TIMES TODAY TT 152 | May 17th - May 23rd| 2022
Listening Prayer
CONTENTS My Pulpit message notes: | Listening Prayer3-4 My Devotional: Sixth man| 6 Business: TotalEnergies Marketing Kenya Plc announces the winners of the 3rd Edition of the Startupper of the Year Challenge by TotalEnergies | 7 My Inspiration: This is your hour | 8 My Entrepreneur: 4 Steps To Ramp Up Your Resilience At Work—And In Your Company’s Culture 10 - 11 My Kitchen: Strawberry Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins |12 My Sports: Chelsea legend Drogba and Eto’o to attend Africities in Kisumu 13
My Pulpit Message - notes Listening Prayer
My Pulpit Message Notes are extracted from the sermon preached at the Nairobi Baptist Church (NBC) Ngong Road on Sunday 15th May 2022. Preacher: Pastor Simon Kande. Scripture: Acts 16:6-10 | 20:22-23. Topic: Listening Prayer (Paul)
Hearing the voice of God in Prayer When last did you hear the voice of God as you were praying? Listening assumes that someone is speaking and there is a huge question, does God speak?When we read the Bible the answer is yes. But when you look at our lives what is the answer? From the experience of Paul and in the lives of many other saints God surely speaks. We need to separate these two words i.e. hearing and listening. Hearing God’s voice requires a listening heart. Mastering the art of listening is one of the greatest challenges with most Christians today. Listening is the ability to pay attention to and effectively interpret what other people are saying. It is not passive hearing, but intentionally comprehending the sounds that come forth from someone who is speaking to you. When we go to God in prayer, does He speak? Yes He does, at times, most of the times, or perhaps He does. We come from an African culture where olden days most conversation between fathers and sons were monologues. He is either speaking and you are listening, or you are speaking, rarely, and he is listening. It is not a conversation The more I look at the Bible I see conversational engagement between the people who walk with God and God Himself. I see a God who desires to talk. In the garden of Eden I see God going down looking for Adam and asking, where are you? What happened? That’s a conversation, it’s not just monologue.
in Acts 16:6 it wasn’t the right time for Paul to preach in Bithynia. “7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” God has the right time for everything and we need to hear his voice so as to know the right time. John 11:3, though the sister of Lazarus cried and called Jesus to come and heal their brother who was sick, Jesus waited for two more days because there was the right time go. David in Psalm 31 says, “My time is in your hands. Jeremiah prophesied in Jeremiah 29:10. The desolation of Jerusalem was to last seventy years and Daniel 9:2 understood that timing and started praying when the 70 years were over. There are many Christians who do whatever comes in their lives. No wonder, I think, we have too many frustrated Christians, because we are not keen to ask God, is it the right time to move? or to do a,b,c,d.
III. To know God’s style and processes. Somehow God seems to have a style
of doing things. There are things God describes broadly, but there are things he prescribes for you. 2 Samuel 5:22 “22 Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 23 so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.” God gave them the formula how to do it. -
The same with Joshua, he was told how to do it regarding the walls of Jericho. No wonder Moses went off, because he was told to strike the rock the first time so that water can come out (Exodus 17) but in Numbers 20:10 Moses, instead “ of speaking to the rock as he had been inhe struck it and sinned. When you hear God, you will be effective in your life and structed, There are a few things that you need to and to know how God wants you to ministry. You will save time and could actually be hearing hear do it.
I see David in the same level, conversing God on the career you are choosing, on your job’s journey. - Does God prescribe everything? Did he tell you to wear the cloth you are wearing and taking with God. But today, we see two And when you hear God it becomes easy. today? Did God tell you to eat the breakextremes when talking about listening and fast you ate? I don’t think so. hearing God. There are those who claim to “ God may not necessarily hear God on everything. They will tell you , prescribe everything, but there are things “this morning as I was praying I heard God that God does that for sure prescribe, but tell me about you”. And somehow you either there are things that He gives you the huenvy them, or fear them because you don’t know what God told them to tell you. I assume, may be some it could be an issue of man ability to know what is right and wrong. feelings. They feel like God is speaking or assume it. But others it is an outright dishonest way of taking advantage of the sheep. But also we have another extreme of people who are averse, or indifferent to God’s voice. They run away. If they hear someone say, I heard God say something, they are indifferent. There is a genuine voice of God. Though it is rare, it is there. God still speaks. I challenge us to seek for that voice of God. Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with the whole of your heart.” Isaiah 30:21 says, “Your ears will hear a voice saying, ‘This is way, walk ye in it.” Meaning we can hear God. 5 Points
a. Why listen to God? b. Benefits of listening to God c. How does God speak? d. Attitudes that enhance listening to God e. Hindrances to listening and obeying God
Benefits of listening to God
i. Effectiveness. People who listen and do what God wants are more effective. Lis-
tening to God will help you to climb the right wall because we many who try to climb every wall that comes to their life. They finish all the days of their lives trying / climbing all walls, yet there is the right wall. I wonder if David was not walking with God and listening to Him keenly, what would have happened in the valley when Goliath was messing up the children of Israel for 40 days? You find that someone who is keen on listening to God’s voice there is precision in what they do. How did David think of carrying five stones to kill a giant? I think he must have heard God. You don’t just carry five stones to kill a giant. Effectiveness, you are successful so that what you do is not just trial and error. I think Paul was successful in Macedonia which was the capital of Philipi where we had the Phillippian church. 2 Corinthians 8 the church in Macedonia our of poverty were the providers of Paul’s ministry and Paul uses the church in Macedonia to challenge the church in Corinth. Are you effective in your ministry? Are you effective in your walk with God? You need to listen more.
