Glo, Author at 1Africa | Page 19 of 27

They Do Not Understand Me

Glo

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June 9, 2015

Oh I know this line all too Well! Being misunderstood is a feeling very common among teenagers. Parents who have raised kids beyond their teenage years perfectly know and understand this phase of kids life when they’re growing up and just getting to discover who they are and beginning to get ready to embrace adulthood; stage where misunderstandings are the order of the day! But the issue of being misunderstood goes beyond those teenager years. It’s a struggle we face all through life. I cannot begin to count the amount of times I heard siblings, friends or colleagues make use of the line “They do not understand me”. In my adulthood, I’ve been in those situations where no matter how clearly I explained myself, at the end of it all , I would feel a heavy shadow of disappointment hanging over me when I see how what I’ve put so much efforts into explaining wasn’t captured at all. The frustration that accompanies a misunderstanding is just too great. Consider these wise words taken from my good companion, the book of Proverbs:

Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy – Proverbs 14:10

Major revelation, huh? knowing that as humans, regardless of the good communication skills we may have acquired through professional training, or having been through a similar experience as the person confiding in us, we remain limited in our ability to comprehend what goes on inside the heart and mind of the next person, and to some extent, this also limits our ability to intervene in some of the most intricate times in one’s life. But, there’s more to this! When things are beyond our understanding, there is a ‘person’ who possesses the ability, the willingness and compassion to feel our pain, our frustration and walk with us until we reach a place of ease. That ‘person’ is God. He alone knows the depth of our hearts and no matter how much you have felt misunderstood by closest family, friends, this you can trust: God knows what you are feeling and going through better than you yourself do. And not only He knows the ‘now’ of your life, He has a plan for your future. Instead of engulfing yourself in further frustrations and confusions from not being fully understood by fellow humans, learn to talk to God. If you are willing to do this but are not sure how to begin a conversation with God, please click on the banner below.

What Is On Your Mind?

Glo

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June 8, 2015

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Our thoughts play a major role in what we do, say and how we live our lives. Often what we spend our time thinking about will translate into words, actions and behavior. Positive thoughts undoubtedly produce positive energy and negative thoughts , negative energy. So what is on your mind ? What do you spend time thinking about?

A very famous book called The Bible says in one of its Proverbs (23:7): “For as he thinks within himself, so he is…”, further supporting the fact that who we are cannot be separated from what we think about. It’s natural human tendency to ponder on matters that are of concern to us, but have you ever noticed how easy it is to ruminate on negative experiences or something wrong done to us than it is to do on the positive moments of our lives?

I often hear it said, and i’m guilty of this, that it’s not easy getting over something hurtful, and it is true. But why is it that we easily forget or rather quickly get over the positive moments that made us smile or reminded us that life can be beautiful too? Or that proud moment when we achieved something we have been working on for a long time? Not every good thing we have came in a magnificent and glittery way, things that matter most in life are the simplest ones we often overlook such as : being in good health, having family or friends who really care for us, live in a peaceful environment etc. We could go on and on and find that, we have plenty to be grateful for and focus our positive energy on.

The challenge i’d like to pose to you today is, try to catch your thoughts every now and then, find out what is it that you are constantly thinking about. Is it positive or negative? Remember that being negative, even just in your thoughts, can drain you mentally, emotionally and physically too. Keep yourself in good shape by focusing your thoughts on what really matters most. We’re not suggesting that you ignore situations in your life that aren’t positive right now , not at all. What we’re saying is , watch your thoughts and don’t let them become an open door to a pattern in words and behavior that you won’t be proud of.

If you’re struggling with negative thoughts of and need a way out, we would like to share with you a message of peace , hope and freedom. Please click on the banner below.

Stuck Like Glue

Faith

Glo

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June 8, 2015

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I don’t know about you but I hate to wait. Do you hate to wait? You know you can go and have an appointment at a doctor’s office, say at 9:00 am. You get in there, sit down, 5, 10, 15 minutes go by, and they haven’t called you. You go over to the magazine rack and start looking around and all you find is a 2005 Psychology Today and it may be another 30-45 minutes, or even an hour before they get to you. I hate that.

I also don’t like to wait in long lines at restaurants, being stuck in traffic during rush hour, or being put on hold by a computer. In our culture, waiting is a waste of time. But one thing’s for sure: What we need to do is to trust God and be willing to do His will, in His timing, not our own, for the right action at the right time equals the right result.

