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Food for Living: The Power of Faith
By Henry Ukazu
Greetings Destiny Friends,
“Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, Faith looks up” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Every journey of life undertaken without faith will surely end in frustration; nothing is guaranteed and there’s nothing worthwhile that can ever be achieved without faith. The reason is obvious; no one sees the end place before they begin a project. For instance, in business, one can never tell how far they can go if they do not begin; it is faith that makes a student believe a 4.0 or 5.O GPA on graduation is possible. It’s with faith an employee believes he will get to the managerial or topmost position in his field of endeavour.
Faith, ordinarily, is the capital to begin any enterprise, endeavour or life’s journey.
Let me make this disclosure, I’m nor referring to the spiritual kind of ‘faith’ in this article, rather I’m referring to the inspirational faith which progressive minds use to achieve the extraordinary.
It’s instructive to note that faith is a powerful force that can transform our lives and help us overcome obstacles. If you have a project or vision in mind you would like to accomplish, if you don’t have extraordinary faith, it will be hard to achieve your dreams.
Great and visionary leaders had absolute faith and believe in themselves and their projects. They were not deterred by the vicissitudes of life. As a matter of fact, they were inspired by their challenges because it enabled them to work hard.
According to NapoleonHill, in his book, Think and Grow Rich, “whatsoever the mind can conceive, believe, it can achieve it”. This tells you how powerful the mind is. It should be noted, success and failure start from the mind. If you believe you can do something, you will do it and if you believe you can’t do anything, trust me, you can’t do it. Even the Book of life states 1 John 4:4 that “…greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world”.
What is faith? Faith is the confident belief in something that is not yet seen or fully understood. As mentioned earlier, without faith, it’s impossible to achieve any commendable feat. Uninformed minds think faith is having everything ready before they begin a project. They have this mindset, if all the t’s are crossed, and i’s are dotted, what’s left is do the necessary. They fail to understand that done is better than perfect when perfect is not done. Sometimes in life, you don’t wait for the coast to be clear before you can soar.
Just imagine the ship thriving despite waves in the ocean and the plane flying the wind in the air. That’s simply how life works. We don’t give up due to the challenges of life. Sometimes, it’s through the challenges we are fashioned. It’s just like the gold and petroleum which must be processed before they become refined products. So also, we must pass through some challenges in order to be processed, refined and appreciated.
Furthermore, when one has faith and believes in a project, the universe has a way of bringing interested minds, who are either passionate about the project or cause to support the being.
One may be wondering how faith works, imagine being hungry as a student, one will not feel the hunger too much if one knows he has food in his refrigerator. Now compare that scenario to when there’s no food. My late mother will always say, the most painful part of being poor is, if one does not have money and doesn’t know anyone to borrow from. Trust me, it can be heartbreaking.
The importance of faith cannot be overemphasized, faith gives us hope, it strengthens us, it brings blessings, and it inspires hope and confidence.
The power of faith can enrich one’s life in many ways. Here are some of the ways faith improves our work and life.
1. Faith Improves Your Daily Work
When you love what you do, you will be inspired to spend some time developing your project. Faith impacts what you do, how you do it and how you live your life. With faith, you will be intentional. Faith keeps you going. If you want to do any task, you need to have faith that you will accomplish it. If you have faith, you feel motivated to get things done because the faith will serve as a propeller.
2. Faith Helps You in Difficult Times
There is a popular phrase, “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” If you have faith, you will have hope, and hope will help you endure difficult times and uncertainties in life. Times can be bad, and you may find yourself drowning in despair. But never lose hope. Even when you lose your job, suffer the pain of losing a beloved, don’t have enough money, or face any other challenge, having faith means to release control to a greater power, the universe or God.
3. Faith Encourages Others
Do you know your faith can inspire and encourage others? Have you wondered how creative-minded people come up with new ideas or directions to take after failing multiple times? They have faith that they can achieve their goal. No matter what comes their way, they remain focused and motivated, even after facing backlash from people. Their example can encourage others to follow the same path. You too can be the same way by having faith. People around you will learn from you. They will follow your lead. When you have absolute faith and believe in a project, people will notice.
4. Faith Gives You Courage
Courage helps you do the things that scare you. It plays a significant role in motivating you to act on something despite the risks or dangers involved. If you have courage, you show more strength in times of pain or grief. Courage comes directly from faith. For instance, you gather the courage to go on a job interview. You think you won’t get the job, but there is always a chance you will. You have faith in yourself and your abilities and take a bold step in going after the job, which can lead you to success.
5. Faith Helps you Discover Purpose
The ups and downs of life can take a toll on you. In some cases, it leads you to question why you’re here. But when you do, faith can save you from falling. It guides you to move in the right direction and helps you discover your purpose in life.
In conclusion, we all travel by air and trust the pilot to take us to our destination safely, we all use the sea and trust the captains to arrive safely, we all have faith that when we turn on the light, it will lighten up, why can’t we trust the creator we have not seen? When you trust the creator, believe in your project and believe in yourself, trust me, you will not only get to the promised land, but you will also exceed expectations. According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, “All I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have not seen.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer and author of Design Your Destiny and Unleash Your Destiny. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
Glo subscribers who use Palmpay app to recharge their lines are in for an exciting time as winners have begun to emerge in the ongoing second edition of the “Recharge and Win Bonanza”, a collaborative promo between Palmpay and Globacom.
