NIGER DELTA RESTORATION AGENDA (NDRA)

The Niger Delta Restoration Agenda (NDRA) & “THE N.D.D.C. CARE Expo ‘07”

The Niger Delta Restoration Agenda (NDRA) is a non-partisan, non-profit body founded on the urgent need to develop the Niger Delta; and the belief (shared by most local, national and global analysts, including the Commission of Nobel Laureates to the Niger Delta) that the capacity of government and its agencies (such as the NDDC) to meet current and future infrastructure and service obligations can be best enhanced through public-private partnerships.

NDRA’s Board of Trustees/Advisory Group will boast reputable local and international personalities with varying relevant backgrounds. These, hopefully, will include Chief Hope Harriman, Dr. Joseph Wayas, Mrs. Kema Chikwe, Professor Pat Utomi, Mallam Danladi Bako, Chief Bill Knight, Barrister Joi Nunieh, Ambassador Segun Olusola, Professor Kimse Okoko, Mrs. Nkoyo Toyo, Professor Wole Soyinka, Chief StGeorge Ekeh, Mr. Ken Enahoro, Barrister Kare Yekwe, Mr. Bassey Eniang, Professor Des Wilson, Dr. Rose Akwagbe, Barrister O.C.J. Okocha, Mr. Harcourt Adukeh, Mrs. Teju Abiola and Mr. Tony I. Uranta. They will be supported by a seasoned team of Executives that will, hopefully, include Mr. Asume Osuaka, Ms. Ann-Kio Briggs, Mr. Effanga Henshaw, Ms. Ibiba Don-Pedro and Ms. Baarong Etta headed by Tony I. Uranta, the Executive Secretary.

Following the recent successful launching of the brilliant NDDC Niger Delta Masterplan, and in solidarity with the vision NDDC’s re-invented management team has for Peace and Progress in the region, the Niger Delta Restoration Agenda (NDRA) has invited the NDDC to facilitate a special tri-podal programme tagged “THE N.D.D.C. CARE Expo ‘07”; which will be a 1-week long Education/Training/Exhibitions event to:

• Provide a strong public-accessible platform for selling the NDDC Niger Delta Masterplan to very relevant stakeholders (especially the peoples, as opposed to the governments, of the Niger Delta) through open-house hospitality suites and a round of Peoples’ Village Square Meetings;

• More robustly and widely identify the best stakeholders (local and global) that could potentially partner with NDDC to promote and implement the NDDC Niger Delta Masterplan by allowing the one-stop showcasing of diverse offerings by existing and potential stakeholders in the national & global sectors of FINANCE, TOURISM, HEAVY INDUSTRY, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, HOSPITALITY, COMMUNICATIONS, ENERGY, TRANSNATIONAL ALTRUISM, EDUCATION, DEVELOPMENT, ENGINEERING et al.; and

• Create a trained Corps of 1st-Line Community Peacekeepers and Monitors (along the lines of the dynamic 6-days crash-course UN/AU-proven C.O.M.P.A.C.T. Train-the-Trainers module) to promote sustainable peace in core communities subsequent to the peoples’ buying-into the NDDC Niger Delta Masterplan vision.

NDRA, in active partnership with likeminded local and transnational bodies, offers to partner with NDDC to develop the “THE N.D.D.C. CARE Expo ‘07” strategies, goals, processes and budgets for the optimalisation of the above stated objectives. The “C.A.R.E.” in the appellation is an acronym for the core values we must emphasise, viz. COMPASSION, AMITY, RESTORATION & EMPOWERMENT (CARE). The theme/message being that the NDRA and NDDC care!

You and other members of the Board of Trustees and the Advisory Group are invited to meet at the earliest possible opportunity, to fast-track the realisation of this viable initiative. Please send e-mail confirming your preparedness to serve on the Board and Advisory Group.

In anticipation of your early consent to partner with the future, we look forward to your joining us as we come together to ensure holistic Peace and Progress is expedited in the Niger Delta.

GENTLY LEADING

Os Hillman, September 22, 2006


So let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I move along slowly at the pace of the droves before me and that of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir. - Genesis 33:14

Work often determines that we move at a pace that can put incredible stresses upon people and relationships. Jacob was a man who learned to manipulate and control outcomes. He even stole the birthright of his brother, Esau, through trickery. The Bible speaks of Jacob as a man who strived with God. He knew how to force situations to his advantage. It took years for God to break down all the rough edges of Jacob so that he could be worthy of becoming the patriarch of the 12 tribes of Israel. God saw something in Jacob that He could use.

Robert Hicks, in his book Masculine Journey, describes five biblical stages of manhood that must be passed through before a man becomes a mature man of God. One of those early stages is known as the "warrior stage." In this stage of manhood, the man is known by what he does, what he accomplishes, and he is totally defined by his performance. It can be a tumultuous time for the man and those close to him. It is often signified by broken relationships because the goal is often more important than the way the goal is accomplished. When I meet with a man, I can easily determine what stage of life he is in by hearing him talk.

Jacob had successfully passed through these five stages based on the verse above. It takes someone mature to be able to "move along slowly at the pace of the droves before me and that of the children." Leaders who never come to understand this may be successful materially but fail at the most important aspect of leadership-leading at a pace that his followers can maintain. The roads are full of wives, children, and workers who cannot keep up with the pace of leaders and are left behind with broken dreams, broken hearts, and unfulfilled promises.

Are you a person who is more concerned with outcome than how you achieve the outcome? Can the people around you describe you as someone who leads at a pace that ensures respect and admiration? Ask the Lord for the ability to be a godly leader who understands the condition of his flock and the pace in which you can lead without alienating.

MUSLIMS STOP THE VIOLENCE TODAY!!

Muslims MUST GROW UP and join the 21st Century.
They are giving themselves a bad name and not letting the great values of Islam (THE WAY OF PEACE) be seen, because they have given themselves the image of "intolerant killers",

What a gross abuse of the liberal power of interpretation.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Let the killings, arson and vandalism cease TODAY in Dutse and the rest of the world.

