I have just come back from the East Africa Students convention at the Braeburn school in Garden Estate. This is an annual event held for those schools in East Africa that are using the ACE program. I was amazed at the incredible talents displayed there by our young men and women. From Preaching to Poetry, from academics to athletics, from Science projects to soccer kick, from dance to drama, great gifts and talents were on show.
We had about 200 students participating in this event. I stood there amazed at the power of vision and what one can do if they allow themselves to not only possess a vision but let that vision possess them. And that is the story of Enock and Violet Muhol. This couple caught the vision of Christian education about 13 years ago. They went to South Africa to see how this could be done and came back in Kenya to start it with their then only son Emmanual. Violet then resigned her job as a Teacher in one of the most prestigious schools in this Country and begun using the ACE curriculm to homeschool their son Emmanuel. In 2001, a model School was started in Garden Estate using the ACE curriculum.
With the growing demand of the vision they had, Enock too a few years later had to resign his lucrative job with one of the leading sugar companies to give himself fully to this vision. There are now over 100 schools in East Africa using the ACE curricuum that has greatly changed Christian Education in the region. And all this is because of a couple who against all odds, ran with the vision that God had put in their hearts. They have run this race with faith and endurance. They have refused to give up even when that was the easiest thing to do. They have refused to give in to pressure but have continued to give out that which is in them.
This vision has grown and is still growing. This vision has transformed the lives of many, not just children but adults as well. As I sat there at Braeburn I begun to wonder. What if Enock and Violet didn't step out and follow what was burning in their hearts? What if they didn't take that bold step? What if they gave up along the way because of the various teething problems they faced not to mention accusations from naysayers?
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
GOING FOR GOLD
The Olympics is just round the corner and many athletes all over the world are busy preparing themselves for it. Many are aiming for Gold in the races they have qualified for. Their dream was first and foremost to qualify for the games, and next, their goal is to win a medal, preferably a gold medal.
We all like these Athletes have qualified for our "Olympics", the most important race, which is the race of our life. The fact that out of the 64 million sperms that began the race, one made it to fertilize the egg and that's how come you are here, tells a lot about you. You have qualified. You had very little to do with this part, it was by divine design and not your own making, and that's why you qualified.
The next thing you need to do is to win a medal. In order for you to do that you must first identify your race. According to our maker, "There is a race that is marked out before us" (Hebrews 12:1). If you are supposed to run in the 800 meters race with Rudisha, and you opt to run the 200 meters, it won't matter how fast you run. Even if you beat Blake and Bolt, you will not be given a medal because that is not the race you were meant to run. If you were to run the 200 meters and you leave your lane and get into someone else's, even if you win you will be disqualified because you entered another person's lane.
What I'm I saying, it is important for each of us to identify our race. My race is to bring healing and restoration to hurting and broken marriages. What is yours? What race are you running? Are you running your race or are you running another persons race? Your Father's race? Your Pastor's race?
We all like these Athletes have qualified for our "Olympics", the most important race, which is the race of our life. The fact that out of the 64 million sperms that began the race, one made it to fertilize the egg and that's how come you are here, tells a lot about you. You have qualified. You had very little to do with this part, it was by divine design and not your own making, and that's why you qualified.
The next thing you need to do is to win a medal. In order for you to do that you must first identify your race. According to our maker, "There is a race that is marked out before us" (Hebrews 12:1). If you are supposed to run in the 800 meters race with Rudisha, and you opt to run the 200 meters, it won't matter how fast you run. Even if you beat Blake and Bolt, you will not be given a medal because that is not the race you were meant to run. If you were to run the 200 meters and you leave your lane and get into someone else's, even if you win you will be disqualified because you entered another person's lane.
What I'm I saying, it is important for each of us to identify our race. My race is to bring healing and restoration to hurting and broken marriages. What is yours? What race are you running? Are you running your race or are you running another persons race? Your Father's race? Your Pastor's race?
Monday, July 2, 2012
ONE THING AT A TIME
The song writer wrote, 'One day at a time sweet Jesus, tomorrow may never be mine...' The song writer was right as far as worrying over our Tomorrows is concerned. But in being effective in life and in what you do, one must learn to concentrate on one thing at a time.
How important it is for us to learn to carry out one objective at a time? According to Dale Burke, in his book How to lead and still have a life, tells of a story told by Management guru Peter Drucker of one of the most accomplished time managers he ever met. This President of a large bank impressed Drucker with both his focus and efficiency. The President would meet with Drucker once a month for 90 minutes, but would always have only one item on the agenda. Drucker observed:
During the hour and a half I was in his office every month, there was never a telephone call, and his secretary never stuck her head in the door to announce that an important man wanted to see him urgently. One day I asked him about this. He said, "My secretary has strict instructions not to put anyone through except the President of the United States and my wife. The President rarely calls - and my wife knows better. Everything else the secretary holds till I have finished. Then I have half an hour in which I return every call and make sure I get every message. I have yet to come across a crisis which could not wait ninety minutes."
Dale Burke continues to say that the secret here is "one thing at a time." A single focus is critical to top performance in anything we do. Don't allow yourself to be distracted by the many things that come your way. Don't even sacrifice the urgent for the important.
How important it is for us to learn to carry out one objective at a time? According to Dale Burke, in his book How to lead and still have a life, tells of a story told by Management guru Peter Drucker of one of the most accomplished time managers he ever met. This President of a large bank impressed Drucker with both his focus and efficiency. The President would meet with Drucker once a month for 90 minutes, but would always have only one item on the agenda. Drucker observed:
During the hour and a half I was in his office every month, there was never a telephone call, and his secretary never stuck her head in the door to announce that an important man wanted to see him urgently. One day I asked him about this. He said, "My secretary has strict instructions not to put anyone through except the President of the United States and my wife. The President rarely calls - and my wife knows better. Everything else the secretary holds till I have finished. Then I have half an hour in which I return every call and make sure I get every message. I have yet to come across a crisis which could not wait ninety minutes."
Dale Burke continues to say that the secret here is "one thing at a time." A single focus is critical to top performance in anything we do. Don't allow yourself to be distracted by the many things that come your way. Don't even sacrifice the urgent for the important.
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