The promotion rewards Glo users who recharge their lines via the Palmpay app with a chance to win premium prizes, including the iPhone 15 Pro, Infinix Hot 40, and several other exciting giveaways. According to a joint statement from both companies, the initiative is designed to encourage seamless digital recharges while rewarding customer loyalty in the process.
So far, winners have been announced from the latest draws, with several participants winning brand new Infinix Hot 40 smartphones and other prizes. Among the lucky winners are Basirat Mayowa Opatunji from Osogbo, Osun State, Wisdom Anayo Uzoma, Afeez Akanfe Muraina, and Oyedikachi Herbert.
To ensure convenience, winners outside Lagos will have their prizes dispatched to the nearest Palmpay office for pickup.
Participation in the promo is open until August 8, 2025, and is as simple as recharging a Glo line with ₦500 or more via the Palmpay app. Each qualifying transaction automatically enters the subscriber into a draw for a chance to win. In addition, a daily social media challenge offers more opportunities to win cash prizes.
Palmpay users also enjoy up to 6 percent cashback on Glo airtime and data purchases during the promo. Even better, customers who haven’t activated a Glo data plan in the last 90 days are eligible for a 100% bonus on their recharge.
One of the winners, Basirat Mayowa Opatunji, couldn’t hide her excitement after winning an Infinix Hot 40 smartphone. “I’ve always recharged my Glo line through the Palmpay app, but I never imagined I’d actually win a phone,” she said. Currently studying at Ekiti State University through the Osun State College of Education, Ila Orangun study centre, Basirat added that she would be picking up her prize in Osogbo.
To participate in the ongoing bonanza, Glo subscribers can simply visit: http://bit.ly/PalmPaySms
The Federal government has responded to the United States’ recent visa rules that reduce how long Nigerian visitors can stay in the United States and limit them to one entry per visa by calling on Washington to reconsider its new visa policy.
The U.S. Department of State had recently updated its non-immigrant visa policy for several countries, including Nigeria, on Tuesday.
Under the new rule, most non-diplomatic and non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerian citizens will now be valid for only three months and allow just a single entry into the United States.
The changes took effect immediately.In a notice published on its website, the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria state: “Those U.S. non-immigrant visas issued prior to July 8, 2025, will retain their status and validity. We wish to underscore, that as is standard globally, visa reciprocity is a continuous process and is subject to review and change at any time, such as increasing or decreasing permitted entries and duration of validity. You can view the latest information on visa reciprocity schedules for all countries at travel.state.gov.
“The Federal government responded to this by describing the new US directive as “misaligned with the principles of reciprocity, equity, and mutual respect” that ought to govern bilateral engagements between friendly nations in a statement released on Wednesday through Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson.
The Federal government said it views this development with concern and keen interest, particularly given the longstanding cordial relations and strong people-to-people ties between our two countries.
“The attention of the Federal government of Nigeria has been drawn to the recent decision by the United States Government to revise its visa reciprocity schedule for Nigerian citizens, limiting the validity of non-immigrant visas including B1/B2, F and J categories to three months with single entry,” it stated.
“The Federal government views this development with concern and keen interest, particularly given the longstanding cordial relations and strong people-to-people ties between our two countries. The decision appears misaligned with the principles of reciprocity, equity, and mutual respect that should guide bilateral engagements between friendly nations.”
It also claimed that this restriction places a disproportionate burden on Nigerian travellers, students seeking academic opportunities, professionals engaging in legitimate business, families visiting loved ones, and individuals contributing to cultural and educational exchanges.
The government also said it understands that every country has the right to make its own immigration rules, but it hopes the U.S. will “reconsider this decision in the spirit of partnership, cooperation, and shared global responsibilities.”
It also added that diplomatic engagements are ongoing, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains committed to pursuing a resolution that reflects fairness and upholds the values of mutual interest.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has assembled a team of 97 lawyers to challenge what it describes as the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s ‘fake lawsuit’ against its interim leadership, including former Senate President David Mark and former Minister Rauf Aregbesola.
The legal team, led by Barrister Mohammed Sheriff, made this known in Abuja on Tuesday, accusing the ruling APC of filing a suit using the names of individuals who are not members of the ADC.
The latest development follows a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja between Senator Mark, who is now the ADC’s Interim National Chairman, and the party’s Kogi State chapter.
At the meeting, Mark assured Nigerians that under his leadership, the ADC would operate with total transparency and would not favour any presidential aspirant.
“I don’t own this party more than any other member… All Nigerians must come together and take ownership of the ADC,” he said.
He, therefore, urged party members to set aside their differences and focus on building a united political force, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could fail if citizens remain passive.
The ADC chairman also criticised the APC, saying the ruling party should focus on fixing its own policy failures rather than targeting individuals.
“If they admitted that insecurity was bad and promised to improve it but instead made it worse, should Nigerians continue to support them? The answer is no,” he said.
The ADC alleged that the APC had fabricated names in its lawsuit against the party’s interim leadership.
According to the ADC, investigations showed that the supposed plaintiffs in the suit were not registered members of the party in either Kogi or Nasarawa State.
“It smacks of desperation that a party entrusted with leading 200 million Nigerians would engage in such dishonesty,” the party said.
Mark used the occasion to call for national unity and encouraged Nigerians to support the ADC’s vision of a reformed and people-centred democracy.
“Let us work together to rebuild this nation for future generations,” he urged.
Barrister Sheriff, head of the ADC’s national legal support team, confirmed that 97 lawyers have volunteered to take up the case.
“We are fully prepared to defend the ADC and its leaders against this politically motivated attack,” he said.
