A statue of beauty and marvel is born when the marble allows the chisel to chip away its edges; hidden potential is never brought out without the pain of edges being shaved off sharply.
Prayer works best only when you are ready to change and accept the answer that God in his wisdom delays; he never answers unless you are desperate enough to grab the new and leave old ways behind.
Therefore grow old in years but retain that wonder which provoked the child in you to ask and keep on asking; for when you lose that wonder all is old and nothing new.
—
Inspired by the words of the Bible, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
A balloon is a simple toy that delights the heart of any child. Be it a festival season, or a day in the park or at the beach; we find the eyes of children eagerly scan everywhere for balloons.
Balloons delight the hearts of young and old; both lovers and friends, and those who look for simple entertainment and hope.
A balloon filled with helium or hydrogen rise up when released from our grip. There is something inside the balloon that defies gravity–all negativity that pulls it down. Its aim is high; isn’t it?
Then what a sight it is to see colourful balloons put together. The sheer joy of variety they bring is a sight to see. A room full of such balloons can make our hearts pulsate with joy. Celebrations are often marked by balloons.
Birthdays are occasions colourful balloons are present. Many ceremonies like Olympics and World Cup inaugurations employ them.
Coming back to our streets we cannot forget the balloon vendors in our neighborhoods who make a living selling not balloons but joy to our children. They too have families; and this is their lifeline to support them.
Let me conclude. Life is short and brief. But joy that you find lasts. May colourful balloons bring you happiness.
May memories of childhood and the simple joy of holding balloons–in red, white, blue, orange, yellow and pink; in shapes of hearts, monkeys, apples, and long–tails come back to you.
Not to wound me but that I might not lose my way and perish! In that discipline I find comfort.
I never need to worry about what I need. He supplies it all. He knows what is best for me and he provides. What is not good for me; he denies.
There are no secrets in my life not known to him. There is absolutely nothing in my life that does not matter to him. All that concerns me is his concern too.
It’s a long journey ahead but he has gone before me. And I find everything prepared for me. Even when those who oppose me are watching he satisfies me with what is good with a surplus added.
Oh, how I love his special attention given me even when life is busy and no one else finds time to even ask how I am doing!
The skies become cloudy at times. And the walk takes me through valleys that are dark and frightening. Dangers lurk there at every step. But I have this one assurance, he is with me.
Welcome all to the 74th Independence day. This time we are celebrating in the midst of a global crisis due to Covid-19.
This is a time we cannot come together to celebrate the joy of independence. At the same time we cannot miss to observe this most important day of Indian history.
Therefore we have joined together online to mark the occasion.
Let us remember with gratitude all freedom fighters and all those who sacrificed much to make India free.
Today, we are in the front ranks of the nations of the world and we can be proud about our secularism and democratic principles that has stood the test of time.
Freedom, as our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in his famous First Independence Day Eve speech Tryst with Destiny 1 said, brings responsibility. So dear children, freedom not only brings privileges but also duties. Therefore let us join hands today to preserve our hard-earned freedom.
We should remember and never forget that democracy survives on freedom of speech. Therefore tolerance and respect should be the watchwords that we should keep in mind to maintain unity in diversity in this colourful and pluralistic land of rich traditions and ancient heritage.
On this occasion of Indian Independence Day, let us remember the meaningful words of Rabindranath Tagore which he penned in his great work Gitanjali:
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls; Where words come out from the depth of truth; Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection; Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
Let us therefore pledge to do all in our strength to guard the flame of independence and freedom that our freedom fighters lit for us.
Let us say no to all divisive forces. Let us salute our national tricolour and proudly say Mera Bharat Mahan!
Jesus came as one who taught with authority and as a Friend of sinners! It was a shock for respectable people of the day to see him mingle with the sinful characters and social outcasts of his generation. But in no way did that stain his loveliness.
