Resolve To Succeed Financially: I now have knowledge I am not poor anymore said Amos Wekesa

Photo by From YouTube

 By Arthur Moses Opio

"If you are resolutely determined to make a lawyer of yourself, the thing is more than half done already... Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing." ~ Abraham Lincoln

A friend of mine called Moses Isiagi resolved he was going to do his Masters in University of Cape Town in South Africa. With that resolve, he kept applying and one day, he tells us, I have gotten an offer, I have been accepted. 

The daunting task now was the money for fees, ticket and many other things. For him, the key thing was to get there. He talked to a few friends and some money was raised. To cut the long story short. He found his way to South Africa, studied and graduated and is now pursuing a PhD. The journey wasn't an easy one, there were so many ups and downs, tough nights, brokenness, etc. but that did not break him, instead it gave him to momentum to resilient to achieve his dream.

The above quote from Abraham Lincoln to a young man who asked how he could become a lawyer is so profound. 

"Your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing". Nothing gets going until we resolve to get started. The inner determination to say, I have what it takes to build this dream is the first step in ensuring the vision or dream gets started. 

While listening to a TikTok video with the handle @cleaningtheairwaves that has been making rounds on social media, I couldn't hold back but put this excerpt into this article as it speaks to the topic of resolve. 

The interviewee Rinah Hicks said, "It will help you so we started that journey how did you identify what do we do and he’d come we sit we talk and he would bring 2000. The first amount he bought was 5000. He used to earn part time I think when he came here, he had earned 19,000 shillings and he gave us 5000 to start his journey. He started his journey and I worked with him for four years. After four years I had grown and moved into a different department and I handed him over to a friend of mine. 2011 Richie now I am approving payments I’m now in operations and I see his a check and a request for payment and I see his name on this thing and it’s 2.4 million shillings. I called him, "Please can we have coffee? Like how did we get here. So what are you asking me? I was consistent sometimes it was 2000 sometimes it was 5000 and then I got to a job and then I just continued." This guy used to eat chapati dondo  once a day just so that he would save money but he remained super consistent. I asked myself, "My darling sister what is in your account at this point in time and I realized I had messed up again because I took it for granted what I had." And he told me he was putting a down payment for an office at Crawford Business Park. I am like what, "So he put his down payment, got a loan for the balance and he rented out and I think now he has paid it off but he has continued to be consistent to this day. Those days he was 2000, 5000, 10000 now it's 100,000 every month. Let me just tell you that one client is the reason I have money wise, one of the reasons.""

Dave Ramsey says, "Your income is your most important wealth building tool." Following through with the story Rinah shared of the man who said he was consistent and continues to be to this day. It seems he knew or knows something about using his income as seed to grow and produce more seeds. He invested, bought an apartment, the apartment continues to give him rent and he continues to invest? What have you resolved to do? 

My first job was as a cleaner. I was earning 10 dollars a month - Amos Wekesa

Amos Wekesa once said, "When I started doing business, it's about 5/6 years, every time my mother looked at me, she could shed tears. It's not until 5 or 6 years ago that she opened up. When I was born she was so poor that she contemplated killing me. She planned to kill me on a Friday not because she did not like me but because the conditions were very difficult for her." Let that sink in, poverty can be that bad, it can make us think of doing crazy things.

I watched the interview between Amos Wekesa and Wode Maya and learnt quite a number of things, he said, "I hadn't eaten meat for so many years, I looked old but I was not that old. I went and served meat and I remember walking home and I cried and told God, 'Why did you make me so poor?' that even meat is such an important thing and that day I made a renewal of my life and that if I get a chance, I will work so hard and my dream was to work so hard to eat a lot of meat."

Today Amos is the face of Tourism in Uganda, he founded PELA commodities to produce grain and he continues to pioneer in many areas in his life. His resolve to work so hard can be seen with the results of his great works through Great Lakes Safari Lodges, Elephant Plains lodge,  Primate Lodge Kibale, Budongo Eco Lodge, Simba Safari Camp, MV Kazinga (boat cruise).

"I understand poverty. I have first hand experience with poverty.  Poverty is very demeaning" says Amos Wekesa. "When we were born, I hardly ate chicken. When I came to Kampala, I went to a slum and I was paying less than 2 dollars. I had this land lady from Hell. She would go and drink and come at 3AM tell me how poor I was."

