PURPOSE OF LIFE

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” – Mark Twain

Consider a hammer. It's designed to hit nails. That's what it was created to do. Now imagine that the hammer never gets used. It just sits in the toolbox. The hammer doesn't care.

But now imagine that same hammer with a soul, a self-consciousness. Days and days go by with him remaining in the toolbox. He feels funny inside, but he's not sure exactly why. Something is missing, but he doesn't know what it is.

Then one day someone pulls him out of the toolbox and uses him to break some branches for the fireplace. The hammer is exhilarated. Being held, being wielded, hitting the branches and the hammer loves it. At the end of the day, though, he is still unfulfilled. Hitting the branches was fun, but it wasn't enough. Something is still missing.

So he longs for more action. He wants to be used as much as possible to knock things around, to break things, to blast things, to dent things. He figures that he just hasn't had enough of these events to satisfy him. More of the same, he believes, is the solution to his lack of fulfillment. 

Then one day someone uses him on a nail. Suddenly, the lights come on in his hammer soul. He now understands what he was truly designed for. He was meant to hit nails. All the other things he hit pale in comparison. Now he knows what his hammer soul was searching for all along.

We are like the hammer. We don't realize what will end the emptiness, the lack of fulfillment, in our lives. When we understand our purpose of life, it will fuel our drive. Once we know why we are here, we can get busy fulfilling the purpose of our life, as we understand it at the moment.

 

Everyone will have a different definition based on their experiences in life and their own set of values. When we do something that we believe is meaningful, we achieve a sense of our own worth and place in life.

Today is the day for us to determine, what does purpose of life mean to us?

Interpersonal relationships fail and businesses fail because of poor problem solving.  The Concise Oxford Dictionary (1995) defines a problem as: “A doubtful or difficult matter requiring a solution” and “Something hard to understand or accomplish or deal with.”

Stages of Problem Solving

Effective problem solving usually involves working through a number of steps or stages, such as those outlined below.

Problem Identification:

This stage involves: detecting and recognizing that there is a problem; identifying the nature of the problem; defining the problem.

The first phase of problem solving may sound obvious but often requires more thought and analysis. Identifying a problem can be a difficult task in itself. Is there a problem at all? What is the nature of the problem, are there in fact numerous problems? How can the problem be best defined? By spending some time defining the problem you will not only understand it more clearly yourself but be able to communicate its nature to others, which leads to the second phase.

Structuring the Problem:

This stage involves: a period of observation, careful inspection, fact-finding and developing a clear picture of the problem.

Following on from problem identification, structuring the problem is all about gaining more information about the problem and increasing understanding. This phase is all about fact finding and analysis, building a more comprehensive picture of both the goal(s) and the barrier(s). This stage may not be necessary for very simple problems but is essential for problems of a more complex nature.

Looking for Possible Solutions:

During this stage you will generate a range of possible courses of action, but with little attempt to evaluate them at this stage.

From the information gathered in the first two phases of the problem solving framework it is now time to start thinking about possible solutions to the identified problem. In a group situation this stage is often carried out as a brain-storming session, letting each person in the group express their views on possible solutions (or part solutions). In organisations different people will have different expertise in different areas and it is useful, therefore, to hear the views of each concerned party.

Making a Decision:

This stage involves careful analysis of the different possible courses of action and then selecting the best solution for implementation.

This is perhaps the most complex part of the problem solving process. Following on from the previous step it is now time to look at each potential solution and carefully analyse it. Some solutions may not be possible, due to other problems like time constraints or budgets. It is important at this stage to also consider what might happen if nothing was done to solve the problem - sometimes trying to solve a problem that leads to many more problems requires some very creative thinking and innovative ideas.

Finally, make a decision on which course of action to take - decision making is an important skill in itself and we recommend that you see our pages on decision making.

Implementation:

This stage involves accepting and carrying out the chosen course of action.

Implementation means acting on the chosen solution. During implementation more problems may arise especially if identification or structuring of the original problem was not carried out fully.

Monitoring/Seeking Feedback:

The last stage is about reviewing the outcomes of problem solving over a period of time, including seeking feedback as to the success of the outcomes of the chosen solution.

