Each time God created something when He began to create the earth that we see today, He always took a second look at it to see what it looked like. Now that is very instructive. Our God is infallible God, He cannot make a mistake. He does not make errors. He is “I am that I am”. Yet after each day’s work He took a look at what He has made and “He saw that it was good”. So if Big Baba would pause for a few minutes to examine what He had done even when He had pre-planned it, then you ought to, at every point of your life, particularly at this time of the year.
We need to appraise what the year has been like and see what we could have done better or not. Now we should not misconstrue this. This appraisal is actually meant to increase our efficiency and effectiveness. It actually helps us to take a second look at the ‘whats’ and ‘hows’ of our lives. We are a product of our actions and inaction. We are what we are today as a result of what we have done and what we have not done but ought to have done. So if you do a proper appraisal of your year you will find a few things you ought to keep doing and some others you need to drop.
You’ll discover a few relationships you need to cultivate and some others you must terminate so that you can remain on the part to success. Appraisal makes us better. So you need to look at your life in retrospect right now and begin to assess your character against the standards of the bible. You also need to access the things you have achieved against the goals you set for yourself earlier in the year. Ooh! I just got you. You did not have goals at the beginning of the year. That is wrong. You should always have plans and set targets or goals for yourself.
No, it’s not so hard. It’s simply prayerfully thinking of and writing down what and what you wish to achieve in the future, and in this instance during the New Year. It’s as simple as leaving your house and having a destination you are heading in mind. That destination determines the road you will take out of the many roads available to you. It will determine how fast you will move. It will determine what you will do or not do. It’s about choosing from the range of options available to you and everyone will take different routes depending on the where they are going. So you have to determine your destination. I hope you are realizing the importance of goal setting.
Now imagine the opposite, those days you are just at home feeling ‘bored’ and you just take a stroll, with no destination in mind. Anything is acceptable on such days, anything. That’s the way we live our year when we don’t have goals. So you must have goals for next year too. You must.
However that appraisal is still important. Like I said earlier, you look at your character and your achievements. Any flaws you observe begin to think about how to rectify it. Set high standards for yourself. And if you have any limiting fear, you have to deal with it now. Remember, FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. So the first thing is that it is false. It is not real. And as long as you allow it a space in your mind, it will LIMIT you.
Do you stay hungry because food can get burnt when you cook? Do you leave you dress dirty because it might get stained when you wear it? Do you stop your trip because you can have an accident? NO. In spite of these possibilities, you still go ahead with what you have to do. Even though those things are a possibility, you prefer to go ahead, believing they are cannot happen. So that’s exactly how you should treat those false evidences…, sorry, your fears. And if you have experienced some of them before, then take your case to Big Baba IN FAITH. That’s the key thing, IN FAITH. And I can assure you, it’s as good as done.
APPRAISE could also mean ALLELUYA and PLENTY PRAISE. And that’s what you must do. So appraise the year again. But this time just praise the Almighty God. I mean that, praise Him, everyday from now till next year. Ensure you say words of gratitude for what he has done. You have reasons to praise Him. Oh! You don’t think so. I will give you one. Praise Him for the life you have and the opportunity to appraise. If you were dead or insane, you wouldn’t be able to. You have an opportunity again. Have a LIMITLESS year of possibilities in Christ .Cheerio
Written by Dade Akinwande
Monday, December 15, 2008
Setting Goals
The Cambridge dictionary defined “Goal” as aim or purpose for wanting to pursue and achieve something (italics mine). Other meaning of goal could be target, objective or destination. In life, goal is a very crucial concept that every Christian youth must have and define. Why? Because a person without a goal lacks focus. For example, picture a man driving without a pre-determined and pre-defined destination; he may arrive at a particular geographic location but his movement cannot be counted as progress because it is not measured against a pre-determined destination.
Setting goals transcends our academic sphere because as young people we must set goals for every area of our lives in order to measure our successes. So we are approaching this topic from a more holistic perspective, rather than limit it to academics. First, it is interesting to know that God desires we do well in life. Look at what the Bible says in our text to see some of the goals God has set for us: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Put it this way; God has goals for us, so must we for ourselves. A life without purpose, aim, objective, target or destination is like a sailor sailing the Atlantic Ocean without a compass for direction. Such a journey could be painfully wasteful to say the least and possibly prove to be disastrous and fatal.
THE PURPOSE OF SETTING GOALS
Jeremiah 29:11; Joshua 1:8
Setting goals for our lives is very important for many reasons. First, let’s consider this topic under the subject of academics. Academic excellence does not come by wishful thinking; it must start with a purpose of heart, aim and objective for excellence. To be the best in your class, you must work towards it by studying hard, praying hard, reviewing your progress and learning from your mistakes.
Unfortunately, not many youths set goals for themselves at the start of the academic year. We all want to do well in our studies, but it is not enough to want to do well. You must define what ‘doing well’ means to you and work towards it. Academic excellence requires a huge amount of purpose, focus, commitment and hard work. God says in Joshua 1:8 that He wants us to have ‘good success’.
As Christian youths, we must aim to be the best in our studies. Start each lecture with a prayer and confess by faith, “I am the best in this class because I am child of God.”
Let’s not limit the setting of goals to our studies. Setting academic goal is just one facet of life and all of life must be planned. Becoming a doctor, lawyer, pastor, engineer or computer scientist must begin with a passion and purpose (goal) for that field. Every Christian youth must have goals for other areas of life such as career, ministry and walk with God, family and life as a whole.
