#c12• WHY ALTAR SERVERS DESERVE MORE THAN JUST A NOD AFTER MASS:

Let’s address one of the most overlooked ministries in the Church: the Altar Servers.

Before I became a priest, I didn’t give much thought to altar servers. In fact, I saw them as just children in oversized cassocks, trailing incense and getting in the way. One is late, one is still tying his cincture during the Kyrie, another forgets to bring the missal to the altar, and one brave soul always drops the bell mid-consecration like it’s part of the liturgy.

But then ordination happened—and like Saul on the road to Damascus, my eyes were opened.

My dear people of God, our altar servers are the silent strength behind every Mass.

After celebrating Mass abroad, where the priest does everything from the crucifix to the chalice without assistance, I began to miss our lively, sometimes chaotic but genuinely dedicated Nigerian altar servers.

Now back home, I’ve seen another side of the story. These young boys and girls come early to church, rehearse tirelessly, and stand throughout Mass—rain or shine, hunger or heat—just to make sure the sanctuary runs smoothly.

And still, at the end of Mass, we hear:
“Thank you to the chairman of the harvest, the MC, our distinguished guests…”
And the altar servers? Not even a “God bless you.”

Let me say this clearly: DEAR ALTAR SERVERS, WE SEE YOU. WE HONOUR YOU. AND WE THANK YOU.

Some of you trek long distances to make it to morning Mass before 6:00 AM. Some wear torn cassocks and serve with dignity. Some go home hungry after multiple liturgies. Yet, you continue to serve—no complaints, no payment, just love for God.

If you’ve ever admired how orderly the Mass flows, thank an altar server.
If you’ve ever seen the priest lift the chalice with reverence, thank the one who passed it at the right time.
If you’ve ever been moved by the incense rising during solemn liturgy, thank the server whose arm is tired but still swinging with grace.

To all parishioners reading this: Stop treating altar servers like “background children.” They are liturgical ministers —the youth backbone of the Church. Let’s train them , clothe them properly, and respect their service.

Buy them new cassocks. Let them look like the soldiers of Christ they are—not extras from a church drama. Buy proper liturgical materials. Sponsor their formation. Teach them reverence, and they’ll teach the Church discipline.

To priests:
Say “thank you” after Mass. Even if they forgot to ring the bell or fumbled the incense. At least they showed up— SOME ADULTS DON’T.

And to every altar server reading this: May God bless your hands, your feet, your service, and your silent sacrifices. May He reward your hidden devotion, and may your life continue to reflect the dignity of the sanctuary.

The Mass is beautiful— but without altar servers, it would be a lot more difficult to celebrate.

Tag your parish servers and say:
WE APPRECIATE YOU!

Author:
Rev. Fr. Michael Obioma Eze,
(Archdiocese of Onitsha)
The sanctuary is not for perfect boys, but for available hearts."

#sirpopty

DECODING CONTENT: STRATEGIES FOR ENGAGED THINKING

Thinking is the key to all content. Whatever topics or disciplines you are studying must be understood by thinking. Content is organized by thinking, analyzed, explained, illustrated, applied, transformed, evaluated, synthesized, and learned by thinking. Let’s philosophize this by examining the parts of thinking about a business; therefore, you have defined the subject or range of business-related ideas. A business aims to achieve maximum profit and productivity within the least expenditure. The inferences you will be making will be judgments on the type of employers and what motivates them to make judgements about the information we gather on supply/ demand. Judgments about what would make the company more productive.

A business owner would ask how we can create maximum productivity with the least expenditure. The assumption the business owner would have is supply and demand are predictable based on certain variables. That productivity can be improved, and employers are motivated by certain variables. The essential concepts in business are maximum profit, productivity, least expenditure, motivation, productive employers, reasonable salaries, services, supply and demand. The implication and consequences: if I accurately access the information I gather to improve productivity, I can predict how changes we make will affect productivity.

