HOW TO DISCOVER THE RIGHT MENTOR

How to find your mentor

 Are you looking for a mentor – someone who will build a relationship with you, someone to teach and advise you and enable you to become a wise and effective human being? Here are ten steps to finding that person:

1. Look at the people you know
   Look around at the people in your personal and professional life. Is there someone you admire? Someone you would like to emulate in some way? Someone who has the wisdom you need?
2. Consider people you’ve never met
   Research the top individuals in the businesses, organizations and trace associations of your chosen field. Find out as much as you can about them. Identify those individuals whose values and accomplishments you most admire.
3. Select a mentor who is a good role model
   Look for someone who is not only famous or successful, but who has a reputation for character and solid principles. Look for someone you can admire and respect as well as emulate.
4. Select a mentor who is a good listener
   The best mentor is one who gets to know you – your skills and strengths and weaknesses, your individual personality and your aspirations. A good mentor should not serve as a lecturer, but as a sounding board who will help you with your struggles and help you to clarify your principles and beliefs.
5. Select a mentor who levels with you
   A good mentor doesn’t just encourage you, but will also tell you the blunt truth when you are moving in the wrong direction. It is also a good sign if your mentor is candid and open about his or her own life. Anyone who has accomplished great things has made mistakes along the way and will share those experiences freely so that you can learn from them.
6. Look for someone who is unlike you in some important way
   Our tendency is to gravitate toward those with whom we have a lot in common. But in seeking out a mentor, it is wise to seek out people who have strengths that we lack. For example, if you are a shy and introverted person, seek out someone who is bold and gregarious. Instead of pairing up with someone who will reinforce your weaknesses, find someone who will challenge you to acquire new strengths.
7. Be open to finding a mentor in unlikely places
   We tend to think of a mentor or teacher as someone with gray hair and a well-lined face. Not necessarily! A mentor could be anyone who has something to teach you and could be the same age or even younger than you. A mentor could be someone of lower rank and social standing than you.
8. If the person doesn’t know you, approach that person with a brief letter of introduction
   You might say, “I have followed your achievements in the field of ______ and I eagerly read your book on ______. Like you, I am very concerned about the issue of _____ and I hope to make a contribution in these areas myself someday. I am looking for a mentoring relationship, and I would be grateful if you could spare thirty minutes to discuss such a possibility with me.”
9. Make personal contact
   Don’t be shy. Ask, “Would you be willing to mentor me?” You may think you are imposing on that person, but I have found that most people who have achieved a place of accomplishment in life are eager to share their wisdom, experience and knowledge with others. When you ask someone to be your mentor, you are truly offering them high praise.
10. Remember, you are never too old to be mentored
      You may have reached a point where you know you have a lot of knowledge and experience to offer others – but you still have a lot to learn! That’s why, despite your age and gray hair, you still seek out people to mentor me

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF PARENTING

Ten Commandments of Parenting

 
Whether you are considering your parental responsibilities with a new child, or even reaffirming these biblical principles with your older children (It’s never too late!), or even as grandparents toward your grandchildren, the following “ten commandments” from God’s Word are sure to benefit you, your family, and your church.

1.  Pursue Righteousness in Your Marriage
Husbands, you need to show your children how a husband loves his wife, even as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25).  Do they see you giving yourself up for her?  Are they observing how you tenderly and patiently lead her, teach her, and protect her?  Your example in the treatment of your wife will teach volumes about Christ’s love for His beloved bride, the church.
Wives, to your children you need to model biblical submission as you subject yourself to your husband in everything (Ephesians 5:24).  Do your children see how you work out your submission to Christ in respectful submission to your husband?  Your marriage is a living, breathing example of the church’s willing submission to her Head, the Lord Jesus Christ.


2.  Confess Your Sins to One Another
You need to confess, when appropriate, your sins to your family (Proverbs 28:13), and seek their forgiveness when necessary (Matthew 6:14-15; Colossians 3:13).  As you are quick to confess, you are demonstrating true humility and an ultimate desire to be pleasing to God in all your ways (2 Corinthians 5:9).



