Glo, Author at 1Africa | Page 23 of 27

Single on Valentine’s Day

Glo

-

February 13, 2015

Romance! Something we all need…don’t we? They say February is the sweetest month of the year and Valentine’s Day, a day to demonstrate love, a day we wear our hearts on our sleeves and let our actions speak louder than our words. With romantic movies on TV, love songs on radio, flowers and red hearts in every store, it’s really hard to ignore this day. If you’re single, Valentine’s Day can seem dreary and even a bit cruel, but it really doesn’t have to be. Love is love; it’s vast and is not exclusive to those in a romantic relationship. So if you are single, don’t let this day be a depressing occasion. You do not need to be in a romantic relationship to be happy or enjoy Valentine’s Day. We compiled a list of few ideas on things you can do to enjoy this day:

1. Don’t feel sorry for yourself: Don’t go on a pity party. Instead, learn to be happy within yourself regardless of your relationship status. We are often made to believe that we need another person to make us “complete”. Don’t fall for this! Rather celebrate every good thing in your life, as a whole and healthy person who has room for love should it come along.

2. Don’t compare your life to that of others: Don’t spend time measuring yourself against those who are paired up on Valentine’s Day. What we see isn’t always what it is. So, rather focus on your own life.

3. Treat yourself: Make it a “pamper day”. Get yourself a box of chocolate, bake or try out a new recipe, treat yourself to a mani-pedi etc. Whatever you do, just enjoy the day!

4. Spend the day with those you love: spend time with those who are close to your heart: friends and family. Go to a movie with them, eat lunch or dinner at your favorite restaurant.

5. Send love someone else’s way: Instead of thinking about yourself on this day, why not do something good for some else? Buy a gift for someone not so close to you, do someone special for someone who least expects it. Joy given to others always finds a way to return to us.

6. Stay home: If the buzz around Valentine’s Day is more than you can handle, by all means, stay in. enjoy a relaxing day at home.

7. Think beyond Valentine’s Day: Use this day as a reminder to keep the habit of letting people in your life know how much you love them. Whether single or married, may Valentine’s Day not be the only day we go out of our way and make grand gestures of love.

As you celebrate this day, resist the pressure to want to have a partner by your side if time isn’t right for you. Love sparks when you least expect it. In the meantime, enjoy the life you have and have yourself a beautiful Valentine’s Day!

Better than life!

Faith

Glo

-

February 2, 2015

0

I often hear it said that that ‘church folks’ are fanatics. Pretending to be something they’re not, dancing and clapping hands every minute, shouting at the top of their lungs. To make things worse, they do all this without understanding why they’re doing it. Well, people do what they do for reasons known to them alone. In pretty much every movement in life, you find those who just swim with the current because it seems to be the “in thing”. Yet, in that same crowd, there are always those who devote themselves to something because they understand that their very lives, everything they could ever be and have depend on it and therefore, they behave in the manner of a die-hard fan.

You could be asking yourself why certain people are so devoted to Christian faith – what is it about God that makes people go all out for Him? Psalm 63:3 reveals it all: “Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!” The desire to “have it” and to be successful by the world’s standards has become ingrained in many, and people are sometimes willing to go to any extent to succeed in this life. Sometimes, this desire is pursued at the expense of health, relationships and sometimes life itself. If people are willing to risk their lives to gain things that are perishable, then if there is anything superior to life itself, it only makes sense that people would aggressively go for it, chase after it and desperately want to have it.

Those who have understood and have experienced God’s loving-kindness, which is better and beyond life itself, have never stopped praising Him! They understand that if they can have Him, they’ll have more than anything this life could offer; they’ll have more than life itself. He is so magnificent that to try and describe who He is, what He has done and what He can do for you will become a lifelong journey. So I’ll leave you with the words of the psalmist in Psalm 34:8: “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him”

Why We Want You To Be Rich

Glo

-

January 30, 2015

2

A couple of years ago, two American business tycoons – Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki – wrote a book with one of the most fascinating titles I have ever come across: Why We Want you To Be Rich. In it, they use their different perspectives and experiences in the world of business to help readers understand why financial literacy is so important. They couldn’t have been more correct. Too many people just get by not taking the time to understand money or how they can make smart decisions with it.

