DETERMINANTS OF SUCCESS

What determines the valve of a mathematical expression - the variable or the constant?

If you are familiar with mathematics, you will probably know that an equation comprises five main components: the equality and operator; and the variable, the constant and the result. In several instances, there is more than one of each of these components in an equation. Nevertheless, an equation still retains its basic form – the performance of some operation on some constant(s) and variable(s) to yield some result(s). LIFE IS JUST LIKE THAT. As we go about, we accept and make inputs into our existence, apply specific processes and then obtain results.

Now, let’s take a closer look at this equation concept and how it comes in useful to our discussion on SUCCESS. Consider the following expression:

y = x + 2

Let’s start by identifying the components. The variable is x which takes on any value we choose to give it; 2 is constant and does not change unless the entire equation changes; and y is the result which takes on the value of the result of the operation performed on 2 and x.

When x is 3, 2 remains 2 and y equals 5. When x becomes 4, 2 still remains 2 and y goes up to 6. If x drops to 1, y will also come down to 3 but 2 remains unchanged. Interestingly, if + changes to X and our variable x still takes on the value of 3, the result, y will be 6 as against 5 when the operator was +.

So let me ask again, “What determines the value of an expression?” Obviously it is the variable and the operator.

The LESSON?

Simple. The magnitude of the result of any endeavour depends on how large a variable is operated upon with the constant and what operator is used. We can then conclude that if we want higher results, we need to magnify our variables and change our operators.

I understand from sound teaching and experience that God does not change, that is, He is constant. Does that then mean that He does not influence our success as much as we do? The answer is YES? If you think of what He said to Joshua then you’ll probably agree.

Joshua 1:8
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

So, what you get out of your life depends directly on how much of yourself is added to God!. And then who’s the operator? You, your finances, your spouse, your job, your boss, your….just name it. As long as these things decide for you, don’t expect the best.
Summary: the principal determinant of success is you, yes, YOU and YOUR OPERATOR.

S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

This 7-letter word is one of the most-desired qualifications under heaven. I've not come across anyone who doesn't want to be referred to as successful. Ironically, I have come to realise that as absolute as it is, a significant percentage of people reason that success is relative. "It depends on what we're talking about", they think or say.

I posit, however, that success is absolutely absolute. One is either a success or a failure, no midland. And to think it is relative; relative to what?

Simply put, success is ACHIEVING PURPOSE OF DESIGN. Whatever it is that does well in a purpose for which it is not designed is only subjectively successful. That is, it is only successful in the sight of onlookers who will have no say in its final assessment.

An example: A pen is meant to leave indellible marks while a pencil is made to leave temporary, erasable marks. I bet no one would buy a pencil that leaves marks that an eraser can't handle; and when the marks of a pen is easily erased, it has failed even though it still makes its marks!

It means, to me therefore, that your success is independent of

whether or not you're rich

whether or not you're powerful

whether or not you're long-lived

So what does it depend on? This is one question I can't answer alone. Don't hesitate to leave your comments on this issue (it tkaes a few moments) as we consider it for the next few weeks.

MY POWER WORKS BEST IN YOUR WEAKNESS 2CORINTHIANS 12:9

At 19 months, Helen Keller contracted the illness that eventually left her without hearing and sight. Back then those labelled deaf and dumb were classified as idiots. But Helen’s parents didn’t agree. They hired teacher Anne Sullivan to work with her and eventually she learned to read and write using Braille. Amazingly, in 1904 she graduated with honours from Radcliff College, and then devoted her life to helping others. Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie paid her an annual income; writers Mark Twain and Robert Louis Stevenson praised her and almost every President of her day invited her to the White House. When asked if there was anything worse than being blind she replied, “Yes, having sight but no vision.”

At 12 Thomas Edison developed such severe hearing loss that his teachers recommended he be taken out of school. Instead, Edison used his handicap to drown out distractions and focus on his work. As a result, the boy who was labelled a slow learner gave the world over 1,000 inventions, including the light bulb, the phonograph and the motion camera.

Who gets to define normal anyway? Is it being short versus tall, or rich versus poor? The truth is God’s given all of us unique abilities that He expects us to explore. And interestingly, the real handicaps don’t belong to those who are born with physical and mental challenges. No, they belong to the so-called normal people who’ve accepted lethargy and limitation as part of life.

God said, “My power works best in your weakness”; so you can let your difficulties impede or inspire you. Which will it be?

courtesy Grace So Amazing Foundation

DESPITE ALL THESE THINGS…ROMANS 8:37

Composer Gian Carlio Menotti said, “Hell begins the day God grants us a vision of the gifts we’ve wasted, of all we might have done but we didn’t do.

Wilma Rudolph, who won three gold medals at the 1960 Olympics, would agree. What she accomplished isn’t as impressive as what she overcame. As a child Willie contracted polio and couldn’t walk without braces. Then at age 13 she regained the use of her legs and went on to become the fastest woman alive. But her challenges weren’t just physical. One of children born to a poor black family, she inspired us by transcending poverty and racial animosity. She said, "I can’t" has never been in my vocabulary.

At age two, Scott Halton, another famous Olympian skater, stopped growing because of a childhood illness that almost killed him. But his parents encouraged his rehabilitation by teaching him to skate; and the rest is history!

