July Issue 2021 by Malebogo Youthful

Y O U T H F U L 4 G O D

M A G A Z I N E

ISSUE 17

YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE living the amazing Christian lifestyle

Y O U T H F U L 4 G O D

M A G A Z I N E

ISSUE 17

C O N T E N T S 1 0

Business feature: Local Talent : Artist Lecha

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Organizational feature: Saved Movement event

2 9

Book Review: Crazy faith by Transformation church Pastor Mike Todd

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03 04 5-7 8-9

Editor's Note Contact Information Real Talk: Legacy 2 Article 1: I am Sorry

13-14 15-16 20-23

Sermon: Who are you (True Identity) Article 2: Change for better Heavenly Music: Practice tips

23-25 2628 30-31

Women's health: Value your vitamin Fitness: Winter weight Gain Devotion: We need the full armor because this is a batle

JULY 2021

EDITOR'S NOTE I am saying this because we posted some months back in the issue that we need writers and few people showed interest and I was fine with the few. I had to approach others to suggest as to what their contribution could be, looking at what they are passionate about. I was scared to do all of this because I always overthink things. Also, I was afraid of being Hello my SAFE readers. I have realised something about the things of God. When you have something or a purpose to do or in your life, when you know what God has put or placed in your life, start doing it with the fear that you have and the rest will follow. Don’t wait for sunny days to start. Just start with clouds in the sky and trust in the higher power. There are so many things that the Lord has

placed

our

hearts

and

keep

postponing because we feel we are not ready or we need money or people. I believe that when God placed those ideas in your mind and heart, everything is already ready but you have to apply your mind, heart and time as to how you can start that purpose in the stage you are currently in. Then progress from there. YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE

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rejected and everybody has this fear, we just have to push through it. So, in the coming months, you will see more interesting articles, (as you have seen in the previous issues). Until next month, love you lots but God loves you more.

Malebogo Lepere JULY 2021

WRITERS WANTED! CALL FOR ALL DOCTORS (GYNA, DENTIST, GP, MEN'S HEALTH,PEDESTRIAN ETC) TO WRITE ARTICLES EVERY MONTH MAY GOD SPEAK TO YOUR HEARTS

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JU;Y 2021

L E T S

T E A C H T H E Y

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T H E M A R E

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W H I L E Y O U N G

JULY 2021

R E A L

L E G A C Y

T A L K

P A R T

Last issue, we discussed the legacy we want to leave with or for our children when we are no longer on earth. We looked at ways we can prepare our children for when we are not around anymore. So today we are focusing on the parents. We have and play a big role in building our children’s future. Whether you believe or not. You do! When you look at yourself, would you want your children to take after you? When you evaluate your life, how you are doing things and your journey spiritual, financial and physically, would you want your children to take after you? What do your children see you doing which they will end up doing because they can see and believe it’s right because you are doing that particular thing? Our children learn by seeing things so we should do more and speak less. Do they see you praying for things like food, when you go to sleep, when you wake up and read the Bible? Are we good examples to our children?

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO AS A PARENT? ·Seek guidance from God God knows everything and He is able to give a hand when needed especially If you make it intentional to teach and be an example to the next generation. This means you need to prioritize the children’s spiritual journey. Cry out to God to help you. Ask Him for His guidance to teach the children

·Google There is a free university called Google and Youtube. You can find different ways of teaching children according to their ages the bible principles. You can download videos for children to watch and act along with. These same principles will also be applicable in life issues. ·Invest This would be making time to spend with your

He gave you to look after. If some days you don’t feel or don’t have time for a sit down with your children, don’t feel bad. Come up with more creative ways of learning like movies of their age and colour books or puzzles that have a biblical story behind, so that you take a break from classroom teaching kind of style.

children and buy books to encourage them to read. You can decide on a time suitable for you may weekend or Friday evening and commit to it. Our children grow to like soapies because that’s what they see us doing. When we come back from work, we seat and watch television from 6 pm until 9 pm watching telenovelas

