Something To Think About

In light of the many perversions and jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke, it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking. 
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?"
(regarding the attacks on Sept. 11).
Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for
years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives.
And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we
demand He leave us alone?"
In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body
found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.
Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school .... the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as
yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about.
And we said OK.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to
kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell.
Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.
Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people
think twice about sharing.
Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.
Are you laughing?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or
what they WILL think of you for sending it.
Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in

I am your determination

I am hope in a stream of hopelessness 

I am a dream in a cloud of nightmares
I am love when hate abounds
I am light when darkness surrounds
I am the last breath in fatigue
I am the doubt that only you believe
I am the finishing step
In your endless race
I am the burst of speed
That puts you in first place
I am the part of you that doesn't give up

I am the open path in an endless maze
I am the lush water puddle in a dry desert
I am the last peach on a dying tree
I am the touch of life that sets you free
I am everything you lack
I am the second chance that takes you back
I am the iron shield when you take a blow
I am the one to show you where to go
I am that final thought in your mind
That pushes you to the end
I have always been your greatest friend
I am the part of you that doesn't give up

I am as pristine as the orange ocean sunset
I am as beautiful as the twinkling stars
I am the haste it takes to make it that far
I am as powerful as a raging waterfall
I am the strength to climb any wall
I am the courage in a moment of fear
I am your last bitter crying tear
Before you rise back up
And take what's rightfully yours
I am always there for you
Even when you least expect it
I am the part of you that keeps on going
And with every smile keeps on growing
I am the part of you that never gives up

...I am your determination!

WHY?

   There are certain questions we often ask ourselves or other people, such questions include but not limited to; why the continous search for job? Why stay with the same woman? Why go to school or get educated? Why obey elders? Why make efforts to pass examinations? Why listen in class? Why continue this or that relationship? Why continue in the pursuit of this degree? Why can’t I just pass this course? Why am I still in this ccountry? when I can afford living in another country. Why do I keep doing this or that? All these and many more other questions are what we try to find answers to everyday.
However, in this write up, I am to use the illustration of a young boy who is a racer to answer the question why? There is this proverb that says “Whether win or lose, the will not to quit makes the runner a winner”.
The poem below titled “THE RACER” was gotten from the book finishing strong by Steve Farrar.  
Defeat! He lay there silently, a tear dropped from his eye.
“There’s no sense running anymore-three strikes, I’m out-why try?”
The will to rise had disappeared; all hope had fled away,
So far behind, so error prone, closer all the way.
“I’ve lost, so what’s the use,” he thought, “I’ll live with my disgrace.”
But then he thought about his dad who soon he’d have to face.
“Get up”, an echo sounded low, “Get up and take your place.
You were not meant for failure here, so get up and win the race”.
With borrowed will, “Get up”, it said “You haven’t lost at all,
For winning is not more than this-to rise each time you fall.”
So up he rose to win once more, and with a new commit,
He resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn’t quit.
So far behind the others now, the most he’d ever been,
Still he gave it all he had and ran as though to win.
Three times he’d fallen stumbling, three times he rose again,
Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.
They cheered the winning runner as he crossed, first place,
Head high and proud and happy; no falling, no disgrace.
But when the fallen youngster crossed the line, last place,
The crowd gave him the greater for finishing the race.
And even though he came in last, with head bowed low, unproud;
You would have thought he won the race, to listen to the crowd.
And to his dad he sadly said, “I didn’t do so well.”
“To me, you won,” his father said. “You rose each time you fell.”
There are times we ask the question WHY? For every why you ask there is an answer, always try to remember the thing that made you start the journey, always try to remember that there is hope. I cannot inform you that there will not be any tribulation, or temptation, but do not quit, get up and keep running so that you can finish your race on this earth strong.
                 

                                                                                                 Erekata Famous

THE ROUTE TO CHANGE: INTRODUCTION

According to some scholars, analyst, and the citizens, Nigeria was on the brink of destruction under the leadership of the previous administration of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, even though some of the citizens (mostly his supporters), were still in support of his administration. The country was faced with a lot of challenges, even though these challenges did not start under his administration, but some scholars, analyst, and the populace believed it came into limelight under the previous government administration. Some of these challenges were; high rate of unemployment, indiscipline among government officials, corruption, insecurity most especially in the north eastern region of the nation due to the Boko Haram Insurgency, kidnapping, dwindling economy such as the devaluation of the nation’s currency i.e. naira, oil theft in the south. All of these cumulated into disbelief from the citizens that voted for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2010 general elections. The citizens of the nation lost faith in the man they once thought was the type of leader they wanted, a man they thought would understand the pain of the citizens because of his background. The people of the nation were happy, hopeful, their expectations were high, even parents that gave birth, were naming their children Goodluck at the time of Dr Goodluck emergence.

However, after more than two years of his leadership, the citizens started clamouring for change, they were embittered about what the past years of his leadership has offered, while some were happy due to some of his achievement, but his achievements could not be compared to his fallings most especially because of the Boko Haram insurgence, some of his followers saw a better route towards development either for personal interest or of the country in the opposition party All Progressive Congress (APC), therefore they decided to revolutionize and choose the opposition party, while some still had faith in former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. The citizens of the nation wanted to take a new route towards change, which made them go for another political party in the country. Some will say powerful individuals were the main catalyst in the change, while some will say it was the citizens of the nation’s vote that brought about the change in the seat of power in the country. The campaign period came and went, elections came around, and after the casting of vote by the citizens, for the first time in the history of the country a sitting President lost an election. It was the beginning of a new era for the country. The country decided to take another route to change, since the old route has only given the same result. There is a proverb that says when you do something the same way repeatedly, you continue to obtain similar outcome. Months have gone under the present administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, and the citizens are still waiting for his administration to hit top gear.

