Being in Ghana for the two weeks I have been here have afforded me great personal growth. One of the primary reasons that I am here is because I know that God is bringing me to the next level of my life through this experience. There are things that I need to see, experience and overcome that this setting is providing. It feels right.

What I have included here are various photos of me doing different things...check it out!






















Here I am chilling on the steps of the JHR house talking on my celly. Gotta thank Joy for hooking up the phone that she used in France. It's funny, because this model is the most common phone in Ghana, most people have it. I was on the line back to TO and took the photo myself.















Here I am in the Ackerson kitchen having some tea (shouts to Melezia for linking me with her family). I love drinking my tea, but no one drinks mint tea here...please send me some...the Lipton Yellow Label is good though...still, I love my mint tea!


















At a training session in Accra...during this media orientation I got the presenter to speak about the soccer/futeball league in Ghana which starts later this month(a lot of the group was displeased, and the other part was not surprised...lol). While Tamale as one of the better teams, rowdy fans got the team a punishment of playing it's first three home games away...that means I have to wait twelve weeks for a home game! I'm buying season tickets though....can't wait!






















My first week, and I went outside to find someone. The excursion ended up in a conversation that was a couple of hours long. The result was about 20 mosquito bites. I don't know if you can see the shape of a cross with two a bit below my elbow and the four above. Oh, don't worry everyone, I have been taking my malaria meds (which, thankfully, have not produced the potential side effects of halucinations, visions, and vivid dreams).

















Here I am in Tamale on the back of a motorbike. There are a few forms of transportation here associated to class. Walking, Cargo trucks (people pile inside the back of them), Tro-Tro (you could call it a bus, just more packed, run down, privately owned), Bicycles (very common),Taxi's (used mostly for people going to work or in a rush to get somewhere), Motorbikes (shows that you are doing fairly well), and Cars (which are rare - especially the odd Beamer or SUV that you see). I have told the drivers that my family and friends would flip out if they saw me on the back of this motorbike with no helmet and traffic the way it is (and no, I don't just trust anyone to get on their bike). Anyway, I prefer taxi and walking.

THE ACKERSON FAMILY


Before I came to Ghana, I made sure that I spoke to a few of my friends that have family in Ghana for contact information. One of those friends is Melezia, and her family were the first contacts that I was able to connect with.
















Above: (top left to right) Melezia's eldest brother, Anita and Kwaku. (bottom left to right) Mr. Ackerson, me, Mrs. Ackerson, Emmanuel (Micheal was taking the picture).

I was given the cell number for Anita who came the same evening that we spoke with her brother to come pick me and bring me to there home. The drive was a nice one (about 40 minutes away) along the coast. They live in a nice area right near were many of the national ministers are housed. One intersting thing is that there are certain positions that have locations attatched to it. The police live together in a particular neighborhood, as do national ministers.

















Above: this is the view from the Ackerson home.

Over a period of four days, I came to their house three times. The first time was brief; we talked a bit before they brought me home. The next two times included looking at photos that I brought from Canada, dinner, and walking around their area to go and get some cocoa and kosi (it's like porridge and fried dumplings, but the flavour is much stronger and not really as sweet).
















Above: Micheal, myself, Emmanuel and Anita.

It was on the second night going home that I had my first encounter with the Ghanian police. They had waved us past a check-point when an officer saw me in the back seat. He then had us pull-over and acted like he hadn't waved us to continue driving. The officer was clearly looking for money from us, and -after attempting to reason with him for about 10 minutes - we were about to pay about 150,000 cds when Anita came up with a plan. She began to talk to the officer about 'being friends'. After they exchanged numbers a truck knocked over the police barricade accidentally. That was our chance to get out of there.

Upon driving away, Anita asked if I liked her plan. She told me how police tend to like "hanging out with young girls". She then commented, "see what Ghanians have to deal with?". The next night we took a different route to ensure we did not see them again.
















Above: this is the view of the drive along the coast.

They continue to stay in touch with me, and are looking for me to come back and visit when I come back to Accra.
















Above: chillin with Mrs. Ackerson.





















Above: Anita posing for the camera.

















Above: There I was about to eat with Micheal and Anita.

I AM A CHRISTIAN

Many of you reading may notice that God comes into nearly everything that I write. I realize that people's impressions of church, God, the Bible, Christianity, and so on can have a lot of confusing or negative associations.