Ex-Nigerian leader seeks return

Former Nigerian military ruler Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, a leading candidate in next year's elections, has said he is proud of his time in office.
Gen Babangida, known as IBB, is extremely wealthy and is seen as one of the kingmakers in Nigerian politics.

But the BBC Nigeria correspondent says his military regime was accused of massive corruption and annulled democratic elections in 1993.

The former leader told the BBC he had brought development to the country.

'Credit'

"In eight years, we made a lot of progress and development of this country and people also benefited," the former military ruler told the BBC's Network Africa programme.

He also said organising the 1993 election was a "credit".


The results were cancelled as Moshood Abiola was about to win. He later died in prison after declaring himself president.
Gen Babangida said the election had been hailed as "one of the best and freest elections that has ever been conducted in the country".

He refused to explain why they had been cancelled, saying reasons had been given at the time.

Gen Babangida is seeking to be the candidate of the ruling People's Democratic Party.

However, the PDP is deeply split between supporters of the incumbent Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

They fell out after the vice-president backed the successful campaign to stop President Obasanjo seeking a third term in office.

He accuses Mr Obasanjo of trying to block him from running in elections in April next year.

Some analysts say a lot depends on whether Mr Obasanjo will choose to back Gen Babangida or try to stop him.

HELP SAVE DARFUR

Sunday was amazing! Over 30,000 people turned out for the rally in New York City. Tens of thousands more made their voices heard at events around the country and the world. The day was a powerful demonstration of the international community's outrage at the genocide in Darfur.

And it's clear the pressure you, and hundreds of thousands of Darfur activists just like you, have applied is having an impact. Just a short time ago, in an address to the UN General Assembly, President Bush appointed Andrew Natsios the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan. President Bush also called on the UN to act on the recent Security Council resolution authorizing a peacekeeping force in Darfur.

This is an encouraging step. The appointment of a Special Envoy now means there is a coordinator at the highest levels of the Bush Administration to oversee U.S. policy on Darfur and ensure stopping the genocide remains a top priority.

I wish we could stop to celebrate. Unfortunately, the situation in Darfur is growing more desperate every day. Fighting has intensified. The Sudanese government has renewed aerial bombing. Humanitarian aid groups have had to pull out, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without food and water. And at the end of this month, the African Union peacekeeping force now stationed in the region is scheduled to leave.

Appointing a U.S. envoy is an important step, but only a UN peacekeeping force will bring peace to the people of Darfur. We must intensify our efforts to compel President Bush and other world leaders to do all they can to ensure the peacekeeping force is deployed.

Can we count on you to help? Join our Weekly Action Network and commit to take one action a week to stop the genocide in Darfur.

Click here to join.

You've already made a tremendous difference. Now we're asking you to join us as we turn up the heat. We're building a Weekly Action Network to make our call for peace stronger and clearer than ever.

The people of Darfur are starving. Innocent men, women, and children are being killed and driven from their homes. We must demand that world leaders put an end to the violence NOW.

Sunday's events marked the beginning of a new stage in our efforts. We're ramping up the pressure, but we need your help. Do it for the people of Darfur. Don't let the first genocide of the 21st century continue.

Click here to join our Weekly Action Network.

Your ongoing work is being felt in Darfur. Thank you for your time and for your energy.

Sincerely,

David Rubenstein
Save Darfur Coalition

Pope says he was 'misunderstood'

Pope Benedict XVI has told pilgrims at the Vatican his remarks on Islam that angered Muslims around the world had been misunderstood.
He expressed his "deep respect" for Islam during his weekly audience.

He said his use of medieval quotes from a 14-Century Byzantine emperor, which were critical of Islam, did not reflect his own convictions.

But he said he hoped his German speech could lead to a "self-critical dialogue" among faiths and cultures.

"I included a quotation on the relationship between the religion and violence. This quotation unfortunately was misunderstood. In no way did I wish to make my own the words of some medieval emperor," he told thousands of faithful.

"I wish to explain that not religion and violence but that religion and reason go together. I hope that my profound respect for world religions and for Muslims who worship the one God and which help to promote peace, liberties, justice and moral values for the benefit of all humanity is clear.

"I trust that after the initial reaction, my words at the university of Regensburg can constitute an impulse and encouragement toward positive, even self-critical dialogue both among religions and between modern reason and Christian faith," he added.

'Inhuman'

This is the third time the Pope has apologised for the effect of his words at a public lecture in Germany last week, says the BBC's David Willey in Rome, but it remains to be seen whether his words are going to be accepted by his Muslim critics.

The Pope has faced calls from Muslims for an unequivocal apology, but has so far only said he regrets the offence his words caused.

In the speech in Germany, he quoted medieval Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologos criticising some teachings of the Prophet Mohammed as "evil and inhuman".

The speech sparked several days of protests in Muslim countries.

Decision for Darfur peacekeepers

President Omar al-Bashir has reiterated his opposition to any United Nations force being deployed in Darfur saying it was part of a "Zionist plot".
But Sudan's leader said he would allow African Union troops to stay on and may accept "non-African" advisers.

AU leaders, including Mr Bashir, are to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York to decide on the future of its Darfur force.

More than two million people have been displaced in the three-year rebellion.

The UN Security Council passed a resolution last month calling for the deployment of up to 20,000 UN peacekeepers to replace the 7,000-strong AU force whose mandate expires at the end of the month.

The UN wants to send a full international peacekeeping operation to end what some governments, including the United States, have called genocide perpetrated by the Sudanese army and its associated militias.

President Bashir, who is part of the AU security council, said he "totally rejected" the UN taking over peacekeeping in Darfur, although his government is split with African members from the SPLM and SLA backing the plan.

A BBC analyst says the issue is exacerbating old tensions between Sudan's African and Arab populations, that Sudan's peace process was designed to resolve.

Weak

Speaking from the sidelines of the UN general assembly, Mr Bashir said the plan to replace AU troops with a UN force was intended "to weaken states in the region in order to help Israel".