3.  Pursue Sexual Purity
Be very careful to protect your home from the sexual immorality of the world we live in.  That means you need to abstain from sexual immorality yourself (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8), and otherwise promote sexual purity in your home (Proverbs 5-7).  The pursuit of sexual purity should govern your entertainment choices, season your speech, and guide you when you’re in public or private, especially when you think no one else is looking or listening.  Your own sexual purity will protect you and your children from the heartbreak known well among a depraved generation (Proverbs 5:7-14).


4. Evangelize Your Children and Others
Because of your great love for your children, endeavor to be a consistent witness to them of your own faith, as well as speaking often to them about the nature of their relationship to the Lord.  Live in such a way around your kids that you are fulfilling the spirit of Paul’s command to Timothy: “Do the work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 4:5).  In addition, as you have opportunity, proclaim the gospel to others with whom you come in contact, thus hopefully instilling in your children the same desire to share this eternal message (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).


5.  Teach Your Children the Word of God
Regularly teach your children God’s Word, both by your life (desiring to be models of Christ-likeness to them; 1 John 2:6) and by your proactive and consistent commitment to family worship.  Especially as fathers (as well as single mothers too), you have the responsibility to impart the truth of Scripture to your children for their great good (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).




6.  Discipline Your Children
When your children need correction (which, when they are young, may seem to be “ever and always”), discipline them with what the Bible calls the “rod of reproof.”  Those parents who truly love their children will desire to do this in a caring, consistent, yet firm manner, attempting to avoid harshness and anger.  Scripture says that when you do so, children will cease their foolishness and become wise (Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14).
7.  Watch Your Words Carefully
Words are very powerful tools for good or evil!  They can either build up or tear down.  Speak to your spouse, your children, and others with godly wisdom so that you may edify and encourage (Proverbs 4:24; 6:12; 10:32; 19:1).  Your children are watching you intently, and what you say (including how you say it), will have deep and lastly effects on them.  Train your children not to speak unrighteously (Ephesians 4:29-31).
8.  Show Your Children Your Own Love for God and Man
Love your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40).  The greatest gift you can give your kids is to show them your all-consuming love for Jesus Christ!  What should flow from this passion is also your love for your neighbors, which certainly includes your immediate family.  Extending beyond this circle of influence is your desire to live a pure and undefiled spiritual life, which is demonstrated by visiting orphans and widows in their distress, and keeping yourself unstained by the world (James 1:27).  Pray that your example of love will have great impact on on your children.

9.  Ask God for Grace and Strength in Your Child-Rearing
The Bible commands you to rear your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).  Thus, child-rearing is not an option.  Thus, the remaining question should be: How well are you doing as a parent?  To whatever degree you perceive you are succeeding or failing in the task, and regardless of what will be the initial outcome and ultimate destiny of your children, ask God for much grace and strength to be a parent who glorifies Him.
If you’ll follow these “ten commandments” of parenting, the Lord will sanctify you and bless you.  Furthermore, your life and doctrine can be useful to the Holy Spirit in demonstrating the saving power of the gospel to your children.  The rest we must leave in the hands of a sovereign God.
May God continually remind all of us of our solemn parental task to leave a legacy of godly faithfulness to the succeeding generations.

Culled from http://www.gty.org
For more information: 08036366270, excel4jesusluv@gmail.com

FACE YOUR FEAR

Face Your Fears AND KILL IT

 
It's easy to ignore our fears and hope that they'll just go away. Unfortunately, they rarely do. If you don’t face your fears, they’ll end up controlling you. How do you face them? The most common way to face your fears is through exposure, where you gradually face the thing or situation you’re afraid of. With the right method of thinking, you'll wonder why you weren't doing it sooner!

Realize that you’re not alone.
  There are thousands -- maybe even millions -- of people who are probably afraid of very similar things. For example, more than 50 percent of Americans are afraid of creepy crawlies (snakes, spiders, bugs)! Shaming yourself or feeling embarrassed by your fear won’t help you overcome it, but acknowledging that fear is a normal human emotion can help you find the strength to face yours.

 Make a list of your fears.
  In order to fight your fears, you’ve got to know what scares you. Sit down and draw up a list of things you’re afraid of. What are they? Where do they come from? What are their origins? When do they seem to crop up? When do they seem not so bad? How do they make you feel? Getting away from the fear and away from yourself -- looking at yourself on paper -- will help you be a bit more logical, a bit more objective about your fear.

