WHAT IS YOUR VALUE?

I guess what is ringing in your mind after reading the heading above is, how dare she ask this question? Does she think I am a commodity to be valued by money? Relax! It is not that way.

This is something I personally have been disturbed with for quite some time now. If you have a yahoo account, probably you have gotten this in your inbox that so and so bought you on tagged. After getting these funny messages for quite some time, ignoring and deleting many of them because they are kind of a nuisance, one time I decided to open one and just see how on earth this person thinks I can cost. And there is even a price in dollars. Believe you me I did not start calculating the amount because I knew if I do, I will be very disappointed with whomever. Anyway it’s because it did not matter to me what a mere person will try to put value on me.

For many reasons, people tend to put value on others based on what they expect from them or let me say, what they perceive of them.

For instance:

To a politician, you are just but a vote.

In my Country Kenya, the general elections are just around the corner. The politicians are now trying “to be nice” to their potential voters. One thing that really amazes me is when they (politicians) see/counts people as votes. You will hear them say they are expecting a certain number of votes in a particular area rather than to say, they are expecting a certain number of voters.

To the Matatu crew (public service vehicle operators), you are just but the amount you are paying for that ride.

On many occasions, I have overheard the touts tell the driver beba pesa or usiwache pesa (don’t leave money). For the period you are in that vehicle, you are compared to money because that is what matters to them and not you as a person.

To a television news anchor, you are just but a viewer (mtazamaji).

They will greet you “good morning or good evening viewers”. You are just one who views or watches. Really! By the way don’t get me wrong here. Am just trying to prove a point OK!

To a radio presenter, you are just but a listener (msikilizaji).

They will refer to you as a listener.mmh! Though some presenters are quite considerate and they will acknowledge that they don’t take your listenership for granted. That is so awesome and you just don’t know what it means to me when I hear that. You know, there are so many radio stations this days that someone can actually choose to listen to but for you to identify one and stick to it, when you are appreciated its just makes you feel at home.hehe

This are just but a few I could mention.

While the world is trying to brand us, I have realized that many people as a result, suffer from identity syndrome in that, they cannot tell who they actually are.

Well I have some good news for you. You are not forgotten. You are a child of the most high God. He knows your name. He calls each one of us by our respective names. He knew you even before your parents conceived you. To Him, you are not just a vote, a viewer, or a listener but His beloved. You are sooo valuable to Him.

He went the extra mile and paid a huge price for you and me. That we may know and comprehend who we really are. He gave His only son Jesus, to die for me and you that we may be redeemed back to Him for we were lost. We didn’t have identity. Or rather we had a bad identity. We were branded as “the lost” imagine! But now we have a new name in Christ. We are called, the redeemed of the Lord. The friends of God, the children of God and the list are endless for what He perceives of us.

There is this powerful quote I read, though the author is unknown to me. It says, until you identify whose you are, then you will know who you are.

So, for you who already you have been given a new name after accepting Christ as your  saviour, why struggle with what the world says you are and yet you know whose you are? You have a new name so quit doubting about who you are. Have total confidence. You were bought with a veeery precious gift, the blood of Jesus. You are valuable!

And for you who are yet to accept Him, He is waiting on you my dear. This world has nothing to offer but to brand you some unworthy names. But trust me, you are worthy, you are valuable, you are special, yes you are! He is waiting eagerly for the day you will understand how much it cost Him for you to leave again. The day you will not let that precious prize go to waste and say, here I am LORD! I surrender all. Take me to your self.

Knowing who you are is depended upon believing in yourself. Know your value and stand firm in it.

Here are a few lines for you to help in believing in who you are:

• When the world tells you you will never ever amount to anything, Say NO am not, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!
• When the world calls you stupid, say NO am not, I have the mind of Christ!
• When the world tells you can’t make it in life, say NO, I am more than a conqueror!
• When the world says you are a nobody, say you know whose you are!

You are Valuable….

STOP wishing to write for someone,Be your own Chief Editor!!!

This one I dedicate it to any aspiring writer out there (including me) or a writer already, but never been successful to have your articles published by the "media house".you have tried sending your articles to various places and the only response you get is maximum silence.Don't give up yet! just create your own blog and write your heart away.