"My first job was as a cleaner. I was earning 10 dollars a month. I never used to use a car. I would walk 20kms for 3 hours, that was my normal life, I never used to question it but it was also hard, I went to a good school for A-levels, most of my classmates went to University and to be honest it was one of the toughest times finding my former school mates and trying to say, 'hello' some of them would see me from far and cross the road." Amos further says, "One thing I have discovered about life is that once you have done your best in the small job you have been given, the voice will be clear that it is time to move on. But if you go to a job and complain, you will not hear that voice. There is a lady who used to make me katoogo of beans and cassava, I would go home boil and take 3/4 in the evening and 1/4 in the morning. That was my life, from Monday to Monday because I couldn't afford anything."

"For my third job, I became a Tour guide." says Amos Wekesa, "That's when I discovered my gift." I guided the dutch people and I was earning 1 dollar a day and God is my witness, "For my first trip we were doing a camping trip and I guided these guys for15 days, my boss gave me 1,000 Uganda Shillings. I sat in the car and I cried and I said man, after 15 days."

Cutting Water Melon Story: Resolved To Never Ever Be Poor Again

Amos says, " The last day, we had bought watermelon from Lake Bunyonyi. The Tourists asked my boss, 'Why aren't you giving guys something to cut watermelon?' I remember the boss saying, ''You see that guy, I am paying him almost nothing but he can never do better than this in his life. That day In front of Tourists, 'I stood up and I said, but in my life, I will never ever work for you again and I can promise you, I will never ever be poor, I am leaving you today and I will never work for you again. I am just tired of the same stories. The tourists were shocked, they knew I was poor, 'I said No! I now have knowledge I am not poor anymore, I knew my gift and I knew I  was good with tourists and with Tourism as a subject. I went and got my last job where I was a desk guy and earning 35 dollars a month.' So I worked for a year and saved up 200 dollars. On 22nd April, 2001, I registered for Great Lakes Safaris. and 23rd April, 2001 I started Great Lakes Safaris. I looked out for opportunities for weddings on Thursdays, I would show them I have cars for weddings. I would make 5 or 10 dollars. Everyday by 6AM, I would be at the washing bay to make sure the cars were clean and I hand them over for 9 months and that's what made me survive, then I saved up for my first office under a stair case. It was a good location. My first employee was earning 20 dollars a month but it was hard and many voices kept coming."

We all know who Amos Wekesa is. His story highlights how he resolved against all odds to not be poor ever again, this reminds me of a story of a lady called Lisa Nichols echoed a similar statement, “I will never be broke again”. 

We must resolve, that's the starting point. You can tell yourself, "I will save 5, 10, 20m in one year, I will reach half a billion by 40, I will save and invest 'x' amount of money every month, I will study financial education so that I can make better money and investment decisions, etc."

In the interview Amos shares a line that says, "When I think about poverty and how much I went through poverty, I do not waste any resource that I get as a person. In fact, a day of a hungry man, should be a day of inspiration for him."

Abraham Lincolns Story:

Digging a little deeper into the story of Lincoln, From his book, "How To Develop Self Confidence and Influence People by Speaking." Dale writes, "Lincoln walked to borrow every book within fifty miles of his home. Log fire was kept all night in his cabin sometimes he read by the light of the fire. As soon as it was light enough to read in the morning, he rolled over his bed of leaves, rubbed his eyes, pulled out a book, and began devouring it."

We wonder why Lincoln had some of the best speeches but it goes back to his resolve, determination and thirst for knowledge. If he could walk within fifty miles to read, have a log fire to read, wake up and read, then what he pictured himself becoming allowed him to embrace the pain of the process.

How do the above insights and stories from my friend who went to study in SA and Lincoln speak to us about our personal finance. Some people sit back thinking it's too hard to attain what the high fliers are attaining. The high flyers are up there because they went an extra mile. They did not just stop at believing or saying, "I wanted to be wealthy." They acted on their dreams inspite of the hardships they faced. 

• It is possible to get out of debt, you must resolve;
• It is possible to start investing and living a debt free life but you must resolve.
• It is possible to attain any kind of education without excuse but you must resolve.
• It is possible to fund that dream, company, factory from your savings and investments but you must resolve.

 “Fuss has never led anyone to success.” says Julian Wilson. With your determination and plan, get yourself rolling. As Amos Wekesa kept growing, he kept saving and investing for his next goal just like he did to register his company, to rent his first office space under a stair case, to buy his first car for business, etc. 

I conclude this by rechoing what Amos said when he resolved he would never be poor again, He said, "I said No! I now have knowledge I am not poor anymore, I knew my gift and I knew I  was good with tourists and with Tourism as a subject."

We can see from his experiences, he kept gathering knowledge and every experience contributed to his growth. Knowledge is important and many people perish for lack of it. This applies to any discipline including financial education. Dr. Sunday Adelaja says,"Your pocket might be empty today, but if your mind is filled up, then you are not poor. It is just a matter of time before your filled mind will cause your pocket to be filled up." and Benjamin Franklin says, "Take the money out of your pocket and put it in your mind."