In 1976 when Brad Parks was injured in an accident that left him in a wheelchair, he strengthened his arm by whacking tennis balls against his garage door. Three years he formed the National Foundation of Wheelchair Tennis.

Paul said despite all these things victory is ours through Christ.

Rick Warren writes: Why does God use our weaknesses? Because when He does, He gets all the glory.

If God only used your strengths, others would look at you and be jealous or discouraged. But when God uses you in spite of your weaknesses they realise God could use me too! Your weaknesses aren’t an accident. God allowed them for the purpose of demonstrating his power through you.

courtesy Grace So Amazing Foundation

What Do You See?

Usually when things appear, different people see them in different lights and from different angles. The same occured in the case of Anousheh Ansari, history's first female space explorer and Space Ambassador. Majority of the comments that trailed the expedition were quite negative. I wondered, after seeing a few of those comments yesterday evening, why God created us not to see things the same way. "For God's sake," I thought, "why would anyone have problems with that charitable young lady who decided to pioneer for us what we would otherwise find hard to imagine."

Honestly, I think we have a right to what we think and say, but in doing that, we'd do better to be a bit more reflective. I like you to go through what one of the masterminds of Anousheh's expedition wrote - and think deeply. Take with that the post on tempers that I placed sometimes ago, and then you'll see what I mean: WHILE YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO YOUR OPINION, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT IT IS INFLUENCED BY WHAT YOU SEE; AND SINCE YOU CAN'T SEE EVERYTHING, SOMEONE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SUPERIOR OPINION. THE MOST MATURE PEOPLE ARE THOSE WHO TAKE THINGS OBJECTIVELY.
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Peter @ 11:20 pm

This is for anyone who might be critical of Anousheh’s flight — even though it’s a small percentage of the discussion here.
First of all, I need to say that Anousheh and her family are among the most thoughtful and generous people I have ever met.
When someone spends their money to purchase artwork or fancy automobiles, I don’t hear the outcry of “how could you spend your money in that fashion.” The fact is that Anousheh’s support of private spaceflight is not a whim, but the fulfillment of a dream that will yield very positive long-term implications for humanity.
Stop to think about the wealthy adventurers of the 18th Century who spent their money to venture across the Atlantic, or the wealthy clients who purchased the first airplanes or airline tickets. Today most of us living in the US don’t stop to thank those early trans-Atlantic adventurers for risking their lives and their wealth to open the Americas.
Do you thank the first “aeronauts” every time you purchase a low-cost Southwest or EasyJet airline ticket? Yet you benefit from their investment. How about everyone looking at this blog on your computer… The first computers cost millions.
The bottom line is all of the “Breakthroughs” we have today were at one point expensive, dangerous and difficult. We take this for granted now, but each of these industries began with pioneers.
Thank you Anousheh for making the investment, for taking the risk and for being a pioneer. Hundreds of years from now when Earth is benefiting from the resources of space, when millions of humans are living beyond low-Earth orbit, you will be remembered for taking some first steps and showing us the way.
Tomorrow, Oct 4th, 2006, on the second anniversary of the Ansari X PRIZE win, we will announce our next $10 million X PRIZE for Genomics. This competition will be for rapid genome sequencing, a technology that will literally revolutionize medicine and increase the quality of life for millions of people. The X PRIZE Foundation was able to create this prize in part because of the Ansari Family’s generosity. Had they not funded our first prize, we’d never be doing a follow-on!

Peter H. Diamandis (Chairman & CEO, X PRIZE Foundation, Washington, DC)

WHAT'S FOR INDEPENDENCE?

On October 1st 1960, the Union Jack was brought down in Nigeria and the "green-white-green" was flown. Today, 46 years after, the Nigeria that we know is far from it used to be. Many reasons have been advanced for the downward trend this nation has suffered over the years but it all boils down to one thing: POOR LEADERSHIP. And that's what has made the difference between us and the United States, for example.

I was not there but I was told and I've read that the quest for independence cost us so much as a nation. It is unfortunate, however, that we are now our own taskmasters despite the price we paid to free ourselves from the foreigners. The extent of steady decadence over the years, and the fact that many of us in this generation were born into it, has led many Nigerians to believe (erroneously, though) that Nigeria "ko le dara mo" (can no longer be good).

I am one Nigerian who sees a bright future for this land and in spite of all, I'm always quick to say "THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER." I am so excited about it and I believe every Nigerian should. NIGERIA IS WORKING AGAIN AND IT SHALL WORK EVEN BETTER; the truth, as I believe, is that WE HAVE TO JOIN HANDS TO MAKE IT WORK with the FAITH that our fatherland WILL work again. WHETHER WE THINK IT CAN OR WE THINK IT CANNOT, WE'RE RIGHT.

For you to know that I'm not a lone ranger on this path, I give to you a text message on January 2nd, 2006 at 3:22pm

This is to wish you a fulfilling 2006.

