GOOD WORKS DOESN'T MATTER In the early part of 2000, the excitement generated by the Y2K scare of the world coming to an end had died down and life was returning to normal. For me 2001 held uncertainty as by the end of March of that year my place of employment would have wrapped up operations and I would have been out of a job. When April finally rolled around, I never imagined how much my life would change with one fateful encounter with an individual. Before meeting the stranger, I thought with all the good deeds I had done in my life up to that moment, God owed me something in exchange for my “good works.” When I lost my job and wasn’t immediately seeing a way-out, I was silently accusing God of failing to deliver on His promises to me. When I explained this to the stranger that day, he opened my eyes to my own misunderstanding of Christianity and God. After listening to my complaints, he paused for a moment before beginning to clear up my misconceptions of the relationship between God and what I believed it meant to be a Christian. “Everyone has their own preconceived idea of what Christianity is,” he began, “and most times what they believe is incorrect.” I was taken aback by that statement, and I guess my facial expression showed it as he continued to speak. GOD OWES US NOTHING “First of all, God owes us nothing. Many people believe He must do something for them in exchange for their undying commitment. Do you think because we claim the title of Christianity and we give of our time and money to a cause that God should ‘compensate’ us for doing some good to others?” I was dumbfounded as he spoke, and it took me some time to realize he was right. Individuals look at the happiness and success that some people appear to have only to read in the tabloids of their troubled lives. Meanwhile the impression many have of Christianity keeps them away from God though many of their beliefs are based on their misunderstanding. “So, what does it benefit me then to serve Him? Why should I read the Bible and believe and do anything it says if I am not getting a return?” I asked. “I will leave you to answer that question yourself,” he responded. He explained that when God created man in the Garden of Eden, He created him in His own image. He gave Him a home, a wife, food and everything else that He needed to make life comfortable, and both individuals were happy. Did God ask for rent or financial compensation for food and the amenities that were being enjoyed? No, He did not. The one thing He asked for was trust. To this day that remains the most difficult thing for mankind to do – Trust God and His word. We serve Him as we see fit according to our own imagination, but we do not trust Him enough to follow Him as to the dictates of our own imagination. The Bible states, “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path,” Proverbs 3:5-6. UNDERSTANDING GOD, WORSHIP, SUCCESS and HAPPINESS . The stranger told me the life I was living up to that moment was a result of the compounded effect of my thought processes over the years. My fears, doubts, failures and belief had only been exasperated to that point. “Think of a balloon being filled with air,” he said, “based on its size, when air is put in after a certain point it can’t stretch any further bursts as a result. The way you feel now is based on the air of misinformation you were filled with to the point where you popped. You popped before more damage could have been done.” He laughed after saying this. I understood what he meant and didn’t feel embarrassed. How could I – he was telling the truth, and he wasn’t trying to put me down. On the contrary he was helping me to build a new and stronger foundation on which to build, and I was grateful. At that moment I was being asked to change my view of God, worship, success and happiness. It was a decision I had to make for myself. I wasn’t being asked to throw away the bible and listen to a total stranger. Instead, I was asked to be open to a different way of thinking. I was being asked to have a new heart created in me so I could have a renewed spirit to then compare the results of my past life to the life I was about to embark on. Change is always a difficult thing to make but it’s the only thing that is consistent in life. It is happening around us every day. Choosing to remain the same can only lead to being left behind and personally I wanted to move forward even if it meant moving out of my comfort zone. ARE YOU WILLING TO DO THE WORK ? We spoke for a while, and we got to know more about each other. It was getting late, and I had to get back home. As I got up from the bench to leave, I asked if he would mind being a mentor, he paused for a moment before responding. “If you are willing to do the work and then promise to help others along the way sharing what you learn then yes.” With that we exchanged numbers, shook hands and I headed to the bus stop smiling at myself as I couldn’t believe what had transpired.