The final stage of problem solving is concerned with checking that the process was successful. This can be achieved by monitoring and gaining feedback from people affected by any changes that occurred. It is good practice to keep a record of outcomes and any additional problems that occurred

Source: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/problem-solving.html

"SEVEN FORMS OF WASTE" CONCEPT

 

The idea of eliminating waste originates from the Toyota Production System. Taiichi Ohno, who is considered as one of the founding fathers of lean manufacturing, dedicated his career to establishing a solid and efficient work process.

During his journey, Ohno described three major roadblocks that can influence a company’s work processes negatively: Muda (wasteful activities), Muri (overburden) and Mura (unevenness).

In Lean, waste is any activity that consumes resources but brings no value to the end customer. Based on his observations and deep analysis, he categorized the 7 types of waste (7 Mudas), which later became a popular practice for cost reduction and optimizing resources.

1. Transportation

This type of waste is when you move resources (materials) and the movement doesn’t add value to the product. Excessive movement of materials can be costly to your business and cause damage to quality. Often, transportation may force you to pay additionally for time, space, and machinery.

2. Inventory

Excessive inventory is often the result of a company holding “just in case” inventories. In such cases, companies overstock themselves in order to meet unexpected demand, protect from production delays, low quality or other problems. However, these excessive inventories often don’t meet customer’s needs and don’t add value. They only increase storage and depreciation costs

3. Motion

This kind of waste includes movements of employees (or machinery) which are complicated and unnecessary. They can cause injuries, extended production time and more. In other words, do whatever is necessary to arrange a process where workers need to do as little as possible to finish their job.

4. Waiting

This is probably the easiest waste you can recognize. Whenever goods or tasks are not moving, the waste of waiting occurs. It is easily identifiable because lost time is the most obvious thing you can detect. For example, goods waiting to be delivered,  equipment waiting to be fixed, or a document waiting for approval from executives.

5. Overproduction

Having in mind that waste is anything that the customer is not willing to pay for, it is easy to realize why overproduction is Muda. Producing more means that you exceed customer’s demand, which leads to additional costs. Actually, overproduction triggers the other 6 wastes to appear. The reason is that excess products or tasks require additional transportation, excessive motion, greater waiting time and so on. Furthermore, if occasionally a defect appears during overproduction, it means your team will need to rework more units.

6. Over-processing

This type of waste usually reflects on doing work that doesn’t bring additional value or it brings more value than required. Such things can be adding extra features to a given product that nobody is going to use, but they increase your business costs. For example, if a car manufacturer decides to put a TV screen in the back trunk of a vehicle, probably nobody will use it or find value in it. Even more, it will cost resources and it will increase the end price of the product for something that customers are not willing to pay for.

7. Defects

Defects can cause rework or even worse, they can lead to scrap. Usually, defected work should go back to production again, which costs valuable time. Moreover, in some cases, an extra reworking area is required which comes with additional exploitation of labor and tools.

 

 

CREATING A REVOLUTIONIZED MANAGEMENT CULTURE

The name and reputation of W. Edwards Deming first caught the attention of a few Ford Motor executives in 1978, when they were trying to figure out how the Japanese automakers were outdoing them in car quality and design.

Deming's work and fame popularized the PDCA cycle which has the idea of deductive and inductive learning built into the learning and improvement cycle in the Deming wheel. Deming's message was that quality is everyone's responsibility.

His successful principles of emphasizing quality and customer satisfaction that helped turn around Sony, Fuji and Toyota were embraced in many countries.

Creating a revolutionized management culture with the widely adopted Total Quality Management (TQM) and six sigma Deming's basic philosophy was set down in these 14 points:

1. Create a constant purpose for improving products and services planned for the long term resisting short term solutions that compromise quality

2. Adopt the new philosophy. Be prepared for a major change in the way business is done. It's about leading everyone to quality output not simply managing

3. Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality.

4. Use a single supplier for any one item. Instead minimize total costs by working with a single supplier.

5 Improve constantly and forever. Every process for planning production and service. Just keep doing plan, do, check, act.