He said the move would allow opponents to dismember Sudan and plunder its resources.


If the Sudanese government does not approve the peacekeeping force quickly, the U.N. must act.
US President Bush


He also maintained that reports of a humanitarian crisis in Darfur were exaggerated.

But much of Darfur is inaccessible to aid agencies and the security situation has deteriorated in recent weeks.

A recent academic report said the number of additional deaths caused by the three-year conflict in Darfur ran into the hundreds of thousands and not tens of thousands.

The BBC's Mark Doyle says that the key issue is not so much whether the force is a UN one or an AU one, but whether the AU can operate with a tougher mandate allowing them to shoot if things get tough - which is how UN peacekeepers operate.

He says that if that happened, then the money and management support needed to run a successful operation could be forthcoming and the diplomatic impasse could be resolved.

It is thought that a three-month extension of the AU troops' mandate may be proposed.

Action

The UN general assembly has already heard forceful calls for action in Darfur.


US President George Bush said the credibility of the UN was at stake and announced the appointment of a special American envoy, former USAid chief Andrew Natsios, to help in the efforts.

"If the Sudanese government does not approve the peacekeeping force quickly, the UN must act," Mr Bush said.

President Chirac of France warned that a crime against humanity was being prepared in Darfur.

Liberian leader Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said the UN had a duty to protect the helpless and intervene militarily "to restore peace, security and stability to Darfur".

The UN mission in Sudan has warned that hundreds of thousands of people could be freshly displaced if international peacekeepers leave Darfur.

Violence has worsened since a peace deal was reached with one of the three main rebels groups earlier this year and aid workers may pull out of Darfur if the AU peacekeepers leave and are not replaced by a UN force.

Thai coup leader unveils PM plans

The leader of the military coup in Thailand has said a new prime minister will be named within two weeks.
Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin told a news conference that new elections would take place in a year's time, once a new constitution had been written.

A statement read on state television said Thailand's king had endorsed Gen Sonthi as temporary leader, although the monarch has not spoken in person.

The coup was staged late on Tuesday as PM Thaksin Shinawatra was in New York.

The UK's foreign office confirmed that Mr Thaksin was expected in London later on Wednesday.


We have two weeks. After two weeks, we will step out
Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin
Coup leader


He was preparing to address the UN General Assembly when news of the coup emerged.

The coup followed months of growing tension in Thailand, with protests against Mr Thaksin and a general election which was annulled due to concerns about its legitimacy.

So far, reporters in Thailand say the atmosphere remains calm and no outbreaks of violence have been reported.

New constitution

In the news conference on Wednesday evening, Gen Sonthi claimed he was acting in line with the wishes of the Thai people, blaming government mismanagement for forcing coup leaders to act.

But he denied the military wanted a permanent hold on power, attempting to reassure his audience by putting a deadline on how long he would remain in power.


HAVE YOUR SAY
I think there is actually a sense of relief that this has happened and they are rid of Mr Thaksin once and for all
Roachie, Bangkok



"We have two weeks. After two weeks, we will step out," he said.

He said coup leaders were considering candidates to appoint as the new prime minister, who would rule until fresh elections in a year's time.

In the interim, he said, a new national assembly would be appointed to draft a new, permanent constitution.

He said "fellow countryman" Mr Thaksin would be welcome to return to his homeland, but warned he could face criminal charges for corruption.

A statement on state-run television on Wednesday declared the apparent support of revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej for the coup leader.

"In order to create peace in the country, the king appoints Gen Sondhi Boonyaratkalin as head of the council of administrative reform," the statement said.

"All people should remain peaceful and civil servants should listen to order from Gen. Sondhi Boonyaratkalin from now on."

Gen Sonthi has said the king had nothing to do with the coup. The UK's foreign office has confirmed Mr Thaksin is expected in London, "as he has relatives in the UK".

Yellow ribbons

In the capital Bangkok, tanks have cordoned off the government district. They have yellow ribbons tied around their barrels to signify loyalty to the king.

The BBC's Kate McGeown in Bangkok says on the surface it is functioning as normal. But she says there is a strange quietness about the usually vibrant city.


Regional army commanders have been in charge of areas outside the capital, Bangkok, and Wednesday has been declared a public holiday.

The coup leaders have ordered provincial governors and heads of government agencies to report to them. They have also banned assemblies of more than five people, which are now punishable by six months in jail.

A statement urged "farmers and workers" - an apparent reference to Mr Thaksin's rural base of support - to remain calm.

In another move to defend against a counter-coup, a senior general said Mr Thaksin's main deputy, Chidchai Vanasathidya, had been "invited to stay" at Army headquarters on Tuesday night.

Shock and concern

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister, Surakiart Sathirathai, told CNN Mr Thaksin was "constitutionally and legally elected" and should be returned to office.

But Mr Thaksin's official spokesman, Surapong Suebwonglee, told Associated Press news agency: "We have to accept what happened. We are not coming back soon."

Thailand's regional neighbours expressed shock and concern at the events, and the US urged Thais to resolve their differences peacefully.

It is the first coup attempt in 15 years in a country where they used to be commonplace. There were 17 of them between 1932 and 1991.

TURN TO CHRIST TODAY!

Christ's reaction to the spiritual condition of the Laodiceans could not have been more vivid: "Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth" (Revelation 3:16). It's hard to think of a less flattering reaction, especially from the only Person in the universe whose opinion really matters. He said, in short, "You make me sick!"

If someone told us that we made him or her want to vomit, we might expect those words to be the last ones we would ever hear from that person. Such words seem appropriate for ending a relationship. However, while Christ's nature as the "faithful and true witness" meant He held nothing back in his indictment of the Laodiceans, His love and grace were present and active.

The people of Laodicea felt financially secure because of their thriving banking industry, luxurious textile trade, and famous eye salve. They thought they were rich and in need of nothing, but Jesus said they were spiritually poor, blind, and naked (Revelation 3:17). The only effective solution was to turn to Christ for spiritual riches, garments of righteousness, and insight (3:18). The message rang out loud and clear: turn away from self-sufficiency and superficiality—turn to Christ!