Money is such an important part of existence on earth. It is the currency of our world and it allows us to do so much. Whether we consider ourselves materialistic people or not, there’s no denying that money has the capacity to open doors and allow us to go places where we probably wouldn’t be able to go without it. Yet, at the same time, there’s also no denying that it also has the capacity to destroy us and everything around us if we let it master us. We’ve all read stories of people who’ve won the lottery and done shocking things after the fact. This thing called money: what is it about it that exerts so much power?

A friend recently posted to me some powerful and deeply insightful words by Zimbabwean businessman and philanthropist, Strive Masiyiwa (as of September 2014, he was reported by Forbes Magazine to be one of Africa’s wealthiest men with a net worth of more than US$600m). He said this:

“Money amplifies character; it does not change or make character”. Never say to yourself, “when I have money, I will help other people.” You will do with money, then, what you do now:
If you are compassionate by character, you will show compassion even with little. And when you have much, it will be amplified, by your doing more. What can you do, now, with that little that you have?”

Being rich is not so much about what we have but who we are and what we do with what we have. The lout who wins the lotto doesn’t become a new person. He’s just a lout with a million more ways to show how much of a lout he is. Quoting Trump and Kiyosaki, yes we want you to be rich. But then what? Will you just waste it all on yourself and live only for show? It’s really about who you are. If you can be honest about who you are and become someone who will add value to the world, then your riches will have true meaning and they will even live beyond you.

What are your views about money and wealth? Do you agree with Strive Masiyiwa? We’d love to hear your thoughts so please connect with us and leave your comments.

Perhaps your focus has been so much on making money and building a stack of cash for yourself but somehow you’ve lost a sense of what really matters in life. We believe there is more to life than just being rich. We believe in a life that gives us a wealth of heart that no recession or financial crash can take away. If you want to find out more, please click on the banner and popup at the bottom of this page and let us know if you want to walk this journey with us.

Till then, may you prosper in all you do!

God Is Our Fortress

Faith
Other

Glo

-

January 19, 2015

0

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress

my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91: 1-2, ESV)

Throughout the Psalms (praise songs) David refers to God as his fortress, refuge, and strength. He faced many physical and spiritual battles throughout his life and saw first-hand how God provides a strong fortress regardless of what attacks us. In the ancient world the fortress was often walled off from the rest of the city, supplied with food, water, and ammunition where the people could be protected and the city could be defended. David knew that he did not need to fear, because in God he found a fortress stronger than any attack this world could muster.

We all have our own fortresses that we run to when we face overwhelming circumstances. These fortresses can take the shape of people or relationships. They can also be material things in our lives that we think will bring happiness and take our minds off of our problems. Like David, we should realize that the one true fortress we have is with the one true God. This fortress will always protect and never let down.

courtesy of www.shortdailydevotions.com

Big Up Africa : Young game changers

Culture

Glo

-

January 16, 2015

0

They can be famous for being selfie freaks and troublemakers (in the negative sense of the word), but the young people of our generation are definitely capable of much more than that. In today’s edition of Big Up Africa, we are celebrating a number of young people from the Commonwealth who are making a great positive impact in their communities and transforming lives. They are who I’d like to call young game changers! Whether providing support and education to women in rural areas or taking cupcakes into schools for children who have never celebrated their birthdays, these youngsters are relentless and should be celebrated!

So this year in June, 60 young people across the Commonwealth will form the first group to receive the Queen’s Young Leader Award in the UK – a program launched in July 2014 and running until 2018 – which aims to recognize outstanding people from age 18 to 29, who are spearheading positive changes in their communities using their skills. The winners of this award will not only collect their award from the Queen of England, but will also receive training and mentoring to help them continue the work they are doing in their communities.

To meet some of the winners and know their stories, Click here.

Here at 1Africa, we would like to say “kudos” to the 60 winners and also, to the many young Africans we may not know about, who are tirelessly working to make their communities a better place.