Let us resolve to be great and grow in our financial knowledge because as Abraham Lincoln told the young lawyer, "Your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing." Those who learn, earn. Resolve today to get that big hairy financial goal. Resolve to have financial peace, freedom, investments, etc.

Unlock Your Success: Master The Art Of Starting Your Year Strong

By Arthur Moses Opio

Decisions

It is Jerry Rice, who said, "Today I will do what others won’t so tomorrow I can do what others can’t."  This statement gets me going each time I am launching myself into any kind of activity. I imagine what inaction will make me miss or if my full potential won’t be realised. 

It is written in Psalm 37:23 , "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighted in his way."

On the 1st of January, 2024. I did my first run. It was the first workout of the year. First of all, I slept late at 1:00 AM and yes, just like everyone else, I was waiting for the new year to come through. I did this crossover in a simple way. I opted for a camp fire with my neighbours and we ate and talked through the night about so many things key to our lives like parenting in this day and age, being responsible people, etc. 

Early that morning, when the birds were chirping and the skies were fully open. I kept debating with myself whether I should or shouldn’t run. I even started saying, I can do this in the evening but I knew the importance of getting this done early morning. We agreed with a neighbour of mine to run and as I waited for his call, I realised I needed to walk to his gate. He said, “Man, hadn’t you come, I wasn’t also going to run.” 

Starting Your Year The Right Way

This brings me to the heart of this message. It is important how you start the year. Between 2023 and 2024, there is only one person who stands in between and that’s you. You are going to be the reason for your success, progress or failure. 

We rise to the level of our goals and fall to the level of our system says, James Clear. In 2023, I had a system for my fitness routine. I run 3 times a week and ensure I did not miss twice as James Clear teaches. 

For anyone to be successful at anything, you have to be disciplined to follow your routine, order and discipline. Thanks to what I was already doing, I told myself, get up, dress up, put on your running shoes and get out to run. Just that act alone was the first step in getting myself into the routine that helped me last year.

If God is ordering your steps to improve your family, faith, finances, fitness and friendships. Why aren’t you taking the step to go out and do it right away? Do we need reminders from God about the ANT, how wise it is and that we should learn from its ways. ANTS act, they work together even without a ruler or governor.

You have an opportunity to compare yourself with who you were last year and what you want to be this year. Self discipline on your side will be the key ingredient in ensuring that everything you want to see happen, happens. 

What is it that you want to achieve?

Is it still lingering in your head? Have you taken a step to write it on paper and start working towards it. Is it your savings and investment goals that you want to improve? Is it exploring Unit Trust funds and Treasury Bonds in this year?

Is it having a better relationship with your family members? Is it getting healthier or fitter this year? Is it joining an investment club? Whatever your goal is, no one will come and do it for you. You have to muscle the energy within you, strategise, plan and purpose to be intentional on getting where you want to.  

On the side of my financial journey. I made the first deposit of 70,000 UGX into my Unit Trust fund. It is little money but the habit, the act of getting that started was very important for me because I know strongly that we are creatures of habit and when you choose to never start, it becomes the song through out the year as procrastination gets the best of you as a person.

Build an Emergency Fund

Towards the end of last year, there was a headline in the NilePost that said, "Kanungu, Rukungiri, Ntungamo workers miss December salary" Imagine this was you last year. 

Wouldn’t you want to start building your emergency fund? Emergencies happen, school fees is also becoming an emergency after people blow up all their savings in December festive celebrations. We forget what the scriptures tell us, "The wise have wealth and luxury but fools spend whatever they get(Proverbs 21:20)"

Everything you are going to do is going to require a system. James Clear says, "We rise to the level of our goals but fall to the level of our systems." Like the ANTS, have a system for food security, financial security, family security, fitness, friendships, etc. Set the found right for everything you want to do. We can do it, it is possible. Let us stop living by chance and forget that our faith needs knowledge, needs wisdom, needs people to support us, etc. Don’t only wish for a better 2024, wish you are applying the knowldege you have, you are wiser, better, more knowledgeable, etc. 

Don't Have Self-Pity

Eleanor Roosevelt said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

Do not have self pity on yourself. Stop whining, get out and act on what needs to be done. Develop the mental fortitude to sail through and learn the lessons from your past mistakes. You are enough, you are capable and you got what it takes to come up on top or close to the top.

Make your dream work by working it.

Life Is About Adjustments

Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash

Today is day two of the 42 Lockdown days. 