Stolen body parts 'sold to NHS'

Potentially contaminated body parts allegedly stolen in the US may have been implanted into British patients, a government agency says.
Over 1,000 body parts were plundered by gangs in New York and then sold for transplants, it has been claimed.

Biomedical Tissue Services, the firm at the centre of the scandal, exported 77 body parts to the UK last year.

NHS regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said it had alerted 20 NHS trusts.


We would say any risk is minimum and this is just a precautionary measure
MHRA spokeswoman

Late last year, the US Food and Drug Administration ordered a recall of the potentially tainted products and warned that many patients could have been exposed to HIV and other diseases, but insisted the risk of infection was minimal.

New York investigators say death certificates were doctored to make the dead out to have been younger and healthier than they actually were.

The tissue, in the form of skin, bone and tendons, was later sold for use in procedures like dental implants and hip replacements.

Four people have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The body of veteran BBC broadcaster Alistair Cooke, who died of cancer aged 95 in March 2004, was reported to have been caught up in the case.

Infected

A spokeswoman for the MHRA said: "It's not to say that the 77 body parts that were brought in came from stolen cadavers or were infected.

"But they did come from Biomedical Tissue Services and we alerted hospitals of this earlier in the year."

She added it was up to individual doctors to decide what to do in regards to removing the implants or deciding it was less risk to leave them in.

The body parts were all pieces of bone which were grafted on to patients needing hip or jaw operations.

The MHRA would not say exactly where in the UK the imported parts were sent because the procedures were unusual enough that the patients involved could be identified.

And the spokeswoman added: "We would say any risk is minimum and this is just a precautionary measure."

Forge Emotional Intimacy in Your "Nice Guy" Marriage

Paul Coughlin.

You have a lot to teach one another—if both of you are willing to call a truce and approach your problems from a better perspective. The goal of every Christian Nice Guy marriage is to forge the Third Path of Us. This requires both injured parties to stop thinking, talking, and acting as if their way is the only way and approach their marriage from a better perspective. Here are some practical steps you can take today.
For Mrs. CNG
The age-old phrase, you get more bees with honey than vinegar, is at the heart of your important and possibly heroic work. You need to draw him toward you, and the most important thing to remember when dealing with your sometimes maddening CNG is that he must feel safe and comfortable around you before he’s going to become more emotionally connected, truthful, and assertive.
When it comes to emotional intimacy, men usually prefer physical touch and doing activities together that are more active in nature, as women tend to prefer more intimate conversations and thinking together.
So in order to increase the kind intimacy you prefer, you will need to first do it through his preferred forms since CNGs are not likely to make the first move. Increase your willingness to physical touch and action-based activities. And while partaking in them, be careful not to correct him by telling him what to think or do. Just let him be him.
A great way for both of you to get the kind of intimacy you want is to go on regular walks together. Studies show that men are more likely to open up when doing something physical.
Use Your Power Wisely and Justly
You, Queen of Words, have the upper hand when it comes to verbal skill and agility. Chances are you can talk circles around him during these walks or similar activity, often keeping multiple topics going at once while he struggles to stay on track with just one topic.
Just as society encourages men to curtail their physical strength, you too should throttle back on your superior ability to out talk him.
In order to exercise your power wisely and justly to create the Third Path of Us, realize that statistically women are more prone to start relational conversations, and when they do begin them more harshly. Compared with men, women are more comfortable with emotional discomfort and are more prone to blame from the outset, which is bad news for CNG marriages. CNGs don’t do harsh talk or blame—it turns their ears to wood, halting your ability to turn conflict into an intimate moment.
Intimacy expert Dr. Paul Coleman recommends the following gracious but still honest conversation starters:
"I'm angry about something, and I'd like to talk about it"
"I know we've talked about this before, but I need to bring it up again. I'll try to be brief."
"You might not like what I'm about to say, but I need you to listen and see if there is anything that has merit."
"I know that you see things differently than me about this topic, but I’d like to try finding some common ground."
"This isn't easy for me. If I twist my words, please give me a chance to get it right."
When talking with him about important matters, approach him for solutions to the problem instead of as the problem itself. Never, under any circumstance, should you pull out the bazooka of shameful words on him, which create feelings of dishonor, unworthiness, and embarrassment. Such treatment just sends him further into his CNG ice cave.
Talk less but more to the point. Being more talkative isn’t wrong. It’s just less effective when communicating with most guys. And to keep him drawn to you, be mindful of your eyes. Women tend to be more comfortable with prolonged eye contact. Be sensitive to this fact so you don’t mistake his looking away as an automatic sign of evasion.
The number one complaint of married women is that their husband "doesn’t listen." Many men say that they used to listen more. And talk more. But what they said was not treated with consideration. So they have partaken in a time-honored tradition of tuning their wives out. It’s the only way some men know how to handle this situation since going toe to toe with someone who can usually out talk them is not an attractive option.
If you want him to listen, then give him time to think and to speak. And then don’t correct him when he does.

