A Positive Quote for Now

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."— Maya Angelou


Place of the Bible in Our Lives

A True Story
by
Copyright ©
Picture related to the title of the story
With permission, I've extracted this picture-quote from Quotes Lyfe. All rights reserved worldwide.

Last week, I read a 2002 "U.S. News & World Report" magazine that gave information on the best graduate schools in America. According to that magazine, in 2002, Yale was the best in law, Harvard in medicine and MIT in engineering.

The magazine reported that medical schools in the U.S. have a rigorous curriculum that can make students less empathetic to people's problems. And I think the same goes for law and engineering schools.

For students going through such rigorous curricula, it can be easy for them to dismiss the Bible as a trivial book. They might think that understanding the Bible is no match to grasping law, medicine or engineering concepts.

But a casual look at our modern world can help us see the need for us to understand the Bible. Just look at the news reported in the media everyday. We hear of vices like murder, violence, corruption and sexual assault that instill many of us with fear. We also hear of success stories that make us sick with jealousy.

The Bible can help us deal with such fear and jealousy. It has advice on every issue we face as well as promises that can help us rise above the petty conflicts and worries that litter our everyday living. One of my favorite promises is:
So do not fear, for I'm with you; do not be dismayed, for I'm your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
Because the Bible is such a treasure trove of life-giving wisdom, I include it in my reading repertoire, something I encourage you to do as well. Read novels, yes, and also books related to your career. But don't neglect the Bible since it has the potential to set you free from the weight of guilt, worry, jealousy and bitterness.

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RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed this story, you might also enjoy "Finding Freedom in the Word".
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Remembering My Classmates

A True Story
by Thuita J. Maina
on Jul 6, 2023
Copyright ©
Picture related to the title of the story
This was my high school class posing for a photo as our years at Starehe Boys' Centre were coming to an end in November 2005. Several years later when I created a website for the class, I called it "The Class of Classes. The Classic Class. The Class With Class."

It's years since I last saw any of my high school classmates face to face. But the memories of how they influenced me positively still enrich my life. Let me tell you of six classmates.

First was Lawrence Sikuku who consistently emerged among the top in our class. He had such a pleasing personality that you'd rarely hear him utter an unkind word about anyone.

A year after we finished high school, I found him working in a bank in downtown Nairobi. Though I didn't want to catch his attention, he spotted me queuing up, paused what he was doing and came to greet me. He then offered to serve me, saving me time.

Second was Wilson Chira who was selected to represent our school at a conference in America when we were in third form in 2004. He was always kind to me, so I'm glad he attended the coveted conference.

Third was Rocky Mbithi who became a good friend of mine in December 2005. A few weeks later when we joined Starehe Institute, he begged me for pocket change. We were such good friends that I couldn't miss helping him out.

Several years later when I was running for a political seat, I requested him to contribute to my campaign funds. And wow! He sent me KSh 1,000, probably without remembering the pocket change I gave him in 2006.

Fourth was James Wakyumbu who clarified to me the Earth looks flat because it is so huge that its curvature appears straight to the human eye. Unfortunately, he passed away in November 2008, most likely from the epilepsy he had in high school.

Fifth was John Njiru who had a fancy handwriting and a good command of the English language. I remember, but not so clearly, asking him to help me craft love letters when I became interested in having a girlfriend in fourth form.

Lastly was Martin Wamoni, the deskmate I had for the longest time. We nearly died laughing when we cracked some jokes in second form. But we drifted apart when we enrolled at JKUAT in May 2007 to pursue engineering degrees.

When he flew to London in 2011, I sent him a lengthy email, reminding him of our high school laughs and the way we drifted apart at JKUAT. He wrote back, telling me, among other things, that I was also to blame for our drifting because friendship is a two-way process.

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RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed this story, you might also enjoy "High School Chronicles".
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Bible Quote

"Always be full of joy in the Lord; I say it again, rejoice! Let everyone see that you are unselfish and considerate in all you do... Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand."

~Phillipians 4:4-7 (TLB)

About the Author

Name: Thuita J. Maina
Marital status: Single
Lives in: Kiserian, Rift Valley, Kenya
Mission: To inspire the world to godly living, one person at a time.

Just for Laughs

There was this drunkard called Azoge who loved drinking at Josiah's Bar. On being told a certain Hon. Nanga was flying to America to be conferred a law degree so that he could be admitted to the bar, Azoge replied, "Why fly all the way to America to be admitted to the bar while you can get into Josiah's Bar any time?"



The 7 Deadly Sins

  1. Pride
  2. Envy
  3. Gluttony
  4. Lust
  5. Anger
  6. Greed
  7. Sloth

Author's Note

I am learning to treat life as a journey, not a destination; I have therefore given up the things that weighed me down and I am now living my life to the fullest because the tomorrow I had always hoped to live my dreams may never be mine.

Fun Facts

  1. The fear of having no cell-phone service, running out of battery, or losing sight of your phone is called Nomophobia, reportedly affecting 66% of people.
  2. A single Google search needs more computing power than it took to send Apollo 11 to the moon. The Apollo computer was less equipped than a modern toaster.
  3. Besides being some of the biggest names in the tech industry, HP, Apple, Google and Microsoft share another commonality. They all started in garages.
~Extracted from Codingforums.com

Health Tips

"So many of us take for granted the wonderful construction of the human body and the workings of its various parts. Some of us even expect it to function efficiently with less than the minimum care and attention. Learn the much you can about your body and how the care of it can help give you that greatest blessing of all - good health."

