My Green 2013 Book 4

My Green 2013

And Better Beginnings

A Book by Ifeoma Akobi (Iddiva)

MY GREEN 2013 And Better Beginnings

By Ifeoma Akobi (Iddiva)

MY GREEN 2013The Fourth Collection of 13 Lush & Inspiring NotesFrom a Series of 52 Notes in 4 CollectionsBy Ifeoma Akobi (Iddiva)

Published by Iddiva Impressions

An Iddiva Company

[email protected]

VOLUME 4

All rights reserved in accordance with international copyright laws.Reproduction in any form without the permission of the publisher isstrictly prohibited.

Ifeoma Akobi reserves the moral right to be identified as the author of thiswork.

©2013 Ifeoma C. Akobi

Dedication in short verse

This book is lovingly dedicated to all my readers.

God bless you all, abundantly!

CONTENTS

1-When I survey

2-Are You Losing Steam?

3-Secrets of Success: The Sling

4-Secrets of Success: Green Coaching

5-Autumn Child

6-Voices Inside

7-The Myth, the Mistake and the Mystery

8-21 Days of Grace

9-No Choice, No Contest

10-The Court of Popular Opinion

11-This Earth I & II

12-Drink Green

13-Experience Empowerment

What Next?

Other Books by Ifeoma Akobi

About the Author

1

WHEN I SURVEY

As I stand and survey the landscape of the past months, I can truly saywithout a doubt that I am grateful. I have written four books in the MyGreen 2013 series. I have positively impacted the lives of several people. Ihave achieved some major milestones and personal goals. I have learntnew things and visited new places. I have made new friends. I have grownin several ways and I am grateful for all the blessings that keep coming myway each day.

I can look at the terrain of the past and celebrate God who has been withme, guided me and helped me thus far. I write from my heart; from aplace of joy and deep gratitude. And as the year winds to an end I lookforward to even greater things in the present and near future.

Moreover, I celebrate you, my dear reader for making this journey withme and for sharing in the success of My Green 2013. This is the fourthbook in the series and I encourage you to get them all and make them apart of your life. Because after all is said and done it is the knowledge youhave and apply that will make the difference.

They are all available on Amazon or via email from [email protected] drink deeply of each book in the series and develop your dreamsbeyond the negatives you see; like a photographer using an analoguecamera would.

It is my pleasure to wish you an enjoyable read.

Happy Green 2013 and a toast to Better Beginnings!

Ifeoma Akobi (Iddiva)

2

ARE YOU LOSING STEAM?

A lot of the people I know take individual or family vacations in summer.A vacation provides an opportunity to rest, relax, refresh and enjoy somemuch needed recreation. Now that the summer months are over and mostof us are back, I have started seeing some symptoms of what I call ‘end ofyear blues’.

It is a phenomenon that makes me wonder. Why take time out to restthen return with less vigor? Or focus all your energies on the next yearand let the rest of the year slide? I think it is one of those weird thingsabout life but the great news is regardless of how things look or how youfeel, the year is not over until it is. There is still some Green remaining inyour 2013

So I will cheerfully declare that this is the time to approach all you dowith a “last lap” mentality. I have never seen an athlete slow downtowards the end of a race; instead they gather all their energies andstrength to blaze past the finish line.

This is how we should be in fall and winter. Let me be an evergreensource of inspiration to you through the changing seasons.

It is not over until it is, and every end can inspire a better beginning.

Keep shining in your Green 2013 and beyond,


3

SECRETS OF SUCCESS: The Sling

As someone with a penchant for productivity and prosperity I am often onthe lookout for ideas and concepts that can enhance people’s lives. Mythoughts were recently drawn to thoughts on David’s sling. As I rereadthe full story in 1 Samuel 17, I noticed how he used it with a smoothstone and audacious faith to bring Goliath down. Beyond the sling’sfunction, a thought on its form or structure also caught my attention.

If I held the elastic parts of the sling and stretched it sideways it would goas far as my own arms could reach. Now what would happen if I held oneend and asked a friend to pull the other end? The sling would stretch evenfarther; maybe 2 or 3 times more than it stretched when I pulled it on myown.