For Mr. CNG
Brother, You’ve Got Soulwork to Do
Overarching fear is a smarmy little liar. It is often False Evidence that Appears Real that suckers you into bad decisions. Consuming fear deceives you into forming a false understanding of who you are (you don’t really matter), who God is (He’s out to get you), others (they are not as critical as you think), and the world at large (it is more receptive to you than you currently realize.) No wonder Jesus said that the devil "is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44). This is why your battle for marital harmony is a combination of psychological and spiritual transformation. So commit it today to prayer. Ask God to show you where this fear came from and for the strength to face it. When you face your fear, look for the lie and the deception it fosters that slants your thinking to worst-case scenarios. For some, this may include professional help.
When in a fearful situation with your wife who is trying to draw you closer to her, ask yourself, "What am I really scared of?" And "Is it real or is it an illusion?" The results may surprise you. Like me, you may discover that she has far more goodwill toward you than you thought.
When you feel your heart pounding and your mind begins to go wild in a tense situation, call someone you can trust, who’s not another Nice Guy, and bounce the situation off them and then really listen to what they have to say. This will reduce fear’s cataract-like influence by anchoring you in reality.
Focus on Emotions, Not Marital Rules
CNG, forget about playing by all the "rules." I know what you’re thinking. You went into marriage pretty much like our fathers did. If you don’t get angry with your wife, hold down a job, get the family to church, and spend some time with the kids that this is pretty much all that’s required. More so, you think that your wife should "get off your back" when she asks for more. You may well end up divorced if you stick to this failed script because today’s wife wants and sometimes demands emotional closeness. You must be willing to grow your emotions and then express them.
A lot of men still think that expressing emotions makes them appear weak. Not so, Grasshopper. Not only does it make you more like Jesus, who was more emotional than those around him, but it makes you feel alive in ways you never could before.
Emotions, properly handled, make you more manly and attractive. They grow our souls. They make us more loving, protective, authentic, honest, faithful and optimistic, which is important since Nice Guys often suffer from undisclosed depression, addiction, and even impotency, which is caused in part by repressed anger, another CNG characteristic.
For most of my life I never cried at movies. Or funerals. Or when my children were born. Fear and a false understanding of Christian manliness stopped me from being fully alive.
I remember as a Christian Nice Guy watching the movie Sam I Am with my wife. This movie about a mentally challenged father losing his only child has the hanky factor written all over it. But not for me back then. I remained aloof to the emotional overtones and instead focused on the legal and cultural angles. I was proud that I didn’t get caught up in the "emotion." Oh, arrogance and foolishness of passivity and fear.
Then I saw the movie with my wife and kids after dealing fear a substantial blow. I lost track how many times my eyes welled up, laying with my head in my wife’s lap. She felt my tears and wiped with her slender hand.
This free flow of emotions made me want to love, pardon, and protect. I felt alive, like someone put jumper cables on my earlobes. These emotions, fuel to my body, made me a better leader. And, guys, a better lover.
Women don’t find appropriate emotional displays a turn off. It’s a turn on. As the wife of a CNG told me, "Don’t you guys know that if you cried in front of us that we would run into your arms?"
Write down the 10 most impacting events of your life. Travel the spectrum from happy (wedding night) to sad (the day Buddy your dog died). Then share them with your wife over the next two months on date nights. In addition to sharing the facts of these events, share how they made you feel. If tears come, so be it. You’ll feel so much better afterward and she’ll find you more knowable and loveable.
If it Was Right for Jesus…
With a journal in hand, read the Gospel of Mark, which records more of Jesus’ tough and rugged behavior than any other Gospel. Keep track of how often Jesus wasn’t "nice" but good. This will give you courage and inspiration to be like the real tender-to-tough Jesus, depending on what is needed at the time. My book No More Christian Nice Guy, lists plenty examples of Jesus’ tougher side and specific commentary as to why he behaved the way he did.
You’ll see that sometimes it’s wrong to be pleasant. For example, a father is good to show kindness toward a toddler’s common folly. He is negligent and naïve when he shows the same level of niceness to his teenage son who’s doing drugs. Being pleasant when tough love is needed can be a sin.
The Third Path of Us takes time and effort to find. Expect to make mistakes, and take special care to forgive these mistakes. With time, courage, and intent, his war-zone thinking will be replaced by peace-time living, making you both married and engaged.

Know and Be Known

Whitney Hopler
The following is a report on the practical applications of Marcus Ryan's new book, Restless Journey: Every Man’s Struggle for Significance, (Harvest House, 2006).

Picture yourself lying inside a casket at your funeral. Will the mourners there be able to eulogize you accurately? Will there be enough people who truly knew you well to carry your casket? Will the story of your life live on in people’s memories and inspire them to influence the future?

Make sure you truly live before you die. Accept the quest God has made you for – to discover who you are, and let other people know that person.

Here’s how you can come to know your true self and be known by others:

* Understand significance. Recognize what’s most important in life (knowing and being known) and what pales in comparison (such as earning money, power, or degrees). Know that what matters most isn’t what you achieve, but who you become as a person. Ask God to help you focus on what’s significant in life and avoid distractions.

* Take off the masks. Realize that refusing to look at who you really are and letting others see that person leads to feelings like restlessness, uneasiness, inadequacy, futility, and despair. Stop wearing masks of your own making or that others have placed on you. Don’t worry about trying to project a certain image; decide to value the real you and share that with others. Know that once you discover yourself and help others perceive you for who you are, your relationships will be richer, your goals will come into focus, and your personal level of satisfaction will rise. So put aside the roles you’ve been playing, and start to become the person you were born to be.

* Know what it means to be known. Understand that being known doesn’t mean being a celebrity or the life of a party. It doesn’t require you to make yourself vulnerable to strangers or act in any ways that aren’t natural to you. Instead, being known simply means that you discover yourself through interacting with others, and that they witnesses your life and become keepers of your story.

* Find your path. Acknowledge that God was intentional when He made you, and that He has a purpose for your life. Make it a high priority to discover and fulfill that purpose. Reflect on your life to see if you see a pattern emerge from your memories of relationships, activities, successes and failures. Ask God to reveal your path clearly to you.

* Beware of detours. Understand that you will face dangerous detours off God’s path for you in the form of temptations you’ll need to resist. Be especially careful about appetites – for greed, power, lust, or something else – that go out of control. Refuse to feed unhealthy appetites, such as by installing Internet blocking software and having your spouse monitor your computer use if you struggle with pornography. Whatever appetites are threatening your spiritual growth, cut them off before they destroy you. Then pursue healing. Take some time to reflect on past experiences that may have triggered certain appetites to spiral out of control. Pray about your thoughts and feelings, and ask God’s forgiveness for your mistakes. Then invite God to renew your mind through the power of the Holy Spirit, and protect you from evil that seeks to prevent you from becoming the person you were intended to become.

