YOUTH 4 PURPOSE
LIFE LESSONS FROM THE EAGLE
CONTENTS Humanity has always made a mistake of thinking that a poor man is one without money in the
03 The Busted Nest
pocket, one without food, that beggar on the
06 The Fledging Stage
street is what the world has labelled "poor". The truth is however, that poverty and wealth are not
10 Fly above the storm
measured by what one has or does not have
16 Eats fresh meat always
physically. One can be the richest today and the poorest tomorrow-what's the mystery behind that fall? Everyone can achieve, but it's not everyone who can achieve and maintain. Everyone can start
18 Takes calculated risks 21 Long eye-sight
the journey, but not everyone finishes the journey. Since everyone can begin and not everyone can finish, we can therefore say that the beginner is not the owner; but the finisher. With all that said; a poor man is not one without money in the pocket, nor one without food on the table; but one without a vision. Take your time to learn from this unique bird-THE EAGLE. These are not the only lessons one can learn from the eagle, however, I do hope the few that are outlined in this magazine will impact your life positively. Sithandweyinkosi S Sivela (Author) Y4P|2
THE BUSTED NEST Sithandweyinkosi S Sivela
...DISCOMFORT IS MEANT TO FORCE YOU
When the eaglets become a bit older,
TO STAND ON YOUR
the mother begins to remove the bedding
FEET
in the nest. She removes the animal skins and all the comfort she had put for her little ones. She does that so they can be uncomfortable sitting and lying down there all day, therefore the discomfort of the unpadded nest will force them to slowly stand on their feet. The principle of life is that nothing happens for nothing, and nothing happens by chance. Whatever season you find yourself in, in life; it serves a purpose. The principle of nature is that for a seed to germinate into a tree that will reproduce, it must first die. There's no seed that ever reproduced on the shelf, preserved in a cool, dry place-it first had to die. The conditions needed for the seed to germinate are wet, moist, dark and uncomfortable. However, these conditions never last long.
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You start discovering your talents in those trying times. You discover the light you have been holding in your hands all this while when you find yourself in the dark. Why complain then? These situations are there to get the best out of you. These battles are here to let you discover the kind of The same applies in your life as an warrior you are. This darkness is here to let individual. You are never going to grow you see the light that you are. in that comfort zone. You are never It may be the financial challenges, family going to learn how to stand in that matters, complicated relationships- the list is padded, comfy nest. Something has to endless. But in all this; ask yourself this one make you uncomfortable so you can get question: "WHAT IF SOMETHING IS BEING out of that lying position and know how UNLEASHED OUT OF ME?" Why run away to use your feet to stand. Those eaglets from that which is establishing you? Why run won't know that they actually can stand away from promotion? If you ask the on their feet until they had to escape successful people you see in life today, they from the thorns in that nest. You also will tell you what it took for them to be there. would never know how strong you are For some; it was a sack letter, betrayal. broken until that situation hit you. Like the home, homelessness etc. The thorns of life eaglets, you actually may not know that are not meant to destroy you, but to establish you can stand on your feet until you had you and open your eyes to the champion that to escape from those life-thorns. you are. You would never discover the problem So don't quit yet! Try to hold on and discover solver you are until you faced that the great person that this situation is shaping problem . you into . You will be stronger after this pain, you will be wiser after this problem, and you will be smarter after this discomfort.
...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
IT'S NOT MEANT TO BREAK YOU, BUT TO MAKE YOU.. STAY IN THE GAME!
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W H E N
P U R P O S E
Y O U R
L I F E
Y O U R
I S
C L E A R ,
W I L L
M E A N I N G .
H A V E
THE FLEDGING STAGE
Sithandweyinkosi S Sivela
At about ten to twelve weeks old, the eaglets will be ready to fly. They will not know that they can fly until they try. Therefore, the mother eagle will slowly begin to withhold some food from them( the eaglets), so that they hunger and fly to to the nearest perch to look for food. Note that the mother eagle has been feeding these eaglets for the past ten-twelve weeks , showing how much she loves them. Withholding food from them now does not mean that she has suddenly changed her mind and now hates them. No! It actually shows how much she loves them that she does not want them to spend the rest of their lives on their backs waiting on "Mama" to feed them. She loves them so much that she wants them to also experience the splendor of the world that she has seen all of her life. In short, she's saying "life's not only about eating and sleeping, there's so much more out there little ones.