Facing the ugly

Glo

-

January 14, 2015

0

I sat at home quietly for most of my December holiday. I had plenty of time to think, read, pray and most importantly, deal with all the stress incurred from the busy year that 2014 was. I can’t even put into words how refreshing this time has been. But what helped me make the most of this season was not having to sleep in late or enjoy the festive cheer of December. What made my holiday time refreshing in the end was having to face and deal with every negative emotional baggage I picked up as I journeyed throughout the past year. Anger, disappointment, guilt and worry. I had to make a point of dealing with every negative energy in me because I believe there is a difference between sweeping things under the carpet, trusting everything will be alright; and making efforts to uproot negative feelings from the core of our hearts.

“Don’t keep sweeping your troubles under the rug for someday you’ll trip over it.” Taylor Wapaha

Often we think that a restful holiday is enough to set us up for a productive year, but facing the ‘ugly’ side of who we are, letting go of everything that produces a negative force in our hearts and being at peace with ourselves is the best detox method we need to be healthy and energized for a new year. Dealing with that which hurts is not easy. Overwhelming sentiments of guilt and unforgiveness led many to take their own lives. I was able to deal with my fair share of sorrow and pain, and feel revitalized as I enter this New Year, not because I know better or am stronger than those who succumbed to depression, but what helped me feel a sense of peace, calm and serenity can help you too. We’ve compiled a video in which we would like to tell you more on what we believe is the source of serenity in life. If you feel weighed down by feelings of fear, guilt, unforgiveness and the like, please click on the banner below and watch the video linked to it.

Is Love Worth It?

Faith

Glo

-

January 7, 2015

0

I’ve read many articles and quotes on love, listened to hundreds of love songs, heard people share their perspectives on love but hadn’t come across something so well written, holding so much truth about this great mystery called LOVE. There’s a song by Francesca Battistelli called Worth it. The reason I find the lyrics of this song very profound and interesting is because when it comes to love, people hold very contrasting views on the subject depending on their personal experiences. There are those with a fairy tale-like view who believe, when they hear about love, that it is supposed to be beautiful, rosy and give them a butterfly sensation in the stomach. Then there are those who have reached a place of not believing that love even exists, and if it does, it’s probably just a gimmick that people use as a means to their end.

But the author of Worth it, not trying to convince anyone to join those who believe that love is beautiful or those who believe that it is cruel, artistically put across that love is not easy but in the end, it is worth it!

I consider the chorus of the song to be the focal point of what I’m trying to bring to you through this article. It comes in a form of a question though, which I’d like to ask you today because in as much as love has a pleasant effect on us, there are times when it hurts us and make us cry, so:

“Whatcha gonna do when the bottom falls out and

You’re left with nothin’ but your fear and your doubt to hold to?

Who will hold you?

Where you gonna run when it’s all on the line and you’re lookin’ for someone to save your life?”

These questions only bring to mind that even in our most loving relationships, there will come a day when we hit rock bottom and need someone/somewhere to ‘run to’. People run to so many things when things get tough – suicide attempts, addictions of all sorts etc – which sadly, in most cases, end their lives prematurely. But I’d like to talk about a love that outlives all challenges, that even when the bottom falls out, and all is on the line, will save you. Such love exists and is available for all of us to experience. Please click on the banner below and watch the video to give us an opportunity to share more with you.

If you don’t know the song I’ve been talking about in this post, here is a lyrics video of Worth it for your viewing pleasure!

Rest Before You Get Tired

Glo

-

December 30, 2014

0

Long before we reached the end of the year 2014, I experienced physical and mental exhaustion in a way I have never experienced it before. From Jan 1 2014, things got busy for me. A new year had just begun, I was excited at the prospect of the many things I planned to achieve in this year and, like most of you, my long list of new year resolutions demanded all my attention and energy. Being caught up in the ‘to-dos’ , I neglected to take time off to rest, thinking that December is probably the only suitable time to rest. So, day in and day out , my thoughts only traveled in the direction of getting work done and not so much towards giving myself time to rest and renew my energy. This approach to life only led to burnout. I was tired before I could even get to some of the things I had planned to do.

We talk a lot about the importance of physical exercise and eating healthy, which are non-negotiable disciplines if we are serious about our physical and mental well-being . But we also need to learn to take frequent rests, for the very same reasons for which we are willing to sacrifice that extra hour of sleep to physical exercise or take time to look through the list of ingredients that make up the products we consume, with preference given to gluten-free, low-fat, organic food . Nothing can wreak as much havoc on our health, freshness and appearance as fatigue and tension. If you are interested in remaining healthy and reaching the end of 2015 in good shape, consider taking frequent rests within your busy life routine.

