Philip Emmanuel

longer be conducted safely in the wake of Covid-19. Governments are willing to let workers stay home or work from home (regardless of productivity levels) for the sake of those who are at risk. Our conscientiousness has been elevated.

“Networking is critical, maintain

your contacts” was a cliché until Covid-19 emerged, now it is our reality. We are suddenly awakened to our personal and institutional connectivity gaps. We now realize how much we need community and make effort to reach out and connect in ways we never have. We are striving to build the social network we wish we had had in place before, as that is a way to survive the period of isolation. Following this period of isolation, we will come out with a new commitment to connection. Our sense to networking and connection has been enhanced.

When the pandemic ends, individuals and businesses will never be the same. gw

FAITH

Kehinde Adollo

Keep your faith Hold it tightly and dearly Faith gives you strength in times of adversity Faith disregards what you see or hear Faith uplifts your soul in trying times Faith makes you wise and discerning Faith is the tonic of joy that keeps you holding on Faith gives you audacity and boldness to conquer your fears Bold faith, strong faith, joyful faith, impactful faith These are what you need to ride ahead life’s challenges Faith is the antidote of courage to a life of fear When life throws in lemons squeeze it and make a lemonade of faith.

HOW TO Love Reading The Bible

Bolanle Olawale

It was the author J.K Rowlings that said, “I do believe something magical can happen when you read a good book.” There is a truth in this quote; reading a good book opens up the mind and heart to dreams and possibilities never imagined before.

Although the books Rowlings may be referring to are books authored by mere people.

But guess what. There is a Book that is greater and more powerful than the best books ever written by the world’s best authors put together. This is no ordinary book. Breathed into it are the divine secrets of the entire universe. Woven into every page is the revealed plan for our daily lives and our eternal destiny! This Book is none other than the Holy Bible.

This Book has been given to us by the Creator of the universe, God Himself. He speaks to us through it and we get to encounter Him through it. As powerful as this Book is, if not applied in the right way can be as normal and ordinary as any other book lying on a shelf, under the pillow or inside a bag.

For most of us, our daily Bible engagement is the length of time it takes to read a devotional while on the toilet.

In contrast, Early Church leaders (people like Ignatius, Chrysostom, Phoebe, Polycarp, Clement, and Barnabas) vigorously spent time in the Scriptures, despite not living in a world of any conveniences and this is what one of them came to discover.

“Listen carefully to me: procure books [of the Bible] that will be medicines for the soul. At least get a copy of the New Testament, the Apostle’s epistles, the Acts, the Gospels, for your constant teachers. If you encounter grief, dive into them as into a chest of medicines; take from them comfort for your trouble, whether it be loss, or death, or bereavement over the loss of relations. Don’t simply dive into them. Swim in them. Keep them constantly in your

mind. The cause of all evils is the failure to know the Scriptures well.”— John Chrysostom (AD 347–407)

As a modern day believer you might ask: “But where would I find the time with work, family, school, etc.? Have you ever considered that God knows how busy we are? But still, He instructs us to study the Bible for the sharpening and perfection of both our spiritual and secular lives. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (Emphasis mine) - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV.

…perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works: So you see, studying of the Scriptures is not for God’s benefit but for ours. We become perfect in ALL the good works that we’ve been called to do- which includes our ministries, jobs, academics and family.

Have you stopped to consider the possibility that perhaps the Creator of the entire universe can sort out your day in real time to fit it all in! Is that possible? Yes it is.

Look at Joshua 1:8: “The Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth,

If surrender is the key to the lock, then consistent Scripture reading is the mystery that pushes open the ancient rusted gate.

but you shall meditate on it day and night.” The verse concludes with a fascinating—and paradoxical— cause-and-effect: “For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

Right here, right now, can you make a commitment to studying more of the Scripture, and just see if God doesn’t honour your sacrifice in mysterious and extraordinary ways. consistent Scripture reading is the mystery that pushes open the ancient rusted gate.

