YOUTHFUL4GOD
LIVING THE AMAZING CHRISTIAN LIFE MAGAZINE
1202 YAM
51 .ON EUSSI WHY IS MUSIC EDUCATION IMPORTANT
CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE LESS THE DISABLED
Youthful4God | Issue 15| Pg 1
TABLE OF
contents
3
Contact Infor
4
Editor's Note
5-6
Real Talk: We need safe places
7-9
Featured Article: Trust
10-11
Organizational Feature: The Transfigured Woman
12-14
Fitness: Choosing the right workout clothes: part 3
15-16
Reproduction: Time of your life
17-18
Business feature: WIG by HT
19
Heavenly Sound: Why Music Education
20
2020 Roadmap
21
OUR CSR
22
Sermon: YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
23
Book Review: William Mcdowell
24
Covid News
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WRITERS WANTED! IF YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER IN THIS PUBLICATION CONTACT US ON ANY OF THE BELOW MEDIA MAY GOD SPEAK TO YOUR HEARTS
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Youthful4God | Issue 15| Pg 3
Editor's note
Hello, my SAFE readers. I hope you are keeping well as I am adjusting to motherhood. Change is something that is strange. Sometimes even if it's a change for the better. My transition into Motherhood is weird and interesting in that I have learned that if I want to do things, I have to wake up early before the baby wakes up. I mean, my son is growing day by day and not even losing the resemblance of his father. I am learning to juggle looking after him and continuing with what I love doing the most which is this publication. I hope we are all keeping warm, as winter is almost here. I am also keeping warm and taking the advantage of working from home. We have a new article about music by a music school called Kingdom Arts Acamedy. There are going to be more developments as the year goes on, be on the lookout. Kindly see our Corporate Social Responsibility page (21) for this month and help the disable. Until next month, love you lots but God loves you more
Love you always and God loves you forever.
Malebogo Lepere Youthful4God | Issue 15| Pg 4
REAL TALK
REAL TALK
WE NEED SAFE PLACES ast time I wrote about a lot of testimonies walking around and not being shared (February issue). I also realized that we do not create safe places for people to share their grief or their testimonies without being judged or seen as failures.
L
We
do not have many of these places or people because I would like to believe that if there were such places and people, there would be organizations that deal with creating these vulnerable places for people to laid it all down. Churches could play that role but they are not visible enough with the testimonies or our churches’ time is limited especially with the Covid restrictions. Before I walked out of my marriage I prayed to God asking if He will be mad at me if I leave this marriage, that I tried, by all means, to make it work and I heard God saying “I will never be mad at you”.
What are safe places or people,
this
is
an
environment where you are vulnerable enough and
nobody
condemning seeing
fault
you
is or
passing
blame in what you have been through. Its people that can give you their heart genuinely,
and so
ears you
fall
down and they carry you
then left the marriage without fear of people judging me because God doesn’t judge me. Most people don’t know that I am a divorcee because I haven’t found a safe place to be a testimony but whenever I get a chance for one on one, I tell it all, like I let loose. I tell my side of the story not to paint any person bad but what I felt and what I experienced. I
up without judgement or gossiping behind you
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So many people have been raped, molested, aborted pregnancy, miscarriages and lost loved ones. How are they supposed to share what they have been through when we do not create safe places without attitude and judgement. All these bad things can happen to any person because nobody is immune to any of those.
REAL TALK CONTINUES....... hat I know is, this publication was birthed by my past, good and bad. God never wastes anything. Sometimes heartbreak is the greatest inspiration. I could not talk (I am shy) so as a way of healing I started to write a journal and that is how my writing desires were established.
W
Churches should do better by holding classes or conferences on issues that are considered secret especially churches that do not have much time during their services to ask anyone to come to testify. Sometimes is not about leaving it to the victim to come forth to talk but the church asking so that other church mates can hear and know that God is not resting but still works. This could save someone who is battling a silent war.
Before I walked out of my marriage I prayed to God asking if He will be mad at me if I leave this marriage, that I tried, by all means, to make it work and I heard God saying “I will never be mad
So let us search our hearts and repent if somehow you failed to be a safe place for someone who needed to talk to you about something that is bothering them. Or you listened but you judged them, or you exposed their scars after listening. Let us change bit by bit until we are at that point that we trust each other to lay it all down. Being vulnerable is therapeutic. Talking about hurt helps you think less or what you been through so that you stop thinking about what if I did this or behaved like this then maybe situations would have turned out different.
Youthful4God| Issue 15 | Page 6
at you”.