“Do what the Army does – take frequent rests. Do what your heart does – rest before you get tired, and you will add one hour a day to your waking life.” – Dale Carnegie

I owe it to myself to also mention that sometimes, though we do everything humanly possible to remain sane and in good health, we encounter situations where our healthy eating habits, regular exercise and rests can’t do much for us. I have been there many times. It is in such situations that it becomes evident that we truly never have control over our lives. We can eat veggies till we turn bright green and jog every morning till we’re sore but when we reach the brink of depression due to the unforeseen pressures of life, we realize then that it takes more than our own efforts for us to keep it together and stand strong in light of life’s many challenges. Am I saying we should sit back, do nothing and leave our fate to the unknown? Definitely not. But one thing I have learnt this year in particular is that there is a place where human strength on its own runs out. There is more.

If you ever wondered what that ‘more’ could be because your many efforts have let you down when you needed strength the most, please click on the banner below and watch the video. We want to share this message with you.

May you stay healthy and strong throughout 2015, no matter what comes your way.

Big Up Africa: Noella Musunka Coursaris

Culture

Glo

-

December 27, 2014

0

A pretty face and a successful modelling career don’t even begin to fully define Noella Musunka Cousaris. Born in Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Noella was raised by relatives in Belgium and later Switzerland after the passing of her father when she was only 5 years old. Though removed from her homeland at a very tender age, Noella had always remembered and treasured her African roots. Her beauty and drive saw her flourish as an international model, appearing on the pages of publications such as Vanity Fair, Essence Magazine, Interview Magazine, NewAfricanWoman, Arise Magazine and leading a number of fashion campaigns. However, her spirit of selfless giving and sacrifice did not allow Noella to settle for the snazzy life a modelling career could offer. In 2007, she launched the Georges Malaika Foundation in conjunction with her booming modelling career . Named after her father, Georges, and the Swahili word for angel – “Malaika” – the foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young African girls and their communities through education. The Georges Malaika school for girls was built and operates in Kalebuka, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a free accredited school, educating 202 girls. The foundation provides a fully comprehensive program for the girls, which includes tuition, school supplies, uniform , art and theatre classes, two healthy meals a day and physical activities twice a week. The foundation has also built three wells in Kalebuka, which have improved hygiene and reduced illness in that area.

Today, Noella is known for being a fierce activist, appearing on various international platforms, tirelessly advocating the cause of the young African girl and promoting education and access to clean water. In 2010, Noella was named as a “major modern-day activist” by CNN and, in 2014, the New African Magazine selected her as one of the most influential Africans in the category of civil society and activism.

Here at 1Africa, we are delighted to celebrate Noella Cousaris Musunka in this edition of Big Up Africa. Her story is by any standards, noteworthy. At age 31, she has already given back in a way very few in her capacity have offered to.

I’d like to leave you with Noella’s last words during an interview she had with Afrikan Goddess Magazine: “The future of Africa is in the hands of Africans, and the Diaspora has a huge role to play too.”

If you would like to learn more about Noella or the Georges Malaika Foundation, visit www.noellacousaris.com or www.gmalaikaf.org .

Getting out of the way

Faith

Glo

-

December 22, 2014

0

The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Psalm 23:1-3

God the Almighty, who keeps the sky and stars from falling and the oceans from flooding the earth, is not content with simply spinning the planets. In Jesus Christ, God chooses to love us and offers to guide our lives.

For our part, however, we like to tell God exactly what to do in our lives: “If you really loved me, you would heal me … give me a new job … make my life more pleasant.” When we do this, of course, we’re just trying to use God to fulfill our own aspirations. Even if God did fulfill them, they wouldn’t satisfy us as we hope they will. God loves us too much to be limited to our small dreams. That’s because we were created for something better.

But that something better—a relationship of holiness with God—requires that we give up every other love, commitment, and dream. That’s scary because we have no idea where God will take us or how he will care for us (or how we will live without all those things we’ve asked for). But he does promise to lead us into a place where love will conquer all our fears.

Courtesy of www.buildingchurchleaders.com

Glo

Connect with us