April 2022

There is an African proverb that says, “All the fingers are not equal” which means that do not compare yourself with anyone. pg 7

Sammy of many hats Where to go & just for laughs pg 30&31

April 2022 l issue 26

Table of contents 3 About Us 4 Editor's note 5 New Grip for the tired hands 7 Having the eagle's eye 9 Cover Story 15 Real Talk 18 Sermon 20 Book Review 23 Heavenly Music 26 Fitness 30 Just for laughs 31 Where to go 32 Contact information

ABOUT US WHO WE ARE

We are an online Christian magazine that aims to share inspiring stories.

We celebrate, recognize and appreciate Christian role models in their different capacities MISSION To share the Gospel truth, inspire, motivate and cultivate faith in our everyday lives

VISION

To provide a platform and safe room for growth in the Christian lifestyle and exposure to local talent in the Christian community.

Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 3

Editor's note Hello SAFE readers I am Bosa Sebolai.

How did I get here you might wonder. When Lebo shared the magazine with me every month I would read it and go on with my life.

A few months ago, a little voice nestled its way into my heart to contact her and ask to help with the magazine. I ignored the feeling for some months and one day I spoke to her about it and I have been helping her since.

I see it as an opportunity to utilize some of my free time while learning about God.

Although I don’t describe myself as a stellar Christian (as we are all trying to be perfect), I know when God speaks to me and here I am today writing as editor of SAFE. I am going to trust Him with this journey and I hope I bring something special to this publication.

I look forward to the journey……

Enjoy the issue.

Bosa Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 4

NEW GRIP FOR THE TIRED HANDS

Perseverance is the determination to achieve one’s goals in spite of the challenges faced. Quite often

Christians come across trials and tribulations in their Christian journey. From a non-believer’s perspective, this may be mistaken for torture, however, for a Christian, it is viewed as test used to examine their faith or prepare them for a task that God wants to give to them. We get an affirmation of this in James 1:12

ARTICLE BY K M NTEBANG

(NKJV) “Blessed is the man who endures temptations; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him". It is important to understand that God has plans for each and everyone of us. Our role is to understand what God communicates to us in our everyday lives and offer ourselves up for Him to use us however He sees fit. For we were created for a greater purpose; to serve God and His people.

Photo by Luke Besley

Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 5

Once we accept God’s call to serve Him completely,

our

tests,

difficulties

Photo by Nina Hill

and

challenges will lead us to understand our role or purpose in our calling as well as respond to that which we are called to do.

God’s calling may come in many different ways such as having to take care of a needy person in times when you are going through financial difficulties or having to take care of a sick person or having to carry the burden of another person or even a whole family. What God wants from us during those circumstances is to answer the call and say, “I am here Lord, send me to wherever you wish for me to go”. Our ability to lend a helping hand comes from Him who is the giver of all good things. In return for the sacrifices we make in order to make life bearable for those in need, the Bible tells us that God blesses those who persevere. This also teaches us to endure our suffering as well as to find peace in them. We learn from Romans 5:3-5 that, “and not only that but we glory in tribulations, produces

knowing

that

tribulation

perseverance;

and

perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because

the

love

of

God

has

been

poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us”. Therefore, we are able to do all things through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to withstand the test of time because of the power of the Holy Spirit who has been bestowed upon us for the good of God’s people.

As Christians, we must count ourselves lucky to have a helper who understands us more than we could ever imagine and who is always available to us for whatever need we may have. This helper is able to pull us from the depths of all life’s challenges and it is through Him that even today we are able to withstand and conquer challenges of all forms. Let this be our fortress, that the power of the Holy Spirit is with us always, let us depend on Him for our every need and let us remain hopeful for as the Bible says, hope never disappoints.

Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 6

In life, it is not every opportunity that presents itself twice. This is why one must focus on whatever presents itself per season and time, and focus on fulfilling the purpose for which it came about.

I met a young man five years ago who had the opportunity to travel to Malaysia to study journalism, but he squandered the opportunity and came back with nothing. According to him, the government of Botswana sponsored him as it does other citizens but when he got there, he lost focus and resulted in a lot of drinking which eventually led to missing a lot of classes which led to returning with no qualifications.

HAVING THE EAGLE'S EYE

There is an African proverb that says, “All the fingers are not equal” which means that do not compare yourself with anyone.

