Gnomic- Anniversary Edition

01 Thanks for19.01.18 being here with us.

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GNOMIC A Christian Youth Magazine

ANNIVERSARY EDITION ‘18 ISSUE 06

PASSION Publisher and CEO | JOHN A. TURKSON Content Manager | PORTIA N. Y. SINTIM Editor-In-Chief | ARABA DAWSON-AMOAH Co-opted Member | KWASI KYEI-OFFEI Issue Editor | AMA EKEM Contributing Writers | PRISCILLA KYEI-BAFFOUR, AKOMA ESSUMAN, JOSEPH KYI NYAMISON, Financial Chief |UFUOMA MAMOH, Marketing Manager | CHARLES AZADAGLI Distribution Manager | LEROY DOTSE Creative Director | ROBERT KWAME-ARYEE Illustrator | ALBERT IDLAFF OFORI Designer | turkniQs Publicity | KOBINA ESSILFIE-QUAYE DANIELLA AFLAKPUI MARTINA TURKSON REUBEN ODAI

SUBSCRIBE gnomicmagazine/subscribe CONNECT WITH US @TheGnomicMag @gnomic_magazine @gnomic_magazine +233 (0)54 9556 975 Gnomic Magazine Korle-Bu, Accra Ghana

FIRST WORD

so

soon, a year! Wow! It’s been a fascinating journey and you, our dearest reader, have been outstanding, keeping our writing machinery welllubricated by your praises and constructive criticism. Next to Abba, our greatest gratitude is to you.

are you willing to suffer for it?

Our anniversary edition has ‘Passion’ as its theme. Passion is certainly not a new word to you, but a brief search about it’s etymology might surprise you a little.

I believe that every passion of ours must be in conformation with the greatest passion of God through Christ for man, that m an may be saved and know the unsearchable depths of God. For the transiency of uncomfortable situations will be more pronounced when we focus on the transcendence of the merits and demerits our actions.

Passion is from the Latin root word ‘patior’; a word which means ‘to suffer’. In contemporary use, however, the word word conveys the idea of a very strong desire for something. One article had the following to say about the seeming disparity in meaning”; ‘Although the modern use of passion seems disconnected from its roots, a closer look reveals more about how passion really works. Consider that passion is engaging in an intense desire to the point where it hurts. When you are truly passionate, you are pushed along by your desire to the point where you are willing to endure pain, suffering and loss for the object which is the focus of your attention.’

That is a truly powerful statement and it leads me to ask a thought-provoking question; that thing you say you are passionate about,

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It is a question we each must answer at some point in our lives. It is what would determine whether or not we’ll fly back home after God has called us to live outside the country, or leave the country after we’ve been called to stay put in it.

As you read this edition, we hope that your passions would be ignited and refined and that you may encounter more intensely the greatest passion of all, that of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Happy anniversary!!

Joseph Nyamison Writer/ Editor gnomicmagazine.com

THOUGHTS ON ELISABETH ELLIOT’S

PASSION &PURITY Learning to bring your love life under Christ’s control.

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I

want to have sex with him. I do. I like to believe I’m not a carnal Christian. I am spirit- and water-baptized, Bible-believing and tongue-blasting, but the reality of my present situation is just as I have stated. I want to have sex with him, and for all the right reasons (or so I think).

We have a great connection going. Our highs and lows, joys and blows, have over the years, served to deepen this bond that exists between us. We are friends – best friends – and we know we love each other. We both love the Lord. I know he’ll make a great husband and dad, and all of this somehow has a way of making a girl desire a guy in more ways than one.

Another perfectly reasonable explanation, however, is the fact that after two decades of life, I have enough of those troublesome chemicals running around on my insides. You know perfectly well what I’m referring to. The chemicals that make me notice those biceps and fantasise having them wrap around me in a not-so-platonic embrace. The ones that give me thoughts on certain nights that I can’t help but realise how extremely cold and lonely a single bed can be.

Yhup, those ones that make me feel funny at certain times of the month – the kind of funny that not even prayer and fasting can bring deliverance from!

My quest to not give in to these little nuisances – (nuisances

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thoughts that revealed her confusion, doubts, pangs of desire, and her experiences of “God’s peace guarding her heart and mind”. now, blessings when I have that band on; *wink*) – has led me to read several books that cover love, dating and everything in between. I’ve read books by Joshua Harris, Michelle Mckinney Hammond, and a few other authors, known and unknown. I’ve read a lot of articles as well. Quite a number of these modern-day writers referred to one book in their work, and I set out to find and devour it. Devour it I did! It was so relatable, I could barely put the book down. As my good friend, Enaam, puts it, ‘After reading Passion and Purity, no other book on love, dating or sex quite does it.’

A little short of 200 pages, ‘Passion and Purity’ tells the story of two young Christians whose commitment to, and love for God, overrode their love and desire for each other. They had to wait on God for a go-ahead for five long years. Within these pages lies not only an account of the uncertainties, sacrifices, struggles, temptations, longings and falls along their journey, but also themes of discipline, forgiveness and above all, trusting God’s love and perfect will.

