TIMES TODAY TT 153 | May 24th - May 30th| 2022
Fasting that moves God
CONTENTS My Pulpit message notes: | Fasting that moves God| 3-4 My Devotional: Temptations| 6 Business: Motorists Benefit From DT Dobie Tyre Centres | 7 My Inspiration: Don’t be pushed around | 8 My Entrepreneur: Entrepreneur Burnout: As A Report Highlights The Emotional Toll Of Covid, Should Founders Be Taking More Time Off? 9 My Health: How has the pandemic changed our behavior?| 10-11 My Kitchen: One bowl chocolate cake |12 My Sports: Ojee delivers at Kabeberi 7s as Shujaa struggles 13
My Pulpit Message - notes Fasting that moves God
My Pulpit Message Notes are extracted from the sermon preached at the Nairobi Baptist Church (NBC) Ngong Road on Sunday 22nd May 2022. Preacher: Pastor Elijah Mokaya. Scripture: Isaiah 58. Topic: Fasting that moves God - Fasting is a focus for prayer. It focuses us so that we may be able to What a safe place this is to be tucked in between the righteousness of pray. So when you feel the hunger pangs, you are reminded, let me pray. When Christ and the glory of God. What a glorious thing this is. I pray that you may you have been craving for something and you have abstained for a while then it be firmly guarded in God. reminds you to commune with your God and your Father. John Piper describes fasting as, ‘a physical expression of our heart’s de- 3. A response from God. Isaiah 58:9-10 “Then you will call, and the Lord sire for God.’ will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away Rev. Dr. Tony Evans describes it as, ‘abstaining from a physical craving with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 in order to feed a spiritual blessing.’ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the Imagine getting to the end of fasting days and after self denial and af- oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become fliction only for you to discover it was all wasted. That the going without food, like the noonday.” the dedicated moments of prayers, the physical strain was all for nothing. That it did not move God. That is was not recognised by Him, let alone accepted. What a sweet thing it is to be heard by God. What a glorious thing for That would be a sad affair. Him to answer us when we call on Him. How amazing it is that the Almighty The house of Jacob found themselves in this situation. They fasted and God, Creator of heaven and earth, the Majestic One who looks after the affairs humbled themselves before God, yet He did not see it nor take notice of it. They of the whole universe would pay attention to you and to me. Would pay attenasked and did not receive, they sought and did not find, they knocked and the tion to our cry, when you call Him, that He will respond and say “Here I am”. door was not opened for them. That is what we read in Isaiah 58. So what can we learning from their situation so that we do not find The most exciting thing about the response, “Here I am”, because it is ourselves in a similar spiritual quagmire? Paul declares in Romans 15:4 “For said by the great I Am, could easily be replace by, I Am, is here. everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through When the great I Am is here, all things are possible. This is the hope the endurance taught in the Scriptures of a response from God that when you and the encouragement they provide we call on Him, when you cry to Him, He This is our hope. That when we engage in true fasting, God will respond and say, ‘Here I am.” May might have hope.” So the reason we are receive a response from the LORD. will grant us reprieve from all our troubles. That God will you reading Isaiah’s prophecy to the children May you hear Him say, I am here my guard us with His righteousness and radiance. That God son/daughter. May you be assured of of Israel today is that it was written to teach us so that we might have hope. His response that I Am is here. Our fasting ought not to be fu- will respond to us as the Great I Am. That God will refresh The great I Am, is none tile. and restore us. That is the fasting that moves God. That is other than Jesus Christ. In the book of John are the great I Am statements so true fasting. Fasting that moves God that there is no situation/trouble/circumstance that I Am will not appear/ True fasting moves God. be present. Do you have a hunger that nothing can satisfy? He says, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will This is sermon is about hope and never go hungry and he who believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35) Are you in some sort of darkness, you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel? He declares, “I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.(John 8:12) 1. Reprieve: Isaiah 58:8 Are you wondering how to enter the kingdom of God? He says, Reprieve is an escape from a bad situation, or experience. So after God “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and had spoken to the children of Israel about true fasting He goes ahead and says, go out and find pasture. (John 10:9). then, (after true fasting,) “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and Do you feel helpless and harassed by the vagaries of life? He your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness[a] will go before you, says, “I am the good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.” sheep. (John 10:11) Do you have fear of death? “I am the resurrection and the life. God promises there is hope for reprieve if we truly fast. May the LORD He who believes in Me will live even though he dies. And whoever believes in grant you reprieve during the period of true fasting. May He grant you reprieve Me will never die. (John 11:25. from that disease, or of a loved one. May God grant you reprieve from that fiAre you lost and confused. He says, “I am the way, the truth and nancial trouble, from that difficult relational crisis. the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6) May this reprieve come quickly as it says, “Then your light will break Do you desire to live and lead a fruitful life? He says, “I am the forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear.” It will not delay/tar- true Vine and my Father is the Gardener. (John 15:1) ry. I pray that the reprieve of God will abound in your life as has been promised in the Scripture. This is the first hope that I see. 4. Refreshing. Isaiah 58:11 “The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.You will be 2. Righteousness and radiance. Isaiah 58:8b “then your righteous- like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. ness[a] will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.” - If you are feeling dry and weary. If your have a season of dryness/wilderness may the great I Am refresh you. May you indeed be a well watered garden, a Is there a sin that has been besetting you? I pray that in the period of spring of water. fasting your righteousness will go before you. This is the good news brothers and sisters that for us who are believers we do not have a righteousness that is of our own, but that Jesus is our righteousness and so may His righteousness go before you and that the glory of the LORD be our rear guard.
