Jax Okiro, Author at 1Africa

Why Maria Sharapova’s failure was inevitable

-

March 11, 2016

Why Maria Sharapova’s failure was inevitable

If you’re not living under a rock, you will probably have heard that tennis legend Maria Sharapova, former world number one, has admitted to failing a drug test at the 2016 Australian Open.

The career Grand Slam holder, who first reached the number one spot at age 18, tested positive for meldonium, a substance only recently banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

As you might imagine, the response to Sharapova’s revelation has been varied: Some feel sorry for her, and say she shouldn’t be punished too severely; while others feel she should take full responsibility and even retire from professional tennis.

Whatever your take on the matter, one thing is sure: It stings a little when our heroes let us down, doesn’t it?

It hurts when our role models mess up – because we trust them and expect them to know better. And while Maria Sharapova may be a role model on the world stage, you may have experienced this very same betrayal through the failing of someone much closer to you: maybe a parent; a friend; a spouse; a colleague.

So how do we deal? What do we do when those we esteem let us down or betray our trust? I think we need to be aware of two basic truths:

1. People will fail you.

If you haven’t experienced it yet, you’ll find out soon enough: People are fallible. Heroes mess up. Role models make mistakes. Loved ones may betray us. Friends may desert us. Sometimes, humans are just that: human.

The Bible actually says something to the same effect: “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.” (Psalm 146:3). If you put your trust solely in people – even those you love and respect – you are bound to be severely disappointed at some point. While you shouldn’t be distrustful of others in a nasty, negative way, you have to realise that all humans are bound to disappoint us at some point.

2. God will never fail you

On the other hand, it’s worth remembering that there’s someone who will never fail you: God. While people may disappoint you, God is the picture of consistency – his love for us is unchanging, and he never falters, fails, messes up, or acts selfishly – you can count on him to be there, even when you haven’t been. You can count on him to keep loving you. You can count on him to stick to his word.

The Bible puts it this way: “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” (Numbers 23:19)

Perhaps you’ve been hurt by the actions of others. Perhaps your trust has been betrayed. Perhaps you’ve been deeply hurt by someone close to you. That does not have to be where the story ends: God is there for you, and he will not fail you!

If you’re tired of people failing you, and you want to place your trust in God, click the banner below, or the popup…

Taylored Heart: Creating a ripple effect

Jax Okiro

-

March 10, 2016

1

Taylored Heart: Creating a ripple effect

As you know, 1Africa is all about celebrating the richness and diversity of our continent, and the incredible people behind this amazing fusion of cultures and influences.

It goes without saying that part of this mission is also about shining a spotlight on talent and connecting you with creative minds who go out of their way to unlock the potential of Africa and its people – and when one of those creative minds happens to be one of our very own, you better believe we’ll celebrate it! That’s why we simply had to spend time with 1Africa’s Tami Kolbe to chat about the relaunch of her blog, the creative platform Taylored Heart (if you haven’t checked it out yet, head to tayloredheart.co.za – you can thank us later!).

We spent some time with Tami to find out more about her plans for the platform, and her ambitions to help young creatives gain exposure and recognition.

Why did you create Taylored Heart ?

I created Taylored Heart out of a passion to help people and discover or highlight new and fresh talent in South Africa. Whether it be designers, photographers, artists of any kind – everyone needs to start somewhere. I realised growing up and trying to find a job that everywhere I sent my CV to, they wanted me to have experience (how can I have experience when I have just finished school or varsity?), so with that struggle I decided to start a blog. It was a way for me to show what I can do creatively, and a portfolio of all the experiences I have had along my journey.

What is it that you ultimately want to achieve with the platform?

I created this platform for a few reasons: Firstly, I am a visual creative so all my thoughts and ideas – the way I see the world through fashion, art, decor, and style – will be expressed on my blog and through various projects I am involved in.

Second, I love inspiring others to do and be all they are called to be. I want you, the reader and visitor to this site, to go away feeling better about yourself and also motivated to make a change in your world.

Third, I love giving others a voice – a voice to propel them and others into living bigger and better.

Fourth, I am a freelance graphic and web designer – so send me a mail if you would like me to do any design work for you! You can find references in the project page.in the project page.

When did you start Taylored Heart?

I started my blog in 2014.

What has the journey been to date, and how did you come up with the new look?