 Face your thinking.
Now that you've got your brain wrapped around the fear -- you know where it comes from, you have it broken down into steps -- it's time to wrap your brain around, well, your brain. Remember that your fear is just a way of thinking -- one that you can control. Changing your “internal dialogue,” or how you think about a situation, can change how you respond to your fears.

HOW TO SHUT UP AND BE QUIET

How to shut up: learning to keep quiet

 
You may be tempted to say out every thought that occurs to you, but sometimes it's best to keep your mouth shut.Great men and great women always keep their mouth shut because it is not time to talk.


The art of silence
Silence can be quite empowering, so by learning the art of silence you will feed your spirit and soul. It's difficult for a lot of people to embrace and experience the value of silence. There is often pressure to fill the atmosphere with words. Being comfortable with silence and your own solitude is useful – it's when we pause that we afford ourselves a space to digest what is being said and to think of a response. We get to listen to not only what is being said, but also what is not being said. Comfort in handling silence lends itself to a confident demeanour.

In relationships
 It's hard to decipher between being right and being happy. There are times when pushing to be right can compromise our happiness in relationships. Choose to be quiet if the relationship is more important than just about winning the argument.

If you'll regret it, don't say it
 When you have nothing to say, don't spoil your silence by saying something you will regret. As long as your body language is not communicating something different, feel free to just keep quiet and observe the situation.
 Be compassionate
When someone is in despair and sharing their pain or challenges with you, shut up and listen.If you have to open your mouth,encourage them with words of strength.It is not time for you to steal the limelight just because you have been through the same experience.It doesn't have to be about you all the time, so hold your tongue and acknowledge the other person and their need to vent. By honouring their expression of pain or guilt, they will want to confide in you again in the future.

FORGIVENESS:

FORGIVENESS:THE STEP TO EMOTIONAL HEALING

Forgiveness is the intentional and voluntary process by which a victim undergoes a change in feelings and attitude regarding an offense, lets go of negative emotions such as vengefulness, with an increased ability to wish the offender well.When you forgive someone, you make the choice to give up your desire for revenge and feelings of resentment. You also stop judging the person who caused you the hurt.Instead of revenge, resentment, and judgment, you show compassion, and kindness.
 Unforgiveness is not like that.it is a spiritual cancer that spreads slowly until it incapacitate the spirit, soul and body and may lead to untimely death of d person.it is contagious.unforgiveness gradually leads to anger,hatred and bitterness,until d person becomes a witch or wizard.if u don't obey God's word concerning forgiving those that have hurt u,it is rebellion against God's word,and rebellion is as d sin of witchcraft,so u r a witch.forgive and move on,don't dwell in d hurt of the past because unforgivness is a spiritual killer disease.

STEPS TO EMOTIONAL HEALING
A wound is so painful that we develop a case of amnesia,that is why if anyone has offended you in the past,forgive and move on.
Before we begin, I want you to know that God desires to heal our wounds and take our pain and hurt from us. You know how you can love somebody so much, that you wish you could take their pain or suffering from them? That's how Jesus feels about us... He loves us so much that He paid the price for our emotional healing in the work on the cross!
first and moremost:
The first step is to ACKNOWLEDGE the need for healing. For us to receive the healing of emotional wounds, we must first acknowledge that we are hurting (Matthew 9:10-13, Revelation 3:17). Many of us have lied to ourselves as well as to others.
The second step is to LOCATE the cause of the pain. In the physical realm, we may have a pain in our legs, but the cause may be a pinched nerve in the spine. To operate on the legs would be the wrong procedure so locating the emotional wound is the next step.
The third step is to CLEANSE the wound.For cleansing to occur, (1) we must forgive those who have offended us, (2) ask God for to forgive and cleanse us (I John 1:9) for our unforgiveness, (3) yield that area unto the Lord, (4) request that God restore our soul (Psalm 23:3) in the area yielded to the enemy, and (5) use the name of Jesus to drive out the enemy.
The fourth step is to RECEIVE HEALING of the hurt. God gives us two distinct pictures of healing in Scripture.
After the physician cleanses the victim's wound, he sews it up so that it will not become contaminated again. Forgiveness opens the door to freedom, but forgiveness is not healing. Without our receiving healing, the wound again becomes contaminated. However, when God mends the wound, He also heals the wound.
We may receive healing by (1) understanding that Jesus suffered all kinds of emotional hurts (Isaiah 53:3) and that he became a hurt substitute (Isaiah 53:4) for us , and (2) believing that Jesus was sent to heal the broken hearted (Luke 4:18), and (3) asking in faith for that healing. When God heals the wound, we may recall the experience without being flooded by the pain.