What I liked most about Passion and Purity was her candor. She was honest about her struggles and her desires. Jim was even more plain about his yearnings (Check out my favourite chapter: Four Bare Legs). Yet beyond this, God’s desires stood supreme for both. That’s precisely what I want my love life to look like. It’s okay to have all these natural feelings and desires, but as Elisabeth and Jim demonstrate, God’s grace is available.

We do not have to give in. Even so, when we do give in, love forgives, just like Elisabeth forgave Jim for his escapades.

“Let not our longings slay the appetite of our living”. This quote by Jim Elliot reminds me that I’m not a slave to my passions.

What is required of me is to lay it all at my Father’s feet and simply live one day at a time, ready to obey. At my disposal lies enough grace to maintain the purity of today’s friendship as I let tomorrow’s passion think about itself.

Throughout this book, Elisabeth Elliot combines excerpts from a journal she kept, and letters she and her husband, Jim Elliot, wrote to each other during the five long years of waiting, as well as memories of their courtship and marriage, to teach profound biblical truths.

The book is replete with stories, prayers and

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Akoma Essuman gnomicmagazine.com

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Meet Dave: handsome, sociable, influential young leader. Prolific poet. Musician who enjoys alone time with his instrument and his God. If he had lived in these times, he may have ‘earned’ one of the venerable titles like “Man of God” or “Bishop”, perhaps “Apostle”. But he is called something greater, a description by God Himself- “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22)!

King David is passion personified.

A short walk with him through his published works shines light into his heart, and on his passion.

There are three main lessons: Passion is a command “Delight yourself in the Lord…” (Psalm 37:4) Passion is defined as a strong enthusiasm or interest. Time and again, in the Psalms, David urges us to express this enthusiasm and interest via praise, worship, meditation or thanksgiving. It is God’s will that we express passion. Purpose is the essential starting point to impactful existence.

It follows that passion, which is the driving force, will be the next essential. Say goodbye to laissezfaire living. Embrace passion.

God is the source and object of my passion “I love you, O Lord, My strength.”

(Psalm 18:1)

True and long-lasting passion finds its source in God. This perspective challenges our culture’s trend of thought, that a Christian who is passionate about God is abnormal.

Aligning ourselves with David’s thinking will help us see the lack of veracity in this paradigm. The exception should be the norm!

Passion will reflect in everyday experiences “On my bed I remember You, I think of You through the watches of the night.” (Psalm 63:6) Usually, it’s hard to hide what you deeply feel about something. What you do and how well (or not) you do it is indicative of where your passions lie. For David, his passion showed in the things he wrote and sang about, as well as the issues he concerned himself with as a leader.

Why don’t you take a walk with Dave through the Psalms, seeing what he saw, and feeling with him through the words of his heart? I can assure you that your passion will be stirred to treasure God, like David did.

Nana Adwoa Baiden

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serious scholar denies the existence of Jesus Christ. Theists and atheists alike affirm the impact of his life on earth. The three major world religions affirm his existence as well, yet all three are divided over the means of death and what it means. The event as occurred 2000 years ago was recorded by Jewish, Roman and Greek historians. gnomicmagazine.com

ever invented by man.

Interestingly, even the Romans themselves were so horrified by it that it seems it was against Roman law to crucify a Roman citizen, except probably in the case of treason.

According to a research done by Dr F. P. Retief and Dr. L. Cilliers on “The history and pathology of Crucifixion,� death resulting from crucifixion usually occurred anywhere between six hours to four days, and this would be due to the multi-factorial aftereffects of compulsory scourging, haemorrhage and dehydration causing hypovolaemic shock (i.e. the loss of large amounts of blood) and pain. A person in a crucified position found it progressively difficult to breath and the lack of oxygen eventually led to death by cardiac arrest. Also noteworthy is the fact that the attending Roman soldiers could only leave the crucifixion site after they could establish that the victim had died. The soldiers were known to use a number of ways to hasten the death of the victim which included the deliberate fracturing of the legs, spear stab wounds into the heart, sharp blows to the front of the chest, or a smoking fire built at the foot of the cross, which would reduce the amount of oxygen available to the victim for breathing.

FICTION? Jesus himself said he would be crucified.

Christianity teaches that Jesus was crucified and there are many biblical and extra biblical records to prove this.

THE MEANS OF DEATH : CRUXIFIXION Crucifixion is one of the cruellest and most horrific forms of killing ANNIVERSARYEDITION18

Matthew 16:21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

And he did it willingly

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John 10:18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again The gospel writers carefully recorded the events leading to the crucifixion.

Aside these many biblical records of the crucifixion, there exists many extra historical records written by people who had no interest in Christianity whatsoever. These people were professionals who published their work after much research with no bias.

EVIDENCE FROM JEWISH SOURCES Talmud, b. Sanhedrin 43a: On the eve of the Passover Yeshu [Jesus] was hanged [or crucified]. ... Since nothing was brought forward in his favor he was hanged on the eve of the Passover.

Also, the Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, writing around 9394AD, commented on Jesus in his “Testimonium Flavianum”: “About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was one who wrought surprising feats and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Christ. When Pilate, upon hearing him accused by the men of the highest standing among us, had condemned him to be crucified, those who had in the first place come to love him did not give up their affection for him.

