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My Pulpit Message: Persevere in God’s Love

Pg 3-4

PERSEVERE IN GOD’S LOVE

King’s Inspiration: Please an Audience of One Pg 7

Entrepreneur: The Cure for Restlessness Pg 10

My Pulpit Message Notes

PERSEVERE IN GOD’S LOVE

When talking about persevering in God’s love, persevering in faith, walking with Christ for a long-term, we have to ask ourselves what does that mean perseverance in light of a young continent and contemporary issues that we are facing today?

What is this persevering in God in a world today that is claiming that you cannot hold for long?Whatever you are doing, this world today is instant, do it quickly before the next thing comes. To the extent even marriages, the world is saying just hold briefy because the feld is greener on the other side.

What do we mean by perseverance when the world is saying you don’t need long process, the end justifes the means? Process doest matter today. Nowadays we have instant cofee, porridge, salvation, backsliding, wife, money etc. Tat is the world today, instant riches.

How do we engage perseverance when we are in a world where the other side is greener and you are safer when it is short, quick, casual contracts and commitments? How do we engage in perseverance, walking with God when the world is telling you not to put all your eggs in the same basket? Pursue multiple parts, it is a world of pluralism, relativism, atheism, secularism etc. How do we persevere when the world is telling you, enjoy it now maximally, tomorrow will sort itself out?

I raise these issues because most of us have a responsibility for the next generation that is coming afer us. We have to ask ourselves how will Christianity Africa be in the next 50 - 100 years. Most of us are rejoicing over what God has done in Africa in the last hundred years. Some of us are products of East African Revival. We thank God that it trained us to persevere and we see people in their 70s today are still passionate for Christ.

I met one veteran preacher in the country at the universities who was a CU chairman in 1975 at the University of Nairobi and we had tea together two weeks ago. Te man told me, from January to February, out of eight weeks, he had preached in six universities and colleges in this country on Sundays. He is in his seventies and he is still passionate. I looked at him and asked, how will the generation of my children be in the next ffy years? Will they still persevere?

Mine is to encourage us that where you are, you hold on until the end, but that you have a responsibility to ensure that this concept/virtue of perseverance is passed over to the next generation because if you don’t we will fail the global Christian agenda. Yes we would have issues with Europe because of how they did it, but you and I know for above 500 /1000 years they were faithful in their own ways. Tey sent missionaries across the world, not because they had so much money. Some of them we know they carried their caskets and carried them to Africa and died here, persevered here until the seed has grown and now we are the continent with most Christians globally.

So we have the two responsibilities, fnishing well regardless of the age you are in, but ensuring the virtue of perseverance is passed on.

As we pass this virtue on, I fnd perseverance is like the old phone booths in Nairobi. Te other day, I asked my children if they know the phone booths and they said, they have never seen it. One answered they saw it in the museum. Tat struck me. Te other day they were so common. Now we have to go to the museum to see them.

Te same is with the virtue of perseverance. Some years back, perseverance whether you liked it or not, you were forced into it. You had to persevere walking to school, some had to persevere walking without shoes. Tere was a time I told my son I had to go to school without shoes, and he asked me, did you have socks? Because it is a new concept. He thought I was the one who chose to walk to school without shoes and so I would put on sock. Ten the other child asked, did the bus pick you?

Ten we were in a culture where perseverance was forced into us. You had to endure whether you liked it or not. You had to endure the pain that was natural. And because of that, skills and virtue of waiting for long was created in you. Today that is becoming scarce like the calling booths. You have to introduce it because today’s generation there is nothing to sufer much, there is nothing that brings perseverance. Te staying power is reducing.

People are coming to Christ in throngs. Last year alone in all our universities / campuses, through the evangelism that we were doing in our Christian Unions 7700 students got saved. Tat is a nice thing. But I am worried, in three years will they still be saved? In 30 years will they still be holding Jesus?

Eugene Peterson explores discipleship in an instant society. Trough his book, ‘A Long Obedience in the Same Direction’ cause some of us obey, but in diferent directions. Five years we are following Christ in one direction, the other four years we are not sure, the other two years we get revived. Tis book explores a long obedience in the same direction. And that is the cry today. How can we nurture a long obedience, persevering obedience in the same direction? How can we nurture Calebs today who can say I was 40 years, now I am 86, I am as passionate as I was those years?