ii. It saves time. Life is short and we cannot afford to be on trial and error. It avoids
trial and error, or cyclic lives. The children of Israel who failed to listen to and obey God, instead of going to the promised land which could have taken eleven days according to Deuteronomy 1:2 from Horeb to Kadesh Panear via Mount Seir Road, they took 40 years. Wasted 40 years, just because they didn’t not listen.
Why listen to God?
I. To know God’s will. Whatever we ask according to His will, He hears us 1 John
4:14 meaning as we pray, you want to pray in line with God’s will. Whatever you ask in His accordance He will hears us. That is why Paul in Acts 16:6 He is in a listening mood and we can see God directing him and telling him, ‘Do not go to Bithynia, but go to Macedonia. You need to know God’s will over your life and pray in line with God’s will. You need to know God’s will over your children, over your career etc.
Saul wasted 40 days trying to kill Goliath in the valley while David did it in a few minutes. The cripple at the pool of Bethesda had taken 39 years trying to get into the pool, but when he met Christ, listened and within a short time he was healed.
iii. Leads to fruitfulness. You will be able to do more with less energy and re-
sources when God speaks to you and you are sure you heard God and obey, you will be successful Christian.
II. To know God’s timing. Somehow, God seems to work with time. No wonder
TT 152 | May 17th - May 23rd| 2022
My Pulpit Message - notes How does God speak?
to be willing to listen to God, because as we go before God, we don’t go expecting to hear. Most of us many times we have a list before God and we don’t want to listen. We need to tell God to speak to us. i. Through illumination of Scripture. Illume/ expound the Scripture, helpiii. Relationship. To know the voice and the intentions of God, lising the Scripture to have meaning in your life. In layman terms, the Scripture tening is not just a formula. It is a relationship you form and you walk with God pops out of the Bible and gets to you. You read a verse and somehow the Word so closely. I have realised, the more you walk with God, the more you are able to of God speaks to you so clearly to a situation you are in. Hebrews 1:1 “In the pick even non-verbal cues. The more you walk with God closely, you know what past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in He wants. Even before He tells you what to do, you know what to do. various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,”. John 1:1 “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,” God speaks through the Bible, the first level. i. Quick fixes and haste. Today we live in a culture of quick fixes and haste. - No wonder if the Scriptures are too far from you, you may not hear him as you There are things God just wants us to have time with Him. We can miss that still pray. small voice because of our hasteness.
Hindrances to listening and obeying God
ii. Through impressions and compellations. Acts 20:22 “And now, com- ii. Self-trust/Experiences/unsurrendered life. But also today, most of us pelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,”. Compel means irresistible internal urge or drive. There are things the Spirit of God will put an urge in you, over and over again, will compel you. You need to check that God could actually be speaking to you.
iii. Voice. Of course God speaks through the voice and there is a whole debate
may fail to hear God because of self trust. We have unsurrendered lives. You trust yourself so much, you are going to pray, but you have an answer. At times I go to pray already knowing what to do. Prayer is not just a religious thing where you appear and it is ticked you prayed. No. We need a surrendered life where you are telling God, I can do nothing without you.
whether it is a gentle whisper or a rough voice. The point is God spoke to Elijah in a gentle whisper, meaning, He can actually speak in a gentle whisper. So you need to look for that gentle voice, but that statement is only put there in 1 Kings 19:12 and you don’t see any other alluding to that. Meaning, that He speaks in a gentle soft voice, but doesn’t rule out any other type of speaking because when Jesus was being baptised and a voice came from heaven, I highly doubt it was so soft because everyone could hear when God was speaking. But, because of the nature of Matthew 11:29, “I am gentle and humble in Spirit”. The fruit of the Spirit is gentleness. It appears, God will not force Himself or voice through you. No wonder with all the noise that we have around, at times we just need to settle down, reflect and listen to Him. iv. Through dreams and visions. Like in the experience of Paul, he had a dream at night, a man from Macedonia calling him. We need to get to that level where we can actually hear God through dreams. There are times God speaks through dreams and visions and just because they are not there does not mean God doesn’t speak. 1 Samuel 3 says, the Word of God was rare during the times of the priest Eli. Visions were rare. That generation had quenched the voice of God.
