Pray for the World

Last Friday's attacks on Paris were no doubt an event that sent shock waves around the world. Like me you were probably up all night until the early hours of Saturday morning following the events as they were being reported on the news. Like you I was saddened, shocked and confused to see humanity fall to a new low. 

courtesy of www.asww.org.uk

However, I was also encouraged to see the show of solidarity, firstly amongst the parisians themselves, with the twitter hashtag #porteouverte being tweeted and retweeted to enable those stranded in the city to find a place of refuge at the hands of those willing to open their homes to them, and secondly by mourners and sympathisers of social media. It was also a massive relief to see friends in Paris being marked as 'safe' on Facebook, and the different profile pictures being overlaid with the French flag.

I didn't change my profile pic.

It is very unlike SoulJourner's Story to wade into the political debate on anything unless it is encouraging or edifying, but I do think as a responsible blog, we should use our voice for the common good. 

On the same day, Japan suffered a small earthquake; just a day before, the city of Beirut was victim to suicide bombers;  Northern Nigeria has been subject to terrorism for years, and earlier this year 147 students were struck down in Garissa,  Kenya. 

Let's pray for the whole world - Paris and elsewhere.

Please there is no condemnation for those who want to #prayforparis, because I believe they mean well. I will be praying for Paris as the city holds a lot of memories for me; it represents a significant part of my life as a student  (I studied it France),  and I still have many friends there, not to mention that I am in and out of Paris a lot for work! But I just could not allow myself to be led to change my profile pic to the colours of the Tricolore when in fact people have been dying at the hands of terrorists for years and will continue to do so for years to come. 

Let's not forget the many atrocities being committed around the world, by The West, in the Middle East, in Africa, in Ukraine, and everywhere else.

Will you join me to #prayfortheworld?

Money Talk: SoulJourner's Moneyfesto©

My expenditure will be kept on track
No more money doing disappearing acts
Carelessness I leave in the past
Crazy habits I'll no longer mask

Every penny will be accounted for

Bank statements will be checked much more

Remembering creditors can be so cold

Giving, then taking back a thirty fold

If I want it that bad, I'll be saving 

Putting aside monthly,weekly or even daily

And that's aside from my emergency funds

For when the proverbial stuff hits the fan

And all debts will be aggressively paid

And after that the foundations will be laid

For debt free and enjoyable living

And without totally giving up on giving 

I will not cast my pearls before swine

These good habits will be developed in time

Lessons learnt from mistakes of the past 

New lifestyle habits that are here to last

Keeping spending on the right track

No more money doing disappearing acts

Madeline Asala

                                          

                                                                           

Print this out, stick it on your fridge, your wall or your mirror (or anywhere else you wish!) Read it out aloud as many times a day as you wish, until your actions start following suit. Share with others, but please just make sure I am credited, and please do not pass it off as your own as this piece of poetry has been copyrighted.

To read more Money Talk, please click here or here. 

Money Talk: Lessons Learnt (Part 2)

Bienvenue à Paris!

This weekend was another working weekend spent taking yet more clients to some of the top hotels in Paris. As the host to 30 clients I must say it was somewhat knackering, but hey, no complaints from me. Firstly, I get to see some fantastic places, and secondly I believe this job is a blessing from God so only gratitude here.

Speaking of work, as young professionals we are often thought of as having plenty of disposable income by virtue of our fancy job titles. After all we work don't we? Many of us have no kids and therefore no responsibility, so what could we possibly be doing with all our money? At SoulJouner's Story we understand that being a young professional does not necessarily mean loads of money in the bank. For starters, a lot of us are still paying off our student loans, and let's not even start with the season train ticket! BUT this blog is the positivity zone, and we like to offer solutions that will enrich your life. 

La folie à l'hotel 

These tips are not the usual, 'don't spend more than you earn' lark, but is advice that is specific to my experiences.

So here is part two of Money Talks: Lessons Learnt.

