Love Yourself

One day, a teacher asked her students in the class to write the names of the other students on a piece of paper. “And leave space between each name,” she instructed.

When they finished, the teacher said, “Underneath each name, I want you to write the good things you see in that person.” Immediately, the kids busied themselves with the task and took the whole class to finish it.

The teacher took the papers home and collated the material. On one piece of paper per child, she wrote all the positive qualities written by their classmates. The next class, she handed out the papers to the kids. They were very happy to read the letters. “Wow, am I really this person?” some of them gushed.

Many, many years later, the teacher received a phone call. One of her former students, who had become a soldier, was killed in battle. Would she want to attend the funeral? She went and saw many of her former students condoling with the bereaved family. As she stood beside the coffin, looking at the lifeless body of a young man in a uniform inside, a middle-aged woman approached her. “Are you my son’s grade school teacher?”

“Yes,” she said, “you must be his mother; my deepest condolences.”

“I’d like to show something to you,” the mother said. “My son had this inside his wallet when he died.” She pulled out a worn-out piece of paper. It was obvious that it had been folded and unfolded many times. Even before it was opened, the teacher already knew what it was. It was the piece of paper that contained the list of positive qualities his classmates saw in him. Kept and read all through the years.

By that time, her other students had gathered around both of them. A young man beside the teacher said, “Uh, I carry mine wherever I go too.”

A woman from behind said, “I still keep mine. It’s in my diary.”

Another man said, “I display my list on my desk at home.”

Another woman said, “It seems like all of us kept that paper all these years!”

The teacher was moved beyond words.

Why would a simple piece of paper mean so much? Because, here’s the truth, life can be rough. At various time, it can even be cruel. Every time we fail, every time we receive criticism, every time we get rejected, we doubt our worth. We doubt our goodness. We are very desperate for love. We need to love the saint within us.

Friend, love yourself. Each day, celebrate your positive qualities. Celebrate your goodness. Celebrate your beauty. Thank God for how wonderful He made you.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, – Romans 11:13

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Start Over

When you’ve trusted God and walked his way

When you’ve felt his hand lead you day by day

But your steps now take you another way…

Start over.

When you’ve made your plans and they’ve gone awry

When you’ve tried your best and there’s no more try

When you’ve failed yourself and you don’t know why…

Start over.

When you’ve told your friends what you plan to do

When you’ve trusted them and they didn’t come through

And you’re all alone and it’s up to you…

Start over.

When you’ve failed your kids and they’re grown and gone

When you’ve done your best but it’s turned out wrong

And now your grandchildren come along…

Start over.

When you’ve prayed to God so you’ll know his will

When you’ve prayed and prayed and you don’t know still…

When you want to stop cause you’ve had your fill…

Start over.

When you think you’re finished and want to quit

When you’ve bottomed out in life’s deepest pit

When you’ve tried and tried to get out of it…

Start over.

When the year has been long and successes few

When December comes and you’re feeling blue

God gives a January just for you…

Start over.

Starting over means “Victories Won”

Starting over means “A Race Well Run”

Starting over means “God’s Will Done”

Don’t just sit there…

START OVER.

— By Woodrow Kroll

Meditation: Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, – Philippians 3:13

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

10 Little Christians

Ten little Christians standing in a line,

One disliked the pastor, then there were nine.

Nine little Christians stayed up very late,

One slept in on Sunday, then there were eight.

Eight little Christians on their way to heaven,

One took the low road, then there were seven.

Seven little Christians chirping like chicks,

One disliked the music, then there were six.

Six little Christians seemed very much alive,

But one lost his interest, then there were five.

Five little Christians pulling for Heaven’s shore,

But one stopped to rest, then there were four.

Four little Christians, each busy as a bee,

One got her feelings hurt, then there were three.

Three little Christians knew what to do,

One joined the sports crowd, then there were two.

Two little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done,

Differed with each other, then there was one.

One little Christian can’t do much ’tis true;

Brought his friend to Bible study, then there were two.

Two earnest Christians, each won one more,

That doubled their number, then there were four.

Four sincere Christians worked early and late,

Each won another, then there were eight.

Eight little Christians, if they doubled as before,

In just a few short weeks, we’d have 1,024.

In this little jingle, there’s a lesson true,

You belong to the building, or the wrecking crew.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works – Hebrews 10:24

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Life’s Storm

A pastor had been on a long flight between church conferences. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the aeroplane flashed on: Fasten Your Seat Belts. Then, after a while, a calm voice said, “We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened.”

As the pastor looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive.