The point of view for a business is to see maximum productivity with the last expenditure as the business goal. I would be using information regarding employer motivation, appropriate pay structure, cost of services/materials needed to achieve purpose, and supply/demand. Now that I have separated the parts of thinking associated with business, I can gain clarity so that the content of reasoning can go through all those methods to transform the thinking and apply it in real life. If that was the purpose of my reasoning, there is a particular aim or goal to thinking. We can use this model for any subject we want to ensure we have thought through it well. When you separate the parts of thinking, you gain ultimate clarity.

You could determine what is the main question this discipline is asking. For instance, sociology is asking how humans behave in particular groups. The purpose is to learn how and why people act the way they do due to living with others in groups. First, you would have to define what group you were analyzing. Is it related to a particular culture, is it political religion or social group? What systems and structures create the dynamic of the group? In America, they only have democrats and republicans representing right and left politics, which differ in policies. Even the president is limited by the policies in place regarding what he can do.

He is the face of the political party, but there are structures that he must work within unless he knows shortcuts. Studying group culture like nationalistic that is defined within the borders of land China is different to Japan economically, socially, and spiritually, but what causes these differences is their outlook on life based on the environment that the citizens of a nation have adopted collectively. It’s interesting how culture emerges when no one actor is making all the decisions. Look at fashion and how it evolves, but if you study this, it is created from what the consumers are sold through shops and what is identified as popular. People think that what they are wearing is original, and they make it a part of their identity. It’s connecting the materiality with the invisible.

Studying how groups behave in relation to consumerism may depend on where they live geographically and what is socially acceptable. However, we cannot define an individual until we examine the systems and structures of a nation. Clothing is cultural as it is someone making a political statement about who they are by the colours and style of dress some announce rebellion. You will see this in punk dress. Maybe they are trying to express their individuality. Yet it came from a culture that targeted their identity. That is how consumerism works. I may not buy traditional Indian dress, and I would feel out of place within the community I belong. We could use the eight dimensions of thinking to get to the deeper parts. We may judge others’ dress if we have come from conservative values or even religious ideas of what we define as socially acceptable. One thing we must observe is different cultural narratives create the standards and define the limits of dress. I have been shocked by what has changed in the last twenty years, even within my own culture. The bikini is just string up the backside.

What is even more interesting is how normalised this culture is. While it does not appeal to my tastes, nor do I see it as decent, I cannot judge the younger generation for something that has been sold to them through magazines, consumer-based marketing and has now been normalised it is widespread throughout my nation. Yet, if we changed a culture group and went to Samoa, that would not be acceptable, and you would be disowned.

Contrasting groups with others, helps us to discover some cultural norms, and the limits of the mind are defined within the context of reasoning. We need to think through different materialities that are created by the dimension of thought, which is also determined by the systems and structure they are within that have espoused such logic. There is a particular rationale to everything that only by going through the process of examining the content and analysing the content to understand it deeper can we accept the differences in culture are not one individual’s fault. They have been influenced by systems and structures within any sphere of life. If you observe Facebook as a system and structure the friends content, you see the kind of advertising targeting you is all based on algorithms that you or I don’t control, but they do control the kind of information available to you that I may not ever see in my lifetime.

Even realizing that we all have different information that creates our worldview by where we are socially positioned within a culture and generation, there are many things that we do not control, such as the banking system or how we purchase items at a shop. This is why we need to think deeply about the content in our reasoning and where the information came from. As you see above, in the business model, that would have been very different information that made up the parts of thinking in the 18th hundreds before the concept of a shop had even been hypothesized therefore, we are affected by the dispensation of our generation. Thinking through the logic of content is defined by other factors influencing it.

Written by Rochelle White

How my wife dìed on Olaiya Igwe set- Veteran actor Ojopagogo
Veteran Yoruba actor Rasaq Olayiwola, popularly known as Ojopagogo, has opened up about one of the most heartbrèaking moments of his life—the sudden deàth of his wife Olayiwola Funmilayo, on a movie set, a tragedy that continues to hàunt him to this day.

