5 RESPONSIBILITIES BEFORE AND DURING THE STORM.

Taking a cue from the eagle: 1. An Eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks. As a child of God and a Christian, some things are not expected to catch you unawares. If you are very sensitive in the spirit, you get spiritual signals of what is impending. Sometimes you might not get the definite thing but you always smell a rat and thereby, prepare for it! Proverbs 22:3… “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished” 2. The Eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. The time of rest is not actually the time to take the back sit and sleep! Rather, it is the time to take our spiritual lives and internal capacity to a higher level so as to have the required strength needed to withstand any challenge when it arrives and come out victorious without it swallowing you. That high spot is the place of preparation in prayer, fasting and acquisition of knowledge and revelational insights. Revelations 12: 13-14… “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent” You need spiritual nourishment! 3. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. Setting its wings suggests that you begin to employ or put to use, the things you have learnt overtime. Most times when we have the opportunity of hearing some deep insights, we feel so thrilled and it seems like, if the devil showed up that time, we were going to swallow him up! However, when the reality of the challenge hits us, we tend to fret and withdraw. Anytime we do this, we are covering our wings instead of SETTING IT! Setting it will involve putting on your whole armour of war as highlighted in Ephesians 6: 13-17. The wing that picks the eagle up and lifts it up above the storm is your God that will lift you up above your storms! All you need to do is to SET YOUR WINGS! Psalm 91:4… “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust; his truth shall be thy shield and buckler”. 4. While the storm rages below, the Eagle is soaring above it. You are not meant to be in the storm. You’re meant to soar above it! The only thing that can make you practically soar above it is for you to be aware of your position spiritually and physically. Spiritually, the bible says in Ephesians 2:6... ‘And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” If we indeed understand the revelation of being seated with Christ in heavenly places, then we should know that no evil can overcome you there. Physically, we need to be correctly positioned before the storm. Most times, evil get to prevail over some people because they are not at the right place. However, if you are where God has rightly directed you to go to, no matter the raging storm there, you’d always overcome. Isaiah 30:12… “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left”. This means that there is a particular way for us to walk in and God himself knows where the way is. We must be wise enough to seek direction from Him. 5. The Eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. He rises on the winds that bring the storm. Get it straight once and for all… EVERY STORM that knocks on our door has the capacity to either MAKE US or BREAK US. You decide! You decide either to bow down, throw in the towel and allow the storm to sink you or you begin to see every storm as an opportunity to lift you higher, thereby taking you from where you used to be, to where you ought to be. Imagine a man who has been managing a one bedroom apartment and suddenly given a quit notice by His landlord? If he came to church to share it as a testimony, I’m sure some folks might consider Him foolish. Little did he know that the storm was a set up for his elevation because few months down the line, he was walking into his own home of a three bedroom flat! If he wasn’t evicted, he might not have been elevated. Please note that this story is not a fiction! It’s as real as you, reading this. So many instances abound. The point? Every storm is a testimony turned inside out. Always see the soaring and not the overwhelming! Always remember that it’s not the burdens of life that weigh us down but HOW WE PREPARE and HOW WE HANDLE THEM. May God strengthen you now and always. Peace.

WOW!!! HE’S BEEN BLESSING ME AND I NEVER KNEW!

WOW!!! HE’S BEEN BLESSING ME AND I NEVER KNEW!

So many times, we have often asked God for some things and we thought he never gave it to us, whereas he did!

How can you explain asking God for 10,000 to enable you feed for the month yet he did not but guess what? He ensured that you ate throughout the month!

How can you explain asking God to give you money to buy some specific things but he didn’t. Rather, he gave you the things through people?

So many instances abound where and when we have asked God for specific things but since we did not receive it the way we had thought, we had completely forgotten that he has given it to us.

Bottom line… He might not give you the cash, but he ensures that you don’t lack any good thing.

I perceive in my spirit that for some people, God does not have any problem crediting your account with some cool cash, but he wants to preserve your heart and soul from finding assurance and solace in the fatness of your bank account.

Remember the parable of the rich fool in the book of Luke Chapter 12 and from verse 16 to 21(try studying it again if you’ve done so before) who looked into his storehouse and when he saw the fatness of it, he found assurance in it and told his soul to sit back and enjoy for the rest of his life!