6. Use training on the job. Build a foundation of common knowledge and train for consistency. Train workers to see the role they play in the big picture.

7. Adapt and institute leadership. Don't just supervise. Support each staff member so that they can do his or her best. Be a coach instead of a policeman.

8. Drive out fear. Workers do their best when they feel valued. Free from the fear of ridicule demotion or being fired for expressing their concerns.

9. Break down barriers between staff areas using cross-functional teamwork can build understanding between departments and reduce adversarial relationships.

10 Eliminate slogans exhortations and targets for the workforce. Don't let catchphrases like excellence in service stand in for leadership. Communicate your expectations and then praise people face to face for doing good work.

11. Eliminate management by quota. Deming said that production targets encourage high output and low quality

12 Remove barriers that rob people of pride of workmanship allow everyone to be proud of their work without being raided or compared

13. Institute a vigorous program of education and self improvement for everyone.

14. Put everybody in the company to work accomplishing the transformation methodology alone won't bring success to a company.

Much depends on the context - A company's leadership, its culture, the ownership, their funding etc. What we see is that today's best practices for business, stand on the shoulders of a long history of critical thinking.

STAY STRONG

I know is not easy to just speak to us and reflect on our journey call life. That’s why I wanted to share it with you, as difficult as it is to share it. This is not the end of the life. I know it feels like it, but believe me it isn't. They are literally the only thing in this world that can break and then fix themselves into something stronger. The next few days, weeks, or even months might be the hardest of your life. And I know that every day feels like an eternity, time stretches seconds into minutes and days into lifetimes, but you have to stick it out.

Stay strong as we face this situation to combat COVID-19. Take things day by day. Don't rush ahead and try to do something stupid. Rushing is typically what leads to most stupid things anyways. Do things day by day. Let's follow the instructions given to us by Government agencies in oneness. Let's not pass false rumours. Let's not get panic.

This is one time in our life we are facing such unexpected situation. But we will overcome this phase. Let's stay in faith that God will open doors to combat this situation. Let's take precautionary measures to break the chain of spreading. Support all the government initiatives. Its through self-discipline we would be able to move forward and it could only be done through social distancing and self-isolation. Love one another. Pray that God have mercy on the people across the globe and relieve us from this epidemic soon. Pray for all the health professionals and their families who are extending their dedicated support during this time of need.

Let's stay strong and build back better!

NOTHING TO PROVE!

God wants us to surrender absolutely everything to Him. 'Nothing to lose' is a state of absolute surrender to God. It’s recognizing that your life is no longer yours, but belongs to God. Everything you have, are and will be, are now His. We have nothing to prove, no need to perform, no need to impress. God has accepted us forever by His grace. God wants us to walk in with Him, with integrity. 'Nothing to hide' is a state of true integrity before God.

Most often, when the circumstances of life, and the aging brought on by the passage of time, have broken, battered, and bruised us, and left many as emotional, physical, and financial wrecks, we will choose to make some meager attempt to give to GOD that which might still remain of our existences. The key to living with nothing to lose is giving-up your rights, which is giving-in to God.

The root cause of our inability to reach this blessed state is our lack of inner security. Insecurity causes us to fall into performance trap which in return leads to fragile egos. Insecurity leads us to FEAR and FULL SURRENDER to God too! In truth, we become possessed by our possessions. Controlled by our need for control. We miss the point that true security comes when we find satisfaction only in Lord and with that includes giving up your rights!

I believe God will use someone who has nothing to prove, nothing to lose and nothing to hide. More importantly we will have absolute peace as we have nothing to prove, nothing to lose and nothing to hide.

God knows everything about us - the good, the bad and the ugly, the past, the present and the future - and He loves us still. Enjoy that freedom. You do not have to prove anything. He loves you for who you are. He sees through all of the stuff in your life and loves you just the same.

ENJOY THE BLESSINGS OF HIS LOVE!