To be honest It has been a very frustrating journey of trying and trying and failing and failing again. As a designer I am very critical on myself in the way my blog looked and the content I had. In the beginning I was very naive about blogging and the whole world that went along with it. I thought I wanted to be a blogger but didn’t actually realise the hard work it actually took to have a successful platform that people come to and listen to what you have to say.

I have learnt along the way though that you have to start somewhere and all the mistakes and navigating your way around the online world is a process, a journey. Nothing in life that is worth it can be a quick fix. Especially if you have a blog. Nobody cares to listen to someone who they know nothing about (it’s sad, but true) but if you have credibility your words and actions go a long way.

I am still learning and always will. We never graduate from learning and we never arrive!

edited 14

Tell us about Dressing Room – what’s the thinking behind that?

Okay, this is really something that I am excited and passionate about. Dressing Room has been a dream in my heart for about five years now. Of course back then I didn’t know it would be called Dressing Room, but God put a desire in my heart to love on and have relationships with the younger generation of girls. There are so many girls in their teens who are looking for someone to look up to and live like, yet there are so few role models in the world to show them the right way and show them who they really are in life. Being a teenager is such a fundamental time in your life. It’s the time when you are trying to figure out who you are, who loves you, and who you love.

So with that said, I saw the need and decided to start Dressing Room. I chose a group of girls from the ages of 16 to 21 that I do life with and started mentoring them. I cannot do it alone so I asked my girlfriends to help me mentor them, have fun with them, and show them how they can do life well in a world full of distractions, temptations, and lack of identity.

I believe everyone is called to something greater than themselves but if you have nobody alongside you on the journey it will be harder to believe it. I want to be alongside these girls in their journey and help them unlock the potential inside of them and in return they can do they same for younger girls who look up to them, creating a ripple effect of some sort.

Our mission statement is:“Inspired to love, equip and encourage. Called to create a ripple effect and release your potential to shine.”

group-pic copy

Who do you consider your creative influences, and where do you go for inspiration?

My creative influences are definitely bloggers such as Harper and Harley, Oracle Fox, Modern legacy, Mija, Misswhoo, Taylor Madu, and Zanita.

The reason I love them are because they are minimalistic, simplistic, and classic in their approach (black, white, simple, no frills) – that’s me.

I look for inspiration everywhere. From places I go to reading other blogs, Pinterest, and just going with my gut.

What do you say to someone who has creative ambitions, but who struggles to find the opportunities to express themselves?

I would ask you this question: Are you needing to express yourself to be seen by others or to be noticed, or are you simply expressing yourself regardless of who notices you?

I had a desire and passion to help people find their passion so I did that. Eventually, as you gain momentum, your hard work and effort will get seen and then at least you can say you did what you needed to do all for the right reasons and not to be famous or whatever.

If you want to blog – then blog.

If you want to paint – then paint.

If you want to take photos – then take photos.

Do it because you love what you do.

What do I do if I’m a creative with a great project or post that I think would work well on Taylored Heart?

I love meeting new people so if you ever want to get into contact with me about how we can collaborate then you can contact me on www.tayloredheart.co.za or email me at [email protected].

3 lessons from the 2016 Oscars

Jax Okiro

-

February 29, 2016

0

Yes, Leo finally got his Oscar. Can you believe it? After five previous attempts, one of our favourite leading men finally got the statue for his knock-out performance in The Revenant – and it’s safe to say we’re all elated.

But there’s way more to the Oscars than Leonardo DiCaprio’s well-deserved coup (yes, we know that’s hard to imagine), and there may even be some serious food for thought. We came up with three life lessons from this year’s awards that should get Oscar lovers everywhere thinking.

1. The entertainment industry is broken:

Scrap that: The world is broken. Funnyman Chris Rock, this year’s host, went for the jugular right from his much anticipated opening monologue: “I’m here at the Academy Awards, otherwise known as the White People’s Choice Awards,” he chimed. He made a joke of it, but the underlying message that came through so strongly in the lead-up the evening was still unmissable: even in this day and age, actors of colour are not acknowledged for their achievements to the degree they’re supposed to.

The reality is simple: We live in a broken world that is still, even in 2016, divided among racial lines to a much greater extent than we think. Hopefully, next year’s Oscars ceremony will be more representative of a wider demographic – but in the meantime, change is up to you. What are some of the attitudes and behaviours that you can start addressing right now in order to create a more equal world?

