Keep it Moving

We’ve all had ups and downs in our lives. Too often, a major obstacle or failure becomes a defining moment. They say that you learn more from your failures than your successes. That’s only if you don’t let a major downer define your life and limit your dreams and aspirations.

Instead, learn to overcome that one crucial mistake, that failed relationship or that devastating disappointment by using it as motivation to take your life or your business to the next level. It isn’t easy to put the past in the past, but it is vital in order to rebuild self-confidence, restore relationships, or redefine your goals for the future.
No one is perfect. Everyone has failed. But the difference between failure and success is a very fine line, often dictated by how you perceive it, and how you perceive yourself. Failure can be success if we learn from it. So take some time today to reflect on that defining moment in your life and use it for good.

Source: Bill Boyajian

How To Have An Attractive Personality

You could be the most polished or sophisticated person on the planet, however, if people don’t like you, you’ll have fewer and fewer opportunities to interact with them. Some individuals have the kind of personality that brightens up a room while others improve the environment by their departure.
Personality is the visible aspect of your character as it impresses others. Without a pleasing personality, achieving your personal and professional goals will be an uphill battle. This is not about changing who you are or becoming a people pleaser. It is about coming to grips with the fact that whatever you desire in life will be achieved through other people. Consequently, you must be mindful of behaviors and character traits that attract people and those that repel them.
As you read the following tips for a winning personality, consider areas where you need to shore up your interactions with others.

• Smile. Keep it genuine; don’t do it just to show off your new cosmetic veneers or caps (however, if you need them, they’ll be a great investment and will boost your confidence). Let your eyes smile also. A smile reflects your mental attitude and can affect the attitude of others.

• Listen. Be genuinely interested in other people. Limit the number of times you say “I” during your conversations.

• Don’t interrupt—even if the person is long winded. If you need to make a point, raise your index finger slightly as if to ask for permission to speak.

• Respect other people’s opinions. No need to argue about matters that do not affect the quality of your life.

• Be quick to serve. Jesus cautioned his disciples, “The greatest among you must be a servant” (Matthew 23:11 NLT).

• Be generous. Don’t skimp on tips to those who serve you (see Chapter __ on “Tips on Tipping” for guidelines).

• Don’t be a moocher; always pay your share—and then some.

• Be humble. Don’t brag about your position, possessions, people you know, or places you’ve traveled. Humility tops the chart as the most admired character trait; pride and arrogance are the most detestable.

• Don’t succumb to your insecurities. Avoid self-put downs. Know that you are adequate for every task for your sufficiency comes from God (2 Corinthians 3:5). Confidence is a great people magnet.

Source: Deborah Smith Pegues

Pushing Past The Pain of Rejection

Good morning! Being favored does not mean that you will not be rejected. Rejection is a significant source of pain and suffering for this world. In fact, rejection created the need for the gospel. Sin entered the world because two people rejected God and his command.
It is a costly experience that causes emotional pain that can lead to anger or self-esteem issues. Even though you have experienced rejection, it does not determine your future. Don't let anger or rage harbor in your heart. (Psalms 4:4) Release yourself from the pain of rejection so that you can soar into the place where God is leading you.
Recall that Joseph was rejected by the ones that should have embraced him. Even Jesus was rejected by his family members. (John 7:5) Don't take rejection personally. The rejection honestly says nothing about you as a person. Getting rejected is a part of life and it is not a personal attack.
It's all is part of the process when you are blessed and highly favored!
Here are some practical things you can do when you experience rejection.
1) Reframe the rejection. It's not about you.
2) Don't allow the rejection to control your future. Move forward.
3) Use the rejection to improve your life. See the brighter side of things.
4) Forgive - Release yourself from the pain and into happiness.
5) Extend Love - Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8)
Remember that your past is not your future. Release your future from your past.
Rejection is a Jump Start to your blessing!

Source: TD JAKES

Tales of a Lagos Girl (II)- The Virginity Hater

This is interesting..lol..Read what Twitter user, Emo girl shared..

'Got a text from an ex after 4 years.. you men are confusing.lol how my relationship with him ended was the most confused moment of my life.This guy chased me for months. I was really into him but my hard girl reputation couldn’t be tempered with back then.I finally fell and we started dating. I used to have this really wild, bad girl appearance then but deep down inside.. it was the opposite. “We were dating.. kissing and stuff never really had time or opportunity for the secks because my parents didn’t give me space to shine. Till the day i decided to sleep over at his place and get diqed, whether my parents kill me or not the next day, man must die one day.