I remember when young we used to go to two keshas the same night. It is only 30 years down the line, are you still vibrant in prayer? Remember the days you used to read the Bible cover to cover, the day no one could speak to you for more than two hours without hearing the word of Christ, even in the bus. Woe unto you if you neighbour was going to Mombasa, they will get saved along the way. Where are you? Are you still persevering in those virtues?

Defnition

Perseverance is to hold, or to persist. Te dictionary description says, ‘continued efort to do or achieve the same thing or something despite difculties, failure and opposition.

Persevering in God’s Love

What does God’s Love mean?

Jude 1:20-21

“20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”

- God’s love means assurance of salvation. How do you persevere? How do you hold on to the salvation that you have?

- God’s love could also mean intimate walk with God, where you persevere despite the difculties and challenges, you hold on.

- God’s love also means service to Him. Persevering in God’s service to Him. You know well you were called to reach out to the children. You had that call and started, but because of difculties you gave up. Or you were called to do business for missions, where your work is actually to do business and support missionaries, but somehow along the way you did not persevere enough.

- God’s love could also mean passion for God.

My Pulpit Message Notes are transcribed from the sermon preached at the Nairobi Baptist Church (NBC) Ngong Road on Sunday, 19th March, 2023. Preacher - Pastor Simon Kande, National Director, Fellowship of Christian Unions (FOCUS). Scripture: Jude 1:20-23. Topic: Persevere in God’s Love

My Pulpit Message Notes

Te Bible is littered with characters who persevered long enough and have lef us a testimony for our commissioning and inspiration.

- Job. Jobs story is like a movie. When you are actually doing something and within a span of an hour you get messages your buses were going to Githurai and instead went to Kasarani and have crashed there. You cows in the village, a wind came from Mount Elgon and carried all of them, and before long, your children who were celebrating in another house in the other side of the city , something just came. What made Job hold on?

- Joseph. What is it, other people like Joseph with a dream when he was young was thrown into a pit and by God’s mercy is rescued by his brother Reuben and is sold and goes to a foreign land. Tis look nice, he has a job in Potiphar’s house, but before long he is in prison. What is it that make Joseph not give up? How diferent is Joseph from a young person today who is giving up so fast because a girlfriend got late and they are calling of a relationship, or because a boyfriend cannot aford chips of 100 bob, he only has 20 bob.

- Caleb. What made him to keep passion /zeal for God for those many years?

- Ruth. What did Ruth see in Naomi that told her to say, I will not leave you, I’ll hold on to you and persevered in that?

3 Critical Things That Help Us Develop Perseverance

1. The Foundation - Matthew 7:24

is quite unique in setting a foundation that can make a house in the future despite the storms and winds and whatever beats against it to stand. I’ve been looking for other things in the Scripture that can hold this house, and I’ve realised the Scripture is very clear, it is the foundation. Reading Matthew 7:24 talks about a wise and a foolish builder. Everyone who hears this words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Te rain came down, the stream fowed, the winds blew and beat against that house yet did not fall. Why did it not fall? Because it has its foundation not he rock.

- Tis is a description Jesus is giving of knowing God through the Word, valuing the Scriptures, knowing the Word of God and commitment to do the Word of God.

- We have many Christians today who know the Word, but they are not committed to doing it. Tey want pretext that favour them. Tey want to pick texts that are nice. But those that say, forgive your neighbour, or housemate who wronged you, that text becomes difcult.

- Foundation is actually helping people know the Word of God and be committed to do it.

- Know the character of God, know His ways and commitment to obey.

- If we don’t have a strong foundation, perseverance will be difcult.

- Te things I have gone through over the past 29 years, if I didn’t know the Scripture well, If I didn’t know who I am and who God is, most likely I would not still be pursuing ministry.

- Te reason why many people are giving up, chances are the foundation is weak and that is a call to all of us. Keep checking your foundation, keep checking how is your interaction with the Word of God. How do you process the Word of God? Are you willing to obey every verse of the Word of God?

- How do we help the young people? How can we be sure that in 50 years they will still be holding on to Christianity well? By the foundation. How can you help your children and grandchildren? Please let them know the Word of God. Te styles could change from how you used to do Bible study those days, but ensure that it is nice, but let the content of the Word of God still remain. Whichever way, let the Word of God be at the centre because that is the foundation.

2. The Disciplines. Jude 21

To have a strong foundation we need disciplines of perseverance. Jude 21”keep yourselves in God’s love…” Who is keeping who?