TRANSFORM YOUR REJECTION INTO OPPORTUNITY

Transform your Rejection into Opportunity

 
Everyone encounters rejection in the society.It may hit you as a major blow (such as a spouse’s betrayal or a job loss) or through one of the minor yet hurtful ways that rejection can blow into your life (like negative comments someone makes about you or opportunities that turn into dead ends).
 As painful as rejection can be, it doesn’t have to work against you. Rejection can actually work for you if you use the experience as a springboard of opportunity to create a new season of success in your life.

 Here’s how you can rely on God’s help to transform rejection into opportunity:

Understand how significantly your response to rejection will impact your life.
The way you choose to respond to the rejection you experience will affect your confidence, your passion for living, and your potential for positive relationships. It will also determine which new opportunities God offers you. Responding negatively to rejection can destroy your dreams and discourage you, while responding positively can develop God’s dreams for you and help empower you to achieve them. Decide to redirect the pain of rejection by using it to design a better life and to motivate yourself to move forward into that life.

 Ask God to help you view yourself as He sees you.
Clear away the distorted view of you that rejection may have placed in front of your eyes and pray for a vision of how God sees you. Write down a list of all the wonderful, God-given qualities that make you unique and remind yourself of them when you need to view yourself from God’s perspective.

 Overcome the desire to be perfect.
 Admit to yourself that you’re not perfect and can never be perfect, since you’re a fallible human being like everyone else. Stop trying to be perfect to please God or other people. Remind yourself that, even when others reject you, God will never reject you because He loves you completely and unconditionally. Refuse to listen to unproductive negative words from other people. Instead, renew your mind by reading and meditating on Bible verses that describe God’s love for you and asking the Holy Spirit to bring those verses to mind whenever you need encouragement or need to replace a negative thought with a positive one. Pray for the Spirit’s help changing your internal dialogue throughout each day, so that you tell yourself positive messages rather than negative ones.

 Overcome fears of abandonment.
Ask God to show you how you can rely on Him to help you thrive after other people have rejected you. Keep in mind when dealing with the uncertainty of human relationships that you can always count on God’s constant presence with you and steadfast love for you.

 Eliminate unhealthy relationships and focus on healthy ones.
Honestly consider the value of each of your current relationships. Pray for the wisdom to determine which people in your life right now either are or aren’t worthy of your trust, time, and energy. Ask yourself who influences your life in positive ways, as well as who impacts it in negative ways. Let go of unhealthy relationships and focus only on people with whom you truly have safe and positive relationships. From now on, choose to invest only in relationships in which you can participate in a healthy flow of mutual commitment and contribution.

 Heal from romantic rejection before entering a new romantic relationship.
Don’t rush into a new romance before you’ve had a chance to heal from the pain of being rejected by your former romantic partner. Ask God to help you learn whatever He wants you to learn from your breakup or divorce, and to help you overcome any struggles with insecurity or jealousy.

 Manage rejection from dysfunctional family members
Instead of wasting your time and energy trying to keep the love of a family member who has rejected you, focus on drawing closer to God so you can experience more of His love in your life. Protect yourself from dysfunctional family members by setting up boundaries in your relationships with them.

 Improve the way you communicate.
 Aim to communicate positive words to others in all of your relationships. Learn what you can from criticism, but don’t let it discourage you. Communicate regularly with God through prayer and meditation.

 Let go of the past so you can move forward well.
Don’t hold onto anything damaging or unproductive from your past. Seek God’s healing so you can then: discover healthy relationships, exchange pain for joy, experience freedom from past wounds, and develop and grow to your fullest potential.