In a deeply emotional interview, Ojopagogo recounted how the incìdent unfolded during the filming of a movie by fellow actor and producer Olaiya Igwe in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

According to the seasoned actor, he initially hesitated to take the role when Olaiya Igwe reached out to him. It was his wife who lovingly persuaded him to accept the offer, encouraging him not to pass on the opportunity despite his reluctànce. Unbeknownst to him, her final act of support would coincide with her last days.

Ojopagogo revealed that while on set in Abeokuta, he received an emergency call informing him that his father had fallen seriously ìll in Oyo State.

He left the set immediately, unaware that something far more devastating had occurred. It was not until later that he learned his wife had c0llapsed and dièd right there on the movie set—a truth that had been kept from him by the crew, who didn’t know how to brèak the tragìc news.

Ojopagogo described the incident as a haùnting memory he would rather not revisit. “It’s a scàr that will never fade,” he said, adding that while life has continued, that day remains frozen in his heart.

Ayeni Abayomi

FOLLOW YOUR SON FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT UPDATES
Ayeni Abayomi

Notice: for adverts on our page dmor hìt us up on whatsapp 09033873886

WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU WANT FROM LIFE? and How Ready are you to GIVE IT WHAT IT TAKES.

VOICE OF FAITH DAILY DEVOTIONAL

SUNDAY 6TH, JULY 2023

NEUTRALIZING DARK ARROWS

Text; Psalm 11:2

For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

MESSAGE

In life If you do not stop them, they will stop you. It has been well written that the best form of defence is attack.

When you return a curse or arrow back to the sender, you are not committing any sin because you did not initiate the arrow. You did not initiate the curse; you are merely sending it back to the originator.

Some years ago, something happened. A brilliant girl at the university studying mathematics just went blind in the classroom without any reason.

She did not have any problem; it just happened. So they began to take her from place to place, and everywhere they went, she was checked; nothing was wrong with her physically,

Finally, they decided to take this lady to a church. She was accompanied by her mother. Immediately they entered the church the Holy Ghost said to the man of God “The agent of blindness is here”.

He was surprised. So the man of God asked the woman, “Madam, do you know anything about your daughter’s blindness?” She said “No o, please pray”.

And they began to pray and the prayer point was "every, evil arrow of blindness go back to your sender". After they had prayed for like 15 minute, all of a sudden the daughter could see, but the mother was quiet, she had become blind. So they gave God thanks because their prayers had been answered.

It was very interesting. On their way in, the mother was leading the daughter by the hand. As they went out, the daughter was the one leading her mother.

My prayers for you today is that: every arrow fired at you, in a dream or physically, whether conscious or unconscious, let those arrows backfire! in the name of Jesus!

It is a wicked world. You can't afford to be neutral or feign ignorance. It is "fire for fire"

A Nigerian sister who lives in America had a dream sometime ago. In this dream she saw a white woman came into her matrimonial home.

The white lady then demanded for her wedding gown and wedding ring

Without hesitation she went into their bedroom and gave this white woman her wedding gown and her wedding ring.Then she opened her eyes.

She was so worried that she decided to share her dream experience with her husband, but the husband brushed it aside as mere fantasies.

Few months after, a white lady took over her husband, and they both organized her deportation back to Nigeria.

The enemy fired an arrow of seperation into her marriage, but instead of returning the arrow back to sender, she embraced it.

Spiritual arrows are the commonest weapon of the enemies. Some of them cause all kind of things raging from job loss to untimely death.

When these arrows are fired, most people receive them. Some, the arrows will miss them and catch somebody else. Some, It will bounce off, it will have no effect on their lives.

I pray that all spiritual arrows targeted at your destiny goes back to sender in Jesus name

Spiritual arrows are demonic missiles, they are dark bullets of the enemy.

Satanic arrows are real, but more real is our victory. Spiritual arrow is the commonest weapon engaged by the enemies.