SPREAD THE LIGHT OF GOODNESS AND KINDNESS IN THE WORLD

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." - Maya Angelou

It is important how we make people feel. If we want to do something important and significant in life, then we should focus on doing something that makes people feel good, important, valued, loved and respected. When we reach out to others in need and show them kindness, we give them a reason to believe in the goodness of humanity. By cultivating kindness we are also planting seeds of tenderness and compassion. The road to compassion is not usually filled with roses, rainbows, and unicorns. Actually, compassion is often learned through having experienced deep pain, betrayal, hurt feelings, and broken trust. In this fast pace world, kindness and compassion takes a back seat to selfies, self-interest and expendable human interactions.

On the one hand, having power can decrease our ability to take another’s perspective and lessen our compassionate care. This can lead us to objectify others and think of them only as a means to benefit ourselves. On the other hand, having power also makes us feel less distressed in social situations and more resilient if we are rejected. If we balance power and care, we don’t have to choose between helping others or helping ourselves.

We can strengthen our drive to care by spending time among people in very difficult circumstances, learning their perspectives, and strengthening our sense of shared humanity.

Spread the light of goodness and kindness in the world.

WOMEN: EPITOME OF COURAGE, BOLDNESS, LOVE, AFFECTION, SACRIFICIES & SUFFERINGS

“A woman is the epitome of courage, boldness, love, affection, sacrifices & sufferings.”

The women have always been playing a fundamental role in shaping the character of generations through time. It is a plain fact that it is the woman who makes house a home that is the power of a woman. It is often said that ‘The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.’. Women have always contributed to the economic and social life of a country. As homemakers and mothers, they do invaluable work. It is very difficult to measure the true value of their efforts.

The strength of women is measured by the impact that all her hardships in life have had on her; but the strength of a woman is measured by the extent of her refusal to allow those hardships to dictate her and who she becomes. Woman spends her days vigorously tending to her responsibilities and making discerning choices so that she and her family can have the best life possible.

She puts her best foot forward and doesn’t let the unavoidable misstep keep her from eagerly getting on with meeting her responsibilities. Her well-ordered priorities allow her to value strength and dignity above charm and outer beauty.

A woman is so much more than just a human being. She has Gods power to create a life, to cope with so much pain and somehow always end up being the strongest one in every room.

REAL IS RARE

People are like diamonds with many facets, each one reflecting a distinctive light into the world. Among the diamond’s unique qualities is that it is the hardest of all known substances, and it therefore can only be cut with another diamond or diamond dust. “Diamond” comes from the Greek term “adamas,” which means “unconquerable, unalterable, unbreakable, and untamable". A diamond is also known for its outstanding brilliance and fire.

We are all diamonds in the rough. A diamond is nothing more than a clump of carbon, coal that refused to give in to pressure. We can learn so much about life by studying diamonds. Diamonds are the hardest known natural. But what makes the diamond so strong is also what makes it so intriguingly beautiful. Intense heat and pressure cause carbon to crystallize over the course of billions of years. Formed deep within the earth’s mantle, diamonds are brought to the earth’s surface during violent pressure and change.

As with diamonds, so it is with you and me. Life’s sudden upheavals bring our true worth, value, and strength to the surface. The incredible pressure we face during hardships and fiery trials cause the hidden treasure within us to emerge. A diamond’s resilient nature makes it stable, pure, and strong. But it didn’t happen overnight. I’m sure every one of us have experienced this process. When you finally emerge from the very darkest, crushing, breaking experiences in your life, you emerge the strongest and the brightest you’ve ever been.

Transformation is far from easy. Yet, no matter what the furnace or the trial, God will cause us to prevail! Those who suffer the greatest pressure, the most agonizing trials, the severest losses, are being fashioned to shine as they surface from the lonely furnace of affliction. Your trials don’t define you – they refine you. Your worth is far above diamonds or gold. If you are facing tremendous pressures today, or circumstances that appear out of your control, stop and reflect on your situation. You can change your future by viewing your current condition as a transition into a new season in your life.

REAL IS RARE!

GOD is able to HEAR, PROVIDE and DELIVER

“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 labour in the Lord is not in vain.” - 1 Corinthians 15:58

What we believe about God has everything to do with how we relate to him. What we believe about God has everything to do with how we relate to one another. What we believe about God has everything to do with how we live our lives, how we work, what we say, even what we feel.