I just wanted to include this poem written by Carol Wimmer that articulates a sentiment that is in my heart.

I Am A Christian
By Carol Wimmer

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin."
I'm whispering "I was lost,"
Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain,
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
who received God's good grace, somehow.

Many have been told that Maya Angelou wrote this poem, but she didn't.





















(I still like the photo of Maya Angelou)

JHR HOUSE IN GHANA

Our arrival off of the airplane is a strong memory for me. From the airport where I left an entourage of loved ones (Chin, G, Rifa and the Samuels, Karyl, Sho and JoJo) until landing on the runway in Accra, it was a gradual feeling of it all sinking in and becoming more real. Stepping out of the plan straight into the humid evening air made it real. It was an exciting feeling. Walking through the airport and gathering our luggage was a mixture of feeling incredibly comfortable and trying to stay aware, while discerning what of the things that we were told (from training, friends, and random pieces of input) are true and what was to be left at the airport.

Shortly after collecting our things, we were escorted into a a van and a car and brought to the JHR house. While it was night, this is what we saw when the drivers came to a halt:
















This is the driveway (it's the red one on the right)





















This is the gate that is never locked and has a security guard that I don't think I saw; I did see a couple of people from time to time, but I they might have been working in the office on the grounds.
















This is the actual house...I like it.
















This is the view from the balcony which was outside of the room I was sharing with Matthew.















This is the view the other way off of the balcony, and a glimpse of the area. It is a diverse spot. In the direction that this view is facing, their is an area called Kuku Hill. It an area that is made up of a lot of rooms, tin roof structures, and compounds put together. If you go in the opposite direction, you come across an area that is very nice; it has a few art studios and some well planned homes inter-mixed with greenery. Not far from us is a main street called Oxford that has some western spots, a lot of market sellers, and is just busy most of the day and night.

JHR HOUSE INSIDE

Once we entered the door of the JHR house, we saw the place that we would be calling home for the next week; it would also be the place that we would have as a our base for experiencing Accra and being introduced to Ghana.

This is a short tour...















That is the living room where, if the walls could talk, I am sure you would hear thoughts, doubts, excitement and testimonies that the speakers may or may not want the world to hear. It definately seems to be a spot where people share and come to terms with where they are at in their lives.




















Once leaving the living room, you reach the stairs. I did not show the kitchen or the other rooms as I did not use any of those rooms. I guess it would have been interesting to see...kind of late for that now though.
















This is the bed that I stayed in. Notice the bags with things kind of scattered around...life living out of a suitcase. I had a few good rests there and I have been remembering my dreams when I wake up. A lot of them have been about Toronto.















This is one of the two bathrooms. The bucket was for bathing, as running water was not a part of the equation. We got by, but I really wanted to go and buy a mop and just clean the spot from top to bottom. No time to do that though with our very full schedules and my being shipped off to Tamale...Denis is the one who is going to be left with seeing that it gets done as the only one of us left in the house.

FOOD

Anyone that knows me well:
1) has an eating memory with me
2) has had me eat at their house
3) knows that I love food and remains confused with the disparity between how much I eat and how little weight I put on.

* note: you will also be aware of the strong West Indian influence on my diet, which is complimented by the Ezemenari/Nigerian stew chicken which has been with me through the good times and the not so good times.

Many of my major memories have an eating moment: my second last day in Cuba and eating beef, eggs and rice and it tasting as good as anything I have ever eaten...in Senegal when Ali, Monique and I each ordered a fish dinner and they brought three huge fish (head to tail) to our table...eating fresh peaches picked from an orchard in the Okanagan Valley of BC...Mom's rice pot and home...Sylvie's unbelievable vegetarian dishes visting my Pops and his wife...Sunday dinners by Brother Barry and Sister Janet after church...Anything Auntie Norma touches(shout out to Yum Yum's) and just talking with her about God..Mrs. Clarkes breadfruit...Chilling at G's house and eating Mom's fish and chicken...Auntie Gloria's bun (it is a starch with the value of precious metals)...Mrs. Huggins bakes and fried fish...Mrs. Bramwell's ox-tail...Mrs. Byam at Christmas time (sorrell, baked goods, turkey - her whole table!)...Joy's braided baked bread...Ackee and Sal'fish at the Ramkisoon house...roast lamb, smelt's, bbq chicken, or a mixture of left over's from the Balamos kitchen...can't forget Mrs. Isaac for any meal of the day...Grandma's pumpkin pie...Auntie Gail's mashed potatoes...the St. Bernard kitchen (even the toast)

Okay, I apologize if I missed you (and there are great meals and kitchen's that I have missed), but I really do have work to do, and I have a few months before I can taste any of these delights, so I will cut the reminiscing short. (I want to add that I don't just eat from anyone and everyone...this list is the creme de la creme!)