There was this man who had a beautiful wife and two kids in Lagos .He had this building project in his village that was still on going as at that time. He then traveled to his village in the east to monitor the progress of the project; while returning back to Lagos, the public vehicle he entered stopped by at Ore in Ondo state. He was pressed, but instead of him using the convenience at the eatery, he decided to cross over to the other side of the major road to urinate. As he was heading back to where their vehicle was parked, he was hit by an oncoming vehicle on top speed. He died instantly, leaving behind his young wife and two children. What he received in the village was an arrow of untimely death.

There are different types of satanic arrows:

1 Arrows of untimely death: These are arrows sent to kill people before their time (2 Kings 4:18-22)

2.Arrows of Affliction Luke 8:43-48: This could come in form of insanity or incurable disease.

3 Arrows of Disfavor: These are arrows fired to cause rejection or disappearance of helpers.

4.Arrows of Failure: This arrow is to ensure consistent failure on the part of its victim.

5 Arrows of Delays and Disappointment

6 Arrows of Academic frustration: This arrow is fired to cause academic.retardation. There are some persons no matter how they try to gain admission into higher institution, it wouldn't work. If they ever managed to gain admission, graduating from school would become a problem. It would be a case of one missing script or the other, or something else would just come up just to frustrate that person.

I decree today, every arrow of setback and frustration prospering in your academics pursuit goes back to sender in Jesus name

There was this brother who tried all he could to get into higher institution, no way. Even when scored above the Jamb cut off points, he was denied admission.

He then resolved to praying about it. When he prayed, he had a dream where he saw himself standing in front of the gate of the University of his first choice, but right at that gate was a masquerade preventing him from gaining entrance.

He also had another dream where he saw himself at the front of the University of his 2nd choice, and same masquerade prevented him from gaining access.

It was then he understood that a satanic arrow had been fired at him. I pray today, every arrow of frustration and delay fired against your academic success, returns back to sender in Jesus name..

7 Arrow of poverty.

8 Arrow of Marital Distress

9 Arrow of miscarriage/ Bareness

10 Arrow of debt

11 Arrow of confusion

12 There is arrow of business Failure: This arrow ensures that a person doesn't succeed in any business he/she does.

13.Arrow of prayerlessness

You can send back evil arrows via the weapon of the word and the blood of Jesus Christ.

I pray that all satanic fired against you goes back to sender in Jesus name.

Psalms 9:15 says: “The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.”

Also in Psalms 35:8, the scriptures says “Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.”

I pray that all the pits your enemies have dug for you shall sink them in Jesus name

PRAYER POINTS

1 Arrows of darkness prospering against my destiny be neutralised by the blood of Jesus.

2 Blood of Jesus, build a wall of defence around me and my family in Jesus name.

Victor Udomoh is the Lead Pastor, Ark of Royals Worship Center Aka Engraced Saints Assembly.

AN EYE FOR DETAIL

A skill that is worth developing is having an eye for detail. We may be those who see the big picture but not the details, meaning we will miss some of the most important aspects of life. Once it is brought to your attention that you have been in a room for a long time but missed small significant details, it illuminates that you only notice big-picture things. To understand the dynamics of life is to develop the skill of introspection and discover that what you didn’t see is something you need to build. The more detailed we can be in observing every small thing that we may not usually notice will help us discover other aspects of life. Recently, I have noticed this in other people that they don’t see, but then I discovered it in myself. We do not want to sleepwalk through life.

This isn’t just a problem a few make we all tend to only see what is essential at the time. If there were ten people to witness an accident, their observation of it might be completely different from what they noticed I may not see. It may be because we are standing in relation to the accident from different perspectives which means we do not get the full view we may notice the tyre skidded out of control and veered left but from another vantage point, it was obvious to another observer that the driver was distracted before the tyres skidded and were not focusing on the road. Whatever points of reference were observed by different onlookers helped broaden the information collected as evidence to give investigators of the crash a full picture story. However, it is the smallest details that matter as big picture thinking will only notice the tires and the impact of the vehicles.