At his word, demons shuddered and fled. Diseases were gone. Bread and fish were multiplied to feed thousands. The stormy winds and waves of the Sea of Galilee were stilled. The dead were raised to life.
At his touch, people were made whole; healed on the inside, forgiven to the core. What moved him to act for others was his compassion. Those who were shunned and rejected by others found in him a Friend!
One look from him, people wept in brokenness and found love that never accused. For he showed them their worth and the possibility of a new dawn in their darkened lives. He believed, he truly believed, in failures!
In spite of all the good he did, he was crucified—nailed to the cross—like a criminal on top a hill outside the city of Jerusalem.
The cross of Jesus, no doubt, was God’s foolishness! Yet in that seeming failure and weakness was revealed the extraordinary power of God to save the worst of men and women.
For no light ever shone in human darkness like his life that was the light of men.
No hope ever entered human hearts like his triumphant resurrection from the dead.
No new beginning in human hearts and lives was ever made possible like the forgiveness of sins granted in his name.
Yes, the Bible declares, “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”1
Again the Bible says,
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”2
Stefan and Daniela playing with plane and cock hydrogen balloons
I am the simplest of toys. Yet what else can match with the flight of joy, the leap of hearts, the waves of laughter and the bubbling memories I do create in life!
See, my friends, you need not be born in a palace to make it big in life. If you have a will to touch the skies, you can rise above from what pulls you down and fly.
And it is not in the colour or shape that the secret lies, but the faith and confidence you have on the inside. That is what makes you and me fly.
Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength and soar on wings like eagles. This is a great promise that God told his people through Prophet Isaiah (40:31).
It tells you about God who has not forgotten you or your struggles in life. He has immense power and wisdom to show himself strong on your behalf.
He is motivating and encouraging you to rise up from your bed of despair. He is calling you to believe in him who will help you to soar on wings like eagles.
When you feel like quitting or giving up; do listen to this motivational podcast.
It will surely inspire you to trust in God who will help you to fly high just like how eagles do.
“Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” 1
1Isaiah 40:31 Bible NIV 1984.
Featured image courtesy: Photo by Frank Cone on Pexels | Microsoft Designer
To the people taken captives and in exile, to a people who had nothing to look forward to or hope for, God spoke through Prophet Jeremiah asking them not to lose heart but to work with all their hearts in the land of their captivity:
But what means this song to you and me today?
One, it is a message of present opportunity. And it is a clear call to you today as well: Do not look back at lost opportunities and wasted years in life. Instead do what you find to do right now with all your heart and strength. Do it with enthusiasm.
Two, there is promise of God’s helpin the midst of hopelessness. The message is that God has not forgotten you even though he has disciplined you. He is compassionate.
Third, God has plans for your life. Even though circumstances of today seem to restrict you, do whatever your hands find to do to the best of your ability.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”2
Yes, there is a future for you. It doesn’t matter how others have tried to make you feel despair, useless, and as having no worth; God will reverse your fortunes once again.
Therefore do not yield to despair. Instead connect with God. There is no one else who can repair the smudges on the canvas of your life like he can. He listens when your heart sighs in despair and feeling of hopelessness. For,
“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.3“
Now listen to the song once again: It was the voice of despair of a people taken captive in war: “Now how shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” It was the cry of broken hearts!
But that was what the captors demanded. “Sing,” they had said. 2500 years later, the very words of lamentation of a people in exile and captivity expressing their inability to sing have conquered the world as a song of hope.3
Covid 19 has changed the face of the world. Faces have been masked, handshakes are not welcome anymore, social distancing is the norm, classes are online, and work from home (WFH) and video-conferencing is the new culture.
A lot of changes in quick time has happened. And change is never easy.
There are three things you can do to cope with change:
One is acceptance. There is no good in closing your eyes to changed realities. The longer you resist change the harder it becomes for you to adopt and adapt. So show a positive attitude to change.