* Consider who you are right now. Take an inventory of your life right now and seriously consider who you currently are as a person. Ask yourself honestly whether or not you’re pleased with yourself. Don’t feel ashamed if the answer is “no,” because there’s hope for you to grow and mature.

* Think about people who have shaped your identity. Know that many people throughout your life – such as parents, siblings, friends, and teachers – have helped shape your self-image. Understand that the opinion you have of yourself is often powerfully influenced by the opinion other people have of you. But realize that your identity is based on who you are in Christ – God’s beloved child. Embrace and guard your true identity, recognizing that it is a treasure.

* Find people who will mirror your true self back to you. Don’t hide from people who can support you in your quest. Seek out a handful of people you can trust (such as your spouse or other family members and close friends) to get to know you for who you really are, reveal that person to you, and to challenge you to become more and more true to that person. Consider entering into a mentoring relationship to learn valuable life skills that you can later impart to someone else you care about.

* Find your vocation. Understand that no matter what type of work you do to earn an income, you have a calling to a specific type of life’s work – your vocation. Consider your interests and talents for clues as to what it is. Ask yourself, “What am I supposed to do?”, “What do I continue to return to regardless of disappointments and setbacks?” and “When or where do I feel God’s pleasure?”. Know that your vocation will always involve service to others, because it represents the type of contributions God wants you to make to the world. Once you identify your vocation, refuse to waste your time and energy on unrelated tasks that do nothing more than keep you busy. Do all you can to tie your vocation in with your paid work, as well, so you can spend the most time possible pursuing your vocation. Remember that pursuing your vocation is vital not just to your own life, but to others’ lives as well, because people around you can’t become all they are supposed to be unless you become all you’re supposed to be and contribute to their lives as God has planned. Affirm that what’s truly worth working for isn’t just money, power, or prestige – it’s to make the contributions you’re supposed to make during your lifetime.

* Let your life tell a story of faith. If you haven’t already, begin an eternal relationship with Christ. Ask God to help you act on your faith so that every aspect of your life reflects God at work in you. Strive to make every decision an act of worship, and to live with integrity in all you do. Share stories of how God has – and is – operating in your life when you talk with people who are close to you. Remember that God will use even the worst experiences to bring about good purposes if you invite Him to do so. Show and tell others how your successes, failures, joys and sorrows alike have drawn you closer to God through Christ. Know that, after you die, these people will help you story live beyond you.

* Live with passion. Don’t settle for just getting by as best you can. Reject the pull of ritual, boredom, fear, or ignorance that causes you to feel apathetic about life. Decide, every day, to learn more about yourself and help others know themselves so you all can live with passion. Expect the path to lead closer and closer to God. Seek to get to the point where Christ living in you is greater than the man you were before, and His light reveals the person you were designed to be.

Sing a Song: Hannah, David & the Lamb

by Eva Marie Everson

Sing a Song… is a short series which looks at specific songs of the Bible and their Ah-ha Moments. This is the fifth and final installment.

In the last few Ah-Ha articles we have looked at a series of songs: the song of the angels, the song of Moses, the song of Deborah, the song of Zechariah, and the song of Mary. The last three songs we will study are the song of Hannah, the song of David, and the song of the Lamb.

Laid out in the order in which way you have read them (hopefully), we find a story. Do you know what it is?

The Song of Hannah
Have you ever wanted something so much… so intently… that you would be willing to give it away if you actually got it? Hannah was such a woman. Though she had a husband who loved her and, no doubt, a nice home to love him in, she was most unfulfilled.

She also had an enemy that taunted her at every turn in the form of her husband’s “other wife,” Peninnah. Would you know it; Peninnah had children.

Their husband, Elkanah, did everything he could to make Hannah happy, but it just wasn’t enough. She knew what she had been born into this life to do - to be a mother. One year, as was the custom, the family went to Shiloh for worship and sacrifice on the Feast of Tabernacles. While there, Hannah made a bold move; she went to the temple and poured her heart out to the Lord. Her emotions were so expressive and so raw, the old priest, Eli, thought she was drunk. But when he heard her pleas, he blessed her.

God blessed Hannah, too. Hannah gave birth to a baby boy; she named him Samuel.

But she did not rear him, for in her prayer to the Lord she made a vow, “O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life…”[i]

And Hannah sang….

The Song of David
I stood in front of the group of women who had listened to me speak during the sessions of their weekend retreat. “What song,” I asked, “would you like played at your funeral? What song would most express your life?”

An older woman named Joy, sweet of face and with gentle eyes, answered, “The Potter’s Hands.”

Joy was a potter. It was her hobby, her profession, and her ministry.

I could write an entire book just on the song[ii] David sang over his life, but there is no room to do that here. What I would like to do is share with you something I read once (and recorded in my notes) about him. I believe it adequately summarizes a life well lived.

There is no other character in the OT to be compared to David in the complexity of its elements, passion, tenderness, generosity, and fierceness; David was a soldier, shepherd, poet, statesman, priest, prophet, and king…He founded a dynasty. He was patriotic, generous, and kind, a man of strong impulses, and firm faith, brave and forgiving; yet a child of his time. He placed religion above everything. Of him alone has it been said that he was a man after the heart of God. He fostered a simple trust in God; he was a heinous sinner, but a correspondingly sincere penitent. He was the “sweet psalmist of Israel.”[iii]

He was the sweet psalmist of Israel, it says, and goes on to say: His songs lead the worshiper up to God….

Because, imperfect as he was, David sang!

The Song of the Lamb
It is a song all believers will one day come to sing, the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. John recorded in his revelation:

And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb:

"Great and marvelous are your deeds,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
King of the ages.
Who will not fear you, O Lord,
and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed."[iv]

But is this a song we must wait to sing?