2. Just keep swimming:

Here’s a little detail that you may have missed in the story of Leo’s Oscar bid: His quest for a gold statue began way back in 1994. Yes, 1994 – when you were probably running around in nappies. In the meantime, Leo hasn’t given up: he has quietly honed his craft, turning in solid, consistent, and often Oscar-worthy performances year after year.

He could have given up long ago. He could have lived in resentment for not being recognised for his obvious talent. But that’s not what it’s about. You may be in the same boat. You may have been working hard over many years, without recognition. But your time will come. In the end, we don’t do what we do for recognition, do we? We do it because we believe in what it is that we spend our time and effort on. Remember that. “Just keep swimming,” in the wise words of Dory.

3. Real life happens:

One of the surprising moments of the night was Lady Gaga’s performance of Til it Happens to You, a song about abuse, and the idea that you don’t really understand what others go through until you find yourself in the same situation. It got the first standing ovation of the night – and rightly so. The song, with a haunting melody and hard-hitting lyrics, basically serves as a reminder that you are surrounded by people who are going through real, often painful challenges.

In this broken world, real life happens – and it’s good to keep in mind that, even in your triumphs, pain and suffering may be only as far away as the person sitting right next to you. It’s easy to forget that. Who knows – maybe you are going through a challenge like that right now yourself?

If you’re in a situation like that, or if you simply need to reach out to someone to chat, feel free to click on the link below, or to view the video in the popup.

What’s up with Kirk and Kanye?

Jax Okiro

-

February 2, 2016

0

Just a few days ago, Kanye West surprised some of us when he took to Twitter to share the news that his latest project, Waves, is “actually a gospel album“.

While none of us really knew what to make of this news, a few media sources have reported that there may be truth to the statement – and those reports seem to now have been confirmed. Over the weekend, @TeamKanyeDaily and a few other sources posted some pics on social networks that show West in the studio with artists like Andre 3000, Kid Cudi, 2 Chainz – and none other than gospel superstar Kirk Franklin.

The good folks at Relevant Magazine were also quick to point out that the album was originally supposed to be called So Help Me God, and that one of the tracks on a tracklisting Kanye posted to Twitter was a two-part song called Father Stretch my Hands.

Seems like the gospel rumour may well be true…

I guess the one big question is: Will the Gospel of Kanye bear any semblance to the actual gospel? Given the rapper’s antics of late, that may be a tricky question to answer!

We won’t have to wait long though: the new album is supposed to drop on February 11.

What do you think about a Kanye/Kirk collab? Does it make sense, or is it a bad idea? Share your thoughts below.

Do You Wish You Were Beautiful?

Jax Okiro

-

April 1, 2015

0

Today I read a quote by an author called C. JoyBell C., which said the following; “You can be the most beautiful person in the world and everybody sees light and rainbows when they look at you, but if you yourself don’t know it, all of that doesn’t even matter. Every second that you spend on doubting your worth, every moment that you use to criticize yourself; is a second of your life wasted, is a moment of your life thrown away. It’s not like you have forever, so don’t waste any of your seconds, don’t throw even one of your moments away.”

Isn’t it amazing how so many of us in life doubt ourselves? I’ll take my own life for example; I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m a woman who really suffers with issues of self-worth or low self-esteem (something I greatly attribute to the fact that I was blessed with incredible parents who only ever made me feel valued as I grew up). Yet, if I were to review my everyday life and my own expectations for that, being entirely honest with myself, I reckon I could most certainly plead guilty when it comes to being my very own worst, most brutal critic. It leads me to wonder then if self-doubt, even if only to a certain degree, is inherent in all of us? Perhaps it’s just part of the human condition?

I think it could be said that in today’s society it’s getting increasingly more difficult to feel like anyone can truly measure up to what’s presented to us on the world media stage as ‘acceptable’. Whether it be the Kanye’s ‘Yeezy Boost’, which let’s face it, most of us will never be able to afford let alone actually see in person or even the latest ‘must have’ designer haircut seen on every female celebrity worth their weight in gold, we are constantly bombarded with images, videos and news which form these idealistic benchmarks which in turn create an ‘aspirational lifestyle’ with things that frankly only the rich and famous of the world can and will only ever truly attain. Meaning, to some degree the rest of us will always fall short. This is particularly true when it comes to the female contingent of the globe. As women we are constantly presented with photo-shopped, nipped, tucked, unfairly unrealistic images of today’s ‘perfect’ standard of beauty. I’m not sure many of us are prepared to go the lengths that Kim K has gone to, to maintain her short-lived Paris Fashion week stint of now already defunct platinum locks, and let’s not even get on to her latest photo shoots, all of course done in the name of art. Yet, these things seem to have become the set criteria for beauty. Modern society’s benchmark of perfection.