iii. Unbelief, doubts and fear make us not to hear God. At times He
iv. Through other believers.
sin and evil, the voice becomes distant. It doesn’t matter how long you tarry in prayer, the voice becomes to distant to the extent some who are not born again who do not belong to Christ in John 8:47, Jesus said, “He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” Simply meaning, when we allow sin to be with us, the voice of God gets choked and becomes rare, yet there are many benefits of that voice.
How do we verify the voice of God?
speaks, but you are doubting, fearing.
There was a time when God put a heavy impression on me. We were somewhere with some missionaries and He put a heavy impression on me to support one missionary. I wrestled with it. It took me two years to surrender, because it was our only car. How do I release that car and we don’t have any other? I am also a missionary to the students. But the voice could not leave. But the day I released it, the joy and peace that came. And when I went to pray I went asking God, now you know what I did, how do You sort me out? And I could feel you are in safe hands and for sure the LORD has been faithful. iv. Motives, bias and selective hearing. Most of us want to hear what we want to hear. So you are actually telling God what you want to hear. At times God could actually be rebuking you and telling you, That journey, that dealing, that business that you are actually getting into, be careful. Please be open to hear all that God has for you.
v. Sin and general rebellion chokes the voice of God. When you walk in
It is consistent with Scripture. God cannot contradict Himself. The Son is part of the Trinity, so you need to check if that voice is consistent with Scripture. God cannot speak to you to go kill your friend so that you get that house. That’s not God’s voice. Also beware that Satan speaks. When you hear God, you will be effective in your life and ministry. You will save time and could actually be hearing God on the career you are choosing, on your The voice of God is engulfed with peace and joy most of the time. Be- job’s journey. And when you hear God it becomes easy. cause the voice of God carried the voice of authority within it and expresses a spirit of peace, confidence and joy and reasonableness and goodwill because I am in the journey of lifting the axe and I am happy NBC trained me in that that is also part of the fruit of the Spirit. You find that there is sense of peace and and in FOCUS I have to lift the axe all through, and I have been praying and joy. asking God, instead of calling outside people and they all say no, I have been But also there is room of provision of proof of that voice of God such as asking, just lead me to two who can give/support, because I will require three the fleece style that Gideon used in Judges 6:33. But also Abraham asked God months and i can do that work if you led me to two or three people I will just do for a sign. His promise that he will have many children and God showed him it in a day. It will save time. I will be more effective, I will be fruitful. the stars. We can ask for proof, but we need to be careful that our asking for proof How is your life today? Are there things that you did and you didn’t hear God is not a testing of God, or a sign of doubt. and consult and you know you burnt your fingers so much that they still have scars today? Are there things even now you know you are moving alone and you are not sure? I think it will be so easy if you just tarried in prayer, thanked God and moved on. i. Consecration. I see this a lot in the Old Testament where the children of God were asked to consecrate themselves. Exodus 19:10, tomorrow I will be speaking to you. The equivalent of this in the New Testament is Romans 12. Renew our minds. When you put your heart ready to hear from God. When you remove the chaff, the evil thoughts in your mind/ life and consecrate yourself in prayer. And you are telling God to remove everything and the more you remove everything, the more the voice of God becomes clearer. ii. We also need an enquiring attitude / consciousness to listen. We need
Attitudes that enhance listening to God
TT 152 | May 17th - May 23rd| 2022
My Life How to get saved and spend eternity with God His Love “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NASB) My response that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Romans 10:9-10 (NASB)
My prayer Lord God Almighty, thank You for Your love for me. Thank You that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to die for my sins. Please forgive me for all the sins I have committed against You. I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and that He died on the cross and You raised Him from the dead on the third day. Please write my name in the Lamb’s book of life. Help me to live a life that is holy and pleasing unto You. In Jesus’ Name I pray and believe. Amen
TT 152 | May 17th - May 23rd| 2022
My Devotional www.sportsspectrum.com |By Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia. | Image courtesy : www.theinclusion.me
Sixth Man
“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” — 1 Cor- as people who are still worldly — mere infants in Christ. I inthians 3:7 gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. Tyler Herro is riding high with the Miami Heat. He is not For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are a regular starter and is not always in the spotlight, but he you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For is still scoring a lot of points (20.7 per game this season), when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ playing a lot of minutes (32.6) and helping his team win a lot are you not mere human beings?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-4). of games (53 in the regular season). When announcements are made before tipoff, it’s easy for Herro to get jealous of If we are willing to serve without applause, then more people the starters when their names are announced, but he knows hear about Christ and we jump toward spiritual maturity. If his team depends upon his ability to play well in spurts and people forgot Paul’s name but trusted Christ as Savior, then play more than one position. The higher goal of winning a he rejoiced. “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? championship is more important than personal recognition. Only servants, through whom you came to believe — as the Herro was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year this season. Like Herro, the Lord calls Christians to be willing to serve Christ in the background when it’s God’s will, and be content in our calling. We don’t have to be a worship leader or pastor to be a vital part of God’s Kingdom. In the Corinthian church, they had a star-studded roster of influential leaders, but Paul reminded them to set their minds on a higher purpose and to be willing to come off the bench if God commanded.
Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” (1 Corinthians 3:5-7). How are you playing your role within God’s Kingdom?
The Lord says we are immature if we focus on personal statistics or how often our name is called. “Brothers and sisters, TT 152 | May 17th - May 23rd| 2022
Business TotalEnergies Marketing Kenya Plc announces the winners of the 3rd Edition of the Startupper of the Year Challenge by TotalEnergies Following the selection of the Startupper of the Year Challenge winners by a local jury comprising of industry and entrepreneurial support experts, the winners of this 2022 edition were awarded during an official award ceremony at the Serena Hotel, Nairobi, with the presence of Mr. Joseph MUCHERU E.G.H., Cabinet Secretary ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs (chief guest) and Mr. Andrew KAMAU, C.B.S., Principal Secretary, State Department of Petroleum & Mining. The three winners of the Startupper of the Year Challenge in Kenya are: Paul MUHIA for the Award of the Best Startup under 3 years old with ZERO-EMISSION JUA EBIKES: an affordable electric-powered bicycle offering zero-emission transport solutions for commuters and delivery riders, with a speed of up to 60 km/h and a distance of up to 100 km.
Joseph NGUTHIRU for the Award of the Best Business Creation projects with HYAPAK: makes hyacinth-based biodegradable products that are an alternative replacement to single use plastic products like plates, straws, and tumblers used in airlines, fastfood outlets and events.
Joe Mucheru (centre) the CS, Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs and Eric Fanchini (left) the TotalEnergies Managing Director present a dummy cheque of Sh.1,650,000 to Nyaruai Muriithi (centre) for winning the Best Female Entreprenuer Category in the TotalEnergies Startupper of the Year Challenge –third edition.
Nyaruai MURIITHI for the Award of the Best Female Entrepreneur with NYUNGU AFRIKA: an eco-friendly sanitary towel made from the underutilized agricultural waste of pineapple leaves and corn husks The project aims to solve period poverty, reduce Co2 gases & recycling. These young entrepreneurs will receive financial support of Kshs 1.65 Million. They will also each benefit from personalised coaching of the value of Kshs 300,000 for the development of their project as well as from increased media visibility to make them known. In Kenya, 1,012 valid applications were submitted and 15 finalists pitched their projects before the local jury. Each winner of this edition will have their project presented to a “Grand Jury” in charge of choosing, in mid-May 2022, three “Grand Winners” of the African continent amongst the 32 participating countries. The 3rd edition of the Startupper of the Year Challenge by TotalEnergies in figures: 32 participating countries 35,000 registrations on the platform 13,885 complete applications on the platform 491 finalists pitched their project to a local jury
TT 152 | May 17th - May 23rd| 2022
My Inspiration This is your hour
By William King | Email: kingwilliam189@gmail.com | image courtesy: mayohealthclinicsystem.org
The older we get, the more we realize that we’re not going to be here forever. Life is flying by. When you realize how You don’t have time to waste by living worried about what fast time is going, it should bring a sense of urgency. Your people think about you. Your time is too valuable to reassignment has an expiration date. Your time on this earth spond to every critic, negative comment, try to convince is limited. In Jesus’ life, when the hour had come for Him people that you really are okay. That’s a distraction. Evto be crucified, the Scripture eryone is not going to like Quit wasting time trying to convince someone to understand says, “He steadfastly set His you. you who is determined to misunderstsnd you. They don’t want face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke to be for you and that’s okay. You don’t need them to fulfill your 9:51). destiny. The enemy would love for you to spend your time and Quit wasting time tryenergy trying to win someone over who’s never going to be ing to convince someone There was no spending time won over. to understand you who with the Samaritan woman or is determined to misunZacchaeus or feeding the five derstsnd you. They don’t thousand in the wilderness. Those things had been for want to be for you and that’s okay. You don’t need them a season, but now He didn’t have time for distractions. to fulfill your destiny. The enemy would love for you to His hour had come. God is saying to you, “Your hour has spend your time and energy trying to win someone over come.” who’s never going to be won over. If you’re going to reach your highest potential, you have to set your face and not get distracted by things that keep you from your purpose. The Scripture says, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).