On the third day he appeared to them restored to life, for the prophets of God had prophesied these and countless other marvelous things about him. And the tribe of Christians, ANNIVERSARYEDITION18

so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared ROMAN SOURCES Cornelius Tacitus in his Annals, xv.

44: Christus ... was executed at the hands of the procurator Pontious Pilate.

Lucian of Samosata: (Christ was) the man who was crucified in Palestine Further, a scholar by the name Paul Maier has noted that a Greek author from Caria called Phelgon, in a historical account that he wrote after the year 137 AD, reported that in the fourth year of the 202nd Olympiad (held around 33 AD) there was “the greatest eclipse of the sun” and that “it became night in the sixth hour of the day so that stars even appeared in the skies.”

Phelgon also stated that during this event, “There was a great earthquake in Bithynia, and many things were overturned in Nicaea.”

This piece of history also confirms the eyewitness accounts found in the gospels. Luke 23:44-45, Matt.

27:51-52 In fact, the American distinguished scholar, Gary Habermas, after surveying over 3,400 critical scholars of various persuasions – Atheists, Agnostics, Jews and Christians with different theological views – concluded that more than 90 per cent of scholars agree that Jesus’ death by the process of crucifixion is one of the three minimal (i.e. uncontested) facts in Jesus’ biography.

Moreover why would a group of Jews (for all the first Christians

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were Jews by birth) fabricate the death of Christ? The Christians had nothing to gain from creating the story of a crucified Messiah. It made the spread of Christianity almost impossible from a natural viewpoint. Crucifixion was an obscene form of torture and execution reserved for despised criminals. Most people, hearing the Christian message that Jesus Christ was the divine Son of God who died by crucifixion, thought it was ludicrous. One of the earliest firstcentury Christian preachers said, “ We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles [that is, nonJews]” (1 Corinthians 1:23 ). It was not to the advantage of Christians to concoct a crucified Messiah. It made their life and mission much harder.

cross and follow him.” The cross is a call to discipleship-- to leave all we have and follow him.

THE DEMAND OF THE CROSS.

When I survey the wondrous cross, On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.

The love displayed on the cross requires us to do likewise to others-- to love others as Christ loved us.

And ultimately, it is a demand on us and a call to selfless living – 2 Cor 5:14-15 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

As we reflect on the passion, may our response be as the hymnist says

The paradox of the cross is this: perfect peace and perfect justice became united in one death one Friday afternoon when Jesus died. On the cross was the mercy and justice of God finding its fulfillment.

Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small: Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.

On the cross is the love of God made plain.

REFERENCES.

A. W. Tozer The radical cross

1 John 4:10

R. G. Coleman : Was Jesus crucified?

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-great-offense-was-jesusreally-crucified

The Roman cross was revolutionary, it did not spare its victims and continues to make a demand on us. It loses its power when it is reduced to a piece of jewel to be hung around our neck or a magic symbol to ward off evil. The cross is a radical thing.

Title from Ahmed Deedhat’s booklet Crucifixion or crucifiction?

http://www.answering-islam.org/Silas/crucified.htm

With perfect knowledge of all these, Jesus puts a demand on us “to carry your

Priscilla Kyei-Baffour ANNIVERSARYEDITION18

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BE A LIFE SAVER The Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Awareness and Volunteer Education (CRAVE) project is a campaign by the UCC Christian Medical Fellowship to create awareness on basic life support. The campaign aims to communicate how important it is for people, both on and off campus, to have knowledge on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and demonstrate a good level of proficiency in it. In the end, our vision is to see the average man on the street adequately manage a cardiac arrest situation until professional help arrives.

The campaign was launched in grand style on Saturday 10th February, 2018, at the Superannuation Hostel

conference room on UCC campus. The function was chaired by Dr. Kwabena Agyen-Mensah, a neurosurgeon at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital(CCTH), with support from other doctors at CCTH. The event was attended by students from all over campus. They were taken through a short, abridged Basic Life Support (BLS) training course where every trainee was given an opportunity to practise with a manikin.

The campaign continues with awareness programs in various halls, faculties and later in institutions off campus (both educational and non-educational). The

HOT

RIGHT ABOUT NOW

Easter

Mind what you say

Black panther

Life is short huh?

Flagstaff House Jubilee

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campaign also runs actively on social media, and you can follow CRAVE on WhatsApp or Facebook (Christian Medical Fellowship UCCSMS). To support CRAVE or obtain more info please contact 0267680495 / 0273195341. CRAVE… Be a Life Saver.

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TECHNOW

ARE WE REALLY SAFE? Social networking has tremendously changed the way people interact with friends and family, making sites like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Whatsapp a major part of our lives. Although this is the new reality, they could as well pose serious privacy risks.

THE RISKS ARE REAL. These days, hackers are on the loose on social media networks, looking for victims they can devour. With the use of shortened URLs (like those created with bit.ly), they are able to trick unsuspecting victims into visiting harmful sites or to inject viruses into their gadgets. They can also use spyware installed on your mobile phone or computer remotely via downloads, emails, or instant messages to gather information about passwords you use on social media networks and other accounts you access online. To stay safe from these guys, simply do not click on links unless you’re absolutely certain of the actual source.