So why set goals? A few pointers are as follows… Setting goals:
1. Gives you a sense of purpose and vision in your studies and all other areas of life.
2. Enables you measure the rate at which you make progress or otherwise. These are known as milestones.
3. Helps you approach a problem with confidence and a positive mindset.
4. Gives you an edge over your peers who have no defined goals in life.
THE PITFALLS AND DANGER OF FAILING TO SET GOALS
Imagine God creating the universe without a clear purpose… Imagine how Jeremiah 29:11 would have read If God wasn’t clear about His plans for us… “For I AM NOT SURE OF the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, PROBABLY thoughts of peace, HOPEFULLY not of evil, to TRY TO give you an expected end.”
Jeremiah 29:11 would be a disaster if it read as above. But thank God that we know His plans for us are certainly of good. So how does that apply to you if you fail to set clear goals for your life? The following are some pitfalls to avoid in the process of setting goals, whether academics, careers or ministry:
1. Avoid setting goals that are neither God-centered nor biblical. 1 Corinthians 10:31, John 3:30. Self-centered goals may bring you a measure of success, but not necessarily good, God-glorifying and lasting success, Joshua 1:8. If you have a goal to make First Class grade, that’s good. But don’t set a goal to achieve your First Class by cheating during the exams. Your objectives must be guided by biblical principles for the glory of God.
2. Avoid all distractions to your dream and goal. Distractions often come through friends at school, family members and personal, selfish ambitions. Be focused on your goal. Dream it! Pursue it!
3. Avoid surrounding yourself with people who have no defined and articulated purpose and goal. Such people can kill your dream, goal and purpose. Remember Amnon and Jonadab in 2 Samuel 13.
The dangers of failing to have a clear set of goals and purpose are colossal and grave.
THE PRACTICAL REWARDS FOR SETTING GOALS
Deuteronomy 28:13; Proverbs 22:29
The rewards of setting and pursuing goals are boundless and many practical examples abound for us to see:
1. Promotion: Joseph was promoted to honour in a foreign land and granted favour to the highest level of authority because he pursued his dream. Genesis 41:39-46.
2. Excellence: Daniel purposed in his heart to serve God and he excelled in learning above others. Daniel 1:8, 17, 19, 20. This was excellence at its peak!
3. Fulfilment: Paul knew his goal in life was to fulfill the ministry God gave him and he pressed on to reach that goal. Philippians 3:14; 2 Tim 4:7.
In our contemporary world today, we are surrounded by many living witnesses who have excelled in academics, ministry, career, etc. Therefore, we are without excuse but must take up the challenge to set goals, pursue them and excel too. A goal-oriented life requires commitment to yield the desired results. But it always pays off at the end with good, great and sweet success. The rewards are endless.
Written by Joseph Iregbu
Joseph is a Youth Coordinator and mentor. He lives and works in London. For further details, please visit www.josephiregbu.com
Setting goals transcends our academic sphere because as young people we must set goals for every area of our lives in order to measure our successes. So we are approaching this topic from a more holistic perspective, rather than limit it to academics. First, it is interesting to know that God desires we do well in life. Look at what the Bible says in our text to see some of the goals God has set for us: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Put it this way; God has goals for us, so must we for ourselves. A life without purpose, aim, objective, target or destination is like a sailor sailing the Atlantic Ocean without a compass for direction. Such a journey could be painfully wasteful to say the least and possibly prove to be disastrous and fatal.
THE PURPOSE OF SETTING GOALS
Jeremiah 29:11; Joshua 1:8
Setting goals for our lives is very important for many reasons. First, let’s consider this topic under the subject of academics. Academic excellence does not come by wishful thinking; it must start with a purpose of heart, aim and objective for excellence. To be the best in your class, you must work towards it by studying hard, praying hard, reviewing your progress and learning from your mistakes.
Unfortunately, not many youths set goals for themselves at the start of the academic year. We all want to do well in our studies, but it is not enough to want to do well. You must define what ‘doing well’ means to you and work towards it. Academic excellence requires a huge amount of purpose, focus, commitment and hard work. God says in Joshua 1:8 that He wants us to have ‘good success’.
As Christian youths, we must aim to be the best in our studies. Start each lecture with a prayer and confess by faith, “I am the best in this class because I am child of God.”
Let’s not limit the setting of goals to our studies. Setting academic goal is just one facet of life and all of life must be planned. Becoming a doctor, lawyer, pastor, engineer or computer scientist must begin with a passion and purpose (goal) for that field. Every Christian youth must have goals for other areas of life such as career, ministry and walk with God, family and life as a whole.
So why set goals? A few pointers are as follows… Setting goals:
1. Gives you a sense of purpose and vision in your studies and all other areas of life.
2. Enables you measure the rate at which you make progress or otherwise. These are known as milestones.
3. Helps you approach a problem with confidence and a positive mindset.
4. Gives you an edge over your peers who have no defined goals in life.
THE PITFALLS AND DANGER OF FAILING TO SET GOALS
Imagine God creating the universe without a clear purpose… Imagine how Jeremiah 29:11 would have read If God wasn’t clear about His plans for us… “For I AM NOT SURE OF the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, PROBABLY thoughts of peace, HOPEFULLY not of evil, to TRY TO give you an expected end.”
Jeremiah 29:11 would be a disaster if it read as above. But thank God that we know His plans for us are certainly of good. So how does that apply to you if you fail to set clear goals for your life? The following are some pitfalls to avoid in the process of setting goals, whether academics, careers or ministry:
1. Avoid setting goals that are neither God-centered nor biblical. 1 Corinthians 10:31, John 3:30. Self-centered goals may bring you a measure of success, but not necessarily good, God-glorifying and lasting success, Joshua 1:8. If you have a goal to make First Class grade, that’s good. But don’t set a goal to achieve your First Class by cheating during the exams. Your objectives must be guided by biblical principles for the glory of God.