By

A quiet number of us find ourselves in a certain

Harry Tawiah Ussher

environment and lose focus as to why we are there

On several occasions, I have found

Meanwhile, we come from poor backgrounds where

myself driving into a ditch, nearly

our successful execution of that chance can take us

hitting a cow or bumping into another

from poverty to the next level of life.

and

begin

to

compare

ourselves

with

others.

car while driving because I was not focused on the road. To focus in life

Do you know that most people have wills written down

is to reach your goals. To focus on

for them already by their parents? So whether they

life is to end well. To focus on life is

pass secondary form or did not have the opportunity

to have victories. The reason why

to go to university, doesn’t determine what will

many people are living in regret is

become of them. Knowing your background should

because they did not focus when

motivate you to take life and opportunities a little

they

more seriously than the next person.

had

the

opportunity

to

do

something meaningful in their lives.

Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 7

Photo by David Travis

Having the eagle's eye In Proverbs 4:25. The word of God admonishes us to; let our eyes look straight into where we are going.

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.

In Nehemiah 6:3, we see that the Man of God was focused on his assignment that he did not honor unnecessary invitations. May you be like Nehemiah where your assignment on earth is more important to you than mingling with useless people going nowhere in life. so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?”

Being focused in life does not mean that you will not go through challenges. Because there will be dogs that will bark and scare us from moving forward, our determination is very important as to what we want to achieve. Sometimes the devil will bring our way hired “assassins” to try to kill us before our time or slow down our pace, but it is up to us whether to give up or not.

If you lack focus in life ask the Holy Spirit to help you keep focus in everything you are doing. If you have lost opportunities as a result of lack of focus, may the good Lord give you a second chance in Jesus name.

STAY FOCUSED. Photo by Jonathan Borba

Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 8

COVER STORY

Ms. Samantha Matlhagela affectionately known as Sammy is a wife and has been married for 10 years to Mr. Daniel Matlhagela. She is a doting mother to a 7-year-old daughter Maya. Sammy is family oriented and would do anything to see her family happy. She is a woman who wears many hats, over and above being a wife and mother, she is an author, founder and Etiquette consultant at The Etiquette Class and runs a mobile fashion jewelry and accessories boutique by the name Perfect Pieces.

When she is not engaged with her etiquette and writing classes , Sammy enjoys travelling with her family, learning about different cultures and meeting new people. She believes that travelling exposes us to a lot of things that in turn mould us to be all-rounded global citizens. She also loves relaxing with a good book and a cup of tea. She is a firm believer in God and worships at The Methodist Church, she lives by the bible verse LUKE 1:37; For with God nothing shall be impossible. Therefore, she dedicates herself to being the best that she can by doing what she believes is her calling, building, and developing other people to reach their potential, dreaming big and working hard towards achieving the dreams.

“I have been blessed with a good family and life therefore my responsibility is to be a blessing to others”.

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My passions & talents I love reading and writing, I am passionate about all things etiquette. I believe in good old manners, soft and social skills.

I love building young people and helping

them

develop

their

passions and talents.

I am also told I am a good speaker, something I am yet to explore I enjoy entertaining family and friends because I believe that is where I feel safe and loved.

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Writing Journey -I became a published author in 2020. However, I believe I have always been a writer from an early

age.

always

There been

has that

“writer’s streak” in me though

I

had

always

viewed it as just a pass time. I only connected the

dots

later

in

life

when a friend sent me pictures poems,

of

cards,

and

letters

I

wrote to her ever since we

were

in

primary

school up to our adult life. In school I enjoyed subjects

that

required

me to write more than the

mathematical

subjects. I also used to enter

a

lot

of

writing

competitions

in

school

and I have even won a competition

at

national

level.

-I must also mention that it took me

two

years

to

write

and

complete my first set of books titled Behind the scenes no more. I had

my

doubts,

fears

and

questioned myself about becoming a

published

author

but

then

I

looked at the bigger picture and objectives for writing the books which were to ; 1. Teach and build others about Etiquette 2. Promote reading and writing 3. Inspire others to follow through on their dreams.

4. To tick off my bucket list (writing Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 11

a book)

What is interesting about writing -I like to say that writing is to the soul what reading is to the mind and exercise is to the body.

Writing is interesting in that it allows you to express yourself without any limitations, to pour your heart and soul on paper.

- It is very therapeutic, heals and any negative energy and emotions.

-Writing allows one to be creative and without limiting their imagination What drives/Motivates me to write Anything and everything but most importantly I use writing as a form of therapy. I write about everything. When I am happy, I write, when I am sad I write, when I am angry I write, when I am excited I write and when I am bored I write.

