Have you ever felt like you don’t belong? You could be in a crowd, have as many “popular friends” as possible but still feel like you don’t fit in. Believe me it’s got nothing to do with the people around you but it’s got a lot to do with the person within you.
Someone once told me that we shouldn’t let the outer stuff control the inner stuff. Sometimes we get the feeling that some specific people are meant to take up some particular responsibilities. But can I ask a question, can you write a list of at least five things such a person has that you don’t have besides material stuff? “For they conquer who believe they can”. It’s all about your mind set.
What really is this “sense of belonging” we all talk about? It is not the ability to fit into a group of people neither is it the fact that people feel your impact. Actually it is both. To have a sense of belonging you should fit into the group and the only way to do that is to have an impact on the people in that group. Nobody wants to be associated with someone that has nothing to offer. Your aim of fitting in should not be because you want to be known as a member of that group i.e. to improve your social status. It should be because you have a lot within you which you want others to benefit from.
It is just like a garden, a weed is seen as a plant which does not belong because it has nothing to offer. It is a perfect example of selfishness; taking and never giving. The bible makes us understand that giving guarantees your receiving. Now, let me tell you why you have no sense of belonging. It is because you have nothing to offer. It is a painful truth but the truth they say is bitter. If you believe you have something to offer, why then do you hold it back?
The only way you can belong is to have something to give and not you wanting to receive. Let the person within you that has everything to offer burst out and over shadow the selfish man everyone sees. There is a lot you can accomplish by being contributing because the more your contribution the greater your sense of belonging.
Nnenne Ude
Friday, November 21, 2008
A SENSE OF BELONGING
Have you ever felt like you don’t belong? You could be in a crowd, have as many “popular friends” as possible but still feel like you don’t fit in. Believe me it’s got nothing to do with the people around you but it’s got a lot to do with the person within you.
Someone once told me that we shouldn’t let the outer stuff control the inner stuff. Sometimes we get the feeling that some specific people are meant to take up some particular responsibilities. But can I ask a question, can you write a list of at least five things such a person has that you don’t have besides material stuff? “For they conquer who believe they can”. It’s all about your mind set.
What really is this “sense of belonging” we all talk about? It is not the ability to fit into a group of people neither is it the fact that people feel your impact. Actually it is both. To have a sense of belonging you should fit into the group and the only way to do that is to have an impact on the people in that group. Nobody wants to be associated with someone that has nothing to offer. Your aim of fitting in should not be because you want to be known as a member of that group i.e. to improve your social status. It should be because you have a lot within you which you want others to benefit from.
It is just like a garden, a weed is seen as a plant which does not belong because it has nothing to offer. It is a perfect example of selfishness; taking and never giving. The bible makes us understand that giving guarantees your receiving. Now, let me tell you why you have no sense of belonging. It is because you have nothing to offer. It is a painful truth but the truth they say is bitter. If you believe you have something to offer, why then do you hold it back?
The only way you can belong is to have something to give and not you wanting to receive. Let the person within you that has everything to offer burst out and over shadow the selfish man everyone sees. There is a lot you can accomplish by being contributing because the more your contribution the greater your sense of belonging.
Nnenne Ude
Someone once told me that we shouldn’t let the outer stuff control the inner stuff. Sometimes we get the feeling that some specific people are meant to take up some particular responsibilities. But can I ask a question, can you write a list of at least five things such a person has that you don’t have besides material stuff? “For they conquer who believe they can”. It’s all about your mind set.
What really is this “sense of belonging” we all talk about? It is not the ability to fit into a group of people neither is it the fact that people feel your impact. Actually it is both. To have a sense of belonging you should fit into the group and the only way to do that is to have an impact on the people in that group. Nobody wants to be associated with someone that has nothing to offer. Your aim of fitting in should not be because you want to be known as a member of that group i.e. to improve your social status. It should be because you have a lot within you which you want others to benefit from.
It is just like a garden, a weed is seen as a plant which does not belong because it has nothing to offer. It is a perfect example of selfishness; taking and never giving. The bible makes us understand that giving guarantees your receiving. Now, let me tell you why you have no sense of belonging. It is because you have nothing to offer. It is a painful truth but the truth they say is bitter. If you believe you have something to offer, why then do you hold it back?