PRAYER: For too long, Lord, I’ve used the excuse of “I’m busy” to justify my unwillingness to do as you command when it comes to reading your Word. I’m sorry and seek your forgiveness for my ignorance and arrogance. Lord, I am ready and willing to commit to studying the Scripture. Help me Lord that I will no longer do it obligingly but enthusiastically In Jesus name Amen. gw

ASK DR LAPE

5 Questions You Need To Ask Before Picking A Doctor And Why?

You must have heard the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” countless times. If I may ask, is that saying literally true? Will an apple a day keep the doctor away when it’s time to have a baby or can it keep the doctor away in the case of an emergency?

So you see, an apple a day may keep you from frequent visits to the doctor but trust me, everyone needs a good doctor on the nearest dial list; most especially if you just moved locations or the family doctor your parents used to take you to is no more. So while ensuring you maintain a healthy diet, here are a few tips on picking a good and trustworthy doctor as well.

1What exactly are my needs?

You may be Single and just need a GP (General practitioner) for every other day issues or you have specific needs that require a specialist. For example, a young expectant couple with a toddler will require the care and services of a ‘mother and child’ Hospital more than the services of a Plastic or Neurosurgeon.

2How good is this Doctor?

In these days where a lot of quacks parade themselves as qualified doctors, one needs to be very certain that any doctor who would attend to their health needs knows his/her onions. You will probably get recommendations from neighbours, colleagues at work, church members telling you this doctor is good or that doctor is the best. You can also run some background checks or online searches.

3How accessible is this doctor?

Where I practice, we have a sister facility about 15 km away. Despite the fact that they have more equipment, people find it difficult getting there. Consider the logistics. There is no point registering with a doctor whose place of practice is not easily accessible. Having a hospital that is easily accessible will help your health seeking behaviour.

4Can I afford this Doctor?

There is a lot of pride associated with calling a big name as your physician, especially those who are private practitioners; but can you really afford these people? Wouldn’t you rather consider a nearby government hospital with equally competent doctors that will render the same quality of service at an affordable amount especially when most people still do a lot of ‘out-ofpocket’ expenditure? It is wise to be prudent. Although when it comes to sound health, no amount is too much.

5Have I prayed about it?

As children of God, it is always important to pray for God’s guidance and leading to the right person at every stage - most especially when it has to do with professionals who we give access to our health or I should say lives. Some people have met with doctors who literally became helpers of their joy and for some others, it was not a good story to tell. The Bible tells us to acknowledge God in all our ways and He shall direct our paths. gw

Understanding The Millennial Child (My Opinion)

Seyitan Fowode

Hi everyone! Before I begin I would like to put a disclaimer out there. I’m not in any way, shape or form disrespecting any parent. We as children understand that you want what’s best for us.

I’m writing this as a way of airing my thoughts on how the generational gap affects the way parents train their children. I just have a few points I want to go through. Please feel free to express how you feel in the comment section. Let’s all talk about it!

Communication

Throughout the years, communication between parents and children have changed only slightly. Many children are still extremely afraid of telling their parents anything. Most of the time, children keep information from their parents for fear of being judged or dismissed. Although we understand that not every time is the right time, we find it difficult to approach our parents. Parents and their children need to sit down together and talk so they can know what’s going on in each other’s lives. So many children have committed suicide because they’re going through a lot and they feel like no one understands them or their situation. To avoid cases like this, parents need to be involved in their children’s lives and communicate with them so that they know that even when they’re down, they have people who they can depend on, trust and talk to. At the same time, when children talk about their problems, parents should never be too quick to judge them because that causes them to shut down and not want to discuss issues again.

Discipline

This is very important and one of the least talked about problems in an average African home. There are two different angles; over disciplining and not disciplining enough.

Over disciplining a child will never help the child to learn. An example would be hitting a child for something as little as spilling water on the floor. So many times, parents (not all!) disguise domestic abuse as disciplining. Not all wrong actions require hitting or slapping. There are so many ways to discipline your children without having to beat them unnecessarily. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t spank your child. I’ve definitely had my fair share of spanking and my parents have always had a justifiable reason to do so. Don’t just hit your child for