The key observation was the distracted driver, but if that is missed, other information may distort the view of investigators. In a classroom full of children, one learning style is offered with diagrams and numbers drawn on a whiteboard when explaining geometry to young children who are just developing their intellectual curiosity. If it is just presented from that method and you have a roomful of distracted learners because the way they learn may be sensory or explained from a different point of view and made more practical so they can interact or they need other physical examples. The teacher is not noticing the children that are completely lost because she just wants to finish her math’s unit to complete compulsory school standards. Those children may leave the room more confused than when the teacher started because she was not detailed to observe children’s attention span had gone or demonstrated through different learning styles making the content more engaging.

There are example after example of life situations where the skill of an eye for detail is needed. What we can do to develop this skill is to intentionally notice what we do not see and become aware of different possibilities. This will also develop your introspection skills when you practice this daily. If you are good at observing the big picture but not noticing details, it’s like being inclined more left brain than right but integrating logic with creativity can make all the difference. Leonardo Da Vinci was an expert at observation. He noticed the intricacies of life, and his work reflected that in his drawing. He was an absolute genius because 0oof the observation skills he had developed. He would observe the swills of water for hours, which means he is looking for details if we just look at the surface, we miss everything that is hidden from view because it is less obvious.

One of the most profound discoveries could be developing a question worth a long-term inquiry and something you are sincerely interested in, like perspective or worldview, why people have different perspectives, how the mind has believed a story, and what ideas someone has associated with something untrue. Everyone will have a different question based on their interests. A part of life that you want to understand deeper means you must get to every small detail you may have not yet observed by studying something for an extended period.

If you think about how significant this is, Isaac Newton studied the force created by the apple dropping on his head. Thomas Edison studied the lightbulb until he found the most significant small details. Einstein studied the law of relativity, which opened up a world of discovery. This is why it’s important to note the small details and what you have bypassed. This is the most interesting fact of life you don’t know what you don’t know until it becomes conscious. Never think you know everything about any subject, including God. He is a continuous discovery. By observing nature, we can see how magnificent he is through all the products he has made, even our bodies and how our soul and spirit are three parts in one as he knitted us together in our mother’s womb.

Even understanding the depth of that, we may have barely touched the surface because we need greater observation skills. The power of observation cannot be dismissed as it is one of life’s most essential parts of who we are. We observe as children the models in our environment that go on to affect us for a lifetime unless we develop the skill of introspection awareness and observation also, we need to be actively conscious to relay develop the fullness of observation and having an eye for implicit and explicit details. Observe interactions with different people and what they bring out in you and inquire why we have so many diverse aspects to ourselves. It is not that we change, but just as two chemicals create different products or reactions, it’s like the various people we know. There may be a greater depth with some and more trust with some than others. All these questions lead to discoveries about us the world around us, and life. Studying the finer details comes from an intention to observe what you don’t ordinarily see on the surface of life.

Written by Rochelle White

A THRIVING ENVIRONMENT

Eagles do not thrive alongside chickens or sparrows, nor was the horse meant to be confined to small spaces. The lily pad will not grow in the Sahara Desert, nor are birds meant to be caged. A fish cannot flourish unless it is in water. Roses do not grow on concrete. None of these species can reach their full potential unless they are in the environment created for them. Every person has a unique temperament and a specific calling from God. Esther was called in the dispensation of times to save the Jews. She was placed in an environment that would ensure God's will came to pass. John the Baptist wore camel skin and a leather belt, ate locusts and honey, and lived in the wilderness.

We can consider various personalities and the environments in which they thrived. Mother Teresa truly flourished on the streets of Calcutta. Einstein and other great minds thrived in solitude. Billy Graham excelled in front of massive crowds, while John wrote the Book of Revelation on the island of Patmos. As I have demonstrated here with examples from animal, plant, and bird life, the destinies of fish and people depend on the environments required for them to fulfil their calling. Clearly, Billy Graham was quite different from Mother Teresa and Einstein. Yet, while Mother Teresa wouldn’t have thrived in the roles of Billy Graham or Einstein, they too would struggle in traditional nine-to-five jobs, such as selling shoes. Thomas Edison, who persevered through over 1,000 attempts to invent the light bulb, could easily have been sidetracked if everyone else had confined him to their own viewpoints on how life should be lived.