In his priceless work, Into the Depth of God, Dr. Calvin Miller wrote: There’s not one verse in the entire Bible that teaches we are going to have life after death. The Bible teaches we can have life instead of death. Jesus Christ comes into a life, and at that precise moment eternal life begins. Someday pulse or respiration may cease, but not us — we will already have taken the giant step into the pleasure of God! Heaven begins at that moment. Eternity is now (emphasis mine).[v]

The Ah-ha Moment
The shepherds heard the Good News first, the ancient Hebrews were freed by Moses, ancient Israel was led to victory by Deborah after their stubborn fall back into slavery, Zechariah learned that a time in silence is filled by a time of singing, Mary was empowered to do what otherwise she could not have done, Hannah learned that the only true sacrifice is total sacrifice, David had a life well-lived, and — one great day — believers from every nation will sing the Song of the Lamb.

In this way, you heard the Gospel, you asked Jesus to free you from the slavery of sin, you tripped and fell and had to call out to Him again. As you walk with Him you learn that a time of silence is followed by a time of singing, that in order to do what you are called to do, you must pour out of yourself to be filled with His Holy Spirit. Hopefully, at the end of your life you will recount a life well-lived and will, with the redeemed and the angels, sing the Song of the Lamb!

In the course of the Christian life, we must experience maturity in Christ. We take it one step, one note, one measure, and one song at a time.

And then we sing! For He alone is holy!

Can the pursuit of wealth bring true happiness?

David Jeremiah

In 1934, the American people had a monopoly on depression. The stock market had crashed in 1929 and millions of workers were jobless. Industrious citizens tried to find ways to feed themselves and their families. So Charles B. Darrow invented a board game and took it to Parker Brothers, calling it MONOPOLY®.

Here's some MONOPOLY trivia:


? More than 200 million games have been sold since 1935.

? The longest game in history lasted 70 days.

? The total amount of MONOPOLY money in a set is $15,140.
How fitting that a game about living the high life as a financier was introduced at a time when the country was trying to rebound from its worst economic depression. People dreamed that money, wealth, and power were the answer to all of life's problems.

How Much Does It Take?
If people work to attain a certain level of prosperity, thinking then they will be happy, they quickly become accustomed to their prosperity, grow discontent, and start striving for the next level. Church growth strategists have found that within three generations of the Gospel having penetrated a primitive culture, resulting in increased wealth and higher standards of living, people start losing interest in the very spiritual truths that pulled them out of poverty. A little bit of money creates a longing for more. What Solomon Discovered
Solomon found that wealth does not-indeed, cannot-satisfy the deepest longings of the human heart. And yet he tried to make it happen. In spite of all his wealth, King Solomon was a dissatisfied soul. He discovered that money and power were not the secrets to happiness. He had escalated his expectations farther than anyone in history and met them all, only to find that money could not meet his expectation for happiness. He tried satiating himself with wine and exotic food served in solid gold vessels, but that didn't work (1 Kings 4:22-23). Then he tried to find happiness by spending money on building projects (Ecclesiastes 2:4-6). Still nothing. So he started accumulating "stuff:" servants, wives, concubines, flocks, herds, singers, gold and silver (1 Kings 11:3; Ecclesiastes 2:7-8). But the dull ache of emptiness just wouldn't go away. The God-Shaped Vacuum
The vacuum in the human heart is not money-shaped, but God-shaped. When Solomon tried to fill that vacuum with everything except God, He grew more and more dissatisfied. The book of Ecclesiastes recounts Solomon's sorrowful search for meaning in life and how he finally realized it could be found in God alone (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Classifying Currencies
What, then, is the purpose of wealth? If God is supposed to fill our hearts, what are we supposed to do with money? Nowhere does the Bible say that money is evil or that to have it, even in large quantities, is inappropriate, much less a sin. Our problem is the "love of money" (1 Timothy 6:10). Money is neither good nor bad. Paper currency is nothing more than a man-made means of exchange. The problem comes when we try to use money as a medium of exchange in an eternal kingdom. To function in an eternal kingdom, we need an eternal currency. The currencies in the kingdom of God are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You recognize these as the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). And they come only from God. Economists refer to "guns and butter" as the staples of this world, and they can only be bought with money. But the staples of God's eternal kingdom can only be purchased with that which the Holy Spirit provides. Solomon's Syndrome
To do business with the world, you need temporal means-money. But to do business with God, you need eternal means-a heart of love, joy, peace . . . the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Don't try to monopolize anything finite, like money. But accumulate all you can of the limitless fruit of the Spirit-that's a perfectly legal monopoly in the kingdom of God!

Shine as lights in the world!

"In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as
lights in the world."-Philippians 2:15

We use lights to make manifest. A Christian man should so shine in his
life, that a person could not live with him a week without knowing the
gospel. His conversation should be such that all who are about him
should clearly perceive whose he is, and whom he serves; and should see the
image of Jesus reflected in his daily actions. Lights are intended for
guidance. We are to help those around us who are in the dark. We are to
hold forth to them the Word of life. We are to point sinners to the
Saviour, and the weary to a divine resting-place. Men sometimes read their
Bibles, and fail to understand them; we should be ready, like Philip,
to instruct the inquirer in the meaning of God's Word, the way of
salvation, and the life of godliness. Lights are also used for warning. On
our rocks and shoals a light-house is sure to be erected. Christian men
should know that there are many false lights shown everywhere in the
world, and therefore the right light is needed. The wreckers of Sa!
tan are always abroad, tempting the ungodly to sin under the name of
pleasure; they hoist the wrong light, be it ours to put up the true
light upon every dangerous rock, to point out every sin, and tell what it
leads to, that so we may be clear of the blood of all men, shining as
lights in the world. Lights also have a very cheering influence, and so
have Christians. A Christian ought to be a comforter, with kind words on
his lips, and sympathy in his heart; he should carry sunshine wherever
he goes, and diffuse happiness around him.

Gracious Spirit dwell with me;
I myself would gracious be,
And with words that help and heal
Would thy life in mine reveal,
And with actions bold and meek
Would for Christ my Saviour speak.

Significance

by Os Hillman, September 5, 2006


May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us- yes, establish the work of our hands. - Psalm 90:17

Many of us begin our careers with the goal of achieving success. If we haven't entered our work as a result of God's calling, we will eventually face a chasm of deep frustration and emptiness. Success flatters but does not provide a lasting sense of purpose and fulfillment. So often we enter careers with wrong motives-money, prestige, and even pressure from parents or peers. Failing to match our work with our giftedness and calling is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. If that happens over an extended period, a person crashes.

