WATCH YOUR WORDS

Our words have a positive effect on our lives, careers, and relationships in marriage. God created us with life on our tongue so we can bless and beautify our lives. Words are seeds that bring forth a harvest of whatever we want to see happen in our lives. The reality of our life today is the result of seeds sown yesterday. Don’t dwell on the negative side of life. Look beyond the current challenges of the economy globally; sow into the good soil of your heart the Word of God. Accept His promises as being the reality in your life. Don’t speak unkind words which may produce a harvest of anger, strife, confusion, disappointment and all forms of evil work but rather choose to speak words of love, encouragement, hope, faith and peace. There is no situation faith inspiring words cannot change. Every word spoken in faith or fear produces an effect. We should be mindful of the words we speak over our lives, careers, business and marriage this week.

Words are seeds. Positive words create pictures of hope, faith, increase, prosperity, favour and enlargement while negative words bring forth defeat, failure, disappointment, retrogression and setback. Speaking negative words calls for immediate adjustment and do not wait for the harvest which may not be pleasant to deal with. We must accept the responsibility to speak pleasant, loving and encouraging words into our lives; because “death and life are in the power of the tongue” We are set to eat the fruits thereby. Use your words to build, stabilise and strengthen your life. Continue your week by sowing words for a better future. You will surely experience a bountiful harvest of a life filled with peace, joy and fulfilment.

WE NEED WASHING

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside.
The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there, under the awning, just inside the door of the Wal Mart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.
Her little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in,
“Mom let’s run through the rain,” she said. “What?” Mom asked. “Let’s run through the rain!” She repeated. “No, honey, we’ll wait until it slows down a bit,” Mom replied. This young child waited a minute and repeated, “Mom, let’s run through the rain.” “We’ll get soaked if we do,” Mom said. “No, we won’t, Mom. That’s not what you said this morning,” the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom’s arm. “This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?” “Don’t you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, If God can get us through this; He can get us through anything!”

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn’t hear anything but the rain.
We all stood silently. No one left. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly.  Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child’s life.  A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith. “Honey, you are absolutely right. Let’s run through the rain. If GOD lets us get wet, well maybe we just need washing,” Mom said. Then off they ran….. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They got soaked. They were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars, and yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing…!

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories!  So, don’t forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories every day. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

WHO IS A DAD?

This is a question that is constantly been asked all over the world whenever the opportunity to celebrate the Father’s day presents itself. As we shared this today, may be you don’t even know your biological father, or you were single handed raised by your mother or others without having the feel of a father figure in your life or may be your experience was that of an absentee father figure or maybe you were even raised in a very stable family, I choose to share this week so we can stop the whatever cycle we may have found ourselves by a change in our attitude by making up our minds to be a father and feel in the gap for our children. You may be a woman reading this piece but you can apply these principles to raise your sons whether you are already married now or still single to be married in the future.

What is A Dad? – Author unknown

A Dad is someone who wants to catch you before you fall but instead picks you up, brushes you off and let you try again.

A Dad is someone who wants to keep you from making mistakes but let you find your own way even though his heart breaks in silence when you get hurt.

A Dad is someone who holds you when you cry, scolds you when you break the rules, shines with pride when you succeed, and has faith in you even when you fail.

A Father is “the source”. So God the Father is the Father of all fathers who enables all dads spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, mentally, physically and financially to perform their fatherly roles effectively and efficiently. Without Him we cannot perform these highlighted roles. Let’s share the wisdom of the Father so we can be good examples of love, faith, integrity, stewardship, loyalty and commitment par excellence to our children whether biologically or otherwise. Have a great week and Happy Father’s Day!

Ayo D.

SIX REASONS WHY LADIES DATE 2 OR MORE GUYS

Dating is supposed to be fun, spontaneous and adventurous. When you’re young, you will most likely date a lot of different people, test the waters and figure out what type of man (or woman) you’re most attracted to. 

According to the “modern day match maker”, Paul , it’s important for women to date more than one man at a time, after all, men do it, so why shouldn’t we?

Paul recently did an article on six reasons why a woman should date more than one man at a time. If you’re anything like me, you think of dating as a skill that is to be learned, practiced and perfected and if you’re single, then maybe it’s time to change up your dating routine with some fresh advice from the modern day match maker himself.

 Take a look at the reasons that Paul gave, and see if they match up to your personal dating techniques. (Feel free to take notes and practice when necessary)

1. Dating takes time-”if you choose to date sequentially, on average, it will take you longer to meet “the one”. On average, a woman will date 27 men before finding Mr. Right. Assuming the average number of months you date each person is 1 (this is a very conservative estimate), dating sequentially would mean an average of 10 1/2 years of dating to find your beloved!”