The hope of true fasting. (Isaiah 58:8-12)
TT 153 | May 24th - May 30th| 2022
My Pulpit Message - notes 5. Restoration. Isaiah 58:12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ And raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, when God responded, He called out their hollow rituals, for their rituals of fastRestorer of Streets with Dwellings.” This is the hope that we have if we truly fast. ing were empty, hollow and devoid of substance. Theirs was a confirmation of what God had declared earlier through the same prophet in Isaiah 29:13, “These I pray that during the season of fast that the LORD will restore every people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but personal ruin that you have experienced. May He restore your marriage and their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human your children. May God restore our land and nation so that justice will be our rules they have been taught. shield and defender and plenty will be found within our borders as we dwell in They claimed to honour God, but dishonoured Him in their hearts. peace and unity. This is the hope that we have when we engage in a true fast. Their fasting was hollow and not from the heart. And if our fasting is to We have the hope that we will receive reprieve from our troubles The be true and thus move God, then it must proceed from our hearts. hope of righteousness and radiance tucking us in. The hope of a response from Note that as a result of their hollow ritual, it did not change them at all. It the Great I Am. The hope being refreshed and restored. did not confront their sinful tendencies. And so God says, “How can you claim to be fasting yet it is your pleasure that you are pursuing? How can you claim to be fasting yet you mistreat and oppress those who work for you? How can you claim to be fasting and yet you go ahead to quarrel and strive with others and to 1. Hypocrisy of religion; Isaiah 58:1-2 “Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your fight? How is this fasting that I can accept?” God seems to ask them. voice like a trumpet; God goes on to say, it is not mere self denial and self affliction that Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they moves. A humbling of self, a bowing of head like a reed. That is not the kind of seek Me daily, fasting that moves Him. That kind of fasting is unacceptable to Him. And delight to know My ways, As a nation that did righteousness,And did not I pray that our fasting will not be hollow, but rather straight from the forsake the ordinance of their God.They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; heart and will be the kind that will not leave you comfortable in your sin. They take delight in approaching God.” If there is any transformation to happen in a season of prayer and fasting, you will be delivered from that sin that easily besets you for the glory and The people of God could not be faulted for their lack of religion, or re- honour of God’s Name, because that is the kind that moves God. That is a true ligious activities. At the time of this prophesy, God is rebuking them, not for fast. neglecting their religious duty, but for hypocrisy that surrounded their religion. But our gracious God not only points the wrong way in which His peoIt seemed that they delighted to know God’s way and to draw near to ple were fasting, but He also points them to the right way. God. Notice verse 2 “Yet they seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways… They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God.” What the passage is communicating is that it is not that these people delighted to know God’s ways, or draw near to God. Rather, it ‘seemed’ from God Himself declares the kind of fast that He has chosen. It comes with the outset that this is someone who qualified to be a lover of God, a worshipper freedom, justice and charity. Freedom and justice to the bound and oppressed of YAHWEH, yet God is calling out their hypocrisy. Why? Because, how can and charity to those in need. you delight to know God’s way? How can you delight to draw near to God and If we are to engage in a true fast, that we will be aware of the people yet you don’t do his righteousness, and yet you forsake the judgement of God? around us. A true fast is a classic case of what 1 John 4:20 “If anyone says I Their behaviour contradicted what they claimed to believed and that is what love God and hates his brother, he is a liar for he who does not love his brother hypocrisy is all about. Hypocrisy is when our behaviour contradicts what we whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” communicate as believing. Fasting is a voluntary denial and affliction of self. It is supposed to make The kind of hypocrisy presented here is a dangerous kind of hypocrisy. us sensitive to those involuntarily denied and afflicted. In our hunger we need It is the kind that you are actually able to fool others. That other following your to remember those who go hungry, not by choice, but by circumstances outside life can say they can vouch for you. In fact one might fool themselves into be- of their control. In our affliction we ought to be reminded of those who are lieving their own lie. The worst of all about this hypocrisy of religion is when it afflicted not by any choice or fault of theirs, but by people, or events outside