I was excited about that night..I really liked that guy, i didn’t even think about the trouble i’ll be in i just wanted to die by that p*nis. He was excited too and we started making out and touching each other’s prr….. You know what i mean.

It was now time to put his distin inside and he tried to put it in and i made noises like i was in pain and he quickly stopped and got up. He got up looking at me shocked and betrayed like i just executed his family. then he asked “are you a V!rg!n” I said “yes”.

Man, the dissapointment on his face. He had that look your dad would have if he just found out you secretly sold the family house. He helped me look for my pant and other belongings and asked me to go home. I was confused Af.

He switched his number off that night ,And the next day i went to see him.. His sister told me he travelled that morning. I then got a break up text 2 days later. you guys. I WAS DUMPED FOR BEING A VIRGIN. I don’t understand this life at all.

Most painful thing is i never said i didn’t want the secks. people are born V!rg!ns. why was he dissapointed i was one. Did he think i would not catch up fast. I swear to God i’m a great learner. Look at my skills now.

I didn’t kick against getting my hymen torn apart by him.. Shouldn’t he be glad he was about to be the first? i was really really confused. And after four years he is now texting me ‘what’s going on with you, it’s been ages’ Bruh, YOU ARE MAD.”

What could have made him do that though?

Tales of a Lagos Girl (I)- Runaway Boyfriend

“ I live in Gusau and work with Fidelity bank. I have no time for myself or anything else except for my job. I’ve lost countless boyfriends due to the nature of my job, it does not give me the space to be with my man romantically. After endless break ups I moved to the fast paced-culture of online dating.

I met this fascinating, humble and intriguing man online. He was like heaven on earth. A prime definition of decency. We moved from Facebook chat to Whatsapp and then calling on phone. He’s always on phone with me. Little did I know that he had other foul plans. I must give it to him “his cards were neatly played out”

We fast became lovers, he spoke with my significant others, proposed to me on phone. Told him phone proposal won’t work with me. He kept saying that his international Web business line won’t allow him to be with me at the moment. Few days later he told me that he was traveling out of the country for business transactions. Which in his own terms was done.

He said he was in USA at that time. He called a few times too. After 2 days of him being away his daughter called me to tell me that her grandmother just fell from the stairs. She was screaming and crying on phone saying her grandmother is not saying anything that she was lying helplessly on the floor. So, I had to call my man who was away for business deal.

He begged me to help take care of his mom who is based in Port Harcourt. He also promised to pay me back everything that I spend on her health. I told him that I wasn’t having enough, he begged me and even asked me to go for a loan with my bank.

I am but human and my heart wasn’t made of steel. After much pushing, I did what needed to be done. I was hooked up with a doctor and the doctor kept asking me to pay in money into his account. The total money that was sent to his account was roughly #500k.

All of a sudden my supposed 'man-to-be' went under and stopped calling or even texting me. With strong intuition I knew then that he was a fake man.

Although, I got worried and began to look for clues of what must’ve happened or went wrong, everything I tried on was to no avail. After couple of days it began to dwell on me with more bewildered and lost mind that I’ve been duped!

I finally met him online on Facebook, I tried confronting him instead he started calling me names. Only then it became crystal clear to me that I’ve been duped. I went to the police to report the crime. NPF with their own started looking for a way to rob me of my money. I got a lawyer involved. I was advised on how to track him down.

I got my friend involved,. Luckily my friend got hold of my lost man account details which was what I needed to trail him. With the police report I obtained from the police I was able to keep watch on the account. He was using same strategy with my friend and when my friend was asked to pay in money which she did.
The sociopath couldn’t withdraw the money from ATM and won’t go to the bank to withdraw with the cashier. After much wait. He went to the bank to maybe to withdraw with the cashier but lo and behold he was arrested. I had to go back to the place station to stake my claims. Do you know what I was told to do?

I was asked to bring money for fuel and money to settle every police officer’s family that will embark on the journey to Enugu state to convert the arrest back to Gusau!!