If you changed and did everything they wanted, they would still find some reason to not like you. Too often in life, we’re worried about what people think about us, pressured. If someone doesn’t see the gift that you are, they don’t recognize your talents or value your friendship, do yourself a favour and move on.
TT 152 | May 17th - May 23rd| 2022
Every Good G S ift
ells
Entrepreneur 4 Steps To Ramp Up Your Resilience At Work—And In Your Company’s Culture
By William Arruda | https://www.forbes.com/
The 19th-century evolutionary biologist Charles Darwin taught us that the ul- inward, with leadership teams that fear affiliates and cross-promotions, are vultimate form of resilience is the ability to adapt to change. Be it salamanders on nerable in rough seas. the Galapagos Islands or sales managers in a cutthroat industry—or a weary workforce reeling from a global pandemic—our capacity for resilience determines our fate.
3. Set a healthy work-life balance.
From a business perspective, resilience has evolved quite a bit in just a few short months in the face of supply-chain havoc, the Great Resignation, and shifting customer expectations. Companies in every industry have dealt with a lot, and those that had already prioritized adaptability as a form of organizational resilience, from the shop floor to the top floor, are the ones faring the best in their respective markets. Evolving To Deliver More Value To continue weathering the storms that arise, organizations should build adaptable structures and establish cultures that appreciate resilient employees. What does it take to stoke this process? It all begins with you, even if you have doubts about your own ability to persist and endure. Resilience can be modeled and taught, and these four steps are the basis of the lesson plan.
I know, I know: easier said than done. But it’s true. Resilience isn’t about steeling yourself so that you can endure 80-hour workweeks. People are at their personal and professional best when the scales are even—not too much work, not too little family time, just a healthy dose of life’s most necessary ingredients. Are you taking adequate time off to recharge the batteries? Are you forfeiting daily exercise to squeeze in another hour of work? Do you set this example for the people who work for you, letting your team go incommunicado all weekend long? Too much of anything is counterproductive, so make sure you are tuned in to what your body and mind are lacking and take the steps to refill those buckets. Burnout is all too common these days. If you learn to truly take care of yourself, resilience is an automatic side effect.
“Individuals can build personal resilience at work by achieving a healthy worklife balance. This is especially challenging in the world we are living in,” says Heather Craig, a provisional psychologist at Monash University in Australia. “Technology can mean that employees may have access to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In order to be able to bounce back from stressful situWhat do you stand for? What are the key components of your personal brand, ations—i.e., to be resilient—workers need to have the energy that can be easily and your company’s brand? Why do you work for your chosen employer, be- depleted if a healthy work-life balance is not in place. Workers need time to yond a steady paycheck? If those answers aren’t immediately clear, hit the pause relax, unwind and recuperate.” button and reflect long and hard on the reasons you produce and perform your particular offering of goods and services. This raison d’être should serve as your Just because the software is available around the clock doesn’t mean humans North Star, guiding all the decisions you make. Ideally, your purpose aligns with have to use it around the clock. that of your company and drives everything it does, from the messaging it shares to the people it hires.
1. Remember your purpose.
“Businesses and people driven by a well-defined purpose are much less likely to stagnate in the face of real or perceived challenges,” says Margaret Scovern, managing vice president of diversity and inclusion at Pariveda, a strategic services and information technology consulting company. “A clear purpose or ‘why’ serves as a signal in the noise, allowing us to distinguish the technologies, investments, or ideas that can truly benefit us from those that are merely distractions or fads. It can also help us identify the partners who are best suited to help us achieve our objectives.”