That is what your instinct is telling you right now. Remember there is no voice as accurate as your instinct in life. It is the GPS of your purpose, it has the co-ordinates to your destiny; and if you follow it correctly, you will never get lost. Your instinct is whispering to you in that small voice "There's so much more out there..." or you get this feeling everyday when you feel that your life is not all about where you actually are right now, or what you are doing now. You feel like there's gotta be more to your life than this job, more to your life than the lifestyle you are living right now. You're right. There's certainly more to life than what you have right now. There's more to who you are than what you are right now. As long as you are living on this earth, there will always be another level to life. What then is keeping from flying? Is it fear? I have seen a lot of places where fear has been spelt out as the acronym of False Evidence Appearing Real. As long as you are human, fear will always be on your battlefield. Remember, your destiny does not come to you, you go to it.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Are you afraid of falling? Here's the solutionwe fight through our fears and failures by maximizing our forward motion. When fear hits, dig deep and fight it through. Actually, it is when you fall out of your nest that you find out that you can fly. The whisper of fear will always be there: "What if you fall", "What if you fail?", "What is everyone going to say? Marian Williamson wrote "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves "'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlighted about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others. Sometimes you are not afraid of failure, you are actually afraid of success; asking yourself who you are to be great. The answer is simple: you were were created to be a problem solver, to be a solution giver and your life and talents are not only about you. Realizing your purpose will help others realize theirs too. Someone, somewhere is waiting for a lifetime. That which you feel afraid of-DO IT AFRAID! Fear will never disappear but your time on this earth will one day do. If you are still waiting for the time when you no longer feel fear, that time may never come. You do not want to look back one day and say Ï could have been, I would have been." Y4P|6
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 Is it that business idea or that idea that What is it that the generations yet
you have been pondering for some
unborn will read about you? The
time now? Be brave, the world is
people you look up to today had to
waiting on you. Who are you to be
deal with fear to be where they are
talented? Who are you to be gifted?
today. Your great destiny awaits. Be
Who are you to be gorgeous, smart
courageous, take that one step and the
and change the world? These are
rest will follow. Do not worry about
probably some of the questions
tomorrow. You will get there when
running through your mind. Hear the
you get there. Why are you scared? If
voice of destiny asking you back:
not you, then who? You are the one
"Who are you not to be?" Don't look at
carrying the idea that will change the
the person next to you, they got their
world.
own race to run and the world is
Do not worry about tomorrow, or
waiting specifically on you. And
yesterday for that matter as yesterday
always remember, you can do
is history, today is opportunity and
anything and ONLY YOU CAN STOP
tomorrow is mystery. Therefore, use
YOU!
today's opportunity and let tomorrow be. You are looking everywhere for change. You are looking everywhere for a solution and the change you are looking for is you. The solution you are looking for is you.
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"...A POOR MAN IS NOT ONE WITHOUT MONEY IN THE POCKET, NOR FOOD ON THE TABLE; BUT ONE WITHOUT A VISION...." TBJ
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FLIES ABOVE STORM SOARING IN THE WINDS Sithandweyinkosi S Sivela
When a storm approaches; first let's talk about the strong winds that begin to blow. When the winds blow, the eagle gets on top of the mountain and spreads its wings to test the winds. After some time of testing the winds, it takes off and floats, allowing itself to be driven by the wind. An eagle knows that the wind is there to help it fly. Therefore, it rejoices whenever the wind blows. It takes its time to test the direction, the intensity of the wind before it takes off. Sometimes in life, we run away from the very things that are meant to be our wings. We hide and fear the pressure that may come with the winds. We think the winds will blow us away and derail us. Do we take the time to study those winds? How many winds have come and gone in our lives and we covered ourselves thinking that the winds were going to blow us away?
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 I mean, how many opportunities have come our way in form of winds and we were scared to be blown away? In the workplace, at school, in your career in general: That opposition, that comes and hits you from all directions and you feel like you are going to be blown away. Have you considered, like the eagle, to float on that wind? I mean, have you considered to one day just spread your wings and speak up, introduce that idea, give that solution, implement that change? Have you considered taking that chance? Is it fear that's holding you down? Well, fear will always be there, and you will always have to do it afraid because the same wind may not blow your direction again. A wise man once said "the opportunity of a lifetime can only be grabbed in the lifetime of the opportunity." Give it a try, and believe me; its worth the try. Just close your eyes and spread your wings to the wind, the next time you open your eyes, you will be on the other side, on another level-FLYING!
