Equipping young women professionals with young families to find fulfillment, contentment and joy as mothers and home makers without losing sight of who they are as women.

Volume 09, Issue 47: Keep It Out

The situation is not the problem in the boat, because the boat is designed to float as long as the situation on the outside doesn't get on the inside. Boats only sink when the situation on the outside gets on the inside.

You can walk through hell's kitchen and not be bothered at all. But the moment it starts to get in you, you start to drown. But you are drowning only because the life around you has gotten in you. It's in your conversation, in your speech, in your thought life and in your attitude. And that's the first sign of going down.

When you allow the things on the outside to get on the inside, you begin to go down. People who ride on top of the storm do it because they can float through it without allowing it to get in them. You can go through a mighty storm and prosper by not allowing the news on the outside to affect your thought life on the inside. When the things on the outside begin to get inside of you, you begin to go down. You need to figure out how to go through it without it going through you - TD Jakes.

Now, that got me roaring the very first time I listened to it in midst of my workplace chaos. I am in the habit of looking for messages that speak to my situation whenever I am troubled. During my chaos at work, I sought motivation to keep the fighter in me going. Although the kind of battle I was facing was new to me, I knew I had to beat it hands down. I listened to several messages that uplifted me, but this one took me to another level. I understood that I may be powerless over what was happening on the outside, but that whether I let it get inside of me was squarely within my power.

So I started smiling, knowing the chaos don't have to steal the peace and joy I have inside, a peace that surpasses understanding, and a joy that rejoices through the storm. I remembered that my weapons are way more powerful and effective than theirs. I put on my armor and went to war, fighting in the spirit realm to disarm their arsenal, to render it powerless over my territory.

The chaos may not be over but I am unperturbed, because He Who is in me is greater than all opposition combined. I refuse to let it get in me. I will fight to ride through this storm without allowing it to get in me. I was designed to soar, and soar I will, whether here or some other place. With God's help, I will go through it without it going through me. I will pass the test.

Whatever your storm is this season, whatever chaos is erupting around you, keep it out. Don't let it get on the inside of you. Keep it out by not dwelling on it in your thoughts and speech and attitude. Don't talk about it except in prayer, don't think about it, and don't allow it to change your demeanor. Refuse to let it rearrange the atmosphere on the inside of you. Keep it out, and before you know it, you will be on the other side of the storm, victorious!

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 09, Issue 46: Unperturbed

I concluded the "Trust the Process" article by urging us to not let the opposition distract us from our agenda. I wanted to follow up that article with something I was gleaning from the story of Daniel at the time, but I have been so busy to write until now.

I have always enjoyed the story of Daniel, but it has never come to life for me like it did the last few weeks during my people struggles at work. I believe that God sometimes allows people to come into our spaces who are downright hostile, hellbent on uprooting us. This is not new to our time, there are examples in the Word of God to encourage us when chaos rock our boats.

Daniel faced severe hardships on the job. He had a boss who was a violent narcissist and his coworkers were actively trying to undermine him and get rid of him. But Daniel did not retaliate or stoop to the political machinations of his coworkers. Instead, Daniel went about his job like normal. He went on just as he had always done before, did his job and went into his room and prayed - giving thanks to God and asking for God's help - Tim Keller, from his Theology of Work Project.

Inspite of his opposition, Daniel served his boss faithfully. He did not let the chaos around him get to him or distract him from his assignments, he went on as though no one was going against him. It may be chaotic around you right now, but as long as you still have a job to do, don't waste time trying to figure out your opposition or murmuring or retaliating. Rather, fight back by tuning them out and doing your job the best way you know how.

As long as we live on this side of eternity, there will always be trials. But God has promised to deliver us from all of them. Daniel's prayers didn't keep him from having to go through trials. He still got thrown into the Lion's den. But God used Daniel's ordeal for good. Thanks to Daniel's faithfulness in the face of opposition, the pagan king ended up praising Daniel's God. And in the end, Daniel prospered in Persia, despite the people problems that plagued his work environment - Tim Keller.