If you remember the first days of Lockdown, many of us were anticipating that COVID19 would end after a month or two but that did not happen and until now we are still dealing with this pandemic.

One of the most important things that happened to many of us as we listened to the president address us is that we kept on adjusting. We told ourselves we can wait a little more even if the situation was very inconveniencing. Our attitude and minds played a lot in our mental fortitude to sail through that COVID storm. 

As they started to ease down on some of the restrictions, that still required adjustment, those who worked from home, had to again master working away from home and now we are back again to 30% working from the office and others from home, that still requires adjustment, it’s like shifting from one place to another.

There are people who could be distraught and in great despair. You probably started a business after Lockdown and you were now making great strides and boom!!! Somehow things have slowed down after the directive. You could have taken a loan to rejuvenate your business and now what was bringing you money is cut down. You could have paid fees and now the kids are back. 

It’s a tough pill to swallow but you have to remain steadfast and firm. Your mental campus will be key to how you navigate this season. 

“We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose finite hope” – Martin Luther King 

Choose to drive your energy to some of the great gains you have made, look at the lessons learned, the small wins gained. Just Martin Luther said, let us never lose finite hope. Your hope and optimism right now is your anchor; it is what will keep you going. Focus on what you can and not what you can’t. 

Thich Nhat Hanh said and I quote, “Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.”

Use these 42 days to grow and do the rights things knowing tomorrow will be better even if the future seems blick. If you are too challenged, say a Prayer and Let God take over.

#Adjust it starts with your mind, you have the power and will to do it.

#Transform #Impact #Empower

Don’t Let Your Pursuit of Wealth Affect Your Integrity – It Could Lead To Destruction

Proverbs 21:6 Wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.

The pursuit of wealth, if not directed under the guidance and stewardship of God can be very very dangerous. My dear reader it has been clearly written that the love for money is the root of all evil. We need to note clearly that it says “The love for money and not that money is evil”. Loving money is different from lacking it but also those who lack it can be pushed to limits to do whatever it takes to get it. It is both dangerous to love money and to lack it, that’s why we need to know the truth behind this thing called money, you will find that there is so much about this thing that the bible even says it answers all things.

During the course of 2016, someone told me and my friend that we would amount to nothing, the person mentioned that it was hard to do deals with us because we are "Christians". He also said that we could never grow rich or wealthy. In my heart, I declared that I am richer than the money in my pocket or in my bank account. I know that I am rich in values and virtues that are strongly apart of my everyday Christian walk. I know that the God I serve owns everything and that he gives me the power to create wealth. God’s power to create wealth is genuine, it isn’t corrupt, it isn’t extortion. 

His word talks of how when you are diligent in work and what God has called me to do, it leads to wealth and also talks of how laziness brings about poverty. All I need to know is how to use these God-given skills and truths in a full application in my everyday life. 

I know that without goods and services to people, money won't come to me, I also know that if I don't engage in the production of anything that adds value to the lives of people then money still won't come, I know for a fact that God has to be my number priority to guide me in my everyday affairs, I also know that I need to show that God has called me to fruitfulness, not just claiming a good life of cars, nice houses, etc without applying due diligence, people covet, claim, wish and do nothing about working, they will even tell you I don't have to work, I am already blessed, otherwise, we wouldn't be using the internet to share all these things, if the inventor sat back and did not do what he was inspired to do the world wouldn't be connected on the web.

We wouldn't be using cell phones If Henry Sampson, the inventor of Cellular Phones also sat back. It is because of this man that I can talk on my phone from Uganda to anyone in the Southern Pacific or deep down in Switzerland. We need to create products, services that add value to the lives of people, when people are in need of them, you get paid. We should engage our minds to think and avoid the concept of things coming freely, yet we can work and be fruitful as God requires of us.

I happened to sit in the counsel of an elder. She told me a story about her workplace. In her workplace, people did not like her because of her faith. She was a very integral person who kept her books of account very well. She was very hard to bribe and she was even threatened with death countless times. One day one of her colleagues asked her to do the wrong thing and she vehemently refused. This man she was telling me about had been extorting money of people by creating accounts with names of people who don't exist, some long-dead (ghost employees). He stole enough money and money from those who were also still alive.

He set out to build his house and while his was constructing. It is said that the house was built in such a way that the builders did not use the right measurements. They actually stole from him as well what he stole from people. As his house was finished he was bidding his landlord farewell, no sooner had he entered his new house than it came crumbling down. He had left his rented place and also had no where to stay since his house was no more (Double Tragedy).

David Cameron, British PM at the time said, "If the amount of money stolen out of Nigeria in the last 30 years was stolen in the UK, then the UK would not exist again". This is a strong statement and it shows that our actions if not sanctioned can lead to total destruction.