Second is managing fear. The pandemic has made man realize how fragile life is. Carefully laid plans are disrupted, dreams crash, and hopes dashed in the blink of an eye. Being wise in practical steps and trust in God along with it are the means to handle fear.
First of all, don’t be afraid of change.
It has to be seen in a positive light. Know that every act of change is accompanied by doubts. Some of these doubts, if entertained for a long time, can stop you from acting. Therefore it is important to act and make needed changes before opportunities close their doors on you.
The second step is to know that there is no survival without change.
Though there is nothing new under the sun, change keeps happening. If you resist change, you will soon be outdated. Your competitors will get far ahead when you have not even begun. So be open to change. And be willing to learn and add new skill sets to your profile. Yes, with a learning attitude most of the difficulties accompanying change can be overcome.
Thirdly, be excited about change.
There is nothing like enthusiasm which can change your attitude. Instead of finding excuses for not changing, why not find reasons to be full of joy and anticipation about the change that is coming into your life? After all, expectant mothers look ahead with hope to see the newborn’s face even when they know that their world is going to change dramatically with the arrival of the child!
Finally, many people have found COVID-19 an opportunity to vent their anger against God and to proclaim him dead. I do understand their feelings. There are lot of questions I too do not have an answer to.
But what if the pandemic is a simple reminder from God to man that in spite of man landing on the moon and probing space like never before there are lot of things he is yet to understand!
Even though it sounds very difficult just thank God for all that went wrong this morning if it did for you. Sometimes plans that get upset are Godsend to save you from running into greater difficulties during the day. In our busy world, we often need attention-grabbers; and interruptions early in the day can mean just that.
Know that a bad start does not change the big purpose of your life, whatever that be. Race along in the slow pace that is possible even when you had a bad start. At the end of the day, you’ll be surprised to note that you were able to accomplish far more than you dreamed was possible.
Let me conclude by saying that it doesn’t matter if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. What matters more is with what attitude you are going to face life today. — “For his [God’s] compassions never fail. They are new every morning” — Lamentations 3:22b, 23a Bible.
If you look at circumstances, if you look at the wind and the clouds and the surging waves, you will never move out of the safety of the shore.
What does that mean? It means you lose your opportunity. And opportunities might not knock a second time.
Therefore have an eye that looks out for opportunities. They might not present themselves well-dressed and might even appear in beggar’s clothes. But it is your eye that looks out for the opportunity which sees potential hidden within.
Secondly, ask, seek, knock. Opportunities will never come for those who simply sit, wait, and daydream. They come only to those who actively seek for it. Be bold and persistent. And be gently persuasive. But do not give up.
Above all, never think closed doors as permanent. Trust God. He can open doors where no opportunity seems to exist. He can bring things to life out of what others term as dead situations.
Therefore be wise in the way you use God-given opportunities in life. It can mean the difference between failure and success!
When it happens the first thing to believe is that you can come out of it, God helping you.
Again, do not be surprised that you feel totally confused and unable to do so many things you did with ease in the past. That is how it is during a period of loss of confidence.
What you need to do is to look back, look forward, and look up. What you shouldn’t do is look inward and feel helpless.
Instead, look back to your best past performances and believe that you can do it again. Perhaps much better than how you did it then.
Then you need to look forward and focus on dreaming big for your future. Do not focus on the present misery and limit yourself. The greater your dream the better chance for your quickness of recovery.
And when you dream, always think of helping people to be at their best through your success. It will give a greater purpose to your dreams and enthusiasm in your present efforts.
The next thing to do is to look up. God loves you and is always ready to help you. The only thing you need to know is that his sense of timing is different.
He is patient. He takes time to rebuild your confidence. His goal is formation of your character and making you have inner strength and courage.
Perhaps the hidden blessing in loss of confidence is that you become a person with compassion for others. Instead of being puffed up with pride because of your talent and abilities, you learn to stoop down and give a helping hand to those who struggle with lack of confidence themselves.