20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

- ‘Building yourselves’, - most of us want to be built by others. - Keep yourselves -

- Tose two terms, ‘build’ and ‘keep’ simple means self-discipline. What will make you

persevere all through for Christ and remain in His love is by building yourselves (spiritual development). Having a plan to develop yourself. It is your responsibility, not necessarily the responsibility of the pastor. Yes the pastor will help you, but by the end of the day it is your responsibility. It is your responsibility to build your marriage. Build your spiritual stamina because the day of evil is coming. Build your prayer life, nurture it. Build your Scriptural engagement. Look for mentors - people who can help you. But afer you build yourself, keep yourself, this simply means self control.

- Te self of today is becoming rogue. Te self wants all the money and yet eat one plate at a time, the self wants all houses yet it can sleep in one bed at a time. Te self wants to marry even the same gender. It’s becoming queer.

- Self control is a fruit of the Spirit and I have checked through the Scriptures. It is talking about having self control so that you can pray. Praying requires self control. Reading the Word requires self control especially against the gadgets that we have. Te day you want to read the Word of God on the phone, that is when the pop ups come and before long you have forgotten what you wanted to do on the phone.

- Self control means, you say phone for the next one hour stay far, TV stay far, food stay far so that I can seek God.

- Disciplines will help us.

- Self leadership - mental resolve, making up your mind.

3. Hope - Jude 21

“21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”

- “As you wait…” What makes us persevere as we wait is hope. Hope is the anchor of the soul according to Hebrews 19. Hope is critical. We are having a generation that is becoming hopeless. Tere is nothing they are looking forward to. Depression cases are on the rise because of hopelessness.

- Hope is critical for you to persevere. Regardless of what you are going through, could be a challenge at home, could be a sickness, please have hope that Whoever has promised is faithful and will come through. Do not give up.

- Hope helps us to wait and not give us. Job 14 says even when a tree is cut, there is hope it will sprout again. ‘Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for the One who promised is faithful, - Hebrews 10:24.

Friends, how do we persevere in this generation that is crooked and evil? As Timothy tells us, ‘It will be perilous times”.

I propose to us, we must make up our minds to persevere. I am aware in a post-modern era, ideologies, post-modernism is putting everything to self; feelings - we want to feel Jesus, we want to feel saved. What happens the day you wake up and you don’t feel like you want to love Jesus? You have to know, you have to be driven by convictions.

- I like what Daniel 1:8 says, “Daniel resolved in his mind not to defle himself. What will keep you in that workplace where you are persevering because everyone is persecuting you because you are a believer? Tey don’t want to go with you for trips because they like ‘cooking’ receipts. And because you are truthful you are messing up their plans and are isolated. You must make up your mind not to be defled. Make up your mind to follow Jesus.

- Make up your mind not to give up. Te ministry God has called you to may not be easy. Tere are many struggles, they could be fnancial struggles. Make up your mind that your destiny is heaven. Te temptations and the sin could be choking you. Make up your mind to fght on.

- Keep fghting on. Do not give up. Te Bible predicted that we are soldiers of Christ. We are at war. So the battles that are coming, they are supposed to because you are a soldier. Fight on. Tere are spiritual, mental battles that you need to fght on. Do not give up.

- A few of us, we give up so fast because we have not burnt our bridges. Like the story that is told of this army in a small town that used to go fght and there was a huge river in between. And there were boats that they used to cross over to the other side of the town. And every time they would get defeated on the other side and the army from that town could run back, until the commander realised, what can I do to help this guys win. He ensured that they crossed over, then burned all the boats and the bridge and for the frst time they won.

- Some of us don’t persevere because we have too many options, including ourselves. We know that God will help us, but we also help ourselves. WE have too many options and we have to burn them and say, “I have decided to follow Jesus and I will persevere. I will hold on until the end.”

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. Tank 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

How To Be Successful

https://sportsspectrum.com/

By Reza Zadeh, Denver Broncos chaplain

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” — 2 Timothy 3:16-17

I have listened to many great coaches talk about what all successful athletes possess. Here are four of the most common traits mentioned: 1) Very knowledgeable of how the game is played and the rules of the game. 2) Welcomes constructive criticism from coaches and teammates. 3) Will make personal corrections to improve their skills. 4) Trains hard.