I think what the writer says in Proverbs 21:6 is so true wealth created by a lying tongue is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap. This man lost his money and his house, what a way to be repaid?

I want to encourage us to purpose to grow but grow little by little. Get rich schemes, conning, bribing people, killing people to extort money are some of the deadliest traps that can happen to a human being. You would rather be what Proverbs 19:1 says “Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and a fool.” It is written there is a way that seems right to a man but its end is destruction, follow the way of righteousness and not your own ways.

#Impact #Empower #Transform

Attitude

This thing called attitude is a powerful force in life. It has helped many to change the course of events in their lives and in the lives of others. It has also destroyed many especially if it is a bad one.

I remember before I got married, I wanted to leave home and you know start renting (We know what comes with renting, you really have to be prepared, you have to count the cost and have it in your monthly plan - sometimes we move out by faith and somehow make it through). But my mother Norah Acan decided that instead of renting, I save the money for the ultimate purpose of starting off our marriage. I sat back and thought deeply about it and I realized that my mother's attitude towards my life and future wife's well being was paramount to her. Thank you mum for teaching me the valuable principle of preparing and putting money aside to help in my walk, I draw a lot of lessons from it. 

Today I reflect upon this thing called Attitude and I realize strongly that if we had a certain view of life and it is with a lot of optimism, we can not only help ourselves but more so help others to thrive too. Your attitude can light up someone's life and help them change theirs as well. So even when it has been hard, our attitude can come into play to help us thrive in the hardest of moments.
Everyday when we hear people talk, their outlook on life is that it is so hard, some even say that nothing comes without struggle, but if there were no struggles we wouldn't appreciate the process in getting to our promised lands. 

See this classic example from Habakkuk 3:

¹⁶ I trembled inside when I heard this; my lips quivered with fear. My legs gave way beneath me,^[e]
    and I shook in terror. I will wait quietly for the coming day when disaster will strike the people who invade us.
¹⁷ Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields,
    and the cattle barns are empty,
¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
¹⁹ The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer,^[f] able to tread upon the heights.

Let us change the way we view life. Joshua and Caleb refused to look at themselves as grass hoppers and instead said we can take these GIANTS down, let us "Take it up at once"
Do you have a problem with your thought lines? Are you affected in the way you view life? Have the situations you have gone through changed the way you look at life? This is what The apostle Paul said, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8).

In relation to the above statement, this article can help shade more light and motivate you to have a good attitude.

#Impact #Empower #Transform

Pay Yourself Since No One Is Paying You

We live in a culture that is consumer driven. This consumerism is being fueled by TV Adverts and also the desire for the good life. People have no restraint or self control at all and they want to live like millionaires or billionaires without understanding the principles they have lived by to get where they are. They are eating up their future without knowing and they keep saying that the economy is bad or the government doesn't care. So many people want to fake it to make it just for the sake of being ranked among the *Rich Ones*. We first get rich in our values, in our minds before we can get rich in our pockets. In any case being rich isn't about money, if money made people rich even a church mouse would say I am rich. The intent of people is to be famous and not really to help humanity, we need to remember that these things are vanity, so we must take charge instead of them controlling us.

Today my dear reader I want to talk about how you can build a financial future. My sharing is best on things I have observed and things I have put to practice. I have come to learn that nothing beats a testimony especially if it has worked for you. We have been told by people or pastors or prophets that we shall prosper by sowing seed, or that miracles will come when we give our last money to whatever. It is written that “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” -Proverbs 10:4

Everyday of the week, there is something that is taking your money away, it could be transport, it could be rent, it could be airtime or data services, it could be bills that you have to pay or food that you have to buy, it could be that church or fellowship that is always asking for all sorts of offerings given code names. it could be that restaurant you visit everyday. The first thing that happens to our minds is to spend money whenever we get it. This is natural to those who have not been trained to understand that there are certain principles that govern money.

When we read the parable of the Talent, the Master gave his servant five talents, another two and another one. He did not give instruction on what to do with the money but came back and asked for accountability and we know that the one with five, made five more, the one with two, made two more and the one with one, buried it. The one who did not invest was called a wicked servant.

I learn very important things from the parable of the Talent, that before the servant with five or two talents spent their money, they actually invested and got back the original money, how did this happen? what strategies did they use to make sure the money doubled, that they had the original one back.

Reading from many financial experts, they will tell you to have a percentage that you will use to pay yourself. As Christians we encourage you to have 10% a side for your tithe and then between 15-30% to pay yourself depending on your income levels. The first step to building and securing your financial future is through saving (Paying yourself). The money that you are paid from a sell of a book, from salary or any business transaction isn't paying yourself. People will believe that because money has come into their account, they have paid themselves.