I thought I had a fair understanding of Christianity, that is, until a stranger who would become a mentor began asking me questions that made me stop to think deeply. I grew up in a Christian home and attended church weekly. I listened to the sermons with sincerity and often took mental notes. My parents were wonderful teachers and doers of the word but it was not until I met the stranger who asked me questions about life as it relates to my faith that I began to wonder if I wasn’t doing certain things out of habit and not sincerity. I didn’t realize it then, but my actions were learnt based on what I saw but never took the time to understand the meaning behind it all. Living By Assumption Realizing he had me thinking he reassured me it was not only the Pharisees and Sadducees of the Bible who misunderstood the teachings of Christ. His teachings continue to be misunderstood today by many including those who proclaim to be His followers. This is one of the many reasons churches today are slowly dying. “Even some of those who attend regularly are losing their connection with Jesus,” he said, “and sadly they become like Samson – they hold to the false notion they can live the way it pleases them, and the Lord would still be with them." Some might realize late in life God had left them to their own imagination. The young people looking on loses any hope of seeing the need for God in their lives as they are turned off by what they observe and at times deem as hypocrisy. I sat there stunned trying to make sense of not only who was talking to me but the words being spoken. Need A Clear Head It was April of 2001, and I had lost my job a month earlier. I decided to take a bus to Jamaica Avenue in Queens, New York to clear my head. Sitting at home and watching television was not doing much for me and I thought I needed to get out of the house. When I heard I was going to be laid off, I prayed to God asking for direction. Months prior, under the assumption my job was secure I had made bad investment decisions in people and businesses that I thought would have been profitable. Over time I discovered my errors in judgement when I saw my losses slowly mounting. Not seeing a clear way out, I turned to God in prayer and asked for guidance. With Knowledge Seek Wisdom What began as a deflection of boredom ended with what I now consider the answer to my prayer. God knows what we desire more than we do, however the way He chooses to answer our prayers is sometimes missed. Psychologists tell us people tend to move away from what they consider to be painful and towards what they assume will bring them pleasure. They sacrifice short term gain over long term fulfilment. To strengthen our resolve as well as to make us into the persons we need to be for our journey, God takes us through His boot camp. Each course is specifically designed for each individual’s unique situation. The process is painful at times as it takes us outside of our comfort zone. A New Heart or Thought Process The Psalmist understood this perfectly when he wrote, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" - Psalm 51:10. Everyone wants a change, but most people refuse to undergo the change that is necessary to receive that which God has in store for them. "To have more you must become more than you are today," the stranger told me, "and to achieve this," he continued, "you need a new heart created in you, otherwise it would be like pouring new wine into old bottles – this would only cause it to break.” There Are No Shortcuts To Success From that day and moment my life changed. It took time for my development to occur, and I did slumber and make mistakes along the way, but I never gave up. I will share with you these lessons over the next few months and provide you with the tools that I was given through the Book. If you wish for better things to happen to you – you must be willing to change as well. It’s just the way it is. There are no shortcuts. If you make mistakes along the way, don’t quit – correct them and get back on the saddle. Thank you for staying with me thus far. Next blog we will begin.

A Successful Life By Design

Success is found where you least expect it.