Every successful athlete is familiar with these four characteristics. All great athletes have mastered them to reach their potential. Tese four statements mirror what is found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Tese verses are foundational to the Christian faith as it relates to the inspired Word of God. Tey are one of the many internal pieces of evidence that the Bible is God’s written word to mankind. Te benefts of allowing the Bible to teach us, rebuke us, correct us and train us in righteousness will result in a spirit-flled Christian life. Te Bible will equip us to fght any battle and teach us to give all the glory to Almighty God for the victory.

Te eternal Coach of all creation is telling us that all successful followers of Christ have this in common.

— Sam Johnson, San Antonio Spurs chaplain

King’s Inspiration

Too many people make decisions based on what other people think about them. Tey run everything through a flter. “How is this going to make me look? Will my friends and coworkers be impressed and applaud, or will they look down on me?” Instead of being confdent in who God made them to be, they let the opinions of others determine what they do.

Tey do not realize they are addicted to approval. Tey have to keep pleasing others. Psychologists call it FOPO - Te Fear of Other People’s Opinions. We all want to be liked. Tere will be seasons where people are for you, then a time when they are not.

Your destiny is not predicated on other people’s approval of you. When God laid out your plan, He did not call twenty of your friends to help decide who you were going to be. No. He called, equipped and favoured you. When you are secure in who God made you to be, then you know you are valuable, talented,

attractive and a masterpiece. You do not have to have anyone else’s validation. People had all kinds of opinions about the apostle Paul.

Some loved him, others hated him and attacked him and some put him down. But despite all this opposition, he wrote almost half the books of the New Testament and impacted the world in amazing ways. He gives us a secret of how he handled the pressure of people’s approval. He says, “It matters very little what you think of me” (1Corinthians 4:3).

Paul was not trying to please anyone. He was living to please an audience of one. Are you sacrifcing who you are because you are addicted to others’ approval? Do not miss your greatness because you are dependent on people approving you. Do not let the opinions of others hold you back. You can not follow what God put in your heart if you are always trying to play up to whatever other people think.

Wambui’s Refections

GUIDELINES TO PROSPER BOTH SPIRITUALLY AND PHYSICALLY

By Wambui | image courtesy: Lifecoach4God

Ask God to reveal to you those who are:

(a.) Aligned to your life

(b.) Assigned to your life

(c.) Anointed for & to your life.

WHY ? Because you must be:

(a.) Aligned with God

(b.) Assigned by God

(c.) Anointed by God

Eradication distractions. Some battles will come your way that are not worth fghting, don’t get involved in those battles.

Tey are distractions. Tey will only keep you away from the battles that are to elevate you to your greater level of anointing!

Learn to seek God on the battles to engage in.

Some of the signs that may help you discern good and bad battles

(a.) If it is something that gives you self glorifcation and not God then it is a bad battle.

(b.) If it is a battle of getting back at a person, for example through humiliation or malice and not facts of a long term end of crises..then it is a bad battle.

(c.) One that wastes your time, raises your anger, self ego, self justifcation then it is a bad battle.

Characteristics of a good battle:

1.) Does it glorify God

2.)Does it have enough spoils that the gain of winning not only benefts you as an individual but others as well.

Example: When David took up the challenge to fght Goliath, his victory

1.) Glorifed God

2.) Elevated his anointing level

3.) His Family became recognized and their lifestyles

changed drastically.

4.) Israel was respected and feared!

End Te Discussion

You must tell yourself that this is your moment. Some people will do absolutely anything to test your anointing!

Don’t be easily manipulated by people who have not produced anything in their own lives. Be like Nehemiah, some devil’s you do not talk to; instead you send people to them.

LESSONS

1.) Always avoid fghts, don’t be drawn into confict. Let God fght your battles.

2.) No one can stop, or block your destiny. Te only way they can get at you is when you give them your time through response. Ignore them and don’t be baited into their traps.

3.) David was able to detect that fghting Goliath was worth it! He knew it would elevate his family. Likewise, look for / identify battles that will propel you to your destiny. Tose that are worth fghting for.

4.) No one tries to discredit another unless that person is a mover or shaker! Te brighter the light in you, the greater the heat! Te bigger the destiny/ calling then the bigger the battle!!

5.) If one desires victory then they must be ready for war!

6.) Don’t take the Bait, keep your eyes focused at all times. David ignored his brothers and so must you ignore your distracters.

7.) Romans 12:18

“Don’t quarrel with anyone. Be at Peace with everyone, just as much as possible.”

As much as you can, try and live at Peace with everyone. David had to accept that his brothers were not going to have peace with him.