B.FLYING ABOVE THE STORM When a mighty storm begins, clouds darkening and thunder roaring from every angle, almost every creature wants to hide-the cows, donkeys, and all others seek shelter. The little birds look for a hiding place. The marvelous bird looks at the storm straight into the eyes and flies right into it and past it. The thick dark clouds are what this bird approaches fearlessly and flies past so it can enjoy the peaceful environment that's past these clouds. While every other creature gets hiding, seeking shelter and others die in the storm, the eagle knows that sometimes "the safe place" is not the "right place." That is why even after hiding, the cows, the little birds and others will still die in the storm, even in the "safe place.
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In order not to end up like the masses out there, who are merely wondering and unsure of their goals and dreams, your purpose must be clear."
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 On the other side of the storm, is destiny preserved. On the other side of the storm is destiny road re-routed. Sometimes, and most of the times, the challenges we face are there to mature us, to nurture us and to strengthen our character. These challenges are there to separate impurities in us and keep us for a new level in life. If we often find an exit door to every challenge we meet, then we will stay on the same spot forever. I mean, if we always release ourselves from the purification process that may be in form of rejection, persecution, trials of different kinds-then we will deviate from God's purpose in our lives. Each of us is a work of art, and in order to be that artwork that stands out, you must follow God's processes, who is the artist in this case. If we release ourselves from trials, for example, you maybe facing rejection in your workplace school or whatever life aspect; don't quickly find an exit door. Sometimes, flying in the storm is what will promote you. In our example of rejection, God maybe using that to strengthen your character. Remember, man's rejection allows for God's direction. In that phase of rejection, God maybe nurturing a unique character trait that will promote you tomorrow. However, if you quickly find an exit door, you will miss out on the development of character that you could only earn in that situation. Just as much as you need an examination to be promoted at school, likewise in life, you have to take an examination to be promoted to a new level. And as much as you are not promoted in school if you do not pass, you cannot be promoted to a new level in life without passing the exam. Therefore, if you keep finding exit doors for your challenges, you are simply postponing the exam and you will still need to write it one day. The problem with postponing life's exam is that it will always be waiting for you at some point and you will retake it till you pass. That is why sometimes you find yourself going through a challenge you should have gone through ten years ago; but because you got yourself a hiding place, then you stayed in the same spot. Like those small birds, you will get yourself a hiding place, like the drivers who park their cars during that storm and like the cancelled flights, you just get yourself a temporary hiding place, but when the storm is over, you are still on the same spot and even delayed parts of your destiny sequence.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 For some, a worse case scenario, like the small birds that die in their hiding place; you may utterly die while trying to hide from the storm. In other words, you may still be alive physically but your dream may die in the hiding place. Your purpose might be killed in that hiding place and your destiny route totally blocked in that hiding place. For example, in facing the storm, you may want to get out of the pain of reality and maybe take some alcohol and perhaps a few shots of those drugs. This will of course hold you up for a few moments but the same process will repeat over and over again until you utterly die in that hiding place. That great man/woman you've always wanted to be, will die in that hiding place. That great dream, that great career, that great game changer and world transforming person you've always dreamed yourself being will die in that hiding place and you will bear the great sorrow of destiny unfulfilled. An eagle flies straight into the storm and stays above the storm. It faces the storm because it knows that it still has a life after the storm; it still needs to hunt after the storm, it still needs to fly high after the storm. It knows the storm will not last forever, the storm is actually for a good cause-its filling the oceans, watering the ground so the eagle will have healthy prey to hunt for. That's the eagle mindset. So what's your storm today? Fly through it. It's not meant to kill you, it's instead meant for your good. It's actually there for your growth and the watering of some aspects of your life.Is it debt? Fly through it, don't hide. Again, fly through it. It's meant to strengthen you and re-arrange your future. If you had not gone through that financial situation, you wouldn't have taken time develop your financial literacy skills. Fly through it. Fly through the storm and let it get the best out of you. When the storm begins, the eagle does not proscastinate, it flies through the storm. Do not look around for your disturbed plans, the storm is here to re-arrange your life. Just accept that the storm is here, and you just have to fly through it. Aperson of vision always bears in mind that"Better is not good enough; the best is always yet to come. Y4P|12
IF GOLD MUST BE GOLD, IT HAS TO GO THROUGH FIRE.