Normally what happens after we have got money, the list of expenditure is long, fixed costs like rent, bills, loan repayment etc are the things we will rush to pay, so we end up making those people or service provides rich since they are taking many out of our pockets and nothing is left for us. A wise person said don't spend and save later, save first then spend what is left.  

Before the Land lord gets money make sure you have paid yourself first. If you receive money from one bank account, open another where the percentage of paying yourself will go to. It is important to have a clear goal or purpose for the money you are putting aside, making it sit in the bank without a clear purpose could benefit you but not to the full potential because if you have places to invest that can make the money work or grow for you, then you find yourself making the original money you got at the end of the month or from the business transaction.

Don't be pressured to live the good life or keep up with the Joneses, plan your financial future. I have seen the power of using a standing order work for me and my family. Each time we get money, it is already planned for on paper before it is physically used up. A portion is saved and we realize everyday that what we do isn't for our satisfaction but to enable us be a blessing and to also beat the trap of poverty. No one will PAY you if you don't pay yourself.

Points to note

1. Decide how much to pay yourself
2. Set a savings goal
3. Create a separate account different from your current one and create a standing order, it could be a high yielding savings account or fixed account or Unit Trust Fund, or with an Investment Club/Sacco etc
4. Leave that money alone and don't yield to temptation

To understand a little bit more about saving, click here

Attitude Towards Money And The Value Of Work Part 3

I used to think that money would come immediately because I had studied, got an upper second class degree. I thought I would apply for jobs and get them automatically because my papers were good. This wasn’t the case.

I walked the streets of Kampala applying for jobs, I even knocked on some doors and asked to start as a volunteer. Looking for a job became my job because our education system is simple but holds us captive, go to school, study hard, and get a job. The era we are in is a time where jobs are increasingly scarce because they aren’t being created. There is systemic poverty. Inflation is high and the economy isn’t doing as well as we all expect. It is a cause for an alarm because the gap between the rich and the poor is widening every day. However every nation will face hard times, we need an industrial revolution to be able to create jobs with the vast resources Africa has. We aren’t poor at all but we are poor in our minds.

We need not give up though because there is still hope and a lot of opportunities that are presented in the problems we face as families, communities, organization and the nation at large. Such a time demands serious innovation and creativity, it’s the time for more entrepreneurs to come out of their shelves and weather the storm of taxes and still do business and create jobs for many.

To cut the long story short on my employment journey, I happened to start out as an intern for 4 months even when I was done with University, from that time I learned so much from the various opportunities that I got. I volunteered for 6 months in an organization and I learned so much, I was given lunch every day as I did add value to the place. I still couldn’t get a formal job but with grit and not giving up I still got training opportunities that came with their own challenges but I kept pushing on and growing every day. As experience started coming in, confidence kicked in and the doors for jobs opened. But now I strongly believe we need both the formal and informal workforce, they can still be given training, vocational training is so important that they can create more jobs for our nation.

From the book Money Won’t Make You Rich by Dr. Sunday Adelaja, I have read some insights that have clearly spoken about my life up until now. There are things I was doing that have made more sense through the insights of this man, there is a strong biblical backing for what God tells us in his word.