I quickly realized that there is so much more that we can accomplishwhen we partner together. Let us go further together. There is powerbehind team work and prosperity in unity. Therefore it is with greatpleasure that I invite you to partner with me in pulling the sling of yoursuccess. Let me help in your preparation and process for greater success.Let’s make the rest of the year a period to remember. Let us pull yoursling to greater things. I will share more thoughts in my next note.

Make it Your Green 2013,


4

SECRETS OF SUCCESS: Green Coaching

In my previous note, I used an analogy to explain how you can achieve somuch more when you partner with my company. Let me take it a stepfurther.

When I started writing the Green 2013 series I wanted to pass across amessage. It was and still is a message of hope, a message of growth, amessage of love and a message of change. Many people bought the booksand responded positively to its message but I still felt that something wasmissing.

So I included thoughts on My Green 2013 in my Twitter feed andFacebook page. These were fresh thoughts that were inspired as I wentthrough the year. However, the nagging feeling that something missingdid not leave.

I discovered that it was not enough to appreciate a good idea; one had tobe accountable to a process and follow through. It was not enough to try,one had to trust. I noticed that care, clarity and commitment wereessential to success in this journey. I also noticed that quite a number ofcoaching programs fell into a recognizable copy and paste syndrome. Myhunger and thirst for something different led me to a place of purpose andeternal significance. And it was in this place of clarity and contentmentthat I was inspired to share more of the bounty God has given me withyou.

I invite you to register with Green Coaching (it’s free) and learn, workand have fun with our amazing modules. Get started by sending an emailto [email protected] with Green Coaching as the subject.

Walk on with me; the best is yet to be.

Happy Green 2013,


5

AUTUMN CHILD

I can smell autumn in the air and it has a scent unlike any other time ofthe year. The air is crisp and pungent with the aroma of leaves. It is a timeto dream and a time to think. Beyond the freshness of spring and theplayfulness of summer, the fall season comes with its own uniquesweetness and essence.

I particularly love autumn. What is there not to love about the finery offall? From the fragrances of falling leaves and all kinds of herbs in the air towarm afternoons, cool nights, carpets of crunchy leaves, clear skies,brilliant stars, the autumn glow of gold, bright yellow, bronze, purple,red, orange and some green, as well as elegant fall fashion, luscious lotions,the scent of pressed flowers, the season of harvest, the Red Beach inChina and of course, my birthday

In the words of Albert Camus, “Autumn is a second spring when everyleaf is a flower.”

And in my own words, “…autumn is nature’s final fiesta, a burst ofblazing glory and beauty’s grand finale.”

And in case you are wondering if autumn is really that awesome, myanswer is a big “YES!”

I am a child of autumn. And every fall I am reborn.

Happy Green 2013,


6

VOICES INSIDE

There are two sides to every coin and there are at least two sides to everyendeavor in life. These opposing perspectives confront each otherconstantly. They shape our experiences, opinions, ideas and mindsets.They are very different voices. Some examples are the voices of cautionand adventure, risk and reason, faith and fear, hope and despair, successand failure, pleasure and pain, and joy and sorrow.

These voices are significant and cannot be ignored. They must beaccepted or rejected per time and there is no neutral ground. The goodnews is you can choose which voice to listen to per time.

The best way to judge which voice to listen to is to use what I call theEmpowerment Test. It begins with a simple question. “Does this feeling,thought, perception, opinion etc strengthen the best in you or does itweaken you?” Understanding the effect of a voice can give you an idea ofits source. If it strengthens you then it is positive and if it weakens youthen it is negative. It is as simple as that. No grey areas. It therefore followsthat to be a victor in life one must make a conscious effort to listen to thepositive voice.

I go into deeper detail on this subject in my Green Coaching Manualswhich are available via [email protected]. Walk on with me, the best isunfolding…

Happy Green 2013 and beyond!


7

THE MYTH, THE MISTAKE AND THE MYSTERY

“Marriage is a beautiful institution and beautiful things are maintainedwith precision…” The Marriage Mail

When people think of marriage different things come to mind. Somethink it is a necessary evil while others think it is mandatory foreverybody. I have seen marriage bring out a plethora of good, bad andugly qualities and attitudes in people. I have seen marriages that seemedmade in heaven crash on earth while unions that looked like they wereheaded for failure survived the storms.