That brings to my mind the greed exhibited by our leaders and by some people who trust in their riches. They have so much in their accounts that could last them for a life time and even generations unborn from their lineage…. That is why you find some rich people not believing in, or regarding God. They trust in their riches and in the fatness of their bank account!

The rich fool ended up dying before his time!

So also, God does not want you destroyed before your time. However, I’m too sure that when he sees that your level of maturity in Him has moved to a higher level and dimension whereby he trusts your heart position and frame, he can then fill your storehouse i.e your bank account without having “the fear” that your heart will be stayed on it.

Got it?

So, RELAX and enjoy his provisions in the way he chooses to bring them to you while you grow in the knowledge of HIM.

Think deep and see how God has and is still providing for you and be filled with a grateful heart which you must extend by letting Him know that you are grateful in your thoughts, actions and disposition.

WOW!!! HE’S BEEN BLESSING YOU!

PRAY!

Prayer is so powerful that is why the devil:
..tries to make us loose confidence in it
...doubt if is answered
...Makes us think there's an hidden sin hindering us
and a whole lot of clauses.
In the bible looking at Acts chapter 12 and verses 1-6,
James was killed. Peter was also billed to be killed but
prayer saved him!
There are so many ugly things that have happened in
our lives which should not have happened if we had
prayed.
So also, there are some things we are uncomfortable
with now that can be dealt with if we pray.
So also there are future evil occurrences the devil has
planned for us that can be averted if we pray!
Oh... How the devil keeps us lazy when it comes to
prayer yet we can gist with friends for as much as five
hours without even knowing.
How sweet gisting could be.
But how come we refuse to deal with the very issues
of our lives that so much matter?
The same issues we will go back to meet when we are
through with gisting?
The devil sells us a lie that mere thinking of prayer
reminds us of boredom yet the psalmist says he is
glad when it comes to going to the house of the Lord.
Friends, its time to take our lives in our hands!
ITS TIME TO PRAY!
Seek out scriptures in the bible and begin to make
war with them.
Some years ago, the Holy Spirit said audibly in my
ears..
"The opposite of EVERY problem is prayer"
I don't know how you will choose to interprete it but I
take it raw as it is.
What is that problem you're faced with now???
PRAY about it.
Once or twice you may ask?
Pray till you have a release in your spirit after which
you begin to thank and praise God for it.
In few hours, ild share with you on the power of
praise from my archives of personal testimonies.
PRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!

GUESS WHAT? YOU’RE GONG TO OVERTAKE!!!

Sometimes in life, the problem is not that we don’t have plans or clearly laid down goals but it just consistently seem that those goals are far from our reach.Yet, we are not getting younger and the seasons of our lives is constantly changing.

We seem to be at a standstill and everything around is stagnated. One evidence of things being stagnated is when you begin to see everyday alike and don’t even want to get out of the bed early in the morning. Afterall you say... what is going to be new and challenging in the day.
Some might seem to have everything working for them but sincerely, some aspects of our lives might seem to move while others are just the way they are.

Where is that area of your life where it seems that your mates or friends have gone ahead of you? It could be your career, ministry, relationship or marriage, child bearing and raising, spiritual development, finances and a host of others....

RELAX!

Sometime ago, I was walking on a straight long road and the Holy Spiit said to me that someone coming on a bike now will no doubt overtake me. So also when it comes to my life, he said my mates might have gone ahead of me in a car, but He’s going to take me on A FLIGHT!
And so he did and is still doing!

THAT IS WHAT I CALL THE OVERTAKING SPIRIT!

You might be the one attending all the marriage ceremonies and even being best lady and best man to countless of your friends...

You might be receiving a number of invitations for the launching of your friends companies and even offered employment there...

You might be invited to a number of naming ceremonies while you are still yet to have a child of your own...

Your friends might be inviting you to their houses for housewarming while you still live in a rented room or flat with your Parents.

You are still jumping from one bike to another while your mates have their own cars and are probably driven by their company’s driver...

The List is endless...

Now, here’s what the overtaking Spirit will do which is the Spirit of God according to Amos 9:13... Behold the days are coming says the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper,and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine and all the hills shall melt (that is everything heretofore barren and unfruitful shall overflow with spiritual blessings)

SO WHAT IS HAPPENING TO YOU?

Have you ever witnessed a race? When the participants are about starting, they place one leg behind while the other stays in front. You know why, the leg at the back acts as a propeller and generator of the force needed to gain speed for the race altogether!