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and soapies because already aunty has made dinner. You have your dinner watching tv. ·Seek help Christianity is a lifetime journey and you need help. No man is an island. You need and you have people around you. You can partner with families that share the same vision for the children and take turns teaching. Ask for more work from your church so that the children can work one at home before Sunday. I don’t believe any Sunday school teacher would refuse to share extra work or you can even ask for the curriculum, so you are well equipped. THE INFLUENCE WE HAVE As mothers, we have power over our children especially if we start when they are young. We have the power to hear from God as to what He wants for our children, then partner with Him to groom them in that way. Sometimes we are not aware of this. Whenever you get hurt or sick, all you want is your mother because they have that thing that you CANNOT explain. It's love, comfort and that all things will be okay. I was listening to Patel's brother’s testimony (youtube) and I figured that we do not realize the power we possess as parents. This testimony is of a Muslim family. God used the mother to convert the family (children) to Christianity. The mother of these boys never stopped praying. Whenever their father went to work, that was their time to seek God’s face genuinely because they had limited time. When their father realized what they were up to, he sent the kids to India, where Christianity is not recognized but because their mother had laid the foundation, the children also prayed when they got time and she never stopped praying for them. When they were older, they turned into drugs but their mother’s foundation was there. They knew that their mother’s place was a sanctuary because whenever they visited her, they will feel the presence of God and get convicted but when they leave they will go back to their ways. It took losing friends to drug addiction to realise their calling. Their mother would always ask other brethren to pray for their sons and she prayed for 17years for his sons to experience God. Now they proclaim the name of the Lord. They clean up and now preach the word of the Lord in different countries. The word of God says that we should pray without ceasing, the mother prayed for 17 years for the salvation of her children. We pray for 2 months and believe we have prayed enough and forget about this prayer item. Don’t tell them what they can’t do rather what they need to know. Daily I pray that I will be good example of the Christian lifestyle to my children. I will make a point for them to see me praying as a way to normalize prayer at home. I speak life into my children at a young age that they experience God. They enjoy the Christian lifestyle. YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE

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I AM SORRY As we continue to explore our topic on forgiveness, we learn some more important information about it, including how we must behave in times of trials, how we must treat those who persecute us, how to free ourselves from the sadness caused to us, etcetera.

Luke 6:27-29 states that, “but I say to you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either”. It is only when we understand the pain that our Lord went through on the cross that we will be able to effortlessly overlook the mistakes done to us by those who wish us ill. The sacrifice paid on the cross is so significant that even to date we still talk about it as if it happened only yesterday.

BY K.M. NTEBANG

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If Jesus had to go through such pain and humiliation so that we may get life in its fullness, what then can stop us from opening our hearts and accommodating those who present cruelty to us, remember that on the cross Jesus forgave those who persecuted Him. The scripture tells us to turn the other cheek if we get a slap, to show

These questions and many others which continue to remain unanswered haunt us every day. In many of our homes today we come across situations where we are not in good relationships. People find themselves at loggerheads with their family members. Siblings, parents, spouses, children, uncles, aunties and cousins one way or the other

love even when all we receive is hatred, to offer well wishes and show compassion and

face these challenges and unlike in the olden days where there were community support systems in

understanding all the time. The lessons we must draw from these is that in our daily encounters with our enemies or those who persecute us, we

place such as, village leaders, parents, church leaders e.t.c., who were always close by to listen and provide guidance and resolution on family

must display acts of kindness and love to them, if we are faced with harassment or hateful acts, we must stay calm, not allow our emotions to run wild to drive anger and animosity, we must always seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to give us direction and the strength to be understanding.

disputes. In recent years we see that these support structures are not as frequently used as in the past, and we find ourselves lost with nowhere to look to for guidance. Despite all these challenges, as children of God, we have to be different and do things differently. We need to constantly assess

What I have learned over the years growing up is that sometimes we come across people who have been deeply hurt in their lifetime, such that, they do not know where and how to release this pain, they end up unleashing this pain to the wrong

ourselves, our relations and work hard to make a difference in the world today. We have been called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. God trusts us to bring peace where there is none and to reconcile those having problems.

people and at the wrong time. In our workplaces, we often come across colleagues and supervisors who are abusive towards their fellow colleagues. This sometimes starts as a once-off encounter which later develops into a habit and even spills over to other colleagues. The question is how do we deal with this kind of behavior? Is there a platform for us to address it or we just watch and

In John 14:26, the scripture says, “but the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you”.

learn to accept it as normal? How does this affect both parties? Is it even an acceptable behavior to allow in our offices? Is the environment conducive enough for those abused and harassed to seek help? Is the mental state of those inflicting pain on others assessed to ensure stability and good health? Are the ones abused ever afforded counseling sessions to ensure that they maintain their mental stability?

those we come across to keep the world as a safe and better place for humankind. Allowing ourselves to forgive all the hurt and painful things makes us better people and improves our chances of bringing one more lost soul to the kingdom of God because it is through our actions that we will be able to draw people close to God and it is through our faith that we will be able to convince the unbelievers of the greatness of our God.

