Author Archive
Go past a dream
Your dream is the mental blueprint of a goal; aspiration laid out in a drawing board. It is the
conscious road en route a destination still in design format. Your dream is your vision; what
you aim to be or accomplish within a set or undefined time frame. A dream in this context,
vary from thoughts, images, emotions, or revelations that play out in the mind while you sleep.
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A grain of rice fresh from the field is raw until it is cooked; and there’s no gainsaying that an
inedible meal is of no value to the hungry. We eat to douse the pang of hunger, and above
all provide the body with the needed fuel for sustenance. In the same vein, we can liken an
unprocessed dream to an objective or idea in raw form. Until it is activated into fruition, it stays
as a mere imagination deep in slumber. A dormant desire miserably consigned in the recesses
of the mind.
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Translating your dream into reality require that you set out on the right foundation. Primarily,
your goal must be such as would glorify God and bless humanity. It should rest on a solid
rock and in consonance with His will and purpose for you. Revolve your aspirations around
God; for unless he builds the house, the builders labour in vain – Psalm 127:1. Accordingly,
dreams need His stamp of authority to actualize; a power that your weaknesses and the vagaries
of life submit to. Therefore, place your demand on God; for whatever you ask according to His
will you will have – 1 John 5:14. It may also please you to know that the blessing from the Lord
is sorrow-free; for He adds no trouble  to it – Proverbs 10:22.Â
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The end of a matter is said to be better than the beginning; yes! But to have an outcome, there
has to be a commencement. A vessel at the port of departure cannot be said to have set sail;
or its cargo delivered until it docks at the port of discharge. To be airborne you must commit
to boarding before lift-off; only that which is on board will arrive. Get your dream off the
starting block; put some teeth to it, and work out the manifestation of your vision. Break the
circle of procrastination and stagnation; shift from talking a dream to executing the dream
because “…faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead†– James 2:17.
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Go past a dream; however, be mindful that working it out is not always smooth sailing.
The voyage could encounter rough weather and storms; run aground or hit an iceberg, among
other hiccup. Challenges will rear their heads, delays and the boredom of waiting, and even
the temptation to change the course of your journey just before the end. Times such as these
require the strength of will and conviction to see your dream through. Do not be feeble kneed,
eschew fear, remain focused and courageous, but “…have no confidence in your flesh†–
Philippians 3:3, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being
trapped – Proverbs 3:26.
                                                                                           Victor & Jolomi Awani (01-01-2011)
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Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Victor Awani
[Translate]Clean up the slate
Tomorrow shall come; the aftermath of the past
Yesterday was present in all that has breath today
It came with all it had; a box of gifts or a cache of grief
Some packages came suitably as soothing cushion or balm
Others were hurled as bricks; tearing down everything on its path.
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When goodness took up residence, we felt shielded like warmth in wintery weather
We laughed at the tickle; the profound joy that it brought
Celebrated the successes; endeavours wearing the crown of victory
We cheered and clinked glasses to continuity; an endless stream of happiness
We danced to the beat of triumph, in hard and freestyle fashion.
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When pain thrived, it wreaked hopes and goals
We bled of tears; saddened by the disappointment that rubbed in
Expectations were torn apart, lost in the tsunami of failure
Emptiness overwhelmed the atmosphere; a vacuum like utter silence reigned
In disbelieve we mourned our fate, the seeming end of a dream.
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Yesterday is past and today is here; the triangle of life is pending until tomorrow is born
Waiting in the wings; the arrival of a new day, a fresh hope, another chance
Like yesterday and today, tomorrow shall bring forth another package
Either the chances to laugh, cheer and dance, or suck in the bricks of pain and tears
Beside God, tomorrow is unclear; hidden in the womb of the unknown
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Do not contaminate tomorrow with the filth of yesterday
To pour new wine into old wineskins is a warm-over of the old order; “…the
skins will burst, the wine will spill and the wineskins will be ruined†(Matthew 9:17) Â
Today is a time to wipe the slate of old; the period of new beginning
An opportunity to retry or start afresh; to take a better shot at your dream
It is a time to refrain, amend, correct; straighten the crooked path
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Cash in on today; the negotiating chip between the past and future
Seek the ever-present help (Psalm 46:1); access your destination via a novel route
Jettison the ways of yesterday; ask for a new song, place your trust in God
Try a potent partner; He that offers you the strength to do ALL things (Philippians 4:13)
Clean up the slate; wipe off the dirt and start anew.