2. Dating is a learned skill- “the more you date, the better you will become and the better you become, the more you’ll enjoy dating”.

3. He’s dating multiple people- “The reality of dating is that, whether men are honest about it or not, MOST of them are already dating aggressively — however, only few disclose it.”

4. Comparisons allow you to see who stands out- “when dating aggressively you can see how they stack-up against the competition”

5. Your dates will show intention faster

6. Don’t front, a dating strategy is effective- “We rarely do anything successfully in life without a plan… dating should not be different.”

 

Find this Book and Laugh ! 

Another great tale of love gone wild from author Michelle Cunnah, a favourite voice of Avon Trade fans whose loveable characters are creating a stir.

A good relationship is like a pair of comfortable shoes, right?

At first, they may pinch and squeeze, but with time (and blisters) they mould to your feet for a perfect fit.

Rosie Mayford isn’t sure she believes this theory-after all, she takes a size eleven wide, so she has first-hand experience of the trials and tribulations of finding exactly the right shoes. She’s praying finding the right man won’t be nearly that hard. With the “help” of her meddling family and friends, it’s not, even if she partly found a Mr. Right just to get them off her back.

But now what? Rosie and Jonathan couldn’t be in more different places in their lives, and they are about to find out just how exhilarating-and disastrous–a mismatched love affair can be. Will they get to the part where they’re broken in and life is nothing but great sex and comforting hugs, or will one of them get sent off in scorn like a pair of too-small stilettos that felt okay in the store? What do you do when Mr. Right gets the timing wrong?

 Culled from Naija Pals.

 

TAYO ADERINOKUN,Former GTB MD dead.

Tayo Aderinokun

Today has been a day of mixed emotions, at work I have been so busy working to meet up my deliverables. I got to the office this morning and met a sad news, a former colleague, Eboka Nkencor passed away. It was a bad moment for me cos he had actually battled the illness for a very long time. Finally he lost the battle. I mourn him and pray for his soul.

This evening as I checked my Blackberry status, I found a more shocking news, TAYO ADERINOKUN, former Guaranty Trust Bank Managing Director, passes on In a UK Hospital.

I took a deep sigh of shock and anger, why him? Why now? But I paused to contemplate on his life and times, as the MD of GTB, one of the most innovative banks ever in Nigeria. Tayo has redefined banking, raised the bar and others still find it hard to come close. As one of the new banks the confidence customers have in GTB is astonishing, the loyalty to the brand is immeasurable. This man with his team created a benchmark in the banking industry. I’m not sure there is anyone who doesn’t have a GTB account, well maybe a few people.

I met him once during Troyka Holding retreat in 2008, he was a guest speaker, I was amazed at the pictorial description of the issues behind the collapse of the global market, his eloquence was admirable, his charisma, his simple nature, his class, his intelligence, I applauded, his sense of humour stood everyone up during the session. Yet he is no more.

The cause of his death as reported is Cancer of the lungs, he has been battling this ailment for years now.

Death where is your sting?

This sun has set, the candle is off, the comet is dimmed, this giant has fallen, an icon is gone, he would be missed not only by his family or his colleagues, but the entire Banking industry and Nigeria.

We miss you man, God loves you more, you have set a standard for us, you have left your landmark, your foot prints can never be erased, your shoes too big to fit anyone struggling to wear them, your cap oversized for the next person, Sleep on pal.

HIS BIOGRAPHY

“Tayo Aderinokun holds a first degree in Business Administration from the University of Lagos and an MBA with special concentration on International Business from the Graduate School of Management, University of California, Los Angeles.

His professional education includes Credit and Relationship Management training at the Chase Manhattan Bank Institute for International Banking New York, USA (1982-1983). His professional working experience was gained working with several financial institutions beginning with the Central Bank of Nigeria in Calabar, where he did his National Youth Service (1977-1978).

He worked with Chase Merchant Bank Nigeria Ltd (later renamed Continental Merchant Bank) from 1981 to 1988. He was at Prime Merchant Bank Ltd (1988 and 1989) as an Assistant General Manager rising to the position of Head of the financial services division of the Bank. In 1989, he set up a non-bank financial institution, First Marina Trust Ltd., which he ran for a year. In 1990 he co-founded Guaranty Trust Bank Plc where he served as Deputy Managing Director before taking over in his current position as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer in August 2002. He is responsible for strategic policy direction as well as day-to-day administration of the Bank.