Let us then take counsel from the Holy Spirit, keep an open mind so that we may be able to let go of all unjust acts done against us and our loved ones or

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LOCAL TALENT It’s hard for me to conceive God as a certain image, or a certain force or something that I can describe by a word or two. Because if He’s an image then someone created that image but it can’t be because He’s the creator of everything, if he’s a force then he can be measured but He’s unmeasurable. Whatever form that God is in, no one can explain it because it’s beyond our understanding. A machine can never understand its creator but it will always function the way it has been programmed. If it is set to produce heat when cold then it will do that, if set to switch on the light when it gets dark then that’s exactly how it will function, if you set Lecha Mosinyi as the owner of a device then the system will recognize him to be the owner unless someone else changes the settings to a different user. So to me, God is that voice that rebukes me whenever I get a bad thought, that power that gives me encouragement when I do something good, it is that power that has created me though I would never understand it no matter how much I try, just like that machine which is limited to know and understand limited functions or operations. That’s why God has so many descriptions such as Yahweh, Jireh, Elohim e.t.c, or forms such as The Holy Spirit, the Father or The Son, these are the functions that I believe we as children of God have been programmed by our creator to understand. So that when you’re sick you know you can call that power we know as Jehovah Rapha to heal you or when you’re in need you need to know that the unmeasurable power known as Jehovah Jireh will be your sources of provisions. A dog will always depend on its owner for food, shelter and everything and will protect him if in danger because it understands the love that person has for it and that’s why I will always know and believe that God the creator of the heavens and earth, the one who sent his only Son to die for my sins is my master and all I should do is follow him for what He has done for me I can’t get it from anywhere apart from His kingdom. So I can conclude by saying God is that power that created everything that exists, the power which gives life, that power that’s responsible for why and how all systems whether biological or scientific work the way they do. That power is the God of everything. My name is Lecha Mosinyi I’m 21 years old and I’m currently a student. I do art part-time. I’ve always been passionate about art from a tender age because I just enjoyed drawing and I’d do drawing challenges with my friends and my drawings would always be some of the outstanding ones and this made me realize that I may be talented at art. My mom noticed this gift too and she always encouraged and motivated me to do better. I decided to take art as an optional subject at both junior and senior school and I believe that’s where my gift got polished and got inspired me to practice art commercially. I make oil paintings of human portraits and to try and make my work unique I incorporate both realistic YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE

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and abstract elements from technique to my use color. It is my dream to be one of the most renowned visual artists our country has ever had, I would love to hold solo exhibitions and also exhibit and sell my art in other markets outside of Africa because they appreciate and value art more than we do here.

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To get your portrait done contact Him on

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lecha.mosinyi https://www.facebook.com/lechamosinyiart/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_lechamosinyiart/ YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE

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SERMON WHO YOU ARE (YOUR TRUE IDENTITY)

One of the most important things in this world is the understanding of one’s identity. People identify others based on different things including, one’s past, mistakes and weaknesses. It is important that you understand who you are since it will have an influence on your destiny. The 10 Israelites spies considered themselves as grasshoppers and they ended up on a forty-year galivanting in the wilderness. Your identity is very important. We read in the book of Judges 6 about a man called Gideon who was an Israelite, he lived during the time when Midianites were attacking the Israelites. When the Angel of the Lord came to him, he called him a mighty hero, but Gideon replied to him by saying he is from the weakest clan in the whole tribe of Manasseh and that he is the least in his entire family. This goes to show how God sees us, He sees the potential in us, He regards us as mighty warriors. It shows that we are not defined by our weaknesses, our past and even our family’s statuses. Our true identity is found in God, we are whom God says we are. Unlike man, God also identifies us not by our appearance. When the Prophet Samuel in the book of 1 Samuel 16 visited Jesse’s family to anoint Israel’s next king, God instructed him not to look at his appearance, but his heart. The world may be identifying you by your appearance, but they are missing on your true identity, you are more than just what the eye can see, you have been formed in the image of God, fearfully and wonderfully made. Do not let your people label you because of your shortcomings, those do not define you, a murderer became the one to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt. Your circumstances do not change how God identifies you, He has engraved your name in the palm of His hand. You are a child of God, you are not condemned by God, you are tenderly loved, you are the salt of the earth, the light of the world. You are a member of God’s family, you are a royal priesthood. You have been bought with a price and you belong to God. The good work God has started in you, He will be faithful to bring it to completion. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

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Since you have established where your true identity is found, it is important that you accept Jesus Christ who is the one who brings you into your true identity. He died so that your sins may be forgiven, so that you may become the righteousness of God. Accepting Christ will make you at peace with God. If you are willing to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, pray the following short prayer:

“Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner who doesn’t know his identity, I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior.”