                                                                               Victor & Jolomi Awani (01-01-2011)
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Victor Awani
[Translate]Giving to receive
Still suckling, I swopped intermittently between crawling and walking
Stood on my little thin legs; quivering as I moved
A forlorn hope I thought, sustaining the quest for mobility;
until my tiny hands reached out in support to another’s tiny hand,
And together, leaning side by side we staggered along;
finding strength to go the distance.
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Enrolled into what was called school; to give dad and mom a break
With crayon I scribbled everything, yet nothing made sense
Sharing my colours with Emmanuel – my classmate; call him playmate
I returned to school next day; my crayon somewhere under the sofa at home
Yet I made the day’s mess painting with crayon
Filling the gap was Emmanuel; because he shared his crayon with me.
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Aged ten and spending quality time for God,
I travelled within the community with Reverend Father Donning – an Irish priest;
as an ‘altar boy’, serving at 5.30am celebration of the Eucharist mass.
The fear of God was ingrained; it found an early root in the recesses of the heart
Although the emerging stem was shaken and beaten by the turbulent wind of the world;
cut down severally by the double edged blade of vices, the root lived on as I sojourned.
Today’s tree is the consequence of an undying root
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Simple as it seemed, the lifespan of a crayon diminish each time it is used
For a ten year old, Eucharistic mass at 5.30am meant the loss of sleep
To give or share is sacrificial; it entails parting with something – tangible or intangible
Giving without a premeditated reward, brings a related benefit down the road
Often unforeseen, it is the catalyst for finding help in your time of need
It presents as a seed waiting for harvest; an assurance policy that matures in due time
The giver receives because God remembers and responds.
                                                                                             Victor Sisan Awani (01-01-2011)
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Victor Awani
[Translate]‘Christ’ and his ‘Mas’ (2)
As outlaws and stiff-necked we travelled, leaving behind a trail of misdeeds
Head and mind clouded and bereft of knowledge; the greatest noise we made
Misconduct enjoyed a good presence, creating casualties everywhere
Wickedness and mischief brazen and bold, wrapped with ribbons were spread
Obstinacy and pride struggled for dominance; hardened hearts dug into trenches
And traffic was heightened down the wrong road.
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Blindfolded by self we trudged along
Hauling with affliction our luggage of unrighteousness
Wobbled as we went with tired legs weakened without end
Leaning forward, saddled with burden felt but unseen
Mouth agape, everything was said yet no one heard us
Shoulders dropped with pain; and arms went up in surrender.
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Wallowing in heat; a collective cry echoed for intervention
The Almighty angered by an unruly people, pondered in his mercy seat
Shifting ground to behold his creation with compassion; opting to ‘give’
He relinquished all he had; gave the ‘only one’ for the sake of humanity
Settled the ransom to enthrone eternity; a life that run through time
A peaceful continuity after earth’s turbulent sojourn.
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Christ was born to pay the price; burden of an unrighteous humanity to bear
Flawless and without transgression, yet made blameworthy
Stood in the gap; despised, docked and persecuted for our sin
The wreath of thorns; the reddened marks from whips
Nails pierced through the tissue of love; the yoke of the cross
Wounded, bruised and chastised; atonement for our wrong.
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Victory over sin and death; with his stripes came healing
Reconciled back to our maker; fresh and new again
Guilt as scarlet washed away; like snow the white is felt
The iron grip of iniquity broken; freedom return home
Hope was reborn; eternity is within eyesight
Salvation bought with a price we celebrate.
                                                                    Victor & Jolomi Awani (29-12-2010) Â
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Victor Awani
[Translate]‘Christ’ and his ‘Mas’ (1)
CHRISTMASÂ Â is neither a time nor season;
it’s about hope reborn.
A lifeline from God;
to help us regain our childlike innocence,
through fellowship with His son Jesus Christ.
As we celebrate this glorious intervention,
we wish you peace and joy in the spirit of –
‘CHRIST’ and his ‘MAS’ (mission for atonement and salvation). Â
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From all of us at Life Seeds,
                   Victor & Jolomi AwaniÂ
[Translate]In want of Knowledge
The world beseech for knowledge; not vain values enforced by parents on their
brood, or knowledge as handed down by professors, sledgehammer wielding
bankers, the blurred pens of journalists, and the dicey lips of politicians.
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The world hanker after knowledge; not as strained through our ears by the
boom of guns, debauchery disguised by television, deception disseminated
by enchanters and sorcerers, or knowledge as foretold by the positioning of
the moon and stars.