However, this is not about the success, failure of the past or the present administration, nevertheless it is a writing on the route to change. Change is very significant, a lot of people have given change different meanings and definition, nevertheless I will say that “change is correcting the irregularities of the past, making the present pleasurable and the future worth dreaming of”. To be able to bring about change, there are different routes or means towards this end which can be short or long. Be it short or long, it will still end up in change. Individuals, groups, companies, associations, nations and even continents has gone through one of this route to change their situation from deteriorating further below acceptable global standard.

Furthermore, some have gone through the short route to change either by deciding to collect loans from international organisations or seek foreign aids , or even collect loans from some of the first world countries. Sometimes this foreign assistance later turn into huge debts for the receiving end e.g. Greece. Some of these countries seek foreign assistance in order to increase the standard of living of his citizens, provide for the people what Aristotle called “Good Life”. Meanwhile, some other countries can decide to go ahead with the long route to change by improving his own resources, use his human resources properly, and improve his educational system, and if such country is as blessed as Nigeria will decide to diversify his economy.

EREKATA FAMOUS

A Reason for Optimism

Unfortunately, the benefit of the small beginning is often lost on us when we face the possibility of embarking on a new dream. The effort it would take to pursue it seems massive; we're overwhelmed with the impossibility of it all. There seems to be little or nothing we can do to move forward.

To the eyes of faith, though, there is a world of difference between "little" and "nothing." Often there is something we can do--some obvious first step we could take. This may be exactly what is needed to put the wheels of faith in motion.

For one thing, we shouldn't underestimate the value of taking any initial step toward a goal has upon us psychologically. Suddenly our psyche is committed, and we become more alert to opportunities that will move us toward our dream. Others become more aware of our intentions as well and are more likely to try to help us.

Yet the spiritual aspect of taking the first step is even more important. The seemingly insignificant small beginning often gets much closer to the heart of the biblical idea of going forward in faith than we realize.

From Little Acorns . . .

We don't usually think of it this way. The very notion of moving out in faith seems to imply taking a bold, extravagant step of some sort. We quickly think of the biblical prototypes: Moses parting the Red Sea, Joshua leading the Israelites to demolish the wall of Jericho with a shout, David Marshaling his troops for battle, Gideon confronting the indomitable Midianite army with only three hundred soldiers, Esther going before King Ahasuerus knowing that her life hung in the balance, Peter preaching salvation to the large throng of Jews gathered on the day of Pentecost. It's easy to conclude that if we're not throwing caution to the wind, we're not really taking a step of faith.

Yet Scripture also shows great respect for the small, subtle, unspectacular first step. Consider these examples--

In the parable of the talents Jesus, commended the two servants who invested their money and upbraided the one who failed to give his one coin to the bankers (Mt 25:14-30). Few first steps are less inspiring than putting money in the bank. No one notices, there are no neon lights, and there is no immediate reward for this act of discipline. In fact, the period you must wait for any significant benefit can seem interminable. Yet with time the incremental gains grow larger and larger, and the eventual profit is considerable.

It's striking that Jesus paid such respect to prudent financial investment. Clearly, too, he intended the parable of the talents to be an analogy to other areas of life where we take risks for his sake. It conveys an unmistakable lesson--that we shouldn't neglect the benefit of a small beginning in any venture of faith.

Ruth's marriage to Boaz--one of the most celebrated in Scripture--resulted from a small, ignoble step forward. The marriage became possible because Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, moved from Moab to Bethlehem. The move, detailed in the book of Ruth, was anything but a triumphant one for these two women. Both went to Bethlehem as widows--Naomi returning grief-stricken to her homeland, and Ruth following along out of devotion to Naomi. The move was borne more of necessity than of vibrant vision for the future.

Yet at least they did something to break the inertia of their grief and make a fresh start. In time the move brought benefits that exceeded their wildest expectations. Ruth met Boaz and married him, then gave birth to a son who became an ancestor of David. Naomi also found new life in this family connection, and in the many friendships that opened for her in Bethlehem. An unglamorous step forward brought about a wellspring of life for Naomi, Ruth, Boaz, and countless others who enjoyed the family relationships that resulted in the generations which followed.

 We tend to glamorize the healing incidents in the Gospels and assume that those who came to Jesus for help did so boldly, with sublime confidence that they would be instantly cured. I'm certain, though, that many came in the same ambivalent, tentative spirit in which we often seek medical help today. The woman with the hemorrhage is a case in point (Mark 5:24-34). Terribly concerned that no one would notice her, and uncertain whether approaching Jesus was even appropriate, she decided merely to touch the hem of his garment. That one small gesture not only brought her healing but an effusive compliment from Jesus about her faith (v. 34).

As we see here, Scripture not only describes small first steps which brought results over time, but those which reaped a surprising harvest immediately. Virtually all of the healing miracles mentioned in Scripture fit this pattern. The "miracles of expansion" do as well. These include incidents in the Old and New Testaments where large crowds were fed with a small provision of food (2 Kings 4:42-44; Mk 6:33-44, 8:1-9), and the miraculous provision of oil that saved the widow of Cain from financial ruin (2 Kings 4:1-7). While we cannot presume that our own small first steps will immediately produce such astonishing results, we can never know unless we try.

And in time the results of a meager first effort often do surprise us.

--Blaine Smith ‎

Introduction

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