2. Avoid all distractions to your dream and goal. Distractions often come through friends at school, family members and personal, selfish ambitions. Be focused on your goal. Dream it! Pursue it!
3. Avoid surrounding yourself with people who have no defined and articulated purpose and goal. Such people can kill your dream, goal and purpose. Remember Amnon and Jonadab in 2 Samuel 13.
The dangers of failing to have a clear set of goals and purpose are colossal and grave.
THE PRACTICAL REWARDS FOR SETTING GOALS
Deuteronomy 28:13; Proverbs 22:29
The rewards of setting and pursuing goals are boundless and many practical examples abound for us to see:
1. Promotion: Joseph was promoted to honour in a foreign land and granted favour to the highest level of authority because he pursued his dream. Genesis 41:39-46.
2. Excellence: Daniel purposed in his heart to serve God and he excelled in learning above others. Daniel 1:8, 17, 19, 20. This was excellence at its peak!
3. Fulfilment: Paul knew his goal in life was to fulfill the ministry God gave him and he pressed on to reach that goal. Philippians 3:14; 2 Tim 4:7.
In our contemporary world today, we are surrounded by many living witnesses who have excelled in academics, ministry, career, etc. Therefore, we are without excuse but must take up the challenge to set goals, pursue them and excel too. A goal-oriented life requires commitment to yield the desired results. But it always pays off at the end with good, great and sweet success. The rewards are endless.
Written by Joseph Iregbu
Joseph is a Youth Coordinator and mentor. He lives and works in London. For further details, please visit www.josephiregbu.com
Being The Best I Can Be
When I first came to America, I came with a heart filled with ambition but with very little knowledge on how to achieve my goals. I quickly learned that I had to surround myself with like-minded people, people who not only wanted to succeed but wanted to do according to God’s will. As soon as I did that, I started doing things that I didn’t know I had the ability to do.
I think the most grossly under-emphasized lesson that Jesus taught us is the importance of community. Jesus didn’t need assistance because he was God in human form but yet, he surrounded himself with the 12. While Jesus didn’t expressly tell us that he chose these people in order to show us how important it is to be surrounded by like-minded people, I think it’s an implicitly taught message that resonates throughout the word of God. After Jesus left, there were the apostles, the early Christians, Paul and Silas and the list goes on and on. I think we can theorize that Jesus was just following the nugget of wisdom recorded in Ecclesiastes 4:9 that says “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor” (NASB).
Thank goodness we don’t have to be pioneers who had to pave the way; those people who had to reach places that are devoid of footsteps of any forerunners. The first doctors, engineers, politicians, Pastors must have been extraordinary people who dug deep within themselves to find the courage to achieve that which has never been done before. Thank God that we have the examples of those men (and women) who had no examples to follow.
Sociologists have claimed for years that you are product of your environment (the theory of learned behavior). They support this postulation by citing many children of university educated parents who tend to go on to get University educated themselves, even exceeding their parents’ highest level of education. As a humble intellectual, I have to agree with this idea but only to a point. If this theory of learned behavior were absolute, then we would have no pioneers, no innovation, no development because everybody would just follow the ways with which they are familiar. Cavemen would have been cavemen forever. There is a spirit that I believe God gives every man that makes us want to create and that is how I believe the pace-setters ignited the fire of innovation, change and development.
This innate spirit of creativity along with a community of excellence will ensure success. The power to create is innate. How do I know? We were created in the image of a God who created everything. It only makes sense to conclude that we can create also. After all, Psalms 82:6 does say that, “We are gods. We are all sons of the most high God.”
The community of excellence however is something that we must consciously build. We must seek out and connect with people with the spirit of excellence like Daniel had Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Imagine for a second that Daniel surrounded himself with people who are greedy for the life of luxury that living in the King’s court would have afforded. What a disaster that would have been.
If you want to be the best you can be, surround yourself with people who are pursuing GOOD success. If you can, make friends with people who have achieved a lot more than you have. When you have successfully surrounded yourself with the right people, learn how to ask them the right questions. One of my favorites is “what do you do and how do you do it?” Find some of your own good questions. God bless.
‘Being the best I can be’ continues next edition.
Written by Ayo Sopitan
I think the most grossly under-emphasized lesson that Jesus taught us is the importance of community. Jesus didn’t need assistance because he was God in human form but yet, he surrounded himself with the 12. While Jesus didn’t expressly tell us that he chose these people in order to show us how important it is to be surrounded by like-minded people, I think it’s an implicitly taught message that resonates throughout the word of God. After Jesus left, there were the apostles, the early Christians, Paul and Silas and the list goes on and on. I think we can theorize that Jesus was just following the nugget of wisdom recorded in Ecclesiastes 4:9 that says “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor” (NASB).
Thank goodness we don’t have to be pioneers who had to pave the way; those people who had to reach places that are devoid of footsteps of any forerunners. The first doctors, engineers, politicians, Pastors must have been extraordinary people who dug deep within themselves to find the courage to achieve that which has never been done before. Thank God that we have the examples of those men (and women) who had no examples to follow.
Sociologists have claimed for years that you are product of your environment (the theory of learned behavior). They support this postulation by citing many children of university educated parents who tend to go on to get University educated themselves, even exceeding their parents’ highest level of education. As a humble intellectual, I have to agree with this idea but only to a point. If this theory of learned behavior were absolute, then we would have no pioneers, no innovation, no development because everybody would just follow the ways with which they are familiar. Cavemen would have been cavemen forever. There is a spirit that I believe God gives every man that makes us want to create and that is how I believe the pace-setters ignited the fire of innovation, change and development.