1. Money doesn’t come to us because we are Christians - “The Bible says God gives us the power to make wealth. Notice that God doesn’t give wealth, He gives the power to get it. Unfortunately, many Christians are still hoping and thinking that just because they are Christians, God is obliged to give them wealth.” – Dr. Sunday Adelaja Deut. 8:18
2. Money doesn’t come to us because we are good, we have seen so many good people who aren’t doing well in this area, I personally have seen this happen in my life, and we have to be good but also work.
3. Money doesn’t come to us because we are educated, in my journey for hunting for a job after school, my education did not immediately get me a job.
4. Money doesn’t come to us because we have businesses, we have seen so many businesses come and go, it isn’t as easy as we think, and it takes diligence to run a business and the patience to reap from it over time. Some people have run fake business in order to earn, some of supplied fake goods in order to earn, some have exploited others in business by not even paying their workers and at the end of the day, they crumbling down.
5.  Money doesn’t come to us because we pray a lot but comes to those who pray for ideas to create wealth. I know that we can get a lot from praying to God, but the same bible is clear about time, a time to sleep, a time to work, a time to cry, mourn, etc, after we are done with prayer, we must engage in work, prayer should be so important that we don’t miss engaging in it to build our relationship with God but we only use it to create a list asking God for this and that and many times, a financial breakthrough is a major one, we should start praying to God for ideas to create wealth as well not only money.
6. Money doesn’t come to us because we are the best seed sowers or tithers or givers. We have seen people give and give and give and still remain the same, it is true for us to sow, but we need to be cautious and also led of the God to sow in the right place, when it comes to giving, don’t give to get because that is a wrong mentality, Give to be a blessing. We have seen many philanthropists giving away their wealth to charity, most times they don’t expect to be given back, they keep working to help better the world and better the lives of people. It is written in Mathew 23:23 NLT “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens but you ignore the more important aspects of the law, justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”
7. Money doesn’t come to us because we claim it or covet it or steal it, or be corrupt – ill-gotten wealth dwindles away. “After naming and claiming, you need to show diligence in your work. You need to show the virtue of hard work. You need to display your dedication to the principle of the dignity of labor” – Dr. Sunday Adelaja
8. Money doesn’t come to us because we have a good credit history or asked for a bank loan. I once tried asking for a bank loan and my bank denied me, I even told them that I have good savings with you guys and this can be used as collateral. They said it wasn’t possible because they weren’t giving out loans at the time. The pressure to get a loan was coming from around me when the bank refused, I told myself, I will keep putting money aside to raise it and do what I needed to do with my wife. As I write I have never taken a bank loan. I believe the word of God is true from Deuteronomy 28:12, It says … you will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them. I am not saying I haven’t got money from friends and family, I have but not from the bank. I have had my fair share of borrowing here and there but you never get peace until someone is paid off, I rather have no debt except the debt of love.
9. Money won’t come to us because we keep quoting that the wealth of the wicked is ours, it can only be ours when we produce goods and services. This is what Dr. Sunday Adelaja had to say about wealth transfer that I strongly believe it is true. Someone like Paul in the bible did not only preach but he was also a tentmaker.

I have done fumigation business, sold yellow York eggs in exchange for money by meeting the needs of people. I have lent money at interest and also been given money for services of teaching that I do. I have earned from my ICT Skills by offering ICT services as well. I have done the transport business (Uber) and private transport services and I have made money as well. When you offer a service people need, you get value for money.

• The wealth of the world will only come to you if you are good enough in what you do, because the Israelites were good at what they did in Egypt before the wealth of Egypt came to them
• Secondly, the wealth of the world will only come to you if you produce better products than your competitors, that is when you are a good representative of the Kingdom of God and God will honor you for that
• Thirdly, for any wealth to come to you, you must be busy producing either goods or rendering services. If you are only claiming promises, you will end up being disappointed at the end of the day.
• For Christians to begin to enjoy the blessings of prosperity and wealth, it is high time for churches to begin to teach and educate their members, not just on how to give and sow seeds, but also in how to produce goods and services. There is no prosperity without goods or services.

The real reason behind poverty is not because of our backgrounds, not because of our environment,

“The real reason behind poverty is THE IGNORANCE OF THE LAWS OF MONEY.  It is that ignorance that later leads to a lack of discovery, it leads to a lack of productivity, it leads to a lack of sales, it leads to a lack of opportunities, it leads to a lack of services, etc.”

– Dr. Sunday Adelaja

The first place to be wealthy is in your mind, not your pocket. That means that even when you start making money and accumulating wealth, it can always be made even when you have a setback because you know what brings in money and what takes it out. We can kill the poverty of the mind by investing in our minds, through reading and study, remember “my people perish because of the lack of knowledge – Hosea 4:6”.

One of the laws of money that I have painfully learned to apply and discipline my wife and myself with has been the principle of saving, and not saving to consume but saving to invest. We have seen this work based on the stories of the Ants in Proverbs 6 (they have no leader but gather in summer for winter) and The Story of Joseph in Genesis 41, after interpreting the dream of Potiphar about the 7 Lin cattle and 7 healthy (fat cattle), he interpreted this by saying as God gave him insight that there would be 7 years of famine and 7 years of harvest. 

The question I normally would ask anyone is, “what do you do when you are earning?” Everyone has earning seasons and a dry time where the business isn’t going on well or winter season where there is not much farm productivity. What we do when we earn can enable us to secure the future not only for ourselves but also for our very own households and the world at large. Egypt was saved during the 7 years of famine but so was Joseph's family and the neighboring countries. The 1/5 of grain or 20% given to Potiphar sets a benchmark on how we can also plan the finances that come to us. God gives us the wisdom to create systems that will not only enrich us but act as a safety net for many people or generations. Let us be wise in our dealings and be prepared, Jesus Christ said that before you build a house, count the cost, it is important to PLAN and then commit the plans to God.