So cheer up. Your loss of confidence is not going to last long. With hope in God and trust in his unchanging love for you, move forward to climb greater heights than you have ever achieved so far.
Not one of us chose to be born. But we were born anyway.
Not one of us chose our parents; nor the place of our birth or the circumstances into which we were born.
We can complain about so many things. Or we can be thankful. Or be forgetful or even worse indifferent.
But there are others who take life as it is. They try to make best use of whatever life has thrown them.
So make the best use of time and opportunities you have even when you have not much choice about what comes your way.
Life in its truest sense comes to those who do not hold on to it. They see life as a stewardship God gifted to them. They are aware that someday the Giver will ask how their life was spent.
Some others amass wealth and possessions. But “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”1
There are a rare few who have said like what Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” The truth I believe is to keep a loose hold on life. What you hold too tight might slip away.
The famous lines from the song The Gambler2 come to mind:
You’ve got to know when to hold ’em
Know when to fold ’em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you’re sittin’ at the table
There’ll be time enough for countin’
When the dealin’s done
Every gambler knows
That the secret to survivin’
Is knowin’ what to throw away
And knowin’ what to keep
2 Minute Speech on the Meaning of. Life
Is this not what Jesus meant when he said: “The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”3?
He perhaps more than anyone else is the greatest Gambler the world has seen. When he died after having shed his blood on the cross and said “It is finished”4 he might have looked like a dismal failure. But was it?
Finally, treasures and riches mean what it means. We all love to store up money. Nothing wrong with it when it is made through genuine hard work.
Yet Jesus asked us to store up our riches in heaven where moth doesn’t eat and rust doesn’t corrupt. It points out the uncertainty of riches in this world. And the permanence of what is sacrifially given away out of compassion and love for others.
Let me conclude. When God is promising you such great treasures of darkness and riches stored in secret places, will you settle for less?
The world has seen a very small microbe Covid 19 become a giant global showstopper. Life itself is a big question mark to millions. Economy has slowed down. Man’s busyness has taken a back seat. Death has wrecked havoc in countless homes. We are disrupted in every way.
Now there is every reason to fear. At the same time I would like to encourage you to keep up hope. And not to lose courage. These are times when we need to cling to God and seek his help and ask for his mercy to be shown.
This is a time to hope and to value our loved ones; to keep them close to our hearts and be thankful for the loving relationships that make our life on earth meaningful.
This is a time to hope and to review all our activities and let go those that are simply stealing away our time. Instead focus on those few that will make a meaningful contribution to others.
This is a time to hope and to prepare for the unseen future. It is going to be tough. Jobs might be lost overnight. Prices of essential commodities might soar. Travel might continue to be restricted. Save by minimizing expenses.
This is also a time to hope and not to get lost in the tsunami of social media posts. The time people lose in scrolling from post to post is enormous. True, there is much that is useful and entertaining. But it can make you lose perspective and make you lose initiative.
Let me conclude by asking all of you to be thankful to all in government authority, medical personnel and law-enforcing people who are selflessly working day and night to fight the Covid threat. Let me remind you once again that when fear of what the future is going to be hits you, this is a time to hold on to God in hope.
The second skill needed is abundant enthusiasm. It is that quality that keeps up a joyful energetic go-getting attitude even when progress is extremely slow.
The third skill you need is the readiness to do the same boring things again and again. One step at a time, one step at a time, one step at a time it goes on.
Finally, what you need is the hope that you’ll touch the finishing tape however slow life seems to move on. There is no substitute for this.
Above and beyond all this, trust that God does not despise a slow mover. The God who created the eagle also created the snail. And if the snail made it to Noah’s ark it crawled all the way. Wow; isn’t it?
Do not give up. Problems in life will keep coming just like waves keep hitting the shore. Do not fear when you see them. Instead of running away you have to look for ways to ride on the waves.
