Timothyadetoluwritings

Lending to Nations: Faith, Prosperity, and the Concept of Debt One of the most fascinating promises God gives to those He loves is the assurance that, through prosperity, they will lend to nations. This is not a trivial form of prosperity—it’s on an entirely different level. Lending to individuals, like friends or business partners, is familiar. But lending to nations? That requires extraordinary capacity. Interestingly, a “nation” can sometimes refer to an individual with the influence or capacity to represent many. Lending to such a person is, in essence, lending to nations. Consider Abraham, whom God named the father of many nations. His life exemplified this reality, starting with the renaming that symbolized his destiny and the births of Isaac and Ishmael. Yet, when Abraham encountered Abimelech, who offered him wealth and possessions, he refused. Why? Abraham didn’t want it to be said that Abimelech made him rich. This decision wasn’t arrogance but a reflection of Abraham’s faith...

  Building a Healthy Money Image: The Foundation of Financial Success The key to effective money management lies in developing a solid "money image" early in life. This concept goes beyond simply acquiring, saving, or spending money. A money image is an internal framework that governs how one perceives and handles financial resources. How can one tell if they lack a money system within? Such individuals often spend excessively where frugality would suffice. Over time, these habits become normalized, and because adults are harder to change, this behavior persists. In reality, having more money simply amplifies a person’s inherent traits. The essence of cultivating a strong money image lies in creating a template for acquiring, managing, and using money responsibly. This template enables individuals to view money as a tool for scaling, developing, and advancing their primary pursuits. With this mindset, money becomes a means to an end, rather than an end in itself. In Niger...

Building Up: The Journey to Recreating Life One of the most fascinating truths about life is this: if you truly desire something, you must build it yourself. Be it a lifestyle, a culture, a bungalow, a skyscraper, or even your version of an ideal self, it all begins with intention and action. The Programming of Life From birth, we inherit a preset way of living—our background, family traditions, and societal norms dictate much of our early life. These pre-programmed realities shape how we think and act, often without us realizing it. For instance, when Christmas doesn’t go a certain way, some immediately sense something is wrong. This is the effect of ingrained expectations. By adulthood, many people feel trapped in their programmed routines, assuming it’s too late to make changes. The tide of life seems easier to swim along with than to resist, but is that really the case? Questioning the Status Quo As a child, I was mesmerized by magnificent buildings, dreaming of living in one. But ...

The Dual Faces of Life: Suffering, Enjoyment, and the Power of Knowing Life in places like Nigeria, especially in a bustling city like Lagos, can only be truly understood through experience. The layers of suffering interwoven into daily life are hard to grasp from a distance, and the emotions they evoke cannot be fully explained. Often, the luxuries and beautiful things we admire are built on the backdrop of this suffering. Securing such comforts isn’t easy, unless one is born into them—and even then, permanence is not guaranteed. Growing up in Nigeria means witnessing suffering in its many forms. For some generations, this suffering becomes a foundation—a raw, painful knowledge they endure and then use to rebuild their lives. Other generations, however, find the weight unbearable and either escape their location or flee the country entirely. The Difference Between Feeling and Knowing Everyone encounters suffering, but not everyone knows suffering. This distinction is critical. To trul...

Male vs Female Football: A Tale of Two Games In life, people often seek to fill the empty spaces within themselves with possessions, experiences, or relationships. However, truly grounded individuals—what one might call "real people"—find completeness within themselves. They don’t rely on external influences to mask their inner voids. Perhaps this is why the name "Real Madrid" resonates so deeply. The word Real suggests authenticity, a sense that only the truly exceptional—the Galácticos—can represent the club. They don't seem to need external validation to shine at the elite level. Maybe that’s why the team is simply called "Real." But let’s shift gears. What happens when your favorite male football team isn’t playing well, and you notice the women’s team is thriving? Do you allow yourself to enjoy their performances, or do you cling to the struggles of the men's team? This conundrum raises an intriguing question: what really sets male football ap...

  A nointed Yet Human: Lessons from Saul and David Anointing is a divine gift—one that cannot be purchased or earned through human effort. It is an otherworldly status, far beyond what any mortal power can bestow. Unlike the pursuit of enlightenment, which may involve journeys to meet sages and learn their wisdom, anointing comes solely from God, unbidden and sovereignly given. Take Saul, for instance. In his time, he was the only anointed individual in Israel's royal class. The only others with this sacred status were from the priesthood. Anointing empowers its recipient to achieve feats far beyond human ability. When Samuel anointed Saul, his heart was instantly transformed, equipping him for a kingly role he could never have achieved through natural means. However, anointing doesn’t override personality or free will. Saul’s choices reflected his natural inclinations, as seen when he disobeyed God's command to utterly destroy the Amalekites, sparing their livestock instead...