This innate spirit of creativity along with a community of excellence will ensure success. The power to create is innate. How do I know? We were created in the image of a God who created everything. It only makes sense to conclude that we can create also. After all, Psalms 82:6 does say that, “We are gods. We are all sons of the most high God.”
The community of excellence however is something that we must consciously build. We must seek out and connect with people with the spirit of excellence like Daniel had Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Imagine for a second that Daniel surrounded himself with people who are greedy for the life of luxury that living in the King’s court would have afforded. What a disaster that would have been.
If you want to be the best you can be, surround yourself with people who are pursuing GOOD success. If you can, make friends with people who have achieved a lot more than you have. When you have successfully surrounded yourself with the right people, learn how to ask them the right questions. One of my favorites is “what do you do and how do you do it?” Find some of your own good questions. God bless.
‘Being the best I can be’ continues next edition.
Written by Ayo Sopitan
Coping As A Preacher's Child
The preacher had the attention of the congregation. The message was sinking in. She suddenly launched into a story. “I got home yesterday and one of my daughters told me ‘mom, you know we should start dancing like this’”, then she demonstrated what she thought was break dancing. The whole church laughed.
“Yeah right”, one girl said as people turned to look at her. She bowed her head to avoid the eyes. “There we go again.” That girl was me. How could someone just lay down the whole story of my life for some group of believers to hear? Well, that’s not my style of living. I mean. How do you cope when everybody knows how you were born and all the surrounding circumstances, when you turned thirteen (and every other age for that matter), when you passed WAEC, even when you became a woman (huh!)? Nothing ever went unnoticed – and unannounced.
A lot of us have to cope with parents who are not only Christians but also leaders of other Christians. Maybe not everyone has to battle with being exposed during a sermon on Sunday or any other service day, but we sure have to deal with all the eyes that look at us and the mouths that say “that’s the preacher’s child”, or “and she calls herself a preacher’s child”. Oh no! That statement has a way putting me on the edge.
Or even those people you don’t really like but you have to smile at them and say “Good evening, Mrs. Jegede, how’s Bisi?”, when Bisi bullies you at school everyday. And yes. I think another big challenge is trying to see your preacher-parent as mum or dad at home and pastor in church. Sincerely, sometimes, the pictures just don’t fit (you know what I mean). Actually, I can’t begin to list all the ways in which we have challenges with our parents being preachers.
So, you really hate this kind of life and you’ve told your Preacher-parent you can’t cope with his /her using you for examples every time but they just don’t seem to stop, and all the church members don’t seem to remember that you’re as human as they. What do you do?
You must first realize that your parents love you – a lot! This may be hard for you to accept at this time, but it’s true. I’ll take this from my friend’s view. She said “your parents love you and that’s why your name is the first that comes to their minds when they are talking.” I didn’t believe it then. Look at it this way. If you have a pet dog and you love it very much, whenever you see another person’s pet, even if it’s not a dog, you readily want to talk about your dog. It’s the same way with your parents. They readily want to talk about you because you make them proud. So next time you’re embarrassed, brace up and put up your best smile like it isn’t you being talked about. Look at the crowd confidently as if to say ‘yes, that’s me’. Like someone said. ‘Act the way you want to feel and you’ll feel the way you act.’ Act confidently and soon, you’ll feel confident even if you’re being talked about. And you know what? Love them back.
Also, as the Bible says, it’s the son that the father loves that he chastises (Proverbs 3:12). Trying to see that parent of yours, who shouts at you in the house and even canes you till you cry, as the loving pastor who is always smiling and petting children, could be very difficult. It could even make you wonder if he’s pretending or putting up a front. Then the people from church come to you and say ‘Oh, I wish your mother was my mother’ (or father as the case may be) and you go thinking ‘Mmhm. Why don’t we exchange for just one week?’ Well, you’ve got the answer already. Parents who really love their children chastise them if they do wrong. It does not follow that they should cane every other child doing wrong. That’s for their parents to do. The Bible says ‘spare the rod and spoil the child.’ Your parents don’t want to spoil you so, caning you is not against the rules.
Here comes the interesting part. How do you cope with all the people who expect so much of you because you’re the pastor’s child? This is easily the most difficult challenge a preacher’s child faces. Having to ‘live up to standard’ (to the extent of behaving like an adult when you’re just a teenager) is quite hard. Stuff like the kind of music you listen to, the kind of clothes you wear, your speech and even your facial expressions are easily picked on. Tell you what? It’s simple. The Bible makes it clear. To whom much is given, much is expected. Your dad or mum pastors a whole church and is an example to the congregation. Easily, you’re the example for the congregation’s children because they believe the preacher’s child behaves as a result of what the preacher preaches so, much is expected of you.
This is not to scare you or make life difficult for you to live, but you have a part to play. You’re a Christian and so, you must exhibit the life of a Christian. You don’t have to forfeit your youthful exuberance to please others. Use it to serve God. Listen to good Christian music, wear decent clothing, smile and be ready to listen. Get involved with the lives of other teens in church. Share stuff, have get-togethers, and centre your life round Christ. Matthew 5:16 says ‘…let your light so shine before men that they may see your good deeds, and praise your father in Heaven.’ If you live your life to please God, being an example to others won’t be so difficult and may even be a good idea ’cause we sure want some more youth for Christ.