Psalm teaches us how to hope in God’s deliverance. As David pens the first section of verses in this Psalm, he shifts back and forth between despair and hope. He begins by crying out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?” We can relate to this lament, can’t we?. Often we look at the horrible tragedies that occur around us and stand perplexed as to why God does not appear to answer.

When God makes a promise, we can believe it. When God comes through, we need to remember to do the same. The blessings of God are meant to be enjoyed. God uses the Bad to accomplish the Good. Sometimes we are brought to a point of desperation and agony.

GOD is able to HEAR, PROVIDE and DELIVER.

WHAT GOD THINKS ABOUT YOU!

As we enter into this new month, continue to serve faithfully and you are just as valuable to God & to the organization you are associated with.

We all are serving or building something. People serve their family, spouse, kids, school, their job and so forth. If you don’t think you’re serving someone, you are building something. Maybe you’re not building your own empire, but you’re building someone else’s dream, Organization, brand or service. No one is perfect, so don’t look to people as your primary leader or Lord. Leaders are people—they can lead you, guide you, but they are not God.

Do you feel distracted, trapped, torn, confused, hurt, broken, helpless, unloved, worthless? God calls you worth it because He died for YOU. You were worth the price, the pain, the heavy cross that our Lord carried. He loves you. Let me tell you, YOU CAN BE FREE. You may ask, “What do I need to do?” Surrender to God, humble yourself and genuinely cry out to Him. We NEED God. We cannot live this life on our own strength. God can do this and can make your life new. It won’t be perfect, but it is the best life you can live!

The scripture says "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty's hand." (Daniel 3:17).

Similarly, Serving others usually requires no special talent or ability. One of the beauties of servant-hood is that it requires no special talent or special gifts. Of course, we are to use our spiritual gifts to serve one another.

Of course, God must give us a servant attitude. We cannot change our hearts. But we can do those things which God ordinarily uses to change us. He uses the Scripture, prayer, and obedience. So we must fill our minds with the Scriptures that teach servant-hood. Few things are more distressing to one in a position of responsibility for the work of others than to not be able to count on someone to do his job.

God chose you for a purpose to lead. Leading without title might have put so much of controversial comments about your ability. But its God who called you for this purpose. He broke you, your thought process and rebuild you to be as you are now. You are refiner's Gold. When He gives your authority, he gives you responsibility too.

Stay calm and trust the process. It's He who called you by name and He will do miracles through you. The promises He gave you is STILL. Stay Humble and allow Him to lead.

At the end of the day, it's all about WHAT GOD THINKS ABOUT YOU!

WHAT MATTERS TO US, MATTERS EVEN MORE TO GOD!

God has a specific purpose for each of us as well as specific purposes for every individual life. God’s eternal purpose is closely related to God’s will. God’s will, simply stated, is what God wants, intends, and desires. God wants something. To attain what He wants, He has a plan that is according to what He wants, according to His will. God as a God of purpose is surely determined to fulfill His purpose.

There might be emptiness in your life that can be scary. It reveals our insecurities, telling us we are alone and validating our fears. But with God, emptiness doesn’t equal loneliness. During those times when we don’t have a clue which direction to go, we can let the stillness push away all distractions so we sense God’s presence more than ever. He will calm our anxious thoughts and give us the direction we seek.

God amazes me again and again with His faithfulness through circumstances that seem impossible. When we show God our willingness to trust Him in every situation, we become a part of that greater purpose. God works in ways so that we cannot find comfort in our own works. We don’t need to worry about how it will all work out; we only need to trust God through it all.

The Lord wants us to include Him in our plans and He will bless those plans if those plans are within His will for us. Our job is to relax and trust in Him to guide and direct us in the paths He has prepared for us. Perhaps this is how David reflected in his old age on how God guided him throughout his life. ‘You hem me in – behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me’ (Psalms 139:5). This speaks of God’s loving and gentle hand pressing him along the path of his choosing.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

WHAT MATTERS TO US, MATTERS EVEN MORE TO GOD!

DIFFICULT ROADS OFTEN LEAD TO BEAUTIFUL DESTINATIONS!