The only way you can belong is to have something to give and not you wanting to receive. Let the person within you that has everything to offer burst out and over shadow the selfish man everyone sees. There is a lot you can accomplish by being contributing because the more your contribution the greater your sense of belonging.
Nnenne Ude
A SECRET OF SUCCESS
One very important secret to succeeding is to “pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything depends on you“. The equation has to be balanced before you can get results.
Just as in mathematics; if the R.H.S (right hand side) is not equal to the L.H.S (left hand side) the equation can never yield the required results. So also it is with success, trying so hard on your own isn’t getting you anywhere and praying without working won‘t get u anywhere either. They go hand in hand; one without the other is like a river without water (why then is it called a river).
The bible makes us understand that we should learn to trust in God and lean not on our own understanding, Proverbs 3:5. The same bible says that you can only reap what you have sown
Galatians 6:7. If you sow hard work you reap the reward of a hard worker.
But we should not lose sight of the fact that hard work alone can get a man nowhere. If not how do we explain the case of a person who reads for hours unending and still has nothing to show for it. For a food to be sweet all the necessary ingredients must be present and in their appropriate quantity. The benefit of trusting in God while working hard is that for every little effort you make God multiplies it giving an output that is a thousand times greater than the original input. Only with God is the law of conservation of energy disobeyed.
Remember once more to pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything thing depends on you and you will see what a wonder you will be to your world.
Nnenne Ude
Just as in mathematics; if the R.H.S (right hand side) is not equal to the L.H.S (left hand side) the equation can never yield the required results. So also it is with success, trying so hard on your own isn’t getting you anywhere and praying without working won‘t get u anywhere either. They go hand in hand; one without the other is like a river without water (why then is it called a river).
The bible makes us understand that we should learn to trust in God and lean not on our own understanding, Proverbs 3:5. The same bible says that you can only reap what you have sown
Galatians 6:7. If you sow hard work you reap the reward of a hard worker.
But we should not lose sight of the fact that hard work alone can get a man nowhere. If not how do we explain the case of a person who reads for hours unending and still has nothing to show for it. For a food to be sweet all the necessary ingredients must be present and in their appropriate quantity. The benefit of trusting in God while working hard is that for every little effort you make God multiplies it giving an output that is a thousand times greater than the original input. Only with God is the law of conservation of energy disobeyed.
Remember once more to pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything thing depends on you and you will see what a wonder you will be to your world.
Nnenne Ude
THE IMPORTANCE OF THANKSGIVING
Giving thanks is an act of showing your sincere appreciation to someone for a favour or a service he ⁄ she has rendered to you.
If there is something that you have been praying and asking God for but it does not seem forthcoming, check yourself. It is not because you are not asking rightly (although sometimes that could be the case) but most times it is because you do not use the right approach.
Take this example; there’s this little girl who everyday asks her father to buy her ice-cream on his way back from the office. He promises to do it but at the end of the week it turns out he never did. Then one Monday when her father gets back from work she goes to him and says daddy I am so grateful for the ice-cream you got me, it was wonderful. Now her dad wonders what ice-cream because he is so sure that he did not get her any. Now instead of receiving the daily request of ice-cream from his daughter he gets a daily thank you for something he is yet to do. Believe me in no time he not only got her the ice-cream but popcorn to go along with it.
Another example is when Jesus fed the five thousand. The available food was not enough but instead of asking God to provide more or going around looking for more he simply gave thanks and instantly there was an answer.
The same thing applies to God. God has made us several promises he will definitely keep. But to you it may seem like there is a delay in the fulfillment of these promises in your life. Try this, instead of asking God consecutively for it; choose to thank him for already doing it. You will see that your answer will come faster than you can ever imagine.
Thanksgiving is a way to speed up the arrival of the answers to your prayers. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”. Give thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nnenne Ude
If there is something that you have been praying and asking God for but it does not seem forthcoming, check yourself. It is not because you are not asking rightly (although sometimes that could be the case) but most times it is because you do not use the right approach.