of assumes that even God can be fooled. them. Hypocrisy of religion may fool others, it may even fool you, but it can- God is calling us to engage in a true fast so that we may bring freedom not fool God, for God does not look at external appearances and works, but to those bound by wickedness, by proclaiming freedom that is only found in rather He looks and sees the heart. Beware of this hypocrisy because it is deadly. Christ. That we will be burdened by our friends, colleagues, family members Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord who have not yet come to saving faith. That they would be delivered from their will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my fa- live of sin. ther in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord Lord, did we not prophesy Also we will advocate for justice for those who are oppressed. And if in your Name and in Your name drive out demons and in your name perform it happens that God is convicting you that you are the oppressor that you will many miracles, then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from Me repent and stop your oppression. you evildoers. It is easy to read that passage and just skip through it, but this Practice the true religion that James says in James 1:27 “Religion that were people that were convinced, they were right with God. That is why they God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and are wondering, why cant you let us in, we prophesied in Your name, we cast out widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” demons in Your name, we did may great works in Your name and Jesus is telling I wonder, what if, just what if, you used the money that you would have them, “Away from me, I never knew you,”. Why? Because hypocrisy of religion spent in meals when you are fasting to actually give someone food, provide will cause you to lie even to yourself, but unfortunately you cannot lie to God. someone with clothing, or even shelter? Is fasting an opportunity to grow our What is the nature of your religion? Do you actually delight to know savings account, or an opportunity for us to practice true fasting that reminds God’s ways? Do you actually delight to draw near to God? Or does it only seem us there are people who are going hungry and they are not fasting. Circumso? I pray that we would examine ourself. stances have forced them. Let us press on in true fasting for that is the kind of fasting that will 2. Hollow rituals. Isaiah 58:3-5 move God. This is our hope. That when we engage in true fasting, God will grant us God’s people were alarmed that God did not take notice of their fasting. reprieve from all our troubles. That God will guard us with His righteousness That He did not acknowledge their humbling themselves and so they made their and radiance. That God will respond to us as the Great I Am. That God will protest against God. And they ask “‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have refresh and restore us. That is the fasting that moves God. That is true fasting.
The Hindrance of a True Fast.
How to truly fast (Isaiah 58:6-7)
TT 153 | May 24th - May 30th| 2022
My Life How to get saved and spend eternity with God His Love “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NASB) My response that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Romans 10:9-10 (NASB)
My prayer Lord God Almighty, thank You for Your love for me. Thank You that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to die for my sins. Please forgive me for all the sins I have committed against You. I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and that He died on the cross and You raised Him from the dead on the third day. Please write my name in the Lamb’s book of life. Help me to live a life that is holy and pleasing unto You. In Jesus’ Name I pray and believe. Amen
TT 153 | May 24th - May 30th| 2022
My Devotional By Liz Omondi | Email: timestodayke@gmail.com
TEMPTATIONS
On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” Luke 22:40 (NIV)
gle day of our lives and therefore ought to pray not to fall into temptation. Jesus’ disciples who had watched Jesus model a life of prayer were Diana looked at the prompted to ask Him, phone as though it was “Lord, teach us to pray” some forbidden deliLuke 11:1, Jesus taught cious delicacy. She could them what we commonhear voices in her head ly refer to as the Lord’s whispering, and sayprayer and He said ‘This ing, “Take it. There is no then is how you should harm in reading the mespray: “‘Our Father in sages. After all, your husheaven, hallowed be band is still asleep and he your name,10 your kingwill never find out that dom come, your will be you read his messages. How else will you know whether he is cheating on done,on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive you?” Diana did not know that falling into the temptation would be the us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into beginning of the death of her marriage. temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’” (Matthew 6:9-13) Desperate to clear the huge loan he had borrowed, Marcus knew as chief accountant he could very easily manipulate figures without the knowledge of anyone and get the monies he required for the moment. When the time was right, he could always play the number game again and balance the accounts.