You Too Can Make It Through The Storm

Many people have gifts and talents and are called to do great things for God. Yet He hasn’t said, “Go,” because they’re still learning how to be stable, dependable, reliable, not easily shaken, and in control of their emotions.
As Christians, we need to live the life that we claim to represent so that our gifts and talents can be released―not just for our own sake, but for the good of those around us.
I am so glad that I’m married to a stable man. Of all the things Dave has brought to my life, I am so grateful to him for teaching me the value of stability. You see, in the early days of our marriage, he never knew one day to the next what I was going to be like, and neither did I. My circumstances dictated my mood―and it was a miserable way to live.
Stop Making Excuses
I could get up each morning thinking I was going to have a great day and then something would set me off. Then by 9 a.m., the rest of my day was totally ruined! But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can control ourselves, but until we believe that, nothing is going to change.
The first thing we must do is stop making excuses, like “I can’t help it. I’m just an emotional person. If you had to put up with what I have to p7ut up with, you’d throw tantrums too!” God is never going to tell you to do something you can’t do without His help. And you can accomplish much if you learn to control your emotions.
If You Have Peace, You Have Power
Whether you like it or not, you’re in a spiritual war. Your enemy, Satan, comes against you in many ways and he’s going to fight against you. So you need to know how to stand against him.
Philippians 1:28 (AMP) says, “And do not [for a moment] be frightened or intimidated in anything by your opponents and adversaries, for such [constancy and fearlessness] will be a clear sign (proof and seal) to them of [their impending] destruction, but [a sure token and evidence] of your deliverance and salvation, and that from God.”
This scripture is saying that God and the devil are watching us. If we remain peaceful, the devil knows that he can’t upset us and we’re just not going to give in. But it’s also a sign to God that our trust is truly in Him.
No matter how much you say you trust God, if you’re upset all the time, then you’re not really trusting Him. And as long as you’re trying to take care of yourself, God will just stand back and say, “Let Me know when you’re ready for Me to jump in and help.”
Keeping Your Peace Brings Maturity
You and I have the privilege not only to believe in Christ but to endure a little bit of suffering while we’re waiting for His deliverance because it’s the hard times in our life that bring maturity. Every day that you stay firm in your faith and you don’t get your breakthrough, you’re growing spiritually that day.
Jesus said, “In the world, you will have tribulation.” The purpose of having faith isn’t to avoid problems but to get through them with peace and stability.
If the only time you can praise God is in the Promised Land, you have a problem. You need to praise Him in the wilderness. Actually, if you don’t praise God in the wilderness, you’ll never get to the Promised Land. We all have to do the right thing when it’s hard; when we don’t feel like doing it. That’s when we grow. ( See Exodus 14:13-14 .)
Be determined to trust God. No matter what happens, hold your peace; remain at rest; keep an attitude of praise and thanksgiving; do what you can do; and keep on saying, “God is fighting for me.”

Source: Joyce Meyer

Surviving with God's Strength- Testimony

Before I first listened to Joyce’s teaching on the fruit of the Spirit, I confess I didn’t really understand how the fruit worked. I assumed it was all about will power. If I didn’t have peace or patience, it must be because I wasn’t trying hard enough. It never occurred to me to ask for God’s help.
It might have had to do with how I was raised. Though I grew up in a Christian home, my mother was the poster child for the self-made woman – the oldest of 10 who grew up in a West Virginia coal-mining town during the Great Depression.
She escaped at 18, married a mean man, went to work, divorced, remarried and eventually became one of the first female Chamber of Commerce executives in the country. She was a dynamo who loved to say, “I’m a survivor.” That was her battle cry and badge of honor.
Mere Survival Falls Short
It made perfect sense that I would follow her template. Clawing my solitary way up the mountain of life’s challenges, marching under my own steam through exhaustion and disappointment—just so I could proclaim that I too was a survivor. As if surviving is as good as it can possibly get.
But listening to Joyce’s teaching about her own transformation from humorless survivor to healed and happy child of God gave me a new perspective on “survivor syndrome.”
I understand now that God wants much more for us than mere survival. It’s not His will that we just barely make the finish line. He wants us to sail past it with hope, exuberance and energy to burn. Even more important, He wants our acknowledgement that we get nowhere on our own steam. It’s all Him, all the time.

Source:  Anonymous