At this time, many make another mistake. Workplace believers think that beginning a new career in "full-time Christian work" will fill the emptiness they feel. However, this only exacerbates the problem because they are again trying to put another square peg into a round hole. The problem is not whether we should be in "Christian work" or "secular work," but rather what work is inspired by gifts and calling. If there is one phrase I wish I could remove from the English language it is "full-time Christian work." If you are a Christian, you are in full-time Christian work, whether you are driving nails or preaching the gospel. The question must be, are you achieving the God-given calling for your life? God has called people into business to fulfill His purposes just as much as He has called people to be pastors or missionaries.

It is time for workplace believers to stop feeling like second-class citizens for being in business. It is time workplace believers stop working toward financial independence so that they can concentrate on their "true spiritual calling." This is the great deception for those called to business.

Significance comes from fulfilling the God-given purpose for which you were made. Ask Him to confirm this in your own life.

'Virtually untreatable' TB found

A "virtually untreatable" form of TB has emerged, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Extreme drug resistant TB (XDR TB) has been seen worldwide, including in the US, Eastern Europe and Africa, although Western Europe has had no cases.

Dr Paul Nunn, from the WHO, said a failure to correctly implement treatment strategies was to blame.

TB experts have convened in Johannesburg, South Africa, to discuss how to address the problem.

TB presently causes about 1.7 million deaths a year worldwide, but researchers are worried about the emergence of strains that are resistant to drugs.


This is very worrying, especially when mixed with HIV
Dr Paul Nunn, WHO

Drug resistance is caused by poor TB control, through taking the wrong types of drugs for the incorrect duration.

Multi-drug resistant TB (MDR TB), which describes strains of TB that are resistant to at least two of the main first-line TB drugs, is already a growing concern.

Globally, the WHO estimates there are about 425,000 cases of MDR TB a year, mostly occurring in the former Soviet Union, China and India.

Treatment requires the use of second-line drugs, which are more toxic, take longer to work and costly.

But now, according to researchers, an even more deadly form of the bacteria has emerged.

High prevalence

XDR TB is defined as strains that are not only resistant to the front-line drugs, but also three or more of the six classes of second-line drugs.

This, according to Dr Paul Nunn, coordinator of the WHO team at the Stop TB department, makes it virtually untreatable.

A recent survey of 18,000 TB samples by the US-based Centers for Disease Control and the WHO between November 2004 and November 2005 found 20% of them were multi-drug resistant and a further 2% were extreme drug resistant.

Further detailed analysis of several countries found the prevalence was even higher.

In the US, 4% of all MDR TB cases met the criteria for XDR TB; in South Korea, the figure was 15%.

In Latvia, and according to Dr Nunn other areas of the Baltics and the former Soviet Union, 19% of all multi-drug resistant cases were extreme drug resistant too.

Dr Nunn said XDR TB was present across several strains, but added it was not yet clear how transmissible it was or whether it was limited to isolated pockets.

HIV peril

But he warned HIV positive people were at particular risk.

He highlighted a study recently presented at the International Meeting for Aids, held in Toronto.


XDR TB is very serious - we are potentially getting close to a bacteria that we have no tools, no weapons against
Paul Sommerfeld, Stop TB

In Kwazulu-Natal, in South Africa, 53 patients were found with XDR TB. Of these, 52 died within 25 days, and 44 of the 53 had been tested for HIV and were all found to be HIV positive.

He said XDR TB could have a bigger impact on developing nations, including Africa, because of the prevalence of HIV.

Dr Dunn said: "This is very worrying, especially when mixed with HIV.

"We need to make sure we do the basics properly, in other words, ensuring, and where necessary, supervising that the patient takes ever pill for the course of the treatment.

"If you do that, then the rate of development of resistance drops dramatically, even in the context of HIV."

He added that it was key that new drugs were developed in future. He said work was underway looking at new drugs, including research into TB vaccines.

The meeting in South Africa will discuss the recent findings and how to curb the growing problem.

Paul Sommerfeld of TB Alert, said: "XDR TB is very serious - we are potentially getting close to a bacteria that we have no tools, no weapons against.

"What this means for the people in southern Africa, who are now becoming susceptible to this where it is appearing, is a likely death sentence.

"For the world as a whole it is potentially extremely worrying that this kind of resistance is appearing. This is something that I am sure the WHO will be taking very seriously."

by Os Hillman, September 7, 2006


The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God. - 1 Chronicles 13:10

A business friend of mine confessed that he did not like to read. He found it a difficult discipline. I replied, "If you do not commit yourself to knowing what is in God's Word and following it, you will fail to know and experience God. God's Word is life to our souls. It provides knowledge that leads to life." The prophet Hosea tells us, "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as My priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children" (Hos. 4:6).

God has given us His Word that has specific laws and principles that must be followed if we expect His blessing. King David forgot to follow one of those laws related to the ark. "...But they must not touch the holy things or they will die..." (Num. 4:15). When they were transporting the ark, Uzzah innocently reached to steady the ark but was immediately stricken dead when his hands touched the ark of God. Did David know this law or did he simply forget? Did Uzzah know this law? If so, did he really believe it? David thought it was okay to carry the ark the way Uzzah did. A man lost his life for his presumption.

Many workplace believers I know take God's Word lightly. They believe they can violate His Word without consequence. This is not true; the Lord stands by to uphold His Word. It can be life, or it can bring death. When God provides instructions, we need to follow them.

Knowing this about God brings a healthy fear of the Lord. "David was afraid of God that day and asked, 'How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?' " (1 Chron. 13:12) We must all have a fearful respect of God's Word. For truly, it is life or death.

Do you take God's Word seriously? Is it life or death for you? Do you feed upon His Word daily so that you might know Him and know His precepts? Feed upon this knowledge and be blessed of God.