Worst is,someone actually publishes your article but they never inform you about it.You get into utter excitement and/or surprise when a friend calls to tell you they saw your name in a certain magazine.So you actually buy the publication and its for real.Your very first article ever published!yey!!!. you sit there waiting just perhaps you get a call form the Editor. After along time of waiting,you decide to write an email to them for follow up just incase you will get any pay and you never get to hear from them forever.

That is exactly what happened to me, now a year and some months ago.I remember how much it cost me working on that article.The research I had to get from the internet because it was a topic that required either experience or I be very well informed.I remember going to bed at three O'clock in the morning and not to forget I was supposed to be going to work the next day.Oh,the the next few hours.The painful part is not even that I was never paid,but the fact that this was my first attempt as a writer and very fortunate for that matter to have it published. In return, what did I get?no motivation at all to keep writing. My enthusiasm was exchanged for heartbreak and no eagerness to write more.Yes I understand that the magazine is not doing well in the market but really?

Many thanks to my mum two and mentor,Anne Mbotela for pressuring me(in a good way) to write. As she would always ask me if am writing every single time we meet. Awww...and how she believes in me.God bless her.

Recently, I decided that you know what Jess, am not going to let my dream to be shuttered by someone I don't even know quite well.(by the way am currently working for one of the famous magazines in Kenya,doing something else not writing.and I've never mentioned to anyone about my interest). So, here I am. I decided to create this blog so I can be pouring my heart down and oooh... am having so much fun. First of all its my world :-) and I am the queen/president hehehe. Secondly, I believe its my tool to sharpen my skill on this journey of writing.On that matter,feel free to critique my mistakes any day you come across them because its a learning process. Politely though, I am a lady you know!

I was reading one of the daily newspaper the other day, and this article at the Jobs section caught my attention.The heading read, "Jobless? Be unique,think outside the box''.  So, I had to read and see what it was talking about. It talked about this Irish man by the name Feilim Mac An Iomaire. This guy decided to place a billboard reading: "Save me from emigration". For the effect,it had a picture of the 26-year-old towing luggage and facing national landmarks of selected cities across the world."Having tried and failed for months and exhausted all traditional job hunting avenues,I have decided to have one last throw of the dice to remain in Ireland before I am forced to look elsewhere for work and develop myself professionally," he was quoted.

This guy's act of faith managed to secure him a "dream job". Sounds like fiction right? but I thought this is awesome and challenging at the same time in the sense that, determination can sure work wonders.

Just to borrow from this creativity,you don't have to place a bill board literally like him, but hey! why not create your own blog and pour your thoughts down?because this will market as you never know who will read!this is internet. Well,this will work for you if you are like me. Am not reeeaaally (sorry, that's meant to sound like stressing) into writing for money.

May be along the way.... it will fall in place.

Stop waiting to see the day your articles will appear in someone's publication....it's not a bad thing but,if you get what am saying,you can do something before that.You never know where your step of believing in yourself and act of faith will take you.

Happy blogging!!!

PRAISE THE LORD!!!!

Yes praise the Lord reader! First I congratulate myself for creating this brand new blog,  its has been really a hard task......I must admit. It has taken me more than three times and finally today!hooray!!!!!!!!. one reason is that I discovered every name I tried was in use but eventually I managed, then the  information I entered was never saved,and then ooh I couldn't remember my password imagine! then when I was just about to give up....here it is.Am the kind of person that don't like small things making me sweat mentally and this is one reason why I never liked maths in school.

So,back to praising the Lord.Isn't it amazing how the Muslim community would greet each other Salaam Aleikum and the other person answers back Aleikum Salaam confidently??? and they don't care who is around or listening, whether its a fellow Muslim or not? My concern therefore, is for the believers who are called by the Name of the most High God and are followers of Christ. Its almost like a taboo to greet each other "PRAISE THE LORD". Or even when they do,they are looking around sheepishly to see who just heard them say that. and this reminds me of that verse in the Bible where Jesus says "if you deny Me before men,I will deny you before my Father..." ouch.

So, the next time we are greeted "PRAISE THE LORD" let us proudly answer back P.R.A.I.S.E   T.H.E   L.O.R.D! with psych as though we know whom we believe in. Amen?