The point here is to share with you some of what I have been eating while in Ghana. For me breakfast is mostly tea, fruit and bread (every once in awhile I have a fried egg). I have had kosi and cocoa (the more traditional porridge and starch), but it doesn't do me like the Samuels homminy porridge, or even my own cornmeal (off the chain!).

These images are a small sample of lunch and dinner, check it out!






















Here Mama Saphora is mixing the pounded casava with the pounded plantain for fufu.






















Here the casava is being pounded (when the yams are back in season, people don't really use the casava)


















Nice action shot!

















On the right: This is some broen stew (veggies, seasoning, and a mixture of meat and fish), boiled eggs, along with boiled yam and plantain on the left.


















I was treated to some yams (they were nice and sweet) with some meat and stew.
















This is Tzat in my fingers which you use to pick up the stew...the fish in the middle was delicious.

















This is how take-out food is often packaged. Some roasted plantain with some roasted chicken and sauce wrapped in newspaper and a plastic bag.

You need to be careful of where you get food from, as there are no regulations or standards enforced for preparing and serving food. I have found a couple of places thatI trust and know are thorough, but I tend to eat at home.

WHY GHANA?

So you all know that I am in Ghana, and most of you know that I am working in a radio station. Some of the questions that have followed that explanation are:

"how did you get a job in a radio station in Ghana?"

and

"what will you be doing?"

This is my attempt at making this all very clear. I received a posting in December 2005 through my email of a position with a Toronto-based organization called Journalists for Human Rights (JHR). The posted positions were for placements in Ghana. The titles of the positions were "Journalism Trainer" and "Expert Trainer". I sat in a cafe near Yonge and Sheppard and designed a thorough application to the position, which I beleived I had the qualifications for...a couple of weeks later I received an email thanking me for applying, but I had not been given an interview.

When I saw the posting again, for a second wave of positions I applied again. When I was offered an interview, I did not expect to go. When I was offered the position, I only really beagn to think about doing this.

What's amazing is that I met a friend named Dahlia in an airport in Vancouver when I was about 17 years old. She had travelled the world and was of Northern European and Ghanian parentage. One conversation that we had stuck with me. She told me one of the greatest memories she has is of chilling on a beach in Ghana and eating freshly caught roasted fish. I thought that was amazing, and said, "I would love to do that"; I did not think I ever would though. Her reply to me was that, "You will". Her words made what seemed impossible to me a possibility.

While it is the opportunity of a lifetime, I did not decide right away. There was a few people on my heart that I wanted to speak to. I also wanted to take some time to pray and think. Of all of the people that were on my heart to speak with, the all responded with a glow in their eyes with a "yes". One thing to consider about this, is that all of these people wanted me to stay, but could feel what a powerful moment in my purpose this is. When I breifly entertained the idea of not going (because I love my city, my family, my friends, Rhema, Driftwood) it was a terrible feeling. It was like throwing away a gift from God and waiting for the fruits of this gift to come in another form without the sacrifice required to trully grow. So, when the weekend I was given to decide was up, my answer was affirmative - yes.

With that said, JHR is an organization that is based in Toronto and entrenched in Ghana. It has also set up placements in Sierra Leonne, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Namibia, and C'ote D'Ivoire (I think that is it?). JHR recognizes that the global presence of human rights legistaltion and bodies to enforce those rights needs to be followed up with a wave of awareness and education. While the rights are critical, knowing your rights and how to enforce them is critical. JHR has seen the media as the most effective tool for sharing this information throughout Africa, which is the focus of JHR. If you want to know more, check www.jhr.ca, but I will add that they are about partnering to build infrastructure and have a mandate to only stay in a country for five years.