As Jesus was agonising in that garden, He urged His disciples twice to pray so that they will not fall into temptation. He is the all knowing God who knows and understands our weakness just as Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.”
Eyes glued to the screen of his desktop machine, fingers steady on the keyboard, he seriously contemplated changing the figures. No one would know. Only he had the password to the Excel sheet. That voice came and whispered, ‘do it just this one time. You’ll free yourself from the stress.’ Marcus did not know that this move may cause him lose his job and everything he had invested in.
A few verses after the warning that Jesus gave about praying so as not to fall into temptation, Peter fell into temptation by denying Jesus three times. Luke 22:54-61. The all-knowing God had already seen this coming earlier in Luke 22:31 and He says, ““Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Shawn excelled in his KCSE exams and everyone called to congratulate him and his parents for a job well done. He was the talk of his estate, school and nation. With so much free time, and waiting to be called to university to pursue the course of his dreams, his parents allowed him to hangout with his friends from the estate all day and into the evening.
As Jesus agonised in that garden, praying, perhaps tempted to give up, we are told that an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. (Luke 22:43). Jesus our role model in Christianity knows that we will face all kinds of temptation in our lives and we need the strength to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
Some of this friends however, were already deeply involved in substance abuse. On one of the hangout days, Shawn’s friend urges him, ‘c’mon’, give it a try. Just one shot and you’re good to go. No one will find out as long as you keep quiet’. Shawn knew better, but thought to himself, no one has to know and it would be good to experiment the feeling. What Shawn wasn’t aware of is that many of his peers have been trapped by this lie and bound Just before He began his ministry, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert by the chain of substance abuse for years. They are wasting away in their to the tempted. After fasting for forty days and nights, the devil had the sickness and in need to help to get out. audacity to come and tempt Him, the Son of God. Every single day of our lives we are faced with all manner of temptations. When Jesus went to His usual spot to pray on the Mount of Olives, in garden of Gethsemane His disciples followed Him and the one thing He said to them was “Pray that you will not fall into temptation” (Luke 22:40). Five verses later we are told, “When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” He asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
What about us? Thank God we have a High Priest, Jesus Christ who daily intercedes for us, just like He did in Peter’s situation. Thank God we have Jesus Christ who modelled a life of prayer and urges us to pray daily so that we do not fall into temptation. We are weak, yet He is strong! Before we embark on our daily activities may we always remember to pray so that we do not fall into any temptation that the tempter may bring our way.
The all-knowing God knew that we are prone to temptation every sin-
TT 153 | May 24th - May 30th| 2022
Business Motorists Benefit From DT Dobie Tyre Centres
Josiah Njue (left), the DT Dobie Tyre Center Supervisor and Geoffrey Rono (right), a technician use a wheel balancer under the guidance of Eddy Musembi (right), the After Sales Administration Manager during a training session. DT Dobie in partnership with Tyre Distribution Africa Limited has opened a tyre centre to provide quality premium budget Michelin and BF Goodrich tyres to its customers.
Motorists will benefit from a partnership by DT Dobie Limited with Tyre Distribution Africa Limited to provide quality ‘‘Volkswagen customers can choose from a collection of Michepremium budget Michelin and BFGoodrich tyres to its Mer- lin, BFGoodrich, or Tigar UHP/HP tyres, a European quality cedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Hyundai clients. tyre.’’ Michael Odero, DT Dobie General Sales Manager Parts said,‘‘ ‘‘Through this exciting partnership purchasers are assured of The tyre centers in our branches now stock tyres designed for top service from aftersales support with premium tyres service Mercedes-Benz luxury vehicles including Michelin Pilot Sport in a one-stop-shop,’’ concluded Michael. range M01 ZR/ZP, and BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 which are ideal for off-road vehicles like the Mercedes G Wagon series.’’