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There are others who like to hack their victims’ email accounts by simply using the personal information available on their social media profile. One of the more common techniques they use is clicking on the “forgot password,” and then trying to recover the password via email. Once they can access your email account, they basically have access to all of your personal information.

Social media sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, utilize apps to allow users check in at their current locations. This information is usually available to everyone you are connected with on that particular social media network. The information can easily be used by dangerous people to track your whereabouts.

For example, by posting your current location and saying that you are on a long vacation say, in Akosombo, you will be letting potential burglars and/or gnomicmagazine.com

thieves know exactly where you are, and how long you will be gone. It is not advisable then to post your travel plans on social media. You also need to be extra careful when using some of these location based services.

TIPS FOR PROTECTING YOUR PRIVACY ON SOCIAL MEDIA Create strong passwords; the stronger your passwords, the harder it is to guess.

You can include special characters such as symbols, numbers, and capital letters in your password. Also, desist from using common passwords, like your mother’s name, wife’s name or birthday.

of your friends, colleagues and companies you interact with on social media, can end up leaking your personal information. You therefore need to be very careful about what you post online, otherwise you can end up in a lot of trouble.

Reference: Privacy Risk with Social Media https://www.huffingtonpost.com

CURRENT

Some social media sites like Facebook also give you the opportunity to restrict access to certain people. Take advantage of the enhanced privacy options offered by social media networks, like blocking messages from strangers and such.

Install a good antivirus and antispyware—desist from pirated products.

Make sure you have them regularly updated with all the latest malware definitions.

When you use social media, you are basically posting personal information online. When that information gets posted, it’s no longer private, and may even end up in the wrong hands. Even if you have put in place the highest possible security measures, some ANNIVERSARYEDITION18

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NEXT

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CURRENT If you have been following the news lately, you must have come across the Cambridge AnalyticaFacebook saga. Cambridge Analytica is in the midst of a scandal after an undercover sting operation caught senior executives boasting about psychological manipulation, entrapment techniques and fake news campaigns.

Alongside social media giant Facebook, the Londonbased elections consultancy is at the center of an ongoing dispute over the alleged harvesting and use of personal data. The allegations have heightened concerns over whether such data was then used to try and influence the outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the Brexit vote.

Both companies deny any wrongdoing.

Cambridge Analytica works on the 2014 midterm elections.

Christopher Wylie, a data scientist who helped build Cambridge Analytica and would go on to be the key whistleblower in the scandal, leaves the company in July.

Facebook starts to change its policies on using people’s data.

2015

How did it all unfold?

2010

Facebook launches the first version of Open Graph API, which allows outside app developers to access user data.

2011

The US Federal Trade Commission and Facebook sign a consent decree in which the company promises it won’t share users’ data without their permission.

2013

Strategic Communication Laboratories Group (SCL) based in the UK founds Cambridge Analytica as its US arm for operations.

2014

Cambridge Analytica gets data on Facebook users from Cambridge University researcher Aleksandr Kogan, in violation of Facebook’s

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terms.

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Wylie, who started his own company after leaving Cambridge Analytica, still has the harvested Facebook data in his possession— but he says he deletes it sometime in 2015.

March-April

Wylie’s company, Eunoia Technologies, meets with Donald Trump’s campaign operative Corey Lewandowski to discuss microtargeting techniques.

November

Bloomberg reports that the pro-Brexit campaign group Leave.EU, headed

by Nigel Farage, has hired

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Cambridge Analytica.

December

A report in The Guardian shows that Republican presidential nominee Ted Cruz had hired Cambridge Analytica.

2016

After the Cruz campaign folds, Cambridge Analytica is hired

by Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

AggregateIQ, a Canadian firm employed by SCL Group that was reportedly referred to internally as a branch of Cambridge Analytica, is hired by the other major pro-Brexit group, Vote Leave.

Cambridge Analytica is in a lot of trouble. Its executives are caught on tape boasting about using shady and illegal practices in their work in multiple countries.

After days of silence, Mark Zuckerberg finally responds to the scandal.

Lawmakers demand Facebook explain itself, while regulators and other officials launch investigations into its actions. The company also faces a boycott from users, and anxiety from investors.

What happens next?

Both Trump and the “Leave” faction win their respective votes.

2017

Special counsel Robert Mueller requests files from Cambridge Analytica in relation to Russian interference in US presidential election, The Wall Street Journal reports.

2018 March

Blockbuster reports from The New York Times and The Observer show that the scale of the data harvesting

by Cambridge Analytica was much bigger than previously thought. source: Quartz

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We began last year with a vision to inspire our peers to ‘do more’. Since then, we have gone on to produce five editions of gnomic magazine, featuring four very inspiring personalities.

But for us, we have only just began. It gets better!

-- John A. Turkson Publisher/ CEO

A YEAR ON

It’s

our first anniversary. Can you believe that?