May we live long enough to witness

A Nigeria where Power Holding (NEPA)

Will announce before a 5-minute interruption

Where our streets will be gleaming with bitumen

Where our able-bodied will choose

The type of work to do

Where the disabled will live

Without having to beg

Where tummy tuck can be done

At our Community Health Centres

Where we shall have surplus

That we initiate immigration programs (visa lottery)

Where our young shall die at the age of 80

Where no man shall sleep with a woman/lady

In order to make ends meet

But out of love/choice

Where our brothers/sisters overseas

Shall come back home

Not out of ill-luck or failure

But because they will be left out

Of civilisation if they fail to do so

Where we shall not ride okada for a living

But power bikes for Formula One

Where we shall look forward to retirement

Because it's sweet

DID I HEAR "AMENS?"

That piece was sent to me by EMMANUEL OLUWATOSIN, a product specialist with Globacom

THE BE-KNOW-DO OF LEADERSHIP

Yesterday I gave you an article by one brilliant Nigerian as an emphasis on my opinion on the current rift between our leaders and how it sharply contrasts with what obtains in the more mature world. The issue, like I raised yesterday, is that there are certain qualities every leader must possess- qualities that carry the essence of leadership. One of these is Finesse which we mentioned already. In what follows here, I just want you to have a synoptic understanding of what makes a leader good.

1. BE a professional. Examples: Be loyal to the organization, perform selfless service, take personal responsibility.
   
2. BE a professional who possess good character traits. Examples: Honesty, competence, candor, commitment, integrity, courage, straightforwardness, imagination.
   
3. KNOW the four factors of leadership - follower, leader, communication, situation.
   
4. KNOW yourself. Examples: strengths and weakness of your character, knowledge, and skills.
   
5. KNOW human nature. Examples: Human needs, emotions, and how people respond to stress.
   
6. KNOW your job. Examples: be proficient and be able to train others in their tasks.
   
7. DO provide direction. Examples: goal setting, problem solving, decision making, planning.
   
8. DO implement. Examples: communicating, coordinating, supervising, evaluating.
   
9. DO motivate. Examples: develop moral and esprit in the organization, train, coach, counsel.
   

STILL ON LEADERSHIP: reflections of national consequence

The truth is that leadership entails some
sterling qualities, one of which is finesse

That statement was made by Rasheed Ojikutu, a University don attached to the Faculty of Business Administration, University of Lagos. He wrote an article for the Guardian Newspaper yesterday (and I intended to place the full article here but... no thanks to PHCN, I lost my connectivity at some point) in which he drew some important lessons for us from the similarity between the events that presently surround the seats of power in Nigeria and Britain. While Nigeria's VP has proceeded on the path of arrogance and carefree vituperations against his boss (and the boss is not making matters better, either), Gordon Brown, the British Chancellor of Exchequer precedentedto succeed Tony Blair as PM and favoured above the latter by the political WHO'S WHO, displayed unequalled loyalty, discipline, responsibility and maturity in an article he sent in to The Sun newspaper last Sunday. The refined man gallantly admitted his boss' faults and gloriously celebrated his successes. In fact, Gordon, rather than join in the anti-Blair campaign which has seen the resignation of about 5 key parliamentarians, openly expressed his continued support of Tony as long as they are still ogethr in government.

In contrast, our own Atiku Abubakar has decided to GET BACK at his boss by hanging the adminstration's dirty laundry in the open. If you never gave it any serious thoughts before, I like you to know that the on-going feud between Uncle Sege and his Adamawa boy is a national shame. It only goes to show us what kind of leaders we have...let me allow Victor Oshisada's article spaek to you further...

The crisis in the presidency by Victor Oshisada
IT is disgusting. It is ridiculous. In the past couple of weeks, there have been ceaseless cataracts of allegations and invectives being poured forth from the Presidency. The combatants are President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. Such a humiliation is a deep wound to the leaders' sense of honour and decency. Indeed, the development is hardly adult; it looks like a drama between two schoolboys who are struggling for a memento. How could it be explained? Whatever may be the good intentions or achievements of President Obasanjo's administration, the untoward scenario constitutes an abrasion on it. What a poor diversionary sideshow! It merely helps to slake the voracious appetite of the country's fifth columnists in their quest for unwarranted criticisms.
There are no guts in washing dirty linen in the public. All those ugly revelations emanating from both parties were their joint private action when the going was good. At the very first, I thought that the crisis between President Obasanjo and his deputy was a storm in a teacup, and that the discord would be resolved soonest. My reason for so believing was that human beings are human beings, and are naturally bound to disagree on issues anytime. But with time, I was weaned from this belief, because the discord has snowballed to greater proportion. On reflection, I concluded that the crossfire of accusations and counter-accusations between the fathers of the nation amounts to an admission of corruption, a sort of open or self-confession.
Interestingly, many Nigerians at home and abroad have called for the resignation of both leaders. The Minister of Information in the First Republic (1960 to 1966), Chief Theophilus Owolabi Shobowale Benson, one of the few surviving nationalists, in his own criticisms called on the President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani, to take over the presidency if the duo fail to resolve their rift. In a statement signed by the Executive Director of Africa in America, Mr. Bonaventure Ezekwenna, said: "Clearly, admissions of corrupt practices are the well-established facts being communicated freely to the listening Nigerian public, at home and in the Diaspora, and the global community at large..."
Unknown to both sides, it may open up a vista of terrible consequences into the polity; not every politician is matured; the exalted position notwithstanding. The use of unbridled tongue borders on the verge of political immaturity, which is the hallmark of budding politicians at local government council meetings. The unrelenting interchange of accusation letters between the President and his deputy indicates that there is less to do in the Presidency, and that the welfare of the masses is at a discount. Our roads are in ruins, whilst the national electricity is producing at a low level. What is more, at a time that our graduates, supposed to be the economic hopefuls of their parents, have now become mill-stones round their necks, for being jobless, our leaders are engaging in mud-slinging.
In any exalted position, the basic requirement is discipline. If the fathers of the nation descend so low to engage in brickbats, the types that are traded by illiterate market-women, where is the claim to puritanical leadership? It must be borne in mind that the world is watching. The nations of the world have their representatives in the country. I think that the combatants are power-drunk. In government, serious minds are required. If the two leaders should engage in the frivolity of accusations, it is a manifestation of unseriousness. It may even mean that they have nothing to engage their attention in the presidency.
The ugly exposure throws bad light on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its government. Being members of the same party, I can only conclude that the cleavage between them reflects a political organisation that is divided. A divided party means a divided government and consequently a divided nation. The ongoing imbroglio between the President and his vice is an incarnate symbol of the Action Group crisis of 1962, except that the present combatants are in the same government at the centre.
What is the PDP doing as a political organisation that is in control of the centre? Where is the Council of State? What efforts has the Council made to effect the much-desired cease-fire and resolve the discord? It is a situation where the tail is wagging the dog. In a political party where the chairman is a mere figurehead what do we expect?
With all the allegations from both sides, if Constitutional immunity from prosecution is enjoyed, impeachment must be a veritable tool to implement removal. The country looks like being at the giddy edge of a cliff, gripped by the insane fear of attempting to jum over. My prayer is that the crisis does not lead to a macro-political convulsion.