Amen Maybe you have been reading this and you were inspired but have not yet received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, we would like to close by praying with you this simple prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen. With this simple prayer, you are now part of God’s family, start living for Him and find a bible-preaching Church to fellowship with.

By Tumelo Lepere YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE

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JULY 2021

CHANGE FOR THE BETTER

In 2 Corinthians 5:17. The Bible says that, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come, The old has gone, the new is here. In this scripture above, we see that after a person gives his/her life to Christ he or she becomes a new creature and all things become new. In order words, if you use to drink, club, live un-holy life, gossip, steal, backbites, etc, you do not have to go back to what you use to do again, by the reason of your new birth in Christ Jesus, because the Lord has completely forgiven all your sins. However, your new life in Christ must be seen by all men. Your new life in Christ according to the scripture means you have changed and no longer do what you used to do. Just as a person who didn’t have anything and everyone saw that he didn’t have anything, it is the same way that when the Lord begins to bless the person, it will be evident for everyone to see, so your change in Christ must be seen by all those who use to know you with a negative character trait. It is not easy for a young person to change outright because of peer pressure and society's negative influence, but it is possible if you put your mind to it. On the other hand, if you come across a fifty-year-old person who hasn’t changed and still behaves as a twenty-five-year-old person it becomes a problem for the family and the society as a whole. Since at that age one would expect that he or she have seen it all and the need for change is crucial so that he/she can become a good example to those coming after him/her. There is a saying that, “the only constant thing in life is change” as much as I agree with this assertion the change must be for the better and positive, for the reason that, no one is expected to change from being a good person to a highly notorious individual. As a young person, there is a need for you not to follow what every youth is doing, because the Bible says in Proverbs 14:12 that; There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death. In this text, we see that certain things can seem good to us as Christians, but the Bible is emphatically saying that the end thereof is death. These days, many Christians are living a life of hypocrisy and lies thinking that no one is aware, human beings may not be aware because of their smartness, but there is nothing hidden in the eyes of God. Know that He is a righteous judge and He will judge men according to their deeds. Psalm 7:11. God is a righteous judge,a God who displays his wrath every day. YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE

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Matthew 7:13-14 says; “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. We also see in this scripture that there is a broad-way/strait gate, by which everyone has accepted to be okay, but the end is destruction, but then again there is a narrow gate that leads to life. The literal meaning of this scripture is that you must dare to be different as a child of God, you mustn’t commit the sins everyone is committing, because the disobedience to the word of God that has become the normal way of life to many leads to destruction, nonetheless, changing for the better and not following the crowd leads to eternal life. In Daniel 1:1-16 we see how Daniel and his three friends dared to be different in a foreign land in the midst of pressure by not defiling themselves with the delicacies from an ungodly king since they wanted to please their God (Jesus Christ). For you to change for the better, there is a need to change your mind, until then you will always go back to your vomit to eat it back. Romans 12:2 says, Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. I believe in following these steps will be of great help: 1.Write down all the bad things and weaknesses you use to have before you came into the Lord. Exodus 17:14. Habakkuk 2:2. 2.Say to yourself on a daily basis that you will not do what you use to do again because you have the willpower not to do so. Isaiah 40:28-31. Ephesians 3:20. 3.Engage in spiritual warfare prayers to be free from habitual sins. Hebrews 12:1. Ephesians 6:12. 4.Avoid friends and places that can cause you to sin. Proverbs 12:26. 5.Engage your mind and yourself in reading the Bible and profitable ventures. Proverbs 16:27. By Harry Tawiah Ussher

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7. IS IT NOT TO SHARE YOUR BREAD WITH THE HUNGRY AND BRING THE HOMELESS POOR INTO YOUR HOUSE; 9 THEN YOU SHALL CALL, AND THE LORD WILL ANSWER; YOU SHALL CRY, AND HE WILL SAY, ‘HERE I AM.’ IF YOU TAKE AWAY THE YOKE FROM YOUR MIDST, THE POINTING OF THE FINGER, AND SPEAKING WICKEDNESS,

ISAIAH 58:7 &9 YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE

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SAVED MOVEMENT BY T.KELESITSE

District to spread the Word and donate winter clothing to the

A couple of issues ago we advertised the below Saved locals. Before then, several months of clothing collections from Movement Winter Clothes fly, today we looking at the were gathered together and stacked in boxes before they were handover event of the clothes.

washed

and

folded.