2. Find a social support network.
We all get by with a little help from our friends. Not much in this world is accomplished alone. And in today’s hyper-connected digital world, assistance is literally just a few clicks away. Why not lean on a community of like-minded individuals to glean guidance and advice from? Together, everyone achieves more. “The social support network that surrounds the person is one of the most important external resilience factors,” says Shonna Waters, vice president of Alliance Solutions. “A person’s social network provides a buffer against the stresses on resilience. This is because social support helps people manage stress. It’s also because social support helps people solve their challenges and find new opportunities. In fact, one reason extroverted individuals tend to be more resilient may be because they are more likely to reach out to others when they need help. When building resilience, you are raising the hood and tinkering with the processes of your own internal engine, after all. Most of us will benefit from support in building resilience.” And the need for networks isn’t limited to individuals; companies that only look
4. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
This is the most difficult item on the list and, therefore, the most rewarding. Everyone has fears. Everyone does what they can to avoid doing what they fear. The select few who keep moving ahead, regardless of their discomfort, are the ones who become less and less overwhelmed by fear. Evolving to accept and embrace these scary moments is how resilience is forged. “When you confront your fears, it can help bring a sense of control over the situation. Managing emotions directly can help you build resilience,” according to a recent blog post from Indeed’s UK editorial team. “One way to confront your fears is by gradually exposing yourself to what scares you. For example, if you have a fear of speaking up in meetings, you might first make an active effort to talk more in small groups. You can gradually increase the size of those groups until you feel comfortable in a meeting.” Of course, today’s workplace jitters are sometimes caused by much bigger concerns than a fear of public speaking. You may find yourself managing a project for a service that is entirely new, with no precedents or guidelines to follow. In the wake of an extremely tight job market, you may be unexpectedly tapped to a high-stakes leadership position that makes you feel out of your league. A beloved brand that you helped build may be swallowed up in a merger. But the more discomfort you work through, the more resilient you will become. There’s more good news: resilience is closely associated with greater work happiness and job satisfaction. Imagine what would happen if resilience went viral.
TT 152 | May 17th - May 23rd| 2022
My Health
The lesser-known ‘twin’ of endometriosis: Adenomyosis
www.medicalnewstoday.com |Written by Katharine Lang on May 11, 2022 — Fact checked by Hannah Flynn
Painful, heavy periods, pelvic pain, fertility issues: Any of these could point to- mal uterine bleeding, menstrual pain, or fertility issues in a younger population. ward a diagnosis of adenomyosis. Less widely recognized than endometriosis and uterine fibroids, which often cause similar symptoms, adenomyosis could affect up Issues with diagnosis to one third of women aged 18-30. Getting a diagnosis can be tricky, so Medical News Today spoke to experts and to 32-year-old Kate, who lives with the condi- In the past, adenomyosis could only be diagnosed after a hysterectomy, a procedure that is often performed to cure AUB in women during perimenopause. tion, to find out more about it. So doctors thought the condition was confined to women coming to the end of “I got my first period when I was 14. From the first one it was just very heavy. their reproductive years, particularly those who had undergone several pregnancies or uterine surgery, such as cesarean delivery. The pain wasn’t too intense. I woke up one night, I had one of those high beds with a ladder, so I couldn’t get down with my legs crossed. By the time I got to Even with advances in imaging, diagnosing adenomyosis can be challengingthe bathroom, it was a trail of devastation.” Trusted Source, as other gynecological conditions, such as endometriosis and uterine fibroids, cause similar symptoms. The quote above is from Kate*, a 32-year-old cisgender woman. Her experience of heavy periods during her teenage years is one many other women and girls In addition, the conditions often occur together — a 2020 study found that alwill recognize. most half of women with adenomyosis also had uterine fibroids. It was not until Kate was 19 and at university that she finally realized that her bleeding was not normal, and worked up the confidence to consult a doctor. It was a further 5 years before she received a diagnosis that would explain her extreme menstrual bleeding — adenomyosis.
A little-known condition
“Clinical diagnosis of adenomyosis is difficult, because of the non-specific nature of symptoms. Furthermore, until quite recently, the diagnosis of adenomyosis required the analysis of the uterus after a hysterectomy. However, recent advances in imaging techniques have had an impact on the detection of adenomyosis, and ultrasound and MRI are now commonly used diagnostic tools.”
– Prof. Andrew Horne Adenomyosis is a benign — meaning, non-cancerous — condition. It is very difficult to determine the number of people who have it as many may not be aware However, diagnosis is still not always straightforward, as Dr. Sherry A. Ross, they have a gynecological condition. However, one study found adenomyosis OB-GYN and women’s health expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in was present in 34%Trusted Source of cisgender women aged 18-30. Santa Monica, CA, told MNT. Symptoms include:
“Painful periods with heavy and irregular bleeding can be seen in a number of other medical conditions, so putting all the pieces together can be challenging for heavy periods, or abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB)painful or irregular period- healthcare providers. […] Adenomyosis can also coexist with fibroids and endospremenstrual pelvic pain and feelings of heaviness or discomfort in the pelvis metriosis,” Dr. Ross explained. issues with fertilitypain during sexual intercourse or bowel movements (less “Many health experts still have disagreements on defining and classifying the common). Prof. Andrew Horne, professor of gynecology at the University of Edinburgh, imaging and pathology caused by adenomyosis,” she continued. United Kingdom, and spokesperson for the U.K. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), explained the condition for Medical News Today: Trial and error treatments “Adenomyosis occurs when the cells that make up the lining of the womb are found in the muscular wall of the womb. Symptoms include heavy and/or painful periods, as well as pelvic pain and discomfort. A third of people with adenomyosis do not experience any symptoms, but those who do can have symptoms that range from mild to severe, and adenomyosis can severely impact a woman’s quality of life.”