Check out the following link;

Is this something you relate to in your own life? You know, in the Bible it speaks so clearly of how God knew us before we were even formed. It speaks of how He knit us together in our mother’s womb and how each and every one of us, no matter how we feel about ourselves, were created and individually designed by the Creator of life Himself. Despite this, similarly to the girl in the video, so many of us question our worth based on what we are being told is ‘perfect’ or desirable according the world’s standards. Whether it be our talent, our looks, our personality, what we have, all of the standards we are paying such close attention to are not based upon God’s opinion of us, but merely the changeable, fickle opinion of man. That said, even if we did at some point feel like we’d attained just one of these standards, how can ever we try to maintain it? It’s like trying to catch the wind.

The fact is, we have been fearfully and wonderfully made by God and it is only through a true relationship with Him that we will ever come close to understanding our true worth. Worth established by how He views us. Worth that isn’t changeable because God, unlike man, isn’t fickle and His opinion of us can and will never change.

You may feel that you fall short and have been overlooked by the world, but one thing is for certain, you are never overlooked by God. As the quote earlier on said, “Every second that you spend on doubting your worth, every moment that you use to criticize yourself; is a second of your life wasted, is a moment of your life thrown away”.

So why waste another second? God is waiting to reveal to you just how very valuable you are.

Anaconda…Say what!?

Jax Okiro

-

September 25, 2014

3

So, this morning, as with every morning, I had my routine-read-through of Google’s selection of the world’s biggest news. The result? Well, among many important headlines relating to very real, sometimes very harrowing news stories, I found yet another somewhat equally harrowing article relating to an A-list celebrity revealing all, and I mean ALL, in her latest cry for media attention.

Now, understand, I am no prude. Not in any way, shape or form in fact. As a young woman in today’s society, I am however becoming increasingly saddened by what seems to be the ‘new normal’ where boundaries of human decency and just plain old modesty are all too quickly disappearing. Take this morning for example. I was reading an article by a very respected broadsheet newspaper in the UK. The article was by no means grimy or sexually suggestive, but at the bottom was a picture of this celebrity entirely naked, without even the usual ‘modesty blurring’ for its readers. Now, fortunately this has absolutely no effect on me(!) but what strikes me the most, is that this particular female ‘artist’ has in very recent past been idolised by little girls around the globe. Without a doubt this young woman is an influencer and as a result her behaviour is celebrated throughout the media. Behaviour that results in images, that once upon a time would have been kept exclusively for the ‘types’ of magazines that were frowned upon, now being in the public forum for all to see. Regardless of age. Regardless of anything.

For those who saw the VMA Music Awards this year, you will have certainly seen Nicki Minaj’s infamous “I-don’t-know-where-to-look-performance” of her new song Anaconda. And, now again we see a recent music video release by JLo aptly called “Booty”. One guess what that song’s about. Any takers?

No doubt you will have also read, heard or even seen first hand the evidence from the recent iCloud scandal where some 100 household names were targeted and nude photos of them hacked and leaked to the press. Leaving these women totally exposed (literally!) for their very private indiscretions. Yes, it could be said that this was their own fault. I think we all know that we live in an age where very little is ‘private’ any more. And yet, with that said, still I ask, when did exposing things like this become some kind of sick voyeuristic ‘sport’? X-rated spectacles set alight on the public stage by the media for the world to see. Again, regardless of age. Regardless of anything.

Now, I have absolutely no intention of throwing stones at any of the women involved here. Some of whom I myself admire. Women who have been highly successful in their craft. I mean, hello! There are some Oscar winners among them. But, it does all beg a few questions: “How far is too far”? and “Where is this going to stop and most importantly at what cost”?

I don’t fear the future but I do believe that there needs to be a major shift in this area of our society. I’d even dare to ask that if our generation shrugs this off to the next generation (yes, these would be our children!) who as a result accept it as their ‘normal’, whatever is next? Sobering thought much? I think so.

Let it Go!