The

donation

collection

process

was

eventful, yet fruitful one as we managed to box up a truck-full of clothing to donate.

Village

Development

Committee

Dikwididi

through

the

liaison of the resident Social Welfare Officer welcomed the team of 15 young people to the village Kgotla. Before the handing over, these young people spread out in pairs to evangelize to local residents, an exercise that was by most ‘fulfilling and eye opening.’

YROTS ERUTAEF

The

From the door to door evangelism, followed the handing over. Ululations and whistles from the glad recipients were a sure sign that on the day some hearts were touched. A total of 10 families received donations alongside some individuals who were there to

witness. “I really feel like this was less about the receipients and more

about

Movement.

The

real

impact

was

seeing

everyone go out on foot to preach the gospel and share love with the locals. God truly touched my heart that day,” Peggy Tlhalerwa, the founder lamented in a short video interview. It would be foul not to mention that later the same evening, A Bible Saved

Movement

Christ-driven

organization Donation Drive was launched targeting a 100 Bibles for 5 Senior

founded by Peggy Tlhalerwa. Its intention is to spread Secondary Schools. The first night attracted 168 pledges which the

gospel

conducting

charitable

activities have now risen to 235 and counting. Saved movement is very much

combined with evangelism. On May 29th 2021, the dedicated to serving the community by both giving in kind and Movement took off to Dikwididi Village in the Kgatleng

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SAVED MOVEMENT CONTINUES......

you

did

last

THE

manage

month,

WORD

there

BIBLE

to is

DRIVE

that is currently on until the end of JULY to come up it 500 bibles for school

See the advert below

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JULY 2021

YROTS ERUTAEF

contribute

not

HEAVENLY MUSIC PRACTICE TIPS FROM TEACHER AKHU

Learning to play an instrument can be very exciting, fulfilling and a task at the same time. One needs to be disciplined and spent time practicing on their own to be able to eventually play the instrument. Most of the time learners think they need to meet with the teacher every day for them to be able to play. This is not the case though, meeting with the teacher once a week is enough to get one to play their instrument. The learner must understand that the teacher will not make them play but practicing consistently will. In this article, I will be giving tips on practice that will make one achieve their dream of playing their favorite instrument. 1.Setting goals for the practice session It is very important to set time and goals for a practice session. It will not be effective to go into a practice session without a plan of what you would like to achieve out of it. Do you want to memorize a piece, memorize a scale, transcribe a solo, figure out the fingering of certain notes, work on your breathing, work on your embouchure or even build stamina? This must be thought through and it will help one to focus and be motivated to attain the goal.

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2.Keep a practice log When setting up goals, they must be written down and this will require a practice log. In this log, you will write down whether the goals were achieved or not after practicing. If the goals were not achieved, then you will need to reflect on why.

JULY 2021

PRACTICE TIPS FROM TEACHER AKHU continues...... 3.Break up your practice time into smaller chunks. Practicing 3 hours a day is highly recommended, but this does not mean doing it 3 hours straight. The 3 hours can be broken up into 3 1-hour sessions that are more focused, and time used effectively. This is different with different instruments because while a pianist would practice for 2 hours straight but a vocalist would not. 4.Remember that practicing is NOT just about playing through your music.

5.Repetition is key Music is a hard skill, so you learn it by

Yes, certainly there will be times when you are preparing for a performance, and you need to play through your entire piece to check memorization and gain stamina. But in

repetition. This means you must do it by breaking down large passages up into smaller sections and repeat them correctly until they become part of the muscle memory.

the process of learning and perfecting a piece, playing through your piece from beginning to end can hinder your progress. If you still have technical difficulties or memorization mistakes, by playing through your pieces you are simply ingraining those

6.Make sure your practice room is set up for effective practicing. You want your practice room to be free of distractions and set up with the tools you need to practice efficiently. Make sure it is quiet and at a comfortable temperature. Turn off your

mistakes into your muscle memory. It will be twice as hard to get rid of those mistakes in the long run. Perfect small sections of your piece and then string a few small sections together to make a longer section.

phone so you are not tempted to check your messages and get calls. Make sure you have a metronome, pencils, a tuner (if you need one), a mirror, your music and technique books, your practice log, some water, and any instrument-specific accessories.

