Reformation Report

Be free from your past

Be free from your past from Reformation Report on Vimeo.

Have you ever wondered how your mind works? On this episode Lou and l explore how our mind stores up emotional memories of our past, which then shape how we respond to our challenges and that then ultimately determines our future. As you watch today’s episode think of areas in your past that may be shaping your future today.

Building Dreams

I’ve dedicated my life to building people and building dreams in Africa and around the world. It has always been a source of pleasure amid demanding challenges, helping young men and women realizing their dreams and taking up their positions in their communities.

 

Building dreams requires seeing the potential in others when they do not see it in themselves. Speaking words of encouragement into the lives of others can often be the anchor they hold on to in order to keep dreaming. Having those you help see your dreams being worked on and realized also helps them to reap the same results if not better than the ones we achieved.

 

Achieving our dreams is a process not an event, it’s done brick by brick, facet by facet, principle upon principle. Like a construction site you might need to do a lot of digging up and uprooting before any meaningful foundations, or a building can take shape. Often displacing a negative culture, beliefs or habits is as demanding as building the edifice.

 

Once negative inclinations and practices have been uprooted, gradually dreams take shape as new habits lay solid foundations to build on. Principles begin to be reinforced, dreams begin to grow and positive development yields its fruit. As confidence grows, that which was once just a dream begins to turn into reality.

 

The joy of building dreams is the same delight that a parent experiences as they guide their child to become a responsible man or woman. It is the glimpse of brilliance a coach sees in an athlete long before the athlete sees it in himself. Reformers lose nothing from igniting the dreams of others.

 

Lessons on Leadership

African leaders have been criticized the world over for excising leadership skills that leave a lot to be desired. Recently South African President Jacob Zuma faced enormous rebuke because of sexual conduct, after he fathered a child with a woman he wasn’t married to when he already has 4 wives. The criticism was heightened by the fact that South Africa has the highest Aids prevalence rate in the world. His actions were seen as undermining South Africa government policy which is pro abstinence.

 

 

Leaders sometimes get entangled when their personal lives contradicts the leadership role. Trying to be two people to different people.

 

 

What should happen when a leader’s action contradicts the values they are supposed to defend? Does it not give sanction to similar action to the people that look up to the leaders?

 

 

When we say one thing and do the other we are in what psychologists call dissonance. The Bible even says no man can serve two masters. You will either love the one or hate the other. The same is true about our thoughts and beliefs. You cannot hold two opposing beliefs. You cannot believe in abstinence and believe in having multiple partners at the same time.

 

Haiti

The world has watched as Haiti struggles under the terrible trauma of a devastating earthquake Like many developing nations, where the majority of people are often living on the edge of poverty, there are often not enough reserves or contingency plans for these kinds of emergencies. With their health and rescue services already stretched to capacity, it has been eye-opening to see the International community mobilize itself to bring first relief then development to Haiti.

On the Human Development Index Haiti is ranked 149th of 182. It has won for itself the title of being “the poorest country in the western hemisphere”. Haiti has more than its share of natural disasters; in 2008 alone, 800 lives were lost as a result of tropical storm Fay and Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike.

An earthquake study published in 2006 study by C. DeMets and M. Wiggins-Grandison suggested the possibility of an earthquake hitting Haiti with a magnitude of at least 7.2 on the Richter scale. High level warnings were given by the team.

In January 2010, the predicted earthquake with a 7.0 magnitude devastated the Haiti capital Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas. Major infrastructure – communications, hospitals, road, airports and sea transport - necessary to respond to the emergency was destroyed and brought the island country to its knees. A representative from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs called it “the worst disaster the UN had ever confronted”.

On 24 January, the Haitian government announced that more than 150,000 lives had been lost in the capital city alone, with many thousands still trapped under the rubble. The International Red Cross announced that as many as “3 million” people had been affected by the quake and estimated that two million people were homeless.

 Port-au-Prince, according to an international studies professor at the University of Miami, was ill-equipped for such a disaster. Most agree that an earthquake more than any other, because the event is so sudden, leaves little or no time to prepare for the event. Yet four years before the quake it was predicted!

