go wrong. Learn from your failure and make sure the lesson, not the deed sticks in your mind. And God will still be by your side, guiding you if only you let him.

Commit your work to the Lord,

and your plans will succeed.

Proverbs 16:3

Take care and God bless you all.

Procrastination

Lord, I hate it when I procrastinate. Oh, that can wait, I will do it tomorrow. My assignment is due on Monday, today is Friday. Never mind, I still have Saturday and Sunday to do it. I get really annoyed when this happens to me as I am sure many have experienced it.

God deliver me from the spirit of procrastination.
It is the devil's way of slowing me way down
and it makes me dislike
what I should be doing with enthusiasm.

Putting things away will not get them done.
Avoiding doing that assignment or postponing
my exam revision will not make it go away.
One week later, it will still be there where I left it
waiting for my attention.

So why push it forward.
Why not just do it anyway and get it over with?
Furthermore, I have prepared all that I need
to get the work done.

Lord, please help me to banish this fear that grips me
and turns me into a temporary statue
putting me in pause mode
making me think that delaying action will get things done
only to start playing weeks later just where I had stopped
having made no progress at all
and making me feel worse off than before.

Help me not to give in to any avoidance temptations
like going shopping when I really do not need to.
Or watching TV when I could have sat down
and paid attention
and concentrated on my work
and done it even though it may be difficult at to start with.
Give me the perseverance to keep on
and the courage and confidence to get the work done, NOW!

My Heavenly Father, let me do as your word says:

"For you have not given me a Spirit of Fear,

but of power, love and a sound mind."

2 Timothy 1:7

Because I believe your word and your promises, O Lord, I know that my prayer has been answered, in Jesus' mighty name, AMEN.

Pauline.

Decisions...

I have had a rather difficult week. I was feeling under a lot of pressure with people needing my attention from all angles and I felt like I was sinking amidst all these demands. To be honest, I was feeling really stressed out. But you know God has a way of reaching us when we are at our depths and that is just what happened. I went to tidy up and came across a book I had bought a while back and not read. I opened a page at random and read a very moving testimony which led me to feel much better and encouraged. I felt a burst of energy and a lot of comfort from these words:

"I will show you what you shall do."

1 Samuel 16:3

It is true what a lot of wise people have said in the past. Never give up on God because he will never leave you nor forsake you. Just remember to always thank and praise Him no matter how you feel because He is looking out for you and will talk to you at the most unexpected times in the most unexpected ways.

God Bless you all and stay encouraged.

Best wishes,

Pauline.

The strength that sustains...

Be strong and courageous.
Do not be terrified;
do not be discouraged,
for the Lord your God
will be with you
wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9

Silence pays...

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
Max Ehrmann

God with you

The Lord your God goes with you;
He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Deuteronomy 31:6

Life is hard, many say...

The gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard,
and there are few people who find it.
Matthew 7:14

For You I will, Lord

Lord, I will live for you, for you alone;
Heal me and let me live.
My bitterness will turn into peace.
You save my life from all danger;
You forgive all my sins.
No one in the world of the dead can praise you;
The dead cannot trust in your faithfulness.
It is the living who praise you,
As I praise you now.
Fathers tell their children how faithfull you are.
Lord, you have healed me.
We will play harps and sing your praise,
Sing praise in your Temple as long as we live.
Isaiah 38:16-20

A new you

When anyone is joined to Christ, he is a new being;
the old one id gone, the new one has come.
All this is done by God, who through Christ
changed us from enemies into his friends...
2 Corinthians 5: 17-18

Looking for a way out?

Jesus said:
'I am the way, the truth, and the life;
no one goes to the Father except by me.'
John 14:6

Bright as the Sunrise

The road the righteous travel is like the sunrise,
getting brighter and brighter
until daylight has come.

The road of the wicked, however, is dark as night.
They fall, but cannot see
what they have stumbled over.

Pay attention to what I say, my son.
Listen to my words.
Never let them get away from you.
Remember them in your heart.

