damiOluwatoyinbo.com

This is just a reminder of our date tommorow.

It’s the “DARE TO BE DIFFERENT” NATIONAL INTERACTIVE YOUTH FORUM 2009.
The Chairman of the Event is Mr. Gamaliel Onosode (OFR),
The Guest Speakers are Dr. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Prof. Dora Akunyili, Mr. Bola Akingbade, Mr. Ben Bruce and Mrs. Ibukun Awosika
The Mcs are Funke Akindele and OC Ukeje
There will be performances by: Infinity, Inyanya and COBHAMS
The venue is New Gymnasium Hall, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos
Date: June 20th, 2009
Time: 10am prompt
Pass: N500 registration at the venue.

P.S. I’m going to have a stand at the exhibition stands and I have a special gift for the first 50 people to buy a copy of “JUST DO IT!”, so make sure you are one of them…and did I mention an autograph session?

See u…Catsh u…larer…

I just came across this beautiful piece by Penny White and I believe we should all adapt it’s message…enjoy.

Beginning today I will no longer worry about yesterday.
It is in the past and the past will never change.
Only I can change by choosing to do so.

Beginning today I will no longer worry about tomorrow.
Tomorrow will always be there, waiting for me to make the most of it.
But I cannot make the most of tomorrow without first
making the most of today.

Beginning today I will look in the mirror and I will see a person worthy of my respect and admiration.
This capable person looking back at me is someone I enjoy spending time with and someone I would like to get to know better.

Beginning today I will cherish each moment of my life.
I value this gift bestowed upon me in this world and I will unselfishly share this gift with others.
I will use this gift to enhance the lives of others.

Beginning today I will take a moment to step off the beaten path and to revel in the mysteries I encounter.
I will face challenges with courage and determination.
I will overcome what barriers there may be which hinder my quest for growth and self-improvement.

Beginning today I will take life one day at a time, one step at a time.
Discouragement will not be allowed to taint my positive self-image,
my desire to succeed or my capacity to love.

Beginning today I walk with renewed faith in human kindness.
Regardless of what has gone before, I believe there is hope
for a brighter and better future.

Beginning today I will open my mind and my heart.
I will welcome new experiences. I will meet new people.
I will not expect perfection from myself nor anyone else: perfection does not exist in an imperfect world.
But I will applaud the attempt to overcome human foibles.

Beginning today I am responsible for my own happiness and I will do things that make me happy . . .
admire the beautiful wonders of nature, listen to my favorite music,
pet a kitten or a puppy, soak in a bubble bath . . .
pleasure can be found in the most simple of gestures.

Beginning today I will learn something new; I will try something different; I will savor all the various flavors life has to offer.
I will change what I can and the rest I will let go.
I will strive to become the best me I can possibly be.

Beginning today. And every day.

Just a thought, but as I often think of you and realize how much God loves you, sometimes I think we need to also love ourselves through His eyes. God Bless.

There are two events coming up shortly the next couple of days and if you are in Nigeria you should do your best to attend.

The first is a youth event tagged “DARE TO BE DIFFERENT!”
It’s organised by a youth development organisation called RISE.
It’s the third edition and if you were fortunate to attend the first too edition, you’d agree with me that it’s a place to be.If you have missed out on the first two, do yourself a favour-make sure you attend no matter what.

Here are the details…
Start Time: Saturday, June 20, 2009 at 10:00am
End Time: same day at 6:00pm
Location: INDOOR SPORTS GYMNASIUM, SURULERE, LAGOS

The second event you should attend is an exhibition.
I don’t know about you but I love discounts and special offers.
Imagine getting the best products at the best offers.
Well, the exhibition is being organised by strands productions and there will be a lot of good stuff.
So if you are a shopaholic, you’d have a swell time.

Here are the details…
Start Time: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 9:00am
End Time: Friday, June 26, 2009 at 6:00pm
Location: UNILAG INDOOR SPORT CENTRE, AKOKA, LAGOS

Now , let me tell you something exciting with you-I’m going to have a stand at both offers and I am offering ridiculous discounts on my book JUST DO IT!

