Life is full of surprises and many difficult challenges. These challenges sometimes overcome us. We become so helpless. We start to groan in pain. This should not come as a surprise because our Lord and saviour suffered dearly in this world of sorrow and misery. When the son of man came into this world he promised us that he came so that we may have life in abundance. So what went wrong to the extent that we find ourselves cursing for the misfortunes we experience in our lives? Do you remember what I said? Didn’t I tell you that most people live the lives which they were not meant to live due to lack of purpose which is in accordance with what the creator (God) has placed in each one of us?. I hope by now you are busy working upon your life purpose, vision and values which are congruent with that of your society or community.

Remember “to know and not to do is not to know, to learn and not to do is not to learn’’ (Covey, 2006). The Bible tells us that God cannot allow a trial or test that we cannot overcome. It follows therefore that when we face tribulations in our lives, if we are focused and purposeful we shall indeed overcome. Yes, we can. Yes, you can. Yes I can.

Dr Al Siebert (1996) in his book The Survivor Personality asserts that some people when they are faced with adversity start to feel victimised. They blame others for their situation, they feel helpless and overwhelmed. He continues to say that they lash out at and try to hurt anyone around them. The question therefore that comes to my mind is: How do you respond to challenges in life? Remember if you do not have a life purpose, situations and other people will always control you - hence you will not be focused in life. It follows therefore, that living a meaning life will remain a wishful dream.

Siebert also says that many people complain that life is unfair. Are you one of the people who feel that life is unfair? Sit down and think again. Life treats everyone in the same manner. The only difference is how you respond to the challenges that life provides. Remember, to each one of us God has given different talents or abilities that we can use to survive in this world of many challenges. In order for one to survive, it is imperative to have a purpose, vision and values. Again learn to celebrate what is good about the world rather than to complain about the wrong.

This is so because our purpose in this world is not to redefine, modify or create a new world than the one made by the creator himself. It follows, therefore, if we try to remake the world, we will always fail, hence live a miserable life. Another thing to consider is to first forgive ourselves for the mistakes that we have committed against ourselves and to those that we dearly love. The Bible tells us that self-condemnation is self-destructive. If you cannot forgive yourself for whatever reason, it follows that you cannot easily forgive another person. The principle of God is that we should forgive one another so that he can forgive us. If we fail to forgive ourselves, parents, siblings, children for the wrongs they have done unto us, then we should forget about living a meaningful life. Start now to forgive yourself and others, and see whether your life will not change for the better. It does not matter whether you are 70 years or what. All you need to do is to start now to live a meaningful life. The Bible tells us that God does not care of what good or bad you did at first, but he is interested in the state that you end up in. It follows therefore that one can live a meaning life towards the end and please his creator. Yes you can, yes we can, only if we make the right choices in accordance with our life purposes.

In order for us to achieve our goals of living a purposeful life we need to develop a life plan document. A life plan is both a document and developmental process, which connects our daily activities with a deeper understanding of what gives meaning to our lives (The Performance Centre, 2006). The life plan contains seven aspects, namely vocational, intellectual, family, financial, community, spiritual and physical. In the next article I will attempt to elaborate on what all these aspects entail. For now my people finish the task that I have given you, that of developing a life purpose, vision and values. Remember that you are unique and that which God has placed in you to do on earth can only be done by you alone. If you fail to live your purpose, then it means that gap which you left will always remain without being fulfilled. This view is supported by Martha Graham as cited by (The Performance Centre, 2006) when she says that “you are unique, and if that is not fulfilled, then something has been lost. There is vitality, life force, and energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action and because there is only one of you in all the time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost”.

Faith without actions is a dead faith. In the same manner ‘to learn and not to do is not to learn and to know and not to do is not to know’. Batswana let’s live a meaningful life. By now I think you know that life is a choice. You may choose to be miserable or happy. It is imperative to understand that in life there are things we cannot change but we have to appreciate them and live the life which God ordained us to live. Knowledge is the fountain of life, only if it is in line with what your creator has ordained (purpose).Your humble servant. ‘Change is my life, change is within me’.

Change Agent Ike (+27738068965).