Glo, Author at 1Africa

Contentment is Treasure

Glo

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July 30, 2019

As a child, when my parents or teachers at school made efforts to instill discipline in me, I thought they were just being difficult for no reason. Only later when I grew up did I understand that being disciplined is actually a very good thing. There are virtues in life which may at first seem difficult or unnecessary to acquire and put into practice but they bring great reward when applied. One of them is contentment.

Contentment is treasure. It is happiness that is not dependent on what we have or don’t have. Apostle Paul in the Bible was one person who understood this and lived a life of contentment. His words in Philippians 4:11-13 are a great inspiration to us today: “I am not complaining about having too little. I have learned to be satisfied with whatever I have. I know what it is to be poor or to have plenty, and I have lived under all kinds of conditions. I know what it means to be full or to be hungry, to have too much or too little. Christ gives me the strength to face anything.”

In my own life, these words have helped me to remain at peace regardless of circumstances, be grateful for what I have and make the most of it. I trust they will inspire you too to do the same.

Contentment can be quite hard when you are faced with countless challenges around you. God encourages us to be content and put our trust in him. If you don’t feel any contentment this morning and have never felt the peace that comes with knowing Jesus personally, connect with us below and we will reach out to you.

Does Everyone Experience This?

Glo

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October 20, 2017

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The first time I asked myself this question was when I began having issues with my skin. I had some terrible breakout on my face and I couldn’t stand looking at myself in the mirror. This situation took a toll on my self-confidence such that I avoided being around people. Whenever someone looked at me, I felt as If all they saw were those ugly bumps on my face. Anyone ever dealt with acne? I know you feel me on this!

I tried different treatment options but to no avail. I was tormented. I would ask myself : are there people out there who experience this? Only on cyberspace it seemed because where I live, whenever I found myself in a public place, I looked at the ladies passing around me and you’ve guessed right: everyone was beautiful, with flawless skin. Fast forward, things got better over time and I slowly regained my self-confidence.

My experience dealing with acne was not my only exposure to wondering whether life was this tricky for everyone else as it was for me. One day as I was chatting with a friend who was experiencing tension in her family, as she openly explained her situation to me, she ended up with this phrase: “I wonder if things are the same in other houses or families too.”

I doubt my friend and I are the only ones to have felt pressure in dealing with one thing or another to the point of wondering: Does everyone experience this? It’s human nature to tend to think that our problems are the worst. And life can be so ironic in a way that when your world seems to be falling apart , you look around you and your eyes only see the complete opposite of what you are experiencing – things are very good for everyone except for me! And if you’re not too careful, you begin to toy with the thought that something must be wrong with you. Well, there is nothing wrong with you. If you could ask everyone you see to give you the tale of their life, you’ll realize that yes, everyone as a unique problem of their own.

Whatever you are experiencing right now, whether it’s addiction, sickness or financial difficulties, please know that you are not alone. We would like to assure you of that as we believe in a God who promises to walk with us in everything we go through. There is more we would like to share on this promise, and we’ve compiled it in a video we want you to watch by clicking on the banner appearing below.

Love Will Find You

Glo

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October 30, 2015

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Whenever I’ve had a conversation with friends on the subject of love and relationships, and I shared my desire to have a family one day, and at times expressed frustration at how everything is taking long, very often they would say to me: It will happen when you least expect it, when you stop worrying about it or looking for it.

Hearing this over and over frustrated me even further. Being single over a prolonged period can be a bitter-sweet experience just like most things in life have a good and a ‘not-so-good’ side. There are days you’re on top of the world, enjoying your flexibility and the fact that your schedule or decisions don’t have to depend on anybody’s schedule and needs – you do as you please, when you please. And there are days you wish your experiences in life, your achievements and your low points could be shared with someone who’s more than a friend, a sister or a brother.

So in my seasons of being grumpy, people would tell me what I didn’t want to hear : It’ll happen when the time is right, often good things come to us when we didn’t look for them.

Over time I came to be at peace with my life and I saw that there was a major truth in what people told me.
Truly, the best things we have in life are not things we worked hard or dug deep to get. This applies to love and relationships too. Yes there is hard work involved in maintaining a healthy relationship, we have a role to play in everything. “Love will find you” doesn’t mean someone will locate your address and come knock at your door. Get on with your life, enjoy it, make friends, be where you ought to be and great things will come your way. True love cannot be fabricated, a love that is manufactured by our own efforts out of fear of missing out on life will collapse one day. Focus on making yourself better, just be you and let love find you.