What makes marriage work? Is it a game of chance or is it backed by rules?Who are the custodians of marriage wisdom? Is it a panel of experts orelders or your emotions? How can you tell if it is love? Should you marryfor love? What about money? More importantly what about purpose?

These are issues I deal with in an EBook titled The Marriage Mail: Talesof Myth, Mistake and Mystery. It is set for release in 2014 so check mydiary for updates or send an email to [email protected] for moreinformation.

But you know I will not leave you without a juicy tidbit. You can find itin the book of beginnings better known as Genesis. Read chapters 1 and 2to get information on the origin and concept of marriage and expect morein my book.

Here’s to a Happy Green 2013 and Better Beginnings,

Cheers!


8

21 DAYS OF GRACE

I did something special in August this year. Partly because I think Augustis a special month but more importantly because I felt stirred in my spiritto do so. I think August is special. Not only does it follow the midsummermonths it also heralds the –ember months of September, October (theVERY unique one), November and December. August to me is a monthfor creativity, new ideas, and unveiling of more purpose and power. It isalso the eighth month and in Biblical arithmetic the number 8 signifiesnew creation.

I decided to do a 21 day fast in August. The purpose of this fast was toinvest more time in praising and worshipping God and also to establishGod’s purpose for my life. Each day I broke fast at a particular time andprayed and worshipped. I took notes of what God taught me through theBible and impressions He placed in my heart.

It was tough sometimes because aside the physical denial I also had otherissues to contend with but I decided to adopt Paul’s “None of these thingsmove me attitude” (Acts 20:24). I am so thankful to God for grace thatkept me all the way. It was worth every minute! I experienced God’spresence, protection and providence in the most amazing ways. In thedays, months and years (yes!) to come I will be sharing some of the thingsI have learned through my books, blogs, manuals, courses and music.

Today I will leave you with a thought about September and its Sisters.

I believe that this is a season of harvest. It is a season of reaping, birthingand expression. In My Green 2013: The Third Season (i.e. Book 3) Iincluded a poem called Song of the Standing Sheaves. September was amonth for the sheaves to ripen and harvest began. In the month ofOctober we will process our sheaves, gather the grain and have a harvestparty! November will be a time to rest and December will meet usrefreshed, renewed and ready for the next year. Beautiful people, it is timefor us to manifest the present purpose for our lives. It is time for us tobirth the next dimension through faith in the Word and prayer.

It is against this backdrop of beautiful expectation that I welcome you topress in and enjoy all the love, favor and joy in this last quarter and transitsuccessfully to 2014.

Things will only get better for the believer. Do you believe?

Happy Green 2013,


9

NO CHOICE, NO CONTEST

I recently saw a show where the topic revolved around attitudes andbeliefs about money. I heard a number of statements most of which werehardly new. Here are a few examples:

‘Money is not everything’

‘Money cannot buy happiness’

‘Money is the root of all evil’

I watched a bit as various individuals stated their views and I could see theintensity and sincerity with which each person defended their position.

As I pulled out my laptop to put down some of my thoughts on theEmpowerment Experience (more on this in a latter chapter) I was struckby a thought of how restricted our individual and societal perception canbe on subjects like this.

My take on this subject is that money is money, happiness is happiness,love is love and people are people. And we can choose to have one ormore or all of the above. I personally do not see why anyone should haveto choose between having money and being happy. I have never heard ofhappiness for sale or auction anywhere. Neither the presence nor absenceof money guarantees happiness.

In addition I sometimes do not get the debate between marrying for loveand marrying for money. Why not marry for purpose instead? Marriageshould primarily be about being with someone with whom you can fulfillyour divine destiny and the purpose for which God placed you on thisearth. Of course the person should be attractive and responsible but looksand money (or the absence of it) do not guarantee a happy home. I writemore on this subject in The Marriage Mail coming out next year. Lastly, Iam yet to read the passage in the Bible that says that ‘money is the root ofall evil’.

We can have all we want. We can have what we want. That is the plaintruth. That is why Jesus came. Let me take a verse from John 10:10, Iadded the words in brackets for explanatory purposes.