Jax Okiro

-

July 14, 2014

0

Ok, so I reckon a pretty large portion of the globe would, like me, have borne witness to the Disney ‘Frozen’ phenomenon song “LET IT GO”! Yes, for those of you who know exactly what I’m talking about, I bet you just sang those three words too didn’t you!?

This song is literally EVERYWHERE, with YouTube covers galore and even some ‘singing’ goat renditions thrown into the mix too (I know, but just Google it. It’s there). But, for those of you who have no clue what I’m talking about please see, or rather listen to the link below. Firstly, a disclaimer. This isn’t in fact the original but rather my favourite version taken from one of the gazillion covers available right now.

For the record, I sincerely apologise in advance… The chorus has a way of never leaving you! Ever.

So, to get to my point. My husband and I along with our dog Rex and cat Cassie are moving house this weekend. It’s a whole new neighbourhood and a brand spanking new house, which I would be so bold as to describe as our dream home. Safe to say we are pretty much bouncing-off-the-walls-excited to pick up keys this weekend and to start unpacking our belongings into our little palace.

Now, I’m no hoarder, but sentimental I can be and in the midst of the flurry of boxes and bubble wrap that’s effectively swallowed up our entire existing household, I have found myself wondering if there are some items that I just don’t need to keep hold of as we venture to take up residence on our fresh, new patch of earth. And, strangely, in moments of decision-making and box-packing I have in total abandon caught myself singing this very song, only to say ‘see ya later’ to something that really has little consequence to my life any more. Call me crazy, call it what you will, but it’s fast become my ‘moving house anthem’ and with no word of a lie, I’ve sifted through and discarded items that otherwise ran the risk of becoming that exhausting extra car trip of baggage from the old to the new house and then some months later the unused dust collectors that really serve little to no purpose in a cupboard.

And the reason for my home-ware purge? Well, it really kinda stemmed from a quote I read the other day. It said

“have nothing in your house that you do not believe to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”.

A tall feat in reality I reckon and yet something that I definitely hope to achieve with our new home.

This quote also got me thinking a little about life. Here I am tossing out items, trinkets and articles of clothing from the past. Effectively each thing representing a memory of some kind or another. And whilst a memory, in reality they are just meaningless ‘things’ that not only would have resulted in extra baggage needing carting from one place to the next but also would have introduced old clutter which would internally alter the entire look of our new home. I think the same can really apply to our lives. There are so many ‘things’ that all of us carry with us through life. Memories and feelings of the past that perhaps have affected/hurt us that maybe we just can’t seem to let go of. The fact is though, to hold on to this stuff, that yeah, the Oprah’s and Dr Phil’s of this world already refer to as metaphorical “baggage”, will always affect the landscape of our lives going forward. It can taint our perceptions, alter our decisions and internally just store up dusty clutter that in time accumulates and just becomes heavier and heavier to cart around.

Now, this is not a ‘soap box rant’ about me being pro ‘out with the old, in with the new’. There were most certainly items in my house that I have chosen to remain sentimental about. I think of the beautiful glass bowl that I was given by my Aunt on my wedding day. Something that belonged to my late Grandmother and to her Mother before her. That, although not necessarily useful on a daily basis is representative of things held as precious to me and as a consequence adds beauty to my home. The same applies to my life. I have so many precious memories of the past/people I’ve known/experiences I’ve had, stored up over time in my heart that I will continue to keep sacred which I hope have added to the person I am today and want to become in the future.

So yeah, this weekend will come and go. Our boxes will be moved and our currently empty very new house will quickly become our home and life will go on. That said, I won’t be forgetting my ‘Let it go!’ anthem. To live in a world where we all endeavour to carry nothing in our hearts that we don’t believe to be useful or beautiful, I dare to believe that our world could look like a very different place indeed. It’s my goal to live that way. Would you be prepared to make it yours too?

My Mother’s Favorite

Jax Okiro

-

July 10, 2014

0

I’m always in contact with people and especially ladies that have kids and the one thing that I have picked up through many conversations is, that unfair as it may sound mother’s have their favourites among their children.

I don’t know whether it is because I don’t have children of my own that I find this unacceptable and I just cannot see how a person can differentiate between children that all grew under their heart and they gave birth to.