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PRACTICE TIPS FROM TEACHER AKHU continues....... 7.Warm-up mindfully Make sure that you always start your practice with warmups. The purpose of warming up is not simply to get your muscles moving. It is in the warmup that you are solidifying your technique. You are preparing your body and your mind for the work, and you must be “present.” 8 . Record yourself By recording your practice sessions – audio and/or video – you can listen back and catch some things you may have missed at the moment. Listening to yourself can help you find the tone of issues, watching yourself can alert you to tension issues that you didn’t know you had and much more. OK, I’ll let you break a part of tip 6.you can turn your phone on to record yourself. But don’t check your messages! 9. Remember that practicing isn’t just about playing your instrument You need to practice your instrument, but you must also practice your artistry and you must engage your intellect. That means that practice also involves listening to great artists perform your repertoire and analyzing what makes them so great. The practice involves studying the history and performance practice of a particular piece. Being a musician is about much more than just learning how to play notes. You need to add time every day on top of the time in the practice room to expand your knowledge of your music, your instrument, and your artistry. 10.Practice something EVERY DAY It is better to practice 20 minutes every day than 2 hours on only one day of the week. If you can’t put in three hours every day, that is fine. But commit to working on your instrument, even if one day you only warm-up and don’t touch your repertoire, every single day. That consistency will pay off!

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JULY 2021

Value your vitamins

During pregnancy, it is vital that you take your vitamins. Get the lowdown on what you should be takingby SR BURGIE IRELAND “Are you taking your vitamins”, will probably be one of the first knee -jerk responses you’ll get after announcing your pregnancy-especially if It’s your mom you’ve told. Everyone knows that even if you’re planning a baby, it's important to take your vitamins right from the start- and by starting we mean from when you start trying. Up until the end of the 80s, there wasn’t much importance placed on taking one’s prenatal vitamins, and most women were just advised to eat three meals a day, with a healthy snack in between. But then, revolutionary study from Harvard University published in the 1989 spelt out the importance of vitamins during pregnancy-particularly folic acid, found to decrease the incidence of neural tube defects in newborn babies. More recently, vitamin A during pregnancy has been found to cause developmental defects in newborn babies. Guidelines issued by the Institution of Medical, US, now suggest that pregnant women should avoid excessive doses of vitamin A and only take supplements under the guidance of their doctor or dietician- so best you do that. Because while pumping yourself full of every conceivable vitamin may seem like the best (and healthiest) thing to do for your baby, the opposite may be true. So what should you be taking, and when? In general, taking vitamins during pregnancy is definitely more beneficial than not taking them. The Food and Nutrition Board (National Academy of Sciences, US) has found that when people can afford supplements, vitamin deficits are practically non-existent. “But we must not forget that a round of pill cannot replace a square meal’, warns the nutritionist Jane Badham. She goes on to say that isolated vitamins and minerals in supplements are but tips of the iceberg of goodness that is contained in vegetables and fruits. “A vast range of protective and healthy promoting phytonutrients that are contained in vegetables and fruit are usually associated with the colour pigment. This means that pregnant women in particular should eat at least five or more servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day rather than only relay on supplements,” she says.

WHAT ARE VITAMINS AND WHY YOU NEED THEM? Vitamins have many “life-maintaining” and “growth- promoting” functions in the body. While some vitamins help the body tissue utilise oxygen and release energy from food, others build and maintain these body tissues. Vitamins can be fat or water soluble. This means that while some are stored (fat soluble), other (water soluble) need to be replaced daily. Fat soluble vitamins A, D,E and K are stored in fat tissue and the liver and can build up to potentially harmful levels if taken in high doses. Water soluble vitamins are all of the B group and vitamin C. in sunny South Africa where there is plenty of sunshine to synthesise vitamin D (ad margarines are fortified) there is usually no need to take supplements. According to the government stipulations, wheat flour, standard bread and maize meal is fortified with essential folic acid. Pregnant women also have a bonus of a “super-active” thyroid gland that not only stimulates appetite; those hormones enhance the absorption of nutrients from diets.

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WAYS TO ENHANCE YOUR VITAMIN INTAKE: ·Choose a variety of colours and textures ·Nibble vegetable sticks and fruit between meals ·Buy smaller portions more often- this ensures freshness ·Wash vegetables and fruit before cutting them up ·Use as little water as possible when cooking-and use this water for stock or gravy ·Use fresh herbs (they’re vitamin-rich) to add flavour and stimulate digestion. ESTIMATED DAILY REQUIREMENTS According to the International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA), pregnant women need to take

THIAME (VIT B1) Vit B1 helps the proper metabolism of sugars and carbohydrates and fatty acids to release

6000 IU (International Units) of vitamin A, 25 mgs Vitamin B complex, 100mgs vitamin C and 600 IU of vitamin D daily.

energy. It also helps the heart and nervous system. FOUND IN: all animal organs, whole grains (cereal germ, nuts peas, beans, plums, almonds) eggs and salmon.