The article is on page 65 of The GUARDIAN Newspaper today, Wednesday, 27th September, 2006. Rasheed Ojikutu's article that I earler referred to is on page 65 of The GUARDIAN Newspaper yesterday, Tuesday, 26th September, 2006.

STILL ON LEADERSHIP: an analogy

LEADERSHIP SERIES: What's the essence of Leadership?

The most under-rated question about leadership is it's WHY. The essence of leadership is what many people know next to nothing about, including many who have been trusted with positions, authority and followers' loyalty.

Leadership, as complex as it seems, is all about a few things. We begin to talk about them one after the other. To start with, I like to share with you these few powerful elements that form the whole essence of leadership. Share with me the thoughts of great men...

THIRD DISCOVERY: LEADERS OR MANAGERS?

Have you ever wondered why some companies outperform their competitors without any apparent extra investments? I mean, have you seen a set of firms in the same industry, the same investment profiles, similar crop of staff and equal standing in years but different profitability; and you begin to wonder why?

I'll tell you what makes the difference: LEADERSHIP. The problem with many firms today is that they only have EXPERIENCED MANAGERS and BAD LEADERS. The truth is that NO SOCIETY, INISTITUTION, ORGANISATION or even INDIVIDUAL can be really successful without being properly led. If you're a Nigerian, our experiences as a nation, since independence, should have taught you that lesson.

One interesting thing that I just discovered (and that's my 3rd recent discovery about leadership) is that a manager is not necessarily a leader.

That's easy for everyone to know, you'll say. But I'll ask, does everyone know that? If you say "Yes, most people know," then I'll ask, "Why then do we place the academics of the candidate above his PERSON and EXPERIENCES when we make appointments? The truth is that while leadership can be learnt, the school for it is really in the heart of a man and not in any tertiary institution. You can't ever force a man to learn what he doesn't want to. Do, it makes little difference whether a man has a Harvard Business School MBA or a Yale Scholarship or is a graduate of "GREAT IFE" , if he's not a leader at heart, the best he can be is a MANAGER.



•Managers administer, leaders innovate
•Managers ask how and when, leaders ask what and why
•Managers focus on systems, leaders focus on people
•Managers do things right, leaders do the right things
•Managers maintain, leaders develop
•Managers rely on control, leaders inspire trust
•Managers have a short-term perspective; leaders have a long- term perspective
•Managers accept the status-quo; leaders challenge the status-quo
•Managers have an eye on the bottom line; leaders have an eye on the horizon
•Managers imitate, leaders originate
•Managers emulate the classic good soldier, leaders are their own person
•Managers copy, leaders show originality

LEADERSHIP SERIES: SECOND DISCOVERY

The rains that came in IFE early this morning reminded me of one thing: GOD STILL CARES FOR US...

Now, let's get back to our series. My second discovery about leadership is not as simple as the first but it's equally (if not more) profound and far-reaching. Have you ever had any cause to visit a friend of yours who suddenly became an important office-holder? You probably will then understand better what it means to say that a leader should not live in a shell.

One of the greatest problems we have in AFRICA is the WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME among our leaders. Imagine a close friend of yours becoming a Local Government Chairman; and suddenly because of his NEW POSITION does not want to associate with you anymore. I think when we talk about Africa's leadership problem, we must always remind ourselves and those who lead us, that LEADERSHIP IS NOT ABOUT BEING IN FRONT BUT BEING INVOLVED.

At times, it's easy to understand why our leaders tend to burn the bridges behind them and holler across the gully at their followers. It's all about INsecurity. A celar conscience, they say, fears no accussation. No be so??