So, what am I saying? Your staying back and seemingly not advancing is only a set up to ensure that you gain adequate force and power for the race still ahead of you.

SO WHAT DO YOU DO WHILE WAITING?

This is a question on the minds of most people. Your time of waiting is not a time to remain physically stagnant doing nothing! It’s not the time for you to visit friends endlessly, wish time away and complain of boredom (that’s the language of those going nowhere).

It’s the time to keep accessing and re-accessing your strengths and giftings while working on shedding away your excesses.

It’s the time for you to attend quality seminars and conferences.

It’s the time to read and study voraciously ( because you don’t get to read all that you need to; on the field. You only put into action what you have read.)

Another area people miss it is not doing anything at all. God says that whatever your hands find to do, DO IT! That is why I’ld like you to go through the particular issue confronting you presently, and take the action part of it while you see God perfect all in his own time. Always remember that God is never late.

For instance, do you believe God for a baby? The action part is for you to start buying your baby things and reading books on preganancy and motherhood.

Is it for a job? Start out with anything no matter how menial. You can also take a daring step further by offering to work for free in any place there’s no vacancy.

Is it for a marriage? Take the action path by getting to window shop, ask for prices, fix a date, start hard!
Bottom line, whatever the challenge before you.... TAKE THE ACTION PATH OF IT! That is what you do while ‘’waiting’’ and watch God breathe on your efforts!

In conclusion, keep your eyes focused on your desires. PRAY and PRAY, Refuse to reason with the devil and his suggestions. Rather reason with God! He might seem to take time from our own level of human reasoning but trust him... he knows what He’s doing.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Because I see you overtaking. You know why? He did it and is still doing it in an undeniable way for me and because we are heirs together of the same promise and God is not a respecter of persons, your’s will not be an exception.

Love you.

TIPS TO MINIMISE SPENDING SO MUCH ON YOUR HAIR.

From a level of deep thinking, I’ve found out that our hair as ladies consumes even more than our tuition fees, feeding and even investmtents as the case may be. Is our hair a worthy investment? In as much as we are expected to be neat from the crown of her heads, there are ways we can minimise the amount of money we spend on our hair while we channel most of our resources into worthy investments that can yield reasonable dividends for us.


The funny thing is that some ladies that claim to lack one thing or the other are carrying the capital of what will make them financially independent once and for all, on their heads.

Really, if you don’t sit down to deliberately calculate, you might not realise the fortune you are spending on your hair which can be cut down if you must be a good investor and not a terrific spender.

Let’s see how the money goes, using Tope, a university undergraduate and Victoria side by side as case studies. Mind you, Tope relies on her Parents, older friends, Uncles and Aunt’s for her upkeep. She’s got nothing doing that brings in money for her but she no doubts looks smashing day in day out while spending a fortune on her hair, while Victoria’s story is the same but has plans on starting a business of her own by May.



JANUARY

Retouching...(2nd week)Tope: with Kit and service... 2,500
Vivian: With Ozone relaxer and service....350
After retouching, Vivian leaves her hair for two weeks, while combing and using accessories to dress it.
Tope fixes immediately after retouching... 1,400(weavon)+1,000(service)= 2,400
NOTE: If the same amount is at their disposal for hair purposes, at the end of January, Tope has spent 4,900 while Vivian has spent 350 thereby saving 4,550.



FEBRUARY
Tope loosens her weavon, washes her hair, and then braids it, all summing up to 4,500
Vivian washes her hair and fixes for 2,000 and then does a simple hausa weaving by the end of the month for 400, all summing up to 2,400.
By the end of February, Tope spent 4,500 while Vivian spent 2,500. Vivian has succeeded in saving 2,000.



MARCH
Tope saves up some money including the ones she had sourced for, from various quarters which she claimed to need for her ongoing project to buy a brazillian human hair for 60,000( you know, she needs to level up with her clique) She fixes for 1,500.
Wow! With the same amount of money at vivian’s disposal, she buys a standard and smashing wig for 5,000( At least she don step up small)which she used all through the month of March, while keeping her hair neatly woven (500)



At the end of March,Tope had spent 61,500 while Vivian spent 5,500 thus saving the sum of 56,000.