So, what does it really mean to “wait on the Lord?” I’ll tell you one thing, it doesn’t mean just to stand still and do nothing, that’s not the idea. I know that is the way we wait in many areas of our life. We have to stand still and be quiet and not do anything. The word ‘wait’ in the original Hebrew means, “to be bound like a rope or twisted or bonded together.” So to wait on the Lord means that you trust Him, that you humble yourself and rely on His strength, that you obey His word and commands. It conveys all those meanings. Sometimes it’s very difficult to wait on the Lord for things to happen, for things to take place, but if we will do those things, if we will trust the Lord and if we will humble ourselves under His mighty hand and make sure we obey His will, then we will be blessed. Waiting on God is tough, but God’s timing is always best for us and for others.

“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him…” – Psalm 37:7a

Content Courtesy of rightfromtheheart.org (Stuck Like Glue)

Mauritius has its 1st Female President

Culture

Glo

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June 5, 2015

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On June 1 the government of Mauritius named Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, 56, as the Indian Ocean island nation’s new president. Her appointment was approved by Parliament on Thursday and her inauguration is expected to take place on Friday.

Gurib-Fakim becomes Mauritius’s first female president, the third on the African continent.

Gurib-Fakim will become the only current African president who did not dabble in politics beforehand. She is an internationally renowned scientist and biologist, describing herself on Twitter as a “Professor, Managing Director at Cephyr, Chemist, Gardener, Photographer and Writer of books on the flora of the tropics, medicinal plants”.

Gurib-Fakim was the chair in organic chemistry at the University of Mauritius and served successively as dean of the faculty of science and pro vice-chancellor with the university.

Gurib-Fakim has co-authored more than 20 books and contributed to nearly 80 publications on the use of African medicinal plants. In an interview with SciDev.Net, she admits she has little political experience.

“This may be one of the reasons why [the government] chose me,” she tells SciDev.Net, explaining that the role is “apolitical”. In Mauritius, the president acts as a representative and does not belong to any political party.

As head of state, Gurib-Fakim plans to use her science background to boost science diplomacy in international negotiations and support research-based businesses in Mauritius.

“We are confident that, in her new role, she will make important contributions to science and sustainable development in Africa,” says Murenzi, a former science minister of Rwanda, who worked with Gurib-Fakim as part of the team that drafted a science and technology strategy for the African Development Bank.

Mauritius has its 1st female president. What are your views on this? Share your opinions with us by leaving a comment in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you.

Content courtesy of www.scidev.net/ [edited]

www.mg.co.za/ [edited]

Stretch Your Limits

Glo

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June 5, 2015

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If you are unwilling to risk the unusual; you will have to settle for the ordinary. Jim Rohn

This statement sounds a bit harsh but it’s plain truth. Yesterday we published an article entitled “Don’t quit”. In that article, we encouraged you to make sure you keep your dreams alive as having a vision of where you’re going is the first step towards fulfilling that vision. You can find that article here. However, having a dream, a plan, is just one of the many elements needed in pursuing a great venture and seeing it to fulfillment. If you’re serious about seeing your dream see the light of day and flourish in this competitive world, then some of the things you will have to do will require you to take risks and stretch your limits.

One particular group of people who plainly illustrate stretching limits and defying the norms as far as sport is concerned, is the group of those who gave themselves the liberty and boldness to explore extreme sports. Just imagine yourself floating high up in the air, at thousands of meters away from the ground, with not much guarantee that the parachute on your back will work as expected. Terrifying thought isn’t it! But someone out there has had the boldness to have this thrilling experience. In whatever sphere you are operating in, think for a moment and ask yourself these questions:

How can I make my work unique?
How can I break through into what has not been done yet?
How can I explore options that no one has yet dared to explore?

Stretch your thinking, your creativity and capacity to do what you are already doing. Taking risks is not meant to be some reckless activity, but something that should only be done when you’ve taken the appropriate time to research on whatever your product or activity is. Think, seek advice, do an experiment if you can, and then decide to launch yourself into it.