Encourage yourself and dont accept pity

Encourage yourself and dont accept pity

 
When adversity and challenges strikes you, you need every tool available to prevail, but most people do not possess the habits that equip them for challenging times. Of course, nothing perfectly prepares us for the storms of life, but we can certainly develop practices that make room for us to grow and triumph in the midst of very challenging situations. Many of us also need a tweaked perspective on adversity, so that the challenges do not completely derail us from the work God seeks to do in our lives.
1st Samuel 30:6
  "And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God."
David encouraged himself in the face of adversity.For David,it was worse because he was their leader and his men were consumed by grief but David encouraged them.

1. You cannot avoid adversity in this life, even though many try. 

Jesus warned us that in this life trouble would come our way. Intense, even seemingly unbearable circumstances will confront the people of God. We are not exempt from adversity. In fact, we are often a target for adversity, simply because the world is filled with the air of resistance to the King that rules our hearts.
Too often, western culture hates adversity and avoids it all costs.
We spend our life avoiding pain and escaping to pleasure.
But just like an athlete going to the gym, adversity needs to be the workout center for the believer, not the plague to run from.

2. Satan uses adversity to wipe you out. 

Satan would love to see you wiped out and destroyed during adversity. He will often orchestrate thoughts and interactions with the clear intent to shake your spiritual standing. Jesus warned Peter that satan would come to sift him. The prayer of our Lord was not that the sifting would be removed, but that Peter would take what satan brought against him and turn it into a mountain moving experience.

3. God is looking for the overcomer to be built inside of you.

God is not the author of evil, nor is He trying to put calamity on you, as many think. Too often, our reaction to adversity is usually, “Why God?” and “Why me?” Although God is patient with that question, we all know the “why me” questions never move heaven.
God is not authoring destruction, but we must understand that God has placed us in a world where surrounding us is an all out spiritual war. 
Surrounding you in this world is an invisible war going on over humanity. There is a massive collision occurring between the powers of darkness and the people of God who carry the light of glory in our hearts. By default, there is a resistance in the spiritual dimension. Most believers feel this every day. There is a tension against your forward progress at almost every turn. Wherever you desire to make a major change, resistance is there.
Adversity brings that tension to the surface, where you are forced to make a decision on how you will proceed.
Will you choose to grow and change or will you collapse underneath the oppression that seeks to cut you at the knees? If you realize you are at war, adversity is your time for growth, not “Why me God?” Sadly, too many collapse on the couch and check out at these pressing thresholds.
God’s ultimate desire is to see you take what the enemy used to destroy you as a time to grow like never before. There is something about adversity, trials and resistance that force us to grow and develop greater strength during adversity. You are in a daily spiritual war and God has called us to grow as faithful soldiers. What the enemy uses to kill, steal and destroy can actually be a platform for your greatest training and development.

4. Adversity can wake us up to change.

Unfortunately, people do not often change until the hurt and tension in their life is so great that they have to. Adversity wakes us up to the war that is occurring, calling us to a greater participation in battling for spiritual breakthrough in our lives and those around us. If we listen very carefully, instead of parking in despair, we will hear the loving voice saying, “Something needs to change.” 

5. What we cultivate during adversity needs to become a permanent change.

Many people scramble during adversity and come to God in a panic. But once the hardship begins to wane, we often go back to our old ways. This is a sign we have not grown during adversity. There are key practices we can put into motion during adversity that can become permanent changes we can carry for a lifetime.

6. The aim for our lives is to joyously approach adversity.

This sounds sickening to most, but the more you approach adversity as your time to grow and develop your spiritual muscles, the more you will become exciting about the learning possibilities. This is not a call to self-beating, but for appreciating growing opportunities. Every Christian gives an initial cringe to James’ exhortation to “count it all joy” during times of trials. But when we embrace adversity as a time to workout, we become trained to see what is coming as an opportunity for healthy change and grow, not pure drudgery.

Ten Commandments of Parenting

Ten Commandments of Parenting

 
Whether you are considering your parental responsibilities with a new child, or even reaffirming these biblical principles with your older children (It’s never too late!), or even as grandparents toward your grandchildren, the following “ten commandments” from God’s Word are sure to benefit you, your family, and your church.