You'll know a TRUE leader when you see someone who wants to do things WITH his people and not just FOR them; who wants to reason WITH and not FOR them; and who thinks THEIR FEARS ARE REASONABLE. I'll never vote for someone who considers my anxieties invalid. I mean, if the people think some things are important why should a leader think otherwise (except, of course, he has superior information)? A bad leader is simply someone who is too fond of saying "NO PROBLEM" when actually there is!

All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.

- John Kenneth Galbraith (Born 1908)

U.S. Economist

in The Age of Uncertainty, ch.12 (1977),

on his experience of the Nuremburg trials of Nazi war criminals

LEADERSHIP SERIES: SECOND DISCOVERY

The rains that came early this morning reminded me of one thing: GOD STILL CARES FOR US...

Now, let's get back to our series. My second discovery about leadership is not as simple as the first but it's equally (if not more) profound and far-reaching. Have you ever had any cause to visit a friend of yours who suddenly became an important office-holder? You probably will then understand better what it means to say that a leader should not live in a shell.

One of the greatest problems we have in AFRICA is the WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME among our leaders. Imagine a close friend of yours becoming a Local Government Chairman; and suddenly because of his NEW POSITION does not want to associate with you anymore. I think when we talk about Africa's leadership problem, we must always remind ourselves and those who lead us, that LEADERSHIP IS NOT ABOUT BEING IN FRONT BUT BEING INVOLVED.

At times, it's easy to understand why our leaders tend to burn the bridges behind them and holler across the gully at their followers. It's all about INsecurity. A celar conscience, they say, fears no accussation. No be so??

You'll know a TRUE leader when you see someone who wants to do things WITH his people and not just FOR them; who wants to reason WITH and not FOR them; and who thinks THEIR FEARS ARE REASONABLE. I'll never vote for someone who considers my anxieties invalid. I mean, if the people think some things are important why should a leader think otherwise (except, of course, he has superior information)? A bad leader is simply someone who is too fond of saying "NO PROBLEM" when actually there is!

All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.

- John Kenneth Galbraith (Born 1908)

U.S. Economist

in The Age of Uncertainty, ch.12 (1977),

on his experience of the Nuremburg trials of Nazi war criminals

LEADERSHIP SERIES: FIRST DISCOVERY

LMy first new discovery about the concept of leadership is simple, yet profound; it's straightforward yet far-reaching. Have you ever observed the extent of complications most leaders surround themselves with? The lives of many just take a dramatic turn from being simple to being complex once they assume a position of responsibility.

The truth, however, is that LEADERSHIP is not COMPLICATED. In fact, the less complicated a leader is, the more of a true leader he/she is.

The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on. The genius of a good leader is to leave behind him a situation which common sense, without the grace of genius, can deal with successfully

-Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)

U. S. journalist,

from article “Roosevelt Is Gone”

in New York Herald Tribune. 14 April 1945)

LEADERSHIP SERIES

Last Saturday, my boss was invited to the 2006 Annual Convention of JAYCEES International in OAU. He was to speak on Functional Leadership for Better Future. One day before his presentation, the Registrar of my department presented a seminar to all senior staff in our office. Her title was The 360-Degree Measure of a Leader. I found myself playing an active role in the compilation of both presentations. In the next few weeks, therefore, my plan is to share with you some of the new insights I just gained into the concept of LEADERSHIP.

Note that you’re invited to share with me your thoughts on anything I write. It’s so easy to do. Just click on the appropriate link below the post. ENJOY...

IT ALL DEPENDS

This poem I'm sure you're likely to have seen before but I just want you to think about it again. Have you ever wondered how many times we attempt to get things done on our own. I've always asked one question: What does it matter what effort you put in if God was not going to do it in the first place?

I honestly think the greatest weakness we have to overcome as humans is our ILLUSION about ourselves- we tend to think more of ourselves than we really are, and that's why we find it hard to learn to trust God. But as you'll see, whatever turns out of whatever, IT ALL DEPENDS...


A basketball in my hands is worth about $19.
A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth about $33 million.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A baseball in my hands is worth about $6.
A baseball in Mark McGuire's hands is worth $19 million.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A tennis racket is useless in my hands.
A tennis racket in Venus Williams' hands is a Wimbledon Championship.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal.
A rod in Moses' hands will part the mighty sea.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A sling shot in my hands is a kid's toy.
A sling shot in David's hand is a mighty weapon.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

Two fish and five loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches.
Two fish and five loaves of bread in God's hands will feed thousands.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse.
Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will produce salvation for the entire world.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

As you see now it depends whose hands it's in.
So put your concerns, your worries, your fears,
your hopes, your dreams, your families and your relationships
in God's Hands because ...
...it depends on Whose Hands it's in.

NAIL IN THE FENCE: a new perspective about tempers

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.

Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. "

A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us." Please forgive if anyone ever leaves a hole. And be careful not to leave holes...

YOU TOO CAN MAKE IT!

Dearly Beloved, I got this message in my e-mail from Pastor Bayo, host of spiritual digest via e-mail. I'm sure you'll be inspired reading it. The message is simple: YOU TOO CAN MAKE IT!

"We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure" -Apostle Paul(Hebrews 6:11, NIV).

"But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life" -Elder Jude(Jude 20-21, NIV).