8.) My Assignment is waiting for me!!! So if one has a problem with you, you must say:....I don’t have time for your pettiness and battles.

- Be Very Responsible with the Gifs God has given you.

- if people don’t like who they are How then will they like you?

- Tey will keep on trying to frustrate you day in day out. Be nice *BUT* don’t get distracted by people who don’t want Peace!

9.) It is the Favor and Blessing upon you that makes people fght and attack you.

- If your friendship is ONE sided in that it is you who is always doing things for them and they are not there for you then walk away from them.

- I would rather disappoint afew people than disappoint God!

10.) Romans 13 :8

“Pay all your debts except the debt of Love for others - never fnish paying that! For if you Love them, you will be Obeying all of God’s laws, fulflling all His requirements”.

- Don’t be a “People Pleaser”!! - But go the extra mile. Tere are people no matter what you do for them they will never be happy or grateful.

- Quit having people making withdrawals from you. You can’t keep worrying about what people will think about you.

- Te greatest Freedom is to get away from people. Don’t let people squeeze you into a mould.

11.) God is doing a NEW thing! He will take you further than your parents ever went. Listen to God’s voice of direction, that still voice and Obey it.

12.) No one has ever done anything great without opposition, hate and a fght!

Some people will not accept the New Ting God has put in your heart. It is called ‘Uncommon Favor’ new levels. Don’t let people talk you out of it. e.g. King Saul chose to please the people and he failed.

13.) Genesis 12:1-3

- Abraham Obeyed God! and in return God not only blessed him but made him great and mighty in the land. Abraham chose to please God at all times!

- You must dissappoint people so as to reach your destiny!

14.) Genesis 13:14

- We must get rid of the LOTS in our lives. Stop being afraid of people.

- Get into the increase God is giving you. No more fghting battles that don’t matter. No more pleasing people BUT please God!

15.) When we please God then He in return will:..

(a.) Bring the Right people out way.

(b.) Open New Doors.

(c.) Give us Divine Connections.

(d.) Give us the fullness of our Destiny.

(e.) Grant us Divine Favor.

(f.) Grant us Honor for Honoring God...

Conclusion:

Let God take frst place in our lives.

My Education

QUALITY OR QUANTITY? TEACHING TEENS TO BE SMART CONSUMERS

Image courtesy : BBC

In the digital space, teenagers are bufeted by all manner of products. It is therefore not uncommon to fnd a group of teenagers bundled together in a room, each one engrossed in the virtual market conveniently presented to them through their electronic devices.

Unaware of it, these teenagers in the very act of devouring audio-visual content are in essence consumers in a market. Teir currency is time- the watch hours that they put in. So much of this currency do they seem to have, that they can spend hours on end watching videos, playing video games and looking at pictures.

In this era of a digital revolution, if one is not careful, they may waste away their future by spending it all on watching stuf that adds no real substance to life. Tere is an endless supply of content for many a teenager out to ‘kill’ time. To begin with, if time is something that you need to kill, it is a clear sign that something is amiss. William James, the American psychologist said “To kill time is not murder, it’s suicide.”

It goes without saying that we can improve the quality of our lives by improving the quality of how we use our time. For instance, if I spend my day doing a variety of activities such as serving in a children’s home, reading a spiritual book, taking an evening walk in a park, writing a poem, playing a musical instrument and perhaps developing an animation, the quality of my life would be better than if I spend my entire day watching movies and funny videos.

Variety is the spice of life, but one does not just accidentally stumble upon a life rich in wholesome and productive activities. Tis is a process that takes discipline, fortitude and to an extent fnancial resources.

As a parent, it is so vital that we introduce our kids to as many activities as is practically possible before they become teenagers. Pay for their music lessons, enroll them in dance classes, train them how to play chess, invest in their art lessons, buy them a variety of sporting gear and invest in their training. Tis will provide them with a whole range of productive alternatives when it comes to

maximizing on the use of their time.

Two qualities defne a smart consumer. Tey plan on the use of their income and they spend it under a budget constraint. In the same way, teaching teenagers to be smart digital consumers entails inculcating in them these qualities. Training our kids on how to plan the use of their time is a critical life skill. It will prove invaluable especially when you might not be with them in college.

A plan on how to use your time will be a critical safety net when it comes to controlling screen time for a teenager. Te urge to check out a new sensational video at 6am will be repulsed by a plan that requires the teenager to be on the basketball court, perfecting their dribbling and shooting techniques. Te plan serves as a restraining order and when one is in the habit of planning their day and following through, they are in a better position to be a responsible digital citizen- a smart consumer of digital content.