1. ALWAYS read the small print. I can't stress this enough. Signing on the dotted line before establishing the facts can be very expensive. In 2011, I made a provisional booking for coach hire for a trip I was organising for my youth group. This meant that they had my card details but had not charged me anything yet. The trip got cancelled for reasons I couldn't control. Simple, right? Except, when I tried to cancel my provisional booking with coach company, I was told it was too late to cancel, and that the company was going ahead with the £400 charge to my card. What a massive blow.

Un petit morceau a manger

2. Whether by diary, post-it notes or reminders on your phone, ALWAYS make a note of due dates for bill payments and subscription 'cancel-by' dates. My last point is a case in point example.

3. Do not lend money you couldn’t afford to live without if it were not to be paid back on time, or at all. (On the flip side, do not borrow money you know you will not be able to pay back). This was a lesson I learnt thanks to an ex boyfriend of mine. A few years ago, when I was a little less wiser than I am now, I lent a man I was in a relationship with a sum of money. (No need to disclose the amount) I struggled to figure out how I'd make ends meet that month, besides it was quite a sum! But, he asked nicely and promised that payback would be prompt and without protest, and so I obliged. You see where I'm going with this...

Le pain quotidien

4. Do not bury your head in the sand! I have no specific example to tie to this point. However, I can say that there are times when I have been too busy to open the envelope from my bank, or even too scared to after after too much spending. This never helps, as you deny yourself control over your finances.Worst still, you may withdraw more than you have in your account or exceed your overdraft limit, which will only result in more charges! Keep track of your finances. There are some banking apps that can even alert you if you are approaching your limit. Find out!

As I said these are all my own from my personal experiences and I am not a qualified financial advisor. If you are in serious financial trouble or would just fancy some advice from a professional, you should consult the likes of Money Saving Expert or The Money Advice Service. If you'd like to read part one of Money Talk, please click here. I will conclude this series with SoulJourner's Story's Moneyfesto©, so keep your eyes peeled!

On a last note, what do you all think about the government offering universities the opportunity to raise their tuition fees above the £9000 a year they are currently charging?

Merci beaucoup!

Money Talk: Lessons Learnt

Last weekend was quite a frustrating one for me. On Friday I was en route to a young professionals networking event when one of the most horrific occurrences that could ever happen to any modern day human being befell me. My phone dropped on the cold hard concrete floor of Kings Cross St. Pancras Station! I immediately did an about turn and headed straight back home. I was so upset. I was even more upset when I learnt that I would have to fork out £130 to fix the blacked out LED screen. 

I also almost didn't  go to a wedding I was invited to on Saturday, but I decided better at the last minute.  I did make up for my miserable weekend by accepting an invitation to the World Travel Market - the go to event for anyone and everyone in the travel and tourism industry. In hindsight, my actions went against everything I shout about being on top of  your emotions. However the impromptu knock to my finances has inspired me to use this week's installment to speak about finances.

I have made many mistakes in my twenties, however I have also learnt a lot, and I would love to share.  This is the first time I am sharing info about myself I can actually say I am still a little embarrassed about, but I am hoping I can save someone the pain and hassle of what I have been through. In my early twenties, it wasn't that bad. I wasn't exactly living large and loud, but I was often very careless, and this was with little consequence as I was still living with my parents. But at aged 26 when I moved into my own flat I was very quickly made to face up to my financial escapades.

Here goes: 4 lessons learnt.

1. There is a concept in the business world referred to as due diligence which describes the process of verifying a person or a business before signing a contract. Personal example. At age 24 I bought my first car, a silver Fiat Punto. When I say buy, I actually meant I handed someone £2,500 and asked him to bring me back a car. I wasn't present when money and keys exchanged hands, and was thus unable to check out the buyer myself and ask all the questions I needed.  This resulted in thousands of pounds in repairs and hours spent on the curb waiting for roadside recovery. Before I continue, I must stress that it was not the fault of the gentleman I gave the money to, as I believe he made the purchase with the best intentions. I would also still insist upon taking someone with a bit of knowledge with you when purchasing something like a car.

Wedding time! One criticism is that I never post photos of myself here. So here goes! 