Do not give up. Life is precious. You are given only one. So make the best use of it. Focus on what you can do today. God has given every man and woman promise of strength for each day’s troubles.
Do not give up.
Some people whom you trusted might have let you down. It is now your feel that no one can be trusted. But there are others who will come to help you and stand with you. Have hope.
Do not give up.
You might have lost many opportunities in life. You might have wasted many years. My friend do not brood over a dead past. God can always give you a new beginning. He will take care of all that was lost.
Do not give up.
Good things to happen in life takes time. Be patient. When difficulties come in life and no progress is made in what you planned to do, be patient. Use this time to slow down, make plans, and dream big. Do not allow people’s opinions to frustrate you.
Do not give up. You may not have much money. You may be lacking much needed resources. These are limitations. But they need not stop you from thinking creatively. Adapt to limited resources. Think big. Cut your expenses wherever possible. Put off certain purchases. You can make it through a rainy day. The sun will shine again.
Do not give up.
If you believe that God is watching over you, do not become anxious. I know it is easy to say, “Do not worry.” But it is difficult to practice. When loss and hurts and distress come it is quite natural to ask God, “Why?” You might not get all the answers. When you feel like giving up then, just ask God to hold you tight. Don’t You Quit
I am sorry.
It takes courage to say those words. For you are taking responsibility for what went wrong.
I am sorry. It shows your humility. For those who are proud well never admit that they are wrong.
I am sorry.
It shows your sincere willingness to change. For there is no point in repeating mistakes again and again.
I am sorry.
It shows that you are a human being and not an automated robot. For we tend to err in spite of all our good intentions and best efforts.
I am sorry. Life is about relationships. Like oil that lubricates hinges which moves huge doors are these words. Saying I am sorry can heal hurts, forgive wrongs, and restore friendships.
So let go of your pride. Take that first step. Instead of arguing that you are right just tell the other person “I am sorry.”
What a joy it is when you are brought back to God and people are brought near to each other with those simple words!
So many people suffer from guilt. It need not be a great crime like murder that troubles, but it can be the little wrongs they have done.
Their past haunts them.
They suffer silently as their minds torture them.
They feel someone accusing them all the time.
Unable to open up to anyone they carry untold secrets till they die.
He knows that not one of us can find the solution for what troubles our innermost hearts and minds.
He simply says, “Look to me.” On the cross the innocent Lamb of God bled and died for the forgiveness of your sins. The blood of Jesus has the power to cleanse and purify from all sin. One look of believing faith is all that is needed.
It is time to say goodbye. I have said it many times before. Yet it has never grown easy.
I now stand alone on the deck of my ship awaiting a new set of passengers.
I will wake up tomorrow with a heavy heart. I will miss you all.
Do not think that the sessions have come to an end. This is not an end but a beginning. What the caterpillar calls an end, the butterfly calls a beginning!
As a Trainer I cannot walk with you all the way. Like Rev. Martin Luther King said the night before he was assasinated, I may not cross with you over to the Promised Land. There is a place where I have to stop and you have to go on.
All of you have shown immense talent. At some point along our journey each one of you discovered who you truly are. You realized your true potential for the first time in your life.
Now it is time to use every opportunity that comes your way. You will certainly make mistakes. You will face criticism.
But remember three things.
One, aim for excellence.
Two, keep on doing what you are good at. Perseverance is the word for it but for ease of remembering let me say endurance.
Three, enjoy speaking.
These are the Three E’s I would like to leave you with:
Excellence!
Endurance!
Enjoyment!
I would like to thank each one of you for being part of this Batch. Each one of you contributed to the success of this class in your own unique way.
Thank you for the love, fun and friendship. I hope it will last for a long time to come. And thank you for the thoughtful gifts you gifted me with. It makes this parting even more difficult.
It is now time to say goodbye. I don’t promise that everyday I will be thinking of all of you. That is not possible. But at the back of my mind somewhere you will be there.
