Get Behind Me

A little boy always went next door to play even though his mom had warned him against doing so. This worried his mom so badly that she asked him why he was so disobedient. He replied that Satan tempted him so bad and he did not know what to do.  His mom then advised him to say 'get behind me Satan' whenever he was tempted. She then built a fence around the house. 
This worked for a week, then one sunny afternoon his mom looked out the window and there was her son playing on the neighbor’s lawn having cut a hole in the fence. “Jeremiah", she yelled, "come here!" She then said "did I not tell you to say 'get behind me Satan' whenever he tempted you?" "Yes", the boy replied, "I said, 'get behind me Satan', then he went behind me and pushed me through the hole in the fence."

Who Could This Be?

The rays of illumination

That brightens my vision

When the shadow of illusion

Covers the zone of mission

The rain of revelation

That drenches my imagination

When the drought of inspiration

Depletes the expanse of innovation

The rage of passion

That propels my determination

When the power of hesitation

Retards the feet of action

The radiance of motivation

That revitalizes my expectation

When the horror of desolation

Deserted the soul of actualization

The Lord of Resurrection

The Hope of Glory for Generation

Jesus Christ

My Life and My Salvation

Newly Weds

As soon as the newlyweds returned from their honeymoon, the young bride called her mother, who lived a couple of hours away. "How did everything go?" her mom asked. "Oh, mother," she began, "The honeymoon was wonderful! So romantic, we had a terrific time. But, mother, on our way back, Tunde started using really horrible language, stuff I'd never heard before. Really terrible four-letter words. You've got to come get me and take me home. Please, Mother!" the new bride sobbed over the telephone. "But, honey," the mother countered, "What four-letter words?" "I can't tell you, mother, they're too awful! Come get me, please!" "Darling, you must tell me what has gotten you so upset.... Tell mother what four-letter words he used." Still sobbing, the bride said, "Mother, words like dust, wash, iron, cook."

Quotes

·         A lot of people are willing to give God credit, but so few are willing to give him cash. –Robert Harris

·         Have the courage to live. Anyone can die. –Robert Cody

·         There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly. – Buckminister Fuller

·         One of the challenging facts of human history is that; there is nothing that God cannot do. –Pastor E.A Adeboye

·         Opportunities multiply as they are seized. They die when neglected. –John Wicker

·         Faith makes things possible, not easy –Anon

·         If you'll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your lives.  –Vincent Thomas

Cholera

There have been reported cases of recent deaths as a result of Cholera outbreak in Lagos, Nigeria in the last few weeks. We offer insight into what to be done to avoid being a victim.

Cholera is a disease caused by bacteria that produce a watery diarrhea (loose frequent stooling) that can rapidly lead to dehydration and even death if untreated.

Causes

It is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with the bacterium called Vibrio cholera.

Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera, is usually found in food or water contaminated by feces from a person with the infection. 

Common sources include:

• Municipal water supplies
• Foods and drinks sold by street vendors
• Vegetables grown with water containing human wastes
• Raw or under-cooked fish and seafood caught in waters polluted with sewage

When a person consumes the contaminated food or water, the bacteria release a toxin in the intestines that produces severe diarrhea.

The disease is most common in places with poor sanitation, crowding, war, and famine.

It is not likely you will catch cholera just from casual contact with an infected person.

Symptoms

Cholera symptoms and signs include a rapid onset of copious, smelly diarrhea that resembles rice water and may lead to signs of dehydration (for example, vomiting, wrinkled skin/ loss of skin elasticity), low blood pressure, rapid heart rate, dry mucous membranes, including the inside of the mouth, throat, nose, and eyelids, thirst, and muscle cramps. Symptoms of cholera can begin as soon as a few hours or as long as five days after infection. Often symptoms are mild. But sometimes they are very serious.