1.  Pursue Righteousness in Your Marriage
Husbands, you need to show your children how a husband loves his wife, even as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25).  Do they see you giving yourself up for her?  Are they observing how you tenderly and patiently lead her, teach her, and protect her?  Your example in the treatment of your wife will teach volumes about Christ’s love for His beloved bride, the church.
Wives, to your children you need to model biblical submission as you subject yourself to your husband in everything (Ephesians 5:24).  Do your children see how you work out your submission to Christ in respectful submission to your husband?  Your marriage is a living, breathing example of the church’s willing submission to her Head, the Lord Jesus Christ.


2.  Confess Your Sins to One Another
You need to confess, when appropriate, your sins to your family (Proverbs 28:13), and seek their forgiveness when necessary (Matthew 6:14-15; Colossians 3:13).  As you are quick to confess, you are demonstrating true humility and an ultimate desire to be pleasing to God in all your ways (2 Corinthians 5:9).



3.  Pursue Sexual Purity
Be very careful to protect your home from the sexual immorality of the world we live in.  That means you need to abstain from sexual immorality yourself (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8), and otherwise promote sexual purity in your home (Proverbs 5-7).  The pursuit of sexual purity should govern your entertainment choices, season your speech, and guide you when you’re in public or private, especially when you think no one else is looking or listening.  Your own sexual purity will protect you and your children from the heartbreak known well among a depraved generation (Proverbs 5:7-14).


4. Evangelize Your Children and Others
Because of your great love for your children, endeavor to be a consistent witness to them of your own faith, as well as speaking often to them about the nature of their relationship to the Lord.  Live in such a way around your kids that you are fulfilling the spirit of Paul’s command to Timothy: “Do the work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 4:5).  In addition, as you have opportunity, proclaim the gospel to others with whom you come in contact, thus hopefully instilling in your children the same desire to share this eternal message (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).


5.  Teach Your Children the Word of God
Regularly teach your children God’s Word, both by your life (desiring to be models of Christ-likeness to them; 1 John 2:6) and by your proactive and consistent commitment to family worship.  Especially as fathers (as well as single mothers too), you have the responsibility to impart the truth of Scripture to your children for their great good (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).




6.  Discipline Your Children
When your children need correction (which, when they are young, may seem to be “ever and always”), discipline them with what the Bible calls the “rod of reproof.”  Those parents who truly love their children will desire to do this in a caring, consistent, yet firm manner, attempting to avoid harshness and anger.  Scripture says that when you do so, children will cease their foolishness and become wise (Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14).
7.  Watch Your Words Carefully
Words are very powerful tools for good or evil!  They can either build up or tear down.  Speak to your spouse, your children, and others with godly wisdom so that you may edify and encourage (Proverbs 4:24; 6:12; 10:32; 19:1).  Your children are watching you intently, and what you say (including how you say it), will have deep and lastly effects on them.  Train your children not to speak unrighteously (Ephesians 4:29-31).
8.  Show Your Children Your Own Love for God and Man
Love your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40).  The greatest gift you can give your kids is to show them your all-consuming love for Jesus Christ!  What should flow from this passion is also your love for your neighbors, which certainly includes your immediate family.  Extending beyond this circle of influence is your desire to live a pure and undefiled spiritual life, which is demonstrated by visiting orphans and widows in their distress, and keeping yourself unstained by the world (James 1:27).  Pray that your example of love will have great impact on on your children.

9.  Ask God for Grace and Strength in Your Child-Rearing
The Bible commands you to rear your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).  Thus, child-rearing is not an option.  Thus, the remaining question should be: How well are you doing as a parent?  To whatever degree you perceive you are succeeding or failing in the task, and regardless of what will be the initial outcome and ultimate destiny of your children, ask God for much grace and strength to be a parent who glorifies Him.
If you’ll follow these “ten commandments” of parenting, the Lord will sanctify you and bless you.  Furthermore, your life and doctrine can be useful to the Holy Spirit in demonstrating the saving power of the gospel to your children.  The rest we must leave in the hands of a sovereign God.
May God continually remind all of us of our solemn parental task to leave a legacy of godly faithfulness to the succeeding generations.