When it comes to stirring that champion in us, and inspiring us to challenge ourselves beyond our perceived limitations, the highest selling energy drink organisation Red Bull has done an amazing job through its adverts. Below is one. As you watch it, allow to it to inspire you:

If striving to achieve a great dream is what you desire but find that every time you’re about to move forward with an idea or a plan, you’re gripped by fear, we’d like to help you break through this pattern. We believe in a God whose love alone can cast out fear and set you up for a life where you are confident in yourself and what you are capable of. We invite you to click on the banner below and have a look at a video in which we share more on God.

Stress Busting Foods

Glo

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June 4, 2015

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Needless to say, stress is a common issue in contemporary society. So while physicians, psychologist are coming up with more scientific ways to combat stress, we’re bringing you these simple stress busting foods, which added to a balanced lifestyle, exercise routine, will give you an edge over stress. They are:

1. Turkey

There is a reason Turkey is the preferred indulgence for the December festivities. Besides its deliciousness, Turkey is rich in tryptophan, which signals the brain to release the feel-good chemical serotonin, promoting calmness and even sleepiness.

2. Dark Chocolate

Now you have a healthy reason to eat plenty of chocolate. Dark chocolate stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that bring on feelings of pleasure. It also boosts the neurotransmitter serotonin, which acts as a natural anti-depressant.

3. Greens

With all the meats and other delicacies around, it is easy to ignore the greens yet they help with stress. The green leafy vegetables are rich in folate, which is essential for calming down nerves.

4. Green Tea

Green tea is packed with antioxidants and the amino acid theanine, which is shown to have calming and relaxing properties.

5. Sweet Potatoes

Don’t ignore the sweet potatoes because they are great sources of vitamin B6, which has been found to help ease many stress-related symptoms including irritability, depression and mood swings. Vitamin B6 also plays a vital part in producing the brain chemicals that control mood and behaviour.

6. Water

With the million activities we get up to daily depending on our lifestyles , our bodies tend to be more dehydrated . To avoid mood swings and low energy levels make it a point to drink lots and lots of water everyday.

Content courtesy of africanwomanmagazine.net [Edited]

Don’t Quit!

Glo

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June 4, 2015

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Where has time gone? We’re half way into the year already and, as I glanced through that New Year’s resolutions list many of us come up with when January 1st hits, I thought to myself I’m nowhere near what I had planned to achieve. And worse, things don’t even look like they are getting better.

Right now, fatigue and sleepless nights are the order of the day, and being in this state, it’s easy for a person to decide to settle for the ordinary and allow their dreams to slip through their fingers. This is something that happens to the best of us. At times, when life is moving at a constantly fast pace, it can almost seem like we have lost control. To show you some kind of a visual symbol of what I mean and how everything can build up to the point of being overwhelming, I’ll share a fascinating time lapse video about the passage of time:

I sat and reflected. Delays, fear, rough seasons, pain are not new to the human experience of life; and you and I are no less human than those who made it through. So why entertain these setbacks really when we know they are there only for a limited period of time? Why give fear so much power as to rob you of the satisfaction that comes from having braved difficulties, pursued your dreams and lived a fulfilled life?

We’d like to encourage you to not stop at anything in pursuing your deepest dreams and your passion for living. If this message could be kept as simple as possible, it’d read : Don’t quit! And if you’re in a space where exhaustion has gotten the best of you and you don’t know where to start with your life again, please click on the banner below.

We’d like you to watch the video about a God who cares about our success. We want to share a message that can restore your strength, peace and purpose in life.

3 Healthy TV Watching Practices

Glo

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May 28, 2015

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According to an Australian study of National Health, every hour you spend watching TV after the age of 25 reduces your life expectancy by almost twenty two minutes.This statistic is not going to faze anyone, obviously, because in this era of DVDs and internet streaming, binge watching an entire twenty-two episode series is steeped so deep in our culture that it is practically a national pastime.

So, while we might be powerless against the spell of TV show marathons, we can at least adopt these three simple healthier practices the next time we settle in for a weekend of binge watching our favorite shows:

1. Sit in a chair with a pillow behind your lower back

Our lungs’ capacity shrinks by a third when we sit down. This means that we get less oxygen which leads to a decrease in our mental focus. A pillow placed behind the lower back helps to open up the lungs.

2. Limit TV time to three hours after work

TV is a passive and easy form of entertainment, which is why it’s so easy to spend hours in front of it without noticing. But researchers at Bringham and Women’s hospital say that the ‘blue light’ emitted by TV prevents the release of melatonin, a hormone that helps to send one to sleep after four hours. As a result, falling asleep becomes a chore leading to less REM sleep and grogginess the following day.

