Dear Mr. Someone,

7/3/14

I can’t wait to meet you but I have to be sold out to our creator first. Life has been tough the last few days. First of all, I am sorry I stopped writing to you. I will start back because it gives me solace.

I am sitting on my bed waiting for your mother-in-law to wake up so I can go to the gym. I have had many counterfeits come into my life pretending to be “you.” I knew they were not you because I will know when I meet you. I can’t wait to meet you baby. 

I pray God makes me a better woman for you and our children. It’s still early in the morning; the birds are singing early morning songs to God. I have not met you yet but my heart is full of joy that you are praying for me baby. Pray for me o.. Your baby needs it. I want more for us and our family. I think the reason we haven’t met yet is because I am still growing in Christ and I have to continue grow. I am blessed to have you in my life.

10 questions you should STOP asking Africans..

1. Your name is what? Ohh.. I can’t remember that. Can I call you…….? 

2. Can you say something in African? 

3. Do you know Simba? 

4. You are African? Kool!! What country is that? 

5. Did you have a zoo in your backyard? 

6. (Clicking noises)… What did I say? 

7. Do you like it here? 

8. Can you tell me a curse word in African? 

9. Is your Dad a King? 

10. Have you seen Coming to America? 

Tips to help you successfully deal with Academic Difficulty Part 2

1. Stay positive-This is so important.. Speak positively about the situation. Think positively about the situation and stay positive. You have to make a conscious effort to do this because it is not easy. Life is all about perspective, so give a positive spin to the situation.

2.  Counseling-I remember one of my classmates suggesting this to me. I went for two sessions and that was it. I have nothing against counseling; try it if it works for you use it. Personally, I didn’t stick to it because I made God my counselor. What does that mean? I would literally schedule time to spend time with God to get through this.

3. Speak life to the situation- I changed my vocabulary about the situation. Every time, I remember that I just failed. I would open my mouth and say “I am a success story.” Yes, you just failed. It doesn’t make any sense to use your words to beat yourself up. Use your words to speak life. You can say, “The lord will perfect that which concerns me” but make sure you speak life.

4. Exercise-Do whatever you do to help you with stress. If you like going out with friends to relax, do it. It has to be something you enjoy. For me, exercise helps me a lot with stress. I suggest, it should be something that will help you relieve stress.

5. Read– One of the books, I read which really helped me out was “the traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews. This book talks about a guy who is going through failure all around and he goes around meeting prominent people in history who give him some amazing advice about life. You don’t have to read this book but read a self-improvement book.

6. Take responsibility for what happened. Don’t say this teacher didn’t like me. You can’t move forward unto you take responsibility for what happened to you. Complete this sentence: I am here because I didn’t…  Complete this sentence honestly without beating yourself up.

7. You have to move forward. Moving forward could mean trying again and again. Whatever moving forward means to you do. For me, it meant trying again which I did but it didn’t work; however, I persevered. You might have to change your major etc but do not put your education on pause. Go forward.

8. This is not the time to talk to negative people. When you are at your lowest this is when your friends need to be your cheerleader. Cut out talking to negative people. If the negative person is your family member decrease the amount of time you talk to them. When you are very vulnerable at this time, you can’t afford to talk to people who will pull you down.

9. Look over your school journey what will you do differently next time? Implement the necessary changes you need now.

10. Never believe you are a failure.  Believe that the best is yet to come. People who are afraid to try already accepted failure. You didn’t, you gave it your all and that’s what will put you on the road to success. Successful people are not discouraged by failure, they are encouraged by it.

11. Create a journal and write down your thoughts. If you don’t like writing; at least, do videos on your laptop and store them on your computer. You don’t have to upload them on youtube (except you want do).

12. Write down new goals and go after them.

13. See yourself already where you want to be. This academic difficulty situation caused me to post pone my graduation. It was very important for me to see myself walking across that stage before it happened.