Let me end by asking why we go and watch sunsets even though they bring in darkness? It is because we are sure that the sun will rise again.
Some of you have already seen sunsets in life. This is my heartfelt prayer and wish for you: that each one of you will have a brilliant Sunrise in your life with better hopes, better dreams and better tomorrows. Thank you
Even now it is not too late. Is there someone to whom you can say thank you? Pick up your phone and make a call. Or if that doesn’t work for you, write a thank you note on a card or send a mail.
Flowers are lovely. They make the earth beautiful.
Flowers represent life. They show us the promise of life when it buds. They charm us with their youthful loveliness in bloom. When they fade and fall, their glory lies trampled on the ground. It reminds of life that dust is and to dust returns.
Flowers make its appearance in all our occasions in life—be it weddings or funerals, welcome or farewell. The red rose which has become inseparably wedded to love , the white jasmine that has become a garland of purity, and the orchids that stay long with elegance are all very much part of our lives,
Flowers proclaim the wisdom of our Creator. With how infinite variety has he made them all. How much joy flowers create, how varied their colours and how majestic when they bloom in endless rows in wide fields and plains. From the tiny flowers that dot the green pastures to the flowers of aquatic plants, flowers surprise us with joy.
2 Minute Speech on the Meaning of. Life
Flowers beautify our gardens. Flowers in gardens make us nostalgic. They refresh our minds with times we spend together with our loved ones and friends. In this busy world where we are confined to concrete jungles, how relaxing is a walk in a garden full of blooming trees and plants sporting beautiful, lovely flowers!
Flowers create special memories. Who can forget the story of the beautiful blind young girl selling flowers at the beginning of the classic movie by Charlie Chaplin, City Lights. The brilliant end of that movie when the girl who can now see offers Charlie Chaplin the tramp a flower and the moment of recognition when their hands touch is simply unforgettable.
Let me end by saying that when I think of flowers, along with Wordsworth, my heart with pleasure fills and dances with the daffodils!
Talent alone will not take you places. As Stephen King has said: “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”
Now what should you do with your talent?
First of all be thankful to God that you have been uniquely gifted. On the other hand if you become proud, someday there will be a fall. And like Humpty Dumpty after his fall, no one might be able to put you back together again.
Secondly, do something to improve your talent everyday–be it singing, drawing, speaking, writing or anything else. Doing something each day will take you nearer your goal.
Fourthly, discipline yourself. You need to take care of your health, your habits, your relationships, and how you spend your time. As H. Jackson Brown, Jr. has said, “Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There’s plenty of movement, but you never know if it’s going to be forward, backwards, or sideways.”
Fifthly, when you are focused on bringing others happiness through your talent your light shines out. Someday, God will demand an accounting of how you used your talent. Then you shall earn your reward for best utilization of your time, talent, and treasure.
Sixthly, some people never take an effort to use their talent. It is like digging a hole in the ground and burying it. Be sure that it will rust to its death and ruin there. What is the use of it, then?
Finally, talent without perseverance cannot succeed.There will come obstacles, rejection, criticism, and setbacks. There will come times when you will pass through loss of confidence and self-doubts. These are common to those who are uniquely gifted and talented. But it is your ability to hold on and move in spite of all these that will help you finish strong.
Let me conclude reminding you once again that talent is God’s gift to you. Don’t let it remain unopened, unused, and neglected. Instead, fan into flame1 or kindle afresh the gift of God that is in you.
Stories have got great power in communication. Primarily we need to understand that a well-told story is a complete piece of communication.
It has a definite beginning. Are we not familiar with the well-loved phrase, “Once upon a time”?
And stories do have a definite end. Again, we remember how we loved those fairy tales which ended, “And they lived happily ever after.”
There is action in a story. It gives our imagination a good exercise. Most stories arouse our curiosity. Thus we become active participants in the action when we listen to a story.