I could go on and on but space won’t allow. However, I’ll leave you with these. God doesn’t make mistakes. Being a preacher’s child is one of the very good plans that God has for you (Jeremiah 29:11). Don’t forget, there are also many good things about being a preacher’s child so, don’t only look at the bad side of things. Live your life to the fullest in Christ. Being a preacher’s child is not such a bad idea!
SHALOM!!!
Written by Ife Ogunkanmi
“Yeah right”, one girl said as people turned to look at her. She bowed her head to avoid the eyes. “There we go again.” That girl was me. How could someone just lay down the whole story of my life for some group of believers to hear? Well, that’s not my style of living. I mean. How do you cope when everybody knows how you were born and all the surrounding circumstances, when you turned thirteen (and every other age for that matter), when you passed WAEC, even when you became a woman (huh!)? Nothing ever went unnoticed – and unannounced.
A lot of us have to cope with parents who are not only Christians but also leaders of other Christians. Maybe not everyone has to battle with being exposed during a sermon on Sunday or any other service day, but we sure have to deal with all the eyes that look at us and the mouths that say “that’s the preacher’s child”, or “and she calls herself a preacher’s child”. Oh no! That statement has a way putting me on the edge.
Or even those people you don’t really like but you have to smile at them and say “Good evening, Mrs. Jegede, how’s Bisi?”, when Bisi bullies you at school everyday. And yes. I think another big challenge is trying to see your preacher-parent as mum or dad at home and pastor in church. Sincerely, sometimes, the pictures just don’t fit (you know what I mean). Actually, I can’t begin to list all the ways in which we have challenges with our parents being preachers.
So, you really hate this kind of life and you’ve told your Preacher-parent you can’t cope with his /her using you for examples every time but they just don’t seem to stop, and all the church members don’t seem to remember that you’re as human as they. What do you do?
You must first realize that your parents love you – a lot! This may be hard for you to accept at this time, but it’s true. I’ll take this from my friend’s view. She said “your parents love you and that’s why your name is the first that comes to their minds when they are talking.” I didn’t believe it then. Look at it this way. If you have a pet dog and you love it very much, whenever you see another person’s pet, even if it’s not a dog, you readily want to talk about your dog. It’s the same way with your parents. They readily want to talk about you because you make them proud. So next time you’re embarrassed, brace up and put up your best smile like it isn’t you being talked about. Look at the crowd confidently as if to say ‘yes, that’s me’. Like someone said. ‘Act the way you want to feel and you’ll feel the way you act.’ Act confidently and soon, you’ll feel confident even if you’re being talked about. And you know what? Love them back.
Also, as the Bible says, it’s the son that the father loves that he chastises (Proverbs 3:12). Trying to see that parent of yours, who shouts at you in the house and even canes you till you cry, as the loving pastor who is always smiling and petting children, could be very difficult. It could even make you wonder if he’s pretending or putting up a front. Then the people from church come to you and say ‘Oh, I wish your mother was my mother’ (or father as the case may be) and you go thinking ‘Mmhm. Why don’t we exchange for just one week?’ Well, you’ve got the answer already. Parents who really love their children chastise them if they do wrong. It does not follow that they should cane every other child doing wrong. That’s for their parents to do. The Bible says ‘spare the rod and spoil the child.’ Your parents don’t want to spoil you so, caning you is not against the rules.
Here comes the interesting part. How do you cope with all the people who expect so much of you because you’re the pastor’s child? This is easily the most difficult challenge a preacher’s child faces. Having to ‘live up to standard’ (to the extent of behaving like an adult when you’re just a teenager) is quite hard. Stuff like the kind of music you listen to, the kind of clothes you wear, your speech and even your facial expressions are easily picked on. Tell you what? It’s simple. The Bible makes it clear. To whom much is given, much is expected. Your dad or mum pastors a whole church and is an example to the congregation. Easily, you’re the example for the congregation’s children because they believe the preacher’s child behaves as a result of what the preacher preaches so, much is expected of you.
This is not to scare you or make life difficult for you to live, but you have a part to play. You’re a Christian and so, you must exhibit the life of a Christian. You don’t have to forfeit your youthful exuberance to please others. Use it to serve God. Listen to good Christian music, wear decent clothing, smile and be ready to listen. Get involved with the lives of other teens in church. Share stuff, have get-togethers, and centre your life round Christ. Matthew 5:16 says ‘…let your light so shine before men that they may see your good deeds, and praise your father in Heaven.’ If you live your life to please God, being an example to others won’t be so difficult and may even be a good idea ’cause we sure want some more youth for Christ.
I could go on and on but space won’t allow. However, I’ll leave you with these. God doesn’t make mistakes. Being a preacher’s child is one of the very good plans that God has for you (Jeremiah 29:11). Don’t forget, there are also many good things about being a preacher’s child so, don’t only look at the bad side of things. Live your life to the fullest in Christ. Being a preacher’s child is not such a bad idea!
SHALOM!!!
Written by Ife Ogunkanmi
Do I Have To Get Married?
A young man sees a young lady, falls in love with her, sums up courage and asks her out. She tries to prove ‘hard to get’ but after sometime, she says YES. They begin to go everywhere together; they are so engrossed with each other; they hardly notice that there are other people around them.
If there are opportunities for overnight chatting like with MTN, the love talk will continue till early morning. What of chatting on Yahoo Messenger or visits to the cinemas? They just don’t want to leave each other’s company.
This is God’s divine programme. He saw this at creation. When he created Adam, He saw that Adam could not live alone. It was not good. God created a help, meet for him; He gave Eve to Adam in Genesis 2:22.