Later, the voice on the intercom said, “We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us.”

And then the storm broke…

The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightning lit up the darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash.

The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him. He said, “As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm.

“Then, I suddenly saw a little girl. Apparently, the storm meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat; she was reading a book and everything within her small world was calm and orderly.

“Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world. When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity and all the adults were scared half to death, that marvellous child was completely composed and unafraid.” The minister could hardly believe his eyes.

It was not surprising, therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark, our pastor lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time.

Having commented about the storm and the behaviour of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid.

The child replied, “Because my daddy is the pilot, and he’s taking me home.”

There are many kinds of life’s storm that buffet us. Physical, mental, financial, domestic, and many other storms can easily and quickly darken our skies and throw our plane into apparently uncontrollable movement. We have all known such times, and to be honest, it is much easier to be at rest when our feet are on the ground than when we are being tossed about a darkened sky.

Meanwhile, let us remember: Our Father is the Pilot. He is in control and He is taking us home. So, we should not worry!

— Author Unknown

Meditation: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. – Psalm 23:4

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Good Advice to Live By

For the Lord had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring disaster on Absalom. – 2 Samuel 17:14

If you want your dreams to come true, don’t oversleep.

The smallest good deed is better than the grandest intention.

Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.

The best vitamin for making friends….B1[be one].

The 10 commandments are not multiple choice.

The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.

Minds are like parachutes…they function only when open.

Ideas won’t work unless YOU do.

One thing you can’t recycle is wasted time.

One who lacks the courage to start has already finished.

The heaviest thing to carry is a grudge.

Don’t learn safety rules by accident.

We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.

Jumping to conclusions can be bad exercise.

A turtle makes progress when it sticks its head out.

One thing you can give and still keep…is your word.

A friend walks in when everyone else walks out.

AND FINALLY…

The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime!

— Author Unknown

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Showing Appreciation

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. – Hebrews 13:15

One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the first interview and had to see the director for the final interview.

The director discovered from the CV that the young man’s academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until postgraduate research, there was no year when he did not score A.

The director asked, “Did you obtain any scholarships in school?” the youth answered, “None.”

The director asked, “Was it your father who paid for your school fees?”

The youth answered, “My father passed away when I was one-year-old, it was my mother who paid my school fees.”

The director asked, “Where did your mother work?”

The youth answered, “My mother worked as clothes cleaner.”

The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.

The director asked, “Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?”

The youth answered, “Never. My mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.”

The director said, “I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother’s hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.

The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid.

The youth cleaned his mother’s hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother’s hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises on her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother winced when they were cleaned with water.

This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed clothes every day to enable him to pay his school fees. The bruises on the mother’s hands were the price the mother had to pay for his academic excellence, graduation and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother. That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.

Next morning, the youth went to the director’s office.

The Director noticed the tears in the youth’s eyes, asked: “Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?”

The youth answered, “I cleaned my mother’s hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes.”

The Director asked, “Please tell me your feelings.”

The youth said, “Number one, I now know what appreciation is. Without my mother, I will not be where I am today. Number two, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number three, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship.”

The director said, “This is what I am looking for in anyone who would be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.”

Later on, this young person worked very hard and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company’s performance improved tremendously.

A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted would develop “entitlement mentality” and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent’s efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel a sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead?

You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow grey, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort of others and the ability to work with others to get things done.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

How to See Farther Than Others

… And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” Immediately I was in the Spirit; – Revelation 4:1-2

In life, what we see plays an important role in what we turn out to be as well as the extent of what we attain. Vision is an indicator of the possibilities that are attainable. That is why a popular saying holds that ‘seeing is believing;’ what you see is often what you get.

Vision is the difference between those that approach everyday life with energy and gusto as against those who go it with trepidation and uncertainty. Vision separates the high-fliers from the also-rans. The difference between these two categories of people is the vision they see about life, themselves, and the future. That is why eyes that look are many, but eyes that see are not common. It takes something extra to see beyond common sight and project into the future to see what will be, so you are adequately prepared and rightly positioned to take advantage of it when it comes.

That something extra is attained by “going up” or getting into the spirit. As the passage above highlights, the writer of the Book of Revelation was invited up so that he could see the things that would happen thereafter; and in the same breath, he found himself transported into the spirit realm where things were revealed to him.

If you must see the solutions to the problems of your time, or see farther than your contemporaries to know where opportunities are which you can exploit to put you ahead, then you must cultivate the habit of constantly going up and getting into the spirit.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!