Apart from having a plan for the use of our time, it is important to have a positive balance between activities that are productive in nature and those that are consumption-oriented. For the teenager, productive activities are those that develop a certain skill or build a facet of life. It is not enough to have a plan, but what is included in the plan. Te most efective plan would be where activities that build the mind, body, spirit and social interactions outweigh activities that are simply for entertainment purposes. Te smart consumer ensures that the production activities built into their plan outweigh the consumption activity. For instance, creating a video is a production activity while watching one is a consumption activity. I never cease to get amazed by how readily some people watch and forward content that others have created on social media, but they have never created any content worth sharing.

As parents, teachers and mentors, we have a huge role to play in the lives of teenagers, in investing a sense of curiosity and interest or nurturing creativity and passion for a variety of activities. We also need to train and challenge them to be content creators. Tis will create depth, increase the choice of available alternatives and enrich the quality of life.

Anthony Mwangi, Leadership Teacher at Crawford International School

Entrepreneur

THE CURE FOR RESTLESSNESS

“Te lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (Proverbs 16:33 NIV).

Trusting is the difcult yet simple act of recognizing that we are not responsible for producing results through our work—God is.

Once we have taken this critical frst step, it is certainly right to hustle, to use our God-given talents to fulfll our calling. But how do we know if we are both trusting and hustling?

Hustling is easy to spot. It’s found in our email inboxes, our to-do lists, and our cluttered minds. But how do we know if we are truly trusting in God, rather than ourselves, to produce results? Perhaps the best indicator is whether or not we are at rest.

Rest is what we are all craving. It doesn’t take long to realize that rest means more than simply spending time out of the ofce.

With the lines between work and home almost totally blurred, it can seem impossible to disconnect physically and mentally from the demands of incessant productivity. Even when we are at home, we are checking email, Instagram, calendars, etc. We are always doing. We are restless.

How can we fnd the rest we all so desperately long for? St. Augustine provides the answer: “Our hearts are restless, until they can fnd rest in You.” We will be restless until we rest in Christ alone.

Tis means that while we should certainly hustle, we must frst trust in God who, throughout history, has been faithful to provide for His people.

If we trust in God’s character, and steward the talents He has given us well, we can rest knowing that the results are in His hands, that He is in control and is working everything for our good. In the words of Solomon in Proverbs 16:33, “ Te lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”

Tis is the only path to true and deep rest behaviorally, mentally, and spiritually, and it begins with our submission to the God-designed art of Sabbath. In the words of Timothy Keller: “We are to think of Sabbath as an act of trust. God appointed the Sabbath to remind us that he is working and resting. To practice Sabbath is a disciplined and faithful way to remember that you are not the one who keeps the world running, who provides for your family, not even the one who keeps your work projects moving forward.”

Why is it so critical that we manage the tension between trusting and hustling well? Because at the end of the day, when we rely on our hustling without trusting in God, we are either trying to play God or steal His glory, either of which leads to restlessness.

Christian, take heart! Tese biblical commands are not in confict with each other. You have been called to trust your God and work hard. And when we embrace this tension, we can rest well knowing we are in right partnership with our Caller.

My Health

Sleep quality more important for quality of life than sleep duration, study fnds

www.medicalnews.com | By Jeanna D. Smiley on March 15, 2023 — Fact checked by Catherine Carver, MPH

Sleep quality is more important for the quality of life than sleep duration or “social jetlag”, a new Czech study suggests.

To date, little research has explored the long-term efects of changes in sleep length or sleep quality on quality of life.

Researchers at the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences at Charles University in Prague, Czechia examined thousands of individual and household data to fnd a correlation.

Tey found that “individuals who experience higher quality sleep also have greater satisfaction with life, more well-being, feel healthier, perceive less work stress and are happier.”

Czechian scientists say that sleep quality plays a greater role in infuencing the quality of life (QoL) than sleep duration or timing.

Teir study, published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, is among the frst to observe the impact of changes in sleep quality over the long term.

It is also the frst study to test how social jetlag, a mismatch of internal sleep rhythms and environmental demands, may afect QoL.