Whatever happened after this was not God’s plan. Have you wondered why some relationships turn soar after some years of marriage? It is because the two parties involved took their eyes off God who ordained marriage in the first instance. Love can sustain a relationship for sometime but only God can sustain it forever.
Imagine a couple that has been in love for some years. They eventually get to discover each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Instead of focusing on each other’s strengths, the devil will make them dwell on the weaknesses so that a relationship that was very cordial and sweet before all of a sudden becomes very bitter.
So are you still wondering whether you should get married or not? My answer is YES. The fact that it didn’t work for some people doesn’t mean that it wont work for you. There are still many happy married couples in the world today.
You must purpose in your mind that your own marriage will be a success too. There must be the desire to make it succeed.
Always remember that God’s thoughts towards you are good Jeremiah 29:11. God doesn’t do evil neither does he tempt anyone with evil.
Focus on people whose marriages have succeeded. As you have students who fail in examinations, so you have those who pass. If you cannot say you won’t sit for examinations because others have failed, then you shouldn’t say that you won’t marry because some marriages have failed. Let it be a matter of Philipians 4:13.
Anytime I look at my children, I always bless God for making me fruitful. I believe that as a boy or girl, you would like to be fruitful in the future. Having a child out of wedlock would be sinning (fornication). It is only in marriage that pregnancy is lawful. So, if you desire fruitfulness, you must desire marriage. Then, you would be fulfilling God’s purpose.
In marriage, there is companionship – you have someone to share your thoughts, aspirations, burdens etc with. There is someone to listen to you while you share your intimate thoughts.
Other friends will come and go but your marriage partner is for life. If the person is God’s choice for you, you will enjoy heaven here on earth. There will definitely be challenges but as you depend on God, He will bring solutions to them (…be of good cheer, I have overcome the world).
However, may I add here that there are three types of Eunuchs (people who never marry) – Matthew 19:12:
1) Eunuchs by birth
2) Eunuchs, by the making of men
3) Eunuchs for the Kingdom’s sake.
So, you can still be single and happy. But like Jesus said, “In the beginning, it was not so”. The book of Genesis categorically tells us that God said it is not good for man to be alone.
At the right time, barring ALL biases, please seek God’s face concerning the issue of marriage and let Him speak to you about your life partner.
I love people getting married. I am a marriage counselor, by God’s grace, and the thought of people getting married thrills me. Please in X years to come, when you are sure you are getting hooked, please remember to invite me. It is well with you.
Love you so much!
Written by Sinmisola Adigun
If there are opportunities for overnight chatting like with MTN, the love talk will continue till early morning. What of chatting on Yahoo Messenger or visits to the cinemas? They just don’t want to leave each other’s company.
This is God’s divine programme. He saw this at creation. When he created Adam, He saw that Adam could not live alone. It was not good. God created a help, meet for him; He gave Eve to Adam in Genesis 2:22.
Whatever happened after this was not God’s plan. Have you wondered why some relationships turn soar after some years of marriage? It is because the two parties involved took their eyes off God who ordained marriage in the first instance. Love can sustain a relationship for sometime but only God can sustain it forever.
Imagine a couple that has been in love for some years. They eventually get to discover each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Instead of focusing on each other’s strengths, the devil will make them dwell on the weaknesses so that a relationship that was very cordial and sweet before all of a sudden becomes very bitter.
So are you still wondering whether you should get married or not? My answer is YES. The fact that it didn’t work for some people doesn’t mean that it wont work for you. There are still many happy married couples in the world today.
You must purpose in your mind that your own marriage will be a success too. There must be the desire to make it succeed.
Always remember that God’s thoughts towards you are good Jeremiah 29:11. God doesn’t do evil neither does he tempt anyone with evil.
Focus on people whose marriages have succeeded. As you have students who fail in examinations, so you have those who pass. If you cannot say you won’t sit for examinations because others have failed, then you shouldn’t say that you won’t marry because some marriages have failed. Let it be a matter of Philipians 4:13.
Anytime I look at my children, I always bless God for making me fruitful. I believe that as a boy or girl, you would like to be fruitful in the future. Having a child out of wedlock would be sinning (fornication). It is only in marriage that pregnancy is lawful. So, if you desire fruitfulness, you must desire marriage. Then, you would be fulfilling God’s purpose.
In marriage, there is companionship – you have someone to share your thoughts, aspirations, burdens etc with. There is someone to listen to you while you share your intimate thoughts.
Other friends will come and go but your marriage partner is for life. If the person is God’s choice for you, you will enjoy heaven here on earth. There will definitely be challenges but as you depend on God, He will bring solutions to them (…be of good cheer, I have overcome the world).
However, may I add here that there are three types of Eunuchs (people who never marry) – Matthew 19:12:
1) Eunuchs by birth
2) Eunuchs, by the making of men
3) Eunuchs for the Kingdom’s sake.
So, you can still be single and happy. But like Jesus said, “In the beginning, it was not so”. The book of Genesis categorically tells us that God said it is not good for man to be alone.
At the right time, barring ALL biases, please seek God’s face concerning the issue of marriage and let Him speak to you about your life partner.
I love people getting married. I am a marriage counselor, by God’s grace, and the thought of people getting married thrills me. Please in X years to come, when you are sure you are getting hooked, please remember to invite me. It is well with you.
Love you so much!
Written by Sinmisola Adigun
Teen Celebrity
Can we meet you?
My name is Afolayan Esther. I come from Kwara State (Edidi). I’m fifteen years old. I’m the third child out of four; second daughter.
What’s your present status?
I’m a student of Methodist Girls’ High School, Yaba. I’m in SS3 and a science student.
What church do you attend and what’s your involvement there?