Instead of the online launch price of N2 500, you will be able to get a copy for just N1 000.

Better still, I have a surprise gift for the first 50 people to buy at each event.

So whatever you do, make sure you are one of the first fifty people to take advantage of those discounts.
All you need to do is arrive early at each event and ask fo my stand.

Don’t say I didn’t tell you o.

See you soon.

I’ve had a very busy week.

I was at my sisters’ introduction on sunday after preaching in the morning.

I travelled back to Lagos on Monday.

Had a series of meetings and spoke at The Rock Foundation Mission on Tuesday.

Attended my sister’s Court Registry wedding on Wednesday.

Dealt with a few business issues on Thursday.

Was privileged to attend an auspicious occasion with my mentor on Friday.

I haven’t had as much time to rest as I would love but in the midst of all the activities and engagement, I haven’t forgotten to laugh.

I have seized every opportunity to laugh.

Different people have different pastimes,.Laughing is one of mine.

I laugh at jokes.I laugh at some jokes that are not even funny.

I laugh to myself…sometimes at myself.

I avoid this but let me confess, sometimes I laugh at people.(Please don’t tell anybody-good thing is I laugh at you with you, not behind your back…)

Some weeks somebody saw me laughing and asked if I had just won a lottery or if my wife just had a baby.(Just for the records, I’m still single as at June 12, 2009)

A few days ago, my brother said something that made me laugh.He didn’t think it was that funny so he said,”o ma an rerin gan sha” which means you sure do laugh a lot.

Well, it’s not like I laugh 24 hours a day.That would mean I’d be so busy laughing that I wouldn’t have time to live.

I don’t laugh 24 hours a day but I do my best to laugh as often as I can.

King Solomon said, “A merry heart doeth good like medicine.”

This probably explains one of the reasons I haven’t used medication in over ten years.(Well, except you vitamin C in that category).I say this to the glory of God.

Too often, we get caught up in the tension of everyday life that we forget to keep our hearts merry and our lives joyful.We forget that we need the oil of joy for the engines of our emotions to perform optimally.We focus so intently on what we are yet to receive and forget to celebrate and thank God for what He has given us so far.

So let me ask you, “Are you too busy to laugh?”

When was the last time you had a really good laugh.I’m not talking about a complimentary smile to pacify a friend who just shared a joke.I’m talking about heartfelt,rib-cracking laughter that brings unsolicited tears of joy to your eyes.That may lengthen your life bey a few days, weeks, months or who knows, years!

Don’t say there’s nothing to laugh about.You bet there is…even if the only reason to laugh is that there’s no reason to laugh.(Does that make sense?)

Do yourself a huge favor, brighten your life with joy and let your laughter bring hope to somebody around you.

I hope I’ve been of help.

If you are still frowning, it could be I’ve done a bad job or you are just…

Meanwhile I have a gift for you here.

I started out on the issue of identity a few days ago.For some reason, I could not give full expression to my thoughts so I have decided to do that now.

I hope I this post won’t have a third part.

One major challenge we have with our identity is that we pay more attention to our SOCIOLOGY than our THEOLOGY.This is what I mean-we tend to agree more with what people call us than with what God calls us.We listen more to the people around us than to the God within us,to the noise around us than to the voice within us.We allow people who don’t know who they are tell us who we are.

Isn’t that interesting?

That’s why we become more confused and life seems more complicated.

You can’t afford to allow people or places define you.
God is the only one who is qualified to define you.
Everything draws it’s identity from it’s origin.

Every invention is defined by the inventor.
You are God’s invention…God’s masterpiece…God’s tool for transformation.

Don’t trudge through life like you are the host of the world’s biggest pity party.

Walk tall, like you are somebody…because you are.

I spoke along these lines sometime last week and I drew inspiration from the story of the woman with the issue of blood.(You see that, her sociology called her “the woman with the issue of blood”)

People often describe you by your challenges, see what I mean…

That guy who is always begging for money…

That girl who sleeps around…

That man who always beats his wife…

gat to go again…