Just like Daniel, we can be unperturbed in the face of workplace strife. We can actually thrive in it. Daniel did his job: showing up, praying, thanking God, and asking for God's help. God did the rest of the work, taking care of Daniel and prospering him in his workplace. So don't let your opposition distract you from your agenda. Resist the urge to retaliate or to stoop to their level. Instead, keep doing your job the best you can and maintain a thankful attitude.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 09, Issue 45: Trust the Process

The last few weeks I got into situations at work where I felt like throwing in the towel. I kept praying under my breadth, "God, get me out of here". Then God spoke to me through a YouVersion Bible plan by Sheila Walsh from her "It's Okay Not To Be Okay" book. I was reminded of one of the lessons in Joseph's story - doing the work at hand admits unpleasant circumstances.

The story of Joseph has a profound lesson for us when we go through occupational difficulties. Joseph went from being the favoured son, to an Egyptian slave, then a prisoner for a crime he didn't commit. It's easy to lose heart in such situations but Joseph remained steadfast and devoted himself to the work at hand.

A slave in Potiphar's house, Joseph worked so diligently that his boss put him in charge of all the affairs of his household. This was his first occupation right after being forcefully removed from the comfort of his home. He had every reason to have a bad attitude, but he instead gave his all to the tasks he was assigned. He later had to go to prison for a crime he didn't commit. Even there, he serves the prison wardens so wholeheartedly that they entrust him with the responsibility of running the jail.

Some of the struggles we face are from our mistakes, others come from other people's malice and spite. If we remain true to our Master, fixing our mistakes and remaining steadfast in the midst of opposition, God sees to it that we are vindicated at the right time. It may be a long hard journey, but if we trust the process, He walks with us, makes it easier for us to bear, and leads us to victory.

By the end of the second week of that mess, I was in a different place mentally. I was settled in the knowledge that I have a job to do for my King of Kings. I therefore need to stay put, give it all I have to give, leaving nothing on the table until the One I ultimately work for reassigns me. You cannot let the opposition distract you from your agenda. Tackle each tussle with ease and joy, and when it's all said and done, you will emerge victorious. Not because you are better than others, but because of Whose you are.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 09, Issue 44: Why You Should Exercise Regularly

We all know that exercise is important to maintain a healthy weight. But what about the other benefits of exercise? Many people don't have issues with their weight and therefore see no reason to exercise. Let's consider health benefits of exercise that go beyond your weight and that go beyond the way you look. We need to find motivation to make exercise a priority because it's all about taking care of ourselves and investing in our long term health. Your exercise today is going to pay off in the future when you are older. The benefits of exercise are obvious, but I was interested in sharing the science backed reasons for exercise provided by Ria of The Whole Happy Life channel. Let's get started. I have laid it out exactly the way Ria presented it in her video.

1. Healthier skin

Regular exercise can make such a big difference to your skin. Why exactly is it that exercise helps with skin health? One is better circulation. When you work out, you get better circulation and better blood flow, and as result of that, your skin is healthier because it's getting more of the nutrients from your blood. Two, is reduced oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is the type of stress that your body experiences, and it can cause skin wrinkling and aging. Regular moderate exercise can reduce this type of stress on your body and it can help your body boost its natural antioxidants. As a result of that, your skin looks younger for longer.

2. Improved memory and brain health

When you exercise, your heart rate increases, and as result of that, there is better blood flow to the brain. This then means that there's more oxygen to the brain which definitely has an impact on brain health. When it comes to memory, exercise also makes a difference. There's a part of the brain known as the hippocampus. This part of the brain is associated with memory and learning. Exercise happens to increase the size of this part of the brain, so definitely it is something that is worthwhile, something that you should be doing.

3. Increased energy levels

You will note that when you are working out more regularly, you have a lot more energy and you can get a lot more done in your day than when you are not working out. Several studies have shown that exercise can help with fatigue and energy levels. Exercise can help reduce fatigue, but there is a fine line between exercising enough and over exercising. If you are venturing into overexercise, it can cause a lot of tiredness and a lot of fatigue. So you need to recognize when you are overexercising.

4. Lowered stress levels

Stress is an inevitable part of life, you can't escape it, but you can manage it. Exercise is one way to help manage your stress. Exercise basically helps your body deal with stresses a lot better. It makes your body stronger, not immune but generally better at dealing with stress. Bear in mind that when you are exercising, you need to exercise within your limit, and not overexercise, as overexercise can increase oxidative stress. The right amount of exercise teaches your body how to deal with stress.

