PRAYER

LESSON #8: PRAYER (THIS IS MY LAST LESSON)

They say prayer is a means of communication to God our creator. Yes this is true but did you also know that prayer is a DIALOGUE? Not just a monologue where you just ask and ask God to give you ABCD and you wait for it to happen. When you talk to someone you also expect the other party to talk to you. Do you take time to listen to this other person or are you too proud to listen.

God loves prayer it moves us close to him because he wants to be close to us. Just like when your kids want to talk to you, you feel good and yes you enjoy the attention they give you. So why not give your attention to God. When you pray God expects you to be humble (not pretending to be humble) but that real humbleness like the way you talk to your father or boss or any superior.( 2 Peter 5:6-7)

Prayer is said to be consisting of four parts; Repentance, confession, thanks giving and requesting. Before you ask God for anything are you truly sorry for the bad things you have said, done or thought and the good things you have failed to do? That is repentance. Are you humble enough to admit those particular things and ask for forgiveness? That is confession. Are you thankful for all the things God has given you? Even that ugx.500 for transport, that kikomando? God always adds good things to a thankful and grateful heart.

 

When it comes to the request do you ask for selfish needs or do you ask God to show you his plans so that you fulfill them? I used to ask for things that would benefit me and instead of God giving them to me he instead gave them to other people and made sure I was there to see it happen. I used to be so bitter and instead of seeing that he had answered my prayer, I felt that he had ignored me, but he was instead waiting for me to ask what plans he had for me. God is pleased by those who want to know his will and when he gives, he gives in abundance. Have a strong prayer life. Pray in your home with your family, your work place with your colleagues and with your friends and on your own, not only in church on Sundays but every day.

Remember to have a thankful and grateful heart. Be genuinely humble, pray without seizing. Read (Phillipians 4:4-7) God bless you.

·        Remember the power of prayer.

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice."--Meister Eckhart

LIVE A HAPPY LIFE

LESSON #7: LIVE A HAPPY LIFE 

 Wise men say “To live a happy life, live a simple life”. This is true but in this fast moving materialistic world it is very hard to live a simple life. We want the latest gadgets in technology, fashion, cars e.t.c and in the process we get so caught up and frustrated when we fail to get them hence depression. The disappointment leads to anger and anger to loss of hope. And when some people lose hope they either steal or commit suicide. 

 

When God created the earth he put enough for mankind to enjoy and be happy in it. But greed takes over with envy and jealousy yet there is more than enough for everyone not just one individual and more are yet to still come and enjoy it. (1 Timothy 6:7)

I have suffered a period of disappointments not because am greedy or materialistic, it’s because I always have high expectations of things and people and forget the one who gave them to me in abundance and instead of having high expectations from Him I diverted that energy to personal expectations. God wants us to live a simple life, a life of happiness and trials, and a life of purpose. A life full of LOVE. Not materialistic love or love for the world but love for him and one another. Life without love is a life wasted. Whether you believe in God or not material things will never satisfy you until you have true love in your spirit.

 The true secret of living a happy life is by fulfilling God’s purpose for you on this planet in the short time you have here. Most people do not know why they were born. I also asked myself that question once. If you do not know what you were created to do pray and ask God to tell you or lead you to your purpose. If you want to also know what your created for check out your talents and gifts.

In lesson# 7 I talked about Talents and gifts; A talent is a natural ability to do something well while a Gift is natural skill such as wisdom, knowledge e.t.c….. (Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-12) 

 

When we know these things then and only then shall we live a happy and fulfilled life. Read THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE by RICK WARREN.

ENJOY LIFE

LESSON #6: ENJOY LIFE

When you were a kid you used to enjoy life with no care and worry in your life except for the occasional caining if you failed to bathe in the evening on time. When you grew up a lot of things took over your life, too much stress and little time to yourself. The only time you get your “ME TIME” is when hanging out with the boys in a bar or going on a shopping (if not window shopping) with the girls. But when was the last time you let out that inner crazy adventurous child in you?

 

 Stewie from FAMILY GUY

Personally I still let the child in me come out by watching cartoons. I feel stress free and happy when I watch these crazy toons like Tom & Jerry & Family Guy. If you’re an outdoor person when was the last time you rode that bike? Climbed a tree, and played a crazy soccer game or dodge ball (kwepena/ kaati). Some will find that stupid and childish but I think instead of spending a lot of money in sauna’s and massage parlors or bars to relax a simple childish game will relax your nerves. Involve your kids as well; I remember we used to play dodge ball with our mum from time to time. This will even increase the bond with your kids.

·         African dodge ball known as kwepena (in Luganda) and kaati (in Swahili slung)

 

Become an adventurer. Revitalize your spirit and sense of playfulness. Become a kid again. Once every few months, plan to enjoy a new, thrilling activity such as white water rafting, scuba diving, windsurfing, rock-climbing, joining a martial arts club, sailing, deep sea fishing or camping. This will keep your life in perspective, bring you closer to those you share the activity with and keep you feeling invigorated and young. . -- Robin S. Sharma

·        Schedule relaxation time into your week and be ruthless in protecting it. You would not schedule another activity into the time planned for an important meeting with the president of your company or your best client so why would you put off a period to invest in yourself? We must have time for ourselves to reflect, unwind and recharge our batteries. These are the renewal activities that allow us to maintain peak performance and are exceptionally valuable periods. -- Robin S. Sharma

ENVIRONMENT

LESSON #5: ENVIRONMENT

Did you know that the environment in which you live in affects 100% of your personality, decision making and emotions? They say “you can take a villager out of the village but not the village out of the villager”

Take an example of a war child that has grown up in a detention camp, they are usually aggressive and hostile; a child brought up in a friendly neighborhood is usually hospitable and trustworthy. A child brought up in a ghetto is more of a hustler than one brought up in a home of plenty.

Have you ever wondered why most Arabs are aggressive, hostile, self-centered and short tempered? It’s because they live in the one of the most hostile environments of scotching sun with few resources and everyone thinks of themselves first. And have you ever wondered why we Ugandans are said to be the most hospitable people in East Africa? It’s because our environment and weather is so hospitable and friendly to us.

But sadly we no longer take care of our environment as it has taken care of us. We take pride in littering, dumping polythene bags and plastic bottles everywhere. I love the policy of Rwanda everybody is litter conscious, but the problem with us here we first wait for cains and tear gas to start doing something responsible. We have cut down so many trees and have replaced none. We degrade to soil by ill dumping of inorganic waste, polluting the lake water with industrial waste and building on wet lands. Then we pretend that this is not happening.

How will you continue enjoying nature when you’re busy destroying it. Do you want to end up in a desert? START APPRECIATING NATURE, SAVE NATURE TO SAVE YOU.

·        Spend time with Nature. Natural settings have a powerful effect on your senses which in turn will lead to a sense of renewal, refreshment and peacefulness. Peak performers through the ages have understood the importance of getting back to Nature. Start camping or simply taking quiet walks in the forest. Rest by a sparkling stream. Cultivate your own little garden which will serve as your personal oasis in the middle of a crowded city. By cultivating a friendship with Nature, you will quickly find more serenity, contentment and richness in your life. -- Robin S. Sharma