-I also believe in writing down my dreams and aspirations, my goals both short-term and long-term. There is a very high chance of achieving a goal or vision that you write down because that is a you want to go and eventually with every day that passes you work towards that goal. Even the bible talks about it in Habakkuk 2:2

daily reminder of where Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 12

Why Etiquette Book and Children’s book I am a firm believer in good manners, acceptable behavior, love, kindness, respect, and humility. All these are the core values of etiquette hence I wrote an etiquette-themed book and journal. To bring about awareness that etiquette matters, etiquette makes a person, and that etiquette is not a “nice to have” but a necessity to be able to live peacefully with others and sail through life effortlessly and confidently no matter where The children’s book (Maya’s magic manners) is my daughter’s work. I obviously co-authored it because at 7 years obviously, she needed me to hold her hand through the project, but it is her baby. It really makes me proud of myself and her because the way this book was born, my daughter said to me “Mummy I want to write a book as you did”. I then asked her what she wanted to write about and the answer blew me away.

She said, “I want to write about manners mummy, I want to teach my friends and other children about good manners and behavior since you teach adults about etiquette”.

This was one of my best days because it proved to me as a parent that I am directly influencing my child through my actions and words. She is watching me therefore it is very important that I become a real role model. It showed me that our children are smart little dreamers therefore we have a responsibility of nurturing them, teaching them that they are capable and helping them achieve their dreams no matter how young we think they are. The bible verse Proverbs 22:6 wraps this up very well.

Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 13

we are in the world. Etiquette is Botho, tlotlo, lorato, kamogelo (humility, love, respect, and acceptance).

What future plans do you have?

Writing more books on etiquette and other subjects that are of interest to me, conducting children’s etiquette classes and really allowing God to direct me where he wants me to go. What I know is that I am excited about the future.

Get your little ones this color book and Sammy's books @ etiquette.with.sammy Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 14

REAL TALK REAL TALK

Tithing

SILENT ANSWERS There are things that we want out of this life that we are living. Some of these things are for our good (personal reasons and satisfaction), while others are not, they will not bring peace and comfort when the sole reason for wanting those things is for making life a little easier. When time passes by without getting what we want, especially things for personal reasons and satisfaction, we tend to put the blame on something or someone. Most of the time the person is God. PHOTO BY CANVA

Many of us are angry because what we want to have or what we think we want, we don’t get.

We even go to the extent of feeling like God is not real because you have prayed and fasted for God to give you that car or house or job that you have been praying for. It feels like you have been in the same place financially and physically. We want many different things but we don’t trust God. We want God to grant us our wishes not necessarily to have a relationship with God. Without the relationship can you be trusted with what you ask for?

We are always asking for physical things but we can never ask to grow spiritually or come closer to God or something that has to do with character. We need to know and understand that God will provide what we NEED. He will not give us things just because we are asking for them. Most of the time we get so angry without seeking from God if what we want is in alignment with the plans God has for us. We are quick to get mad and blame God that He does not see us when God is omnipresent (He is everywhere).

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SILENT ANSWERS Check your heart on the following when you have prayed and nothing has come to pass; Reason You need to search your soul earnestly as to the reason why you want a better-paying job, a house or a car.

Why do you want what you are asking for? What is the purpose of your ask?

Is it to take pictures to put on social media or to be able to buy clothes or to better your life and the people around you or to help at church or start tithing (some of these things should have been started on a small scale).

Photo by Ana Municio Attitude What is your attitude towards getting what you are asking for? Sometimes God does not trust you with more money because you cannot handle the little you have currently. It Photo by Mark König could be that your attitude needs to be worked on so that when you have a new job you don’t forget about Him or you start having pride and be rude to people about how you have made it in life.

Photo by Canva

Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 16

Photo by Javardh

As people, we need to be okay if what we wanted so badly doesn’t work out the way we wanted. We should be able to say, if this is not for me this season it’s okay and continues to praise God. Some of our past actions and decisions are the cause of where we are in life. We need to make peace with our past and seek a relationship with God so that we know the plans He has for us (Jeremiah 11:29). Let’s not blame God because we did not invite Him to our decisions.

Instead of being angry, have a meeting with yourself and make peace with what you wanted and have what you need which God provided.

Photo by Canva

Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 17

MAINTAINING YOUR CONFESSION IN THE MIDST OF HARDSHIPS Life

may

be

challenging

and

stressful at times, and we can get

so Byoverwhelmed by Tsaone Makula

hardships

that

we

begin

the to

Photo by Kelli McClintock

wonder if God truly cares and sure I would like to challenge you to change your perspective many of us have, at some point, and make your prayers one of worship and appreciation. felt trapped and overwhelmed by Prayers that acknowledge who God is and what He has life's troubles and struggles. A done in the past. Prayers that extol His grandeur, whether

He

exists.

