Book Review – Harvest of Gold by Tessa Afshar

by Seun Yewande Williams | Apr 13, 2017 | Book Reviews

This book is the second book  – the first being the harvest of rubies 

These books are simply amazing they walk us through the journey of Marcus and Sarah and several times in the book I saw myself as Marcus and Sarah.

Harvest of Gold focused on the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem by Nehemiah the struggle he faced, the strain that occurred in Sarah’s marriage, but above all, it talks to us about a God that loves us irrevocably and can turn the outcomes of our lives into that of gold

The following are some areas in the book that deeply touched me and answered some questions

I feel that the Lord has left me too- I feel abandoned by the Lord

Sometimes the heart goes through such a deep valley that the lord is overshadowed by its darkness. the trick is when you feel God has let you go you don’t let go of God cling to Him anyway and you will find that He never abandoned you – He remained near all along I am convinced He knows your pain and seeks to give you rest in the midst of it

What do you think destiny is?

A smooth path that never jostles you? no, when you walk in destiny you will crash and fall more times you can count BUT the secret is to hold on to God’s vision for your life — and for the lives of those, He puts in your charge. No matter how many times you fall, crash and fail you get up. You get up and face your obstacles

Something a little girl needs –

Love, companionship, the knowledge that she is wanted and valued and when they don’t receive it they learn to trust no one themselves

“ I was the one to take care of me. No one else could do that”

God sometimes calls us to build something for him – in order to do that you have to rebuild the ruins of your early life.

The enemies of the world – the dark forces of evil that we have against us; nagging doubts, the forces that have already come against you, your childhood, bitterness, detachment, unforgiveness.

We need the weapon of God to survive

Well unless God becomes your God you won’t have access to His power

God Love for us

The Lord cared for him as an individual. He had not chosen God had chosen him, he had not been chosen because he was the strongest or best God had chosen him simply the LORD OF THE UNIVERSE LOVED HIM. HE LOVED (YOUR NAME) WITH AN UNFAILING LOVE”

The lord had been with him through every single moment of the ravages of his childhood when he thought himself alone the lord had been with him loving him guiding him the lord had known every sorry every childhood fear and had never -NEVER -ABANDONED HIM

Book Review – Addicted to Writing by Emeka Nobis

by Seun Yewande Williams | Mar 9, 2017 | Book Reviews

Don’t say I didn’t warn you. This book ‘Addicted to writing’ has the capacity to jolt you, back to your calling as a writer.

There are many books on the shelf on why you should write, but none has touched home with facts laced in personal experience as ‘Addicted to writing` by Emeka Nobis.

`Addicted to writing` speaks to the heart of the struggling writer from the heart of a writer who was once in the valley of despondency. Fought the demons. And conquered.

“Dear writer, what do you write about?”

Emeka Nobis begins his conversation with a question that aims to help the reader-writer gain clarity.

Emeka Nobis is a conversation-starter!

He goes on to say “I think it boils down to what is a yearning in your heart…”

He well articulates the state of mind of a true writer  -the deep yearning to share with the world thought, a story, something of value from the heart.  What other way is there to describe the one who is Addicted to writing?

Very inspiring, is Emeka Nobis sharing on what writing means to him and how that embracing it has helped him find his voice.

In this book, you will gain insights into why you should embrace the yearning within you, call yourself a writer and just write.

And write even more.

Write about that one thing your heart yearns to tell. Let the world feel your pulse through your writing.

Not every addiction is a bad thing, you know.

Are you Addicted to writing? Do you realize that as a writer you are a marketer? This is another insight which he noted.

You have something that is of value and that can be exchanged for financial rewards too. Maybe you don’t desire financial rewards. Nonetheless, through your writing, you are selling something -you are selling a point of view which you believe in.

He succinctly captures this thought in his words “By sharing, we are marketing. Period.”

And I say Period!

Share your thoughts with humanity today. And bless a soul.

The book ‘Addicted to writing’ sheds light on the ‘who’, ‘why’, ‘how’ and ‘what’ of your writing.

That is, Who you write for. Why you write. How to get started with your craft and publish. And what platforms exist to share your message.

Publishing is a fear for many ‘Author-hopefuls’. It shouldn’t be anymore. Emeka Nobis exposes some secrets on how to circumvent traditional publishing and get your work out to the world at no extra cost! Just the same process he uses.

Social Media offers easy means of sharing our thoughts. But be wary of the pitfalls of ‘likes’ and ‘comments’. “It can become a poisonous addiction,” he says.

You want to know why? Read the book.

Another profound statement from Emeka Nobis is “If you believe that your writing isn’t worth something people can get excited over, then you’re doomed even before you start”.

A point I got from this statement is that the writer’s path is sometimes a lonely one. You must understand this and agree with it. It makes for smooth sailing.

On improving your craft, Emeka Nobis advises that one should “…commit to writing daily…”

And I totally agree. Fight the laziness. You can win it.

There is no exact environment for writing. Create one that evokes cues for your writing. That’s what people who are ‘addicted to writing’ do.

Art has its formation process, which Emeka Nobis touched on with the analogy of a bricklayer working the cement, sand and water into bricks. And not necessarily knowing the chemistry on how it forms.

Just go ahead and scoop in your elements into the mould as he does.

The process will take care of itself. The writing process is indeed a faith one.

“Start by writing rubbish…” he says,

“…write more rubbish. Write more and more rubbish.”

Just like refining gold, the art process refines your writing. You begin to experience the sweet effect as it comes together.

People’s lives depend on our words…

So it’s your call. Will you do something worth your while that can change conversations?