TT 153 | May 24th - May 30th| 2022
My Inspiration Dont be pushed around
By William King | Email: kingwilliam189@gmail.com | image courtesy: istockphoto.com
Did you know that if you want your life to go in a certain direction, you have to start thinking in that direction? The Scripture tells us in Proverbs that “As a man thinks in his heart, so is Use the power of your thoughts and start saying, “If God he.” That tells us that life is going in the direction of our is for me, who can be against me? Who would even dare most prominent thoughts. to point a finger at me?Jesus overcame death and the grave so I can overcome. In fact, That is why the writer of ProvGod has called me ‘more than erbs warns us: “Above all else, You can’t control what anyone else does, says or thinks, a conqueror’ in Christ.” God guard your heart, for every- but you can control what you think. You can control your has given you His Word. thing you do flows from it.” If attitudes, filters you use and that’s the key. If your life is we’re going to become every- not going in the direction you want, push your thoughts You can’t control what anything God intends us to be, we in the direction you want. one else does, says or thinks, must take captive the thoughts but you can control what you that are playing in our mind, think. You can control your those thoughts that are ruling our life. attitudes, filters you use and that’s the key. If your life is not going in the direction you want, push your thoughts in the We can’t afford to allow negative thoughts to push us around. direction you want. We have to push our thoughts around. We want our life to go in the right direction and that direction is directed by right God says He wants to renew your mind and transform your thoughts. We have to seriously guard what we’re thinking life and it can start now. The renewing and the transformaabout. Start pushing. If you need victory today, start think- tion can take place as soon as you choose the right thoughts ing overcoming thoughts. to think. Let me encourage you today. Know that God is for you. He’s given you an outline of what you need to do.
TT 153 | May 24th - May 30th| 2022
Every Good G S ift
ells
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur Burnout: As A Report Highlights The Emotional Toll Of Covid, Should Founders Be Taking More Time Off?
By Trevor Clawson | https://www.forbes.com/
According to a survey commissioned by accountancy software company, Xero, many entrepreneurs are struggling with the psychological impact of navigating their businesses through the pandemic. Indeed, the emotional fallout is proving harder to deal with than the rather more prosaic but necessary task of getting their companies back on a sound financial footing. The question is, how can they best help themselves?
It could have been overwhelming. The fact that it wasn’t was largely down to the fact that Rose had previously fallen victim to burnout when the pressure of growing a company had became too much. “I had a year out of my business when I wasn’t eating properly, exercising properly or sleeping properly,” she says.
Conducted by polling organization Opinium and the Centre for Economic and Business Research, 92 percent of small business owners have experienced men- As she recalls, the pressures were very great. The physical school was located in tal health problems over the past two years. Perhaps more worryingly, 40 say Hatton Gardens, a high rent area. “So there was always the pressure of getting that dealing with their psychological problems is likely to take longer than fi- enough bookings.” nancial recovery. Then there was the fact that this was what Rose describes as a “passion” business, The psychological well-being of entrepreneurs is something of a perennial topic. not just for herself but also for the staff. The temptation to work too hard was Even at the best of times, the founders of small companies must make difficult always present. decisions - affecting not just themselves but employees - often with very little in the way of practical or moral support. This takes its toll and depression and anxiety are not uncommon. Put simply, like many people running small businesses, Rose was burnt out. The question is how do you get past.
Learning To Stop
An Emotional Toll
But the pandemic kicked things up a gear. Decisions on whether to cut staff, close down altogether or simply carry on as normal were being made against a backdrop of rising death tolls, restrictions on movement and association and an all-pervading anxiety. By any standards, entrepreneurs were operating in extreme conditions. It’s hardly surprising that quite a few are still processing the emotional fallout.
Pushing Too Hard
As the report points out, one of the biggest problems facing founders was the relentless pressure - self-imposed or otherwise - of managing their way through the pandemic. The majority didn’t take any sick time and even when it became apparent their mental health was suffering, only 21 percent took any leave. That led not only to burnout in the short term but potential long-term mental health problems as well.
In Rose’s case, the answer was simple. You have to allow yourself to stop. Take time off work. Have a break from constantly answering the phone. Limit email. “You have to do everything in your power to stop,” she says. “Remind yourself that the world won’t come to an end if you don’t answer an email. In addition, Rose worked on ensuring she got enough exercise, ate healthy food and engaged in practices such as meditation. Taking time out will go against the grain for many business owners and - depending on how much support there is within the company - it may be difficult to delegate. This is particularly true of very small businesses. But Rose’s experience suggests that if you can step back, it’s worth doing. The alternative may be that the symptoms of burnout persist and evolve into even more serious mental health problems.
A Different Perspective
Now it’s debatable whether the pandemic is really over. What’s less up for discus- Rose feels the burnout experience provided her with a perspective that helped sion is that businesses face a whole new set of problems ranging from inflation her cope with the arguably even tougher problems thrown up by the pandemic and staff shortages to disrupted supply lines. when they arose. So if the problems aren’t going away, what is the best way to deal with them?
The Lessons of Burnout
Part of that was understanding that even the most periods of intense hard work pass. Afterwards, you can take a break. Equally Rose feels the ambition to grow a company doesn’t have to be all-consuming. There should be time for outside life and holidays. Importantly, she also encourages employees to take time off and avoid the problems of burnout.