Whether we realise it or not, when you examine the status quo, you start to notice common stereotypes and ideas about how someone should live their life. I wouldn’t thrive in an accountant’s office or doing factory work. Musical artists wouldn’t live their best lives if asked to work as optometrists because it’s not in the fabric of their being. One thing we must remember is to never impose our views on others regarding how they should live. Much of this comes from our differing values of what we consider important; someone else may value mundane things related to this world, such as frivolous socialising over coffee or family. There are various possibilities, but Einstein valued solitude because, without it, he couldn’t do his best thinking. I wonder how many people thought he was unusual in his time. Solitude is one of life’s greatest gifts you can give yourself. Only in solitude, where the thoughts of others do not influence you, can you delve into yourself and engage in deep contemplation. An eagle flies alone. It soars above the storms and has a higher perspective, seeing with greater clarity from a bird’s eye view. The creator did not design the eagle to be with the chickens, who do not share the same perspective. Their view is limited. Ester had been prepared with beauty treatments for a year before she could see the king, and he chose her over others. Beauty treatments are like the preparation for truth, as nothing is more fundamental than the truth. We all value different things, but when you have been seeking the truth for a long time, and you encounter it in its fullness, you will toss aside mundane things and activities that no longer hold the same meaning or relevance as you discover something of far greater worth.

We all seek different things. Some seek marriage, others seek success or self-aggrandizement, some seek careers, and a few seek God. Moreover, we have to consider the concept of God because there are a multitude of perspectives we can hold about Him, but there is only one God. There is one universal narrative that encompasses all humanity. Even if you disagree, He is the creator of our design and should be the focal point of our lives, living in the depths of our hearts and guiding us in the way we should go. He has unique callings for every person, whether a pastor, scientist, or musician. God has created everyone to fit His plan and purpose within the dispensation of the age they inhabit.

If we believe that God is ourselves, that God resides out there in heaven, or that we must do something to appease our God so that He will accept us; or if we think He created us for good works, to live by faith, and to move and have our being in Him, all of these perspectives will shape a different theology. God knitted you together in your mother’s womb before He designed you. He had a blueprint to follow because He wrote a book on your life before you came into existence. Before He designed Moses to lead the children of Israel out of their slavery and captivity, God knew He needed a Moses, so He placed all the necessary inclinations within his DNA to fulfill that assignment. He then brought Moses into the world in the exact geographical location and family needed to provide the temperament and connection between Egypt, which symbolizes the world, and Israel, which symbolizes God’s people. Moses was brought up in the ways of Egypt, but his heart was for the children of Israel.

Notice that the pharaoh’s heart was not motivated by the cry of the children of Israel, nor was it in the DNA of his bones to be the deliverer of that nation. Instead, he fitted another role, and his stubborn heart caused many plagues and destruction to come upon the Egyptians; ultimately, many of them drowned. They were trying to keep the children of Israel in bondage and slavery, which was not what God desired for them. However, the mindset they developed during years of captivity meant that only two made it to the promised land. You must fight to stand in the truth and never doubt that this is the environment of the heart's condition, regardless of the materiality of life. This is why we face opposition wanting to keep us from reaching our promised land. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. We can only stand in our authority with the right heart attitude, regardless of what comes to oppose us. You take dominion with each step of faith in the way God is leading you.

Written by Rochelle White

Up next for Chelsea: #CWC semi-final

Fluminense
MetLife Stadium
Tuesday 8 July
3pm local / 8pm UK time

THE WORD

Your future lies hidden in words. They serve as seeds, planting realities, thoughts, directions, and ideas. They guide your path simply by how you describe or use them to tell stories. Thinking involves using words; words are the gateway to the unknown. Words become the building blocks of life depending on how your thoughts are shaped. We all share a language but create from the same material while embracing different cultural lifestyles. When we reason or debate internally about our next move, we use words to strengthen our arguments, justify ourselves, determine whether an idea holds validity, or challenge information through language.