I attend RCCG, Faith Center Parish, Abule-Ado. I’m just a member but hoping to join the choir soon.
Do you hold any leadership position in school?
Yes, I do. I am Assistant Senior Prefect.
Do you hold any positions out of school too?
Yes, I’m the Senate President of the National Children’s Parliament.
What is this parliament all about?
It’s a body that advocates for the rights of children; ensuring their survival, development, protection, and participation in policy and decision making.
When did you become a member?
I became a member of the Lagos Parliament last year, June 16th, 2007; the Day of the African Child. Then, I was Deputy Speaker in Lagos state.
Then, July 23rd, this year, I was elected as Senate President of the National Parliament.
That’s impressive but we’ll come to the National one later. First, please tell us how you qualified to become a member of the parliament in the first place.
We wrote an essay, by districts. Five parliamentarians were chosen per district. Amazingly, three of the five in our district were from my school. Then, we went for elections and swearing-in.
You were elected then?
Yes, I was.
How did that go?
I gave my manifesto and the children parliament voted.
Now, how did you become National Senate President?
I was told I would be representing Lagos at the National level. I went to Abuja in July and was informed that there would be elections. I thought I should go for the seat of Senate President; I gave my manifesto and was voted in.
How has it been so far?
Interesting. It has been full of experiences. Now, my major passion, apart from school, is children, children, children. It has been so exposing.
When do you have seatings?
We have them during holidays so as not to disturb our academics.
How have you been able to balance it with your academics?
It has not been easy but with wisdom and God, I’ve been able to manage it.
What challenges have you had?
We all come from different states, so when I take decisions, some parliamentarians tend to think I’m being biased. It’s been a challenge relating with members of the parliament. Only a few understand the unity factor.
What is the age bracket of the parliament?
We’re between 10 and 17 years of age.
Have you met any prominent Nigerians in the process?
Yes. I have met with the Senate President, Senator David Mark and the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development. I also visited the Governor of Lagos, along with others, on children’s day this year.
With your experience as Senate President of the Children’s Parliament, do you see yourself going into politics?
No.
Why?
I don’t like it; can’t do it. From my little experience, discovered some teenagers were already bribing during elections – at that level!
So, what would you want to become?
A Computer Scientist.
Why is that?
I love computers. I want to do programming. I’ve decided to have an ICT firm, so that’ll help me in that direction.
What are your hobbies?
Reading and singing, basically.
What more can you tell us about yourself?
I could be very friendly. I don’t take things too personal, not angry easily. I’m very principled; there’re things I won’t do or take from anybody. I like God-fearing people. I don’t like being around boring people. So, everywhere I am, I try to start up conversations to make the place lively.
What makes you different from other teenagers?
I’m just myself. I’m me.
Any advice for fellow teenagers reading this magazine?
There’s an acronym we used to use in my former church. “Be MAD – Make A Difference”. So, do something that will make you stand-out from others. Let’s be socially responsible; respectful and God-fearing.
Thank you Esther. It was really nice chatting with you.
You’re welcome.
Is there something very unique about you or that you’ve achieved and you want to be interviewed on this magazine or you have a teenage friend who you know is very special and should be interviewed, please send the name(s) and contacts (e-mail and phone number) to us at justaboutmine@yahoo.com We’ll get back to you and after listening to you, you might just be chosen as our next Teen Celebrity.
My name is Afolayan Esther. I come from Kwara State (Edidi). I’m fifteen years old. I’m the third child out of four; second daughter.
What’s your present status?
I’m a student of Methodist Girls’ High School, Yaba. I’m in SS3 and a science student.
What church do you attend and what’s your involvement there?
I attend RCCG, Faith Center Parish, Abule-Ado. I’m just a member but hoping to join the choir soon.
Do you hold any leadership position in school?
Yes, I do. I am Assistant Senior Prefect.
Do you hold any positions out of school too?
Yes, I’m the Senate President of the National Children’s Parliament.
What is this parliament all about?
It’s a body that advocates for the rights of children; ensuring their survival, development, protection, and participation in policy and decision making.
When did you become a member?
I became a member of the Lagos Parliament last year, June 16th, 2007; the Day of the African Child. Then, I was Deputy Speaker in Lagos state.
Then, July 23rd, this year, I was elected as Senate President of the National Parliament.
That’s impressive but we’ll come to the National one later. First, please tell us how you qualified to become a member of the parliament in the first place.
We wrote an essay, by districts. Five parliamentarians were chosen per district. Amazingly, three of the five in our district were from my school. Then, we went for elections and swearing-in.
You were elected then?
Yes, I was.
How did that go?
I gave my manifesto and the children parliament voted.
Now, how did you become National Senate President?
I was told I would be representing Lagos at the National level. I went to Abuja in July and was informed that there would be elections. I thought I should go for the seat of Senate President; I gave my manifesto and was voted in.
How has it been so far?
Interesting. It has been full of experiences. Now, my major passion, apart from school, is children, children, children. It has been so exposing.
When do you have seatings?
We have them during holidays so as not to disturb our academics.
How have you been able to balance it with your academics?
It has not been easy but with wisdom and God, I’ve been able to manage it.
What challenges have you had?
We all come from different states, so when I take decisions, some parliamentarians tend to think I’m being biased. It’s been a challenge relating with members of the parliament. Only a few understand the unity factor.
What is the age bracket of the parliament?
We’re between 10 and 17 years of age.
Have you met any prominent Nigerians in the process?
Yes. I have met with the Senate President, Senator David Mark and the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development. I also visited the Governor of Lagos, along with others, on children’s day this year.