Culled from http://www.gty.org

DEVELOP YOUR MENTAL CAPACITY FOR STRATEGIC THINKING

Develop Your Strategic Thinking

 
If you’ve not yet taken any time out this year from the busy day to day demands of your business to develop a clear marketing strategy – you need to ask yourself why. Now is the time to “Think strategy.”  “Strategic thinking is defined as a mental or thinking process applied by an individual in the context of achieving success in a game or other endeavor. As a cognitive activity, it produces thought. When applied in an organizational strategic management process, strategic thinking involves the generation and application of unique business insights and opportunities intended to create competitive advantage for a firm or organization. “
 The benefits of strategic thinking are clear – competitive advantage. But where do you start? If you are unsure, you’re not alone. For most of us, our first reaction is to deal with what’s directly in front of us. Why? Perhaps because it always seems more urgent and tangible.  If we can see it, we can deal with it. Unfortunately, while you concentrate on overcoming obstacles, you could miss some big opportunities, not to mention the signs that indicate the direction you are going it taking you off track.

Developing a marketing strategy is difficult. And it takes time. It also requires some strategic thinking. What makes developing a marketing strategy difficult is that most people don’t really know what it entails. How can you be strategic if you don’t know what to do or what to think about?
Strategic marketers have developed their strategic thinking – and they know how to ask very good questions. Here are a few things you’ll need to do to develop your strategic thinking:

Open your mind to possibilities

Being a strategic thinker requires you to see the bigger picture. Imagine what you would see differently if you had a fresh pair of eyes? That’s what strategic thinking requires you to do.  Look at things differently and see what other people miss. Different people are interested in different aspects of the big picture.  A good strategic thinker will be able to link ideas from different areas.

Ask good questions and ask different kinds of questions

Ask questions that open up thinking. When working on your marketing strategy, one of the first questions to ask is “Why? Why do we exist?”  To get the best answer to this question, ask your customers. Find out why they use your services or your products.  If you disappeared tomorrow, what would they miss the most about what you do for them? You need a clear understanding of why someone buys from you and why they don’t.
Why is only one question, but it is a great place to start.

Think critically

A critical thinker will question everything.  This means getting comfortable with challenging beliefs and approaches, even your own. One of the most common phrases I hear is “we always do it this way”. I say “Why?” Following conventional wisdom is the safe bet. Or is it?  It does make for a smother ride with colleagues and results in less second guessing. But if you take every safe opinion at face value, your company loses all competitive advantage.

Use strategy tools 

It is possible to be a strategic without using strategy tools. But it’s not possible to build a strategy without becoming a strategic thinker. Follow in the footsteps of proven strategic thinkers. Leverage the strategy tools that have been developed by others. Each tools serves a different purpose, but the reason each tool exists is the same – to help guide your thinking.
I’ve covered a number of the strategy tools and what each is used for. You can find on our website.
Keep challenging yourself to learn and to develop your strategic thinking. To be effective, strategizing should not happen only once a year. It needs to become a part of your business culture.

What is in your HANDS?

What is in your HANDS?

 
Exodus 4:2 "And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

Many people are unfruitful because they believe they are not qualified to do what God calls them to do! God has given men and women gifts from his great armoury so that God's generosity can flow through you but many people cannot see what they carry because they cannot see
Pharaoh was coming behind and in front of moses and the people was the red sea and moses cried to God.How did God answer? "Moses, what is in your hand?"
For Moses, it was a staff. It wasn't a crown, scepter, or sword. It was a simple stick. And it became one of the greatest supernatural weapons in human history.
 So what do you already have in your possession? Speaking ability? Artistic ability? Money? Friendships? All of us have something we can use to accomplish our part in God's work here on earth as we serve one another.
 God has not created anyone without something that would bring them to their promised land. He (God) doesn’t make mistakes. There is something that God has placed in your hands to make you great. Many times, we don’t attach much value to what’s in our hands. We always think what we have is not worth anything. Instead we focus our attentions on what God has placed in somebody elses’ hands! The fact that someone may be prospering as a nurse or doctor does not mean that’s the only thing to study. We are not satisfied with the very thing God has placed in our own hands!
 There is something in your hands that may appear useless to you but when you believe in yourself and pray,it can bring you into limelight.People are notorious for saying things like: Who knows me? Nobody will take me serious? I only have a high school diploma!
Everything you need to succeed in life is in your hands. 
Most of us have made useless what God gave to us. Friends, even if all you can do is “TALK”, that can bring you into limelight! That thing in your hands that you ignore, that seems useless to you, perhaps a dream, might be the VERY THING that would make you great. Those things (or people) you do not cherish, recognize, or honor may be the key to your breakthrough!!!!!
 It was the same rod that Moses thought was USELESS that he used to provide water for the Israelites and part the red sea! Something in your hands will take you to your next level. What you have in your hands is enough to turn you into what God wants you to be.