 

  

“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.” Shakespeare’s famous lines aptly describe the emotional nature that fuels human action.

If you keep telling yourself you are something then that is the way your behaviourorientates itself. If you tell yourself you are successful and fortunate it changes your expectations of the world, and your interpretation of what you receive from it.

Recognition that individuals living in a free society should enjoy entitlements which encourage them to behave in ways that empower them psychologically to become fully functional, to the benefit of themselves and society at large. If we withhold our feelings and opinions, others will not have the opportunity to know or understand us. Thus we will be denied the value and beauty of true friendship.

Some of the people comment might hurt us and make us feel bad. But criticism is useful cos' it provides audience perspective on the effects of your behaviour based on their level of understanding, and you can decide on whether or not it is beneficial to you. Should you feel the need to criticise others, then treat them in the way you would like to be treated. It is always better to deal with criticism rationally and logically, not emotionally.

You have all power to become a winner and achieve anything you want. You may be going through difficult times right now or you may face some difficult times in the future. Overcoming those difficult times can become our greatest asset and help develop you into the person you could become to create the life you truly want and deserve. Enjoy your life. Feel the taste of success and satisfaction during your journey. DIFFICULT ROADS OFTEN LEAD TO BEAUTIFUL DESTINATIONS!

YOU HAVE NO REASON TO GIVE UP!

 

If you look backwards in your life, you may easily see that things that seemed impossible at a given moment, are possible today. 

Staying motivated isn’t easy, especially when the goal you’re working towards seems as far out of reach as ever. Try not to get too down on yourself. Likewise, don’t get too excited when things are going well. Success takes time. There will be stops and starts.

People may look down on you today. They may not support your goals or dreams. They may laugh or segregate you today. But never stop believing and striving towards your dreams. 

Keep believing in the beauty of your dreams and forge on. Ignore the Naysayers, they will surely be humbled at what you will later turn out to be. There's no limit to what you can achieve.

YOU HAVE NO REASON TO GIVE UP!

LEGENDS LIVE FOREVER

Values are what we stand for and what guide our decisions. You might value creativity more than making money, for example. Legend - a person whose natural reflex is to be selfless and make an extraordinary effort to put others before themselves. Legends usually stand for something. People will be more likely to remember you because you'll have made a difference in others' lives.

There is a big difference between someone who occupies a leadership position and a leader. People who want to learn how to be successful like others are not true followers. They are simply using those successful people to get ahead. A true follower is someone who wants to be like another person, to learn from them, regardless of the trappings of success that person may or may not have. A leader is someone who teaches and guides others, not about how to be successful like them, but about how they can reach their own potential.

Human beings are wired to seek out threats. Because those in leadership positions have the power to affect our daily work and our livelihood, people pay far more attention to them. And people are constantly watching leaders for cues about what they must do to stay out of danger and give themselves an advantage.

Legendary leaders do not sprout overnight. They grow over time, taking root in the midst of challenges to become even stronger. They dont threaten people using their power, instead guide them, build them and empower them so that they in return strengthen the pillars of the mission for which they are engaged. When leaders demonstrate these behaviours ― perseverance, excellence, confidence, ambition, commitment and humility ― people are motivated to perform at a higher level. A legendary leader paints a compelling vision of the future that encourages team members to work together to attain it.

Legends live forever!

LIVE A MEANINGFUL LIFE

Do we live on after death? If so, where? Is there a heaven? What happens to my body? What happens to my soul?

Medically speaking, death happens in two stages. The first, clinical death, lasts for four to six minutes from the moment a person stops breathing and the heart stops pumping blood. During this stage, organs remain alive and there may be enough oxygen in the brain that no permanent damage occurs. The second stage of dying, biological death, is the process by which the body’s organs shut down and cells begin to degenerate. After 12 hours, skin loses its colour and blood pools at the lowest point of the body, causing red and purple bruising. Then the parts are eaten by plants, insects and animals, which can take a year or more depending on how the body has been buried.