Lead authors Michaela Kudrnáčová of Charles University’s Faculty of Social Sciences and Aleš Kudrnáč, Ph.D., of the Institute of Sociology, Czech Academy of Sciences concluded:

“While when we sleep and how long we sleep is important, individuals who have better quality sleep also have a better quality of life, regardless of the time and length of sleep. In addition, by following [4,523] people for three years, we found that those whose sleep improved also had an improved quality of life.”

Previous studies have shown that sleep disruptions and low quality sleep may decrease the quality of life.

Defning quality of life

Te Charles University researchers defne the quality of life (QoL) as “an interplay between the perception of an internal state, such as the experience of happiness or feeling of good heath or satisfaction, and external events in the surrounding environment, which may include family and career.”

Tey based their analysis on the parameters of well-being, satisfaction with life, happiness, and meaning in life.

What is social jetlag?

Social jetlag is a term that describes the diference between biological time, determined by internal circadian rhythms, and social times, primarily determined by the external environment. Te increasing use of artifcial light and nightwork is largely responsible for this pervasive “circadian misalignment”.

Considering that the circadian clock regulates a host of physiological processes, health experts have linked social jetlag with negative health outcomes. Tese include poor sleep, hypertension, impaired cognitive performance, mental health conditions, and metabolic disorders.

Data on sleep quality, duration, bedtime

Te Charles University team consulted data from the Czech Household Panel Study (CHPS), focusing on information collected over three years.

Te survey interviewed all members of the sampled households. In each “wave” of data collection, the same members of the same households were asked to contribute.

Czech adults submitted a total of 5,132 self-administered questionnaires about sleep patterns, health, and work in 2018. Responses totaled 2,046 in 2019 and 2,161 questionnaires in 2020.

Te drop in the sample between 2018 and 2019 was due to a blood draw requirement.

My Health

Te experts studied the efect of sleep on the dependent QoL variables described earlier.

For instance, they measured life satisfaction according to responses to the question “All things considered, how satisfed are you with your life as a whole?” Tey gauged perceived happiness with responses to the question “Taking all things together, how happy would you say you are?”

Additionally, the study measured sleep duration, perceived sleep quality, and social jetlag.

Sleep duration was calculated according to the reported responses regarding sleep and wake times on workdays and free days. Perceived quality of sleep was based on answers to the question “How would you rate the quality of your sleep?”

Te researchers calculated social jetlag “as the diference between the mid-sleep time on free days and workdays.”

Individual and household sleep patterns

To evaluate their hypotheses on the efects of sleep aspects on QoL, the Charles University team repeatedly measured the CHPS data within both individuals and households.

Tey found that social jetlag and sleep duration were important in explaining diferences in quality of life between diferent people. Social jetlag was linked to lower life satisfaction and higher work stress, whilst longer sleep duration was associated with lower levels of happiness and worse subjective health.

However, higher sleep quality was the most important variable as it was associated with better outcomes across all the indicators of quality of life: greater life satisfaction, more well-being, higher happiness, better subjective health, and less work stress.

When they looked at changes within individuals during the study duration, rather than comparing diferent people, again sleep quality was the most important variable. Changes in a person’s sleep duration or social jetlag did not afect their QoL measures. Contrastingly, improvements in the quality of sleep were associated with increased life satisfaction, well-being, happiness, and subjective health.

Tis is in agreement with previous research that suggests sleep quality is a strong predictor of QoL.

Study strengths and limitations

Medical News Today discussed this study with David Cutler, MD, a family medicine physician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. He was not involved in this work.

Dr. Cutler told MNT that the fndings were important, but their shortcomings made him hesitant to draw defnitive conclusions:

“Since all data was collected from one country, you may not be able to general-

ize the conclusions to all countries. And data were collected during the longer summer months, so the results may not apply to the entire year. Results were self-reported, so subject to reporting bias. And since not all questionnaires were returned, selection bias may also apply.”

Dr. Cutler also mentioned that the study did not clarify causality:

“Still, it remains unclear whether the extremes of sleep duration caused poorer quality of life or if those with a poorer quality of life were more likely to have a shorter or longer duration of sleep.”

Te study’s authors also acknowledge that causes of social jetlag rarely change, so their research timeframe may not have been long enough to observe any potential efect.

Some of the results may have been afected by the COVID pandemic in the spring of 2020. Consequently, the study might not show sleep patterns under typical circumstances.

Tips for better sleep

Dr. Cutler shared several ways to improve sleep quality without prescription drugs or supplements:

Stick to a consistent sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Tis helps regulate your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.