There’s something exciting about new beginnings. We had a vision, and a couple of young men and women were eager to run with it. With nearly no experience whatsoever in this field, it sure as hell felt scary. I can’t forget the relentless ‘what if it doesn’t work?’ bells ringing in my head! But what if it worked? We took that step of faith on the raging waters, with the hope that we’d stay afloat. A year on, we haven’t sunk. Yet. On the journey here, I have learnt some very useful lessons…

One—to keep walking no matter how many times I fall. That is the way to succeed. The real victors are the ones who endure till the end of the race. It’s therefore not surprising how Paul admonishes us in Romans 12 verses 11 and 12 (MSG) not to burn out; instead, that we be fueled up and aflame. As often as possible, when the fire starts to flicker, fuel up and keep on burning.It goes without saying that that is how the master tread. Jesus, on his journey to the greatest victory ever won for man—the cross—was every bit disheartened as we can imagine. That night at Gethsemane, he literally

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wept blood. He felt fear as he prayed that the cup of suffering he was about to drink from would pass him by. On the verge of fulfilling his purpose, the reason why he was sent to us (John 3:16), he felt down. But he would not give up. He saw past the pain, past the cross; he saw ‘the joy awaiting him’. (Hebrews 12:2, NLT). There is a certain kind of joy post-fulfilling purpose. For this, he’d endure the cross. Enduring suffering, he succeeded in fulfilling his purpose on earth.

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Two—true success is fulfilling purpose, and it takes a certain kind of longsuffering to do so. This is the essence of Passion.

“Purpose is the reason you journey. Passion is the fire that lights your way”. True.

gnomicmagazine.com

Somewhere in Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana

Change your style.

From Left to Right: Fred, Ufuoma, Portia, Kwasi, Rosemond, John, Akoma, Valentine, Daniella, Kobby, Albert

Religion

Business

Governance

Life indeed is a race, but not a race against other men but against MR. TIME! Your aim should be to complete your purpose before your time here on earth is up.

TIME FLIES! You cannot afford to crawl, or walk.

Aim to be the best of yourself!

Don’t forfeit your future by wasting the present sulking over your past; Others may judge you based on your past, but learn to esteem yourself based on your future - what you envision yourself achieving!

Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.

Governance is important to God and it is His will that we, in the house of faith take up such roles. In doing that, we just don’t have the authority to pray for prosperity but we give Him the chance to use us as clay in the hands of the potter to mould society.

Kwaku Obeng

Gloria Wiredu

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Never go into a business with the sole aim of making money. If that is your motive, then you’re better off doing nothing...

A good entrepreneur is one who makes money by solving problems and putting smiles on faces of people.

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Sylvester Amoako

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Media

Arts and Entertainment

You’ve got to be bold... if you don’t ask, the answer is always no.

Instagram. @i_afuaappiah

Irene Appiah

True art is characterized by an irresistivle urge in the creative artist.

--Albert Einstein

Photos by Daniel Okon

The road less travelled

Smiling beauty

Resting Canoe

Education

UPCLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH Dr. Kobbie

ARYEE

Why Medicine?

I guess one of the bigger deciding factors is that my father is a doctor. But I’ve always been fascinated about the sciences, and medicine looked like a good option.

Education.

I had my primary education at the University of Ghana Basic School, formerly the University Primary School. From there I went to Achimota School and then I came here, University of Ghana School of Medicine and Dentistry. I haven’t really been outside Accra in terms of education.

How did it feel like being adjudged Valedictorian of your Class?

It was an interesting feeling. I didn’t come

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to medical school trying to win awards. Even while in medical school I never had such a goal. But I was excited, and grateful.

So really, you did not intentionally work towards getting there?

No. There’s something my dad always says which

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Plus, it’s a field I can get into through medicine which I have done now. I am much more passionate about the course now, than I was starting out.

has been very instructive for me: The goal is to do your best. If awards come along, fair enough. It’s not a very good goal to work for awards; just do your best.

You seem to have a focused goal.

Would you say everybody needs to have that sense of direction, purpose?

Yes, everybody needs to have a purpose. The destination should be in sight. As for how to get there, life has a way of throwing curveballs at us. All sorts of things happen along the way.

But without a sense of where you are heading, things become a bit more difficult.

How was Medical School like for you?

Like most medical students I spent a lot of time studying but thankfully I had time other extra-curricular activities. I guess to a large extent I spent time studying.

Could tell us a bit about your Christian experience?

Well, I grew up in a Christian home, and so a lot of the basics of the faith were very clear to me at a young age. I can’t say I remember specifically when I prayed the sinner’s prayer but it was at some point in my childhood. I had been in so many meetings where I gave my life to Christ.

It hasn’t been all rosy. I’ve had my own ups and downs. Two steps forward, one step back, you know, things like that. But through it all, God has been faithful.

As a Christian do you believe God brought you here specifically because of something you need to do?