They will give life to anyone who understands them.
Be careful how you think;
your life is shaped by your thoughts.
Proverbs 4: 18-23

A Prayer about stopping to Think

Oh Jesus,
There is so much violence in the world;
is it because we don't stop to think
that we just battle on;
so sure it is right
when it is wrong;
so sure it is wrong
when it is right.
Oh Jesus, I pray
teach me to stop flaunting
and to think.
To stretch out in kindness
and gentleness
and strength
and to understand
what is the true
and holy meaning
of right and wrong
and to smile a bit more.
Rosa George

The Word of Life

Before the world was created, the Word already existed;
he was with God, and he was the same as God.
From the very beginning the Word was with God.
Through him God made all things;
not one thing in all creation was made without him.
The Word was the source of life, and this
life brought light to mankind.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has never put it out.
John 1:1-5

The Spirit of Truth

When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.
He will not speak on his own;
he will speak only what he hears,
and he will tell you what is yet to come.
John 16:13

A Prayer about Life

Dear Lord
Life can be so strange
so full of agony
so heartbreaking
so full of tears
and then
so beautiful.

So full of joy
but this I know
is the life that
You in Your love
have prepared for me
so that I can
understand
the true meaning of
loving and giving.

The whole reason
for living each hour
each moment, for You.

Oh Beloved Lord
teach me to live
each of those hours
those moments
for You,
only for You.
Rosa George.

Life,

beautiful life,

is a gift from God;

a gift that we must cherish,

a gift worth nurturing,

a gift worth waking up for

each and every day.

Life is of God,

we are made in His image

and likeness;

we are His children,

born to serve His purpose.

Life is of God.

Life without God,

is meaningless,

full of struggle, strife,

full of agony and resentment

full of helplessness,

anger and impatience.

Life must be with God.

Life we must guard,

guard with the full armour of God

guard with the sword of the Spirit;

guard by our thoughts

and actions

guard by obeying the

ten commandments.

We must guard our bodies

for they are the temple of the Lord.

Life, we must guard.

Pauline Okposi.

A Thinking about Jesus Prayer

I'm sitting here, Beloved Lord,
just thinking about You
and wondering, my Jesus
if You're thinking of me too;
if this should sound presumptuous
it's not meant in that way,
it's only that it's wonderful
to know You're there each day.
It may sound, Lord, familiar
but I don't mean that at all,
it's only that I want to love You
more and more and more;
it's only that each day would be
impossible to live
impossible to do my work
impossible to give.
How could I live without You
how could each day go by
How could my heart be empty
feeling You always nigh?
How could I think I know not what
knowing You died for me -
to give me everything I've got
you hung upon a tree;
to give me all that's needed
to draw me close to You,
to give me strength to live this life
the way You want me to.
And so my Lord I'm sitting here
just thinking about You
knowing, Jesus, Saviour mine
You thought about me too.
Rosa George


That is the miracle of
understanding
why You gave up Your all
for me.
Thank you, Lord.

A Prayer about Listening

Lord
You are never silent
You will
always speak to us
if only we will
stop and listen.
Rosa George

Lord
You love us so much
You will
always give us what
we ask for
if only we will
sit patiently
quetly
peacefully
and wait.
Pauline Okposi

The Magnificat - Mary's song

This is the song of Mary the mother of Jesus upon visiting her cousin Elizabeth with news of her pregnancy.
Mary's pregnancy was a miracle,
A miracle that changed the world,
A miracle whose happening meant that
everything would never be the same again.
A Blessed miracle.
A miracle indeed.

My soul magnifies you, my Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,

for you have looked with favour

on the lowliness of your servant.

You, the Mighty One, have done great things for me,

and holy is your name.

Your mercy is for those who fear you

from generation to generation.

You have scattered the proud in the thoughts

of their hearts.

You have brought down the powerful from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly.

You have filled the hungry with good things,

and sent the rich away empty.

Based on Luke, chapter 1.

The twenty third Psalm

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul:
he leads me in the paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil:
for You are with me,
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies:
You annoint my head with oil;
my cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

You want a miracle?

To receive a miracle:

Believe in the miracle,

Ask for the miracle,

Expect the miracle.

It's that simple.

Why worry? Instead, count your blessings.