Prevention

However, you can protect yourself and your family by using only water that has been boiled, water that has been chemically disinfected or bottled water. Be sure to use the bottled, boiled, or chemically disinfected water for the following purposes: Drinking, Preparing food or drinks, Making ice, Brushing your teeth, Washing your face and hands, Washing dishes and utensils that you use to eat or prepare food, Washing fruits and vegetables, To disinfect your own water, boil it for one minute or filter it and add two drops of bleach or one-half of an iodine tablet per liter of water. You should also avoid raw foods, including the following:

Unpeeled fruits and vegetables, unpasteurized milk and milk products, raw or undercooked meat or shellfish, fish caught in tropical reefs, which may be contaminated.

Treatment

Hydration is the mainstay of treatment for cholera through fluid and electrolyte replacement, both oral and IV. Antibiotics usually are used in severe infections in which dehydration has occurred. Cholera can be prevented with appropriate measures such as safe drinking water and non-contaminated foods; some protection can be obtained from oral vaccines while avoiding areas where cholera commonly occurs or has had a recent outbreak.

Although there is a vaccine against cholera, the CDC and World Health Organization don't normally recommend it because it may not protect up to half of the people who receive it and it lasts only a few months.

If you develop severe, watery diarrhea and vomiting -- particularly after eating raw shellfish or traveling to a country where cholera is epidemic -- seek medical help immediately. Cholera is highly treatable, but because dehydration can happen quickly, it's important to get cholera treatment right away.

 -Source (Internet)

RELATIONSHIP

When in a relationship, it is not about the labels or becoming official. It is about getting to know someone well enough to develop genuine feelings for them. It is about being understanding and forgiving when situations are at their worst.

It is about loving someone not for what they have to offer but for who they are. It is never blaming your significant other for not treating you how you want to be treated. It is about how hard they try to keep you happy.

“Good relationships don’t just happen! It takes time and two people who truly want to be together”

“You never lose by loving but always lose by holding back”

                                    -HANNIEL

Personal Financial Planning: Income & Expenditure Management

A Summary of lessons learnt in one of our fellowship meetings

In managing your income and expenditure start by doing the following:

1.       Determine your Cash Flow:

This is your salary and other steady income. The first key to managing your finances is to set up a budget; which simply states your proposed expenditure and expected income. This is not actually a hindering tool but something that keeps you in check. Determine your monthly income; write out how much you spend

2.       Paying off your Debts (Living Debt Free):

If you really intend to be financially free and prosperous, you have to make out plans to be debt free. Start out by paying your debts. Discuss with your Creditors on how you intend to pay off. Have an active and feasible plan on how to go about it.

3.       Pay God First:

As a Christian, all that you have is given to you, thus do not default in your tithes, offerings and welfare to the needy.

4.       Outline your expenses into:

Fixed Expenses: expenses on things that do not change from month to month, sometimes annual payments such as Tithes, house rent/month, Insurance/month (i.e. divide by 12 months) etc.

Committed Expenses: dues, Prepaid Electricity, BB subscription, utilities, food, transport, allowances for parents etc.

Discretionary Expenses: expenses on clothes, entertainment, TGIF, welfare, eating out etc.

5.       Spend Less than you earn:

Once you take a good look at your expenses, and observe you spend more than what comes in, it is time to reduce your spending. The basic principle of financial discipline is Spend Less Than You Earn. Start by cutting back on your discretionary expenses e.g. eat out once in a month instead of every week. Then look at your committed expenses, are there cheaper and efficient ways of doing things? If your fixed expenses are more than your monthly income, then you may need to cut down on big lifestyles. Change apartment, change cars etc. Learn to delay gratification. Be moderate in your lifestyle.

6.       Plan for an increase in income:

Whenever you experience an increase in your income, note that it is not an avenue to spend everything. If you could survive on your previous income, then you can survive without the increase, therefore save or invest at least 85 -100% of the increase.

7.       Savings:

Emergency Funds: Rev. Sam Adeyemi said “have at least 6 months to 1 year emergency savings kept away for rainy days. The minimum you should be saving is at least 10 – 15 percent of your income after tax. The more, the better. Join reliable cooperative schemes. Issue a standing bank debit mandate. Open an escrow account where you would not touch the money. Grow your savings, and then invest in projects, businesses and investments. Money kept idle would soon fly away.