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The world yearn for knowledge; not the conflicting theories on climate
change shared by scientists, the erratic and flawed outcomes from scans
and crystal balls, greed decorated by profit mongers, or solution
defying data from straw-grasping economic scholars and bailout apologists.
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The world desire knowledge; not the semblance of unity in the disunited
comity of nations, or knowledge conceived, shredded and stitched together
by policymakers, or as read and misread by toupee wearers and their
forerbears – the courts.
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The world sulk for knowledge; all-inclusive and greater kind of knowledge,
the absence of which portent turmoil. Knowledge supreme to the judgment
and limitation of man, rooted in unfailing love, truth, shared and
common existence.
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The world need knowledge; that transcend the pettiness of pigment,
tribe and tongue, that which will have you do to your neighbour as you
would want him do to you. The knowledge that bond and unify people, devoid
of selfishness, hate, bitterness, strive, the wanton threat of harm, and
undeserved death itself.
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The world is in want of God; the knowledge that can save, deliver and
reconcile. Heavenly knowledge that guarantee eternal life; not as defined by
man, but by Him who is over and above all His creation. The awareness of
peace in the midst of storm, sufficiency albeit the dinner table lay
bare, assured victory that flows from the stream of faith.  A knowledge
that commence with the functional fear of God; that which facilitate an experience
of the Father through His Son – Jesus Christ.
                                                                – Victor & Jolomi Awani (16-11-2010)
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010 Victor Awani
[Translate]A miracle on hold
You are a miracle; yes a miracle on hold. Acknowledge yourself and appreciate how blessed you
 are; speak and live your true value. Hurting as the world may seem, you are the hope of
someone. Bleak as it all appears, you hold the key to unchain another’s destiny. Look ahead
 of you; wandering down the road is someone waiting to be blessed, to be blessed by you.
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A candle dimmed by the dark cloud of life; yet light to the tunnel of the neighbour next door.
 Look over your shoulder, take a demanding and realistic look, x-ray the four ends of the
 earth and give a dispassionate glance at the mirror; staring at you is a revelation waiting to be
discovered. Look the other way, lurking around not too distant is someone waiting to be
blessed; to be blessed by you.
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  Loneliness reign and hover above, and emptiness like a rolling stone thunders down, a loved
 one gone forever; blown afar by the irreplaceable loss that is the end. Anguish and misery
 pervades the air; the atmosphere overwhelmed with helplessness, yet hopeful in a continent
 not long away is a thirsty mouth yearning to drink from your well of fresh water. Take a
 close look, standing assuredly is someone waiting to be blessed; to be blessed by you.
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  A cherished union gone sour; the Judge’s gavel slam on the desk of divorce, and the pang of
 separation slice through the heart. Endless beads of salty water pour from the fountain of
 sight; the hurt no one can fathom. Turn the other way for in the vicinity is someone that
 holds you as favoured, saved from a vow that should never had been; someone waiting to be
 blessed, to be blessed by you.
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  Distinct and wonderfully made, potentials untapped scramble for space within. Embrace
 the fullness of yourself; celebrate the gift that you carry. Challenges thrive daily and the
 rocks from the sling fly across the board; from the exalted throne at Vatican to Bill of the
 Gates clan, living spreads a fair share of bruises. Trip to the sick room or walk the breezy
 terrain of a cemetery; a leveller is none other than life. Look behind you, hopeful is someone
 waiting to be blessed; to be blessed by you.
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 You are a miracle; yes a miracle on hold. Endowed with loads of blessings priceless and
 beneficial to many; prospects either unknown or underutilised lay ravaged in a field
 unexplored. Spread your gift, the little in your hand share. Successes or travails, touch and
 change a life with your story. Your morsel is a chunk to another; a penny from your
 pound is a lifeline to a human being somewhere. Unlock your blessings; be a vessel of joy to
 the heavy laden and poor. Like an orphan supporting a Orphanage, emphasise your God
 given value and overcome the limitation of challenges. Liberate yourself from yourself;
 refuse to be made worthless by your thoughts and fears. Look everywhere, there’s someone
 waiting to be blessed; to be blessed by you.
                                                       - Victor & Jolomi Awani (16-11-2010)
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010 Victor Awani
[Translate]In solidarity with Shepherds’ and Flocks’
From the human and narrow perspective, the challenges faced in your
daily walk with Christ could be off-putting to say the least. But believe it or
not, it’s all part of the divine pathway to the realization of God’s purpose for
you. Whilst your focus is heaven, your workplace is here on earth; laden
with wickedness, unimaginable treachery and imperfections.