If you are in a space where you’ve looked for love and didn’t find it, click on the banner below. We’d like to share more with you about true love.

Give Yourself Time To Heal

Glo

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October 29, 2015

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One thing that life’s roller-coaster rides do is leave bruises on our souls, especially when a series of negative experiences have happened over time.

We take in so much shock and, without realizing it, we get shaken and weakened on the inside, and we begin to express our pain and hurts in different ways.

It’s almost the end of the year 2015 and so much has happened for us all. I smiled at times and I also cried many tears.

If so far 2015 has been a difficult year for you, and you are in pain or have lost track of the dream you once had for your life – it’s okay! Allow yourself to go through this season, cry if you have to and give yourself time to heal and recuperate.
If there’s someone out there needing to let go of what happened, what you cannot control, and move on with courage and hope, you’re not alone.

Stop beating yourself up. You are a work in progress; which means you get there a little at a time, not all at once – Unknown

I know the frustration of being in a place where you don’t understand why you have to go through certain tragic situations. You want to feel at peace, but that pain just does not want to go away. They say time heals, and on many occasions, this has proven to be true.
Life takes us through processes and we can’t escape the process of healing after suffering. It’s unpleasant but necessary. Don’t rush yourself, take time to deal with your emotions, don’t be afraid to let tears flow and before you know it, it’ll be a new day, you’ll be stronger , wiser and ready to embrace the life a new day brings.

If you are hurting, you have been treated unjustly or you are going through a season where life doesn’t make sense, we’d like to help you find hope, joy and meaning in life again. Click on the banner below, there’s more we’d like to share with you.

Your Future Is Now

Culture

Glo

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October 28, 2015

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I grew up in central Africa and I observed a trend among young people, young men specifically. They would gang up on the corner of a street, and for a whole afternoon they would criticize the government, talk about what wasn’t going well in the country and who they believed should be the next Head of State who would change things and improve their lives. They believed that the future was something that would “happen” and all they had to do was to sit and wait for the government to get things in order.

Recently, I had the privilege to listen to a teaching from my Pastor who is an influential speaker and he shared something very profound on how different people perceive life and why some are achieving great things and others aren’t. His idea is that the life we often dream of, that bright future that we picture every night when we comb our minds, will not just happen as time goes by. Life is filled with many certainties and uncertainties. There are things we know will definitely happen in life, such as aging and dying. None of us is getting younger. On the other hand, life also has its surprises. We can plan, have all our ducks in a row but we are not guaranteed success. So because of these certainties and uncertainties, a wise person should make every day of his/her life a big event!

Sitting and waiting for things to come our way is the mistake many have made while life keeps moving and we are advancing in age. Standing at the corner of a street everyday waiting for a political shift in your country for you to get on with your life is a terrible waste of time.

So because we know that it is fact that we are aging, 10 years from now we will not have the same energy and opportunities that we have today, one has to use his/her time wisely, live with wisdom. What does it mean to live with wisdom? Living with wisdom implies the 3 things:

1. Be prepared: Work on your skills and polish them so that when you meet an opportunity, you are ready to embrace it.

2. Be practical: Focus on the moment.

3. Be passionate: pursue your dream passionately. Put effort in what you do and you will definitely stand out.

Now that you know these things, be committed, dedicated in what you do and make your decisions wisely, you have but a limited time here on earth and in you lies everything you need to succeed, so make your life count! If you’d like to know more on living a purposeful life, click on the banner below. YOUR FUTURE IS NOW!

You Are Made For Greatness

Glo

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October 27, 2015

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Sounds cliché, doesn’t it? The kind of title a modern day preacher would use to attract masses. Why is it that we find ourselves easily attracted to words or things that make us feel important, valued?

As humans, we are wired to conquer, to make progress, to feel important, to set goals and achieve them; we cannot separate greatness from the human experience. In our world that has become very materialistic, to be “great” to some means having acquired wealth and material possessions. It’s become a word we sometimes don’t know how to relate to and therefore are afraid to think about.