He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and holds a recipient of the national award – Member of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

YOUR PERCEPTION IS KEY

The window through which we look at life matters a lot. A young couple moved into a new neighbourhood. The next morning while they were eating breakfast, the young woman saw her neighbour hanging the wash outside. “That laundry is not very clean,’ she said. “She doesn’t know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap.” Her husband looked on, but remained silent. Every time her neighbour would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments. About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband: “Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this.” The husband said, “I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows.” And so it is with life. What we see when watching others depends on the window through which we look.

How you see things matter a lot, most people deliberately would close their eyes to the truth, to what matters a lot to their future, most people live under pretense, some live a false life, most people live for others, others live for what others tell them. if only you see the spec in your eyes… pluck them off and move on..you would never see the clear picture of things.

 Our perception is the sum total of our reality. The way we see things is a function of the reality we have seen, touched and lived in. “We must be very careful how we read meanings to acts of others; judge or criticize them about the subject matters of life. Care must be taken so we won’t pass verdicts from our perceived reality until we take a closer look because there will always be wisdom in “opening our mouth to judge with objectivity”. Let us be cautious before we commend, judge or criticize others because we all have the tendencies to make an error of judgement.

Morning Devotion

RANDOM MUSINGS

Hello friends, its been a while I dropped something here for my readers, sorry guys work demands, in the past month, I have worked 24hrs, 30 days, no rest, I have travelled to 3 different states and worked tirelessly for self development and corporate growth.

The experience has been worth it, firstly I have visited new places and come to appreciate the beauty of my country, I have interacted with fresh and different minds and this has exposed me to a totally different view. My life has shifted from its stagnant and one sided direction to a more versatile and all round state. Things have taken a new dimension in the past month; my disposition to work has now become different. I can never forget where I worked before now, it was always a big deal to get myself up daily to work, the case is different now, I smile waking up, this goes a long way to show the new life, the opportunities that are in store for you. My team currently has brought a positive impact in my life, sitting with the strategizing on new and better ways to make life easier in the company, being a part of this has been an overwhelming phase of life, being in the midst of fresh brains.

In life you are responsible for the decisions you make, the things that surround you are called from your within. When I first turned down this job opportunity, I didn’t have an issue with the decision, I lived a normal life till the opportunity came calling again, I knew within me that the earlier I make a decision the better  where are you today? Are you struggling with making a decision? Are you scared of taking the next bold step? Are you indecided about the future? Well it takes just one step to achieving greatness.

Currently I am reading a book “EAT THAT FROG” by Brian Tracy. The fastest way to stop procrastination and getting the job done. It took me a day at a time to decide and move on, well I did and must say it has been one of the greatest decisions I have ever taken in my life, where are you today? It’s not too hard to take a fast step in the right direction and head to greatness, but remember it is not always very easy to decide. In life most people go very far in the wrong direction and they believe that the best thing to do is turn around and make the right direction, well for some it’s great to turn around, well for me, I would prefer to walk gently in that direction and a new door would open, a new road would be born just for you, especially when the you are not on the wrong side of life. You could be on that path as a means of diverting you off the worse things in life, time would make it easy for you to gain back the lost opportunities. My life has been on the wrong path, but I continued on it and finally I got into another road that has brought me happiness.

Wherever you are please look towards the bright side of life, see the beauty of being you, take responsibility for your decisions. The sky is just a starting point, well it actually is.

 See you on top

SOMEONE’S PROUD

Somebody is very proud of you

Somebody thinks you are a gift

Somebody wants to give you a gift

Somebody hopes everything turns out all right

Somebody wants to hug you

Somebody wants you to find him/her

Somebody wants you to be happy

Somebody wants to hold your hand

Somebody wants to be with you

Somebody wants to talk with you

Somebody misses you

Somebody is thankful for the support you have provided

Somebody cares about you

Somebody is thinking of you

Somebody admires your strength

Somebody wants to protect you

Somebody can’t wait to see you

Somebody loves you for who you are

Somebody treasures your spirit

Somebody is glad that you are their friend

Somebody wants to get to know you better

Somebody wants to be near you

Somebody wants you to know that they are there for you

Somebody wants to share their dreams with you

Somebody needs your support

Somebody is ALIVE because of you

Somebody will cry when they read this

Somebody needs you to have faith in them

Somebody trusts you

Somebody hears a song that reminds them of you

Somebody needs you to send this to them
You are surely a gift from above to bless your generation. So be the best in the sphere of life where you are planted. Remember no matter how little or insignificant you think your gifts are, you are an answer to someone’s prayer even when it looks like no one appreciates that in your life.  No matter how overwhelming life seems to have been, remember this week; “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”