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TRUST To trust someone is to have a strong belief in the reliability, truthfulness and capability of that person to come through for you even when things are tough. Often relationships are built or based on trust. Once the trust is broken or questioned then the strength of that relationship is weakened and can easily be infiltrated by unfounded truths. The Bible teaches us about trust but not just trust, it teaches us to trust God with all our hearts. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) says, “trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight”.
It is important to note that as children of God, the first thing that we need to do is to have trust in God and to trust in the word of God. To trust that the Bible is not just a book that we read and learn from but that it is the true word of God and that through it and by putting this word into practice in our everyday lives we can achieve our life’s purpose. The word encourages us not to rely on our own understanding but to submit everything to God because as our creator He knows us and He knows what is best for us and no matter how difficult things may be, He will continue to provide for our every need. What we must know at all times, is that His time is not ours, but His timing is perfect always and addresses the need at the right time. Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV), the word of God tells us, “for I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on
me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”. Trusting in God should come from our hearts because when it is in the heart it erases all doubt in our minds and makes us believe only in Him. His plans for us are good, who would doubt Him when He promises us prosperity? When we call unto Him He promises to answer. Child of God ask yourself how many times you have called unto Him and received more than what you asked from Him? Ask yourself how many times He has responded even before you asked, for He tells us in Isaiah 65:24 that, “before they call I will answer, while they are still speaking I will hear”. This shows that His love for us goes beyond our comprehension. If He has this kind of love for us, then how can we doubt who He is in our lives? His promises for us are endless and all we must do is trust in Him. This takes us back to our opening statement on what trust really is. Let us be encouraged to build strong personal relationships with our God so that we may know Him better and understand what He requires from us. It is trust that will help us to better maintain a good relationship with Youthful4God | Issue 15| Pg 8 our God.
Lastly, the word of God in Isaiah 26:3-4 tells us
When He opens that door that has been
thus, “you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an eternal rock”. I encourage us to trust in God so that we may experience His
closed for a long time, because now it is your response time, you continue looking at the closed door because you have created your own idea of what God’s response will come looking like.
goodness. Many times, we fail to hear Him when He talks to us because we are focused on the things of this world. We fail to experience
You have placed too much reliance on your own understanding and on other people that even when God’s grace has
His work in our lives because we are busy counting our misfortunes instead of our blessings. We fail to acknowledge His presence
located you, it looks different in your eyes, it looks suspicious, more like a scam. Let us calm our spirits and fix our
in our lives because life’s challenges have overpowered us to the point where everything has
eyes on the cross where our salvation comes from. Let us allow the blood of
become dark and hopeless. We miss out on his blessings because we are busy crying for one thing or the other. We allow His glory to be overshadowed by the bitterness, sadness,
our Lord Jesus Christ to cleanse and purify our thoughts and minds such that we will easily recognize Him and hear His voice amidst all the commotion
confusion, anger, pain, disappointment etc due to the challenges that life throws our way. And we lose out on the blessings that have longawaited us because our attention has been diverted and put on the wrong things.
in our lives. Above all let us put all our trust in Him whom we believe in.
B Y
K.M. Ntebang Youthful4God | Issue 15| Pg 9
The transfigured woman is a ministry for women with a mandate to bring out their God-given purpose on this earth whilst following His blueprint. This is done through events, workshops and seminars that empower, equip and encourage as we do life together. VISION: Women across the world restored back to Christ, transfigured and living victorious purposefilled lives. MISSION: To empower women with knowledge and understanding of the word of God, equip them with skills and tools for growth in all aspects of their lives and encourage them to live a Christcentered, purpose-driven life. GOALS To free women from the mediocre mindsets through the renewal of mind by the word. To equip and encourage women to be their best in the marketplace, whether in entrepreneurship endeavors, careers or homemaking. To encourage and stand with women in pursuing the vision and assignment God has given them in this life. To encourage women to intentionally set godly examples to other women who do not know Christ, young generations and offer support through mentorship and healthy Christ-centered relationships. VALUES Discipleship/Mentorship Intimacy with Christ Charity/giving Accountability Unity and Teamwork
PILLARS Faith and Spiritual Growth Godly marriage/homemaking/motherhood Financial Stability Health and wellness