This is where l believe we get things wrong – our definition of greatness. Greatness has got nothing to do with how many goods you have accumulated or money you have in your bank account, but by how well you know your purpose in life and serve it with excellence and passion while impacting the lives of those around you.

Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us – Wilma Rudolph

Here is a challenge for you to begin to think of yourself as a great person. Who you are and what you achieve in life all begin with your thoughts. What are your thoughts about yourself? Do you think of yourself as average or as one capable of coming up with the next billion dollar idea? Nourish your thoughts, and let them pave the way to the life deep within yourself, the one you have always dreamt of living. Your thoughts matter!

There’s more we would like to share with you which will shed some more light on why we believe you were made to stand out in your generation. Click on the banner below.

Look To God

Glo

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October 27, 2015

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There are moments in life where nothing makes sense. Every avenue you take leads to a cul-de-sac and you simply do not know where to turn to.

There are days I think perhaps life is just all about challenges, difficulties and no time to rest, kick back and enjoy life. When will all this come to an end? This is the question I’m asking myself right now.

The more I think about what is not going right, the more I look to what’s broken and what’s hurting, I lose focus. Then life appears to be one big mess. But surely there is more to life, there must be meaning to what’s happening around us, whether good or bad. There must be a ‘big picture’ in the end. But how does one get from a place of confusion to the promised life that’s ahead?

Whenever I’ve faced tumultuous seasons, the only way I got through them was by looking to God. He alone offers stability I can rely on when life seems unbalanced. The thing with God is, He is not shaken or surprised by what you are going through. And unlike what we sometimes believe, that God is far, He is disconnect from our problems or doesn’t really know what we’re feeling; God is very present when we call on Him. With Him you have a relationship that doesn’t depend on you good deeds. He loves you unconditionally, so set your eyes on Him when it seems as if your world is falling apart and take your eyes off your problems.

If what you are going through brings you grief, remember, the more you focus your thoughts on it, the more you will lose perceptive in life. But when you choose to look to Him, you experience hope, strength and peace.

If you are on the brink of giving up on life, turn your eyes to God.

If you are wondering how will you look to a God, you don’t know, you don’t see and perhaps have never heard of, we have put together a short video that will tell you more about God and how you can get to know Him. Click on the banner below to watch it.

Why You Should Not Give Up On The Church

Glo

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October 23, 2015

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Why You Should Not Give Up On The Church

I have heard many people advance the excuse that church people are fake or that they’ve been hurt by the church as the reason why they won’t go to church. I won’t claim to know the extent to which the church may have hurt you. It may have been very bad and I don’t want to appear to downplay that. I do, however, believe there’s more to consider when it comes to making a decision about whether to attend church or not. Courtesy of Relevant Magazine, here’s why I believe you should consider not giving up on the church:

I grew up in the Church. No really, I grew up in the church.

As a pastor’s kid, I spent countless hours in church and doing church activities. I am a church native and familiar with all its quirks and cultural oddities, with all its strengths and all its failings. As the son of prominent evangelical pastor John Piper, I not only saw the inner workings of my own church, I was also exposed to church leaders from around the world and saw the good and the bad from their churches, too.

Many people like me, who grew up immersed in church, have given up on it. Many see church as archaic, domineering, impersonal, hypocritical, irrelevant, contentious, petty, boring and stale. It’s institutional instead of authentic and religious but not relational, they say.

I have seen all this in church and can agree that each accusation is true in instances. A PK (Preacher’s Kid) sees all this up close and far too personally and feels each fault even more intensely. It really is enough to make one want to bail on church.

And I had my chance. Despite growing up steeped in sound Bible teaching and a loving context, I grew up empty in my soul. I believed but didn’t fully believe. I obeyed but kept parts of my life for myself, bits of dishonesty and secrecy. I knew Jesus and knew He was the only way to be saved from my sin, but I didn’t give my life to Him.

In the end it blew up in my face and I was faced with the decision: stay in church and work through my mess or leave and be free.

I chose to stay.

While leaving was an option, it was one that I looked at and saw emptiness. Sure, the Church can cause a lot of pain and annoyance, but it’s where Jesus’ people are connected. And really, that’s what it is about—Jesus. That’s what made it so clear to me that staying was best.