TOTAL ANALYSIS: By the end of March, Tope has spent a total sum of 70,900 on her hair while Vivian spent 8,350 while saving 62,550.
Now, please note that the Salons and products they use for their hair is different. It is not that Vivian wouldn’t mind a good kit but could still make do with another at least for the moment.


In as much as I’m not advocating that we should treat our hair anyhow and use poor quality products, I’m trying to say that we should live our level per time while making sure we have good investments that can produce more thus being less of a burden but a blessing to others in need.


At the end of this analysis, Vivian has a whole 62,550 to invest into a long standing idea while Tope is still in square one. Sooner, Tope will still have to borrow money from Vivian while Vivian has traded the days of pleasure and high standard for a worthy investment and could afford to make any kinda hair she wants later! Note that this still does not mean that we should spend unreasonably on our hair.


For instance, it’s not everytime we must have something glued to our hair. Our hair needs Air and we should cultivate the habit of leaving our hair for some time without attaching anything to it. It is healthy as well as economical.


We should also try to buy wigs that can be used at various times and for various reasons. At times, you might not have much and you need to appear good, your wig comes in handy. However these days, most weavons are thrown away after the first use! At least, you can’t throw your wig away after the first use.


Also, we should try as much a s possible to be content with what we have on per time and not covetous! Ladies go as much as loosening a kind of hair that is being carried for just a week because they just found out a new kind of hairdo on another.


In conclusion ladies, let’s be wise and take a stock of how much we spend on our hair and then, adjust where necessary. Always remember that it pays to be prudent and to go through the pain of discipline than the pain of regret.


It’s not money we need in actual sense but wisdom to manage and harness the little that comes to us per time. Soon, you’ld be a distributor and not a borrower. Watch it! Hope the Capital you’ve been looking for all the while is not on your head!


Please, feel free to add your comments and further suggestions or adjustments. We really need to rub our minds together.

DEAR GIRLFRIEND,...you must be an asset and not a Liability!!! (1)