EVENTS ANNUAL CONFERENCE The Transfigured Woman Annual Conference is a gathering opportunity for all women to come together and experience God through worship, life-transforming teachings and ministration, fun fellowship and valuable networking. This is an event of spiritual empowerment to encourage and equip women from all walks of life to pursue purpose-filled lives in Christ Jesus. THE CLOSET GETAWAY The closet getaway is a retreat held during the second quarter of the year to rejuvenate, relax and refocus so we can tackle the rest of the year in victory. It is a getaway from normal life to a serene Youthful4God | Issue 15| Pg 10
a place for prayer, intimate worship and powerful word sessions. It also features relaxing activities to revitalize the body for the next half of the year. A time to unwind and recharge in the presence of the Lord, spirit, mind and body. “Come away with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:30-32 IGNITE BRUNCH These are brunches held throughout the year to ignite the fire of purpose in the lives of women. They equip women in various departments of their lives; Business, spiritual walk, financial freedom, health and wellness. Great opportunities for networking and mentorship. As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. FOUNDER AND OVERSEER Pamela is the founder and the overseer of The Transfigured Woman (TTW). She founded The Transfigured Woman in 2013, but her heart for women dates to her early University days, a time when the Lord started to unravel her purpose and poured a desire in her heart to bring women closer to God. TTW was launched in 2018 and now has a team of women who are also passionate and supportive of the vision serving alongside Pamela. The name was inspired by Jesus’s transfiguration when He sweats blood. As women, we are naturally created beautiful but there is a more glorious version of us hidden in Christ. And as we pursue him, we unlock that beauty and radiance. Pamela is passionate about God and purpose. She believes in an empowered woman who will support an empowered husband and raise empowered children. Contacts Cell: (+267) 75321729|73785092 Email: thetransfiguredwoman@gmail.com Website: www.thetransfiguredwoman.com Follow us on social Media:@thetransfiguredwoman.com
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CHOOSING THE RIGHT WORKOUT CLOTHES: PART 3.
! e o h s t o g i
Onneile Kealotswe Fitness Instructor (New Skills Academy) Strong Nation Instructor (formerly Strong by Zumba) Youthful4God | Issue 15| Pg 12
Often times we buy shoes because someone sang praises about the shoe or simply because we like the label or the colour. However, Just like tights and bras, when buying sports shoes, you have to consider whether the shoe you are about to buy is fit for your purpose. With the evolution of sports science, gone are the days where sports shoes were multi-functional. Shoes are now designed to serve a specific purpose. When buying sports shoes, the primary factors to consider are activity and function. There are a number of activities that one can possibly be engaged in however for purposes of this article, we shall consider the most common ones being middle and long-distance running, walking, cross-training, and aerobics. 1. Middle and long-distance running Shoes: ideally, these running shoes should have ample cushioning to absorb shock. You must look for a cushioned shoe that is flexible, have control, and offer stability in the heel area. It must be light and have good traction. These features may help prevent shin splints, tendinitis, heel pain, stress fractures, and other overuse injuries. You also need to consider whether you will be running mostly on trail or road. These would help you choose the right shoe for you to enjoy your activity. 2. Walking Shoes: walking requires a lightweight shoe with extra shock absorption in the heel of the shoe and especially under
Add a little the ball of the foot. This will help reduce heel pain as well as burning and tenderness in the ball of the foot
3. Aerobic Shoes: Shoes for aerobic conditioning should be lightweight to prevent foot fatigue and have extra shock absorption in the sole beneath the ball of the foot, where the most stress occurs. 4. Cross Trainers: Cross-training combine several activities and therefore the shoe must encompass all the above features to allow you to participate in more than one sport. A good cross trainer
bit of body text should have both flexibilities in the front of the foot needed for running and lateral control necessary for other activities such as aerobics.
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Additionally, you may need a special shoe to address specific foot and ankle problems. For example, if your ankles turn easily, you may need to wear a shoe with a wide heel. If you have a high arc, you may need a shoe with extra support for the arc or orthotic devices to provide extra stability and cushioning. If you have trouble with shin splints, you may need a shoe with better shock absorption. Uncomfortable shoes will no doubt shorten your workout leading to workout goals and overall fitness goals not being achieved, and may over time cause permanent injuries. Take your time before you reach for that shoe you love. Have fun choosing your next workout shoe. Side note: Good quality sports shoes can be pricey and therefore, as a consideration, you do not necessarily need a different pair of shoes for every sporting activity you participate in. However, if you run more than you do aerobics, then you need to invest in a running shoe and vice versa.
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Time of your life
Enjoy the -even the icy ones because pregnancy flies by faster than you think!