5. Increased happiness and better mood

Exercise increases our production of endorphins, which are chemicals that your body produces that can help you feel good and reduce the perception of pain. If you want to increase endorphins in your body, a good way to do it is through exercise. Exercises also helps with better mood, eases anxiety and depression.

6. Better sleep

Exercise can help with improving the quality of your sleep. Work out more often if you want to sleep better. There are studies that show that there's a link between sleep quality and exercise.

7. Better bone health

You might be thinking you don't need to worry about bone health because you are young. Here's the thing about bone health - when you reach the age of 35, you start to lose a lot more of bone mass than you rebuild. So your bone health is in decline after 35. So you really should consider starting to take care of your bones early on. Even if you are older, it's never too late to start taking care of your bones. One way to do this is through weight-bearing exercises. So find something that you enjoy that can actually help with your bone health.

8. Lowered risk of heart disease

Heart disease is a leading cause of death in both men and women across the globe. There's one thing that you can do to reduce your risk, and that is moderate exercise on a regular basis. Studies have shown that people who have higher levels of physical activity have a 20% lowered risk of coronary heart disease.

9. Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes

You can reduce your risk of diabetes with exercise. It's obviously not the only thing but it's definitely an important thing. A 2016 study found that 150 minutes of moderate physical exercise reduced the risk of diabetes by 26%. That's actually a substantial decrease in the risk just from 5 days a week of working out for 30 minutes per day. It's something that is definitely doable, and if you can work out even more, you can get some more health benefits, depending on how you do your exercises.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi

Volume 09, Issue 43: With Ease and Joy

If we are honest, life is a series of burdens. Each of us has different kinds. My pressing burdens have been my work responsibilities and I am the first to admit that it can get pretty overwhelming at times. I went through a particular YouVersion Bible plan last week on the Ruthless Elimination of Hurry provided by John Mark Comer that helped me push a reset button to surrender.

When the burdens weigh us down, we feel like throwing in the towel, giving it all up for an easier life. I was encouraged listening to one of the live speakers at the Global Leadership summit that I attended the other week. She is a young senior executive high up the ladder in the corporate industry who admitted what I haven't had anyone else in a senior position admit. That it's hard having big responsibilities, and that sometimes she just feels like leaving it all behind to go relax in her farm in the countryside. I completely relate. Often times I toy with the idea of replacing my job with something easier in my estimation like baking.

The burdens of our work responsibilities can be daunting, but there's a secret to copying that we need to be reminded of time and time again. The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry study showed me what I already knew to be true but wasn't applying in my current situation. I desperately needed the reminder.

In the Ruthless Elimination of Hurry plan, John wrote that Jesus appealed to all the tired, weary and burned out and simply said, "Come, find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Jesus' open invite is to a life of rest and yet His imagery of an "easy yoke" is a bit odd. Far removed from an agrarian economy, we forget that a yoke is a tool for work; it was used to harness oxen together to plow a field. That sounds like the last thing a burned-out worker needs. The tired among us don't want a yoke, we want a vacation!

John continues, but Jesus is wise beyond comprehension. He gets it better than we often do, that life is an unending series of burdens. There’s no way around the weight of responsibility that is life this side of resurrection. What we need isn’t an escape from that weight, but a way to carry it with ease and joy. That’s what Jesus offers – a way to carry the weight of life with a straight back and smile on your face.

John reminds us that in the way of Jesus, Sabbath is a 24-hour practice of restful worship by which we cultivate a spirit of restfulness all week long. As we near the weekend, and look forward to a day of rest and worship, we need to remember that there are Sabbath moments all through each day - little opportunities to slow down and rest under Jesus' easy yoke.

There's no escape from the responsibilities of life. We can't throw in the towel and disappoint all those who look up to us as their role models. But we can carry the weight of our responsibilities with ease and joy by surrendering it to Jesus and asking for His help. We can move toward seeing the Sabbath as both a daily practice and a way of life.

For His Glory,

Lillian Chebosi