Rightness and Leadership: The Key to Excellence in Society and Beyond Why does the American educational system differ from the Nigerian system? The difference often lies in social awareness and linguistic proficiency. In the United States, children are typically exposed to English early, fostering a natural ability to converse and identify objects in this universal language. Take, for example, a child asked to identify a picture of a goat. If he says "me," he could be reflecting a deeper self-awareness, equating himself to "G.O.A.T."—the Greatest of All Time —thanks to cultural references. However, the right answer remains to simply call the animal a goat. Contrast this with Nigeria, where English is the lingua franca . Many Nigerians learn English as a second language, so identifying objects in English may require deliberate effort. For instance, a Yoruba-speaking child might correctly identify the same animal as "ewúrẹ" in Yoruba, but in an English-ba...

Prayers, Vision, and Life Lessons: A Reflection on Leadership and Growth "Pray for Those That Have Rule Over You" The biblical admonition to "pray for those that have rule over you" holds significant weight. For leaders like former U.S. President Donald Trump, whose views align with certain religious principles, it may feel natural to follow this advice. However, when the leader is someone you disagree with—perhaps a Muslim leader in a predominantly Christian society—it becomes harder to obey this command. Praying for leaders isn’t just about religious obedience; it opens spiritual pathways for blessings. While physical blessings may not always be guaranteed, they remain a strong possibility. For instance, when policies like lower food prices are enacted, the benefits ripple across society. Prayers can act as a master key, unlocking solutions to societal challenges. Forgotten issues may suddenly gain attention, and leaders may experience the divine guidance they nee...

  Reflections on Success, Growth, and Emotional Resilience God’s Solution vs. Shortcuts: A Tale of Outcomes God’s way doesn’t guarantee ease or hardship—it simply works. His solutions bring abiding results, not half-baked fixes. On the other hand, shortcuts offer quick solutions but often leave lingering challenges. The immediate results from shortcuts can be likened to using shortcut keys on a computer: they work because they’re pre-programmed for specific prompts. However, shortcuts rarely resolve the root issue, leaving users chasing temporary fixes instead of lasting solutions. Building Toughness: A Survival Skill in a Competitive World In life, toughness is not optional—it’s survival. Without it, others more resilient will seize opportunities meant for you. Toughness can be cultivated through grit and perseverance, and it’s often forged in adversity. As the writer shares, "I had to get tough and did get really tough." Thankfulness for life and lessons learned along the w...

The Crucible of Suffering: A Path to Alignment and Growth One profound truth about character development is that it doesn’t hinge solely on either suffering or enjoyment—it is born of both. Suffering occurs when one’s inner state is out of sync with external realities, while enjoyment, or well-being, is the harmony between these inner and outer worlds. However, this isn’t always a black-and-white concept. Even with a serene inner state, external chaos can still manifest as suffering. True alignment between the two realms is essential for ending suffering altogether. Take Buddha’s journey, for instance. He grew up surrounded by opulence in a royal palace, where external realities were painted with joy, luxury, and pleasure. Yet, internally, this reality didn’t resonate with him. This misalignment drove him to leave behind his life of comfort in search of true peace and an end to his suffering. Similarly, Joseph, in his biblical journey, had a vision of an external reality that matched h...

The Price of Riches: A Reflection on Money, Choices and Spiritual Realms Money is not corn; you can’t plant a seed and not expect to reap a bountiful harvest of it. Having money requires going through a process—paying the price, enduring the journey, and emerging with the reward. Unlike crops, money doesn’t sprout from the soil; it’s cultivated through effort, decisions, and systems. Historically, a salary wasn’t even about money. The term originates from "salarium," a payment made in salt during ancient times. Over the years, salt gave way to coins, then paper money, and now digital currencies. Yet, the essence remains: a salary compensates work rendered, while a wage operates similarly, albeit on a daily or weekly basis. But beyond these structures lies a deeper question: what is the price to be paid for money? The Haves vs. The Have-Nots Traits such as health, fame, or integrity often seem inherent in individuals, woven into their genetic makeup. For them, success feels li...

From Barter to Manchester United: Reflections on Sustainability, Patience and Progress On the Sustainability of Trade-by-Barter As I took a road trip across the countryside, a peculiar thought crossed my mind—the concept of trade-by-barter. Watching a herd of cattle led by a herder, I pondered whether I could trade my laptop for one of those cows. The idea seemed straightforward, but the complexities soon unraveled. Would the intrinsic value of my laptop match that of the cow? A high-performing laptop in today's market might range between ₦750,000 and ₦1,000,000—the same as a prized cow. Yet, the real question lay in intrinsic worth: would a device that satisfies my financial and entertainment needs outweigh the satisfaction of a year's worth of nourishment from the cow? This comparison highlighted the inefficiency of barter systems. Perhaps that's why currencies emerged, providing a universal measure of value. Historically, trade-by-barter overlooked intrinsic value, m...