This power to engage the listener is so vital to communication. That is why a story succeeds in capturing attention where other speech techniques probably fail.
It is also important to understand that great stories do revolve around themes that lie close to life: Fight between good and evil, competing for love, honour, loyalty and sacrifice, war and hate, heroes and villains, journeys and dead-ends, explorations and conquest, myths and legends, light and darkness, death and beyond, pain and suffering, joy and fear, success and failure, birth and new beginnings. This list is by no means exhaustive.
Yet anything from personal life that touches one of these chords will not fail to captivate the audience if told well. And nothing surpasses the power of a story that ends with hope!
Jesus walks into your life even when others have rejected you. He understands you perfectly because he himself had faced rejection by his own. He can give strength to you to face the negatives that people throw at you. He can be your joy, courage, and peace when your emotions are rocked by the railings of men and women. Even when others walk out on you, he will stay with you.
He will never leave you nor forsake you. His love for you is everlasting. Even when others label you a failure and as good for nothing; God sees infinite value and worth in you. The blood of Jesus shed on the cross is the greatest and ultimate proof of his love for you.
When your life is clouded with despair, just call out to him. The Name of Jesus is powerful. He will listen to you cry and answer you. Do not be disappointed with delays. He will come to save you and help you at the right time. Do not give up because people reject you. For you are his beloved child; loved and accepted just as you are. Not for a moment are you forgotten. So cheer up even when people reject. For what does it matter when God has accepted you!
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
—
“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised,
and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.”
Listening is one key to success in life that is neglected often.
When you listen you gather vital information that can come to be useful in making correct decisions.
When you listen you make the other person feel valued. That itself is a key element in building lasting relationships.
When you listen you are showing humility and a willingness to learn. It is quite the opposite of “I know it all” attitude.
When you listen you can avoid the trap of speaking hastily. For when you speak without thinking you say foolish things, and sometimes you speak angrily too.
When you listen you show great understanding. It shows your ability to see all sides of the issue as it helps you to analyse the situation, weigh the pros and cons and come to an effective conclusion.
When you listen you train yourself in the art of reading between the lines. Often what is left unsaid is more important than what people really said.
When you listen you are doing others a great favour. You are sharing with others your precious time. For many in today’s madly busy world are finding it nearly impossible to get a listening ear even within one’s home and with loved ones too.
Let me conclude by saying that listening is one of the great arts of communication, leadership, and human resources management.
Sleep is one of God’s best gifts to us. It is sleep that gives us needed rest. It is the time our body finds time to repair itself.
Sleep refreshes, relaxes and revives us. It is not the length of sleep that alone matters but the quality of sleep as well. Getting up in the morning feeling refreshed and excited about the coming day is a sign of good sleep.
Keeping yourself active during the day, engaging in physical activity, and finishing all your assigned work or study for the day is a good way to get a good night’s sleep.
With the arrival of mobile phones, tablets and computers; children have developed a habit of browsing the internet, chatting on social media and gaming long into the night. If you discipline yourselves at a young age to sleep at a regular time early then you can succeed in life.
In fact, there is great wisdom in the saying, “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man, healthy, wealthy and wise.” Perhaps eating less sugar and junk foods can also help you sleep better.
Such good habits can give you a healthy heart, good memory, and a fit body. I believe it is not the quality of the bed you sleep on; but a relaxed mind without worry that enables you to sleep best.
Some hurts in life keep hurting for long.
Some hurts can never be shared. You bear it all alone.
Some hurts come because of our own fully.
A few others because some others did something bad to you over which you had no control.
It is difficult to forgive or forget.
It is still difficult to erase memories.
It is most difficult to get over the feel that I am not good enough.
We all need help. Sometimes we have friends to stand along with us. But they cannot fight the waves of negativity that dump trash and garbage of the past into our minds repeatedly.
Rejection, abuse faced as a child, being made fun of by others, financial difficulties, unfair comparisons, negative labelling, failure in exams, and plenty of other reasons contribute to inferiority complex.