I'm

you magnificence, and goodness. I want us to challenge question if God listens or ourselves and say, “God, I will praise you from the valleys responds to your prayers. Many of life! I will give a shout of praise in the midst of a folks are on the verge of quitting gloomy situation because you do not change like shifting circumstance

in

which

because they feel overwhelmed. shadows, and no situation changes you.”

Please hear me out if you are that person before you throw in As you begin to shout your praise, courage to stand firm in your faith will begin to rise within you and the lie that the towel. the enemy has been trying to tell you, that God does not God loves you and cares for you, answer prayer, will begin to fade like smoke in the wind. and He still listens and answers For as long as we live in this world, we will face problems prayer.

I

know

overwhelmed

feeling of varying degrees; some will be more difficult to endure want to than others, but in any event, refuse to magnify the

you're

but

I

your problem. Rather, choose to magnify the problem solver. attention for a while and see if Nothing is too difficult for God, whether it's altars or devils.

God doesn't come through. encourage

you

to

shift

Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 18

God has the power to

Photo by Dimitry B

raise you to triumph. A roar of praise or a whisper of devotion will bring about change. Maintain your faith confession and fight the good fight of faith. We are hardpressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed(2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 19

BOOK REVIEW

by M Lepere

Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 20

Title: The Alchemist Author: Paulo Coelho Contents: 2 parts, 161 pages The book is P134 at exclusive books (Airport Junction) The book is about a young shepherd boy who journeys to the exotic markets of North Africa and then into the Egyptian desert, where a fateful encounter with the alchemist awaits him.

Every person has a place that they want to get to in the future. The issue is always things or obstacles before us that will deter us to follow our dreams or treasures. Sometimes we have valid issues that hinder the journey of following our dreams like family, love, work etc.

The Alchemist will tell you that if something was meant for you, it's for you. It will wait for you when you come back from finding your treasurer. This book will show you that the journey towards your destiny doesn’t consider years and time. What really matters is getting to your destiny.

In our journey of life, we are going to come across a lot of obstacles to our destiny. We might even want to quit the long and difficult journey. Be assured that God has people along the way to help you in and with this journey, to guide, give strength and give hope.

We must be open-minded and trust the journey. Dreams are made to be followed. Life is meant to be lived. Some books are meant to be read, loved and passed on. The Alchemist is one of those books.

About the Author Paulo Coelho was born in Brazil and has become one of the most widely read and loved authors in the world. Especially renowned for the Alchemist and Eleven Minutes, he has sold more than 140 million books worldwide and has been translated into 72 languages.

The recipient of numerous prestigious international awards, amongst them the Crystal Awards by the World Economic Forum and France’s Legion d’Honneur, Paulo Coelho was inducted into the Brazilian Academy of Letters in 2002. He writes a weekly column syndicated through the world.

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Books by Paulo Coelho The Alchemist The Valkyries By the River Piedra I Sat Down & Wept The Pilgrimage The Fifth Mountain Veronika Decides to Die The Devil & Miss Pry Manual of the Warrior of Light Eleven Minutes The Zahair Like the Flowing River The Witch of Portobello Brida The Winner Stands Alone Aleph Manuscripts Found In Accara

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Heavenly Sound

6 OF THE HIGHEST PAYING JOBS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY: BY TEACHER AKHU

There is a common belief in our country that there is no future in the music industry. This is the main reason why many parents do not allow their children to freely express themselves through music as they become too worried about their future. Admittedly, it can be very difficult to make a living in the music industry but that’s only if you don’t know about the various fields and job opportunities available. In this edition I am going to discuss 6 of the highest paying jobs in the music industry in general but not in our country Photo supplied by writer

If music is your passion, and you want a stable and lucrative career, you have options.

Below we will talk about 6 of the best jobs in the music industry that will leave you fulfilled as well as provide a decent salary.

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1.

Orchestral Musician

Being an orchestral musician isn't easy, but it can yield a great salary if done right. The biggest determinant of your success as an orchestral musician will be the orchestra you play for. A variety of factors influence your salary, including the cost of living and where your orchestra is located. The job market for orchestral musicians is extremely competitive. Most orchestral musicians hold their job titles for many years and are the best classically trained musicians in the world.

Photo by Simon Noh

2. Music Therapist This is for the people interested in the sciences as much as they are in music.

Music therapists work in healthcare and education and can set up shop in the following: ·Hospitals ·Community Mental Health Agencies ·Rehab Clinics ·Prisons ·Disability Centres Music therapy is a great thing! Most music therapists start out at around $30,000 a year.

While that isn't much, if you stick to it, you can earn more in a year. Not bad for the opportunity to work in music and positively impact people's lives.

Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 24

3. Video Game Sound Designer

Photo by Kelly Sikkema

The video game industry is a large and growing industry to get involved with.

Video game sound designers provide detailed plans for how the performances sound will occur, and they often create voice and sound effects that integrate into the game.

Other lucrative music careers inside the video game industry are recording and mix engineers and score composers.

4 Road Managers If you like a fast-paced adventurous life, then this is the one for you. Road managers go on tour with headlining acts and make sure everything goes according to plan. Keep in mind; this is no easy featIf you like a fastpaced adventurous life, then this is the one for you. Road managers go on tour with headlining acts and make sure everything goes according to plan. Keep in mind; this is no easy feat. There are hundreds if not thousands of things that must be accounted for during a concert. Another challenging part is the fact that organizing and scheduling musicians is often comparable to "herding cats." Best of luck!

As a road manager, you'll be working with: ·Travel plans Tour budgets Merchandise sales Fan interactions Press requests In addition, the road manager will involve themselves with sound systems and lighting setups at the venue.

This job will please your parents and fulfill your love for music.

5. Music attorney Being a Music Attorney is the furthest removed from any actual musicality, but it is one of the most lucrative careers on this list. Just like with any other attorney, you'll need to go to college and then law school and receive proper certification to practice law. There are many musical undergraduate degrees you can pursue before heading off to law school.

If you have a passion for music, as well as evaluating legal issues, like copy like copyrights, trademarks, and contract negotiation, a career as a music attorney is perfect for you.

Youthful4God | Issue 26| Pg 24

6. Audio Engineer Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng

Arguably the most important person that touches and edits music aside from the composer and musician is the audio engineer. Finding the perfect levels, fixing the tone, utilizing software, and mastering the track are just a few of their duties. Take on as many projects as you can when starting out! You'll earn some extra money, and in the process, receive a ton of valuable experience.

Take the Necessary Steps for Your Music Industry Career Don't fall for the "starving artist" line. If you love music pursue a career in music. Just remember that there are r more options available to you than becoming the next biggest pop star. If it weren't for the people doing the jobs listed above, our favorite musicians wouldn't be able to do what they do for a living.

If you do have a passion for music, an excellent place to start is Kingdom Arts Academy. Like most career avenues in life, better jobs are typically accompanied by studying. Music is no exception

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FITNESS CORNER

Our bodies are incredibly resilient, and this means that the body adapts to the physical demands of everyday training. As the body adapts, exercises that were once challenging become easier. If you do not change your workouts or workout intensity, you will reach a workout or a fitness plateau. This happens when the progress you have been making, such as toning, or getting stronger, stalls, or comes to a halt even though you continue to exercise. You can experience a plateau when you are not progressing past the weight you

WORKOUT OR FITNESS PLATEAU

BY ONNEILE KEALOTSWE FITNESS INSTRUCTOR

have been lifting or past the number of repetitions you have been performing.

A fair share of us have experienced a fitness or workout plateau at some point, it is inevitable. However, it is not permanent if you understand how to deal with it. During a workout/fitness plateau, you can start to feel unmotivated, bored with your workouts, or find that you do not feel like going to the gym which has led to a lot of people quitting before they reach their goals.

A fitness plateau is simply your cue to ramp up your training so that you can keep progressing. Do not quit yet because all you need is to try one of the following: 1.

Use progressive overload: progressive

overload is a training principle that means you gradually increase the stress placed on your body during your workouts so that your body has to keep adapting. It is important to use progressive overload in a safe way to avoid injury or overtraining.

2.

Make small changes to your routine:

a)

Increase exercise volume: that is the

number of repetitions or number of sets per exercise. b)

Use isometric movements: When

suffering from a lack of progress, try slowing down each repetition, especially during the

Photo by Luke Aguaita

negative movement of the exercise. The slow tempo will boost the amount of time the muscle is under tension (isometric contraction) while increasing the overall difficulty of the exercise. c) d)

Adjust your resting time between sets and exercises

Employ alternative movement to target the same body parts.

Photo by Vitalii Pavlyshynets

3.

Allow for one day in the week and at least three (3) days every six (6) weeks to

rest. Rest allows you to take a break from training and allow your body to recover.

Getting proper rest and recovery is as important for your fitness progress as hitting all your workout goals.

5.

Get good nutrition that can support the intensity of your chosen workout allowing for sustained energy levels during exercise and improving recovery time.

Research has shown that the average human being will adapt to a physical exercise routine within a period of two (2) to 6 (six) weeks. It is therefore recommended, depending on your level of fitness, that you make the above changes within these specified times.

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Memes by thebestchristianmemes

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