2. Quit whilst you are ahead. Referring back to my crackajack car, I should have cut my losses and ridded myself of it once it started to persistently break down. But as if pouring money into a bucket with a large gaping hole, I continued to spend hundreds on the vehicle almost every month. Once I had finally had enough, I decided to sell it to We Buy Any Car. Guess What? I discovered I had been driving a write off! 

3. I  can totally understand the skepticism that ensues when a company tries to get you to buy insurance for every small purchase. And I do think you should weigh whether it's really worth taking out £20 insurance on a £20 iron for example. BUT I would always advise you take out insurance on high risk items and services, ie. purchases that would cost you a fortune if something goes wrong. Example. Last summer I decided to hire a car (yes, it always involves a car!) for roughly £200 and decided to pass on the £60 insurance as "I am a careful driver". £60 soon turned to £1000 after accidentally reversing into a wall! Lesson learnt. 

Africa time! At the World Travel Market

4. It is good practice to have an emergency fund. So although you may have a pot for your future car or house or anything else you are saving for, you also have another for when the unexpected happens. My broken phone is a case in point example. Having said this I totally understand the struggle, so if this can't be done monthly, you could put money aside for emergencies every other month, or take out a portion from your regular savings.

I hope these tips help you. They are all my own from my personal experiences and I am not a qualified financial advisor. If you are in serious financial trouble or would just fancy some advice from a professional, you should consult the likes of Money Saving Expert or The Money Advice Service. 

What are some of your tips? Share below.

Study Time: Love (Part 3)

Finally I conclude my three part series on the topic of Love. I bring to you, a short lesson on agape love. Grab your notebooks and Bibles because I really want this lesson to linger in your conscience, and not just evaporate into thin air after you've read it. 

Bibles and notebooks ready please

This post couldn't be more timely, given I have spent days in the last week, in the city of Love. That's right, I have been in Paris. Sadly, there were no romantic dinners in the Eiffel Tower, or evening strolls along the river Seine. My trips have been strictly of the professional kind, sheepishly shuffling along behind clients whist they gawp at the classical offerings this city has to offer.  

The Sacre Coeur against the beautiful backdrop of the blue sky

Here come my disclaimers:

Disclaimer 1:  Study Time will be purely devoted to Biblical teachings. My other blog posts will be general motivational material.
Disclaimer 2: Please remember that the original intended audience of my lessons are young people, so please excuse me if Study Time appears to be too basic for you. (Remember, I teach young people!)

Key Bible Verses
1 John 4:20                                1 John 4:19                              1 John 5:2-3
John 3:16                                   1 John 4:7 - 8                           Mark 12.30-31

Definition
Agape in the new original text is translated to 'Love' and it describes perfect, unconditional love that  God is capable of demonstrating to his children so perfectly.

Lovely fresh fruits served at the Sofitel Hotel. Prepared with love of course!

It is hardly surprising then, that as we are made in God's image, God expects us to demonstrate this love that is so pure and authentic to Him and to others. (Mark 12: 30-31)
Aside from God's mercy that he shows us everyday, and the benefits that he daily loads into our lives, His ultimate portrayal of love was the sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ , who showed love to believers and non believers alike, during his time on earth.  This sacrifice is key, because without it, everyone of us, with all our sinfulness, would be sentenced to eternal condemnation.  (John 3:16). Because of His sacrifice, our only job is to believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved! (Hurrah!)

The steps of Montmartre, leading to the Sacre Coeur

The reason why God is able to agape us is because He is love. This makes the two inseparable. (1John 4:8) For example, if you are a singer, you are able to effortlessly sing (in an ideal world!). If you are a painter, you are able to effortlessly paint. Consequently, we can only know this true, unflawed, and unconditional love when we come into the knowledge of God. 

This is why as followers, of Christ, who claim to know and to love God we are challenged to let our lives become an embodiment of agape love. This means our love should be an example to other believers and should definitely not discriminate against non believers, no matter the circumstance. (1 John 4:20 -21). Ladies and gentlemen, please let honesty guide your thoughts. How much do we love others? A good measuring stick against which we can put our love for others to the test is 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7. If you are abiding by these tenets then my dear, this is true agape. 