We use words to clarify scenarios and our stance on various issues, yet how we convey information to ourselves is deeply entwined with meaning. We may have preferred some meanings over others; the words we use to explain can sometimes be stereotyped or biased. Words are linked to the values we hold regarding different dimensions and decisions. One observation is that if you can identify the group someone belongs to, they will generally share similar values.

We also want to consider the words that form part of that culture when making decisions. For instance, New Zealand's Labour political party differs in its vision for the nation from that of the National political party. Their national agenda shapes the ideas associated with their policies; therefore, their collective approach to decisions may reflect differing values on growth, social concern and business. They come from the same broader culture but represent a subculture within it.

Although the neoliberal economic paradigm is collective, you all participate in the same economy depending on which side of the fence you are on, whether you are a business owner, employer or a sole trader. However, how you think and reason will differ based on whether you are paying a wage or taking home a weekly salary. The thoughts that influence other aspects of your life, like fashion, education, relationships, etc., will carry specific values and use varied language that shapes your logic.

If you are a woman, gender, depending on your geographical birthplace, may have already defined many aspects of your life through the social conditioning of a nation or group. Even the expectations placed on you simply because you are female may determine the trajectory of your life through the words that the collective mindset has accepted as satisfactory norms. That can vary significantly based on the perspectives around you, whether they stem from religious, political, social, cultural, or traditional narratives. Even the roles assigned to gender may have already boxed you into a category you don’t want to belong to simply because it wasn’t your choice.

A doctor in southern France might share concepts with a Swiss doctor, but their approaches to end-of-life treatments may differ. One nation has politically embraced euthanasia, while another firmly opposes it; therefore, their descriptions of end-of-life scenarios will influence their medical practices. Every profession shares a similar understanding of concepts that resonate within that field. Those who operate within the same philosophies regarding financialisation, banking, and investing will grasp the language of that domain, albeit at varying levels of depth. Understanding a language crafted through specific terms determines how someone invests based on their knowledge. Warren Buffett, for instance, has delved deeply into the financial domain because he committed to reading for five to six hours a day. It depends on how deeply we want to engage with a word and how long we meditate on the concepts and think within the range of ideas associated with a discipline.

Critical thinking is one of the most excellent skills you can develop; no one else can do it. We all need to practice this discipline. We can relate it to someone who practices a sport or a musical instrument; how long you invest your time determines how good you become at applying the concepts and engaging in critical conversations about what you observe behind any discussion. You should be able to dissect the thinking involved and critically weigh what someone is saying. You will hear the inferences they make, which are closely connected to their worldview. You will identify their questions and the purpose behind their discussion. You will identify the concepts they are using and their perspective. You will notice both implicit and explicit assumptions, and you will determine the implications of thinking. That way, you will also know the source of the information they use—academic, religious, cultural, or political. It always has a source.

Yet words are the instruments we use. This is why, when we speak, we need to create a shared understanding of the labels we assign to objects to ensure we're on the same page. This aspect constitutes the science of meaning. For instance, I could say the word, Jesus. Automatically, we all know what those letters label, yet we may have different paradigms regarding who he is. Some might think he’s just a story in a book and has no relevance, while others see him as a prophet. Some may have no ideas, but he is the word and made God manifest, became flesh, and dwelt among us. He bridges heaven and earth, connecting us to the Father. He is El Shaddai, Prince of Peace, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Shalom, Jehovah Rapha, Jehovah Tsidkenu, Jehovah Shammah, Jehovah Sabaoth, the beginning and the end; everything that has life exists because of him. Yet, some of us may not have grasped the significance or depth of those names.

Look at how important words we embrace or dismiss are, as they carry eternal relevance. We could make some untested assumptions and say that millions upon thousands of people go to the grave not confessing Jesus Christ as God. They do not see how crucial it is to embrace words and integrate them into our lives by asking whether it could be true. Is He the meaning of life, the reason we were created in the first place? All of this is significant information to ponder as it determines the eternal trajectory of our lives. But first, you need to have these ideas in your mind to think more deeply about the words we use to label, describe, explain, and illustrate. We cannot think within a limited range of ideas. The power of words embracing incorrect information is as dangerous as holding untested assumptions. An untested assumption means you will not inquire, while incorrect information or theology can lead to misunderstandings; words create meanings and determine everything about our lives.