An ending note from this outstanding book is “we didn’t choose this gift. We were gifted this way”

And I say to you, that you are gifted this way. Embrace it.

If you don’t yet have a copy of ‘Addicted to writing’, I’d recommend you do so now!

Follow this link to get one

Written by

Patrick Odimnfe

Book Review – Harvest of Rubies by Tessa Afshar

by Seun Yewande Williams | Feb 16, 2017 | Book Reviews

Harvest of Rubies by Tessa Afshar is one novel that has changed my life deeply and forever. I probably cannot tell you fully how powerful it is to me. So while I thought of how to review it I decided to write out some of the words that were so life-changing to me — I hope it blesses you

If your sense of identity is in your achievement or works…..(spoken by Nehemiah in the book)

When God created the first man and woman, He gave them many gifts and then He gave them work that will require the use of those gifts. He assigned them tasks, much more important than anything you can accomplish in your lifetime. they were to take charge of the earth they were to rule over the world.

BUT they hadn’t even begun their work when He made the first pronouncement over them. He called them very good even before they had achieved a single thing. 

The lord care for you has never been depended on what you achieve. You were created for his love not be to be His work mule. Your accomplishment is meant to be a response to that love

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases NEVER.

If one day all the works of my hand should fall apart at my feet do you think I will lose knowledge of who I am in God? Not for a moment my heart may break but not because I will think myself any less a man for that failure I will always have my standing before the Lord as His child I will always know I can go before Him and be welcomed THAT IS WHO I AM. MY WORK IS A SMALL PART OF ME. An assignment from God whether He gives it or takes it away it will not change how HE PERCEIVES ME.

Our Plans are sometimes not God plans…… (spoken in Sarah the main character voice)

Some of my dreams had come true some had been lost this was the nature of life – loss, grief, sorrow, regret was woven through the fabric of human destiny as uncompromisingly as joy, hope and fulfilment if one’s happiness rested only on the capture of one’s dream then happiness would prove fickle.

Indeed there are many things I wanted with a desperation that I may never have. If my Joy hung in the balance of having everything I wanted, I would always rescue with unhappiness.
I wanted to be like David that saw the loving hand of God even in the midst of unfulfilled dreams
How like a vine I felt stripped almost to the point of death everything I held precious taken form me how I longed for my old life yet like Bardia (the gardener) of my soul. God intended to do me good by dismantling my world
I had made my accomplishment more important than friendship more important than my heart, more important even than God.

I knew God had directed my path, His pruning shears and cut into my already weak frames He had cut into me more abundant life

He did not bring me to the wilderness to destroy me but to speak tenderly to me to speak His love which healed the sorrow of my childhood to restore to me my true self which had been buried under the weight of my perverse appetite for human acceptance

Had I borne a harvest of rubies — I had learned the Lesson of David … most importantly I knew how to cling to the Lord I had learned how to be satisfied learned how to trust him well most of the times God had given me back my vineyard I had my own harvest of rubies

I hope this blesses you

Book Review – Understanding Vision by David Oyedepo

by Seun Yewande Williams | Jan 19, 2017 | Book Reviews

•  Vision – vision means to see, your journey to destiny begins at salvation, you are born to fulfil a particular course – the discovery is vision; there are visions for an individual, a group of people and there is even a vision for nations.
  Ministry is carrying out a divine assignment. Everyone assigned to carry out a divine task is a minister
  Vision is a divine insight into God’s plan the pursuit of it is what called a ministry
  A dream is not a vision but it can be communicated to you according to your level of comprehension.

•  Every vision must come from God, ambition is man-made; it a God revealed plan, a vision is sought for and acquired by man; A vision is a specific task assigned to an individual by God
  Ascertain your area
  The time element – it not necessary the time God calls you that you must begin to execute it
  The source of a vision speaks loudest at the end; if it is God the good fruit will be made manifest vice versa

• Securing a vision — genuine vision comes from God but man has to play a part in it
  Realize your need to know your vision
  See God willingness to reveal his plan
  Seek God in prayer
  Be watchful – very often spiritual truths are sent as tiny seeds that can be ignored if one is not watchful

•  Proving a vision -Tools for proving
  God word is the only authentic tool to prove a vision; when you receive a vision illuminate your spirit in God’s word for backing before you step out by doing so you have the double assurance that it is from God, as God will only back what He says.
  Identify the personality behind the voice
  Ascertain the content of your vision – be inquisitive about your vision ask him everything up to the minutest detail.
  Things to guard against
  Fleeces
  People confirmation
  Look unto God alone and he will verify your vision for you
  The Acid test for a genuine vision — PEACE Psalm85:8

• Spiritual sensitivity – the believer who will matter in this end time is he who is led by the Holy Spirit, hearing God’s voice is not a gift but a birthright
  Quietness – practice quietness on the inside and outside
  Worship – psalm and hymns good instrument of worship
  Meekness – coming to God on the platform of nothingness, coming to God devoid of your so-called knowledge

• The place of planning — PROVERB 24:3-4
• The appointed time – this determined by God Alone
• The appointed place – the whole earth is for God but God has an appointed place for you, your place could be a place, person or a mission each one constitute a location.
• The pursuit of a vision—nothing will happen to a vision that you do nothing about; Action is the proof of faith

For every vision, there is a provision. God will not reveal a plan without the resources to match. This is why I believe that every vision a man has received of the lord he has within himself what it takes to accomplish it.
Your gift –what makes a gift of God it is neither the strength nor smartness of a man but the gift of God. 1 Cor 1:26-29

Vision is not television don’t just watch it

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