The year started at such a sore note, from family issues to matters of the heart to mini-1/4 life crisis (i have a long way to go to get to 1/2 life crisis) to i finally finished that PhD, and although i did not graduate as i had hoped (that is a 2013 reflection), that phase of my life is closed (please no titles), my work got some national and international recognition and i finally got around to standing in front of class to lecture .
I know, for years to come, 2012 will standout as an anchor to a lot of things that will happen in the coming years. In this year i started learning some practical entrepreneurship lessons, one of the goals of any enterprise is to achieve the the hockey stick growth, 2012 for me as a person, was the beginning of that upward curve. Yes, i know this a little bit optimistic for many, but i can say with confidence that this is where i deeply feel i am in my life at present. Every evening i sit in my bed and keenly listen, listen to God, to just know where we are at, because this is journey is about Him and me, and to me that upward trajectory is where its seems we are heading.
A while back i learnt from a very wise woman to journal and then constantly reflect back every so often, this past week, while in my mothers house, without the luxury of being constantly connected (i am sort of an internet addict) i got some time to think through the year. I went through my journal, and i realised that many of the questions that i had at the beginning of the year were answered, some remain unanswered but i have so much peace of not having those answers. In this blog, i just want to summarize some of those lessons, and pay tribute to the wonderful people who walked with me as i learnt each of them.
2012 was meant to happen the way it did, i have grown a lot this year... as others would say "i have come to my own"#identitydefinedbyGod
God, Gratitude and Prayers
God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. C. S. Lewis ;
If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart
- Allow God to be the center of your life, recognize that there is nothing much you can do without him, and constantly consult with Him.
- To borrow from Israel When God is in it there is no limit.
- Make breath sized prayers, this will make each breath worth while.
- Step outside yourself and pray for someone else, it makes your prayer life much more richer.
- That passing thought about that person is the que to say that breath sized prayer
- if you ask, God gives, just be careful what you ask for, i asked for the rain, i got the storm, and the grace for it ...
- Sometimes Delay is the best thing that can happen to you, just hold the anxiety at bay and hold on a little longer
- When God takes something from you, it is for my own good.
- God whispers in all situations, sometimes our desires are too loud that we don't here you.
- When in doubt, consult with God, if still in doubt, drop it
- Always give thanks, it is the most powerful of all things
- Have an attitude of gratitude life will seem much more simpler
Self
…Because every picture has a story to tell
- You have this strength inside of you, a solid tenacity and a Faith that you can do ALL things, something only God can give..
- You are beautiful, flabby arms, wide hips and all, you are really beautiful, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Family, Friends and People in General
God made you my sisters...…love made you my friend ~ Anonymous
- Family is everything, treasure them also if your friends are for real, make an effort to know their folks and siblings
- Regardless of their specialty, your Family loves you unconditionally, and are your No.1 Fun
- Treasure and appreciate friends, they are the relatives that you chose
- Make sure you a friend who
- One who knows you inside out,
- One who is straight with and puts you in your place(rooted)
- One who prays with you over the phone, the internet, on sms..
- One who dares you to dare, makes you jump over ditches with your stilettos, make that call and write that email ..
- One who is wiser, smarter and more influential than you, and can help you navigate those ditches
- One who makes you go through that painful lesson to learn what you need to learn.
- One younger than you, to make sure you don't go stale
- Celebrate people while they are still alive and can take part in the celebration...
- There are people who came to your life, even momentarily, and make a difference, let them know what they did made an impact in the course of your life
- Be at peace with all, that does not mean condone abuse or such, or strive to be loved by all, all it means, make peace with.
- Invest your love, life, time, and resources in other people. The best people to invest in are those who may never pay you back, that way you are an answer to their prayers.
- Perform random acts of kindness, "God bless you for this, i had wondered what i would do" is one the best response you will ever hear.
Cause and Effect
The game of life is the game of boomerangs. Our
thoughts, deeds and words return to us sooner or later, with astounding
accuracy.
Florence Shinn
- Integrity and character far surpasses skills, talent and giftings
- Your legacy is with those who learn from your actions and deeds more than your words .
- Every thought, word, action or deed is a boomerang, you throw it people, or the world and it will come back right back to you
- In Life nothing just happens..
Life
To be able to shape your future, you have to be willing and able to change your paradigm. ~Joel Barker
- Life is all about perception, whether you like, love, hate , appreciate etc it is all a function of your attitude
- Life and health are precious don't take those for granted ...
- In Life Don't Judge Period!, yes you will still be Judged, just don't judge ...
- Pain, rejection and failure is part of life...
- When faced with a choice, do it, don't regret it .... just do it, even afraid
- Sometimes you have to be cut open,and put back together for you to be eternally well,the process is painful, wade it!
- There are people who come to your life to teach you a lesson, for a season or for lifetime, learn to know the difference
- Be the first to apologise, it is not as bad is it sounds, it is ok to be wrong and ask for forgiveness,
- Don't be bitter, Dont carry grudges they are both cancerous in an emotional and physical sense.
- There are things that happen in your life not as end by as means, again learn to know the difference.
- it is never that serious, learn to have some fun
Fear and Courage
Courage is the power to let go of the familiar. ~Raymond Lindquist
- Fear will hold you back from being the best you, so, Do it Afraid
- Stand up and Face your giants, you will might find out they are not that huge, and might even be cushy and huggable :-)
- Whats the worst that can happen, when you hit Send, Call, Respond etc people are actually nice :-)
And now to you all who made my year all that and a bag of carrot sticks thank you and God Bless you!
you are welcome to leave your own life lessons below...
PS: Images not mine, i have borrowed from various sources around the web