  #Transform #Impact #Empower

Attitude Towards Money And The Value Of Work Part 2

I remember asking my father. Daddy, “Give me some money”, his response “Money isn’t just picked like leaves from trees” 

There are a few insights I have picked up as I steadily run this marathon. Dave Ramsey teaches and says Personal finance is 80% behavior and 20% head knowledge. Our lives strongly dictate how we use money. Benjamin Franklin said, “If you want to think of being wealthy, think of saving as well”. He also said, “Beware of little expenses, a small lick can sink a great ship” Are you the type that is controlled by money, are you the type who gets money and yields to its instruction there and then, and are you the type who doesn’t understand that there are laws that govern money. Listen while we continue to explore a few things.

Money isn’t grown on trees

Money isn’t grown on trees, it is worked for, money doesn’t come by claiming, it comes by working for it, even the money that is given to you by someone is money that was worked for, it is God who touches the hearts of men to give out of their possessions. When one starts working, you end up understanding that money doesn’t come as easy as we think, I understand when we ask our parents for money and they say, they don’t have it, it was until I started making my own and seen days where it wasn’t actually there. I remember asking my mother to pay for my driving school, I told her, “mum I need to learn how to drive and to have a passport” her response, “let us get a passport first then you can learn to drive later”.

I wanted everything at a go but wanted to learn to drive first because she had a car and I wanted to learn how to drive. We pushed for the passport and got it and then the demand for the driving school kept coming in but there were no results. At the time I was interning and I had already learnt a saving culture and I was putting my little allowances from the internship to use. I decided to pay for myself, I realized that some things won’t be done for me, so I needed to work for them. My driving skill has become handy over the years and it has taught me that some things come when we have actionable plans in place. Putting little finances a side after doing my research made it possible for me to achieve this.

God owns it all

All silver and gold belongs to God, he created money so it shouldn’t be made a god because it is part of God’s creation. It is a good servant but a poor master. Never let money master you, you must master it by understanding the laws that govern money. It is written that the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, whatever God has created is his, every innovation, and every idea cannot be without the supernatural wisdom of God. When you look at what is within your stewardship, know very well that God has given you to take care and have dominion over those things, what you possess that God has given is his. Our work place, our positions of leadership are all the architect of God. Even queen Sheba told Solomon that the throne he was sitting on is God’s throne.

Money isn’t bad, it is our love for money that is bad

Money is so important we need it but it shouldn’t be loved. The love of money is the root of all evil. So money isn’t bad, what is bad is when you love it more than God, when you trust it more than God, when you say you can’t live with it – Money has never given man breath, it is God who has breathed in us the breath of life. Money is only a medium of exchange – we use money to get goods, pay for services, pay our taxes, support the needy etc. When greed comes in know that the force or spirit of mammon has taken over you. You cannot serve both God and money, where your heart is where your treasure is. Money should be the byproduct of our work and the services we give, it shouldn’t be our goal in life.

What makes us rich and wealthy is our values and the work we put in

There are so many people who are rich but have reduced their riches to how fat their bank account is. We must be rich in a wholesome way and that includes our values system – the things we stand for. Some of the poorest people on earth are those who have a lot of money, whenever they talk, money seems to be the only thing they live for, others are just surviving, living from pay check to pay check, others their lives are taken up by their possessions yet God says that the life of a man doesn’t consist in his possessions. We are as poor as our next door neighbor if they can’t feed, we are as poor as our very own people (parent, sister, brother etc) whom we can’t help, we are as poor as our community if we are the only ones doing well and they aren’t – it is a process for everyone but we can lift each other by sharing ideas not necessarily money, money should come when it’s needed not wanted. 

The true religion is when we care for the widows, the sick, the poor, the needy, the oppressed, those facing injustice, these issues are the weightier matters that we as individuals, family members, and community leaders should embody so that the needs of those around can be met and that they can be lifted up so that with hope, they can life others too.

I have seen great development from community groups where people do cash rounds to enable each one develop, as institutions and families and organizations these approaches need to be embraced more, when one person develops, they could develop others, gone should be the days where we only look at one person to meet the need of everyone, everyone should take responsibility in building up one another. The greatest financial security should come from our families, social networks etc but the family should be core.

Build Intellectual, social and skills capital

Some of the richest men in the bible like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob were not just men who had a heritage or that their lives were already predetermined, these men worked, then men used their faith, they did not only profess or believe in the promise of God, their belief made them work, they did not sit back doing nothing. A man like Jacob came with nothing but left with something, he did not have money at the start but he offered his skills as a service and left a loaded man, some people here will say that all we need is capital, I guess I will say first start with intellectual capital, skills capital and then go to money.

To be continued to part 3