I read a story of a popular Yoruba dramatist recently in a national newspaper that touched my heart. It is about a 60-year-old dramatist who, with his second son in the same lecture room, got his first university degree at age 49, but now a doctorate degree holder and lecturer in one of the leading universities in Nigeria. He was able to have primary education because of the compulsory free education in the then Western Region of Nigeria. Apart from a kind of post-primary education then known as "modern education," the man could not go to secondary school because of the poverty of his parents. With determination after acting as dramatist both on stage and in movies for over three decades, he becomes an academic and an authority in his choosing profession - the theater. His life is indeed a challenge to many of us.

Have you lost hope that you can no longer make it in a particular pursuit? Do not lose hope! Continue to persevere with determination that, one day, you will make it. Are people looking down on you because of your humble background or your seeming failure in your endeavors? Do not worry yourself about them. Continue the struggle. Remember that old proverb, "Aluta continua, victoria acerta," meaning "the struggle continues, the victory is sure." Victory is sure if you do not give up. Another popular saying goes thus, "Winners never quit; quitters never win."

Paul the apostle admonished, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9, NIV), and "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58, NIV).
You also can make it!

In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).

If you were blessed reading this and would like a consistent supply, contact Pastor Bayo (spiritualdigest@e-mail.com)

FANNY J. CROSBY: Tell Me The Story Of Jesus

The next time you sing an old, familiar hymn, look at the small print at the bottom of the page, and you probably will read the name of Fanny Crosby. Throughout her long career, she wrote more than 8,500 gospel songs and hymns, many of which are still popular today. "To God Be The Glory," "Praise Him, Praise Him," "Tell Me The Story Of Jesus," "I Am Thine O Lord"—every song is a testimony of her love for Jesus Christ. However, this gifted poet, unknown to many, could not actually see light. She was totally blind.

In May of 1820, when she was six weeks old, she caught a cold, and her eyes became slightly inflamed. The regular physician in Putnam County, New York, was out of town, and a man posing as a doctor gave her the wrong treatment. Within days, her eyesight was destroyed, and the man fled town in a panic. Fanny was never bitter about the stranger's intervention. "I have not for a moment in more than eighty-five years felt a spark of resentment against him, because I have always believed...that the good Lord...by this means consecrated me to the work that I am still permitted to do."

Her devoted Christian parents raised Fanny to be a confident, happy child. She dressed herself, did her own hair, and had impeccable table manners. Known for being a mischief, Fanny spent as much time as possible climbing trees, riding horses, and playing practical jokes on her many friends. One of the strongest influences in Fanny's childhood was her grandmother. An intelligent and patient woman, she took Fanny on nature walks, describing every bud and leaf in meticulous detail. She exposed her to great literature and poetry. Most importantly, she read her long passages from the Bible every day. Even with such attentive teaching, Fanny's thirst for knowledge was not satisfied; her mind was phenomenal. Before she was ten years old, she had memorized most of the New Testament and more than five books of the Old Testament. However, since schools at that time were not equipped to teach blind children, she was unable to receive a regular education.

Fanny knelt with her grandmother beside her rocker and prayed: "Dear Lord, please show me how I can learn like other children." It wasn't long before her mother gave her the exciting news about an opportunity to attend the New York Institute for the Blind. Within the year, she was their best student and after graduation became a teacher. As she grew, poetry became her passion, and she filled every spare moment with writing verse. By the time Fanny was twenty, she was famous throughout New York and a sought-after speaker for poetry recitations and official ceremonies. In spite of this popularity, she still felt something was missing from her life, and it took a severe cholera epidemic in 1849 to show her what that was. More than half of the students at the Institute died, one of them in her arms. After helping to nurse the sick for months, she almost succumbed to the disease herself and fled to the country.

The deaths of those close to her shook Fanny greatly. Deep in her heart, she knew she was not ready to die. On November 20, 1850, Fanny knelt at the altar at a local revival and gave her heart to Jesus. Biographer Basil Miller tells her response: "For the first time I realized that I had been trying to hold the world in one hand and the Lord in the other," she said. Finally, the God of her grandmother had become real to her. Her poetry immediately reflected this change in her heart, and songs of praise took the place of regular poems. When she met the Christian composer William Bradbury in 1864, the friendship was almost instantaneous. Bradbury furnished the tunes for many of Fanny's hymns; and though she worked with several composers, their partnership was the most enduring.

Fanny usually composed dozens of songs in her head before dictating them to a secretary, but no matter what she created, she used the same approach. The book More Than Conquerors tells what she said about her method: "It may seem a little old-fashioned, always to begin one's work with prayer, but I never undertake a hymn without first asking the good Lord to be my inspiration." She had more speaking invitations than she could keep, and famous men such as President Polk called on her often. With so many friends and associates, she was never lonely. Then in 1858, God brought a special man into her life, the blind musician Alexander Van Alstyne. They were married forty-four years and had one child, who died in infancy.

Even in her later years, Fanny stayed as busy as ever, and not just with song writing. Always on her heart were those less fortunate, and she volunteered much time at local ministries. Whenever someone approached her with a question or need, she witnessed to them one-on-one and shared the light of God's Word. Fanny died peacefully in her home in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on February 12, 1915. The crowds at her funeral were a testimony to the wide-spread influence she had for the Lord. These words from one of her final hymns express the foremost hope of her life: "And I shall see Him face to face and tell the story - saved by grace."