I am very sure of that. And maybe now that you’ve asked this question, I’d briefly mention this. You know, a lot of people who are not Pastors or Apostles or in any of the five-fold ministries, feel like they have no assignment from God. “Or perhaps all I’ll have to be doing is to give money to the church”—you know, things of that nature. But the example I always refer to from scripture is the example of Daniel. You know how Daniel was taken captive from his people and sent into exile, how he had to serve under heathen Kings—he served under three—and how he had to learn the language of the Babylonians?

I think that, that is what we do when we are in school— we are basically studying the language of the Babylonians. It’s not something you need to get into heaven.

You don’t need to be a doctor

The theme of our Anniversary Edition is passion. Would you say you are passionate about the profession you have chosen?

To be very honest, initially when I was entering medical school, I was not very passionate about the course. I mean, I’m passionate about learning, I like to learn new things and know new things. I was just not passionate about the course. But now I am passionate—not really about the course—but the area of specialization I want to work in: Public Health. I think it’s because it combines a lot of the things I’m relatively good at-- advocacy, public speaking, working with underprivileged groups etc. It’s one of my passions to help people who are cast aside by society.

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or to study accounting to get into heaven.

But because Daniel studied and excelled, he served under three different Kings—heathen Kings—and some of these heathen kings actually made laws about only worshipping the God of Daniel. Look at how much of an impact he was able to make because he studied and excelled at it. God used that learning to make an impact, and today we have whole book in the Bible dedicated to Daniel. Imagine if Daniel had said he was waiting to be freed from his captivity and sent back to Israel or complained about the things he was learning! He couldn’t have made the kind of impact that he did. I feel like a lot of the time, that is what Christians do, and it’s a very terrible attitude to have. As the scripture says, whatever your hands find to do, do it with all of your might as working for God, because God can take whatever offering you give to him… There’s a reason why you are intelligent; there’s a reason why you are in medical school and there’s a reason why God provides finances for your medical education. People wanted to be here but are not. God is investing something in you, and if you are giving some lackluster performance, God cannot use the output you are giving back to him. We complain about how certain things are run in the country, about certain government policies, but could you imagine how the situation would be if you, a Christian, were in such a position in government to make certain changes. I feel that that’s why the bible says the children of this age are wiser about the things of this world than we are. When Jesus said go into all the world, he was not only talking about geography, but the systems of the world as well—commerce, education, entertainment, sports. We have to enter the systems.

the reason why I got excited about Public Health. I loved the work that they were doing with infectious diseases especially because they generally have to do with at risk groups, things like HIV/ AIDS and Hepatitis B. The head of the medical department there was also Ghanaian; he trained at KNUST. He was a very nice man.

It was nice to meet him and get to study some internal medicine with him as well.

That was very helpful.

Any advice?

Number one, it is God who gives the grace to prosper. God wants you to excel; I am very sure of that. And when you do, it’s because he wants to use you for something. God is a very good businessman. He has a purpose for us all, and gives the grace to prosper. Prayer is key. I could give you many examples of supernatural things that happened to me while in school. For all that’s happened, I’m grateful to God. Secondly, in every educational system, there are certain things they want you to know, and things they can’t be bothered about. I think the most important thing is to know those things your educational system expects you to know. That’s one of the big things that separates a lot of students especially in medical school, and I realized this very early in school. Do this, and you’d do very well.

Number three is that everybody studies differently. You may find this strange but I don’t like reading. I like to study using videos—video explanations—and listening. For instance, if there were some really long lecture notes, and I felt like reading would be stressful for me, I’d find a video, and then just fill in with details from the lecture notes that I’d probably need for MCQs. With this, it was hard to forget anything. So that’s number two: identify what works for you and find a way around it.

Did you go on exchange? How was the experience like for you?

Yes. I was at Brown University, USA. It was an amazing experience. As part of my rotation at Brown, I did two weeks of internal medicine and two weeks of infectious diseases. Actually, my two weeks of infectious diseases is part of ANNIVERSARYEDITION18

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FOOD

RECIPE Ingredients: Plantain (apem) Garden eggs Tomatoes Pepper Onion Salt and seasoning Palm oil Dried salted tilapia

METHOD â–ś

Source: Pulse Foods.

1. Wash and peel the apem 2. Wash and cut garden eggs 3. Cook the garden eggs and apem for about 10 – 15 min 4. Remove the garden eggs from the pot 5. Soak the salted tilapia to dissolve as much salt as possible 6. Use the asanka/ earthenware/mortar and pestle to mash the onion, pepper and garden eggs 7. Pour palm oil into the cooking pot and allow to warm up 8. Fry the tilapia and remove from the oil.

9. Add chopped onions into the oil and fry about 3 min.

10. Add sliced tomatoes and allow to cook for about 5-7 minutes.

11.Now add the grounded garden egg mixture to the gravy and allow to simmer for about 510 minutes 12. Add the tilapia, stir and check for salt Add some salt if needed.

Serve the cooked apem into the serving plate and add the stew as well.

FEATURED

‘The Passion of Christ’ is undoubtedly one of the best depictions of the life of Jesus Christ on screen yet. In the movie, Mel Gibson attempts revisiting the events leading the crucifixion, in what some have described as the ‘bloodiest Easter movie of all time’. Here are 7 facts about the movie.

Some of the pain was real!

1.

