Thursday, April 23, 2009

HUMBLED BY SUSAM BOYLE's STORY


Susan Boyle, who recently performed on the U.K. television show "Britain's Got Talent," has captured the world's attention. She’s a 47-year-old unemployed charity worker who lives with her cat in a small village in Scotland.

My family (Charles, Selormey, Kofi, Florence) were watching it when Charles asked me to have a look. When I saw Susan, the first thought was, “she looked like a person with down’s syndrome” (without disrespect to people with Down’s syndrome). Her dressing, color coordination, appearance and even the way she was eating prior to the stage and her walking made me think “what is she doing there?” , but I was completely humbled after I heard her sing.

As soon as she walked on stage, the audience began to snicker and roll their eyes. Simon Cowell, the show's host, asked her some pre-performance questions in his famously condescending style, and to the audience's enjoyment, she answered awkwardly.

She was painfully ordinary, and everyone was prepared, looking forward even, to see her fail.
By now, if you don't know the story, you could guess it, right? She more than wowed them. She opened her mouth to sing, and, as judge Piers Morgan later said, she had "the voice of an angel."
She wasn't painfully ordinary; she was amazingly extraordinary. The audience immediately jumped to a standing ovation and stayed there until the end of the song. The YouTube video of Susan's performance has, as of Friday (NZ time), received more than 41,335,790 views and though the show is still ongoing has been offered two contracst already.

I am riveted, and a recent article in USA Today does a good job of cataloguing all the reasons.” We prejudged her by her looks and were fooled. We experienced the gamut of emotions in a few short moments: guilt, shame, vindication, hope. She's a modern-day Cinderella, and these days, it's a wonderful distraction and inspiration to witness the triumph of the human spirit.”(USA Today)

But there's something else Susan Boyle awakens in us as we watch her come out of her shell: our own selves. Who among us does not move through life with the hidden sense, maybe even quiet desperation, that we are destined for more? That underneath our ordinary exterior lies an extraordinary soul? That given the right opportunity, the right stage, the right audience, we would shine as the stars we truly are?
Although Susan Boyle became an overnight sensation, hers was not an overnight transformation. She's been practicing singing since she was 12. In her case, overnight was 35 years.

To allow yourself to be molded by your own gifts takes courage. You have to be willing to stand there, exposed and authentic, while the audience rolls their eyes at you and sneers, expecting failure. And then, of course, you have to fail, laugh or cry, and keep going until, one day, they stop laughing and start clapping.

Susan Boyle is a phenomenal role model for all of us, not just because of her talent or her courage or her perseverance or her supportive friends. She is a phenomenal role model for us because she is us, in all our awkward ordinariness and amazing extraordinariness.

It’s also a lesson for us all never to prejudge people before we get to know them. For us in Christ, the lesson is embedded right in the center of the gospel never to look down on people or discriminate against based on what we see, or hear about them, even their nationality, profession etc, but we see people based on who they are and the content of their character.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

MY 2008, A HUGE LEARNING CURVE


2008 was a challenging year for me in so many ways.
I have been a Christian for about ten years, serve the Lord in many capacities and been through a lot of challenges in the past, but the challenges of 2008 was unique in so many ways.
I saw a personality shift within myself. I can’t count the number of times I went before the Lord to question his decisions and many times I wondered why GOD does things in a certain way.
There are many times People and I also encourage myself that “May be God want to Shape and modify you”, but then I ask God this particular question
“God, is there no better way of shaping people and modifying behaviors?”

God used my trip to the united state of American in November 2008 to change a lot in my life.
My plan to go to the states was to visit family, fulfill the condition of my visa and also look for job.
Fortunately or unfortunately, I could not find a job in the state, so I spent the two months staying home, spending time with family and seeking the Lord.
Some say absence from the stressors in New Zealand was good, meeting your loved ones you have not seen for over six years might help. Though all was good, but to me, the time spent seeking the Lord while I was away brought a lot of changes in my life and refreshment in my spirit.

How the Lord did it was through the song VOICE OF TRUTH. This song was not just good, but the lyrics ministered to me in away that it could bring me on my knee and I felt God speaking into spirit through the song.

I got back to New Zealand saying to myself I have a new beginning and a new start. I remember saying to the devil on my return “That was a good shot, you should have knocked me down completely when you had the chance, but too late now”

I look back in 2008 and I see growth and maturity and character formation and say God, thanks for taking me through this and I see a change and transformation in character.

I thank God and also want to thank Charles A-Dwamena(Brother) and family, Nicky, Li Hsien, Sarah, my Zion Life group members, Leaders and all members of Hope church for the encouragement, my Korean friends at school. You guys are just great. God bless you all.

NB: Hey Beck’s thanks, for all your random text messages in 2008, was good to know someone was also thinking about you when ever the text message pops out.

My mom was awesome, great to have a godly mother to stand by you and encourages you all the time, Florence Gyanewa you Rocks.

I really cant go through the List of people to say thanks to, but I really thank the Lord for all my friends and families, you guys are just great.

I have attached the song VOICE OF TRUTH, you can listen to it.
SHALOM

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Dedicated Sarah

Yo Miss Whangarei, finally i have updated my blog hehehehe.
I am in USA now, new environment. miss everyone in New Zealand so far.
Will keep updating my blog as promissed Sarah(:)).
But i could not believe i am going to third year next semester, 2008 went so quick.
Ok have a great time and God bless you all.
Shalom

Monday, July 14, 2008

COURAGE UNDER FIRE


Every day, you and I face the challenge of taking back what ever has been taken away from us. Like soldiers in a landing craft going ashore to establish a beachhead, we expect opposition. Our MISSION is to “invade the land” the enemy has taken away from us.
The world has been spiritually oppressed for too long and its affecting our families, our marriages, and our communities. This is a BATTLE and battles are bloody. Survival depends on preparation and training
When you come under pressure in a BATTLE zone, your character counts.
The decision you make in the last few seconds is where the battle is WON or LOST.
Let your legacy be one of great deeds and stunning Victories.
A “man’s” true spirit shows through when the pressure comes on.
INTEGRITY , COURAGE AND ACTION

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

WHY WE SING


For some who may not understand our purpose,
they may not understand our prayers

Someone asked the question
Why do we sing?
When we lift our
hands to Jesus
What do we really mean?

Someone may be wondering
When we sing our song
At times we're even crying
And nothings even wrong

RESPONDS

I sing because I'm happy
I sing because I'm free
His eye is on the sparrow
That's the reason why we sing
God is the reason why we sing

And when the song is over
We've all said
Amen
In your heart just
keep on singing
And the song will never end

And if somebody asks you
Was it just a show??
Lift your hands and
be a witness
And tell the whole world
No

And when we cross that river
To study war no more
We will sing our
songs to Jesus
The one that we adore

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Lucky Dube Shot Dead


Reggae musician Lucky Dube was shot dead in a hijacking on Thursday in Rosettenville, Johannesburg police said.
Captain Cheryl Engelbrecht said the incident took place at around 8.20pm when Dube was driving a blue Polo in the Johannesburg suburb.
She said Dube was dropping off his son in the area when he was attacked.
“His son was already out of the car. When he saw what was happening, he ran to ask for help.”
The hijackers were still at large.
The boy was too traumatised to provide police with any information, Engelbrecht said.

[Via - Sapa]