FROM DREAM TO REALITY

Planning is a major criteria for success in life, in fact someone said if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. There is always a plan for every building that’s about to be constructed, an architect never goes to site without a building plan. Can you imagine if an architect goes to a construction site and instructs the brick layers to start laying blocks and casting concrete without any detailed plan on paper, then after some time he says no, break all of it up and start laying blocks in another direction. At the end of the day, there will be a lot of waste, from materials to resources, time, etc.that is how most people live their lives.

Planning is winning. If you don’t have plans or goals, you wont be able to measure success.After you capture a vision, begin to set goals and also develop a clear cut plan. The next thing to do is to move, take action. Isaiah 40:31 in the bible states it all, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

My emphasis is on mounting up with wings as eagles after you get direction and capacity. Nothing will move until you move.

In fact there can be a lasting success because if you mistakenly succeed without planning, you will soon crash by mistake too.

Many years ago, I had no clue of where I was going to in life and so I assumed that every road will lead me to success.  Interestingly, if you don’t stand for anything, you will fall for everything. I was just wandering through life instead of being a wonder to my world. The very day I captured a vision for my life, I set goals and drew out a plan. Before I knew it, everything began to cooperate with what I saw. My association began to change, what I did with time began to change and before long, I began to realize my dreams and vision.

HOW TO AVOID 419 SCAMMING

419(SCAMMING) major tricks you should be careful of

 
A lot of people explore the various opportunities that are available in Nigeria which usually cuts across getting a job or engaging in a business. Some people however have perfected the art of duping and scamming people in the city.Every day men and women in Nigeria,Africa and around the world are tricked.The more people are trying to avoid getting caught in the web of scammers, the more intelligent they get. The scam, popularly called 419 which is a section of the Nigerian constitution that deals with fraud is very rampant in Lagos and you need to be smart not to fall for them.
 Here are FIVE 419 tricks you must be wary of:

1. Visa Lottery
 

 The desire to travel out of Nigeria in search of greener pasture is a weakness which fraudsters prey on. Visa lottery is one of the opportunities available to travel to America and Europe. These fraudsters open fake websites or adverts for Visa openings asking people to apply and pay a token. At the end, the 419ers don’t even have any visa to provide.

2. Money Doubling
 This trick involves being asked to provide any amount of money with the promise that the money would be doubled. The elaborate drama involves the supposed money doubler ‘successfully’ doubling the money provided by random persons. The idea is to get you interested especially if you are the greedy type. If you put in a little money and you get double the amount, you are likely to try with a bigger sum which is when you will be scammed.

 3.Winning Number
 With the different promotions being done by companies to reward their customers, scammers are keying into this scheme to defraud people in Lagos. Text messages are sent to random numbers that they are the lucky winners of large amounts of money in the on-going promo of a company. A phone number is provided for you to call in order to claim your money. That is where the scamming begins as you are asked to pay some amount of money for the money to be transferred to you.

4. Job
With a lot of people looking for jobs in Lagos, this scam is not easy to detect. Lagosians lose their guards when there is the offer of a job and might not take the time to find out how credible the job is. This scam involve job seekers who were selected usually without applying for that job being asked to submit their Cv and some processing fee. The processing fee is not likely to end until the job seeker realises that he has been putting water into a basket.

5. Foreign Relative
 This scam also involves mobile communication but unlike the Winning Number” which begins with a text message, this scam is initiated with a phone call from a person who claims to be a distant relative and is living in one foreign country. The scammer then milks you a story about his decision to send you some goods and that you need to send some money to an account before the goods can be cleared. As soon as you fail to detect the scam, you are definitely going to pay a lot for your mistake.