the journey to the top of the world
AN EAGLE EATS FRESH MEAT ALWAYS Sithandweyinkosi S Sivela
Fresh fish, fresh snake, fresh goat, fresh food all the time! That's the eagle. When it needs food, the eagle rises and looks for a live prey. It takes the time to soar around, focus and connect its eyes fully to find that one meal for it and perhaps for its eaglets too. Nomatter the season, the time, or perhaps the struggle the might have had for the day, one thing remains-a fresh hunt. Have you taken the time to reflect on your life and some of your failures? If you take some time to have an honest self-introspection; to see how much of stake you had in some of your failures, you will see that most of the time you are the majority shareholder. Remember, failure, sometimes, is not that we cannot do it, at times, it is not investing enough effort.
One of the ways we often fail is because we think that we've got this. We just look back and think ",I've done this before, I don't need to sweat again this time." In your studies, in your job, in every aspect of your life, sometimes you may find yourself falling into the temptation of thinking that this is your routine so you don't need to sweat again and again. In the process of such a mentality, we don't give our best. I have come to understand in life that success and victory is like an orange tree. It bears fruit each season. Note that it bears fruit as per season. It means that every season, it has to suck up that water from the ground, gather that sunshine, bloom those flowers that will be pollinated by bees. It does all this at the right time because it knows it has to bear fruit for the particular season. When Y4P|14
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the time comes, it shades off some old leaves and grows new ones in preparation for a new season and the bearing of new fruits. Imagine if the tree just sat there on a particular year and did not bloom those flowers and did not play its part and just told itself that it's an orange tree- if such happened, then the tree will be an orange tree by name with nothing to show for. And most of the times, the owner will not waste their time and space keeping a barren tree, therefore, it will be cut off. Remember yesterday is history, today is Most of the times in our lives we opportunity, and tomorrow is mystery. dwell on the past season's fruits to Therefore, you need to take hold of this dictate today's direction. We sit opportunity, appreciate and forget back and say Ï know I will bear fruit, yesterday's long gone fruit. If you do not I did it last year." We forget that bear fruit this season, then you will be that last year we had to work hard to orange tree by name but with nothing to suck that water up, bloom those show for. And if you do not give it your best flowers that would attract those bees then you will bear bad fruit and be cut down. so we could bear fruit. Why then do Each day has its own highs and lows; its own we think it will happen magically good and bad, therefore, we should be ready this time around? to approach each day from the different angles. Everytime the eagle goes to hunt, its focus is not on how it killed the snake the last time, but on how to kill it this time. Because, today's snake may not be like yesterday's snake; today's snake might be very wild and heavier, and may therefore require a different tactic, it may need more effort on the wings, it may need a tighter grip. Likewise, in our lives, this year is its own year, this month is its own month, this week is its own week, today is its own day, this hour is its own hour, this minute is its own minute and this second is its own unique second. You will never find a day like this today in your lifetime again because today is today, uniquely created to be today. Therefore, give it your best. Take today from today's angle life has no formula because its unique everyday. Y4P|15
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Look back for encouragement then focus on today. You may find yourself in a desert and might need to grow narrower leaves than the last time so you won't lose a lot of water. Each day, each season has its own equation to be solved and nomatter how brilliant of a genius you feel you are, take each day uniquely and give it your best so no-matter what time you depart from earth, you will have the right story to be told about you. Remember, the beginner is not the owner, but the finisher. I mean, everyone can start strong and have a list of victories, but not everyone can finish strong and leave a legacy. Therefore, take each day uniquely. Fight the battles uniquely, solve the problems uniquely and give the unique best of you to each day every time.
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"The beginner is not the owner, but the finisher." TBJ
AN EAGLE TAKES CALCULATED RISKS
Sithandweyinkosi S Sivela
As mighty a bird the eagle might seem, mighty battles it does fight. It preys on goats, fish, snakes, e.tc. and some of these surely try and fight their way out of the eagle's talons. Carrying that snake, the eagle needs to calculate the risk and play it safe. I was watching news the other day and the eagle had been caught by an octopus while hunting and they had to rescue it. Caught in the eight scary octopus legs.! That is what hunting is all about.