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During the scourging scene, Jim Caviezel got accidentally whipped. Twice. The first literally knocked the wind out of him. The second time, it hurt so much that it caused him to wrench his hands from the shackles, scraping his hand pretty badly. The remainder of the scourging scenes were finished by using visual effects.

Ouch!

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Lightning struck on set. Not once! Assistant Jon Mikalini was hit

twice by lightning during the filming of the movie. Jim was also hit. In an interview with CBS.com, Jim confirmed this: I was lit up like a Christmas tree! I was doing the Sermon on the Mount. I knew it was going to hit me about four seconds before it happened. I thought, “I’m going to get hit.” And when it happened, I saw the extras grab the ground.

2.

Now what are the chances of that?

150 pounds a little too heavy?

3.

Jim Caviezel experienced a shoulder separation when the 150-pound prop dropped on his shoulder.

The scene is still in the movie—when Jesus walks up to the hill with his cross.

The Jesus Nose Job.

Jim was given a prosthetic nose and a raised hairline during his makeup. His blue eyes were also changed to brown in the film. I always thought Jesus had blue eyes. Now where did we get that crazy idea from? Better yet, what historical proof do we have that His eyes were indeed brown?

4.

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Money, money, money, mooooo-ney!

5.

The highest grossing independent film is a “Jesus movie.” This film had more preticket sales than any other movie in history.

It grossed $611,899,420 in worldwide ticket sales since its release. The second highest grossing independent film is ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, a novel adaptation.

Sneaky you.

6.

7.

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Mel Gibson pulled a Peter Jackson, making a cameo in his own film. His hands are the ones seen nailing Jesus to the cross and tying Judas’ noose.

And the other actors?

During the production, Luca Lionello (Judas Iscariot) converted from atheism to Catholicism. Maia Morgenstern (Mary, the mother of Jesus) is a Jewish actress whose parents both survived the Holocaust.

Rosalinda Celentano (Satan) ate only beans and rice until after the completion of production so she would look malnourished.

Who loves rice and beans?

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EASTER, 2018

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TEN REASONS TO BREAK UP WITH YOUR HAIRDRESSER

1.

If she says things like “ your hair is dry, let me add pomade to it”: Girl, I don’t know about you, but when I’m thirsty, I don’t drink oil. You feel me? Just like your body, when your hair is thirsty, what it needs is water – H20!

Finish. Nothing fancy - the freest most abundant chemical in the entire world. Drinking a lot of water also aids in helping to grow our locks long and healthy, just as every molecule in our body needs it. So if you feel its dry, hop into the shower and get it soaked. Spritzing with a little water each morning before class is a perfect idea.

2.

If she always uses a comb whose teeth are closer together than your lower incisors:

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Now this one here is a killer. I personally take my own comb to have my hair done, but I have previously suffered under many hands! African hair has always been, and will always be, kinky. It’s our signature look. This frenzy of getting our hair perfectly straight

must end. I’m not saying that African hair can’t be neat, but that it doesn’t always have to look like a ballerina’s perfect bun.

3.

MUSIC If she leaves your hair in the drier for just as long as she takes to grill her tilapia:

4.

Your hair gon burn in so many different ways, you probably won’t recognize it. She needs to understand that that heat can break down every single bond in your hair, leaving it brittle and in distress. Heat damage is real, especially in our tropical environment where with a little oil on the asphalt road, you could probably fry eggs at 12 noon. You don’t need man-made help do destroy your hair any further.

If her eyes are more on your dough than your hair:

If she acts like she knows more about your hair than you do:

Suspect the woman who encourages you to do everything, even your day to day needs, at her salon. A good hair dresser knows she needs your cooperation to achieve her goals for your hair, and she will often throw you a challenge to do these. She might advise you to scarf your hair nightly, or shampoo your hair on your own before it gets matted. But if she’s telling you to bring your hair for even the little things, then I believe she’s more interested in your money than your hair.

This one really gets me. First, it’s my hair. Second, I’m paying you.

And third, this hair has been on my head all my life! I understand that sometimes clients go a little too far, but that doesn’t warrant the “you’re-too-known” look we often get. Don’t feel guilty when that happens. You know what you want and don’t want. You have a right to speak, but just don’t go too far with your words.

If trimming your hair ends with a haircut:

5.

6.

Listen up people. The main aim of trimming is to shake off your straggly

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ends, not to reduce your hair to the barest minimum. This one hurts me ‘cause I see that when most people go for a trim, they don’t return with their hair. Most of us don’t know this, but the only thing meant to be used for cutting/trimming hair is hair shears. These are really really sharp (PS, I nearly lost a finger to one) and their

same way she will talk about Sally to Susan later on that day. Makes you wonder what she says about you, doesn’t it? Secondly, gum freaks me out. My idea of a horror movie is gum

falling and getting stuck in my hair.

7.

sole purpose is to cut hair with minimal damage. Normal scissors, when used, will remove your straggly ends alright, but they’ll give you new ones too. So, beware.