The treatments for adenomyosis are similar to those offered for other menstrual conditions, as Dr. Ross outlined: “The best treatment options for someone with adenomyosis who still wants to conceive will depend on the symptoms she is experiencing. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication [NSAIDs] will be helpful for menstrual cramps and pelvic pain. The birth control pill and progesterone IUD will control heavy and irregular periods and menstrual cramps.”
Doctors first described adenomyosis in a 1947 study having examined almost Hormonal treatments may also have other benefits. 2,000 uteruses following hysterectomy, the surgical removal of the uterus. Until recently, histological examination of a uterus was the only way of diagnosing “Long-term hormonal contraception prevents [the] proliferation of endometrial[-like] tissue, which makes it less likely for endometrial tissue to invade the adenomyosis. myometrium [muscular wall of the uterus],” said Dr. G. Thomas Ruiz, OB-GYN lead at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. However, improvements in imaging technology mean that doctors can now detect adenomyosis by ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. So healthcare workers can now consider the condition as a possible cause of abnor-
TT 152 | May 17th - May 23rd | 2022
My Health When Kate first consulted a doctor, she was offered the birth-control pill as a way to control the bleeding and pain. However, because she has migraine, she For some, the journey to pregnancy may not be as straightforward, as Dr. Ross avoided the combined contraceptive pill. In people who experience severe mi- explained. graine, the combined pill may increase the risk of ischemic stroke. “The uterine muscular and cellular changes associated with adenomyosis make “I could only have the progesterone-only pill, so I tried two different ones of the environment less favorable for fertility, implantation, […] and a term pregthose, but that didn’t agree with me at all — I just bled all the time,” she told us. nancy. Women with adenomyosis who get pregnant have an increased risk of preterm labor, pre-eclampsia (hypertension of pregnancy), intrauterine infecShe subsequently tried several other treatments — mefenamic acidfor the pain, tion, and cervical incompetencyTrusted Source,” which means that the cervix is tranexamic acidTrusted Source for bleeding, the Mirena (hormonal) IUD — unable to retain the fetus. none of which made a difference to her symptoms for long. Because of her condition, doctors are carefully monitoring Kate’s pregnancy And she still did not know the cause of the problem. and, so far, everything is going smoothly, but she is well aware of the issues others face.
Persistence paid off
“A lot of talk in the [adenomyosis] support groups is not around people who At 23, Kate finally found a primary care physician who had a gynecology quali- have struggled to conceive, but because there’s damage to the uterus, they’ve fication: “She was brilliant. She got me straight up to a hospital for scans.” struggled to sustain a pregnancy. There’s quite a high rate of miscarriage, with a lot of people having two or three miscarriages before successfully having their Although the first scan did not find anything, the second, at Birmingham Wom- children,” she said. en’s Hospital, made the diagnosis: “Straightaway she said ‘Oh, there you go, adenomyosis — you can see it’.” Impact on mental health “The diagnosis was when I was about 23 or 24, so it was about 4 or 5 years of Adenomyosis and other gynecological conditions do not just have physical efpushing and trial and error,” Kate added. “If I’d known more about doctors be- fects. They can also impact mental health, particularly if left untreated, as Prof. fore I started going, I’d have maybe saved myself a little time.” Horne highlighted: Following her diagnosis, Kate was referred to a consultant, who prescribed the combination birth control pill, which was much more successful at first, but the effects did not last.
“In our recent report on Gynaecology waiting lists Left for too long: understanding the scale and impact of gynaecology waiting lists, the RCOG called for more support to reduce waiting lists, so that women can access treatment sooner. We spoke to over 800 women with gynecological conditions and 80% said that their Finally, she tried the transdermal hormone patch — “that was brilliant,” she told mental health had worsened due to waiting with painful symptoms.” us.