I was listening to a speaker who was saying that unless you find your "WHY", I mean, unless you find that one reason to wake up early in the morning and work, then life will be meaningless, then you surely will have no reason to wake up anyway. The eagle has a "WHY". It knows it has to eat fresh food and perhaps it has little ones waiting on it in the nest. So the eagle knows that it has to make tough decisions. Tough decisions may mean scary risks. Tough decisions may mean risking your life in the hands of the eight-legged creature, tough decisions are the language of tough people. Y4P|18
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 Tough people understand that you will have to be stung by bees in order to get some honey. The honey is the "WHY", the bee stings are just temporary but the honey will make a lot of products, the honey will be a source of income, the honey will be medicine, the honey will be food, the honey is worth it! If it's real treasure you are seeking in life, real risk is what you will face in life. PURPOSE is your "WHY". Remember, when your purpose is clear, your life will have meaning. When making that decision, close your eyes and picture that person you want to be.
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The eagle has long eye-sight Sithandweyinkosi S Sivela
Flying as far as about two miles, an eagle First of all, in order to succeed in life, keep can still spot its prey. It then focuses on your focus. Broken focus is the main reason that prey until it gets hold of it. Not only why millions of people fail. If you are focused can it spot its prey, it can also spot its on the goal, focused on the victory, you will nest, where its young ones are. know which direction to fly to and which This is a pure translation of what vision is approach to use. In other words, you will all about. A wise man said that a poor know which people to include in your life, man is not one without money in the whether or not they are part of your destiny, pocket or food on the table, but one do they multiply, add, subtract or divide? without a vision. Yesterday is history, When making destiny decisions, we make today is opportunity and tomorrow is them from the end to now. That is, we ask mystery. However, the decisions that one ourselves if the decision is going to help us makes today play a very important role get there. in the tomorrow they will have. I heard a story that when a movie is being When the eagle spots its prey, it focuses filmed, they start by shooting the last scene on it and flies toward it till it grabs it. It first, then all, the other scenes will be shot knows that it has to fly in the right with the end in mind. Likewise, your life direction, and the kind of approach it already has an end. Your dream is the last needs to use in order to get its prey. scene you have already shot.
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 Every other scene in your lifemovie, is every single day that you live, the decisions you make everyday. The people you hang out with, are they going to help you get to that last scene? Here's a new challenge: First, make sure that you have filmed your last scene; that is your dream, your vision, your destiny. If not, then, take the time to film it. I mean, take the time to really dig into what you want your last scene to look like. If you have your last scene already filmed, continue to refer to it every time you film another scene. That is, every day, before you make that decision, refer to your last scene. Ask yourself if you are still on track. If you have deviated, take the time to go back and do the right thing. Remember, it's only the right scenes that will lead to that final scene. You have to note that it is possible to have the last scene filmed and in place but never make it to it because all other scenes were not filmed correctly, or they were not filmed at all. Take the time every morning to remind yourself that you are filming another scene today. Ask God to help you film the right scenes the right way.
When your day ends, take the time to reflect on how the day's filming was and how successful the filming was and whether or not it's still in line with the last scene. You will definitely fall on the way but always remember that mistakes are correctable and correction makes the future possible. You don't fail when you fall; you fail when you fall and stop trying to rise. Therefore, go and film your story everyday, and and always remember the last scene. YOU ARE A WINNER! ITS ALL ABOUT PURPOSE...
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"BROKEN FOCUS IS THE MAIN REASON WHY MILLIONS FAIL.." TBJ
LIFE LESONS FROM THE EAGLE
AUTHOR: Sithandweyinkosi S Sivela EDITOR: Sithandweyinkosi S Sivela
Acknowledgements: 1. First and foremost we would like thank our Lord Jesus Christ for trusting and choosing us for this project and making it a success. We pray that millions of souls will find hope and discover their purpose and be inspired to fight for their dreams and destinies. 2. We also would like to acknowledge the inspiration of the magazine title from 'The blessing of the busted nest "by Pastor Jentezen Franklin. 3. We also acknowledge and thank God for the guidance , encouragement and words of wisdom from his faithful servants through the medium of Emmanuel tv. May God continue to bless the team.
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"When your purpose is clear, your life will have meaning." TB Joshua