This life is for a short while. We are sent into this earth as human beings to perform the role which was given to us. Spiritually speaking each religion speaks about life after death. Some religion speaks that after dying spirits are sent to heaven or hell depending on their earthly behaviour, while some claim regarding the theory of reincarnation. What we have in our hand is just this little period we spend in this world. We should introspect on whether we live a meaningful life during this given period.

Ecclesiastes 3:12 says, "I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live". So what is the good life and how do we live it? The truly good life comes from having God’s blessing upon us, particularly in the area of healthy relationships. A harmonious person seeks to get along with others. S/he is not self-willed, demanding his/her own way, and judging those who don’t go along with him/her. S/he is a team player who considers the other person’s perspective and gives others room to be different. S/he accepts people as God accepts them. S/he gives people time to grow, realizing that it is a process. God made us all with emotions, and healthy relationships must take into account others’ feelings. Others should sense that we genuinely care for them from our hearts. Negatively, doing good in our talk means not retaliating and not deceiving. Positively, doing good means blessing others with words that build them up.

Let's live this life meaningful with the GIVEN OPPORTUNITY!

YOUR LIFE ISN'T OVER

As we gear up to enter into the new month of the year, let this be the new beginning in our life. Mark 8;:36 says, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?". Our saviour came to earth to save our souls by the shedding His blood on our behalf. He was mocked, beaten, lied on, rejected, whipped, spat on and died so that your and my "SOUL" can live on in eternity with God and not apart from Him. What is the good of worldly wealth, success, prosperity, luxury, approval, enjoyment, pleasure, self-satisfaction, etc. etc. if the end result is that we lose your soul?

We look upon things and desire what we do not have. We invest our lives for the profit of satisfaction in the things we value most. And we honor things of this earth that have no value in God’s eyes. When we surrender ourself to God completely and seek His wisdom to lead our life in the righteous way, He will lead us. Today, we might have been mocked, beaten, lied on, rejected, whipped and undergoing stressful situation, still withstand the toils and turbulence trusting our Saviour to lead.

The heat and trials of our lives are not evidence God is cruel or has left us, but ultimately are evidence of how much God values us and His desire for us to be all He designed us to be. He values us as He finds us but He loves us too much to leave us as He finds us. We would begin to see our issues, trials and struggles as opportunities for God to do something transformational in our lives. He knows what is best for us. TRUST THE PROCESS!

SPEAK THE TRUTH

"Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me" - John 18:37

Is it possible for a man to speak truth on trial? We have a great example who did that and showed us the way of life. Our attitude toward the truth determines the outcome of our lives. There is no greater blessing, than to walk in the truth. It is rooted in the eternal God who’s all powerful and unchangeable.

The truth sounds good in theory, especially if it’s truth with which we agree or that positions us in a favorable light. It’s when we hear truth that isn’t so pleasant that we start to resist. Hate is a self-defense mechanism. When things don’t go well, we play the blame game — we look for a scapegoat. We like always to be right and feel safe. As Elvis Presley said: “Animals don’t hate, and we’re supposed to be better than them". We embrace hate as a way to protect our self-esteem or to defend our interests or beliefs. Hate is in the eye of the giver, not on the receiver. People hate what they don’t understand. They reject those who think or look differently. Pause and think; is the enemy for real? Those who put you in that situation don’t want you to think; you are just a number — they want to add you to their support base.

Even today every trial is a pursuit of the truth. We need to love and acknowledge the truth 100%. The result will be glorious when the truth has liberated and saved us!

WALK AWAY IN PEACE

 

We are all walking this journey of life and the roads aren't always easy. We are resilient and have the ability to get past it all. The present moment is a gift to us because it allows us to focus on what it is and not on what was. If there is something in your present moment that you can't accept, you always have the choice to change it.

If you have a tough time liberating yourself from things, people, places and memories, know that what you’re going through isn’t easy. As an a emotional being you’re inclined to get attached, and stay attached. The process of letting go isn’t formulaic. It’s a sacred process that’s carried out with a sense of reverence, trust, and faith that we’re always supported. 

When we gain higher awareness and see the big-picture, we’ll be more willing to let go of the life that we planned, and embrace the life that’s waiting for us.

