READERS ARE LEADERS

 

I found this written in my Class Prefect's diary, well I was her assistant so we were that close. " Read the best books while you're young and then, someday, when you're old you'll write great books of your own".One thing most people in our generation hate is reading. Despite the fact that we sit behind computers and our phones to text people or have long chats, the spirit of reading has still not been inculcated in some of us. Some of us still feel reading is a punishment. We hardly read over what we type and end up making mistakes and embarrassing ourselves especially when you're chatting with a crush or someone you wanna impress( Gosh! I know that feeling). I remember during the Leadership Diary Training Programme how I use to complain about the biographies I had to read. But then at the end of the programme I had read about 12 personalities and that wasn't enough. Oh! I also read about the Iron Lady( Margaret Thatcher) making 13 personalities.

If you are complaining about reading a 30 pages book then hmm! you have a problem or you can't read just an article on wikihow or even those long whatsapp messages or even finding it difficult to read this  then I'm sorry for you. If you can't spend some time too reading your BIBLE then sweetheart you're lost. One thing you might have not realized is that those who are reading not just reading anything but reading the best books are one step ahead of you or even miles ahead of you. But don't worry, we can catch up with them and even be ahead of them. Leaders they say are not born but built. If your believe you're a leader then you got to be a reader. You have to read for intellectual growth , to acquire new information, to have fellowship with great minds. I bet you that if you start reading your BIBLE daily from now, you'll unconsciously walk out from some things you got trapped in, your problems.

You got to empty your pocket into your head and not into your stomach. If you don't have enough money for books you can always borrow good books from your friend or even the Library. You gotta immerse yourself in books that equip  you for higher service. Spend half an hour each day reading a book that feed the soul and stimulate the mind. Go and find out, rich people like Bill Gates and the likes still spend time reading. My grandma still reads. It was when I started reading again in High School around second year third term that I realized that the change in the reader is internal and not external.  I read a lot of books back in school and I could only write down the titles of just 17 of them.

·       God is in the small stuff and it all matters by Bruce & Stan

·       The ten commandments of the workplace and how to break them everyday by Perry Pascarella

·       Beginner's Grace by Kate Braestrup

·       God Chasers by Tommy Tenney

·       What Jesus meant by Garry Wills

(That's where I learnt that WWJD meant What Will Jesus Do)

·       Too much holly, not enough Holy  by Patricia Wilson

·       Immersed in the sacred by Kate Coffey

·       Life's challenges-Your opportunities by John Hagee

·       Finding God in the Evening news by Jody Dean

·       Why am I afraid to love by John Powell

·       O2-Breathing New Life into Faith by Richard Dahlstrom

·       God at your wit's end by Marilyn Meberg

·       2Do before I die by Michael Ogden and Chris Day

·       Live what you love by Bob and Melinda Blanchard

·       What's age got to Do with it by Robin McGraw

·       How to hear from God by Joyce Meyer

·       Self-seduction: The ultimate path to inner and outer beauty by Mikki Taylor

These books have unconsciously had impact in my life. After reading these books and more I've being inspired to write and that's why I'm sitting behind the keyboard right now. I'm not really good with typing fast but I'm trying...LOL! When I completed school, the following week my friend, Sandra asked me to go with her to buy books to read. I felt it wasn't necessary because after all we were done with school and for the next three months you gotta have fun. But there's nothing as fun as being clinged to As a man thinketh by James Allen or A girl's viewpoint by Zac Poonen or Mary Kay Ash's biography titled Mary Kay. I tell you, it's not easy being a reader but know that with constant practice you become a master reader. I'm also not saying go start reading a 300 plus pages books, the number of pages will scare you. Read something small each day...It can be one verse from the BIBLE or just a page of that book that has collected dust on your shelf. Read notice, magazines, read, just READ. I'm glad that a friend, Godfred said he's gonna start reading. My article didn't influence him though but I'm glad he made that decision. You can also take that decision, like now.

READERS ARE LEADERS, LEADERS ARE READERS.

Good luck on the reading journey. I pray that God strengthens us to be great readers especially of His Word. But not just readers, we're gonna WALK THE TALK we read.