Written by Rochelle White

VALUE CHAIN

If you want to make the most of every minute of the day by continually adding value to yourself, others, or a product or service, the best approach is to create a value chain. A value chain is a series of linked activities, each contributing in different ways to generating value and focusing on a product, whether it's something you are nurturing within yourself, fostering in others, or a physical product or service. First, you must uncover what is already within you for God's purpose in sending you to this earth. Everyone has a calling where grace will be found to thrive. This could involve building technology, creating music, nurturing a passion for children, or countless other possibilities. That's why it's essential to know yourself and where your calling lies. The activities you incorporate into a value chain should all be centred around that specific purpose. You can transform everything you see and hear into developing a product or service.

For instance, one part of my day is dedicated to writing. Still, it's also linked to other activities, such as allocating time for self-education, reading, observing, and understanding worldviews and critical thinking. You can't leave a talent raw; you need to polish it for it to pay off. You might be musically gifted but must continually refine it, much like polishing a precious diamond. This means you must consistently work on developing it professionally. This could involve further education, seeking guidance from professionals who can coach you, and mixing with others who share a similar gift. You're never an island; you need to connect with people who may be interested in what you offer.

Additionally, you need to develop various skills, such as selling your product through different channels. This means you must be good at marketing yourself. It might involve learning effective communication strategies, using graphics, and knowing the best places to showcase your product. It has to reach people who may not even know your existence. That’s why exploring your market is crucial, and understanding the audience that may be interested in your product is important. You must make your presence known, just as Jesus did, to let people know he was there. Whenever he descended from the mountain, he would heal, teach, or visit certain individuals. The entire town recognised him, yet their reactions varied; crowds followed him because he was full of life, spirit, and truth. People would sit on a mountainside for three days without food, captivated by the content within Jesus, but he had to unveil himself.

That is the same for all of us, as what you have is meant for someone else, not jj. We constantly uncover a new dimension when we maintain consistency in a value chain. Suppose you think about it as if it were the production of a Mercedes. In that case, a series of steps continually lead to the manufacturing of a quality car from raw materials, which parallels a value chain based on your purpose. They are all interconnected like a chain but target different aspects while working together towards a common goal. It is crucial not to overlook any processes, as all the connecting parts of a system are equally important outcomes.

A butterfly undergoing metamorphosis is formed in a chrysalis, which takes 8 to 15 days. It cannot bypass this process to be complete. The amber light, which serves as the intermediary between go and stop, is crucial in preventing accidents and ensuring that traffic is safe for a few seconds before it becomes a compulsory stop. Food must be cooked at the right temperature; it cannot perform its role if the heat is insufficient. There are numerous examples of how critical it is for every step in a system to be implemented for the best outcomes or to produce the expected product. To evaluate life, we must ensure that we do not bypass processes in any aspect. The better we ensure that every part of the process is maximised to its highest potential, the better the product we can create in our lives.

It views life not as a singular action but as a combination of steps involved in everything. The more you enhance the value chain and identify areas for improvement or elements that need to be added or removed to create a cyclical process that ensures the best possible outcome, the more you engage in the thoughtful application of laws. This is how you can maximise your day to produce the best results in your life and achieve your goals. So, if you assess which components need to be added, as they enhance the process and, as demonstrated here if something is lacking, the end goal will not be reached.

That's why it's beneficial to sit down and thoughtfully consider each aspect, focusing on maximising value for the best possible outcome. This may involve acquiring new skills you haven’t yet developed or enhancing your potential. It could mean networking or honing your speaking abilities—everything starts small and is refined through consistent effort. Therefore, identify the areas of your life where you naturally excel, as they are already part of you but need to be polished. This only happens through consistent development. Focus on activities that work together to fulfil a purposeful and intentional life while investing in a product or service.

Eggs of everlasting life
Everyone's need this