Can you preach at your funeral? This is not an invitation to death, neither is it a death wish. It is just a harmless question that speaks to your self-examination to know how true you are to yourself in a world where truth hibernates in exchange for societal acceptance.
Any sacrifice you make to befriend comfort is worth it but whenever you find yourself in the same room with comfort, ensure you have the key to the door to prepare for your gentle walkout before your romance with comfort becomes your comfort zone.
It’s my wife’s birthday. She is an epitome of love and natural beauty. Happy birthday, Sweetheart 🌹
Without death, there is no resurrection. Without resurrection, there is no life. Jesus was without sin. He didn’t have to die but He did. He could have walked away but he chose the cross, the rugged cross. He’s alive.
Nothing good comes easy. Of all the rules of life, love stands tall. Even the book of life, The Bible, commanded that you should love your neighbour as yourself. It sounds easy but it is not as easy as it sounds to love. Nobody said it’s going to be easy but love is a beautiful thing. Difficult as it is to love your neighbour, it is more difficult for you to measure your love for yourself because no one is complaining of lack of love. Before you can love your neighbour, the first rule you must obey is to love yourself. If you are not the vigilant type, you may get carried away trying to show love to others without observing the first rule. It has repercussions.
Welcome to 2024. You might have achieved all your goals and more for 2023. Maybe you met it half way. It could also be that the hope for the realisation of your goals for 2023 was deferred. Own the moment, every season is for a reason. There are several reasons your goals might not have been achieved or delayed. Maybe you had some disappointments. Or perhaps you experienced scarcity of resources, but what if I tell you that abundance does not equate the fulfillment of purpose? If you have ever experienced scarcity, you would readily wish it away. I also would but there are more lessons to learn in scarcity than when there is more than enough of anything. Optimise your moment of lack so you don’t miss it when there is abundance. Every season in your life has its reason. Don’t despise the season you don’t wish for. Rather, pay attention to the lessons, many of which may be hidden in lack or disappointments. Whatever you lack presents you an opportunity to explore.
The sun rises and sets just like every other day but the feeling is different. The moon glows to herald the twilight as typical of the day but the atmosphere is different. The stars glitter to attract the beauty of the skies but the excitement is different. It’s a season of love, a season of giving, a season of sharing. It is more than religion, it transcends faith. The season is not conscious of race, it is not colour sensitive, neither does it respect geographical boundaries. What then makes this season different from others? Because it’s Christmas.
In everything you do, at every step of your journey, remember this even if you get too busy to remember many things: ”The fortune you seek to put smile on your face should not take your smile away” I’ll add these few tips to serve as a reminder that your life matters: Don’t find too much comfort in uncertainty Don’t depend too much on others for your success Keep your inner circle small Be driven by intrinsic rewards
Carnegie theorised that you are more likely to influence people to your way of thinking if you appeal to the nobler motive. He further described the nobler motive as the reason that sounds good.
Many times we draw a long list of what to do but forget what not to do to create enough room for what to do. It’s like buying new clothes to change your wardrobe without letting go of the old stock. It’s like putting old and new wine in the same bottle. You won’t get the optimum taste. If truly you are growing, some things that used to matter to you will stop bothering you. If everything that mattered to you years ago still matter to you today, please check. You may just be adding years to your life but not life to your years. Both are important. This happened to me many years ago in Lagos. A commercial bus driver recklessly broke my side mirror in traffic. In a matter of minutes, mediators gathered to appease me to let go of the driver but I refused. Why should I let him go without paying for my mirror? I quipped. After over two hours, some of the mediators got tired of begging me (or so I thought) and left. I also got tired of being begged and was ready to let go to continue my journey. It was only then I realised that my other mirror had been dismembered from my car. I wasted my time, wasted my energy and lost two mirrors instead of one.
Akin is an inspirational writer and author. He has published three books. He is a teacher and trainer. Through his daily teachings, he has helped a lot of people discover their potential.