The thief does not come except to steal, to kill and to destroy; I havecome that they (you and I) may have life and have it more abundantly (orin its fullest).

Our only limit is the will of God and His will for us is always perfect.

Cheers to your love, happiness, health and wealth…

Happy Green 2013, 2014 and beyond,


10

THE COURT OF POPULAR OPINION

They are trail blazers. They are pacesetters. They are difference makers.They are seekers. They are visionary. Most of all they are believers. Thispost is for them and people who want to be like them.

It is not easy to strike out alone or in the company of a few people. Ournatural instinct is inclined towards following the crowd or flowing withpopular opinion. It takes courage, faith, patience, persistence and strengthto go into the beyond. It requires desire and passion for a visionary tokeep believing even when you cannot see.

At the initial stages failure, doubts and scorn may be the reward of yourefforts but these bitter fruits have a way of distilling into the sweet juice ofsuccess if you remain committed to purpose.

The court of popular opinion may mount the most convincing evidenceagainst you. They might giggle or guffaw from their spectator seats. It isnothing new. In studying the lives of great men and women we see thateach of them went through opposition before getting to positions ofwealth, influence or power.

I encourage you to pass through your process. I encourage you tomaintain your call in the face of distractions from the court of popularopinion. After all you are the judge, your word is law, and the Greaterone (God) lives in you.

And please, if you are not sure of what role God has and/or should have inyour life do contact me via [email protected].

“Life is a journey

With twists and turns, rules and clues

Let God be your guide

Your life, your way, your truth…”

Happy Green 2013 and beyond,


11

THIS EARTH

I

VOICE OF NATURE

The earth quakes

The seas roar

The volcanoes erupt

The skies thunder.

A link in the cycle of life

Or a fit of rebellious strife,

Inevitable actions of Mother Nature

Or angry outbursts of disrupted composure,

The balance of the earth shape shifting

As impatient man continues plundering

Created resources to satisfy endless cravings

Eventually leaving her bare and barren?

The mountains crumble

The ice melts

The waters rise

The forests shrink

The winds howl

Chance happenings in existence

Or development’s cure, curse and consequence…

II

OF A THOUSAND

Now the rain is over

We can come out of our nests

We dislike the lightning and thunder

Yet desire the sweetness and scent

Of a thousand flowers blooming in the breeze

Of a thousand fruits ripening in the trees

We cannot have one without the other

Pressure then pleasure, the race before the prize

Destiny determines the destination

The mystery of life in transition

Of a thousand hopes and a thousand dreams

Of a thousand things in creative harmony.

-Ifeoma Akobi

12

DRINK GREEN

Green smoothies are the rage today. And I am not surprised. It is onlynatural that blending vegetables would be the in thing once fruitsmoothies became commonplace. Green smoothies are made by blendinggreen raw leafy vegetables with fruit (optional), water and ice.

Some of the vegetables that can be blended include spinach, broccoli,celery, parsley or any other locally available leafy green vegetable of yourchoice. It is really up to you.

Green smoothies unlike fruits are not naturally sweet and people take tothem in different ways. They can be mixed with fruit to improvenutrition and taste or you could just add some honey. Some of the fruitsthat you can mix with your smoothies include oranges, apples, mangoesand bananas. You can also get adventurous and mix in other fruits youlike. A good mix would be 50% fruit and 50% vegetables or 60% fruit and40% vegetables, and it is ok to experiment until you find a nutritiousflavor that works for you.

Remember to wash your vegetables properly (preferably with some salt)before blending. Blanching (soaking veggies in hot water) is not necessaryas the heat destroys the vitamins you need.

Enjoy your veggies and have fun with your green smoothies!

Happy Green 2013 and here’s to better beginnings,


13

EXPERIENCE EMPOWERMENT!

This note might be the longest so far and I think that is cool in view of thefact that it is the last note in this collection but hey, I run ahead of myself

Let me share some thoughts:

The harvest is always greater than the seed.

The size of the tree is not dependent on the size of the seed.

You cannot predict the size of a tree based on the size of a seed.

You can count the number of seeds in a fruit but you cannot count thenumber of fruits in a seed.

