Welcome to the February 27th edition of Faith & Life Lessons.
You will see this email full of tidbits from my week. My goal is simple. I hope that from how I live my life, you can find a thing or two that helps you as you try to live a life that matters. I am always trying to do one thing - make Christ-focused decisions in love, work, and life. And this was my week.
The Story of My Week
During the Sunday service, my mind went on a quick trip down memory lane.
I realized I was just recently recovering some of the courage that I carried in the early days of my faith walk.
It has very little to do with growing older.
It had more to do with forgetting "who's" I am.
A couple of simple events sprung to mind.
I remember when I went to Matthew Ashimolowo’s bookshop to buy a copy of “Passion for Jesus” by Mike Bickle. They told me that Pastor Tunde Joda had bought every copy but he was in the office discussing.
I told the staff that I would wait for him to come out but I was going to get a copy.
The staff then says “oh, the books have not been invoiced. You can take one”
I remember when I walked into Pastor Poju Oyemade's church to ask if our fellowship could use his church for fellowship event.
It was less than 72 hours before the event. I was president and decided to move from our original venue because another fellowship decided to have their event close to the original venue on campus.
We could still use the venue but I had committed to never having a fellowship meeting or event if another fellowship was meeting at the same time.
The sound from both fellowships would be getting into each.
Our sound would probably win since we had the largest fellowship on campus at that time.
I had just found out about the other fellowship's clashing event.
So, I set out to find a space outside school.
I had never met pastor Poju before that day - I didn't even know how he looked.
His church was simply close to my campus and large enough to take us so it ticked all the right boxes.
Only problem. He wasn't seeing me.
His assistant came out to tell me that.
I told her that I needed to see him. I explained the whole situation.
She went in to tell him and reported that he was not granting us of the church.
I told her I'd like to see him.
She went in.
At that point, he looked out through his office and said "go back to campus"
I can't remember what I said but it was clear I was not moving.
He called out "you are narrating a desperate situation but you don't seem desperate. You are using faith."
I told him "God is seated on the throne and it's His work. If it is not getting Him worked up enough to stand up, I rest in the fact that He continues to sit."
At this point, he said, "you can come and use the church."
The courage of my early faith experience causes me to face every situation without any fear.
Because of who I belong to.
I am God’s.
I ask for Him to renew my courage and lead me out in His victory parade.
Things I Learnt
1-A Long Time Waiting for you: A mentor of mine had his book launch on Saturday. This is his first book release.
After the book launch, I had a conversation with him.
One of the biggest pieces of feedback he got was people telling him "we have been waiting for this."
He is writing in a market that already has so many voices.
But he brings a voice that some people need to hear.
The feedback motivates me more to go out and live out my difference.
There is an audience that God has out there for the message I carry.
By the way, the feedback for him was not just in words.
The book launch covered the full cost of publishing the book.
Not just words. Also with actions.
2-Thinking for the Times: I'm in a one-year training and mentoring with Pedro Adao. During this weekly zoom call, he talked about something that happened when he was invited to an event in the preceding week.
At the event, he met up with a couple who had been doing stuff that they needed to take to the next level.
They were Christians with a great focus to create change using what they had.
Pedro recommended that they should try to come for the 100x Conference in March.
He believed that in addition to the whole experience of the conference, they would get to meet like-minded people.
They came back to see him later in the evening.
They said they didn't have the resources to pay for the cost of getting to the conference (flights, hotel, childcare, etc).
But they had a proposal for him.
The wife is an event planner and asked if she could plan an event for Pedro in exchange for him sponsoring/flying them to the event.
To which Pedro responded "No"
Then he proceeded to give some free coaching.
He does events regularly, so he already has an event planner.
He appreciated that they put some thinking into how they could afford the conference.
But according to him, they had too much of a ministry thinking driving them.
By asking him to sponsor them, even in exchange for future services, they were seeing things in one way - a donation/sponsor mindset.
He told them "a better thing would have been to ask me if I could give you ideas on how you can create the $2,000 - $3,000 that you need."
They were very open to that thinking.
The husband had told him that he had written 8 books. He had done everything - writing, editing, cover design, Amazon publishing, and all technical stuff.
This was a skill set that he was not making an offer with.
Pedro advised him "there will be at least 2 people within your circle that would want to publish a book this year. Do a Facebook advert asking to help 2 people publish their books in 6 weeks and charge $5,000 for each one."
The guy was shocked at the possibility of charging $5,000. Pedro responded "it costs a minimum of $10,000 - $15,000 to do this, $5,000 is a bargain. You are moving it from idea to book in their hands."
It was clearly a case of not valuing what is in your hand.
This is the new thinking for the times.
Not expecting an exchange.
Giving value from what is in your hands.
Postscript
May your eyes be opened to the value of what you carry in your hands. May you always remember that using what is in your hands is how you will prosper. Amen
Tata,
Tola - The Everyday Disciple
I help Christians like you who want to live intentional lives incorporate their faith into everyday life so they can make Christ focused decisions in all areas of life and truly live to make an impact and make God happy.
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