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." - Ecclesiastes 12:13 "Joseph, how does a person become aware of their purpose?" the King asked. I was astonished by the question. It came suddenly, however looking at the king's expression I knew he was thinking about it for some time. We were seated at a table having supper with guests he had invited to the palace. Almost a year had passed since the period of famine and drought had ended and the king had invited them to the palace to celebrate. There were long periods of rain and things were beginning to return to normal. The fields were green again with lush vegetation. It was indeed a picturesque scene. The view of pure rocky mountains in the distance was replaced by breath-taking peaks of different shades of green. The river Nile was once more an attraction and a source of water for farmers crops along its bank. They were harvesting their crops again and commerce was slowly returning to normal in Egypt. The country was returning to its glory days and Pharoah wanted to commemorate the success the country was experiencing after exiting such a turbulent period of its history. I was congratulated and honored for the role I played during that time. Many dignitaries and officials wanted to meet me as they heard about my beginnings in Egypt as a slave and saw my transcendence to my current position as remarkable. I used the opportunity to extol the one to who all the credit was due - Jehovah himself. "Take a look at the soldiers around you," I responded. Looking away from me he slowly surveyed the room. The guests at the table did the same as their faces expressed a look of bewilderment. "What's wrong with them?" Pharaoh asked puzzled. "Nothing," I responded quickly, "but what do you think their purpose is at this point in time?" "To serve and to protect me - their king and carry out my commands," he replied. "And once they are relieved of their duties and return home what is their purpose then?" I asked. He paused for a moment to think; slowly placing his left elbow on the table he braced his left cheek with his left fist and with his right hand he began gently pulling his beard. As we spoke the guests were looking around and at each listening intently to the conversation. "There are a few ways to answer the question O king," I began as he turned to face me, "however I will only use three to make my point. You have those who only see their current position in your army as a job. They have no idea where their loyalty is and so they go about their lives one day at a time. They only wish to be paid do not wish to have the responsibilities that come with promotion as they are simply satisfied serving the king in their current position while hoping one day they can live like a king. Your lifestyle is appealing to them but they are not motivated enough to take the necessary steps. When they go home the last thing on their mind is you O king as they become preoccupied with their own. In the next group are those who are loyal only to themselves and they constantly look for ways to 'promote' themselves under the guise of loyalty. They use their gifts and their talents only for their own glory and benefit. In the final group are those who see the king as their life. Every aspect of their life is dedicated to the service of you O king. If they are home no one dares speaks ill of you in their presence. They will defend you with their last breath. They see their duty and purpose for living as one - to serve their king." They cannot be bought or bribed into doing anything to harm you. All their talents are dedicated to you and in this, they find meaning and fulfillment. They are happiest when they are doing the king's bidding." "This third group helps to define what everyone's purpose in life is; to serve and worship the king of kings in everything they do. When I was a lad my father would make me memorize such quotes as 'Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might' (Ecclesiastes 9:10), and another 'Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings.' (Proverbs 22:29). O king you have seen first hand the truth of these statements." The king smiled while nodding his head in agreement. The guests were also pleased by the answer as they indicated by nodding to each other. The focus was turned back to me when the king leaned forward again and asked, "How can you tell the difference between the second group and the third; who are doing their own bidding and who is doing it for the glory of the king?" Again the gaze was on me. "When an individual," I began, "seeks glory for themselves they wish to be rewarded by others. When this doesn't occur within a certain timeline they tend to become disgruntled and there is a change to who they honor. My father had me repeat to him several times a day as I worked, 'let your light so shine before men, so they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven.' (Matthew 5:16) until he was sure my actions reflected who I served: the God of heaven and I honor Him by serving others as best as I can seeking nothing in return from them; hence humility in leadership - this is not thinking less of yourself but thinking about yourself less (Kenneth Blanchard)." "Well said," replied the king smiling as the guests nodded in agreement while others applauded.

It’s approaching that time of the year when customarily, many people are beginning to tell themselves they need to make certain life changes in the upcoming year. These resolutions, as they are often called, are made with excitement. Sadly, research suggests only 9% of Americans who make resolutions complete them. It further goes on to show that 23% of people quit their resolutions by the end of the first week and 43% will quit by the end of January. Exercise more, lose weight, quit smoking and financial management, tends to find its way on the list of resolutions people intend to achieve in the new year. Here are four reasons people seem to fail at completing new year’s resolution: • Making resolutions without a plan . Resolutions are a set of traditions or wishes. They are not treated as goals which are often seen as your vision of your desired accomplishments. Goals are a sequence of steps that are seriously considered in the act of laying plans for the accomplishment of the outcome you desire. The desire must be burning as this will help in the achievement of the desired result. • Make your goals challenging and specific . Research shows that goals which are challenging are better motivators than those that are not. Goals should also be divided into small increments, for example don’t just say I want to lose weight. Rephrase it by saying – my goal is to lose 15 pounds in 3 months. • Expect Obstacles . No matter how small or straightforward the goal is, there is always a chance for an obstacle to appear. To keep your optimism, identify obstacles and create plans to avoid or surmount these barriers. This will reduce the possibility of setbacks or failure. There is a saying that goes – “where the goals are great the obstacles are also great”, however the reward is huge. • Accountability . Studies show that people who not only write their goals but set up a way to be accountable for them will be twice as likely to achieve them. Accountability means you are responsible to someone to accomplish the goal; this can be motivating. There are four ways you can set accountability: tell a friend, create or join an accountability group, use technology, like setting measured milestones on an electronic calendar, or hire a coach. New year’s resolutions shouldn’t be a wish if success is to be guaranteed. It can be made into a fun-filled routine if the above steps are taken and done correctly. Be consistent and remain focused. Reward yourself after each milestone is achieved and use that as a motivator to move on to the next phase. If you fall don’t stay down but pick yourself up immediately and keep going. All the best and see you in 2024!

"It is neither wealth nor splendor, but tranquility and occupation which give you happiness." - Thomas Jefferson.