Filet de Bar, chez le Pullman à Bercy

Don't beat yourself up if you find yourself falling short of the guidelines set out in the love scripture, because frankly, without the grace of God it is impossible to abide by it! I would like to encourage and to cheer you on to continue to ask for God's supernatural power to work in you so you can be a true portrayal of agape love to your fellow man here on earth.


Aside from loving mankind, how else do we show our love for God? Through the obedience of his commandments! (1 John 5:2-3). It's as simple as that dear reader. Whilst sobbing your heart out during worship at church is a lovely gesture, true love to God is demonstrated through our obedience of his commandments. As they say, the proof is in the pudding!

The beautiful  Sacre Coeur standing proud and stoic (from another angle!)

That concludes my Love series. Hopefully, it has stirred up a longing for a relationship with God. Maybe you find you would love to live a life in the fullness of God's love, to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal saviour and to inherit this salvation I spoke about earlier. Or maybe you'd like to rekindle your love for God. In this case, please read aloud this sinner's prayer:

Heavenly Father, I recognise that I am a sinner, and ask for forgiveness for my sinful nature.

I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for me, rose for me and is coming back for me.

I declare in Jesus' name that I am saved!

Amen!

Simples! You are saved! You may want to get yourself a Bible, follow a daily devotional such as this one, and join a good prayerful, Bible believing church.

I hope you have enjoyed the third installment of my Love series. You can read parts one and two here and here. If you have any questions on anything I have shared with you in this lesson or the others please comment below. Let's discuss! Or send me an email at souljournersstory@gmail.com.

Until next time. Ciao for now! 

Let's Talk About Breasts

Breasts, tits, rack, knockers, jugs...whatever you wish to refer to the two mammary glands dutifully planted on your chest, we are going to speak about them today.

 Courtesy of eduncovered.com

This may not be one of my most exciting topics, but it is definitely one of my most important. I feel I have a responsibility to use this platform to share knowledge that could potentially save a life so here goes.

In the UK, the month of October is dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness.Breast cancer occurs when cells begin to divide and grow abnormally. If you cannot fathom why us Brits would dedicate a whole 31 days to breast cancer awareness, here are some facts that should jolt your reasoning into motion:

1. Every year nearly 55,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK, that’s the equivalent of one person every 10 minutes
2. 1 in 8 women in the UK will develop breast cancer in their lifetime
3. Breast cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in women in the UK
4. Nearly 12,000 people die from breast cancer in the UK every year
5. Breast cancer also affects men, but it’s rare – around 400 men are diagnosed each year.

(Statistics are courtesy of Breast Cancer Care)

Please do note that these stats have nothing to do with breast shape or size!

My aim is not to scare monger but only to educate, and I feel we all have a duty to be aware. To bring it all home, I would love for you, if you are able to, to gather seven of your nearest and dearest girlfriends and female family members for a girly meetup. Once you are all together, look at those faces you love so much and cherish. According to the stats, one out of your group will develop this horrific disease  in their lifetime. It's a scary thought!

Why not get together over a nice meal and share some knowledge and good vibes?

But all hope is not lost, because I feel with education, faith and prayer all can be overcome! In light of this, I would love to share with you how you can examine yourself

There’s no right or wrong way to check your breasts for any changes. Try to get used to looking at and feeling your breasts regularly. You can do this in the bath or shower, when you use body lotion, or when you get dressed. There’s really no need to change your everyday routine. Just decide what you are comfortable with and what suits you best. Remember to check all parts of your breast, your armpits and up to your collarbone. (Info courtesy of Breast Cancer Care)

When you do check yourself, this is what you are looking out for.

(Infographic courtesy of Breast Cancer Care)

Again, I am not intending to plant seeds of fear. Besides, most abnormalities are not cancerous, but merely tissue swelling and cysts etc.  Lastly, please do spare some time to pray for cancer sufferers around the world and their families.