There a various positions throughout television, radio and print media. I am working in radio. I will be working with journalists at Radio Justice with the aim of increasing human rights coverage, storytelling, and strong journalistic practices. We are funded through YPI and Canada Corps, who see a connection between this project and the Millenium Development Goals set by the United Nations and the Canadian mandate to promote "good governance".

For me, I know I am here to grow. I have seen an incredible amonut already. In terms of the position, I can see a great deal being exchanged, our lives are all being 'changed and affected'. I really like what one Ghanian journalist said in a JHR video which was that, "It's about sharing people's stories so that you get people thinking about other people's lives".

I think one other element of this is that we are becoming global citizens. As one trainer said, if you are not changed by this experience, then something is really wrong.

When I say we, I am speaking of the JHR group that I am in Ghana with. Below is a photo of the group in our second week of training. We spent one week together in Toronto and one week together in Accra. I have only known the group for a couple of weeks, but I feel like this process has made it so that I will always have an soft spot for members of the team.
















From Left to Right: Nick (Nick an Expert Trainer, Matthew in Sukyani, Kari in Takraodi, Jayme in Kumasi, Denis in Accra, Chris in Tamale, Ato the Country Director for Ghana, Erin in Accra, and Jessica in Accra) Note: Janey is missing from the photo as she was in England, but is now in Tamale (for the second time) with me.

















This is a photo of us meeting in the office in Accra, just down the street from the JHR house.
















A better lit photo of the JHR office. We met here in the mornings before venturing around the city and getting a feel for Accra.














This shot was taken at a restaurant near the ocean. We were having lunch during our week of training. If you could feel how happy I was to be near the ocean, as it has been five years since the last time. I am in the far right looking at the waves. That is what I spent most of lunch doing...I also had some fufu with dry fish and salt beef.

WINNING LIFE CHAPEL where "we are more than conquerers"...

My first Sunday in Ghana, and I woke up with the desire to be in church. I woke up, got dressed, and asked Razak where I should go. Being that he can be found in a mosque praying, rahter than a church praising, he recommended the Pastor that he knows from Radio Justice, who does a message on the radio Sunday mornings.

The idea was a good one. I enjoyed the praise and worship, though most of it was in Dagbani. In my mind, it was kind of remarkable for me to be there. After service, I stayed and went with a group of the congregation to visit some the prison and to bring prayers and supplies...that was quite a surprise. I actually was not legally allowed in there, but I was inside, and all I could think of is how much God is showing me that he would bring me there...(I also thought that it was interesting that they are celebrating the fifth anniversary of the churhc only a couple of weeks before the first time that I ever visited Africa (August 2001 - Dakar, Senegal).

While the Pastor was praying for the prisoners who were represented by the leaders of the various crews in the jail, I noticed that they were really moved by the spirit. They wanted to come to them with a message saying that, 'you are still a part of the community, we have not forgotten you, we still love you and are praying that all things turn to good in your lives'.

I also noticed a sign that had a few stats:

Prisoners - 300
Females - 10
Condemned to Death - 1


















This one is the youth choir.
















This is the church musicians.

















This is Winning Life Chapel outside of the prison.

















These are some of the supplies that the church brought over there.















In front of the bars are the prisoner leaders, the left side is the church members (it's hard to see where one group begins and the other ends)

















This here is the Pastor giving a melon to the head guard of the jail, who was accepting it on behalf of the prisoners.

I am here.

There are sooo many stories and pictures, which I will be posting, but here is my first update.

I arrived in Accra on Monday night and it was similar to the feeling I had in Cuba and in Senegal. The sight of palm trees, roads and homes at night are similar, though distinct, images in my memory.

That night we went down the street to a place called Duncan's bar which sits below the JHR office. We bought some water and some Guiness. It was nice to just chill on the street and see things as we got settled in.

When we got to the house, we saw that it was spacious and without running water. My bathing has been with a bucket of water and my washcloth. It's cool though. Rest has been good, though early mornings and late nights has me napping in the afternoon.

On the first morning, I woke up with it being hard to believe that I am here. I still have that feeling, though it is not as dramatic.

Over the past few days I have been going around with the JHR group, a bit by myself and with family of friends from Canada and seeing the city. It has been extreme in that I have been in ghettos and I have been in a mansion. I have been on foot and eating traditional foods and I have been in a BMW M5 and in clubs where they were pouring Alazay and Hennessey like it was fruit juice. Just to let everyone know, I wasn't drinking it or getting caught up, jsut because it was there.