If she always says that your hair is just like her sister’s best friend’s auntie’s cousin’s hair, so she knows just what to do:

If she constantly pops gum, while gossiping about someone else at almost every appointment:

This, I strongly believe, is a marketing strategy. No two people have the exact psame hair. They may have similar features, but they’re not the entirely the same. The method she uses for her sister’s best friend’s aunty’s cousin’s hair (assuming the said person does exist) should not be the exact method she uses for yours.

She’d have to tweak it a little.

It’s deep: women can talk. The hairdresser that constantly makes you wanna plug your ears shot needs to be out of your life for good! I learnt this the hard way: the way she’ll talk to Sally about Susan is the

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8.

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9.

If almost every time you go there, she craves your indulgence as she ‘quickly’ styles someone else’s hair: The first time, we cool. The second time, we still cool. The third time, my head’s hot, but we cool. The fifteenth time, I start to think this is intentional.

It gets really annoying, especially when you’ve got somewhere to be.

I strongly suggest a heart to heart in the softest sweetest voice you have.

10.

than not, our hairdressers are the root of the problem. The trauma our hair withstands most of time causes premature death of our strands. I suggest prepping your hair with some adequate protein treatment prior to installment of certain hair styles.

If her method of taking off your braids or weaves suddenly gives you alopecia: Granted, we shed hair every day, but that doesn’t mean we need more help. It’s true that this problem might be caused by us. But more often

Ufuoma G. Mamoh

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SPORTS

LOVE, BASKETBALL.

i

n 2016, Kobe Bryant retired after 20 years in the NBA—all with the Lakers. During this period, he won two Olympic gold medals, two NBA Finals MVP awards, one regularseason MVP and was an 18-time All-Star.

On Sunday, 4 March 2018, the Los Angeles Lakers legend, added yet another trophy to his large collection of career accolades at the 90th Annual Academy Awards held.

“I don’t know if it’s possible. I mean, as basketball players we’re really supposed to shut-up and dribble but I’m glad we do a little bit more than that.”

--- Kobe Bryant, as he accepted the Oscar.

Kobe’s Dear Basketball won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film at the event. The sixminute film, based on a poem he wrote that was published in The Players Tribune in 2015 when he announced his retirement from the NBA was directed by Glen Keane, who has animation credits for Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast.

In the poem (now film) the Academy award winner describes his love for basketball, which began when he was a child. From his youthful dreams of glory to his 20-year career, he talks about how basketball and he have given each other all they had.

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Do more.

Scan to watch animation.

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I Just Need U tobyMac ‘I just need U’ is where I land time and again after my futile attempts to handle life on my own. I AM a born defector learning every day that the sweetest place and the only RIGHT place for me, is turning back and falling into the arms of a loving God.” –tobyMac, tobymac.com Resurrection Power Chris Tomlin “Resurrection Power” is a song that reminds us everyday what really is true.The old is gone and the new has come.That is what this song is about. I hope when people sing this, when they hear this they realize, wow that is so true in my life.That inside of me is a resurrection power. – Chris Tomlin

Grace Got You MercyMe

Reckless Love Cory Asbury

God Of All My Days Casting Crowns

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Louie Giglio

Goliath must fall Louie Giglio In Goliath Must Fall, Pastor Louie Giglio uncovers a twist in the classic story of David and Goliath.

The key to living free from our giants is not better slingshot accuracy, but keeping our eyes on the one and only giant-slayer -- Jesus.

Blessed are the misfits Brant Hansen Why are so many church programs geared towards the extroverted? That’s the question at the centre of his book, which shows why those who don’t always fit in are uniquely positioned to do big things in God’s kingdom.

The Imperfect Disciple: Grace for People Who Can’t Get Their Act Together.

Jared C. Wilson Many discipleship books are written for clean, perfect people who know all the right Sunday school answers.The Imperfect Disciple is for the rest of us--people who screw up, people who are weary, people who are wondering if it’s safe to say what they’re really thinking.

Braving the wilderness Brené Brown Brown redefines what it means to truly belong to an age of increased polarization. Brown argues that we’re experiencing a spiritual crisis of disconnection, and introduces four practices of true belonging that challenge everything we believe about ourselves and each other.

Bread of Angels Tessa Afshar “Bread of Angels” is a stunning work of Christian biblical fiction, providing a rich backstory for Lydia, a seller of purple cloth who is mentioned in Acts 16. She is remarkable not only for her conversion to Christianity and for her hospitality, but also for being an unmarried yet successful businesswoman.

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MOVIES

Black Panther Ryan Coogler After the death of his father,T’Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king.When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears,T’Challa’s mettle as king -- and as Black Panther -- gets tested when he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk.

Wonder Stephen Chbosky Based on the New York Times bestseller, Wonder tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters 5th grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.

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Marshall Reginald Hudlin Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) plays the role of Thurgood Marshall, the crusading lawyer who would become the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, as he battles through one of his career-defining cases.

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Coco Lee Unkrich Aspiring musician Miguel, confronted with his family’s ancestral ban on music, enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer.

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All saints Steve Gomer When a group of Burmese refugees join the congregation, the pastor of a failing Anglican church attempts to aid them by planting crops and enlisting the help of the community.

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O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:55-57

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