I TRUST YOU

God desires for His children to trust His Mighty Hand. God is with His faithful servants in the beautiful places of deliverance, restoration, and blessing. He seeks to be honored and glorified in the lovely seasons of life.

When God turned situation around, Joseph became Prime Minister, Sarah became fruitful, Jabez became a rich person, Esther, a slave became a queen.

The only way to trust Him is to spend the time knowing Him. Trust cannot be built in any relationship without the time dedicated to the other person. It’s the same with God and it will be difficult to trust Him if I don’t know Him. I read in His word the sweet encouragement to call on Him in the day of trouble. He wants me to call on Him in trouble… so indeed, I WILL!

TRUTHFULNESS, GOODNESS, USEFULNESS

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?". 

Socrates replied that before the man spoke, he needed to pass the “Triple-Filter” test.

The first filter, he explained, is Truth. “Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to say is true?” The man shook his head. “No, I actually just heard about it, and …”

Socrates cut him off. “You don’t know for certain that it is true, then. Is what you want to say something good or kind?” Again, the man shook his head. “No! Actually, just the opposite. You see …”

Socrates lifted his hand to stop the man speaking. “So you are not certain that what you want to say is true, and it isn’t good or kind. One filter still remains, though, so you may yet still tell me. That is Usefulness or Necessity. Is this information useful or necessary to me?” A little defeated, the man replied, “No, not really.”

“Well, then,” Socrates said, turning on his heel. “If what you want to say is neither true, nor good or kind, nor useful or necessary, please don’t say anything at all.”

If we all filtered our speech in this way, whichever questions we ask ourselves, we could avoid a great deal of negativity.

The scripture (Proverbs 26:20) says, “Without wood a fire goes out, without gossip a quarrel dies down.”

We backbite to make ourselves appear a little higher, by cutting others down. We enjoy a moment of attention as our audience salivates over a fellow human's debasement. It is cheap glory, and it destroys camaraderie and collaboration.

Would you like to eradicate backbiting in your team or your organisation? Share this story with them and ask them to pledge to always use the triple filter test before saying something about a colleague.

Most importantly, do so yourself.

FEEL THE TRUTH

We are all sinners saved by grace, never should we think of ourselves more or higher than what we ought to. We should seem different than those in and of the world. We know and follow a different way, we have different desires and dreams, our ambition should be selfless not selfish. We are surrounded by lies every day, and we know it. When lies surround us, when we are tempted perhaps to lie or distort the truth for our own benefit or self-preservation, don’t give in. Rather than embracing the lie, hold on to and take a stand on the truth.

Truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God. Truth is also ontological—which is a fancy way of saying it is the way things really are. Reality is what it is because God declared it so and made it so. God is looking for men with humble hearts; We need to know that when we are earnest and steadfast in our search for the truth which God reveal to us, and that this determines our daily experience for the better.

Let's ask God to help us know His truth and live it out by speaking honestly with everyone we know.

FATHER IS ALWAYS "HERO"

Father's are like a steady but less sentimentalized institution — the sun in our familial sky that warms and gives life but isn’t much thought about unless he goes missing.

Every child's relationship with their father is unique. Every family will be expecting his father to return back from work safe. Thou they do not understand the father's everyday struggle for existence, the loss of a father will destroy the equation of their family life.

Knowingly or unknowingly, we might have been a reason to destroy someone's life. While we want to take care of our family, protect them and keep our family members happy, we tend to forget that the person whom we hurt also has a family. After all, we all are humans who have spirit in a temporary body combined with flesh and bones. The emotions of humans who have the sixth sense are the same.   The pain is the same. If it hurts me, it will hurt them too. 

Let's respect one another. Even if we can't be the reason for someone's smile, don't ever be the reason for their destruction. Cos, they will have a family who will look unto them with great expectations. As for every child, their Father is a Hero!

SILENCE IS POWERFUL

There are times when silence can speak louder than words. Know when silence will help you more effectively speak up for yourself and lead. Leaders should empower others. They have to rarely tell people what to do. Rather, leaders need to provide others the opportunity to identify the roadmap for achieving the goals they set out to achieve.

Stay silent, don’t say anything, and speak when it's required. SILENCE IS POWERFUL!