Never mind the child’s temperament, no-one is ever the same, as God created us all to be our own individual and placed unique characteristics within us. These characteristics are obviously from both mother and father and therefore you get a mixture of both parents in one. So I just cannot see how one can favour one child before the other and I hope that when I do have my own children I will use Godly wisdom and treat them all as individuals and love them all equally as I’ll surely be carrying them all for 9months right under my heart.

Imagine God having His favourites among us? Would we be happy when we clearly see God favouring others that we feel don’t deserve it more than us?

God calls us all the apple of His eye because we are all made in His image and in His likeness, just as our kids are made in our image and likeness. Lets love unconditionally as the Father of all fathers love us unconditionally.

Stop Faking It!!!

All
Culture

Jax Okiro

-

July 9, 2014

0

I’m done! I can no longer defend the game of football against the accusation that it’s played by a bunch of ‘sissies’! It’s impossible to do so with all the trademark diving and acting that’s been going on during the 2014 World Cup. I wish these players would stop faking it!

I enjoy watching Holland play. I enjoy the vibe and the energy that they bring but I want their participation in this World Cup to come to an embarrassing end. Why? Because I cannot stand it when an obviously talented and brilliant player like Arjen Robben thinks he has to keep faking it in order to be successful and win! Trying to convince the referee that they’re not faking an incident by faking that incident is no different than cheating. I feel for the referees though, because these players have perfected this art of faking it with the referee only getting one look at an incident. While I’m not entirely sure what the solution is, it is definitely something that harms the game and should be rooted out.

Off the field of play, the same can be said for many of us. Think about the amount of times we’ve tried to pull the wool over other peoples eyes by acting a certain way to fit in, or dressing up to project a certain kind image, or saying all the right things in order to sooth itchy ears and the list goes on and on. I think it’s the same thing – we’re faking it. Why do we do that? I know, as people, we have a deep need to belong, to be loved and accepted, but if we have to fake it in order to experience these things are we really being loved and accepted for who we are?

Let me cut to the chase: We’re good enough. We were wonderful and fearfully crafted and created. Stop faking it.

Show Up for the World Cup

All
Culture

Jax Okiro

-

July 2, 2014

0

World Champions, Spain. Out! Former World Champions, England. Out! Former World Champions, Italy. Out!

It’s been quite an exciting 2014 World Cup thus far and I quite like the fact that after the first round some of football’s big guns have already been eliminated. I like it because I enjoy the tale of the underdog. There’s a bigger lesson to be learnt though. Whether or not it is for the World Cup, you cannot simply rock up and at the same time not show up. Spain, Italy and England’s World Cup pedigree means something in the annals of history but in the context of the current World Cup, it means nothing. The same is true in our places of work and personal lives.

So you’ve done stuff in your previous job, with some really influential people that got you some recognition somewhere in the world. So what?! While your CV may now look wonderful, that doesn’t mean in your current job context you can just rock up and not show up! You see, relying on history doesn’t get the job at hand completed. Working like that may expose you as stagnant and perhaps even incompetent despite your wonderful track record as per your CV. You can’t just rock up, you need to show up too.

Similarly with our personal lives. You’ve done some great things in the past because you obeyed God, you became the ‘must have speaker’ at this church and that open air gathering, from 5 to 5000 people. Perhaps you planted a church or a ministry that boomed inexplicably and exponentially that got you invited to be a keynote speaker at that big national or international ministry / missions / church planting convention because others wanted to learn from your skills and expertise. The question remains – So what?! While we now know that there was a time (notice the history implied) when you listened to God and that He used you before, the question is: What is He saying to you now and how are you responding to Him today?

When you rock up and don’t show up as in the contexts above, there’s a certain kind of entitlement, arrogance and pride that suggests you deserve to be in the limelight / on the playing field / in charge because you’ve paid your dues. It suggests that you can’t be taught something new because you know it all and have it under control. You can only pull the wool over people’s eyes for so long before the fumes (of the past) you’ve been running on, are completely vaporized. You can’t just rock up, you need to show up.

The Bible has a wonderful account of how God took care of the Israelites during the wilderness wanderings when they wanted to go back to Egypt. God provided them the necessary food to sustain themselves on a daily basis. Literally. They couldn’t store up and hang onto yesterday’s manna and quail, they needed to show up and collect their daily meal. While yesterday / your track record is a good reminder of what you’ve done and what you’re capable of, it means nothing today if you don’t show up.

Jax Okiro

“have nothing in your house that you do not believe to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”.

Connect with us