~From Your Body (A Ladybird Book)

Wonders of the Modern World

  1. The Simplon Tunnel
  2. The Sky-scrapers of New York
  3. The Boulder Dam of Colorado
  4. The Panama Canal
  5. The Golden Gate Bridge
  6. The Taj Mahal at Agra in India
  7. The North Sea Oil Drilling Rigs

The Kind of Leaders We Need

"My life in politics was a joy. I loved campaigns and I loved governing. I always tried to keep things moving in the right direction, to give more people a chance to live their dreams, to lift people's spirits, and to bring them together. That's the way I kept score."

~Bill Clinton

Scientific Marvels

  1. Space travel
  2. Heart surgery
  3. Fibre-optics communication
  4. Concorde
  5. Radios
  6. Computers
  7. Anesthetics

My Supreme Desire

To borrow the words of Elbert Hubbard, my supreme desire is to radiate health, cheerfulness, calm courage and goodwill. I wish to live without fear, hate, guilt, worry and jealousy; to be honest, natural, confident, clean in mind and body - ready to say "I do not know" if it be so; to treat all men with kindness; and to meet any loss, failure, criticism and rejection unabashed and unafraid.



Greatest American Presidents

  1. Abraham Lincoln
  2. George Washington
  3. Thomas Jefferson
  4. Franklin Roosevelt
  5. Theodore Roosevelt
  6. Woodrow Wilson
  7. Andrew Jackson

Making Peace With the Past

"Dwell not on your past. Use it to illustrate a point, then leave it behind. Nothing really matters except what you do now in this instant of time. From this moment onwards you can be an entirely different person, filled with love and understanding, ready with an outstretched hand, uplifted and positive in every thought and deed."

~Eileen Caddy

Toughest Colleges to Get Into

  1. MIT
  2. Princeton
  3. Harvard
  4. Yale
  5. Stanford
  6. Brown
  7. Columbia

Why You Should Trust God

"Men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities and pour out peace."

~Ezra Taft Benson

The 7 Greatest Scientists

  1. Albert Einstein
  2. Isaac Newton
  3. Galileo Galilei
  4. Nikola Tesla
  5. Aristotle
  6. Archimedes
  7. Charles Darwin

You Matter

"Always be yourself. Never try to hide who you are. The only shame is to have shame. Always stand up for what you believe in. Always question what other people tell you. Never regret the past; it's a waste of time. There's a reason for everything. Every mistake, every moment of weakness, every terrible thing that has happened to you, grow from it. The only way you can ever get the respect of others is when you show them that you respect yourself and most importantly, do your thing and never apologize for being you."

~Unknown

The Most Industrialized Nations

  1. United States
  2. Japan
  3. Germany
  4. France
  5. United Kingdom
  6. Italy
  7. Canada

Keys to Success

"...in his effort to withstand temptation, to economize, to exercise thrift, to disregard the superficial for the real - the shadow for the substance; to be great yet small, in his effort to be patient in the laying of a firm foundation; to so grow in skill and knowledge that he shall place his services in demand by reason of his intrinsic and superior worth. This is the key that unlocks every door of opportunity, and all others fail."

~Booker T. Washington

The 7 Social Sins

  1. Politics without principle
  2. Wealth without work
  3. Pleasure without conscience
  4. Knowledge without character
  5. Commerce without morality
  6. Worship without sacrifice
  7. Science without humanity

Cherish What You Love

"Cherish your visions, cherish your ideals, cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts - for out of them will grow all heavenly environment, of these if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built."~James Allen

The World's Largest Cities

  1. London in England
  2. New York in the United States
  3. Tokyo in Japan
  4. Berlin in Germany
  5. Chicago in the United States
  6. Shanghai in China
  7. Paris in France

Benefits of Optimism

"In terms of success, optimistic people out perform their pessimistic colleagues. Research shows that they are consistently promoted higher and make more money while working fewer hours than those who think pessimistically. Optimists also contribute more significantly to social progress. It is the optimists who start and run successful companies, who win elections and carry out reforms, and who make breakthroughs in the realms of science and technology."

~Pepe Minambo

The World's Greatest Lakes

  1. Caspian Sea in the Commonwealth of Independent States, C.I.S. (formerly U.S.S.R)
  2. Lake Superior in North America
  3. Victoria Nyanza in Central Africa
  4. Aral Sea in C.I.S.
  5. Lake Huron in North America
  6. Lake Michigan in North America

Demonstrating His Love

"Take your communication for instance - the way you address others. It ought to be with loving, gracious and edifying words. Never talk people down. Never use words that hurt and demean people. Communicate excellently with others without destroying their self-image or making them feel sorry for themselves. Talk to people in a way that they never forget the excellence of your words, the love and grace of Christ that you communicated. It's how God wants us to love."

~Dr. Chris Oyakhilome

World's Longest Rivers

  1. Missouri-Mississipi (U.S.)
  2. Amazon (Brazil)
  3. Nile (Egypt)
  4. Yangtse (China)
  5. Lena (Russia)
  6. Zaire (Central Africa)
  7. Niger (West Africa)