I am emphasizing these points because most of the frustration manypeople experience with wealth creation is due to frustration with theirseed, talents or resources. It reminds me of the parable of the talents inMatthew 25:14-30 (Read it!)

The first thing that strikes me in this parable is that the gift of talents is notequal. The talents were proportioned fairly but not given equally. Eachperson had equal opportunity to multiply their seed and each servant wascommended based on his own effort. This eliminates the sense ofcompetition, inferiority and envy so prevalent in our world today. Let thistruth sink into your spirit: in the grand scheme of things you will not beevaluated based on how well you outperformed or outsmarted others.

You will be solely evaluated on how well you multiplied what you weregiven (and how much you gave out of what you had multiplied).

How do you measure success?

Are you running a race for which you were never equipped? Are youheading to the top of the wrong ladder? Have you found your purpose?Are you trying to keep up with people that you should be leading? Whyare you here on earth? Do you measure your success as a marathon runnerby a sprinter’s speed? What are you about? What are you fighting for?

In the scheme of things your resourcefulness should far outweigh yourresources. Let’s look at Matthew 25:14-30 in more detail. Godrepresented by the king gives differing amounts of talents or gifts orresources to his servants (us). The giving of gifts was according to abilityor capacity not quantity. This is evident by the statements of praise thatthe servants with five talents and two talents both got. They got equalpraise. This shows that God is into proportions. It is not about how muchyou have but about how well you use what you have. The servant thathad one talent buried it. He did not trade with it and multiply it like theothers did. I am sure that he would received the same words of praise if hehad traded the one he had been given and brought back two talents to theMaster.

It is also interesting to me to note that the first reference to being multi-talented is mentioned here. So it is clear that having many talents is not abad thing. I say this because many people suppress certain gifts they haveout of fear of looking like “Jacks of all trades and masters of none.” Thisstory on talents really helped me to better appreciate and seek ways to

trade my talents. Do not feel overwhelmed if everything seems out ofplace. With God you can get direction and wisdom on how to best useyour talents. And if you are a one talent person then pursue it withpassion. Do not bury it or feel intimidated by those who have more.Remember, it is not about what you have but about what you do withwhat you have that counts.

So as the year concludes let us take stock of how well we have served withthe talents we have and endeavor to do better.

Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year and …

Here is a toast to Better Beginnings and an Amazing 2014!

Remember that you can get the other 3 books in the collection atAmazon or via [email protected].

On a final note I am compiling notes from all the My Green 2013 booksso you can have it in one volume as a collector’s item and give copies tofamily and friends as a gift. You can also use quotes in your blog, article orbook under the provisions in the copyright laws.

Thank you for being part of My Green 2013 and I look forward to anAmazing 2014 with you…

Go wow the world; in fact go beyond the world!

See you in 2014!

I Love You,


WHAT NEXT?

First we begin the Experience Empowerment in October. It is aboutmatching funds with a group of aspiring entrepreneurs and helping themsucceed. To be a part of this (donor or beneficiary) or to get moreinformation, please send an email to [email protected]

I mentioned at least 2 soon to be published books in my previous posts.Did you note them?

So 2013 was My Green 2013, what do you think 2014 will be?

OTHER BOOKS BY IFEOMA AKOBI

My Green 2013- The First Notes

My Green 2013- The Second Notes

My Green 2013- The Third Season

COMING SOON

Wealth Begins with You!

Scent of Water

Musings of a Maven- Diary of a Divine Diva

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ifeoma Akobi (Iddiva) is the maven and owner at Iddiva Group. She is abeautiful, stylish woman of industrious spirit, intelligent mind andincredible heart. She is a pharmacist by training and a poet by talent. She isa professional and creative business woman with interests in wealthcreation, health, beauty and wellness products and services. She is also abusiness consultant, published author, speaker and singer-songwriter. Shepossesses a great work ethic, a delightful sense of humor and a rich store ofwit. She is passionate about life, economic empowerment, and buildinghealthy families and societies.

Get more information on her resources, events, training and speakingschedule as well as information on Iddiva Group [email protected]

Connect through Facebook: www.facebook.com/ifeoma.divinediva

Twitter: @IfeomaAkobi

Email: [email protected]

Published by Iddiva Impressions

An Iddiva Company

Documents

My Green 2013 Book 4