My first experience with the name Achilles was Brad Pitt’s character in Troy; Brad Pitt has always been one of my favorite actors of all time. His display of Achilles in Troy was more than believable but I am not writing to discuss Brad Pitt; I want to share with you what a friend of mine shared with me. I want to share with you what I have experience but never put in words or writing. I want to share with you something that may eventually change your life if you adhere to it. This may not be my story but this is a story I am much too familiar with; maybe not the same plot but the same underlying principle. I was really touched by Dr. Ihekwaba’s story that I decided to share it with forward moving individuals like you. This is the story:
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I remember in high school I was pretty rubbish in Science. Let’s just say I was pretty rubbish in most things, but my physics teacher for some reason known only to him believed in me, even with my very poor grades (too ashamed to prefix.. I know ayo, you’d probably try). But he still believed in me. Told me, I was one of his finest, brightest and most inspiring students. Well let’s just say I worked even harder, exhausted my limit, and even though I never got the high grades, he never stopped believing that I could and would. I didn’t make the grade I needed to study the course of my choice at university level, but I still got into uni, and never forgetting the belief “Mr. Bancroft†had in me, I worked like there was no tomorrow. In the end I made a First class honours, but when I went back to my high school to tell Mr. Bancroft that I made it, that I made a First in Pharm. sci, majored in Organic and Medicinal chem., he was no longer working in the school or was he around to see the seed he had sown all those years ago germinate and bloom. He had retired for health reasons. I was never able to tell him, that because of the way he believed that I could soar like an eagle, that the sky was the limit that was attainable to me, that regardless of what circumstance, difficulty, ill equipped as I was, that the light at the end of tunnel was a destination I could get to. I was immediately offered two ‘joint’ scholarships (one from Pfizer and the other from BBSRC) to study for my Ph.D immediately after uni, and received my Ph.D by the age of 25. I think this is a pretty good achievement for an “F grade†student..lol..
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Today’s topic is not about me or my physics teacher, but about you and your teacher known as Jesus.
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The Lord did use Mr. Bancroft to spur me on, but what if there wasn’t a Mr. Bancroft, to remember there will always be God. He is forever by our side willing us to try just that bit harder. The Lord who created us, who has already gifted us, the ability and all the necessary skills to get to the finishing line. The thing is we need to have it always in our fore mind that He is always there encouraging us that we can, and we will get there. Never to forget that if no one believes in you, the fact that God believes in you is all you need. That you have been created for greatness, to be the head, to be rulers, you are royalty, to be able to tell the difference between what’s fake and what’s real. To remember that the people you surround yourself with must agree in your ability to attain greatness. That anybody who tears you down, or talks about your negative qualities, does not deserve to stand with you. If Mr. Bancroft had gone on and on about my “F†status, and how he saw no future in my “F†(Failure) being transformed to “F†(First class) then I doubt I would have believed that I could. I am here to tell you; “Never settle for less. Never settle for mediocrity, never settle for ok. Never settle for quitters. You are created in the image of God, and He is not a quitter.â€
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I was not able to thank Mr. Bancroft, but like the Ten lepers healed by Jesus, if no one comes back to thank Jesus for what He’s done for them, I would like to be that one that came back to thank Him. To always be in an attitude of thanks. I know now that the Lord used Mr. Bancroft to will me on to the finishing line of academia, and for this Lord I thank you. If I had believed in my then current situation in high school, I probably would not have become a Fellow of science, a faculty staff and an academic working for Microsoft research supervising Masters and Ph.D students within 3 yrs of my graduation. But I stress on believing that I can and will. You might have been called all manner of names, rejected, have had to overcome one hurdle or another on your way to the finishing line, but one thing I know is that you have been called: CHOSEN, HIS, BELOVED, SOUGHT AFTER, FRIEND, Great man/woman, man/woman after God’s own heart, Friend of God. That your life is not in the hands of any ordinary man, but you have been ingrained in the palm of God’s hands. I no longer believe in the FACT, I only know the Truth. And the simple truth is that I have been created for my life to bring Glory to God. And whatever point I am in my life I can only get better, the direction can only be upwards.
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So I challenge you all, will you continue to let the shadows of your past failures, shame, unfruitfulness continue to chase you or will you make a stand for it and choose to see past, the Fact, and strive on until the Truth manifests in your life. What will your legacy be? The choice is really up to you.
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As for me, my mind is made up. I will be a fool to settle for anything less than what God has for me. I am not about to give up now.
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7 comments
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August 3, 2008 at 3:19 pm (UTC 1)
dipo,this post is hotter than hot because when i look at the situations around me i want to give up.i have a lot on me and the more i try the more it seems like i’m crazy.but i have come to a point where i just know that whatver i end up being in life isnt about my family,where i’m from,schools i attended but who i am.who am i?u don’t have to answer for me because if you do and i dont believe it for myself then its useless.no matter how much anyone believes in you if you dont believe in you then you cant achieve.first succeess comes with self awareness of who you are and then acting out who you are and doing what you ought to do.my fave quote,if you think you can,you can but if you think you cant then you are right.no wonder the greatest thing God wants for us is to live like he made us,KINGS!the only way is for us to have an intimacy with him,his word which is able to build us up and give us an inheritance among them that are sanctified(i no ne pastor oh!).The building up aint gon be easy i tell you but when you are done you’d be grateful for those dark nights,hard times,disappointments and all other ugly situations.
friend i cant give up not now and i dont expect you to do the same.
royal-prince,d’lecturer,christian,kayode and all others go do your thing!
dipo,what more can i say?YOU ROCK!
August 4, 2008 at 9:42 am (UTC 1)
Thank you for this inspirational tonic to start my week with.
Enough said but let me add: “It is God’s prerogative and His alone, to define your ability and not anybody’s because If he let man define your ability, then you have given him the permission to put a limit on you”-Prince.
You have re-ignited my passion to get to the summit not matter my present situation. My situation/condition now remains nothing but FACTS and will ultimately give way for my POSITION in HIM twhich is the TRUTH about me to manifest. Praise God! My position is that I am the head and not the tail, I shall be above only and not beneath, I shall lend to nations and not borrow.
May God give us the inner might and courage, just like Joseph, to hold on until ourchange comes and our true kingly positions manifest.
Luv U!.
August 4, 2008 at 9:48 am (UTC 1)
@Emeka, hw u dey!
Sorry!, I had already sent my comment when i noticed urs . I am fine and would never give up.
See u at the top brother!
August 5, 2008 at 12:43 pm (UTC 1)
thank you very much dipo.
am inspired by the posts of emeka & prince
but really lost for words.
stories like this really touch the soul and tends to go a long way in motivating even the down cast.
keep it coming dipo.
bless u and every one else.
balogun
August 6, 2008 at 7:55 pm (UTC 1)
fantastic post, dipo.
every man has that within him. the seed of God’s ability to achieve even beyond our abilities. bury a stone, it will be faithful and will stay there, but bury a seed of corn, and it will defeat gravity and obey a higher law. it will rise and produce more of it’s kind.
i think we only need the courage nd tenacity to follow the seed of vison given to us by God, inspite of all opposition and challenges. it is not life that maters, but the courage which we put to it.
cheers, deola.
August 8, 2008 at 4:35 pm (UTC 1)
Your blog is an endless source of inspiration for Nigerian youth in the world at large. Keep up the good work!
August 11, 2008 at 3:32 pm (UTC 1)
NO WORD is adequate than to simply say to you too, THANKYOU.