WHAT DO THESE DO AND WHERE ARE THEY FOUND? VITAMIN A: RETINOL depleted when people are malnourished, this vitamin is necessary for healthy skin, eyes, teeth, gums and hair. It is also essential for bone growth, reproduction and embryonic development. FOUND IN: milk, butter, eggs, fish, oil, liver, yellow vegetables, fruit and green leafy vegetables VITAMIN B COMPLEX: INCLUDES THIAME, RIBOFLAVIN, NICOTINAMIDE, PYRIDOXINE AND BIOTIN YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE

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RIBOFLAVIN (VIT B2) Essential for healthy skin, this vitamin becomes deficient during pregnancy and when using oral contraceptives. It functions in the body’s use of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. FOUND IN: milk, cheese, eggs, whole grains and leafy green vegetables (avocado, dry beans, lentils) NICOTANAMIDE: it becomes deficient during pregnancy, when breastfeeding and when using oral contraceptives and helps to release energy from carbohydrates. FOUND IN: peanuts, liver, tuna, avocado, dates, dry beans, peas, lentils, oats, rice, yeast and nuts.

PYRIDOXINE (VIT B6): the vitamin is essential for the proper absorption of proteins and aids in the formation of red blood cells. FOUND IN: lean meat, leafy green vegetables, bananas, tomatoes, yogurt, whole grains cereals, egg yolk. BIOTIN: it is depleted by excessive consumption of raw egg white or deep fried foods, prolonged and repeated courses of antibiotics and is necessary for the digestion of carbohydrates. VITAMIN C: a deficiency induced by oral contraceptives, pregnancy and lactation. Vitamin C is essential for the normal functioning of all cells. It helps to keep bones, teeth and blood vessels healthy and aids in the absorption of iron as well as playing a vital role in the body’s immune system. FOUND IN: citrus and fresh fruits, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage and tomatoes. Also found in seafood, liver, wheat germ, brown rice, barley and nuts. VITAMIN D: a deficiency is caused by insufficient exposure to sunshine. It stimulates the absorption of calcium and phosphorous from the gut and its reabsorption from the kidneys. It is essential for strong teeth and bones. FOUND IN: fortified milk margarines, egg yolk, tuna, salmon and synthesised by sunshine.

Article by: Your pregnancy November 2008 YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE

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WINTER WEIGHT GAIN. Winter brings a lot of challenges, not only are we reluctant to leave the bed to exercise, but we also tend to eat more. The reality is that our bodies use a lot of energy to keep us warm during winter. When the body is exposed to a significant change in temperature, it breaks down glycogen (stored carbohydrates) to generate heat to keep us warm, and hence always feeling hungry. Unfortunately, the cold weather tends to make us reach for comfort food such as a cup of hot chocolate and a slice of cake. With the increase in caloric intake and a sedentary lifestyle during the winter season, one is most likely to gain weight.

ONNEILE KEALOT SWE Fitness Instructor (New Skills Academy) Strong Nation Instructor (formerly Strong by Zumba) YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE

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1. Be mindful of what you eat: because we tend to feel hungry most of the times, we are likely to grab anything within reach to eat. However, you have to be mindful of the food you eat so that the weight gain is not exacerbated by junk food. As an alternative try the following: a. drink hot teas, specifically ginger tea (not only does it suppress the hunger, it is also a great immune system booster) or coffee (be careful about the sugar) b. Increase your protein and reduce your carbohydrates. A lot of warming and comfort foods are carbohydrate dense, so if you are not very active, the rule of thumb is to stick to one-quarter plate of carbohydrates at each meal and have more lean protein.

2. Have home-cooked meals: this allows you to control what goes into your plate and it helps you to make healthier choices and control portion sizes.

c. Use the right fats such as extra virgin olive avocado, raw nuts and seeds. d. Eat more fibre: Fibre helps to keep us full and helps with optimum bowel movement which is ideal when we are less active and craving more food during winter. e. Increase vegetable intake.