Day dream about where you want to be and see yourself there.  I had pictures of people with graduation gowns all over my dorm room. Your mind is the canvas you use to paint your future. Paint wisely! Remember as a man thinks in his heart so is he (Proverbs 23:7)

14. Watch this video:

No matter how many times you get knocked down, you have to get back up. Please, get back up and move forward!

For Better or Better..

Love22It should be “For better or Worse..”
A lot of people say this phrase without understanding the word “worse”.
Cos if they meant it..
they wouldn’t run for a divorce when problems come..

C’mon ppl,

Why do you run when it gets worse in marriage?
You stood before God on your wedding day to say “worse”
worse means when it gets bad, really bad, really really bad..
Worse means Bad to the 100,000th power.

You didn’t say for better or for bad..
You said “Worse”..
Worse is an intense bad.

How many of you actually stand when it gets worse?
When it gets worse, a lot of people start checking out (Divorce)..
Worse is part of life…
Your life wasn’t smooth sailing when you were single.
Why do you think it is going to be smooth sailing now you are married?

A little prick and the love disappears..
It ought not to be so..
Life is full of ups and downs..
Everybody goes through it.

Your marriage will not be up all the time..
You will experience a down too.
If you didn’t want to divorce when your marriage was up..
Why should you divorce when your marriage is experiencing a down?

In the presence of abuse and infidelity
..Divorce is understandable;
however, irreconcilable differences..  really??

If you are going to marry for better and better..
Please, do your partner, and future children a favor and don’t marry at all.

There’s nothing as a perfect marriage..
Everybody with awesome marriages worked hard for it.
Marriage is not for wimps, it’s for people who are committed to fighting for their love.

Learn from the bad..
Let these bad times draw you closer and not tear you apart.
Nothing in Life with value comes easily..
The enemy hates marriages..
He will bring every wind of storm to tear you apart..
These storms come to measure the love you have for each other..

Singles..
For Better or Better (Fantasy, Fairy tales)
If you are not really marrying for Better or WORSE..PLEASE DON”T MARRY at ALL!!

We would have less Divorces today, if people indeed married for Better or Worse.. 

Africa 101: Trivia

Try to answer these questions before looking at the answers.

1. Name the largest country in Africa?
2. Name the smallest country in Africa?
3. Name the most populous country in Africa?
4. Name an African country that has two African countries inside it?
5. Madagascar is a country in Africa..True or False?

Answers:
1. Algeria
2. Seychelles
3. Nigeria
4. South Africa
5. True

Africa 101-The Lion King

Never go up to an African and say “Hakuna Matata” (I know lots of you will still do it, LOL).

Info from Google Scholar:
The producers used an African National Park called Hell’s Gate National Park in Kenya as the setting of this movie.
hakuna matata“- Swahili phrase which means “There are no worries.”

Look at the picture  below: Swahili is spoken in East African Countries (Info from Stanford.edu; click on the picture to read the full article). Yellow shaded regions are countries where Swahili is spoken the most.

ImageNext time you meet an African from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi feel free to say “Hakuna Matata” (only when it is appropriate or you will embarrass yourself..LOL!).

 *Never assume they know the language, it is more wise to ask first*

Africa 101-Where do Africans Live?

I am Nigerian.
I will be honest and tell you what I know and saw.
During the series, we will learn more about other African countries together.

Nigeria is in West Africa.
I lived in Nigeria for 12 years, I know what I am talking about..

Just like the states you have the city and rural areas.
In Rural areas.. people of low socioeconomic class lived in huts or mud houses.
In the city, people lived in brisk houses.
In some developing places, you would see Brisk houses and mud houses spread around.

Example of a hut:
Image

Example of a Brisk house:

Image

People in Nigeria live in huts or brisk houses.
Depends mostly on their socioeconomic status.
We don’t live in trees..

Africa 101- Clicking Language

Lesson #3

All Africans don’t speak the language that makes clicking sounds.
The name of the language is Xhosa language and it is South African (Info from Google Scholar)
It is very appropriate to ask someone from South Africa about this language.

Asking other Africans about this language is not appropriate.

Again, this language is South African.

Tomorrow… I will answer this question: Where do Africans live in huts? trees? forest?