Jessica Rose has been there, seen it and bought the t-shirt. As founder of the Jewellers Academy, she runs an online business that provides tuition in jewellery making. Up until the pandemic struck, she was also running a physical school in All of which doesn’t necessarily make hard decisions any easier. But you can London’s Hatton Garden district. perhaps step back and see a bigger picture. For instance, during the pandemic, physical school staff were offered jobs in the virtual business. In that respect, Not surprisingly, the future of the physical business was immediately in doubt. “ Rose says she tried to look after her team. But, she says, it is important to realize Initially, we didn’t know whether it would have to close. It was very difficult,” she that you can’t be responsible for other people’s lives. says. “There were a lot of frustrated people to deal with (the students) and the staff didn’t know if their jobs were secure.” One effect of the pandemic is that firms are more aware of and investing in employee wellbeing. This, according to the Xero survey is a win/win as there is a A decision was made to close the school, with tuition jobs moving across to the correlation with improved performance. Investment in well-being may not go online academy. “Once I’d made the decision, things got better,” Rose adds. straight to the bottom line, but it can dividends further down the line.
Lessons From The Past
TT 153 | May 24th - May 30th| 2022
My Health
How has the pandemic changed our behavior?
www.medicalnewstoday.com | Written by Kimberly Drake on May 19, 2022 — Fact checked by Rita Ponce, Ph.D.
the pandemic — entering it in 2020, throughout its ongoing effects over the course of 2 years, and now […] we are hopefully coming out of it. The waves are epidemiological, social, economic, and political – really a big storm.” As the “storm” continues, people naturally engage in adaptive behavior to meet the demands of their situation or environment. This can create lasting changes in how people communicate and behave.
Types of behavior affected
Behavior is individualized and multifaceted. Just like responses to the pandemic are not one-size-fits-all, behavior can differ depending on many factors. Prof. Bluvshtein explained that “there are different aspects of behavior: the motivational, behavioral, and emotional components.” According to Dr. Loftus, several key behaviors emerged due to the pandemic. “Some prioritized The COVID-19 pandemic has set the tone for a “new normal” of health and well-being. This feature series aims to empower readers to take control of their their health and fitness while others didn’t fret [about] eating more and working out less given the seriousness of the world around us,” she noted. mental and emotional health. COVID-19, with all the variants of the virus that causes it, has unquestionably In terms of communication, “[s]ome people adapted by turning to video calls affected people across the globe. The disease itself or the stress, uncertainty, and with loved ones and Zoom meetings for work, while others retreated into isolation.” fear it has created touched most people in one way or another. Yet, despite its known immediate effects, the pandemic’s lasting impact on so- There was also the official versus the individual aspect of the matter, said Dr. ciety is not fully understood. Dr. Mirela Loftus, medical director at Newport Loftus: “Officials were telling us to modify our behaviors for our safety, while some people questioned the suggestions/ orders, and people were divided.” Healthcare, told Medical News Today: “The pandemic has had a very real, very personal impact on people’s lives. Wheth- At the end of the day, she added, “the experience was truly different for us all but er an individual was personally sick, lost someone they loved to COVID-19, lost similar at its core. Most of us longed for connection and a return to ‘normal.’” their job, or ‘just’ struggled with isolating stay-home orders and global panic, As time has passed, these behaviors may have led to various changes in how we each of us was affected differently, and many profoundly.” relate to work, other people, and our own lives. According to research, from shopping, working, and school to traveling and entertainment — the pandemic has changed how people navigate daily life. In A shift to remote work addition, it has produced a state of uncertainty multiplied by economic and culBehavior in the workplace may have experienced significant changes due to pantural fears. demic-related social restrictions. A studyTrusted Source focusing on employees But has this changed overall human behavior and communication long-term? from Germany and Switzerland indicates that working from home — particularly if experienced for the first time — during the pandemic was strongly assoAnd if so, how does society begin to recover from these changes? ciated with a positive effect on work life.
How and why the pandemic impacted behavior
Furthermore, 60% of people currently working from home due to the pandemic report they would like to continue doing so after the pandemic is over.