TRUE LIFE STORIES part three: W. PAGE PITT

Page Pitt was someone who should have failed. From all indications, it was easier for him to resign to fate and failure but instead he succeeded. After losing 97% of his eyesight at age 5, he refused to go to a school for the blind. He was accepted into public school where he played baseball and football. Remarkably, he went on to complete college and become a top-notch journalism professor with a reputation for demanding excellence.
A student once asked Pitt which he thought would be worse; blindness, deafness or not having arms and legs. He replied, ‘NONE OF THOSE THINGS! LETHARGY, IRRESPONSIBILITY, LACK OF AMBITION OR DESIRE: THEY’RE THE REAL HANDICAPS. IF I DON’T TEACH YOU ANYTHING BUT TO WANT TO DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR LIVES, THIS COURSE WILL BE A MAGNIFICENT SUCCESS.’
Often he told his journalism students, ‘YOU ARE NOT HERE TO LEARN MEDIOCRITY, YOU’RE HERE TO LEARN TO EXCEL. IF I SEND YOU ON A STORY AND YOU DON’T GET IT BECAUSE YOU’VE A BROKEN LEG, CALL ME FROM THE AMBULANCE AND I’LL FORGIVE YOU. BUT DON’T GIVE ME EXCUSES! THEY WOUND ME AND YOUR EXPLANATIONS POUR SALT IN THE WOUND.’
Your biggest enemy is not the challenges you face; its complacency, negativity, self-imposed limitations and self-pity. We’ve got all kinds of excuses for not doing more with our lives. Can we say with Paul, “I can do everything through Him who gives strength.” That means with God’s help you can rise above circumstances that ordinarily spell failure.

Courtesy GRACE SO AMAZING FOUNDATION wordfortodaynig@yahoo.com

SOME OF JONI'S ARTWORK

I got all of these works from her ministry's webpages: http://www.joniandfriends.org/

JONI'S STORY: conclusion

I should say that it's been some time since I put something up here. At times, I wonder how easy it is to get so disturbed that you forget some meaningful things. Anyway, thank God we're back together. We conclude our story (at least for now) of Joni...story courtesy HISTORY WOMEN

Joni Eareckson Tada (1950- present)

Joni Eareckson Tada is a remarkable woman. Injured in a diving accident at the age of 17, Joni has had to endure more physical suffering than most of us ever will. Though she suffered a deep depression and lost the will to live in the aftermath of her accident, she gradually came back to a deeper relationship with God. Because of her early struggles, she has become strong in her faith and is a testimony to the world of how when we are weak, God is strong. Her story is not one of bitterness and despair, as we might imagine it to be, but one of love and victory.
Joni Eareckson Tada was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1950 to John and Lindy Eareckson. She was the youngest of four sisters, Linda, Jay, and Kathy. Her name is pronounced "Johnny", being he named after her father. Joni inherited her father’s athletic and creative abilities, giving father and daughter a special bond. Her childhood was an extremely happy one. She grew into a young adult surrounded by love, happiness, and security in her parent’s home. The Eareckson family shared a great love for the outdoors, which promoted family togetherness. They shared in various outdoor activities such as camping trips, horseback riding, hiking, tennis, and swimming.
In 1967, after graduating from high school, Joni had her fateful accident. It was a hot July day and she was to meet her sister Kathy and some friends at the beach on Chesapeake Bay to swim. When she arrived, she dove in quickly, and immediately knew something was wrong. Though she felt no real pain, a tightness seemed to encompass her. Her first thought was that she was caught in a fishing net and she tried to break free and get to the surface. Panic seized her as she realized she couldn’t move and she was lying face down on the bottom of the bay. She realized she was running out of air and resigned herself to the fact that she was going to drown.
Her sister, Kathy, called for her. She ran to Joni and pulled her up. To Kathy’s surprise, Joni could not support herself and tumbled back into the water. Kathy pulled her out and Joni gasped for air. Joni was puzzled as to why her arms were still tied to her chest. Then to her dismay, Joni realized they were not tied, but were draped lifelessly across her sister’s back. Kathy yelled for someone to call an ambulance and Joni was rushed to the hospital.
Joni’s life was changed forever that July day in 1967. She had broken her neck - a fracture between the fourth and fifth cervical levels. She was now a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the shoulders down. While her friends were busy preparing to go to college in the fall, Joni was fighting for her very life and having to accept the fact that she would have to live out the rest of her life in a wheelchair.
Joni’s rehabilitation was not easy. As you might imagine she was angry and she raged against her fate. She struggled with depression and often times she wanted to end her life. She could not understand how God could let this happen to her. Before the accident she had felt that she wasn’t living the life she should be so she had prayed that God would change her life - that he’d turn it around. After months of staring at the ceiling and wallowing in her depression, Joni began to wonder if this was God’s answer to her prayer.
This realization that God was working in her life was the beginning of Joni’s journey to wholeness as a disabled person. She participated in various rehabilitation programs that taught her how to live with her disabilities and she immersed herself in God’s Word to become spiritually strong.
Joni’s life has been a full one. She has learned early on to compensate for her handicaps. Being naturally creative, she learned to draw and paint holding her utensils with her teeth. She began selling her artwork and the endeavor was a great success. There was a real demand for her work. She kept herself very busy with her artwork and gained for herself a degree of independence. She was also able to share Christ’s love in her drawings. She always signed her paintings "PTL" which stood for "Praise the Lord".
Joni has also become a sought after conference speaker, author, and actress, portraying herself in the World Wide Pictures production of "Joni", the life story of Joni Eareckson in 1978. She has written several books including "Holiness in Hidden Places", "Joni", which was her autobiography, and many children’s titles. But her most satisfying and far-reaching work is her advocacy on behalf of the disabled.
In 1979, Joni moved to California to begin a ministry to the disabled community around the globe. She called it Joni and Friends Ministries (JAF Ministries), fulfilling the mandate of Jesus in Luke 14:13,23 to meet the needs of the poor, crippled, and lame. Joni understood first-hand the loneliness and alienation many handicapped people faced and their need for friendship and salvation. The ministry was soon immersed with calls for both physical and spiritual help for the disabled.
JAF Ministries thus uncovered the vast hidden needs of the disabled community and began to train the local church for effective outreach to the disabled, an often overlooked mission field. JAF Ministries today includes local offices in such major cities as Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Phoenix, and SanFrancisco. The goal of the ministry is to have ten such offices in metropolitan areas by the year 2001.
Through JAF Ministries, Joni tapes a five-minute radio program called "Joni and Friends", heard daily all over the world. She has heart for people who, like herself, must live with disabilities. Her role as an advocate for the disabled has led to a presidential appointment to the National Council on Disability for over three years. Joni also serves on the board of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization as a senior associate for evangelism among disabled persons. Joni has also begun Wheels for the World, a ministry which involves restoring wheelchairs and distributing them in developing nations.
Joni has won many awards and commendations throughout her life. In 1993 she was named Churchwoman of the Year by the Religious Heritage Foundation and the National Association of Evangelicals named her "Layperson of the Year", making her the first woman ever to receive that honor. Also among the numerous awards she has received are the American Academy of Achievement’s Golden Plate Award, The Courage Award of the Courage Rehabilitation Center, the Award of Excellence from the Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center, the Victory Award from the National Rehabilitation Hospital, and the Golden Word Award from the International Bible Society.
In 1982, Joni married Ken Tada. Today, eighteen years later, the marriage is strong and committed and they are still growing together in Christ. Ken and Joni travel together with JAF Ministries speaking at family retreats about the day to day experiences of living with disabilities. At the helm of JAF Ministries, Ken and Joni strive to demonstrate in tangible ways that God has not abandoned those with disabilities. And they speak from experience.