The Church is a messy place by nature. That’s what happens when a bunch of sinners come together anywhere. But it is a messy place designed by God to be His face to the World, and all those sinners reflect Him in unique ways.

Nothing reflects God to the world like the Church does. No, we don’t “do” church 100 percent correctly, and we never will. No, church is not a perfect place. Yes, church displays the sins of all its people very publicly. But none of that changes what it is or can be.

To leave the Church is to hurt yourself and to hurt others. I don’t mean hurt like a slap in the face (though in some cases it’s a bit like that). I mean hurt like malnourishment.

This is not to say there isn’t a time and a place to leave your church. There are undoubtedly damaging churches—as well as people who have legitimate wounds they’ve sustained from churches. In such cases, sticking with such a church will only serve to keep that wound from healing. There is a difference between leaving a hurtful community and giving up on Church altogether.

We were created by God to connect with others and, in that connection, reveal more of Him to each other and to the world. When we depart, we deprive ourselves of those aspects of God others reflect and we deprive them of those aspects we reflect. Leaving is starving our souls and others’.

Solitude is wonderful. But many things in life, maybe most things, are better enjoyed with others. Including God. That’s why we’re called to worship with others, to study with others, to pray with others. And church is the outlet for that, an imperfect outlet, but the outlet nonetheless.

God wants us to experience Him to the fullest and that is done with others in song, in study, in reflection, in prayer, in tears, in confession in celebration—with others, doing church.

It’s inevitable that we will leave particular churches at different points in our life, but leaving the Church altogether is escapism. You may find some stresses relieved and conflicts avoided. Often, I often want to slap the stupid out of the church. It can be such a maddening collection of people. (And I suspect I contribute to the stupid that needs slapping just as often.) But none of that changes what it is: the organism of God’s presence and Kingdom in the world. It is His means of connecting people to the Gospel, to hope, to life.

No matter your frustrations and hurts, it cannot be abandoned. You need it now whether you know it or not, and someday you will have a need nothing and no one else can meet. And the Church will be where Jesus shows Himself to you.

Click on the banner below if you’d like to heal from past hurts and start believing in God again.

Source: relevantmagazine.com

How To Spot An Investment Scam

Culture

Glo

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October 22, 2015

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In 2009 one of South Africa’s biggest Ponzi schemes, spearheaded by Barry Tannenbaum and his lawyer sidekick Dean Rees, cost investors over R12.5-billion.

Barry Tannenbaum’s giant of a scheme lured even the most financially astute individuals, including top executives in some of South Africa’s largest companies. For those who put their hard earned money into the hands of the swindling duo it was a painfully expensive lesson in treading the fine lines between emotion, patience and greed when investing.

What is a Pyramid Scheme?

A pyramid scheme is structured like a pyramid. Usually it is started by one person or a small group of people and participation in the scheme requires that new recruits pay a certain fee to join the scheme then recruit a number of people to recoup their membership fee and reap other ‘benefits’. However, people don’t reach their recruitment targets and the monies that they’ve paid into the scheme aren’t recovered, thus enriching the people at the top.

Pyramid schemes are unsustainable in that they are finite – eventually the structure collapses because you will run out of people to recruit as the base of the pyramid gets larger.

What is a Ponzi Scheme?

This scheme is named after Carlo “Charles” Ponzi, who set up The Securities Exchange company in 1920 where he offered investors magnificent investment returns in a very short period of time. His ‘products’, he claimed, could yield up to a 100% profit on a 90-day investment.

Other types of scams

There is a rise in FOREX scams in South Africa which operate locally and internationally. People lose thousands of rands because FOREX trading is a highly specialized field of trading and cannot be learned overnight and they end up making trading errors.

There’s also been a surge in online “stokvel” scams in which claim to operate as ‘connectors’. Look out for online ‘investment clubs’ that claim not to be a deposit taking institute but still require that you transfer money to accounts, or that you recruit people in order to be paid a profit on your ‘investment’.

SMS messages claiming you’ve won a competition you didn’t enter and chain emails are also scams to be aware of.

How to spot the scam?