Take this example; there’s this little girl who everyday asks her father to buy her ice-cream on his way back from the office. He promises to do it but at the end of the week it turns out he never did. Then one Monday when her father gets back from work she goes to him and says daddy I am so grateful for the ice-cream you got me, it was wonderful. Now her dad wonders what ice-cream because he is so sure that he did not get her any. Now instead of receiving the daily request of ice-cream from his daughter he gets a daily thank you for something he is yet to do. Believe me in no time he not only got her the ice-cream but popcorn to go along with it.
Another example is when Jesus fed the five thousand. The available food was not enough but instead of asking God to provide more or going around looking for more he simply gave thanks and instantly there was an answer.
The same thing applies to God. God has made us several promises he will definitely keep. But to you it may seem like there is a delay in the fulfillment of these promises in your life. Try this, instead of asking God consecutively for it; choose to thank him for already doing it. You will see that your answer will come faster than you can ever imagine.
Thanksgiving is a way to speed up the arrival of the answers to your prayers. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”. Give thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nnenne Ude
Monday, November 17, 2008
INDUCTION WAS AMAZING!!!!
This is just to thank every single person that prayed for us during the course of our induction programme. It was amazing and we had so much fun. We as YWAP are extremely grateful to everyone that made induction possible through prayers and money. May God bless you and a a big thank you to MICKEY JAY! You rock! Thank you and God bless!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Practical Christianity
At the last YWAP meeting, we spoke about practical Christianity and we suggested a few things we as xtians could do...
Check it out...
NOTE: This is a checklist and anytime you accomplish a task...tick it!
Check it out...
NOTE: This is a checklist and anytime you accomplish a task...tick it!
SO YOU WANT SOME PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY?
1 Timothy 1:5
Now the purpose of this charge is love from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith…
Think about that verse for a minute. Chew it up, swallow it, and digest it.
The charge of Christianity is more than speaking Christianese as Harry says.
Here’s a weekly schedule of what you can do to be much more real. Tick it off as the days go by and watch yourself become less of An Andolasian* and into the real world!
SUNDAY - Go to church and make friends with someone new that sits beside you!
- Be kind to a parent or visitor by calling their ward personally, especially if its 400 floor. (and yes this includes boyfriends looking for chicks and vice versa)
- Go out of your way to be nice to a floormate you’ve never talked to.
- Find your hall rep, class rep, floor rep, council chairman and say well done (this is so weird!)
MONDAY – have you told Mr. Wogu congratulations?
- Paint your roommates toenails and totally pamper her (trust me the rest of the week will be free indomie for you!)
- Complement people (boys please do not flatter or “whine”); this includes strangers
- Pay real attention in class (for once, sweetie!).
TUESDAY- help a lecturer carry his stuff into class (and yes, this includes those who come 1 hour late)
- Choose a Bible mentor and read something about him or her (mine is David.)
- Say hi to a complete stranger (here crushes are included, so this should be fun!)
- Give something you rilli want for yourself to someone who rilli needs it.
WEDNESDAY – tutor someone who doesn’t understand.
Go to caf for someone (if you can, buy them lunch! And this doesn’t include taking a girl out!)
- Take out time to study the bible for an hour and write down all you’ve read (try Leviticus first..lol! J)
- Help stack up chairs or arrange chairs after cell fellowship (please come)
THURSDAY – visit another YWAP member and talk about your day.
- Look for someone you don’t like and like them.
- Buy a birthday present or card for someone this week
- Pray for anyone you think that needs prayer write it down somewhere and when a reply comes tick it off (this is great!)
FRIDAY- consciously make an effort to speak positively.
- Take out time to listen to what people are saying not rushing to say something of your own.
- Read a verse from Proverbs and think about it.
- Arrange your room and do not gloat about it to your roomies.
SATURDAY – do your devotion, pray and worship (even if all this takes just 5 minutes! Lol J)
- Make someone’s Saturday, buy someone free lunch.
- Write a list like this for next week.
*Andolasian: someone from the cartoon world. If you haven’t watched Enchanted add it to your list! And guys, really, this could improve your game!
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