For more information on cancer awareness, what to do if you think you've got cancer, and ways to support cancer research, please visit  https://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/

Advice to Students: The Last Round

If you decided to go to university this year, it is probably almost time for you step into your new life of lectures, independence and social groups!

This is the last installment of my Advice to Students series.  In case you have not read the others, I have posted the links below. But for now, please keep reading because the advice I have here is a result of my own personal experience, and I believe I could have performed so much better at university if someone had given me these tips. Trust me, you do NOT want to miss these.For those of you reading in the US, I am referring to what you call "college".

1.At the beginning of the semester, make note of all your coursework deadlines. Put them in your diary, and add in reminders one month, two weeks and one week prior to when they are due. I say this because your lecturer will probably only give you the dates, once, in the first lecture. He/she will not chase, or remind you. But he/she will definitely fail you if you miss the deadline. I studied French and Linguistics at Queen Mary, and made the mistake of not paying attention to the due date of my “Language in the USA” coursework. The result was a rushed piece of work, hastily put together the night before it was due. It attained no more than a C grade. Avoid this mistake, and it will save you so much stress.

2. Find out how your faculty prefers for you to do your referencing and stick to it. Here is a very good guide from the Anglia Ruskin university. 

3. I stayed at home whilst at university as the distance between my house and Queen Mary University was too close for me to qualify for accommodation. If you are in this position, strike a friendship with someone in halls. You will be grateful you did after late nights at Freshers events and the like.  

4. Although I stayed at home for most of my degree, I did study in France in my third year. It was my first time away from home, so I did feel very homesick, and quite miserable, until I forged some good friendships with the other ERASMUS* students.  My experience has taught me the benefits of joining clubs and societies. In my first and second year, I was a part of the ACS and the Christian Union. I met with like minded people and was offered a welcome break to all the studying and administration that comes with starting uni.

Thank you to my cousin J, for posing for me.
Good luck at uni this year!

5. Kind of contrary to my last point, it’s good to socialise but please do not let events,  nights out and group sessions take over your life. Remember in final year, when your grade is calculated, your lecturers are not going to care how many netball games you organised, or bible studies you attended. .

6. Spread out your timetable, and give yourself some room to breathe. In my first semester of my first year Mondays consisted to three two hour lectures, back to back. The result was constant learning from 11 am to 5pm with no break in between. The result was, I was knackered by the end of the day, and sometimes even skipped my last class altogether.

7. If you are taking a class such as literature, or any other class that requires studying out of one book for the entire semester get your own copy – even if it’s second-hand. Your campus library will normally only have a few copies of that particular book. 

8. Don’t lose who you are in the name of diversity. Uni will probably be the first time you will come into contact with so many belief systems, faiths and people. By all means love everybody and be open and non-judgmental, but remember who you are, and stand firm in your faith, your principles and your values. Getting caught up in things you have no business mixing with will only affect your studies.  

9. Make friends with the librarians on your uni campus. Life is so much pleasant when you have someone to offer you waivers and favours in the library. In addition to that, try and join a bigger library outside of your campus, because you may not find everything you’ll need on campus. I had access to other campus libraries of the University of London. I also applied for membership at Senate House Library, which helped me a great deal. 

Good Luck

10. Google Books and Google Scholar will be your friend. Shhh! That’s a bonus tip. I won’t tell you why now but you will come to find out pretty soon. Once you do, please let me know in the comments box below. Also, there is a very popular site that all your lecturers will tell you to NOT to refer to. But I found that scanning its pages briefly before starting a piece of work always gave me a good foundation of knowledge. Just don’t ever cite directly from it, and NEVER include it in your bibliography.

I hope you find these tips useful. Please do share any additional tips you might have below. Also, if you have any more questions about university please do post below or send an email to souljournersstory@gmail.com. 

If you enjoy what you read on this blog, please do show me some love and subscribe by entering your email address in the space bar on the right hand panel. I promise to return the love and send you exclusive posts on deeper and more heart felt issues. 

Read some more advice here and here.

*ERASMUS is an EU student exchange programme.