There are things nobody tells you: that your belly will itch so much it feels like the prickle is on the inside; that when traffic makes your husband an hour late, you’ll have the phone in hand ready to call the police, positive that he’s become a paraplegic in a five-car pile-up; that your “morning” sickness will happen at night and last for more than six stomach-churning months. Eventually, you’ll realise that the warning signs were there all along, that you can’t understand what it means to be pregnant until you are throwing up in your handbag in a shopping mall. Until, that is, you are living it yourself. Even then, there are phases of pregnancy you couldn’t possibly have anticipated, like when the pavement resembles a comfortable place to nap and how, at first, you can’t tell whether the baby is kicking you or you just have indigestion. Nor can anyone really describe to you how your body and heart suddenly will feel full of purpose and promise. How the fact that you’re “growing” a baby who will undoubtedly have the funny ears that run in your husband’s family and the impossibly long eyelashes that run in yours-trumps every annoying, weird symptom that you may experience. People forget to mention that this mysterious little person will keep you company every hour of every day, banishing every notion of loneliness for the unforeseeable future; how even though you’ve yet to meet, you’ll love your growing baby with ferocity that makes Superwoman look wimpy. At first, your pregnancy is a delicious secret. Then you start to show and find yourself a member of club that you didn’t know existed, part of an underworld of intimacy among moms-to-be and moms-that-are. You are privy to details about other women’s labours, the ones that last up to 36 hours and the ones so abrupt that they baby emerged in the shower. Colleagues who never looked twice at you now smile at your burgeoning belly and tell you about their grown children; your neighbour pats your belly and predicts you will definitely have a boy (you know it’s a girl but don’t have the heart to contradict her). And no-one ever tells you that when the morning sickness finally passes, it seems like someone washed windows you hadn’t known were dirty, every colour more vibrant, every object more distinct. You feel strong and resolute and find yourself skipping down the street. You delight over your new bra in the large size and the cute string bikini underwear you’ve bought to go with it (no maternity panties for us, thank you). You swim at the gym under the smiling gaze of pensioners doing water aerobics and accept the compliments when people admire your glow and growing bump. Because you are; you’re glowing and beautiful and elated, and your husband is painting the nursery and your body is taking care of the eyelashes. Pregnancy is the time of your life, holding, at the end of it, the promise of something sweeter than you have ever known. A time of your life to treasure. Article in Fit Pregnancy October/November 2008
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BUSINESS FEATURE WIGS BY HT
1. The name of my business is Wigs by HT. The significance of the name was mainly because I had pitched up an idea of selling wigs to my best friend Tumiso who at the time was studying in China. She liked the idea and she had agreed that she would help me with the whole shipping process. Furthermore, we agreed to partner together and name the business with our middle names. Wigs by HT. H which stands for my middle name Hope and T which stands for her middle name Tanya. 2. It was established in 2020 3. We offer wig revamping services and we also sell wigs 4. We operate in Phakalane 5. We haven’t hosted any workshop yet, but we are looking to do so in the near future 7. Due to Covid-19 and lockdown restrictions, we faced a problem of delayed orders which inconvenienced us and our clients a lot. 8. Our future plans are to have our own hair studio which offers more than wig services only. We are also looking into being able to sell hair products to sell to other African countries.
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Contact number for their services (buying or revemping old wig) on 76 209 110
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Heavenly Sound Kingdom Arts WHY MUSIC EDUCATION? Written by Akhu In my 20 years of teaching music, I have seen music changing students' lives in a way that no one could have ever imagined. When they meet music, children are able to express themselves in a way that words cannot achieve. Music helped a lot of students academically, socially even to deal with their self-esteem. Many studies have been done around music and its impact on children and the following have been found as benefits to mention only a few. Enhances language capabilities. Improves memory; Strengthen hand-eye coordination; Encourages good team spirit; Instills powerful study habits. The discipline that children who play an instrument must go through when practicing until they achieve what they are supposed to achieve is what helps them to be disciplined even in doing their academic work. It is therefore very important to introduce music to children, while they are still young so that they grow with it. It is the best investment a parent could ever give to their child. Music is an important part of every human being. It is never too late to pick a musical instrument of your choice and learn.
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MORE GREAT STORIES EVERY ISSUE:
2020 ROADMAP By Annonymous
2020 had many possibilities that I didn’t know would turn for the worst. I believed that 2020 was the year I take control of my life in terms of growth academically, personally and especially spiritually. I was blessed with a scholarship to study in America. I had started processing visas and then the pandemic stopped everything. Even during the lockdown, I was optimistic that I will be able to go as I was supposed to go in August. When nearing this date, they postponed the program until further notice. As months went on and the pandemic worsening, what broke the camel’s back was the program was eventually canceled. I was really crushed but God is on the throne. At least I got mmaboi’s food...lol
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OUR CSR
Choppies' fifth panelist for the Choppies Mother's Day Webinar is our very own Peo Maine, who is a banker, a founder of #AskMeAboutAutismBw and a mother to an amazing daughter with autism. Join her on the 9th of May as she takes us through her motherhood shift.