 

With this in mind post your comment on this week’s poll question:

 

Could Haiti have done more to prevent the widespread and far reaching consequences of the natural disaster it faced in January this year?
	No
	Yes
	Maybe
= see results =

Main principle

Main Principle from Reformation Report on Vimeo.

On this episode Lou and l talk about ‘The main principle’. Watch this weeks video post now!

Chicago

Every year, l have the privilege of taking businessmen from all over the world to Chicago for an annual Business Conference. People wonder why we go to Chicago and not any other city.  Well, besides the fact that it has some of the most beautiful people and breathtaking scenery; it’s really the story behind this great city that we go to not only see and hear, but experience and learn from.

 

A great fire once destroyed most of the city. Legend has it, a cow in Mrs. O’Leary’s barn kicked over a kerosene lamp, burning down the barn and quickly spreading a devastating fire throughout the city and in its wake all of Chicago’s wooden buildings had been burned to the ground. Chicago has overcome its challenges! It has been rebuilt to become one of the world’s most beautiful, leading cities. The tragic events motivated the people of Chicago to rebuild, restructure and above all reform the way they do things. Today the memories of the challenging past are commemorated at the water towers (the only two buildings - made of stone - to survive the fire) in the heart of the city. These serve as reminders and lessons to inspire future generations of the lessons learned.

 

In 1900, Chicago successfully completed a massive and highly innovative engineering project – reversing the flow of the Chicago River so that it emptied into the Mississippi River instead of Lake Michigan. The army corps of engineers redirected the flow of the Chicago River, a feat thought to be naturally impossible. In so doing the city of Chicago brought a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘think outside of the box’.

 

Chicago has become a model city for others to follow. The people and leaders of this great city have shown what a community can do if it comes to together and focuses on the future. It’s no wonder it is home to more than thirty ‘Fortune 500 companies’. That’s why I take as many people to Chicago each year as I can. Some things are better caught than taught.

 

Efficacy

Efficacy from Reformation Report on Vimeo.

Valentines Day

You only need to look at the shop displays to know what season we are in. You will find the heart shaped chocolate bar, the colorful ‘I love you” cards, the extravagant bouquet of red roses and the gift boxes in red to help you get in to the “Valentine mood”.

 

Valentines day is always a buzz. I must say my post last year on Saint Valentines day caused quite a lot of interest. I even had couples forwarding the posts to each other. I know some of you were expecting me to write something similar this year but this year why don’t we do something really special?  I want to open up the blog to all of you. I am going to sit back and let you tell me all about Valentine’s Day. I am keen to know what this day means to you, and what you have planned for those you love.

 

What are you doing?

What have you done?

What are you thinking of doing?

Happy Valentines day! 

 

 

Affirmations and faith

Who do you listen to? What do you listen to? Who is telling you about reality? Today’s video blog is about the power of our beliefs.

Affirmations and faith from Reformation Report on Vimeo.

We can’t wait to hear from you. Post your questions and comments.

Feedback on Justice blog post

Today is exactly 10 days before we celebrate Valentines Day. I know you are all excited but today l thought l would share with you some recent comments from the Justice post where l asked “Does forgiveness and redemption replace justice?” 

 

Leslie Mundoma said:

 

Forgiveness and Redemption can and should replace Justice. We need a high and mature perspective when it comes to examining society. Earthly justice lends itself to multiple non-conclusive temporal interpretations…

 

Rudo M. said:

 

Forgiveness and redemption do not replace justice, no, but all three actions should be taken so as to rebuild our nation. Most importantly, to forgive, to leave what is behind and press on to what is ahead and as we press on, justice should be an important practice. If this happens l believe that even people who were greatly affected by the horrific political crimes will have hope for the future. They will want to be part of making Zimbabwe a better place.

 

Ruveneko said:

 

No, forgiveness and redemption do not replace justice. There is a place for forgiveness and redemption, God is a forgiving and redeeming God, but the great thing is He is also a just God- justice must prevail.

 

Tinashe Musere said:

 

Forgiveness and redemption has to replace Justice because only the Father sits in the judgment seat. Matthew 5.44.We only pray for those who persecute us.

 

Interesting responses don’t you think?

I think…let me get started doing my annual Valentines blog post. I will tell you my thoughts in another post.