Research suggests that public responses to widespread disease have remained Still, the shift to remote work may have a downside. mostly unchanged since the Black Death, in the 14th century. Moreover, previous pandemics have also caused significant upheaval and widespread changes in Prof. Bluvshtein explained further: social and socio-economic structures. “People throughout the pandemic — and to this day — conduct business through Prof. Marina Bluvshtein, professor and president of the International Associa- virtual meetings. While something is being checked off the list as completed and in technical terms, […] people may still feel like something doesn’t feel quite tion of Individual Psychology at Adler University, told MNT: right. The missing part is often that sense of wholeness — through all the senses “There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all in understanding how people re- humans have. These elements may be lost, or significantly changed, for most of spond to a stressful situation, whether the situation is unique for one person, those working at home.” one group, or it leads to a mass stress-fueled response. We’ve ridden waves of
TT 153 | May 24th - May 30th| 2022
My Health Altered spending habits
creased treatment options — including telehealth.
Communication changes
Incivility
The COVID-19 pandemic-related social restrictions forced many people to change how they communicate. Instead of face-to-face interaction, people used social media and text-based communication to connect through the various lockdowns or stay-at-home orders.
According to anecdotal reports, the pandemic may have negatively impacted behavior by contributing to a rise in incivility and rudeness, which may well have occurred due to chronic exposure to stress and an anxiety-inducing news cycle.
Social restrictions and lockdowns may have also led to changes in spending be- Speech and language changes havior. For example, scientists surveyed 3,833Trusted Source people aged 18–64 According to Michigan State University researchers, historically, significant in Italy during the first wave of COVID-19. events and disasters have demonstrably impacted language and speech. They found an increase in spending and the psychological need to buy essential and non-essential products. Moreover, anxiety and COVID-19-related fear may During the COVID-19 pandemic, language changes may have included the adhave motivated people to purchase necessary items, whereas depression predict- dition of new pandemic-related words. ed spending on non-necessary products. For example, slang words and phrases, including “Rona,” which is short for Moving forward, these and other pandemic-fueled spending habits may have “coronavirus,” “doomscrolling,” which refers to compulsive scrolling through social media threads infused with negative news, and “Zoom fatigue” became changed consumer behavior long-term. commonly used in casual conversation. For instance, according to Prof. Jie Zhang, professor of marketing, and Harvey Sanders Fellow of Retail Management at the Robert H. Smith School of Business To investigate the possible impacts of COVID-19 on language, Michigan State University Sociolinguistics Lab researchers are currently collecting recorded at the University of Maryland, people are now shopping online more. speech from Michigan residents through their MI Diaries project. They hope to They are also buying more staple items in bulk, and investing in at-home enter- track and document pandemic-related speech changes. tainment options, she notes in an interview.
This may have resulted in social displacement or replacing face-to-face contact Healthcare professionals have also reported experiencing incivility. According to one analysis using data retrieved from an online survey, 45.7% of nurses polled with virtual interaction. reported witnessing more rudeness than before the pandemic. JoLeann Trine, LCPC, a licensed clinical professional counselor with ThriveReduced time spent around others may have also contributed to this state of works in Aurora, IL, told MNT: affairs. Trine suggested that “though small-talk opportunities decreased due to “Arguably one of the largest changes involved social interactions. Suddenly COVID-19, the need for concise and clear communication increased.” droves of people were working from home, attending class online, and avoiding socializing with anyone outside the household or approved bubble. As peo- She further explained that “casual social skill practice was drastically reduced, ple adapted to their new life format, their way of communicating and behaving made obvious by the many circulating posts that poked fun at forgetting how to socialize that appeared once restrictions were lifted.” changed.” However, research looking into the impact of social media and well-being found that the downward trend in face-to-face interactions has been developing for years. The scientists suggest that although cell phone and social media use is rising, existing evidence does not support that it is replacing face-to-face interaction.
Looking to the future Whether pandemic-related shifts in behavior and communication remain in place is yet to be determined. Moreover, as society heals and adjusts, some changes may evolve to become new societal norms while others may fade. Still, not all changes could be considered negative.
Instead, social media may fill the gap when face-to-face interactions are lost — Moving forward, Dr. Loftus suggested the following: which was the case during the pandemic.
Still, they hypothesize that social media may be replacing other media and time “Perhaps we will now place higher priority on in-person interactions and our relationships with others, being outdoors for sports and activities, and feeling spent on household and work tasks. relieved of constant worry. Acknowledging what we went through and growing and learning from that experience would be the best outcome.”