Therefore, it is important to limit TV time to three hours after work. Day time binge sessions don’t affect one’s sleep cycle, however.

3. Get up every thirty minutes during a TV marathon

Binge watching TV means staying in a sedentary position for hours, which increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis and formation of deadly blood clots. Getting up every thirty minutes to walk around or pump the calves goes a long way in keeping the blood flowing.

Content courtesy of africanwomanmagazine.net

Why Rifqa Bary Fled Islam

Culture

Glo

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May 27, 2015

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Is it safe to state that among the most sensitive and widely debated topics worldwide, religion ranks somewhere high on the list? I’d like to think it is. Religion, though a theme highly subjected to controversy, in one way or another has always been a part of human history. We’re either personally involved in it or see and hear of it in various facets of society. Now more than ever, stories relating to religion are springing onto the international media scene, as did the story of a girl named Rifqa Bary in 2009. Born in a very devout Islamic family, Rifqa made her first appearance on news outlets in the US when, at 16 years of age, she ran away from her Muslim family in an effort to give herself the opportunity to freely practice her newly acquired Christian faith. She didn’t want to run the risk of losing her life, as she believed this was common practice in the Muslim community whenever someone renounced Islam to follow Jesus Christ.

Since 2009, the young lady has never looked back on her decision. She’s been in foster homes until the age of 18, labelled a liar and a rebellious child on social networks but, through it all, Rifqa’s devotion to Christian faith stood the test of time and she is not about to regret her decision to follow Jesus Christ and openly live out her faith in Him. When she speaks, she exudes an unusual level of passion for her faith which makes one wonder “what or who can make a young woman who’s been through so much have so much joy and confidence?” She answers this question in a memoir she recently released titled: “Hiding In The Light”. In that book, we’re let in on why Rifqa Bary Fled Islam and risked everything to follow Jesus Christ.

The story of Rifqa is one of many, where people who’ve been searching to make sense of God and religion expressed having found truth and meaning through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Having to belong to a particular religious group or follow certain religious practices without any clear understanding or conviction is the sad reality of far too many people; and yet, many are eagerly seeking to know who God is and how can He impact their lives in a world offering very little hope. If you’re in a space where you desire to know God and understand what Christianity is all about, we’d like for you to watch a video we’ve put together for this purpose. You can access it by clicking on the banner below.

Here is a video of Rifqa in an interview introducing her book.

How To Trick Your Heart

Glo

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May 25, 2015

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All is Well! This three-word sentence is my new inspirational slogan, taken from an enthralling Indian movie I watched recently called 3 Idiots. I’m not sure if I should consider myself a movie freak, I don’t think I am. But with the help of a few friends who are real movie enthusiasts, I’ve tried to keep up with the latest in the film industry so I have watched a good number of movies over the years , but as it is, 3 idiots is now high on my list of movies that succeeded in perfectly combining fun, emotions and inspiration. There’s a lot I could tell about this movie but because this is not meant to be a review, I’ll go straight to the core of what I learnt from watching the movie – which is encapsulated in the title of this article: “How to trick your heart”.

In the movie, we find one of the characters, a young man, live his life by some great principles. One of them is that the heart can be tricked into believing that all is well regardless of the chaos or challenges you might be facing. He was able to teach this principle to his two closest friends. In the movie, every time the three young men faced a challenge, no matter how sudden or dramatic, the first thing they did was gently pat their chest where the heart is, and murmur “All is well”, then dealt with the issue at hand after giving peace to their heart.

I thought this is an incredibly valuable habit to learn in this age where stress is the number one leading cause of cardiovascular diseases and deaths. Sometimes we put unnecessary pressure on ourselves, inflicting pain and heaviness on our hearts and minds over situations we have no control over and when everything is done, we are left with diseases and other negative effects we could have avoided if we took time to be calm in the midst of difficult situations.

“All is well” may sound unbefitting when your reality is that things are not well, but if you haven’t heard this, please hear it from me: The only constant in life is change. A painful and difficult life may be what you’ve known for years but that too can change. And one major thing you can do for yourself which will open the door to change in your life is getting to know God.

God is our hope, our future and the peace in us whispering “All is well” when times are hard. We’d like to take this conversation further if you would allow us, a video is embedded in the banner appearing below. Check it out!

Glo

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