My beneficiary of choice is Ambrose Trust which owns the school Ambrose Academy. It's a special needs school located in Gaborone North that helps with Autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy and learning disabilities.
I would really appreciate it if you could donate any toiletries and foodstuff that you can at any of the Choppies Hypers in Gaborone. A box with my face on it is there for you to drop anything that you can give in it. A little goes a long way, so anything you can do will be appreciated. Thank you all for the love and continuous support. It is much appreciated. Donations run from 26th April to 9th May, kindly visit the GameCity, Northgate, Westgate, Phakalane stores. or e-wallet, cash send to 72224662 if you can not buy any toiletries. Inbox for more details call or text 72 224 662
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YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD by T.LEPERE Matthews 5:14-16
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. We live in a world that has gone wrong, in which all hell has broken loose. Everything is going from bad to worse, evil-doing is the order of the day. People are hanging in the balance and consumed with themselves. In this gloom and dark world, God has purposefully placed you, as a light to shine forth. Jesus Christ points out that we are the light of this world. He says this to buttress that we are supposed to live a purpose-driven life, an impactful life that will draw a lot of people to God. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden, this implies that your good deeds in this gloomy world cannot go unseen. This goes to say that evil can never defeat good. Let your good deeds speak volumes for you. People don’t necessarily listen to what you say but who you are, so be a good person. Every person has special and distinctive talents and abilities that are supposed to be used to glorify God. The world awaits the manifestation of these abilities and talents. Christians are supposed to be exemplary, serve and show the world the love of God. They are supposed to witness by works, not only their words should teach the gospel but also their actions or lifestyle. How bright is your light, is your light visible for the whole world to see? God desires that you will glorify Him with your good living, be a living sermon that will point many to Christ.
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Books Review
Prayer is more than important--it's vital. We have to do more than just want God to move in our lives, our families, our nation, and the world. We must actively seek him in prayer! When we call
Revival is not a thing of the past. It’s happening now! Since May of 2016 Deeper Fellowship Church in Orlando, Florida, has experienced a move of God with numerous healings and
out to God, he hears us, is with us, and helps us. Prayer is never an interruption but always an invitation. God invites us to go deeper in the place of prayer. Using practical teaching and moving testimonies, these Deeper Fellowship Church pastors will help you * hunger to partner with God and discover greater intimacy with Christ * boost your strength to pray till you see results * position yourself to be part of the greatest outpouring of the Spirit the world has ever seen * agree with heaven to see the plans and purposes of God become reality on the earth God doesn't want you to drown in unanswered prayer, but to walk in authority and
supernatural encounters. This outpouring of the Spirit bears many hallmarks of historic revivals that have taken place in the past four hundred years. Pastor William McDowell challenges you to believe that if revival is happening anywhere, it can happen everywhere. Physical, emotional, and spiritual healings are taking place today. The people of God are passionately pursuing Him, and He is responding.
to experience his best. You can connect with God right now and experience the life-changing power of his presence with you through prayer.
God that is already happening, and be a catalyst in spreading it. Stop waiting for revival and start seizing it. Youthful4God | Issue 15| Pg 23
Interwoven with stories of God working in miraculous ways, It’s Happening captures biblical truths about experiencing revival and God’s presence. Position yourself to join in the move of
Covid News Mass gatherings have been permitted as cases soar and patients die, while experts criticise a lack of planning and flexibility in the COVID-19 response. Anoo Bhuyan reports from New Delhi. India is battling a second wave of COVID-19, which has rapidly surpassed its first wave in 2020 in terms of the number of new cases and deaths per day. Currently, India has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases in the world after the USA. “The country is working day and night for hospitals, ventilators, and medicines”, said India's Prime Minister in his monthly national broadcast on April 25, 2021. India has been recording more than 300 000 cases of COVID-19 per /day since April 21, up from 100 000 per day on April 4. These numbers eclipse India's previous highest number of new cases reported in a single day, at 97 860 cases on Sept 16, 2020.
Health infrastructure has collapsed in several cities, with several state governments imposing curfews and lockdowns on movement, such as in the national capital New Delhi and in Maharashtra. State governments are scrambling to build up new infrastructure, making announcements this month about suddenly commencing the construction of new health facilities or oxygen plants. However, this frenetic activity comes in the middle of an ongoing and exponential rise in cases, whereas it should have come before, say experts. In early 2021, an opinion that India had overcome the pandemic and acquired herd immunity gained ground among policymakers, sections of the media, and the public, said Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India. “Even sections of the scientific community propagated this view”, he added. The belief that there would be no second wave, says Reddy, was also spurred on by the desire to reopen society and revive economic growth.
By: The Lancet Youthful4God | Issue 15| Pg 24
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