One of the nights, I was rolling with my friend's cousin who is a music producer and a budding land developer. There was an entourage of about 12 people with him (mostly from the US and along with his brother and his cousin) and they decided to go to a strip club. I was with them, but I did not go inside. They urged me, saying that there was a VIP room without strippers, but I insisted that I did not mind chilling outside; that was a decision that ended up being very interesting. The owner of the club (who is also a pimp) came up to me (as did the bouncer and a few other people) to ask "why don't you want to come inside of my establishment / the strip club?". I explained that it is the principles that I have, and that I can feel God's guidance in my heart showing me not to go in there. I spoke of God's grace in my life and His protection, and that I know better. They actually all understood and respected that. I felt God speaking to their hearts too.

Since I have been here, people have been really good to me, taking me to dinner and looking out for me. A lot of people look at me as 'Abruni' (meaning white man / they call foreigners that). I have thought about this a lot, but I will get into it later. Even people that I am developing friendships with call me 'Abruni'.

Yesterday, I flew from Accra to Tamale...that has been the largest difference. Tamale in the city looks like Accra with less cars and more motorbikes and scooters. But off of the main road, it is country. I am looking for my own place and I am staying with the station manager of the radio station that I will be working at. He lives in a compund that has his whole family there. They each have there own room. There are goats and chickens walking around. There are very few lights, and the people don't speak too much English. It is the first time that I have felt, kind of, by myself. All of the JHR group is now spread out. The other person from JHR in Tamale does not have a cell yet, and she didn't call me (I actually gave her the wrong number).

I am being taken care of by the station staff, but I just met them yesterday. We communicate, but sometimes I don't understand, and vice-versa. I feel God's peace though, and I am growing.

I am learning some Dagbani(don't mind the spelling):

Desba is good morning
Entre is good afternoon
Ana-Woola is good night

to all three you reply

Naaaaa

when they ask how I am i reply

gwobeana

In Twe, a language in the south, I was taught two sayings:

Aka-mi-so (i love you)

and

baoaboa (i want you to have my baby)

Note: I learned those because I heard a song I liked and I asked what they were saying, I do not plan to use those phrases...funny, that those were my first words in Tri.

Today, I will look for a place once the car that broke down yesterday is fixed.

Until then...

Going-Away BBQ

Here are some photos from my 'Going-Away BBQ'.

I want to say thank you to EVERYONE that came, EVERYONE that brought something, and EVERYONE who was unable to make it. The day was a blessed one, as it was the first Saturday of the season without heavy rain. It touched my heart to see so many people who were both happy for me and sad to see me go. I feel the same way; I am happy to be fufilling what I feel deeply as a step of purpose and growth, and it is hard because the people I know in Toronto are what keeps me there.

One little note of interest that I will expand on later is that I still didn't know how I was going to cover the cost of the plane ticket that day, but God is good and I know it was his will: 'Trust in the Lord thy God with thine whole heart' - I'm learning how!

P.S. IF YOU HAVE ANY BBQ PHOTOS, SEND THEM AND I CAN ADD THEM!




















Above: The Samuels here with Ayesha back from JA. I am a Penrose, but I also feel like a Samuels.














Roxine and Jenai (that might not be the spelling) chill on the deck.

















Left to right: Frankie gettin shown some love by Denice and Jenice (who, by the way, talks too much when it comes to dominoes). Note: Can you see Fatimah in the see behind the game having the time of her life?



















Roxine and Jenai in the hammock. I won't call all the names of those who busted the hammock later that night, I'll just call two of the four...Natalie and Crystal. Don't worry, we fixed it.



















Lincoln and Leshauna running the table. If you are one of those who got suckkered by Shauna, you know not to believe the cute face...she's a hustla!!!



















Above, Auntie Gloria and Auntie Janet hold down the back of the yard. I was happy to have plates of food for them, as much times as they have served me dinner!!!!

w.



















JoJo and I chillin in the backyard near the end of a beautiful day.

















My mom is showing Leshauna, Nigel, Wendy-Ann, Ozi and Judith who to play croquet. If you look at the top half of the picture only, it looks like they are bowing their heads in prayer.

