Create a bedtime routine: Establish a relaxing routine before bedtime. Tis could include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to calming music.

Create a comfortable sleep environment: Ensure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet. Invest in a comfortable mattress, pillows, and bedding.

Limit exposure to screens: Avoid using electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, or laptops for at least two hours before bedtime.

Avoid cafeine, nicotine, and alcohol: Tese substances can disrupt your sleep and make it harder to fall asleep.

Exercise regularly: Regular physical activity can help improve sleep quality. Just make sure to fnish exercising at least a few hours before bedtime.

Manage stress: Stress can interfere with sleep. Try relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, or yoga to help calm your mind. A regular routine of cognitive behavioral therapy has been proven to be the best treatment for insomnia.

Consider seeking medical advice: If you have persistent sleep problems, it’s important to talk to a healthcare professional. Tey may recommend further evaluation or treatment options.

My Kitchen

VEGAN (NO EGGS) CARROT CAKE

https://www.foodnetwork.com/

Ingredients

Cake Layers:

1/2 cup unrefned coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly, plus more for greasing the pans

1 1/3 cups raw walnuts halves

3 cups all-purpose four

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/4 cups vegan cane sugar

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup applesauce

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups shredded carrots (about 6 medium carrots; 12 ounces)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces vegan cream cheese,

1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan unsalted butter.

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch kosher salt

3 cups vegan confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with coconut oil.

For the cake layers: Place the walnuts on a small rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes. When the walnuts are completely cool, fnely chop half and roughly chop the remaining half; keep separate.

Meanwhile, whisk the four, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl until combined and set aside. Whisk the 1/2 cup coconut oil, cane sugar, milk, applesauce and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in the carrots until thoroughly combined. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in the fnely chopped walnuts until just incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans, then smooth the top into an even layer. Bake until golden brown, the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pans and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto wire racks to completely cool, about 1 hour.

For the cream cheese frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and fuf y, about 2

minutes. Beat in the vanilla and salt until combined. Reduce the speed to low, then gradually add the confectioners’ sugar followed by the cornstarch until combined and fuf y, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble the cake.

When the cakes are completely cool, trim the domes of each round with a large serrated knife so the tops are fat. Place 1 round, cut-side down, on a platter or cake stand. Spread 3/4 cup of the frosting evenly over top. Place the remaining round, cut-side down, on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake with 1 cup of the frosting and smooth completely to make an even crumb coat. (It’s okay if some of the cake shows through. Tis is just the base layer of frosting.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, swirling decoratively, if desired. Sprinkle the top edge of the cake with the roughly chopped walnuts. Refrigerate until the frosting is set, about 30 minutes.

My Sports

Give me time! Harambee Stars coach Firat tells Kenyans

Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat has urged Kenyans to give him time and support to build a strong national team that can compete at the highest level of football internationally.

Speaking during a press conference since arriving back into the country on March 1, Firat said he will not sell false hopes of quick results but called on Kenyans to take a step back and look at the situation on the ground.

Firat said lack of top matches for the national team, and the poor state of sports infrastructure are costing Kenya in terms of football development.

“We talk about winning and results but we forget about the reality on the ground.

“Have we invested in our youth structures, do we have FIFA standard football stadiums outside Nairobi County? Can Harambee Stars host an international match outside Nairobi?

.“It is very serious that we have never played a top European team leave alone our local clubs qualifying for the CAF Champions League since 19980s,” Firat posed.

Benson Omalla (lef) trains alongside Patrick Matasi.[FKF]

Te 52-year-old tactiocian said he is planning to invest heavily in youth structures building on to the senior Harambee Stars team.

“We have to wake up. We have to start a fresh but wisely by establishing a strong under-20, and 23 sides, which will then feed the senior team with top players. We cannot play without a system,” said Firat.

Last week, Firat named a 30-man provisional squad that will face Iran next week.

Gor Mahia striker Benson Omala who tops the FKF Premier League top scorers list with 19 goals headlines the team’s attack alongside Qatar-based Michael Olunga.

“Iran is a highly ranked nation and they will provide the perfect test for Kenya. It is not about results for now but exposure to high intensity games as we plan to start playing high ranked nations where we can pick a few lessons and improve,” he said.

Kenya face Iran on March 28.

www. standardmedia.co.ke | By By Washington Onyango | Mar 20, 2023

Harambee Stars captain Engin Firat.[Jonah Onyango,Standard]