Joel Kwesi Baidoo

On this day in 1930, the famous African writer, Chinua Achebe, was born in the Igbo village of Ogidi, Nigeria. He first attended the Church Missionary Society's school where the language of instruction was Igbo. Achebe was only introduced to the English language at the age of eight. Despite his relatively late introduction to the language, he rose to later become a professor of English. In fact, many people believe that his background in Igbo and late introduction to English made him develop a very strong Igbo cultural pride. Guess what! In 1958, Achebe's first novel, Things Fall Apart, which centred on the Igbo community and culture, became a worldwide success. Later on, Achebe published two other novels, which alongside Things Fall Apart, became what was known as the African Trilogy. Achebe rose into fame. He taught in both Nigerian and American universities as a professor of English and literature until his demise at the age of 82. Here is where the message lies: instead of

"But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another." (Psalms 75:7) Of a truth, God rules in the affairs of men; He is able to exalt one and abase another. The eyes of the Lord scan through the earth to identify those who qualify for promotion. What kind of virtues attract this divine promotion? One such virtue is humility. ...All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5) Humility is all about having the right opinion of oneself; neither arrogant nor looking down on oneself. It involves obedience and submission to both divine and human authority. It resists the temptation of being preoccupied with a sense of one's own status and position to the despisement of others. In humility, we look beyond ourselves to value the worth and interests of others. We realize that life is not just about us, but other people matter. The best demonstration of humility we see

  "Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well." (3 John 1:2) Today's broadcast is dedicated to our health. It's often said that health is wealth. Indeed, our health is highly connected to our wealth because without the former, we can hardly work for or enjoy the latter. Today happens to be World Diabetes Day. According to WHO, Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation. It's important, therefore, to take the necessary steps to avoid this adverse health condition.  The following are some generally recommended tips for avoiding diabetes: Minimize the intake of refined sugar Consume more foods with fibre Engage in regular physical activities  Maintain a healthy body weight Avoid tobacco Avoid alcohol Reduce consumption of red and processed meat. Eat more fruits and vegetables  Avoid too much salt Avoid too much fats These lif

  "I thank my God every time I remember you." (‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:3) A memory is a record of an event stored for future use. The way you live your life and how you relate with people leaves a memory of yourself in their minds. What kind of memory are you leaving in the minds of people about you? Paul wrote the letter to the Christians in Philippi whilst he was in prison in Rome. The Philippians organized support for him which they delivered through Epaphroditus. Among other things, Paul wrote to express his gratitude to the church. Obviously, the church had been of great help to him. So, he starts his letter with this note:  "I thank my God every time I remember you." (‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:3) What a sobering address! What a depth of gratitude! There are some people whose impact in your life you can hardly forget. For such people, you always thank God when you remember them. It's a memory of praise forever imprinted; indelible.  If you also live your life in the bett

"Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:20‬) Always giving thanks may sound preposterous to the modern person as our hearts are constantly intoxicated with a desire for more. However, being always grateful for what you already are and have is the best credo of life. An attitude of gratitude is indeed the altitude of all attitudes. We admit that human wants are insatiable, but, just as someone once said, “Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” This makes a profound difference! The grateful person who has less will live a satisfied life, whereas an ungrateful person who has more will languish in dissatisfaction.  Someone made an interesting observation that your present situation may be someone else's prayer request. What is better than enjoying what we do have instead of fretting over what is yet to be? Being grateful saves us from greed, envy, and cheating. Our hearts are protected from evil desir

"I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you." (Colossians 4:18) It was around AD 60-61 while Paul was still serving his first prison sentence in Rome. Based on reports of false teachings about the deity of Christ being propagated in Colosse, Paul wrote to encourage the church and to strengthen them in their fundamental doctrine. Paul then ends the letter on a rather emotional note asking the church to remember his chains. Paul was obviously referring to his imprisonment in Rome. He was under restriction and most likely austere living conditions. He definitely needed prayer and, possibly, other material support. When we think about this deeply, it must remind us of the importance of fellowship and brotherly support. Paul, a great man of God, was in prison and needed to be remembered by the church. The church indeed had something to offer, both spiritually and physically, to make life easier and the burden lighter for the Apostle in chain