3.. Hydrate more: We tend to feel less thirsty in winter. However, we actually sweat as much as we do during other seasons. Due to the drying heat of the heaters, air conditioners and overdressing, our bodies can easily become dehydrated. Fluid loss can be less noticeable under layers and layers of winter clothing. Sometimes the body’s response to dehydration is often confused with feeling hungry and therefore drinking a lot of fluids may help stop overeating. Therefore, drink fluids even when you do not feel thirsty. Reach for warm water with or without lemon or ginger tea. Watch out for warning signs of dehydration such as headaches urine that is darker in colour, dry skin etc YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE

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4. Be active: the less active we are, the likelihood we are to fill that gap with eating. Try and move as much as possible, if you cannot maintain your routine, try walking in the neighborhood or opting for stairs etc. Let's break the cycle this winter and beat the winter weight gain blues.

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BOOK REVIEW

Crazy faith Will you be remembered as a person who claimed to follow God but liked to play it safe? Or as a person who lived your life out on the limb and trusted God enough to live in crazy faith? Noah looked crazy when he started building the ark . . . until it started raining. It was

crazy for Moses to lead a nation of people into the desert away from Egypt . . . until the Red Sea parted. It was crazy to believe that a fourteen-year-old virgin would give birth to the Son of God . . . until Mary held Jesus in her arms. There are many things that seem normal or average today that at one point in time seemed absolutely crazy. Smartphones, WiFi, and even the electric light bulb were all groundbreaking, history-making inventions that started out as crazy ideas. Our see-itto-believe-it generation tends to have a hard time exercising true faith—one that steps out, takes action, and sees mountainmoving results. Many of us would rather • believe for the impossible play it safe and stand on the sidelines, but • choose hope over fear it’s crazy faith that helps us see God move • be alert to the voice of God and reveals His promises. • cope with loss and doubt • develop a deeper level of trust in God In Crazy Faith, Pastor Michael Todd shows • speak faith-filled declarations us how to step out in faith and dive into the • inspire crazy faith in others purposeful life of trusting God for the impossible. Even if you have to start with God’s not looking for somebody to give Him baby faith or maybe faith, you can become all the reasons why His plans can’t happen. empowered to let go of your lazy faith, trust He’s looking for somebody to believe they God through your hazy faith, and learn to will happen. In fact, He has so much He live a lifestyle of crazy faith. With powerful wants to do through you. The question is, Are stories of modern-day faith warriors who you crazy enough to believe it? take their cues from biblical heroes, Michael Todd equips you to

release date 21 September 2021 YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE

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JULY 2021

We need the Full Armor Because This Is A Battle Ephesians 6: 10-18 “11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…”

By Tony Kelesitse

Christianity can be likened to a continuous battle. A battle because there are virtues that we fight for and vices that we fight against. The Bible carries many examples of physical and spiritual battles that great men and women have faced in their faith. For this reason, Ephesians chapter 6 talks about the FULL ARMOR OF GOD. Just like soldiers and their military gear, the full armor God wants us to wear has both defensive and offensive tools. There are battles that require you to defend your standpoint as a Christian, to stand your ground and block all of the enemy’s bullets towards you. At our workplace and in our social space we get temptations to say or do things that are sinful. Sometimes a co-worker pushes you to the brink where you even contemplate insulting or manhandling them. The previous example may seem like it is that significant, perhaps consider struggling with infidelity or dealing with an addiction that weighs you down. Without a doubt, battles are a natural part of our lives as human beings.

What should set us aside as Christians is that we have the awareness that the weapons against us are not flesh and blood. We are familiar with the devil and what his intentions are against us, which is why we stand ready with the shoes that bring the readiness of the gospel of peace. The armor of God is there for our use, but it is not going to be effective if we do not know how to use it. The full armor of God just like any appliance you buy at the store has a manual and that is the Bible. For you to know how to use this armor, you must read the Bible. Doing so not only gives you the know-how in using the full armor of God but it also gives the devil a hard time when he tries to plan anything against you. My personal favorite part of the armor is the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. Remember that earlier in the discussion there is mention of the need to defend ourselves? Well, the Word of God is there to assist us when we now need to attack and go on the offence against the devil. YOUTHFUL4GOD MAGAZINE

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In essence, when you have the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the shoes of the readiness of the gospel of peace and the sword of the spirit we have the complete set of defensive and offensive instruments we need for our ongoing battle. If you feel like you are missing one tool from these, do not put yourself down. The Book of Ephesians will help you, along with 1 Corinthians to better understand the battle and how to use and gain full access to the full armor. Most importantly just read your Bible, pray, do good, serve God and share the love with others. After all, God can never tempt us beyond our means, so whatever season you are in just know the battle has already been won since God has plans for a hope and a future that includes you in it (Jer 29:11).

l i t i n t u un l t t x e x n e n h t h n t o n m mo

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