There are no effects in life without causes. Sure you know that. Also, from observations and mostly experience, you must have come to the conclusion like I have, that the need for MONEY is the root cause of most problems and complications we have in the soceity today. Just in case you are doubting, If you were given 50 million right now (see it truly), am I right to say that at least, 50% of your current challenges will be over in a sweep. Let’s see... • You want to pursue your academics in a very good institution, probably abroad. • You need a good accomodation as a family and the rent is getting higher by the day. • Your siblings all need to go to school and pay for everything payable. • Looking for a good paying job so badly. • Someone is down with one sickness or the other that requires money for quality and adequate treatment. • Your Parents are complaining about the upkeep of family • Your Fiance is not able to settle down with you for marriage because he is not financially empowered. • You can’t dress well, eat well, travel to places you’ld have loved to, buy books or Cds you’ld have loved to read or hear, register and attend seminars or conferences, participate in some church activities and even service groups(that require money in one way or the other) The List is endless................................................................................................ If money has so much influence, then why can’t we put good and conscious measures into place to ensure that we do not lack it. The truth is that Lack makes a Man so uncomfortable and the absence of money is like cancer because it affects every other aspect of your life. Agreed, there are problems or issues in life that money cannot solve. There are people that have the money for whatever they want yet they lack peace and even have diseases that are beyond medical solution. However, you’ld agree with me that with the availablity of Money, the problems are brought down to the minimum. Now, let’s narrow this down to ladies. Most ladies have found themselves compromising their precious lives for the benefit they would receive in monetary terms or... • How else can you explain a young lady of 25 years old having affairs with married Men old enough to be her father? • How can you explain a lady getting married to a Man she does not Love but because he is financially empowered. • Or a lady that will stand on the streets to exchange her body for money... • Or a lady that will betray her friend(like Judas did to Jesus for 30 pieces of silver which he ended up not spending) into the hands of ritual killers because of the money that is going to be given to her? The list remains endless.... LADIES VIEWS Ladies and Women in general tend to view money and finances differently from Men though mindsets are being changed drastically these days because we now have ladies going all the way into their various fields of interest and making great impact there, thus getting empowered financially. However. Some women still think that the development of a viable financial life plan majorly rest on Men and the best they can do is to find such Men that have made it big! Ladies and women in general need to be reminded that a Man is not a financial plan! WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN ASSET? An asset in simple terms, means anything useful or valuable. As a woman, you can bring yourself under the light of any or all of the following if you’re to consider yourself as an asset. Remember, it has little or nothing to do with the number of clothes, bags or shoes you have in your wardrobe though they can be converted into cash if they still retain their value. The assets I’m addressing here lies mainly in the education and thus, skills you have acquired as a result of it. To be educated simply means to be trained or taught either within the confines of a school environment or outside. This involves either getting a Diploma, Degree, Masters or PH.D in a desired course and other Professional courses. Your desired course of study or career can be JUST ANYTHING ranging from Hairdressing, Tailoring, Designing, Medicine, Law, Engineering, Journalism, Fine Arts, e.t.c and I must tell you, none is more lucrative than the other. It’s your attitude to work that matters. The above can be learnt in either ways.The list is endless. Getting trained or educated formally and informally is the KEY! There is nothing like being FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT as a single and even as a married Woman. Even when you operate joint accounts, you still need to keep an account in your own name because of so many reasons part of which is for you to be able to contribute your own quota into the relationship,not having to depend on your partner for every single need, the fact that some Men are not that good with managing money, to be able to readily expand your career e.t.c WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A LIABILITY? Simply put, having to rely on another person or people for almost all your needs frequently such that you are considered a PEST even if you are not told to your face. Instead of just sitting down and being idle as regards financial matters,having to be burdened with anything that involves money, I would like to share some business ideas that you could set up.Some of these businesses may require that you acquire new skills while there might be some that you already possess the skills needed to set up. Above all start a business that defines you as an individual and gives you satisfaction. Below are some business Ideas that you can start. 1.Beauty Services – Salon, Spa 2.Child care provider – Creche 4.Children’s party Planner 5.Caterer 6.Computer Services 7.Direct selling – Mary Kay, Avon, Mark, clothes, shoes, bags (JUST ANYTHING) 8.Dry cleaning services 9. Event planning 10.Writing 11.Fashion designing 12 .Fitness Instructor 13.Home Tutoring 14.House cleaning 15.Interior designing services 16.Jewelry designing 17.Liquid soap production 18.Consultant 19.Multi level marketing e.g Ardyss, Forever Living products, FM perfumes 20.Make-up Artist 21.Motivational speaker 22.Nanny services 23.Photography 24.Party rentals services 25.Web designer 26.Wedding Planner 27. Art works. 28. Private Lessons/ Tutorial centre. Remember having a business idea is the first stage to starting a business .Until you consciously take the decision and act on it, there will be no business! SO HOW DO I GET STARTED? Erase the notion that you need hundreds of thousands or millions of Naira to make it on your own. If you can start smart, then you’re on your way to a liberating experience. 1. Develop Skills and Confidence. Once you’ve created your business model you’ll have to develop the skills necessary to make it in this competitive environment. Being smart is not enough to be successful. You need to rely on determination, guts, tough skin and confidence. You are sure to encounter many roadblocks along the way and you have to be ready to face these head on. 2. Gather What You Have On Ground. You have to assess how long you can get by with little or no income. Try to take a stock of what you have and what you can gather from mature friends or family. If possible, sell some of your stuffs( it depends on how convincing you are of your business idea and the amount of risks you are willing to take) You might even have to put up your Blackberry for sale(Funny)? 3. Delay Being So Official Delay the normal business starting activities like incorporating, hiring, renting an office e.t.c until after your business has started earning money. Avoid the temptation of having to start big thus procrastinating and eventually, not starting at all. 4. Take Substantial Responsibility Try to do most things yourself (at least for a start) without having to hire and pay an expert. I hope this helps. It will save you a lot of compromises that characterises lack of money. I’ld get to share with you my personal experiences in the world of business and being financially independent from scratch till present. Watch out for the concluding part.

YOUR TIME.

Beautiful things abound around you The young and innocent alike, Get their desires in the twinkle of an eye. The seemingly undeserving The wicked and hard-hearted Celebrating everyday A new award called fOrth Why is mine different you ask Joining others as they celebrate Being the bride’s maid The driver to the venue of the award The photographer at the convocation day The Samaritan that helps the Pregnant to the hospital A witness to all of life’s celebrations Yet, you’re an unlooker A spectator it seems and not a player Wondering if ever life will be fair To look upon you for mercy But here your lesson note dear friend Study to show yourself approved It's not in education It's not in Eloquences It's in a Relationship It's in his time Which he turns around to be your time Hold on! If you indeed know him He’d make all things beautiful for you In his Time.