Thriving Words

A poor boy was in love with a rich man’s daughter. Overcome with his love for the girl, the boy proposed to her. However, the rich girl derisively rejected him and said, “Your monthly salary is equivalent to my daily expenses. How do you expect me to marry someone like you? I can never love you so forget about me. Go find and marry someone else of your level.” Despite being rejected so hurtfully, for some reason, the boy could not forget her so easily. Roughly 10 years later, they ran into each other accidentally in a shopping mall. She immediately recognized the man and said, “Hey, how are you? I’m now married to a very smart man, and his salary is $15,700 per month! Can you beat that?” he man, hearing those painful words from the woman he used to care for, held back his tears and said nothing. Not a few moments passed when the woman’s husband came back to her side. But before the lady could say a word, her husband immediately recognized the man she was talking to and said, “...

Many see no need for a religious figure who lived two millennia ago. He did not help them get their first job, buy their first house, or find their first wife. They ask, “what has he ever done for me?” He does not provide entertainment, cure sickness, distribute money, grant the wishes of dying children, or lower taxes. They think, “why would I need Jesus if he does not help with the things most important to me?” Even Christians who claim his name, appoint him their co-pilot, or use him as Saviour don’t feel they need him once they have him in their pile of possessions. While they express praise for him, they can go days, weeks, and months without a single thought of needing Christ for anything. Even ministry work and Bible study can distract us from the need for Christ if it is done as busywork and not with Christ as the goal. It is a worthwhile question to ask why you need Jesus Christ. Especially, if you think yourself a Christian who already believes in him. Here are 11 ...

You’ve probably heard of the best selling book by Norman Vincent Peale called “The Power of Positive Thinking”.  Originally published in 1952, more than 20 million copies have been sold in 41 languages!   In his book, Mr. Peale helps people improve themselves and their situations by improving their thoughts, emphasizing the power of positive thinking.    This leads me to ponder… If positive thinking is powerful for improving ourselves, imagine how the power of positive  speaking  can improve situations with others! Does that mean we can only say positive things and not say anything negative?  You know, like the old addage, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”.    Not exactly.  Sometimes, especially as parents, it’s necessary to say things that are negative for the purpose of instructing or correcting.   However, when we do so, we’re not to speak in a criticising manner, but in ...

It’s always great to have a cheerful heart and laugh with family and friends. There’s a time to laugh I want you to laugh along with me as you read this joke: Can a Man ever do a wrong transaction with God? My friend invited me to his church for a thanksgiving service, and I sat at the front row. When it was time for offering, the offering basket was passed around. Despite the Pastor's charge for good offering, I still hurriedly and secretly pulled out N50 from my pocket and dropped it. Just then, the person behind me tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a N1,000 note. I smiled, sow generous. Then majestically, I looked around and put the N1,000 in the basket and passed it on. Then I turned and thanked the man seriously for being so generous. He replied "don't mention'' be more careful next time, it fell from your pocket" Whaaaat!!!!!???????......." "Usher please wait, wrong transaction!!!!!!!!!." Don't laugh alone, share it an...

The Truth About Prayer: What It Is and How It Works by Joyce Meyer Smith Wigglesworth was a great preacher. But before he was a preacher, he was a plumber who wasn’t a Christian—nor a very nice man. Fortunately for him, he had a godly wife. He didn’t want her to go to church, but she went anyway. When she did, he’d lock her out of the house, and when she came home, she’d have to sleep on the back porch. In the morning he’d unlock the door and she’d come in and say, “Good morning, Smithy!” and make him breakfast. She was a godly example for him. She prayed for him and God gave her the grace to be good to him in spite of his rude behavior. And because she continued to be so good to him, he eventually came to know the Lord and was radically changed. As a result, he became one of the greatest preachers who ever lived. That’s the power of prayer. Understand What Prayer Really Is Prayer is simply conversation with God. It’s asking Him to meet your need or someone else’s. It’...

Smiling may seem like an involuntary response to something cute or  funny , but it is much more than that. Studies suggest that smiling, forced or not, can have a positive effect on your mood, decrease stress levels , and even make everyone around you feel better. What happy news! Smiling and laughing can have a positive effect on your well-being, but as you make the transition from child to adult, you often tend to lose the habit of indulging in these behaviors. A good example of this is a children’s playground: You often see the kids running around, constantly laughing and smiling as they enjoy living in the moment, while the parents sit around the edge, full of the stresses that modern life can bring, with the occasional grin breaking their otherwise serious facial expressions. Adults can benefit from taking a lead from children and making more room in life for smiling and laughter. Research has shown that there a number of health benefits contributed to smiling and lau...

One of my mentors compose a song, the lyrics goes thus "don't give up, its not over when you give up, then its over. Hold on to your God, struggle not anymore even when it fails, its not over" We all long for rest from the fatigue of living. God placed the desire for rest in our souls, and he promises to fulfill it: “I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish” ( Jeremiah 31:25 ). Wars are exhausting — especially long ones. That’s why you are often tired. Many soldiers, who experience the fierceness of combat, want to get out of it. That’s why you’re tempted to escape. That’s why you’re tempted to give up. Don’t Give Up But don’t give up. No, rather “take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded” ( 2 Chronicles 15:7 ). Don’t give up when that familiar sin, still crouching at your door after all these years, pounces again with temptation. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common t...