Headley, Dale and Stel in the kitchen (part of the reason that ALL of the food was gone by the end of the night)

















Shauna, Sharifa and Wendy-Ann (some GOOD people)
















Judith nearly asleep in the hammock.
















Once again, the Samuels enjoying the afternoon.

Hijab – By Christopher Penrose

I realized that you are beautiful by your voice.
It is the sound of the love of life,
a pitch still free from the hardness of hurt.









You spoke with a certainty in the strength of your intelligence.
You sounded nine years old and forty-nine years old and one-hundred and nine years old
…most likely, nineteen years old.

Your palms are a white, sandy cream.
They are imprinted with clearly set lines of brown, exactly where they should be.
The brown lines on your palms look like ink that flowed from your arms and settled neatly in the grooves.

Your fingers:
slim, not chubby
rounded, not boney
long, not lanky.
My eyes can tell that your skin is soft, worth the long process for the permission to touch, and to be touched by…

I will not attempt to explain your eyes.
I will only tell you that they revealed an image, a painting of your life;
your life as a daughter,
your aptitude as a scholar,
your drive to achieve and to change the world with a contribution,
proving every doubt wrong – whether in the form of a thought, a scornful gaze or a spoken word –
your life confirming, and surpassing, what was seen by the few who perceived what you fight to manifest, before you had the chance birth it.

I saw you sleeping and dreaming, then awake and laughing.
I saw you cooking with the love of family wrapped around you.
I saw the blossom of your passion.

Only your eyes could be seen behind the veil over your face.
Only your hands could be seen through the cloth that draped your body.
I heard your voice as you spoke to another, and it was enough.

Something that I pray will be a blessing to you. While in worship a couple of weeks ago, God revealed something very clear to me.

In my mind and in my life there was a sense of frustration and conflict; I know that God has made me for greatness, and that the potential that He has endowed me with is incredible (Glory to Him), but I was not seeing it manifested.

So many ideas, not enough actions. So many possibilities, not enough of it made reality. I am certain of the unlimited potential that is a gift from God to me, yet why does my life look like less than that? How long will it be a promise and a hope, how long will it be a dream?

I feel where I can be, I know where I should be, I see where I will be, but I rack my brain trying to understand, see, reason, and comprehend how I will get from here to there.

In not so many words, that was my state of being. As an answer to that God gave me the next steps that I needed to take. He didn’t say ‘here is the career’, ‘here is the cheque’, ‘here is the miracle’. What God revealed to me are the steps and principles that follow.

God has placed all that I need within me. It is a seed that He, and He alone, can cause to blossom. Fulfilling the word, that “a man’s gift makes room for him”, this seed will blossom fruit. The increase is from God.

The soil of the heart that is in salvation, that loves God, and that Christ has taken as a throne is fertile ground. Mentalities and habits, behaviours and neglect can be like stones on that ground, or weeds in that garden that block and choke the birth of destiny manifested.

What God has shown me are some things that clear the ground and make way for the purpose inside of us to burst forth and to be established “like a tree planted by the water”.


BE PREPARED FOR THE NEXT DAY
- arrange and set out the things you will need (e.g. press shirt, make lunch / breakfast)
- make a map of the day that charts what needs to be done
- meet the day with a plan, while remaining flexible

BE RESTED
- give your body the chance to do it’s job of unwinding, healing, and rejuvenating
- your mind needs to work out everything going on with you while you rest
- in order to accomplish this goal, you must guard your rest

BE ON TIME
- through planning and preparation you can achieve this
- running late can turn a beautiful day into one tainted by stress
- the excellence of arriving early also gives you the chance to mediate and to focus

WALK IN GOD’S GLORY
- God is the King of Kings
- He has given unto you kingship / made you royalty
- Know this at all times walking in His glory is the manifestation of these truths

DO ALL THINGS UNTO GOD
- God sees everything that you do
- God is everywhere you go
- Every moment is an opportunity to develop His principles through practice

USE YOUR TIME FOR YOUR PRIORITIES
- Stay aware of what your priorities are and what they need to be (e.g. knowing the word, prayer, exercise, eating healthy, working the vision He has given you, keeping important commitments, etc)
- when doing anything ask, ‘is this my priority right now’
- most distractions are things that you want to do, but you don’t have time to do everything


This is easier said than done, but better done that said…remember, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”, to God be the glory.