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As people of God, there are realities or challenges relevant to the
‘workplace’, the ‘harvest-place’ if you like, that God allows so we can
experience ‘the world’  firsthand; and not through the pages of books or the
deceitful and misleading misrepresentations associated with man. As is
commonplace with all mortal beings, you are also susceptible to mistakes or
wrong judgments; whether innocent or otherwise, that you must learn from.
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As the Lord order your steps, He may lead you in a circle but He will not
lead you off beam. The Bible is replete with men of God who faced untold
challenges in the course of discharging their assignment. Great favour
attracts great challenges; but the ultimate victory is not in starting or
running the race, but in breasting the tape at the finish line. To the
foolishness of the wicked, these challenges are divinely allowed for a blessed
and triumphant outcome. Embarking on the ‘great commission’ is not a
bread and butter endeavour; and the Lord will always tutelage and prepare
His people for the onerous task ahead.
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It is instructive that Hosea at the prompting of God took for wife, Gomer – a
woman of easy virtue. Arguably, he may not have elected to walk that path
by his own leading. The travails of David even in the hands of King Saul to
whom he was subservient speak volume. But it was a painful but necessary
pill preparatory to becoming a great king and one dear to the heart of God.
Let us not be unmindful of the persecution of the Church and early
Christians as the Bible accounts in Acts 8. It was an agonizing means to a
glorious end. The resultant rapid spread of the word of God was its direct
consequence; a fallout that depicted a glorious dawn after a bitter spell of
darkness.   Â
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Assignments are determined by God and discovered by us. Our prayer is
that the good Lord should lead His people through this faint path of
discovery. We are confident that the challenges you presently contend with
are not walls but doors to your next season. However, whether as shepherd
or flock be mindful that there are locations and people that you are
completely unnecessary to. Whilst in the waterway, refrain from swimming
upstream; stay in the flow of God. The battle is the Lord’s and victory is as
certain as day and night.
                                                        - Victor & Jolomi Awani (30/09/2010)
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010 Victor Awani
[Translate]Outstretch your hand
A folded hand;Â hands closed and tucked away
Bereft of empathy, devoid of moral concern
Contempt for the needy, a scorn at their toil and groan
Conceals life, a dreadful denial of bread and sustenance.
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Help deprived, expectation blown into oblivion
Ocean buried beneath ground; not one drop to wet the lip
Happiness withheld; indifference to the pangs of hunger
Scorched bowels squeal for attention; the absence of a meal.
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Outstretch your hand; break the yoke, restore a lifeÂ
Release the lock; salvage a neighbour drowning in the sea of lack
Key into a pain and wipe the tear; give a portion and munch the rest
By His grace you received, freely give just as you were given.
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Outstretch your hand; unfold it, lighten a burdenÂ
Hold back nothing; give a hand with gladness
Be a conduit for survival; waste no chance at conferring hope
AÂ giver receives more (Acts 20:35); a gift opens the way
Bless the poor, you will lack nothing; the reward spans eternity
Outstretch your hand; give life a sense.
                    –  In His Grip,
                      Victor Sisan Awani (29/09/2010)
  Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010 Victor Awani
[Translate]Threading the opposite path
You were made in the image and likeness of God, ordained to reign in the earth as king-priest (Rev. 5:10),
yet it is possible to miss yourself; walking as though sightless, at variance with who you are.
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You miss yourself: when you walk away from your kingship,
oblivious of what you are; lost on who you were made to be.
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Living at cross purpose with His intent; in contradiction with divine will,
heading north to a slum, when a palace lay waste down south;
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Flying the banner of the world,Â
a proud holder of season ticket; running commentary on the round leather over a chilled pint,
the ‘Word of Life’ consigned to desolation in a bookshelf.
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Ferociously tight – lipped with mind foreclosed to the ‘Living Truth’,
paying allegiance to no one but self; defining your relevance by vain titles and status garnered,
life’s success miserably measured by rectangular papers stacked in vaults and printed statements.
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Self takes centre stage, and your sense of ‘a neighbour’ narrowed to family relatives,
when your vision captures only your shadow.
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You miss yourself, when your values and practices are at odds with the will and purpose of God for you,
when like an undiscerning sheep you stray from the shepherd; threading the opposite path.
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                                                                                                                     – Victor Sisan Awani (07/09/2010)
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Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010 Victor Awani
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