Be kind to yourself
Have a baby? “A few [primary care physicians] and a consultant at the hospital had suggested Kate has found that trusting herself and listening to her body is most important: that I consider having children as that might help. […] I was, like, 25, and didn’t “If my body’s saying I need to rest or if I’m finding that having a lie down on want children at that time,” Kate recounted. the floor is needed, I will […] [I have stopped] trying to force myself to do too much, because I’m just making myself worse.” This is common advice, so MNT asked experts for their views. Prof. Horne advised any person with excessive bleeding or pain during or be“Some women feel [fewer] symptoms from adenomyosis after having a baby tween their periods to seek help. while others do not. Everyone with adenomyosis has a different experience with the struggles of this elusive medical condition,” Dr. Ross noted. “We would encourage women who are experiencing symptoms such as chronic pelvic pain or painful periods to speak to their [primary care physician] and ask Dr. Ruiz explained why having a baby can help some people with adenomyosis. to be referred to a gynecologist if they are still concerned. These symptoms may “Pregnancy causes something called decidualization of endometrial tissueTrust- not indicate adenomyosis, but could be associated with another gynecological ed Source which makes endometrium less active, and therefore, [results in] de- condition,” he pointed out. creased pain,” he said. Dr. Ross echoed this: “If you have persistent symptoms of painful periods, heavy Fertility issues and irregular bleeding, painful sex or infertility and don’t feel satisfied with your However, because it affects the wall of the uterus, adenomyosis can also cause healthcare experience, be your best healthcare advocate and bring up the potenissues with fertility, so the advice to have a baby can be both unhelpful and dis- tial diagnosis of adenomyosis.” tressing for some. Like with many other gynecological conditions, there is a lack of research and “Some research studies suggest that the condition appears to impact on fertility funding on adenomyosis, but campaign groups are working to remedy this. and can lead to an increased risk of miscarriage and premature birth. Anybody who has been diagnosed with adenomyosis and who is concerned about their “There is a lack of investment in research focused on women’s health, and we fertility can talk to their [primary care physicians].” hope that the upcoming Women’s Health Strategy will prioritize more research on gynecological conditions such as adenomyosis, raising awareness of the – Prof. Andrew Horne symptoms and improving diagnoses and treatments of gynecological conditions,” Prof. Horne commented. Kate was lucky. In her 20s, when she thought she did not want children, she considered a hysterectomy as the only sure way to cure her adenomyosis. Now “No woman should be left to suffer with heavy periods, or untreated, or undiag32, and pregnant with her first child, she is relieved she did not push hard for nosed pelvic pain.” the operation. – Prof. Andrew Horne “I was expecting it to be a really difficult journey to conceive and then sustain a pregnancy […] [but] we just caught straight away, which was wonderful. After * We have changed this contributor’s name to protect her identity. being told for so long that it would be a difficult journey, it was quite a shock for it not to be. I’m now 6 months pregnant,” she told us
TT 152 | May 17th - May 23rd | 2022
My Kitchen Strawberry Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins
www.allrecioes.com | By SCONESSANDTEA |image2 courtesy: iamafoodblog.com
Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup rolled oats 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt 1 egg, beaten ½ cup milk ¼ cup light olive oil ½ cup sugar ½ pint chopped fresh strawberries
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups. Step 2 In a large bowl, mix flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk, olive oil and sugar. Mix in strawberries. Stir strawberry mixture into oat mixture just until evenly moist. Spoon into prepared muffin cups. Step 3 Bake 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Directions
Step 1
TT 152 | May 17th - May 23rd| 2022
My Sports Chelsea legend Drogba and Eto’o to attend Africities in Kisumu
www.standardmedia.co.ke By Washington Onyango
Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o will attend much anticipated Africities Summit in Kisumu [photo courtesy]
Chelsea and Ivory Coast football legend Didier Drogba is among Africa in the Implementation of Agenda 2030 of the United Nations a host of local and international dignitaries expected to attend the and the African Union Agenda 2063. ninth edition of the Africities Summit slated for Kisumu from today to Saturday. The African Development Bank is playing a key role at the Summit. Drogba who won four English Premier League titles with Chelsea Meanwhile, sports has been incorporated for entertainment and to will be joined by Barcelona and Inter Milan legend Samuel Eto’o. let off steam for the delegates. Eto’o was seen recently in the country together with his family enjoy- More than 30 football teams from various counties have registered to ing a vacation together at pristine white sandy beaches in Malindi. participate in sports tourism activities on May 20 and 21. The summit will be opened by President Uhuru Kenyatta and attended by AU High Representative for Infrastructure Development and Azimio Presidential hopeful Raila Odinga, Former President of Seychelles Danny Faure, Former President of Nigeria Olesegun Obasanjo, Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o, Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki among others. Six other Heads of State are expected to attend the Summit.
Kisumu County Executive Committee Member for Tourism Culture and Sports Achi Alai said that the aim of the sporting activities is to offer a thrilling experience to participants. The competitors will include retired national team players, teams from various cities and local government authorities, ladies, juniors and corporate teams.
Football clinics will be conducted in academies in the local commuEto’o will be attending in his capacity as the president of the Camer- nity by sports legends from various countries. oon Football Federation. His fellow football star and legend Didier Drogba will also be representing Cote d’Ivoire at the Summit. Africities Ambassador Lupita Nyong’o is also scheduled to address the Summit. The theme of the Summit will be the Role of Intermediary Cities of
TT 152 | May 17th - May 23rd| 2022 The Times Today is a publication of Elizabeth Omondi Consultancy. P.O. Box 833-00100 GPO Nairobi. Tel: 0722 927792. www.thetimestoday.wordpress.com