I promise to give you some pictures of her works in subsequent postings before we go on to another character.

TRUE LIFE STORIES part two: JONI EARECKSON TADA

THIS IS FROM MY DEVOTION THIS MORNING

When God calls you to do something, His call comes in several ways

1. You feel moved. There's a moment of certainty when God puts His hand upon you, nudging you toward a particular need, usually an unmet one. You know it in your knower.
2. It's confirmed by others. People will discern that God's at work in your life. People who know you well, watch; they volunteer comments such as You shine when you're doing that; You're at your best when you....
3. You'll be gifted to do it. There are times when a person starts off with seemingly no specific capabilities at all, but this is rare. With a call comes giftedness, that special empowerment God gives to the callee. When you're in your calling, you soar in spite of obstacles. And people tend to stand back in amazement. Ever seen Joni Eareckson Tada speaking to an auditorium full of people in wheelchairs? The whole place comes alive when she rolls up to the microphone in her wheelchair.

I'll stop there though that's not all. But I just wanted to underscore the fact that one can still find and fulfill a calling in spite obstacles. Today, Joni has live a quadriplegic for many decades, yet she transforms lives. What's that SCAR you think you have? Take it to the cross and leave it there. Consciously press ahead. See you in the next part...

Welcome to the new month

JUNE, month number 6 in the year 2006. Never to come again once it goes away. I'd just keep challenging myself towards my goal. What about you.

If only one could tell

If parents could tell from birth what exactly their little child would do for a living, then they would give it their best shot. If only every child knew what exactly would put food on their table at the end of the day, then they would not waste any time in irrelevant fields of study. But since we do not know, it is important to give in our best in everything we do. Hence, the Biblical injunction, whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for there is no thought or counsel in the grave where you will end up (paraphrased)

Did You Know...?

The richest people on earth today are people who followed their dreams. Most of them do not even have the kind of education you and I would dream of (not to water down on education, anyway; just that it's not a necessary pre-requisite for success, only a catalyst).

It all begins somewhere..

Whether it's the building of a house or the construction of a bridge;
Whether it's the birth of a child or the death of an aged;
Whether it's the realization of a dream or the killing of one
It all begins somewhere.

The journey of a thousand years, the saying goes
Begins with a step
And that, I should say, in any direction;
The most important thing in getting things done
Is to dare failure and take the first step

If it's wrong you'll quickly recoil
If it's right you'll be rewarded for it
Men are remembered by deeds and not by dreams
It's time you stopped dreaming and started doing something

You really can do it, not minding what people say;
It only matters what you think
For whether you think you can or you think you can not
YOU ARE RIGHT