With your experience as Senate President of the Children’s Parliament, do you see yourself going into politics?
No.
Why?
I don’t like it; can’t do it. From my little experience, discovered some teenagers were already bribing during elections – at that level!
So, what would you want to become?
A Computer Scientist.
Why is that?
I love computers. I want to do programming. I’ve decided to have an ICT firm, so that’ll help me in that direction.
What are your hobbies?
Reading and singing, basically.
What more can you tell us about yourself?
I could be very friendly. I don’t take things too personal, not angry easily. I’m very principled; there’re things I won’t do or take from anybody. I like God-fearing people. I don’t like being around boring people. So, everywhere I am, I try to start up conversations to make the place lively.
What makes you different from other teenagers?
I’m just myself. I’m me.
Any advice for fellow teenagers reading this magazine?
There’s an acronym we used to use in my former church. “Be MAD – Make A Difference”. So, do something that will make you stand-out from others. Let’s be socially responsible; respectful and God-fearing.
Thank you Esther. It was really nice chatting with you.
You’re welcome.
Is there something very unique about you or that you’ve achieved and you want to be interviewed on this magazine or you have a teenage friend who you know is very special and should be interviewed, please send the name(s) and contacts (e-mail and phone number) to us at justaboutmine@yahoo.com We’ll get back to you and after listening to you, you might just be chosen as our next Teen Celebrity.
Bobos' Yarn With P.Leke Johnson
Q: I stay with my mum and my step father but they quarrel so much about me. Anything about me gets him angry; anything bought for me also gets him angry. At times, the quarrel may make him send us out of the house and later he would come and apologise. He talks as if my future depends on him. He would tell me that when I finish secondary school, I would go and work. My mum grows lean each time they have such quarrels. I feel that if I’m not there, every thing will be ok between them but I don’t know where to go. Even my mum doesn’t know where to take me to. Please I need your advise because I don’t feel comfortable being the cause of their quarrels.
A: I commend you for knowing you need to seek counsel, and Godly one too for this delicate matter. Now, you need know that you are not the cause of the problem between your mum and step dad and your life and future does not depend on them or anyone else, but on God.
From statistics, it has been discovered that those who are exceptionally great in this life are those that life has hardly given the opportunity to live in this life at all, so I am sure God has put so much in you that this world is waiting for and the devil doesn’t want that, so he must devise his own means at stopping you from reaching the world.
Let us find out what exactly are the things that get your step dad angry with or about you? Are they things you can change? Like a habit, or is it by just seeing you? If it is the former, then, let’s work at changing those things for good, but if it is the latter, you might need to reduce his seeing you to the barest minimum so as not to spark those angry sessions again. For example, is your biological dad still alive? If yes, are you sure you wont want to go stay with him, at least, if that alternative is available? Your mother’s health is also a matter to put in mind, you need all the people who can support you still living for you.
For this world to stand at attention when one day you share your story on how you walked the rough roads to success and victory, you need to equip yourself with as much education as you can grab, if not right away, then gradually, as the opportunity unfolds. If the need arises, tell your mother to let you shuttle between school and work to be able to raise enough money for your school after secondary school if she can’t do it on her own and she won’t want to ask your Step Dad.
Meanwhile, you need a lot of patience, perseverance and inputting the very nature of God in yourself, so that when you start unfolding, it will be unto joy and you won’t be ashamed at all. Remember, store good things only in your spirit and soul, no matter what; it will help you grow and attain your goals fast. So, no bitterness, no anger, no hate and no regret anymore. See your life as a whole story, not the unpleasant and harsh bits and pieces you see now. It is the whole story that counts. See you at the top. Ciao.
You have questions you want to let out of your heart, right? Send an e-mail to questionsofmine@yahoo.com and indicate if you want the question(s) addressed personally or through the magazine.
A: I commend you for knowing you need to seek counsel, and Godly one too for this delicate matter. Now, you need know that you are not the cause of the problem between your mum and step dad and your life and future does not depend on them or anyone else, but on God.
From statistics, it has been discovered that those who are exceptionally great in this life are those that life has hardly given the opportunity to live in this life at all, so I am sure God has put so much in you that this world is waiting for and the devil doesn’t want that, so he must devise his own means at stopping you from reaching the world.
Let us find out what exactly are the things that get your step dad angry with or about you? Are they things you can change? Like a habit, or is it by just seeing you? If it is the former, then, let’s work at changing those things for good, but if it is the latter, you might need to reduce his seeing you to the barest minimum so as not to spark those angry sessions again. For example, is your biological dad still alive? If yes, are you sure you wont want to go stay with him, at least, if that alternative is available? Your mother’s health is also a matter to put in mind, you need all the people who can support you still living for you.
For this world to stand at attention when one day you share your story on how you walked the rough roads to success and victory, you need to equip yourself with as much education as you can grab, if not right away, then gradually, as the opportunity unfolds. If the need arises, tell your mother to let you shuttle between school and work to be able to raise enough money for your school after secondary school if she can’t do it on her own and she won’t want to ask your Step Dad.
Meanwhile, you need a lot of patience, perseverance and inputting the very nature of God in yourself, so that when you start unfolding, it will be unto joy and you won’t be ashamed at all. Remember, store good things only in your spirit and soul, no matter what; it will help you grow and attain your goals fast. So, no bitterness, no anger, no hate and no regret anymore. See your life as a whole story, not the unpleasant and harsh bits and pieces you see now. It is the whole story that counts. See you at the top. Ciao.
You have questions you want to let out of your heart, right? Send an e-mail to questionsofmine@yahoo.com and indicate if you want the question(s) addressed personally or through the magazine.
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