I have learnt, after a lot of trials and errors, not to worry about things I cannot change or cannot afford. One of the things that used to wind me up was the lack of money all the time. Another was owning a property - having a mortgage, and other material things like so and so! Especially when my friends put pressure on me with comments such as 'XYZ has a mortgage, when will you have one?' As time went by my worries multiplied but my situation remained the same. What does it pay to worry?

Prayer upon prayer taught me that worry only robs you of the joy of living today. I realized that I don't have to have what other people have because everybody's life circumstances is different and there is nothing wrong with being different as long as God is with you. As a result, I learnt to count my blessings by simple observations like these:

In spite of my financial difficulties, I have never gone hungry or thirsty,

lacked a roof over my head,

failed to put on my clothes,

or lacked companionship from those who matter!

The lesson? Miracles have two parts: God's part and your part. Do your part and let God do His part. So why worry? Look at these scripture readings on worry:

Worry weighs us down; a cheerful word picks us up (Proverbs 12:25).

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the centre of your life.

(Phillipians 4: 6-7)

Oh God, give me the strength

to look up and not down,

to look forward and not back,

to look out and not in, and

to lend a hand.

Edward Everett Hale.

COMFORT

We are a fragile species. One thing going wrong can mean the complete demise of our spirit. One friend turning against us and our response is simply, 'I will not talk to them again, never will I have anything to do with these people again!' Wait a minute, don't you think that is harsh?
Don't you think you are looking for comfort in the wrong places? No wonder you get bitter and rage with anger and disappointment.

But wait a minute, all is not lost. For God provides us with comfort and good cheer, if only we could seek it. Here is the proof:

God is a safe house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times.
Psalm 9:9

God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him.
Psalm 46:1

Pile your troubles on God's shoulders - He will carry your load, He will help you out.
Psalm 55:22

We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort - we get a full measure of that, too. - 2 Corinthians 1:5

What I can do

If I can do some good today,

if I can serve along life's way,

if I can say something helpful,

Lord, show me how.

If I can right a human wrong,

if I can help to make one strong,

if I can cheer people with smile or song,

Lord, show me how.

If I can aid one in distress,

if I can lessen one's burden,

if I can spread more happiness,

Lord, show me how.

Grenville Kleiser.

On being a parent

According to the world, you are a failure if, for whatever reason, you are unable to have children of your own. BUT, according to God Our Father, you are a winner, whether or not you have children. So who's view is more important - God's or man's?

God has many purposes for us to fulfill and bearing forth a child and bringing him or her up according to His Word is only just one of them. The problem I find is that human beings fail to recognize this. Instead, they place so much emphasis in having children that if this does not happen, they treat you as if you are an outcast, the cursed one. These are the devil's lies and any true Christian should not be crippled by such comments and views.

Proverbs 19:21 tells us: We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but GOD's purpose prevails.

Therefore my brothers and sisters, if there is anyone among you who does not yet have children of their own, PRAISE GOD! In every situation, PRAISE GOD and let Our Heavenly Father work in your life. You may think that all is finished for you but God works miracles and wonders and the best is yet to come. Be encouraged and spend this time while waiting on the Lord to do other things that please him. And our Father in Heaven, who sees what you do, will reward you abundantly.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, AMEN.

God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interiror of his purposes.

You don't find it lying around on the suface.

It's not the latest message, but more like the oldest -

what GOD determined as the way to bring out his best in us,

long before we ever arrived on the scene.

1 Corinthians 2:7

The first day of the first month of the new year!

Happy new year to you all!

Today's word:
The Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.
(Deuteronomy 31:6)

The message

The new year is here and it's at this time that people always say that they will start on a clean slate. I will stop smoking, drinking; I will loose weight; I will save more and the list is endless.
My resolution for this year is to finish everything I started last year. And that means completing any tasks that I believe God has sent me to do, but not without my Father in Heaven. There is no compromise. No room for procrastination this year. All tasks are to be finished, even the small ones. And because I believe God is with me and He will not forsake me, what can possibly go wrong?
I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me. (Phillipians 4:13)

Stay Blessed.