Now let me try to specify a few attitudes that can help:
The first one is that your life is precious. It has a purpose. If you believe that you can make a difference, you still can.
Secondly, do not try to get rid of inferiority complex. I doubt whether you can fully get rid of it. But instead of thinking of it as an enemy let us try to utilise it creatively. It can give you a killer instinct to win in life.
Thirdly, forget the past. It does not help you in any way to recap all the bad episodes time and again. Instead look forward with hope.
Finally, seek God’s help. You might be having anger against God for allowing all those negatives in your life. Agreed, you have every right to feel so.
But he is still standing there to help. Therefore ask for help. He will use all that darkness in your life to build character in you.
Beyond all this, if you allow it, God can bless others through the brokenness in your life. It might take a long time, but he will also make the burden of your memories light!
In conclusion, let me tell you that inferiority complex is not a problem that is solved in a moment’s time. Sometimes it can be a lifelong battle. Those who are suffering from inferiority complex need not lose heart if the struggle seems too long drawn out. There is yet hope. Do not despise yourself. But be thankful that you can still make a positive and creative difference in the lives of others in spite of struggling with feelings of inferiority!
Most of us worry constantly. We worry about our health, our finances, our marriage, our careers, our children, exams and interviews, and our future. Many, if not all, worry about their appearance as well.
Why are we constantly worrying? Even though we know that worry accomplishes nothing positive, for some strange reason people do not stop worrying. Neither you nor me! Why is this so?
Fear and insecurity might top the list of worry-causing factors. We fear almost everything. Starting from fear of the dark and strangers, it can move to fear of failure and rejection and many more of the like.
It is easy to say, “Get rid of worry.” Practically it is difficult to achieve. But it is important that we try.
Most of us worry about tomorrow.It is such a killer disease. That is why Jesus asked us to learn a lesson from the birds of the air. He said that they don’t sow or reap or collect food in barns. Yet their heavenly Father takes care of them.
Yes, through this example, he was trying to get our attention to the fact that it is a complex daily process, worldwide in scope, that God is seeing to everyday without fail.
But that is not all. He asked a question, “Are you not much more valuable than they?” This is another way of asking, “Don’t you know that you are my child and you belong to me because you put your trust in me? Will I fail to meet your life’s daily needs when I’ve taken care of your eternity?”
He also asked us to look at the grass of the field and consider how God has clothed them. The point he wanted to make was that your heavenly Father knows your needs even before you ask him. In another context he said that even a sparrow sold for a small amount does not fall to the ground without your heavenly Father knowing it. Even the very hairs of your head are numbered. Therefore do not be afraid.
The point is that God who does not forget the sparrow will not forget you or any of your needs. Let me conclude by saying that the one way to get out of the habit of worrying is to trust in your heavenly Father’s care. He knows you by name. He knows your inner struggles, conflicts and despair.
What if you knew that he is not pointing an accusing or condemning finger at you! His arms are opened wide. If only you would come to him! It takes time, a lot of time, even a lifetime to learn to trust God’s leading in one’s life. But God is patient. He waits for you to learn to trust him. He wants you to be glad and without worry!
That in no way means life is going to be easy. That in no way means there won’t be sickness, hurt in relationships, or financial difficulties. That in no way means you won’t face any difficulties in your career. But what it means is that your Heavenly Father knows what your are going through; his watchful eyes are on you; and he will provide what you need at the right time of his choosing.
Short Speeches of Introduction, Welcome, Felicitation, Vote of Thanks!
This post is based on Matthew 6:25–34, Luke 12:6, 7. Bible
“God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him”
— 1 Peter 5:7 (Bible, Contemporary English Version)
“And when I was burdened with worries, you comforted me and made me feel secure”
— Psalm 94:19 (Bible, Contemporary English Version)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:6, 7.
“Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” — Corrie Ten Boom