Investment scams can be very difficult to discern from genuine investment opportunities because some of them are elaborately set up and a lot of work has been put into giving them an authentic feel. However, there are always warning signs. Here’s what you should look out for:

Member recruitment: This is a classic trait of a pyramid scheme. If you have to recruit other members in order to make a profit from their membership fee and you rely on them recruiting more people in order to make more money, then you need to watch out. There’s money being channelled straight to the top and you’re doing all the work

You are pressurised into signing documents at special events: These special events are offered as completely ‘exclusive’ events where the only way to be a part of the scheme is to attend an event. Do not sign any documents, divulge personal information, or part with money before you’ve done your homework.

High returns in a short period: Investment scams usually come with the promise of high returns in very short periods. The scheme eventually collapses when the company can no longer pay out investors or when it is found out by a governing body.

Little or no risk is mentioned: Any broker you speak to will be sure to highlight risk when it comes to investing. Guarantees of exceptionally high returns with no risk should be regarded with suspicion.

Look for accreditation or registration with the Financial Services Board (FSB): If there’s a product offering of some sort, then usually there’s a governing body that companies have to be registered with.

If it’s too good to be true, it probably is: This is the golden rule. If you are promised high returns in very short periods of time, walk away. When it comes to investing, there’s no such thing as quick money – and if it’s quick, you’ll probably lose it just as fast.

Source : timeslive.co.za

4 Questions That Will Deepen Your Understanding Of God

Glo

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October 22, 2015

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4 Questions That Will Deepen Your Understanding Of God

Throughout the four biographies of Jesus in the Bible, He is asked 183 questions. Of those 183 questions, how many do you think He answers directly? Four.

He responds to the other 179 questions sometimes with a story, sometimes with an action, but most often with a question. Jesus is the master of leading people with questions. In fact, Jesus Himself asked an astounding 307 questions.

Why is it Jesus, who knew the answers, spent so much time asking so many questions to people like you and me? Maybe questions are one of the main ways God helps us understand Him better and deepen our relationship with Him.

With that in mind, here are four questions worth asking yourself to deepen your relationship with God.

1. What Am I Looking For?

The opening question Jesus asked His first followers was not about God, sin, politics or family issues. The first question was about the followers themselves: “What are you looking for?” (see John 1:38).

By asking that question, Jesus wants to unearth something in us. We cannot answer that question without exploring our hearts, desires and souls. The moment that particular question takes root in us, we become students of what matters most to us in life. It is only after we have wrestled with that question that we can even compare it to what Jesus teaches us as the best way to use our one and only life.

2. Is There Anything about Jesus and His Teachings that Offends Me?

Jesus’ disciples were complaining about one of his teachings (see John 6:22-70). He asked them, “Does this offend you?”

Sometimes, this question will highlight misunderstandings we hold of who God is and the nature of the Gospel. Other times, it will highlight things we value more than trusting God.

We need to ask not only what offends us, but then the follow-up question of why it offends us. Working through that will lead to a deeper relationship with God and will often help us understand the lordship of Jesus in a more tangible, present way.

3. Can My Baggage Be Used for Something Better?

Baggage is my term for all the things others have done or said—as well as left undone or unsaid—that have created pain, hardship and suffering in our lives. Baggage is every person’s story; however, with God, baggage does not have to be the end of the story (see Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28).

A while back, a friend introduced me to the Japanese art form called kintsugi. Roughly translated, it means “the art of golden repair.” When pottery breaks, instead of discarding it, an artisan repairs it with gold, thereby not only restoring it to its original value, but actually increasing its value. The repair is not hidden; it’s highlighted.

That is often how God works as He heals us while also using our baggage for something better. God lovingly takes our weakest and most painful places and uses them to show how His grace and strength are sufficient for us (see 2 Corinthians 12:9).

Examples of baggage being used for something better include my friend who was never adopted, who now has adopted two children; another friend who was an at-risk child, who has given her life to help at-risk kids; and yet another friend who grew up without a dad in the picture, who now is mentoring a kid in a similar situation.

Pain is in all of our stories. With God’s help, it does not have to be the end of our stories. As we see God doing the art of golden repair in our lives, it deepens our trust of Him.

4. How Was God Present with Me Today?

One of the most repeated promises in Scripture is that God will be with His people. However, we can go through days, weeks or months without really reflecting on how God was present with us each day.

If these questions are things you are grappling with and you would like to know more about God, click on the pop-up banner or the one appearing below.

Content credit : relevantmagazine.com

Glo

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