Improved attitudes towards mental health
Because the COVID-19 pandemic has created a perfect storm of anxiety, and Prof. Bluvshtein emphasized that even though the pandemic clearly took a heavy uncertainty, it has had a significant impact on global mental health. It has also toll on most of us: given rise to new mental health concerns, including COVID-19 anxiety syn“Nothing is completely irreversible. We’re going to be okay — everyone is able drome and pandemic-related disordered eating. to be well and to do well — but we need to give ourselves space and time to Dr. Loftus explained that “Ultimately, mental health was severely impacted, as get there. […] It will take time to reacquaint [with] a new reality. What we saw proven by the 25% increase in [the] prevalence of anxiety and depression world- during the pandemic was a need to return to the way things were, ‘back to normal,’ but in reality, we don’t need to go back. Human evolution prompts us to wide, according to WHO [World Health Organization].” move forward, not backward.” “Eating disorders in adolescents have also increased by 25% according to several She suggested that people have a unique chance to come through this experience studies, as did substance use,” she added. “wiser, kinder, and feeling that life is precious, and it is to be protected, cherHowever, some positive changes may have occurred. According to a UN Chron- ished, and enjoyed with others.” icle article, the negative psychological effects of the pandemic may have created more mental health awareness, destigmatized mental health conditions, and in- “This isn’t just a silver lining — it’s a golden lining,” said Prof. Bluvshtein.
TT 153 | May 24th - May 30th| 2022
My Kitchen One Bowl Chocolate Cake
By shirleyo | www.allrecipes.com
This is a rich and moist one bowl chocolate cake. It only takes a few minutes to prepare the batter. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.
Ingredients 2 cups white sugar 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 cup milk ½ cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup boiling water
Step 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two nine inch round pans. Step 2 In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. Stir in the boiling water last. Batter will be thin. Pour evenly into the prepared pans. Step 3 Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Directions
TT 153 | May 24th - May 30th| 2022
My Sports Ojee delivers at Kabeberi 7s as Shujaa struggles
www.standardmedia.co.ke | By Washington Onyango
KCB’s Jacob Ojee displays his medals after the Kabeberi Sevens finals, on Sunday. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]
Jacob Ojee put up a performance to remember over the weekend as he helped KCB to dethrone defending champions Mwamba and win Even with new coach Damian Mcgrath in charge, Shujaa are nowhere the Kabeberi Sevens title at RFEUA, on Sunday. near their best after losing 29-5 to Olympic champions Fiji and 38-14 to France in their Group A matches that saw them slip to the ChalOjee captained the bankers to glory as he finished the tournament lenge trophy despite their 19-14 final pool match win against Wales. with most tries; six. The bankers were unbeaten in the two-day event. Ojee tied with Keith Ombwaga of Kabras Sugar. Kenya’s poor show was further confirmed when they lost 26-14 to Scotland and 28-12 to Japan in the 9th Place Quarter Final and 13th “We had our heads held high and with the wins, we have demon- Place semifinals respectively. strated our character and lion’s mentality to go out there and hunt. It feels good to win again after last season’s Kenya cup disappointments Meanwhile, Shujaa have been pooled against Ireland, Argentina, and and now we hunt again in the second leg Christie Sevens,” said Ojee. South Africa in the London Sevens. In South Africa, national 15s side Kenya Simbas lost their fourth The Kenya Simbas winger also made the Kabeberi Sevens team of the Currie Cup match after going down 45-33 to Boland Cavaliers at the tournament alongside his teammate Bob Muhati, Menengai Oiler’s Boland Stadium. Austine Sikutwa and Strathmore Leos quartet of Branson Madigu, Stephen Osumba, Festus Shiasi and George Ooro. Kenya have now won one match and lost four. KCB’s Levi Amunga finished as the top points scorer with 39.
Simbas will meet SWD Eagles on Saturday at City Park Stadium, Athlone before heading back home.
Oilers finished with the bronze medal, Mwamba fifth, Kenya Harlequin Challenge Cup and Impala Saracens 13th place final winners. Kenya will make history next month when they host two Currie Cup Division One matches in Nairobi. Elsewhere, Kenya Sevens’ struggles at the World Sevens Rugby continued at Toulouse Sevens where they collected one point after regis- Simbas will take on Leopards on June 4 before meeting Eastern Provtering one win in their six matches played in France. ince Elephants on June 11 at RFUEA. Shujaa failed to proceed to the quarterfinals for the fifth time in a Kenya Simbas and Zimbabwe Goshawks are using the Currie Cup row. Since the beginning of the year, Kenya has not gone past the to prepare for the Africa Rugby qualifying tournament to the 2023 group stage after poor results in Malaga, Seville, Singapore, Vancou- Rugby World Cup. ver and now Toulouse.
TT 153 | May 24th - May 30th| 2022 The Times Today is a publication of Elizabeth Omondi Consultancy. P.O. Box 833-00100 GPO Nairobi. Tel: 0722 927792. www.thetimestoday.wordpress.com
